Burning Up: Firefighter Contemporary Romance Series Box Set

by K. C. Crowne

  “I don't know what to think of Owen, I really don't,” Sarah said with a sigh. “Why are we even talking about him anyway?”

  “Hell if I know,” I laughed.

  We reached Sarah's apartment building, and she stopped, twirling around to face me with a giddy grin on her face. Palm trees lined the streets, and in the trees, white Christmas lights that caused her eyes to twinkle and glow. Even though it wasn't that cold, she shivered and pulled her jacket up around her neck.

  “My roommate is out of town right now,” she said, biting her lip.

  My heart dropped into my stomach as the words passed her lips. Could she actually be asking me up to her place? Suddenly, I couldn't breathe, and I was afraid my brain would disengage, allowing my mouth to say something I'd quickly come to regret.

  “Oh, I don't think I could –”

  Before I could finish my thought, Sarah was standing within an inch of me. Her lips were in kissing distance, her breath warm on my face. Her big blue eyes stared into mine. The smell of vanilla filled my nostrils, and I was pulled into her warmth before I could stop myself.

  “I understand if you don't want to, but –” she stared to say, but I didn't let her finish.

  My mouth met hers, and we kissed there, on the stairs leading up to her building. My hands were in her hair, soft and silky as it was, and I forced my tongue roughly into her mouth. She gasped as I pulled her into me, and I feared I might have startled her.

  I stepped back. “I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me.”

  “No need to apologize, Austin,” she said, her voice low and heavy, a light of desire burning in her eyes. “What do you say? Want to come upstairs for a drink?”

  A drink? I knew better than that. I knew what she was really asking of me, and I should have said no. I was her boss. This wasn't something we should be doing. It could get us both in a lot of trouble.

  But instead of telling her I couldn't, I let my raging erection lead the way. All the blood had flowed down to that part of my body and my brain was temporarily offline, so I gave into my more carnal instincts. Not to mention that the alcohol probably wasn't helping me think any more clearly about the situation. “Yes,” I said.

  She smiled and together, we rushed up the stairs. She fumbled with the house keys, and my gaze never left her tight little ass. I grabbed it, much like Wes had done earlier, and mentally scolded myself for it. But Sarah giggled and wiggled it, just for me, which only made my erection even stiffer. She was encouraging my behavior. Dammit. I could tell that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. How had I not noticed this before?

  When the door opened, we stepped inside and she dropped the keys onto the floor. Her hands were on me in an instant, ripping my shirt off over my head, her nails raking along the flesh of my chest as our lips met once more. I kicked the door closed behind us and got lost in her kisses, in the feel of her hands on me.

  “We shouldn't be doing this,” I whispered against her lips.

  My words were lost into the depths of her mouth, though. I pulled her shirt up, lifting it off over her head, and exposed her perky tits sheathed in a simple black bra. The stark contrast between her bra, and her skin was striking. She was ethereal. Stunning. My mouth moved lower, kissing between those perfect mounds as she moaned, her hands raking along the back of my scalp.

  She wrapped her legs around me as I lifted her up off the floor and pressed her up against the wall. Sarah gasped as I buried my face in her cleavage, inhaling the sweet scent of her. She wrapped her legs around my waist even tighter, dug her nails into my shoulders, and held on for dear life. My erection was straining so hard it was painful. A small noise escaped me as I thought about how good, and how amazing it was going to be to finally be inside of her – something I'd wanted for a very long time.

  “Austin, the bedroom,” she whimpered, nibbling my ear. “Now.”

  I hoisted her up higher, and without letting go, carried her down the hallway. I almost walked into the first bedroom, but she shook her head.

  “No, the one on the left,” she said, her voice breathy.

  Pushing the door open with my foot, I stepped into her bedroom for the first time. A queen-sized bed was centered in the middle of the room, covered by a thick, white comforter with a black chevron design. Simple. Casual, but somehow still classy. Just like her.

  I laid her down onto the bed and dropped down to my knees. Her feet hung down onto the floor and I slipped her shoes off, tossing them over my shoulder behind me. I heard them thump against the hard wood floor as they landed. Next came her socks. She giggled and pulled her feet away as my fingers moved along the soles of her feet.

  “Ticklish?” I asked her.

  “A little,” she said. “No one has ever touched my feet before.”

  I tickled them playfully, and she giggled some more. The sound was like the sweetest music I'd ever heard ringing through my ears, and I never wanted it to stop. My groin was aching though, my cock straining against my pants, begging for release, and I wanted to touch more than her feet.

  I sat up higher and quickly unbuttoned her pants, staring down at her gorgeous face as I went. She bit her lip and helped me with the zipper, but it was me who slid them down and off her. I smiled when I saw that her panties matched her bra – a simple, silky black thong. Classy, elegant, and sexy – all things that described Sarah.

  As I took her in for the first time, drinking her in from head to toe, the lust and desire burning in my gut for her only grow hotter. Stronger. Sarah's body was simply amazing; fit and toned, as I'd always expected it would be. There was just the slightest hint of roundness to her belly, which only seemed to amplify her femininity and sexuality. Her breasts still peeked out from the bra, begging to be released, but my attention was drawn even lower now.

  I couldn't resist. I playfully grabbed at the sides of her panties with my teeth, and she giggled some more, wiggling underneath me as I slipped them down lower. Kissing my way along her lower belly, then downward, my gaze drifted up toward her face. As I moved toward the warm, wet center of her, I found myself watching her reaction. She gasped as I moved lower, kissing right above where the hair began. She was trimmed, with only a small landing strip , which drove me crazy.

  I spread her legs open, giving me a better view of her tight pussy. I dotted kisses along her inner thighs, nibbling as I worked my way back up. She shuddered as I got close, my breath against her most sensitive spots. I took a deep breath in, her musky aroma heady, and my mouth watered. I couldn't wait a second longer. I dove between her thighs, my tongue finding her clit just as her hands found the back of my head.

  Sarah moaned my name as I buried my tongue deeper and deeper inside of her. She was pushing my head downward, grinding her wet pussy against my mouth as if she couldn't get enough of my tongue. I couldn't get enough of her sweet pussy, the taste and scent of her driving me absolutely crazy as I lapped at her wetness, tasting her sweet juices as they dripped down my face. Her legs started trembling, and that was the first sign she was close. I picked up my pace and kept licking her, moving my tongue in and out of her. Sarah's pussy tightened around my tongue and she let out a loud groan.

  “Come for me,” I growled when I briefly came up for air. “Come for me, Sarah.”

  I dove back between her thighs, and as if on cue, her entire body spasmed around me. Her legs clenched around my head, holding me in place as the sweetest, sexiest sounds came from her lips.

  She cried out, screaming my name over and over again. I couldn't breathe, I was wrapped so tightly by her powerful legs with my face buried against her but I didn't care. All that I cared about was making her feel good, giving her the best damn orgasm of her life. I held her hips down and kept fucking her with my tongue as her back arched upward and her body flailed around me.

  It felt like an eternity, and yet, it was over way too soon for my liking. She collapsed against the bed, her breathing ragged, and I was free. She jumped when I flicked my tongue against her c
lit and she laughed.

  “That was amazing. You taste amazing. I can’t get enough,” I said.

  “It was even more amazing for me,” she said. “If you can believe that.”

  Her cheeks were flushed pink and her skin had the sheen of someone who'd worked up a sweat. Her gaze was locked on mine, and there was a playful smile on her lips. With just one finger, she motioned for me to climb on top of her. I stood up, and she sat up on the bed, her hands pulling and tugging at my belt. I helped her remove it and she unzipped my pants, sliding her hand down the waistband.

  “I've been dying to see what Fire Chief Austin had below the belt since day one,” she teased.

  She grinned as she grabbed hold of my erect prick and my knees grew weak for a moment. Her eyes grew wide, and a look of sheer lust filled her face as she smiled even wider.

  “I'm impressed,” she purred.

  I yanked my pants all the way down, exposing myself to her for the first time. I watched her face as she saw me, completely naked, and just for her. Sarah's eyes drank me in, moving from my chest down to my abs, then finally sliding all the way down to my cock. She still held me with a firm grip, and she stroked it, her thumb circling the head as she stared at it with a look of pure hunger. She licked her lips and moved downward, flicking her tongue at the head.

  I groaned, yearning to feel the inside of her She took my cock into her mouth, her lips hardly fitting around the girth, and sucked hard, the feel of her tongue and mouth making me shudder. Her aqua eyes watched me as she moved up and down on my shaft. She was so fucking beautiful. I almost couldn't believe what was happening.

  I knew it was something that shouldn't have been happening, but it was too late now. That train had left the station a long time ago.

  “Take off your bra,” I demanded.

  She reached behind her back with one hand, her mouth still working my cock.. It only took a second before she had it unclasped, and her perfect breasts fell free from their confines. They spilled out, and I reveled in their perfect milky softness as they rubbed against my balls.

  Fuck, I needed to see them better, I thought. I pushed Sarah back down onto the bed, fully naked for the first time, and fell on top of her. My mouth found her small pink nipples and I sucked on them. She wrapped her legs around my body, holding herself against me, begging.

  “Please, Austin,” she groaned. “Please fuck me.”

  She didn't have to ask me twice. My cock twitched at the mere thought of being inside of her, and our bodies were aligned perfectly for it. Lifting my head, I stared into her eyes as I thrust my stiff cock into her. She cried out, her legs quivering around me as I buried my dick deep inside her. God, she was so fucking tight I almost lost it the moment I entered her. She was so warm and wet around my member. Clenching my jaw, I pushed deeper inside of her, spreading her open, and fought the urge to come as her fingernails raked down my back.

  “Yes, yes,” she whimpered “Austin, you feel so fucking good inside of me.”

  Her pelvis arched upward, bringing us closer together, making it easier to fill her up completely. The pleasure ripped through me. I was suddenly overwhelmed by the lust and desire I'd carried for her for so long, and I couldn't hold back any longer. With a growl that sounded more animal than human, I moved in and out of her, desperately burying myself into her again and again. It was impossible to determine where I ended and where she began. Our bodies intertwined and locked together, we became one. Sarah and I moved in unison, my pleasure heightened by her moans and cries of ecstasy. We found a perfect, steady rhythm, and she rose up to meet each and every thrust of my cock.

  Her breath caught in her throat and she held onto me tight, digging her nails deep into my flesh.

  “Oh God,” was all she muttered, and I knew I had her.

  I knew she was orgasming underneath me. Her body tensed around me, the walls of her pussy tightened around my cock, milking me for everything I had. I kissed her long and hard, my tongue probing her mouth as I exploded inside of her. We came together, our bodies shaking like an earthquake until every last drop of me was deep within her.

  It took several long moments of pure bliss, but Sarah relaxed underneath me, and we were quiet for a long time. I kissed her forehead before rolling off and flopping down beside her. As the ecstasy faded, the rush of the moment hit me hard. Suddenly, it was like my eyes were open to what I'd done. Staring into those beautiful eyes, it hit me – and hit me hard.

  I'd just had sex with my subordinate.

  Fuck.

  The panic coursed through my veins, especially as she looked at me with such joy. I cared for her deeply, and because I cared for her, it couldn't ever happen again.

  “Sarah, I'm sorry, but we –”

  “Shhh,” she said, putting her fingers to my lips as if she knew what I was about to say. “Austin, please, let's just enjoy this.”

  She replaced her finger with her lips. It was a sweet kiss that seemed to linger, and I never wanted it to end. But it had to. It all had to end – and it had to end right now.

  “We can't do this,” I said.

  “I think it's already too late for that,” she chuckled.

  “I mean, you and me. We can't be together. This – this is a one-time thing,” I said. “It has to be. I mean, I'm your boss.”

  Her face fell, and it was like a punch to the gut. I hated hurting her, but deep down inside, I knew it was the right thing to do. For both of us. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, sleeping with me wouldn't be good for her career either. It could be damaging to both of us if word got out. I could be accused of favoritism, sexual harassment, you name it. I could lose rank, pay, and even my pension.

  I didn't think she'd accuse me of any wrongdoing, but if word ever got around that we were sleeping together, others might, just to boost themselves up a rung on the ladder. God knew, she didn't need that hanging over her as she moved her up the ranks either. Sarah was a damn good firefighter. She had a future in this field; one that she would earn on her merit, not on her sexual exploits. The last thing she needed was the taint of impropriety that would undoubtedly come if people knew she'd slept with me.

  I couldn't stand in the way of her advancing in a field she was so passionate about and dedicated to. I just couldn't.

  Sarah rolled away from me, turning her back to me. She hid her face from view, but her voice was thick with emotion and cracked as she spoke.

  “Yeah, you're right,” she said. “You should probably go then.”

  I wanted to stay with her. I wanted nothing more than to hold her tight and fall asleep with her in my arms but we both knew it was wrong. I could hear it in Sarah’s voice. She’d never have given me up that easily if she’d thought any different.

  I moved toward the end of the bed and threw on my clothes as quickly as possible. Sarah didn't say a word. She remained quiet and motionless on the bed, not even looking at me.

  “I'm sorry,” I tried.

  “Just go, Austin,” she said, heaving a sigh. “This was a mistake.”

  “Yeah, it was,” I agreed.

  She laughed, but it wasn't a friendly sound.

  She muttered, “Unbelievable.”

  “What is?” I asked.

  “You're just like every other man out there,” she said. “And here, I thought you were different. What a moron I must be.”

  “I'm not like that –”

  “The hell you aren't,” she said, sitting up in bed so I could see her face for the first time. Tears streamed down her cheeks but any sadness inside of her had been completely replaced by anger. “You get what you want and then leave – like every other guy around. I get it – oh trust me, I do. But I expected better of you. I thought you were different. Guess I was fucking wrong.”

  “Sarah, it's not about not wanting you. Come on, you know that deep down.”

  She reached down from the bed and picked up my shoes, tossing them at me one at a time, narrowly missing my face. I had to bob and weave like a
boxer to avoid getting hit.

  “Go,” she said. “Now. So I can sleep. We have an early shift tomorrow.”

  She was right. I needed to go. Feeling like an asshole, I carried my shoes out to the living room, slipping them on as I snuck out the front door, locking it behind me. I felt like a real dick in that moment, knowing how upset Sarah was.

  But, better to be thought of as an asshole than to destroy both of our careers. That was, unless it was already too late for that, a voice inside my head taunted me.

  Sarah

  Sleep had been impossible to come by the past few nights. I tossed and turned, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours. My body was exhausted from a hard few days of work, but I couldn't get my mind to shut off. I dozed off somewhere around three in the morning only to wake up to my alarm blaring at five. Normally, I went to the gym and worked out, and it was supposed to be leg day.

  “Fuck leg day,” I cursed, hitting the button to shut off my alarm.

  I laid there for another hour staring at the ceiling, unable to fall back asleep. It had been a few days since Austin and I had slept together, and work had been nearly unbearably awkward. Thankfully we’d been busy with small, non-life-threatening fires and hadn’t had too much time to sit around and pretend nothing had happened between us. As I laid there, frustrated as hell about not being able to relax, I kept thinking that I should have just gotten up and gone to the gym. At least that would have been something productive and might have helped me burn off some of the angsty energy flowing through me. Finally, I just gave in and pulled myself out of bed.

  The air in the apartment was thick with the rich, dark brew I favored. The coffee maker was automatic and was always set to have a fresh pot first thing in the morning. Normally, Nora was there too, and between the two of us, we could go through a pot of coffee most mornings. Especially her. She worked more than most office assistants I knew. Well, if you could call it work. She seemed to love her job and loved being gone long hours.

  Most of the time, it sounded like one big party to me, but she was always at work, or was out with her bosses. She always had early mornings, followed by late nights. She'd been on a work trip for the last few days but was due home at any time. I looked forward to hearing her regale me with stories of her exotic “work” trip.