Torched: A Rough Firefighter Romance Read online

  My body was convulsing, fighting against me as I struggled to hold back the climax, but after another minute, there was nothing I could do. “I’m going... to...” As I reared up from the desk, my arms flailing, I feel the sweet release of his mouth over my swollen pussy lips. His tongue slid inside, taking every drop of my sweet cream.

  I knew at that very moment, the ecstatic, amazing, incredible moment that I was falling in love.

  And for so many reasons, dark and painful hindrances, the realization brought tears to my eyes.

  Just then, the lights went out completely.

  Chapter Eight

  Blaise

  “Do you like the darkness, sweet Genevieve?” I could no longer recognize my own voice, the guttural vibe of a wild man.

  “Yes, sir. The darkness hides secrets,” she whispered. Her entire body remained trembling from the intensity of her climax.

  Secrets. Yes, we all had them. I rubbed down her chest, tapping her pussy before dropping the vibrator.

  I wasn’t entirely certain what had possessed me to make the few purchases, but I knew I wanted tonight to be special and all because of this incredible woman. She’d captured more than just my intrigue as well as snapping what I thought were permanently rusted padlocks on the dominating desires that had been with me my entire life. She’d snagged a portion of my heart. I have no idea how I could fall for someone so quickly, but at this moment, as the storm raged on, I wanted to ravage her entire body.

  Yanking Genevieve longways on the desk, I leaned over, crushing my mouth over hers. I had the taste of her sweet pussy in my mouth and on my lips and the second our lips locked together, my throbbing cock shoved hard against my jeans. I held her in place, drawing her arms over her head and locking our fingers together. The kiss became a savage announcement of my needs and I thrust my tongue inside, entwining hers with mine and locking our bodies together.

  She responded by wrapping her legs around my waist, arching her back and smashing her breasts against my chest. Flashes of lightning illuminated the dense space, creating a fevered atmosphere. I growled into the kiss, moving my mouth in an effort to devour her. The scent of her was even more exceptional than before, full of musk as well as exotic spices and the slight hint of jasmine. The intoxicating fragrance turned me into a wild beast.

  I grasped both of her wrists in one hand, allowing me to rake my fingers down the length of her, rubbing her leg. I was tingling all over, pulses of current sliding into every portion of my muscles and tendons. I had to be inside of her. The second I broke the kiss, she whimpered, and the sound was like rocket fuel.

  “Yes. Yes!”

  Engulfing her nipple, I sucked and licked, swirling my tongue before biting down. I no longer had control over my dominance and everything became a wild blur as I moved my lips to her other erect bud. She bucked underneath me, unable to free her arms or touch me and her moans became those of frustration.

  When I’d had enough, and my cock became far too anguished, only then did I let her go. I yanked the shirt over my head, tossing it, before jerking at the belt buckle.

  Her chest rose and fell, her breath sounds coming in ragged pants, but she remained in position with her arms still over her head.

  Fully undressed, I stood over her until she reached for me and as another flash of lightning pulsed through the blinds, I could see the carnal look on her face. I wasted no time, gripping her hips and jerking down, impaling her sweet pussy in one long, hard thrust.

  “Oh!” Her scream filtered toward the ceiling, her voluptuous breasts bobbing as I fucked her in savage motions.

  I rolled onto the balls of my feet, trying to maintain control yet I was blinded from my own raging desire, the intensity of my passion. She belonged to me in every way and no man would ever have her again.

  Genevieve pulled her legs open until her thighs rested on the desk. Her eyes never left mine as I plunged harder and faster, every muscle in my body straining. I was the crazed man, the wild beast and nothing and no one was going to stop me from taking what was mine. With every thrust, my balls increased in size and I held back, fighting.

  She undulated her body, her mouth open as she tossed her head back and forth. Her tiny whimpers were mixed with my animalistic purrs and soon, everything became a wonderful blur. Her pussy muscles clamped down, swallowing my shaft. I could tell she was close to coming.

  “Come with me. Come on my cock.” My command was clear, and she offered a sweet smile seconds before her entire body began to shake, her pussy clenching then releasing over and over again.

  “Oh. Oh!” She tossed her head from side to side, her hands reaching for me.

  I threw my head back as I gripped her legs, exploding deep inside of her. I came harder than I had before, and the roar expelled from my mouth turned into a strangled moan. “Fuck!” Seconds later, I collapsed on top of her and I could swear I heard the words that I’d never uttered to anyone, the very words I was terrified of hearing.

  I love you...

  Blinking, I rubbed my thumb across her face, dragging a strand of damp hair from her eyes. She seemed lost in her private moment of nirvana, her lower lip jutted out and her eyes closed. Maybe I was daydreaming, drifting into my own world. But I knew one thing. I couldn’t hurt her. I refused to take advantage of her. However, the fear trickling beside the raw satisfaction would not be denied. Getting close had ramifications.

  I pushed aside the ugliness and kissed her lips, this time allowing softness to replace the savage being.

  “Mmmm... You feel so good,” she murmured and eased her hands down my back.

  “You feel even better.”

  She bit her lower lip, finally opening her eyes. “Maybe the storm’s almost over.” She secured her feet together and wiggled, laughing softly.

  “Are you afraid I won’t protect you?”

  “You’re the best kind of protection, especially when you’re on top of me.”

  Laughing, I eased back, rubbing my nose against hers. “I should call in.”

  “I thought you were off tonight.”

  Grabbing my shirt, I tossed it to her before snagging my jeans. “I am, but after a storm like this, I just want to make certain everything is okay. I bet you’ll look good in my shirt.” I couldn’t help but grin.

  “Do you have any candles around this joint?” she teased as she slid into my shirt then moved off the desk, smoothing down the material.

  “I might. I also might be able to rustle us up a couple drinks. Dinner? Well, we’ll have to wait and see.”

  She sashayed closer, stroking my crotch. “I know what kind of food I want.”

  Kissing her forehead, I hated the fact that my mind was reeling, my past threatening to derail even this moment. “Haven’t I punished you enough?”

  “Never enough.”

  “Insatiable. I’ll grab a flashlight if you want to freshen up.”

  Genevieve chuckled. “And ruin this freshly fucked look? No way.”

  I reached out my hand to grab her neck, dragging her closer and breathing across her face. “I might have other surprises in store for tonight.”

  “I can only imagine.”

  Kissing her lips, I lingered as I took another deep whiff of her perfume, the scent now infused with the aroma of heated sex. As I turned, I knocked her coat off the chair and a cell phone tumbled to the floor. The moment I reached for it, a text came through.

  I need to see you now. You know you belong to me. This is important, and I won’t take no for an answer.

  The words lit up on the screen were confusing, almost paralyzing. I was in slow motion as I grabbed it, the screen fading before I was able to hand it to her. “Sorry about that.”

  “Just my work phone. I’m not certain I even want to check messages.” She smiled, wrapping her hand around the phone and almost yanking it from my hand.

  What in God’s name was she hiding?

  The text bothered the fuck out of me as I walked into the kitchen, finding a
flashlight first then searching through the cabinets until I found a couple of candles. She’d never told me much about her life in Atlanta, always skirting away from the subject. I realized whatever she’d experienced, including men in her life had no bearing on our relationship, but she certainly had no desire to let me in on aspects of her life.

  Then again, neither did I.

  I made a call to the firehouse, checking with Jake, who was on duty tonight. Amazingly, there’d been no reports of fires up to that point. I made us both a drink and stood watching the flicker of the candles, jealousy sliding into my mind. I had no right to ask her about the significance of the text or the meaning of the words. We weren’t committed, at least not formally. There was no direct acknowledgement that we were exclusive. I mean shit, we’d only been together for a few days. Sharing incredible sex while hiding the fact didn’t make a formal coupling.

  I chuckled and turned to stare out the window into the darkened night. I’d hated storms for years, loathed the trauma and destruction they induced. Even now, my skin was crawling, fears and worries consuming my mind. I’d worked diligently to erase the effects but given the threats she’d received, and the lingering questions regarding the various fires, I was more than just off-put by this particular storm. There was a nagging cutting into my very soul.

  There was no sound as she padded into the kitchen in her bare feet and even the slight reflection in the window didn’t give her away, but I knew she was there. I could sense her. She stood watching me, unmoving as if fearful to break the moment. I wanted to be closer, to grab that beautiful dimension where we could read each other’s thoughts. Sadly, we were both too guarded.

  “A man staring out a window into darkness has much to hide.” Her lilting voice was followed by hands sliding down my back. I took a deep breath, every portion of my body tingling from her touch.

  “Just a man longing to keep his woman safe.” I lifted my arm, allowing her to nuzzle against my chest.

  “Is everything all right?”

  “No fires at this point.”

  “That’s good.” Rising onto her tiptoes, she kissed my cheek before reaching for her drink.

  “I love storms, the power they bring.” Her words were whispered but so full of excitement, almost a longing. I wished I could share her sentiment.

  Sighing, I could only nod.

  “What happened to your sister?”

  Another question that came out of the blue, so unexpected that I sloshed liquor from my glass. “My sister?”

  “Karen mentioned something happened to her, said it was a tragedy.” She slunk away, crowding against the counter.

  I darted a glance in her direction, forgetting that I’d even mentioned anything to Karen. “She died.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It was a long time ago.”

  “And you loved her very much,” Genevieve said with such conviction.

  “I did. She was my light, my shining star.” I almost gulped half the drink, my hand shaking. Even my grip on the glass was so tight, my fingers were starting to go numb. I tipped my head in her direction, struggling in the dimness to search her eyes. “Why did you ask me?”

  She shrugged and brought the glass to her lips, taking her time with a sip before answering. “I have a feeling whatever happened changed your entire world. You have such sad eyes.”

  I’d never been told that before, but then again, few people had really gotten that close. My friendship with Jake wasn’t about soul searching. I hadn’t even opened up to him about Genevieve. He’d heard about our basic confrontation at the firehouse and I’d led him to believe that the one-night stand was just that and nothing more. She was my personal secret. “Perhaps. Like I said, it was a long time ago.” I was ready to ask her about the text, to simply find out if everything was all right when my cell phone rang. Glancing down, I groaned. “The station. I have a bad feeling.”

  She nodded, remaining quiet.

  “Tompkins.”

  “Hey, dude. Sorry to bother you at home, but we just got a call about a huge house fire. Some big explosion. We’re two men down tonight so I’m going to need you. Already called the captain.”

  “Give me the address and grab my shit. I’ll meet you there.” I listened as Jake rattled off the address. Another explosion. My hackles were already raised.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, moving closer.

  “A house fire. I have to go. You can stay here. I hope it won’t take all night.”

  She hesitated then looked away. “There’s something I need to do anyway. Why don’t we finish this another night?”

  I searched her eyes, hoping for any explanation. She wasn’t going to give me one. “Absolutely. I’ll call you in the morning. Lock the door on your way out.” I grabbed my keys and exhaled before cupping her face. “I want you to know how special you are and how much I adore our time together. I haven’t had this kind of thing in a long time.” I rubbed my thumb back and forth and for the first time since we’d started on this tumultuous and wonderful journey, she had a faraway look.

  “I know. I feel the same.” Giving me a quick kiss, she slid her glass onto the counter and headed for the door. She gripped the doorframe, glancing over her shoulder. “Please be careful. I worry about you.”

  “I will.” I watched her walk away, her head lowered and her fists clenched. I blew out the candles before heading for the front door. My gut was telling me something or someone was about ready to tear us apart.

  * * *

  I arrived on the scene, immediately racing toward the engine. The small house was completely engulfed, although it appeared the crew was starting to get it under control. What I didn’t expect to see was the smoking body jammed into the windshield of a Mercedes. The stench of burnt flesh was overpowering.

  “What the hell?” I asked then coughed as Jake tossed me my gear.

  “No idea at this point. Could have been blown from the front of the house. Not our job. Let’s get this fucker out. Threatening the building next door. Neighbors reported hearing an explosion. That’s all I know.”

  Nodding, I went into action, grabbing a section of hose and moving around to the side, concentrating on keeping the flames from jumping through the overgrown bushes to the house next door. The vision of the charred body never left my mind. This would definitely be deemed an investigation, one that Genevieve would be called to handle.

  We worked diligently for a couple of hours, making certain all the hotspots were out. By that point, a crowd had gathered in the late evening fog of smoke and mist, huddling in the street. The police even had difficulty keeping the bystanders away from the dead body.

  I yanked off my helmet, resting against the engine and sucking down water. I’d been through a hell of a lot of fires in my tenure but this one burned so hot, there was no doubt an accelerant had been used. There were gas lines running through this portion of the city. Given the right cocktail of chemicals, the right kind of arsonist, the place could have been rigged to create a backdraft with ease.

  “Captain Waters. Any ID on the victim?” Jake asked the question as he wiped sweat from his eyes, glancing toward the carnage of the car.

  “Place is owned by Nick Fabios.” The captain hissed, seeing the various news crews. “They roll in like vultures.”

  “Why do I know that name?” I asked, trying to jog my memory.

  “Didn’t he work on the mayor’s election campaign?” Jake took several steps closer to the victim, slapping his hand over his mouth. “Shit, that smells like crap. Yeah, I recognize the name. I’m sure of it.”

  I had to admit, the news was more than interesting, the connection even stranger.

  “Well, we’ve done our jobs,” Captain Waters stated. “Let’s do another roll through before we get out of here. A lot of houses on this street.”

  I finished the water, watching as a car stopped behind the various emergency vehicles. I’d recognize the car anywhere. Genevieve had already been ca
lled. This was another curiosity. Someone had tipped off the investigator’s office before the fire was even out.

  “Well, lookie who’s arrived,” Wally said under his breath. “A bad penny just keeps showing up.”

  I could feel the heat of his stare in my direction, as if he’d never bought the story about her in the first place. “Yeah. Just doing her job.”

  “You know that she gave bad reports on four of the firehouses? Do you know what that means? Additional training for all of them or they’re going to potentially lose personnel as well as funding. They could even close if she has her way.”

  I was surprised at the vehemence of his words and knew the stories regarding her reports were all over the place, the majority only laced with truth. “If they do their jobs, they won’t have an issue.”

  “Yeah? Well, what happens if those firehouses close? What then?” He waved me off and headed back to the scene. Wally usually had a reasonable attitude. This was more than just unusual.

  Shaking my head, I swaggered in her direction as she moved through the line of yellow tape, showing her identification to the police officer. She noticed me but there was little more than basic recognition on her face.

  “Lieutenant Tompkins.”

  “Investigator Gregory.” She kept her expression flat as we walked closer, both glaring at the reporters as they pressed closer, screaming out questions. “What do you know?”

  “Neighbors heard an explosion. The guy on the car appears to be the owner, Nick Fabios, but we can’t be certain at this point. I’d say an accelerant was used, but that’s your department.” I saw the glitch for a split second, the slight tic appearing on her lip. She knew this man in some capacity.

  “All right. I’ll need to talk to the captain. I’m going to take a few pictures of the scene. I’d like to get into the house if possible.”

  “Hasn’t been given the clear. You can ask the captain about that.”