Torched: A Rough Firefighter Romance Page 7

  “Shit. I told her not to wander off.” I didn’t wait for anyone else. I went looking for her. The crowd was thick, the employees and other gawkers standing around as if this had been a great show. While some were being attended to by the various EMT units, others were laughing and talking. For a minute, all I could think about was some damn barbeque. I pushed my way through the crowd, searching for her, my heart racing.

  I stopped several times, turning in a full circle, trying desperately to find her. Would she be so damn stupid as to go into the building? A sick feeling fell into the pit of my stomach. “Have you seen Investigator Gregory?” I threw out to one of the officers.

  “Don’t think so. Don’t even know what she looks like.”

  So, her picture had yet to be blasted all over the television stations. “Thanks.” I pressed forward, my anxiety level kicking into high gear. As I headed back to the engine to grab some help, I stopped short. She’d removed the firefighter jacket and stood with her sleeves rolled up over her arms. Soot blotched her face and several strands of hair had fallen and in truth, she was just about the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.

  From what I could tell, she’d helped some of the victims after they’d left the building, moving from ambulance to ambulance, doling out water, no doubt giving comfort. I snorted and wiped my eyes. She was one tenacious little lady. I took long strides heading in her direction, yanking her by the arm and away from the crowd. “What part of stay out of the way did you not understand?”

  “I didn’t bother you or the crew in any fashion.” Her face held indignation.

  “You could have gotten yourself killed. You are on my engine. Mine. I’m responsible for the people on that ride. When I tell you to do something, by God, you will. Is that clear?”

  Genevieve seemed taken aback and for a few seconds remained quiet. Then she let me have it with both guns. “Listen to me, Lieutenant Tompkins. While you may run the engine, I outrank you and I will do exactly what I need to do in order to fulfill the duties of my job whether you like it or not. Is that clear?”

  I wasn’t surprised by the audience or the snickers I heard. “You put yourself in harm’s way, Investigator and I’m going to make certain that’s in the report.”

  “Speaking of report. You need to explain to the investigator what we found,” Captain Waters said as quietly as possible.

  I exhaled before giving him a nod. I walked her away from any ears and kept my voice low.

  “Go on, Lieutenant. I don’t bite.”

  I was forced to hold back a nasty retort. “Fine, but this is absolutely preliminary.”

  “I’ll need actual evidence.”

  “Which you can obtain after the hot spots are out.”

  Her eyes flared yet again. “I know what I’m supposed to do.”

  The tension was thick. I heard the captain clearing his throat behind us, could feel the heat of his glare.

  “All right, look. I believe we have another case of arson. Looks like two bombs were planted. And no, there’s no way we could tell anything but the way the second explosion occurred. There were reports of the first one, then the second detonated when we were inside. There were no chemicals near the location that I could detect and no reason for an explosion to occur.”

  She glanced at the building. “What are you thinking?”

  I looked around me before answering. “My gut and nothing more, but I think the fire department was the actual target. From the initial call, the first explosion happened in a portion of the building that wasn’t being used. We had the fire almost contained when the second one occurred. I don’t believe in coincidences.” The pensive expression on her face didn’t change.

  “Then we have some serious work to do. I refuse to allow any of you to get hurt. Not on my watch. I’ll need to talk to you further about what you observed.”

  “Yeah, that’s fine.”

  “And Lieutenant, you need to keep this between your captain and myself. Whatever is going on, I don’t want the asshole getting the upper hand.”

  The conviction in her words was more than just surprising. She already had a suspicion of something.

  What the hell was going on?

  I kept away from her on the ride back to the firehouse. She asked the guys a few questions and they seemed happy to answer. Maybe they were convinced she had the heart to do this. I’d let off enough steam at this point to get into the middle of it. I kept thinking about my suspicions going over the two other fires I knew were caused by arson. Tossing my things, I was the first one in the shower, relishing in the way the water splashed over my head.

  I felt the snap of a towel on my ass and all I could think about was removing my belt, the way my entire system had reacted to using it to punish her.

  “Now, you want to tell me the truth?” Jake asked as he turned on the shower next to me.

  I placed my hands on the tile, dropping my head and watching as the dirty water flowed into the drain. “Nothing to tell.”

  “And that’s utter bullshit. I’m damn observant, my friend. You had a thing with her. Didn’t you?”

  The exhale was ragged, and he chuckled after hearing the sound. “Stay out of it.”

  “Details. Come on. Was she a thing in Texas?”

  I snorted. “Does she look Texan to you?”

  “Okay, did you have some one-night stand you never told me about?”

  I remained quiet.

  “Shit. You did.” Jake groaned. “When the hell did this happen?”

  I still remained quiet, trying to concentrate on removing the grime.

  “Fuck! Last night.” His voice echoed. “Shit. If anybody knows you two are together, can you imagine what will be said? Some timing you got, buddy.”

  “Yeah, shut the hell up. You’re right. I don’t need any member of the crew hearing this.” Thank God, nobody else was close by. “Have no clue what to do.”

  Jake made grumbling noises under his breath as he soaped up.

  “It was a mistake. Shouldn’t have happened.”

  He cocked his head, giving me an odd look and continued with his shower.

  “If I’d have known who she was, I assure you, I’d never have gotten involved. But she was different, just amazing. Our connection was off the chain, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Shit, you can imagine how shocked I was. We didn’t use our real names. Didn’t ask questions. Last night was the perfect moment.” I envisioned her long hair, the sheen on her face as I fucked her, the sultry sounds she made.

  I certainly wasn’t going to tell him that this had happened twice. How in the hell had I allowed everything to get so out of whack?

  Jake turned off the water, grabbing and tossing me a towel. “Well, I’m going to say this just once. She’s obviously feeling the same way about you. I’ll give you a single piece of advice.” He moved closer. “Don’t fuck this up or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

  He left me standing alone and I heard him muttering ‘unbelievable’ more than once. I dried off, thinking about what he said before heading to the locker room. Tossing the towel, I reached for my clothes, grousing at my own behavior. What the hell was I going to do with this?

  The noise was subtle, but just enough I turned in that direction. Genevieve was standing alone, her gaze piercing. As if in slow motion, her eyes drifted down the length of my body and back up very slowly.

  When I blinked, she’d disappeared but I’d been able to see the hunger in her eyes. I slumped against the locker, laughing softly to myself. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to go and we certainly weren’t good for each other’s career. Jake was right about one aspect. The press would make a field day out of it.

  Slamming my hand against the locker, I realized one damn thing.

  I wanted to take her, fuck her, and dominate her. And I would.

  I was going to own the sexy ballbuster.

  * * *

  I rolled the Harley toward the curb, finding a spot two blocks dow
n from the bar. Yanking off the helmet, I remained where I was for a full two minutes, trying to figure out what I’d say to her even if she was inside the bar. What could I say? I’d been an asshole. Yeah, that for starters. Then I’d tell her in no uncertain terms that she belonged to me. Now, we were headed for Neanderthal territory, but the way she’d responded, body to body, the answers to my questions hadn’t been lies. She was a born submissive. No, she was my submissive.

  Figuring out how to get her would take ingenuity. Climbing off the bike, I wiped my hands on my jeans before securing the helmet. The ride had cleared my head, at least in certain ways.

  I checked the street before going in and scanning the crowded bar. There was no one I recognized. I headed for the bar, taking the last seat. At least I was able to see anyone who came in the door.

  “What’ll you have?”

  “Whiskey. Neat.”

  “You got it.”

  The drink didn’t take long to arrive. By then, I’d scoped the entire location, checking all the faces. Genevieve wasn’t here, and I had a feeling she was holed up somewhere, doing exactly what I was: figuring out what had occurred between us.

  The liquor was smooth but did little to calm my libido or my apprehension. Fingering the glass, I could still hear her laughter floating in my ears. The questions had been easy enough to ask. Why I’d picked up on the fact she was a submissive was beyond me. Karen had said very little except the girl was her best friend and that the woman had experienced a few bad turns, moving to Charlotte to start a new life.

  Perhaps she’d been hurt by a lover. All the speculating in the world wasn’t going to help the situation. I weighed the pros and cons. If we attempted to build something after last night, then would there be ramifications to our relationship? Possibly. I wasn’t in a position of authority, so that wouldn’t be a deciding factor in slamming her in the press, but the fact I was a firefighter certainly wouldn’t help. There’d be scrutinizing eyes placed on us. I could almost see the headlines now. Oh, come on. When had I ever listened to authority or accepted bullying tactics. Never and I wasn’t going to start now.

  I rolled the glass over my temples, almost jumping when I noticed the door opening. My eagerness to see her was fascinating. To a man who’d refused to get into anything more than simple trysts, my brain was on active overload. Let alone my cock. Chuckling to myself, I took a gulp, holding the liquor in my mouth. The images flashing in my mind were sinful, aggressive. I wanted nothing more than to tie her to my bed, to use her in any manner I desired.

  Another couple came in and I was out of my seat, holding my breath. After another twenty minutes, I figured she wasn’t coming. She had no reason to venture out. But I’d seen her expression, a carnal longing.

  Ah, shit. What the hell was I doing? After dropping a couple of bills, I took what felt like a long walk to the door, turning once, just in case I’d missed her. There was no one in the bar that even remotely had her beauty. Maybe this was fate intervening, a big kick in my ass as a reminder that I shouldn’t play with fire. I didn’t know shit about the mayor, but given the man hated the ground I walked on, he’d make her life immortal hell if he knew we were seeing each other. I might be an asshole, but I couldn’t do that to her. No fucking way.

  I started and revved the engine. Tonight, I’d take a long ride. Maybe then I’d be able to free her from my mind, and hopefully my soul.

  Funny thing is? She already had a firm grasp on my heart.

  Chapter Five

  Genevieve

  Hard body. There was no other way to describe him. He wasn’t just chiseled in all the right places, he had the kind of body that graced the covers of romance novels, his skin like kissed bronze. His shoulders were broad, his pecs and abdomen muscles like solid rock, granite perfectly formed. His dark hair was lush, so thick that all I wanted to do was run my fingers through the collar-length strands, drinking in his masculine aroma. His primal scent remained filtering throughout my system. Everything about the man was raw and animalistic, even wild like a caged animal refusing to be tamed. Even from where I was standing, I gathered a hint of deep woods, musky and reeking of freshly cut timber, paired with a set of powerful legs that could crush a slate of steel.

  I laughed softly to myself as my nipples pulled and tightened, the scalding heat between my legs leaving me uncomfortable. Then there was his cock, a true thing of beauty. I fanned my face, remembering the way I felt in his arms, my breasts crushed against the shadow of his chest muscles, his massive frame towering over me. So protective. So dominating. I wiped the moisture trickling from my mouth, forcing my mind back into reality. I’d concocted a fairytale, shredding my resolve. Maybe I was nothing more than a fool.

  Blaise. The single syllable dripped off my tongue, the connotations of danger infused in both the name and the man. He was everything that I didn’t need yet everything I craved. I couldn’t believe he was the same man. The yin and yang tugged at more than just my heartstrings. He also pissed me the hell off, more so than any other confrontation to date. His words and actions at the firehouse had been so biting, as if he hated me. I’d been able to see past his basic lines of bullshit, his need to discredit me. He’d been as thrown as I’d been, maybe more so since he was embroiled in the system already. I was just a newcomer.

  But what the hell was last night about? A hot spanking, unbridled and delicious sex. Even the thought made my pussy quiver. What we’d shared had been incredible, the connection off the charts. He’d read my mind as if he’d known me his entire life. I exhaled and drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. Why couldn’t anything be easy?

  My secrets had been revealed in just a few hours. Would he use them against me? Only time would tell. After seeing him in the locker room, his strong physique, his long cock twitching the moment I allowed my eyes to fall to his crotch had been the highlight of the wretched day. Then I’d raced out of the firehouse like some damn schoolgirl. I was too old for this hogwash.

  I heard the sound of the Harley and closed my eyes, remembering the ride both to and from his house. It had only been the night before but it seemed like a lifetime. The massive steel piece of power had only added to the evening, the magical and wonderful evening. And dear God, the way the powerful engine felt between my legs. I smacked my hand on the steering wheel, glaring at the small sign just outside the bar. I’d debated going, trying to find him and here I sat, terrified to face him. I let him walk out of the place without trying to talk to him. I knew exactly where his house was located and wanted nothing more than to drive by and confront him for his nasty attitude, but he was merely playing his part. Martyr. Front man for every firefighter in the city.

  Damn it.

  The last thing either one of us needed was to get involved, in any manner. The mayor would be pissed, the press would eat it up, and the men would lose respect for him. Then there was the issue with my employment contract. Fuck! No, I couldn’t do that to either one of us. Besides, I wasn’t entirely certain he liked the person behind the submissive. I closed my eyes, allowing the sweet memories of his mouth and hands, his belt and cock to enter my mind, creating the fiftieth wave of heat rushing between my legs.

  And seeing his naked body today? That had been far too delicious. He was gorgeous, long legs with carved muscles, a sculpted chest leading to drum-tight abs. I slid my hand inside my blouse, allowing my fingers to find my nipple, pinching until the blood pumped in my head, the pain a subtle reminder. Every time I’d been forced to sit, including now, the sting remaining on my ass cheeks yanked me back to the sweet memories.

  He’d given me exactly what I’d been craving and what my body needed. Why would Karen fix us up? What was the point in doing something so outrageous? She’d been the one listening to my concerns, and hearing my near tear-filled exclamations and not only because of landing a job that I felt underqualified for.

  A single beep of a horn made me jerk my hand back to the steering wheel. Sitting here on a darkened street, waiting
as if he’d return was ridiculous. I had better things to do with my time. I’d gathered all the reports for the suspected arsons, including information regarding the owners of the buildings. If there was a connection of any type, I’d find it. Blaise was absolutely confident in his statement that the fire had been arson and that the department was the target. I’d certainly heard of that before. The why was the real question.

  Work was already piling up, reports for the few firehouses I’d visited due tomorrow. I also needed to spend time with... Blaise. I almost choked on the thought. Even the captain of his ladder company was trying to push us together, but for entirely different reasons. I could and would be professional. That had to be the finite concept of our relationship. Nothing more. I could do this.

  Why was my inner voice laughing at me, poking in my mind?

  Sighing, I shifted the gear into drive, checking my rearview mirror one last time, still hoping I’d catch a glimpse of his Harley. Even seeing him walking out of the bar alone had been difficult. “Get your ass into gear.” I was almost to my house when I suddenly had a flash of anger. Why would Karen put me in this position? There had to be a reason. The uncertainty fueled the increasing rage and I headed in the direction of her house.

  I banged on the door several times. When she didn’t answer right away, I even called out, “I know you’re here, Karen. Your car is in the driveway. Open up.”

  She did only seconds later, her smile quickly fading. “What is wrong?”

  “Why did you do it? Why?”

  Smirking, she held open the door. “You wanna come in, have a glass of wine?’

  “You need to tell me right now.”

  “Then you’re going to have to come in.”

  I stood in the hallway, calming my nerves. My bestie didn’t deserve my wrath. She didn’t force me to have sex with the man, or to submit to him, receiving the most incredible round of discipline. Swallowing hard, I finally walked into the kitchen.

  “I take it you hit it off with Blaise.” She grabbed crystal out of the cabinet, filling it with wine.