She was wild and out of control, hips bucking up as pleasure swamped her, drowning her in sensations she didn’t understand fully, but embraced wholly. “Yes!”
She was close. So close and I couldn’t wait to feel her come apart around me. Would she be as appealing as she’d been in Santa Fe? Shy and sweet, yet somehow wild and free? My hand snaked between us and my thumb found her clit, slick and swollen. Sensitive.
“Rafe.” The word came out on a growl. A low deep growl that I felt right in my gut as her body tensed, her legs snapped shut and her back arched, bringing her pretty pink nipples licking distance away from me.
My tongue slipped out and wrapped around a hard pink nub, sucking hard as I thrust even harder, giving Janey everything she asked for and just a little bit more until she moaned.
“Let go, Janey. I gotcha.”
She looked like she didn’t understand, but I went back to the sweet pink nipple and the depths of her damp heat, pouring myself into her until we both flew apart, first Janey.
And then me.
“Oh god, Rafe!” Her body shook and trembled, squeezing tight around me and forcing my own orgasm to the surface. She froze for several long seconds as if time had slowed or suspended and she was at its mercy, before it all sped up again and things were back to normal, or as normal as they could be after an orgasm like that.
My arms trembled from the force of holding my body above hers as pleasure started to seep out of me. Our gazes were locked, neither of us able to look away, shocked by what had just happened between us. Me, more so than her. “Holy shit, Janey.”
Her lips parted into a slow, seductive grin the moment my arms lost the fight and I collapsed, half on top of her and half on the bed. “I’ll take holy shit, Janey. I’ve never been a holy shit Janey type of girl.” She smiled.
“You definitely are,” I assured her and tugged her close so her back was flush against my chest. “Nice little secret you’ve got Janey.”
She laughed, the sound was sweet and slightly breathless through her still heaving breathing. “More like a state secret.”
“Does that make me Bond, James Bond?”
She laughed again and I fought the urge to frown. “You’ve certainly got the moves, but I’m not sure I want to meet the fate of a Bond girl. Not that I’m a Bond girl or a Rafe girl, or…you know what? I’m gonna shut up now.”
I chuckled and I held her tighter. “No, don’t shut up. I think I might like flustered Janey even more than fired up Janey.”
She turned and looked at me, recognition finally dawning. “I knew it!”
“What can I say, you’re hot when you’re perturbed. And woman you are always perturbed around me.” I let my fingertip trace an abstract image on her soft, smooth belly until she shivered. “Now I know it’s because you wanted me.”
“I didn’t really know that,” she insisted. “I mean you’re good looking, everyone thinks so, but I guess I needed to see you in a new light.”
“A naked light?”
Her laugh was sultry and sweet. “That helped, but that’s not what I meant. Like seeing a teacher or a doctor out in the real world, it makes you see them as a person.”
“That fucking red dress,” I growled and nipped her shoulder. “That’s when I saw that you weren’t just little Janey with the camera anymore. No, you’re all woman,” I told her and pressed my lips to hers because the honest truth was, I just couldn’t get enough.
Janey
Floating. I’d spent the past few days since my night with Rafe floating. Gliding through town like I was being propelled on a cloud. I mean, yeah, it was one hell of a night but it was just that, one night. One night and a bunch of orgasms that made my toes curl and my heart skip a beat, but still, just a night. I knew it didn’t mean anything beyond a little bit of fun, but dammit it was fun. Exhilarating, even, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Couldn’t stop dreaming about it. Re-enacting it in the shower. In my bed.
In my dreams.
Two days later and I could still feel him. Was that normal? Was this how a woman went totally crazy over a man? I always thought that was a load of bull, that it was just an excuse that women gave because they wanted to give in, the same way I wanted to give in to Rafe. But now, having experienced the toe curling orgasms and the nonstop thoughts of them, I had a greater appreciation for the hurdle they faced.
Still, I was determined not to think this thing with Rafe to death. I wanted to enjoy it and all the memories that came with it. Nothing more. I wasn’t secretly holding out hope that he would look at me and decide that I was exactly what he wanted and needed in his life. And I wasn’t trying to find out how he might fit into my life. That wasn’t what this was.
It was fun.
Just fun.
“All right Donna and Harold, I think we’ve got everything we need.” I flashed my most professional smile at the eighty-something couple who’d hired me to do their fiftieth anniversary photos.
“Are you sure, dear? The time just flew by!”
Harold laughed and patted his wife affectionately on the arm. “Don’t mind my wife Miss Janey, she missed her calling as a model to raise our five boys.”
Dammit, Harold was the sweetest man alive. “You were an amazing model Donna, wait until you see the photos.” I made a note to throw in a few extra shots so she could show off for her friends.
She perked right up. “I have to thank you for recommending dressing up. I feel so glamorous.”
“And you look beautiful. The perfect belle of the ball.” She flashed another grin my way before turning to Harold.
“Every day with you, well almost every day, I’ve always felt as beautiful as I do now.” Her eyes misted over and her cheeks turned pink as Harold leaned in and planted a pretty damn impressive kiss on his wife. I snapped a few shots and left them to change in peace.
They were sweet, Donna and Harold, but they were the last reminder I needed of love and relationships. Especially when I was bound and determined not to think about Rafe, and when I was completely surrounded by people falling in love. “Thank you dear. We had a great time!” Donna’s enthusiasm was contagious. “We’ll be sure to tell all of our friends.”
I had no doubt she would because Donna had already recommended a hairdresser for me, a makeup artist and even a wardrobe consultant. “Thanks guys. Don’t forget to enjoy a little bit of Tulip before you head back to the city.” They’d come down for a few estate sales and the photo shoot, but my uncle was the mayor and I was a Tulip girl through and through. Promoting the town was in my blood.
They happy couple took off to explore, and I saved the photos to one of my computers and glanced at the time. It was technically too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but back to back photo shoots meant I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and even then, it was just a bagel with a swipe of peanut butter. I closed down everything and locked the studio behind me as I headed towards Big Mama’s for an in between meal to get me through a few more hours of work.
Thankfully the diner was mostly dead at this time of day except for a few regulars, which meant I could take over a booth without getting the stink eye from Big Mama and maybe go over some photos while I waited.
“Working again, I see.” Big Mama’s disapproval came through loud and clear, but I chose not to comment when she folded her arms over her ample bosom and stared at me. “What’ll it be, then?”
“A double cheeseburger with onion rings. And curly fries.” It was a lot of food, but photography was a very physical job. And I was hungry.
“Drink?”
“I’ll have some of your half sweet tea. Peach, please.” I gave her a wide smile, one I knew the ol’ softie couldn’t resist.
“Mmmhmm,” was her only response as she sauntered off.
I turned my attention to the photos, smiling at the twin models from this morning. They were young, barely eighteen, and new to the industry, banking on their smoking hotness combined with being twins to catapult them
to super stardom. The guys were photogenic, that much was certain, and this kind of job reminded me of the capacity for good things this career afforded me.
The Hometown Heroes idea was another way I used my skills to lift the community up, as Uncle Leland would say. I did what I could in that regard, but I also hoped to take more artistic photos like the ones of the firefighters in action. That was my secret dream.
Big Mama did a drive by, stopping with a water and my tea, plus a glare just to make sure I didn’t get too big for my britches. I looked up with a smile and turned back to the photos, getting lost in sorting and editing.
A shadow crossed over the table and I looked up, moving my laptop just in case one of the new waitresses had arrived with my order. But nope, it wasn’t a waitress and it wasn’t my food.
“Rafe. Jase. What’s up?” They both looked slightly nervous and I smiled. My new reputation as a badass was kind of nice, making all these big strong hometown heroes cower when they see me. For once I was no longer Janey the nice girl. Janey who did whatever the town needed without asking any questions. Now I was crack the whip Janey, and she was a badass. And any good badass never missed an opportunity to flex her muscles, right? “Are you guys here to volunteer ideas for your photo shoots?”
Jase took a small step back, a move that pulled a laugh from me. “Uh, no. Absolutely not. I’m here for food. Just food.” He took another step back, looking both ways like I had a team who would jump out and ambush him.
“Chill out, Jase. I’m kidding.”
Jase glanced down at his watch and groaned. “It’s getting late. I think I’ll grab enough for two and go have dinner with Bo.”
Rafe stared at his friend’s retreating back, a look of betrayal and confusion on his handsome face. “Looks like I’m down a dinner companion. Mind if I join you?”
Hell yes I minded. “Not at all,” I told him and motioned for him to sit. “I’m just going through some photos from my shoots today.”
“Anything cool?”
“Hot twins and a couple celebrating fifty years of wedded bliss.” Neither of which would appeal to Rafe, once he learned all the details.
He took a seat on the other side of the booth, leaving a good three feet of distance between us, which he quickly broke by leaning as far forward as he could without leaving his seat. The midnight blue in his eyes was slightly lighter today, almost a royal blue that made his dark hair and sun kissed skin look even darker. More intense. “Tell me more about these hot twins.”
I stared at him for a long moment, soaking up his movie star good looks before I let out a loud, too amused laugh. “Eighteen year told twins,” I told him and leaned forward with a stage whisper. “Aspiring models.”
He was intrigued, but to Rafe’s credit, not too intrigued. “Tell me more.”
“I’ll do you one better,” I told him and flipped the laptop around so he could see the blond cuties with eight pack abs. “Check ’em out.”
He groaned and sat back in his seat, like the guys might reach out and touch him. “I guess I deserved that.”
“You did, but it was fun.”
“Did they hit on you?”
I nodded, enjoying the way his nostrils flared. A small part of me thought it was jealousy, but I squashed the feeling of glee that gave me. “They’re beautiful eighteen year old kids who want to be models, of course they hit on me.” It was flattering, but that’s all it was, not that Rafe needed that.
“Well I guess you really never can tell,” Big Mama said vaguely as she dropped off my order and oddly, Rafe’s too.
“Never can tell what Big Mama?” I knew I would regret asking, but I couldn’t not ask. Right?
“Which two people will end up being a couple. You two were low on my list, but like I said, you never can tell.” She shrugged and took a step back to survey the table. “Anything else?”
“Some of Reese’s barbecue sauce, please?” He batted his lashes and not even Big Mama could resist. “I know you have some, because I brought it over myself.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I’ll be back with it. You two stay out of trouble, I mean it.”
“Yes ma’am.” He saluted Big Mama and she walked off, mumbling under her breath about the Lord saving her from handsome men.
“You love to fluster people.”
He shrugged off the accusation. “Not all people. Big Mama, sure. You? Without a doubt.”
“Why?”
“I already told you why,” he said, his voice deep and seductive, thick with arousal. “But I’m happy to tell you again,” he threatened and I raised my hands up as if I could block his dirty words from entering my mind.
“No, I remember. Thanks.” I felt the blush heat my cheeks and throat, and looked down to grab a sip of my tea. “You totally love it.”
“You just make it so darn fun. But if you want, I’ll stop.”
I snorted out a very unladylike laugh. “You couldn’t, even if you tried.”
“Is that a challenge?” He leaned forward, a confident smile curling his lips into a crooked smile.
“Does it need to be?” I didn’t want him to stop teasing me. I liked it as much as he did, it made things exciting between us. Fun and thrilling too.
Rafe opened his mouth to answer just as more visitors arrived at our table. This time it was Eddy and Betty.
“Ladies. To what do we owe this particular pleasure?”
Eddy fluffed her hair and preened at his question with a smile. “We’re here to see you, handsome devil that you are.”
He blinked and flashed a worried glance my way. I shrugged in response, having no clue what they might want with him. “How may I help, Eddy?”
Eddy stood a little taller and smiled over at Betty before both women smiled down at him. “We are here to help you, actually. We’ve found the perfect girl for you.” She clapped her hands together like a little girl and I couldn’t say why acid settled in my gut.
Rafe frowned, and I was grateful he didn’t spare me a glance when he looked up and spoke. “I’m not interested.”
That was good to know, if not a little obvious. The man was gorgeous and he had a great job, if he wanted to settle down there would be no shortage of women lining up for the job. Not me, but plenty of other women. Betty glanced down at me and I kept my expression neutral before trying to tune them out by focusing on my food.
“Well, why not?” Betty asked incredulously. “Are you seeing someone we don’t know about?”
“That’s none of your business. Either of you.” His tone and his expression was serious. Sober, and deadly serious.
“Hmph,” Eddy said with a shrug.
“That means no,” Betty insisted. “So, we’ll have her come down to meet you this weekend. Does Saturday work for you?”
“No,” he said as she turned to Eddy.
“Great! Have her come down Friday just to be sure, Eddy.”
“Perfect,” she enthused and clapped her hands again.
My hands gripped each other tightly under the table at the thought of Rafe meeting someone woman the matchmakers thought was perfect for him. I had no right, of course, I knew that, but it didn’t stop the discomfort in the pit of my stomach.
Rafe stood and stared at both women. “I said I’m not interested. Bring this woman down here and humiliate her if you want, but it’ll be on you. Not me.”
Was it wrong that I felt more attracted to him than ever before, and that it had nothing to do with him not being interested in another woman, but the way he was all strong and commanding as he growled at the meddlers.
“I guess we’ll see about that,” Eddy said, the threat clear in her voice.
When they were gone, Rafe took his seat and smiled at me. “They are relentless, aren’t they?”
I shrugged. “I think they’d call it determined.”
“I call it meddling. Unwanted meddling.”
“If you want to meet her, you don’t owe me anything.” I had to put it
out there, just in case he was trying to be a stand up guy and say what was expected of him in this situation.
“The only people I owe anything to Janey, are the men at my firehouse and the citizens of Tulip, who I have sworn to protect. That’s it. Everything else I do, it’s because I want to.”
I swallowed hard around a lump in my throat and nodded. “Okay. Good to know.” We continued to eat and laugh and flirt, the encounter with the matchmakers all but forgotten.
But a small part of me wondered if this, whatever it was between us, was setting me up for heartbreak.
I took another look at Rafe’s smiling face and I couldn’t help but worry.
Rafe
“It’s been a long time since you guys have had one of these barbecues. Is there a special occasion?”
Bo had inherited a big plot of land where she built a fine looking cabin and a few smaller outbuildings that held everything from spare wood to four wheelers and anything else someone might need.
Jase smiled and looked out over the groups gathered, one big group around the fire and a smaller group near the main grill. “You mean other than Bo having my baby?” His gaze found his best friend, her belly round with their first child. “Bo was getting stir-crazy letting someone else take care of the store, so I did this to give her something to do.” His smile was anything but apologetic. “Spent all morning fishing. Most relaxed she’s been in weeks.”
“Shouldn’t she have had that baby by now?” It seemed like she’d been pregnant forever.
Jase smacked my arm. “Take that back. There’s still too much to do, and Bo hasn’t even picked a nursery theme yet. Or colors. Or furniture.” He continued to rattle off different things a tiny human might need, and I punched his shoulder to keep him from freaking out. “What was that for?”
“You’re spiraling. If you want Bo to make a decision, make it easy for her. Get two themes and let her choose one and then take care of it. She’s cooking your baby after all.”
That Hot Night: A Firefighter Romance Page 7