Reluctantly, I pulled back, refusing to take my eyes off her. I wanted to know what she was thinking. Rubbing my hands up and down her arms, I tried to keep her warm. At least that was the excuse I was using to keep my hands on her.
“We need to get out of here,” Lily murmured, burrowing her head against my chest.
“Okay,” I agreed, but I didn’t want to let her go. One kiss, no matter how good, wasn’t enough. I doubted it would ever be enough with this woman.
Pressing up on her toes, Lily used me for balance before initiating the hottest kiss of my life. Breathlessly, Lily purred against my lips. “Zach, take me home.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
20
LILY
Zach drove towards his house, one hand on the wheel the other high on my thigh. The heat in the cab was starting to fog up the windows, and I squeezed my knees together. I could barely believe I was doing this, but I couldn’t imagine stopping. The last thing on my mind was bringing this to a grinding halt.
“Oh shit!”
“What’s wrong?”
Zach hit the brakes so hard I was thrown forward and would’ve knocked my head on the dashboard if it hadn’t been for the seatbelt Zach had buckled me into.
“Ava.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
The panic in his voice was tangible.
“Nothing. But I have to get home and relieve your mom.”
“My mom?”
“She’s at my place looking after Ava.”
“Is that all?”
“What do you mean, is that all? What more is there?”
Reality was like having a bucket of cold water dumped over my head.
Zach didn’t answer. Instead, he punched a few buttons on the steering wheel and the sound of a ringing phone filled the truck.
“Zach?”
“Hey, Mom.”
“What’s wrong, sweetheart? It’s late.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. I was just ringing to see if you are right with Ava?”
“You checking on me too now? Lily’s been doing that all night.”
“Lily’s here with me now. And you’re on speaker.”
“Oh, hi, sweetheart. How was your night? Meet anyone interesting?”
“Mom! Focus.”
“Sorry.”
“Look, Mom. If you’re okay with Ava, Lily’s going to be a bit late.”
“A bit late?”
“A lot late. Like tomorrow morning late.”
“Zach!” Embarrassed he was telling his mother I was with him and staying for a while, by the sounds of it, I covered my face with my hands.
“Oooo! In that case, I’ll crash in the spare room, if that’s okay, and see you both in the morning.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Thanks, Linda.”
“Have fun. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Mom!” Zach groaned, Linda laughed and the line went dead. “Happy now?”
“Happy with what?”
Zach put the truck back into gear and we were off again. A moment later we were turning into his driveway and my heart was racing again. The nerves were back and my palms were sweating.
He must’ve sensed my anxiety. Popping the buckle on my seatbelt, he grabbed my arm and dragged me into his lap. “We don’t have to do a thing you don’t want to do. We can go inside, have a beer and then I can crash on the couch.”
Oh. My. Freaking. God.
Like seriously.
Could this guy get any more perfect?
Placing wet kisses up the column of his neck, I could taste his musky and masculine scent. It was an intoxicating mix of sex and sin. The guttural groan was torn from the back of his throat as his hands found my ass.
“These jeans are…”
“Not mine.”
“Not what I was going to say.”
“Well, what were you going to say?”
Zach’s lips found my earlobe and he nibbled, flooding my panties.
“I was going to say…” He reached down, opened the truck door, and swung his legs out before turning back to me and picking me up like I weighed nothing at all. Zach didn’t treat me like I was fragile, but he treated me like I was precious. It was odd and exhilarating all in the same breath. Winding my legs around his waist, I cupped his face with my hands and slanted my lips over his.
“Say what?”
“Those sexy-as-fuck jeans, as good as they look on, they’re going to look even better on my bedroom floor.”
A moment later Zach was kicking closed the back door, carrying me through his darkened house and tossing me on his bed with a bounce. With a giggle, I wriggled up the bed, settling on the pile of pillows.
Zach reached down and grabbed my ankles, dragging me back down. “Where do you think you’re going, missy? Get your sexy ass down here.”
His gravelly voice gave me goosebumps. Goosebumps of the best kind.
“As hot as the boots are,” he slid down the zipper, “they have to go.”
“Well then, take them off. Your shirt too while you’re at it.” I winked.
“You think you’re in charge now, do you, Lily?”
I didn’t know what’d come over me. I’d like to blame the cocktails but honestly, it was all Zach. He made me want to break free of the shell I’d created for myself. The one I’d spent years hiding in. When I was with Zach, I forgot about who I was supposed to be and was just me. He made me feel everything all at once. I felt sexy and wanted and like I could do anything. Be anything. It was intoxicating.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I looked down at Zach as he peeled my rainbow-striped socks from my feet before toeing off his own boots. I don’t know how he did it. He was standing there before me, his hair a mess from my tugging at it, his shirt damp and sticking to his skin. Wearing his jeans, the way a pair of jeans should be worn – tight in all the right places and barefoot, and I’d never wanted him more. Never wanted anyone more. Just looking at him had my whole body tingling and wanting.
Not wanting to waste another second, I reached down and popped the button on my own jeans. As much fun as this party was, I needed to get it moving along before I spontaneously combusted. As I started to drag the zipper down, Zach’s hand shot out, taking hold of mine, stopping me.
“What?” I asked, looking up at him towering over me.
“That’s my job.”
“Well, you’re taking too long. I’m going to have to start without you.”
The look on his face was priceless. He looked like I’d just told him I was going to take his fire engine away and he couldn’t play with the siren anymore. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
Zach didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed me by the hips and flipped me over, maneuvering me until I was on my hands and knees in the center of his bed. Exactly where he wanted me. I hadn’t seen his hand coming, so when it slapped down on my wet, denim-clad ass, the sound ricocheted across the room. Not giving me a chance to complain, he peeled my jeans down over my ass, baring my lacy purple thong to him. I heard the intake of breath hiss out between his lips and could only imagine what he was looking at. Damn I hoped he liked what he saw. I was so ready to explode, if he rejected me now, there was a very good chance I may actually shrivel up and die.
Lifting one knee at a time, he got my jeans off like a professional. Even I would struggle with the tight wet material. I tried to flip over. I wanted to see him. I wanted to touch him. Damn did I want to touch him, but he held me in place.
“Zach,” I moaned wantonly.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need…”
“What do you need? I’ll give you anything you want. You just have to tell me.” His voice was thick and husky, and I felt an embarrassing gush of wetness coat the inside of my thighs. At least it would’ve been embarrassing if I wasn’t so damn horny.
“I need… I need…”
“Words, Lily. Use your words.”
> Zach’s hands were all over my outer thighs and the globes of my ass. He was touching me everywhere but where I needed him most. When he bent down and bit me, I broke. All sense of right and wrong flew out the window, taking my ladylike manners with them.
“Lily… words… use them.”
“You. I need you. I need your mouth. I need your hands. I need your fingers. I need your cock. I need all of it. Now, Zach! Fuck me now!”
A deep chuckle seeped out but instead of turning and shooting death rays at him for laughing at my neediness, I felt Zach’s fingers inching ever so much closer to my needy clit. I tried to wiggle to get him where I needed him, but he wasn’t having it. It was like he was trying to prove a point. A point that he was calling the shots here and I was just coming along for the ride. And frankly, as long as I was coming fucking soon, I’d go along with whatever he had planned.
Another stinging slap to my ass had me quivering but before the shock and sting could ease, Zach slid one long finger inside me, and I let out an embarrassingly loud, desperate moan.
“Oh, fuck me,” I mumbled, fisting his comforter.
“Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. I plan on it.”
Just when I was starting to sweat, my nipples straining against my bra, Zach added another finger and pressed his thumb on the rosebud of my ass. I’d never been touched there before. Hell, I’d never even thought about being touched there. But as his thumb circled, not breeching the tight ring of muscle, just applying enough pressure to let me know he was there, my temperature was skyrocketing. Bordering on the precipice of pleasure and ecstasy, I almost cried when suddenly his hands were gone, and I was empty.
Without warning, Zach flipped me over, leaving me flat on my back, staring up at the sexiest man I’d ever met. This man was driving me to the very edge of insanity, and I was loving every second of it. Without warning, his lips latched onto my very sensitive, still-buzzing clit, and I squealed. I’d never been a squealer. Fuck, the last guy I’d gone to bed with complained because I was mute between the sheets but here I was moaning and groaning.
Licking his tongue down the length of my slit, my cries became more frantic. More desperate. “Please, Zach. I need to come.”
“Not yet,” he growled, sliding a finger inside me while his tongue teased me.
“Please.”
“Not yet,” he repeated, adding another finger.
“Zach!”
This time he didn’t reply. Instead, he nipped at the buzzing bundle of nerves, catapulting me over the edge and sending me soaring straight into nirvana.
21
ZACH
I don’t know which sight I liked better. Lily on her knees in front of me in the shower or Lily splayed out on my bed; her whole body taut with pleasure or Lily tangled in my sheets, sleeping soundly looking well and truly fucked. Or Lily sitting on my kitchen bench, sipping her morning coffee, wearing nothing but my station t-shirt and a smile.
“Whoa! Watch it lover boy.” Grady chuckled, clapping me on the shoulder.
Looking down at the mess I’d made, I couldn’t really blame him. I was still so caught up in reliving every ball-tingling moment of last night, trying to mentally run through my roster wondering when I could schedule a repeat. And would Lily even want a repeat? Shit! Surely, she would. No one in their right mind would turn down sex like that. Sex that had your toes curling and screaming out in pleasure. No. I was sure she’d be up for another round. Or if I was really lucky, maybe two or three.
Grabbing some paper towels, I mopped up the coffee I’d spilled all over the bench before lobbing them towards the bin, missing by a mile.
“Someone’s off their game,” Samuels smarted as he strolled through the door with a grin on his smug face.
“You look happy. What happened? You hook up last night?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Not really. What you and Mrs. Palmer do, I don’t want to know a damn thing about.”
“Who spent the night with Mrs. Palmer?” Collins asked, dumping his bag on the floor at his feet and stealing my coffee. Looks like we were all going to be dragging our asses tonight. Not that I regretted it for a damn second, but still… it was going to be a long night.
“Samuels,” I confirmed, making another cup.
“That surprises me.”
“It does? Why?”
Without missing a beat, Collins threw back, “I didn’t even think she’d want his scrawny ass.”
Flipping us the bird, Samuels rose from the couch he was sitting on and started for the door. “You guys are a bunch of dicks, you know that? I’m going to get a workout in, in case you’re looking for me.”
“No worries, princess. I got more than my share of cardio last night so I’m good. But you have fun with your little weights.”
Sipping my coffee, I watched the two of them toss barbs back and forth, slightly worried that one day Collins would push him too far and Samuels would spin around and knock his block off. We may have given Samuels shit and called him scrawny, tiny or princess, but he was bigger than all of us. Born and bred in Texas, the boy was built like the oversized truck he drove around.
Once he was out of sight, Collins turned towards me, and I knew what was about to happen. “So, you and Lily, hey?”
“What about it?”
“You going to share details? Is she as good I imagined?”
“Wait! What? You imagined Lily?” My gut churned. No one should be thinking about Lily, especially like that. And definitely not these horny bastards. I knew what they were like, and their X-rated thoughts and Lily’s name should never be in the same sentence.
“Who the hell hasn’t? I bet she’s a real lady in the street but a freak in the sheets. Am I right? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Collins, stop being a dick before Higgins beats you senseless,” Grady warned, strolling back in.
Collins’ eyes bounced from me to Grady and back again. He must’ve read the seriousness in my face because without a word, he was collecting his shit and scurrying out the back to join Samuels in lifting weights.
“Those guys…”
“Are your brothers and they’re giving you shit because of it.”
“How do you know?”
“Trust me. I’ve got two brothers who piss me off more times a day than I could imagine.”
“Isn’t one a cop?” I asked.
I’d heard the rumors, although from what I could gather, it was all pretty accurate.
“Yep. Grant’s a cop and my other brother, Grayson he’s a medivac pilot.”
“Wow! And your dad was chief of police?”
“Yeah. Seems like it’s in the Malone blood to serve and protect those in our humble little community.”
“Seems so. But Grady, you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Yeah, you’re right. And on that note, I’m out. I’ve got a hot woman at home waiting for me, and if I play my cards right, which let’s face it, I always do, tomorrow I’ll look as tired and satisfied as you do. Have a good shift. And remember…”
“Two in. Two out. Got it.”
“See you in a couple of days.”
“Will do.”
A quick handshake and Grady was gone. I couldn’t imagine what’d been like growing up a Malone. The weight of the expectations would have been stifling. Your dad as the chief of police, your brother following in his footsteps. I was left though with absolutely no doubt in my mind that being a firefighter wasn’t just a job for Grady, it was who he was. And he was bloody good at it too.
Pouring the rest of my coffee down the sink, I cleaned up and got to work. There was a mountain of paperwork waiting for me, a mountain I’d been avoiding for days. Now seemed like as good a time as any to make a start.
We’d just finished dinner when the storm rolled in from nowhere. The lightning lit up the night’s sky and the thunder boomed. Quickly we cleaned up the mess, knowing what an unexpected storm like this meant. And true to form, within
minutes, we were being called out the door. I hadn’t even made it to the bathroom.
By the time dawn arrived, I was dead on my feet, but order was restored. Mother nature sure could be a bitch when she wanted to. The winds she’d whipped up were ferocious as trees were ripped from the ground and tossed around as if they were twigs. Powerlines were down, cars were wrecked, roofs were leaking.
When we’d attended the scene of an accident, I’d almost thrown up. Thankfully no one was hurt; the driver had just swerved off the road to avoid hitting debris and ended up in a ditch with his door jammed against the tree. Even though everyone was alright, even though the damage was only cosmetic, seeing the baby seat in the back of his car had me picturing Ava. Something I most certainly did not need to be imagining.
Filing out of the station a couple of hours later, the rumbling in my stomach turned to ferocious growling. Leaving my truck where I was, I walked down the street making a beeline for the bakery and their flaky, buttery croissants. I could devour a couple right now.
Stepping through the door, I was assaulted with the smell of bread. My mouth watered. There was just something about the smell of freshly baked bread that had me salivating.
“Morning, Zach,” Phoebe greeted, standing behind the register.
“Morning.”
“Just coming off shift?”
“Yeah. Thought I’d grab some food before I head home.”
“With that storm it was probably a big night.”
“Long night. Very, very long night.”
“Well, let’s get you fed and off to bed.”
Even though I knew what she meant, it just didn’t sound right. Or maybe it was the way she was looking at me like I was her breakfast. Sorry, sweetheart. Wasn’t going to happen. Not today. Not tomorrow or any other day for that matter.
Ignoring the way her too-small shirt strained the buttons across her chest, I ordered a bunch of stuff and waited for her to box it up. For someone who claimed they were helping me get out of here, she sure did take her time. A couple of minutes later, I handed over my credit card, paid and took the box.
Fallen: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World) Page 12