Blazing with Love (The Armstrongs Book 12)

by Jessica Gray

  It took a long time until her ragged and uneven breath calmed down. She felt Tyler placing a soft kiss on her hair, mumbling, “I wouldn’t mind if you wake me like this every morning.”

  “About that…” Jules stalled. “It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, but I still think it’s not something long-term.”

  He looked like an injured puppy and she hastened to add, “But we could make it a fling for the season, see what happens. Decide at the end of the season if this will hold over into winter. If either one of us decides it won’t last, then no harm no foul.” Tyler cocked his head, and she bated her breath, fearing he could say no.

  “Agreed. Under one condition.”

  “Condition?”

  “Yes. We’re one hundred percent exclusive, because I won’t tolerate the idea of any other man touching you while we’re having this fling,” he spat out the word as if it were an insult.

  “Agreed. While I may not believe in true love and long-lasting relationships, I do believe in loyalty while it lasts. And…” she drew out her words, “I’m on the pill.”

  Tyler rolled his eyes and flopped to the side with an exaggerated gasp, “You just caused me a heart attack. I’m clean, and if we’re going to do it without a condom, I’ll be ready to go again within ten seconds.” Just to prove his words to be true, she felt a hard rod stabbing her stomach.

  “You’re insatiable.” She laughed and glanced at her watch. “We have about ten minutes before the morning meeting. Can you do that?”

  “Sure I can,” he said and turned her so she came to lie beneath him. When he pushed his hand between her legs, she was dripping with wetness, eager to feel him inside of her again. Mere minutes later, she came again, taking him with her over the edge.

  “I really, really need fuel for the rest of the day,” Tyler said, donning his clothes from the day before.

  “If we hurry up we can grab a sandwich on the way to our meeting,” Jules answered, her stomach growling.

  Tyler had never seen a woman dress faster and in sixty seconds flat they were on their way to the canteen, grabbing two sandwiches each and then sneaking last into the common room, where the chief held a briefing.

  “…the weather is hot, and the forecast doesn’t show any signs of rain for the next week. Everyone stay put, a wildfire can catch on any moment under these circumstances.”

  After the meeting, Tyler went to do his daily PT in the gym since it was already too hot for a run outside. Not that he minded sweating…

  Gunner sidled up to him doing pushups and said, “Hey, man. Swipe that grin off your face. You hit a home run with her, or what?”

  “I can’t tell you that because then I’d have to kill you,” Tyler answered, moving into position for prisoner squats.

  “What do you think this is, the FBI or NSA? No secrets in this place,” Castor said as he strolled over with a big smirk clamoring for the juicy details. “I mean, we know who answers nature’s call, who farts in their sleep, and who moans the names of their secret girlfriends during their wet erotic dreams. What makes you think you can hold out now?”

  Tyler shook his head at the banter and replied, “The only name coming from my lips is Jules. Of that, I’m sure. Now, Gunner here…I bet you’d need a diary to keep track of all the women he imagines fucking.”

  “Imagines?” Gunner asked with a mock shock on his face. “I’ll have you know I’ve had carnal knowledge of them all. Every last one.”

  Castor laughed and teased Gunner some more. “I just bet those names are the same names of the women you talk to on the 1-900 number.”

  Jules entered the gym, and everyone fell silent. “You boys talking about me?”

  “We’d love to, but that one,” Castor said pointing at Tyler, “threatened to kill us should we insist on asking.”

  “A true gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.“ She glanced at the three men before continuing, “If you gossipmongers have enough breath to talk, you’re not doing your PT the right way. How about I show you how a real hotshot does it?”

  Everyone groaned, because by now even the rookies knew the kind of tough workout routine Jules liked to maintain. During winter she worked as personal trainer, and seemed to find a sadistic pleasure in pushing clients to their physical limits.

  But none of the men would put himself in bad light and refuse the challenge. The following sixty minutes of PT was some of the most exhausting Tyler had ever done and he was glad when she finally called it a day.

  After lunch Tyler loitered in the common room. He’d trained, re-checked all of the gear again, and still hours were left in the afternoon with no fires to fight. A blessing and a curse for most of the hotshots.

  Jules entered the room and he gave her an appreciative glance. Her hair still damp, he imagined what he’d do to her in the shower should he ever get the privilege to share one with her.

  “Hey, you guys up for a friendly challenge?” Jeb and Steven called out.

  Tyler gave Jules a look and asked, “What kind of contest?”

  “How about teams of two? The team who can fell and chop the first ten trees gets out of clean up duty for the next week.” Although the base had employed kitchen staff, mechanics, engineers and other helpers, the hotshots still had to pitch in with cleaning up, laundry, inspecting and mending gear, a whole variety of chores that kept the team running smoothly.

  Jules gave him a nod of agreement. She hung back and let him finish the negotiations. Tyler thought the other teams were at a huge disadvantage, because he and Jules working together would be unstoppable.

  “Okay, you’ve got a deal. A week free of cleaning to the winning team. I hope you guys like wet mops because Jules and I are going to be sitting back, watching you all clean for the next week.”

  “Yeah, time to put your money where your mouth is, Armstrong.”

  “Hey, Gunner. You want to be the judge of our little contest?”

  Gunner wandered over. “What contest and what’s in it for me, since you’ve so conveniently left me out of the competition.”

  “How about Gunner shares in the winners’ spoils? No cleaning duties for a week.”

  Gunner clapped his hands and grinned. “Count me in. Tell me the rules and let’s get this party started. I’m going to love watching everyone else slave for the next week.”

  Everyone chuckled, and the teams spread out into the woods, where patches of trees were earmarked for felling practice.

  “Okay. Ten trees. They must be at least three inches in diameter. They have to be neatly chopped and stacked, and the brush around the tree stumps has to be cleared as well.” Jules felt honor bound to make sure the odds were somewhat even, and clarified a few rules.

  “What? That wasn’t part of the deal,” one of the rookies complained.

  “You’re a wildland firefighter. We never leave fuel around to feed a fire. Practice becomes habit and habits save lives. Yours. Clear the brush around your trees.”

  Everyone groaned but nodded, understanding the clear logic in her point. They retrieved their tools and Gunner make a big deal of getting them started.

  “Okay boys and girls. Pulaskis and saws at the ready. On your marks. Start your engines. Go! Go! Go!”

  Tyler and she had by silent agreement indicated the tree stand they were going to fell. He grabbed the can of pink spray paint and quickly marked ten trees that met the diameter requirement.

  Jules started working on the farthest tree, making sure to fell it in a direction where it wouldn’t be in danger of falling on or into anyone or anything. Tyler imitated her actions and high-fived her when his tree fell at the same time as hers, despite her having gotten a head start.

  “You’re getting pretty good at that. Fast, too.”

  “Told you we’d win,” he said with a grin.

  “Let’s cut them all down first and then cut them up,” she suggested, echoing the same thought going through his brain.

  “That’s the plan...” He bit his tongue before say
ing Sweetheart. Despite officially having a fling, she’d probably not appreciate the endearment in a work environment with prying ears. They worked toward one another, felling one tree after another.

  “We’ve got this in the bag,” Tyler said, looking around. The next closest couple still had one tree standing.

  “Probably, but that doesn’t mean we can afford the luxury of slowing down.”

  He nodded and started chopping up the first tree. Jules cut the trees into manageable pieces, hauling them over to where he worked. By the time he finished chopping up the last tree, Jules had managed to store more than half of the log pieces, and with his help, they made short work of the job. The only thing left to do was to get rid of the brush around their cleared trees.

  She grabbed her Pulaski and set to work. Tyler barely managed to follow suit, so absorbed was he in watching her wield the tool. His groin delighted in seeing her whip through the brush like a bad-ass, and by the time they’d finished the task, he was ready to throw her down on the ground and jump her bones.

  Gunner announced them as the winners, and he willed his erection to go away, as they received congratulations from the competing teams.

  “How about a shower?” he asked her with a smug grin, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He didn’t mind going without a shower while fighting an actual fire, but there was no way he was going to give up that comfort when he didn’t have to. Besides, he just had the perfect fantasy of what exactly he’d do to her while the water rained down on them.

  “You sure you’re up to it?”

  “Around you, my best friend always stands at attention,” he said with a low growl.

  A slight blush covered her face as she looked around if someone had heard them. But everyone was already heading back to take a much-needed shower to cool down. She nodded at Tyler and he knew that their shower wouldn’t serve to cool him.

  Chapter 17

  While watching the evening news in the common room, Tyler’s cell phone rang. Vivian. He stepped away from the TV and took the call.

  “Hi nosy sis, what’s up?” Tyler greeted her.

  “I love you, too. But I have to disappoint you. I’m not going to ask for dirty details about you and lady firefighter.”

  He broke into laughter saying, “I wouldn’t share with you, so no worries. What’s up?”

  “Mother’s birthday.”

  “Shit…” He checked the calendar hanging on the wall. “But it’s not until the week after the next.”

  “Knowing you, I called early to make sure you’ll be there. Chuck, Linda and I are preparing a surprise party.” Chuck was Tyler’s older brother; a PI in Los Angeles and Linda was his girlfriend. Tyler liked the rail-thin blonde woman. Despite her shyness and self-consciousness, she was the perfect match for his sometimes overpowering brother, who scrimped on words like Scots scrimped on pennies.

  “You claim to know me and you still tell me about the surprise party? What makes you so sure I won’t put my foot in my mouth?” His inability to keep a secret was legendary.

  “That indeed was a point of discussion,” Vivian admitted with a sigh, “but we all thought it was worth taking the risk if it would assure you’re coming. Can you make it happen please?” She put on her best pleading voice.

  “I’ll try to come. I do have a few days’ vacation that I can use, provided there’s not a huge fire somewhere in the states.”

  “And bring your girlfriend, will you? Pleeeaaaasssseeee.”

  Girlfriend. The word had a nice sound to it. He’d never thought he’d actually want to refer to a woman as his girlfriend. The only problem was, Jules had insisted their connection was nothing but a fling.

  “Her name is Jules, which you would remember if you’d been listening last time you interrogated me.”

  “I haven’t interrogated you, but inquiring minds want to know. Details, Tyler. It’s all in the details. Anyway, please bring Jules with you.”

  “Hmm.” Tyler nodded, watching Jules as she played a game of tabletop soccer with Blondie, Denis and Gunner at the other corner of the room. “I’ll have to ask her. I’ll let you know whether I can request that weekend off and get her to do the same. Talk to you soon.”

  He disconnected the call and returned to the evening news just as the program finished. He strolled over to watch the soccer match. Denis and Blondie won, and everyone dispersed to get some shut-eye, watch a movie or read a book.

  Jules came up to him and he marveled at her graceful walk and posture. She didn’t have to wear high heels or fancy clothes to look stunning, even in simple cut-off jeans and a t-shirt she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  “You’re gorgeous, Jules,” he complimented her and when she fell in step beside him, his heart jumped.

  “Thanks. I know where this is going…your place or mine?”

  “Hmm…how could I resist such an indecent proposal?” Tyler asked.

  “You can’t.”

  “True.” They’d reached the door of her room. “Your place, for the sole reason that it’s nearer.” He chuckled and pushed her inside, shoving her up against the wall and ravaging her mouth with his. Asking her about his mother’s birthday party could wait, there were more important tasks to attend to.

  Like ripping the clothes from her body, putting her on all fours and taking her from behind.

  Much later, they lay snuggled up on her small bunk, sated and happy.

  “Jules?”

  “Hmmmm….,” she purred against his chest.

  “My sister is having a barbecue two weekends from now. What are the chances of getting the weekend off?”

  “Pretty good. This early in the season not many people have requested down time,” she said, tracing lazy circles on his back. His cock stirred, as if he hadn’t just had an earth-shattering climax.

  “Great. I want you to come with me. Is that possible?”

  Her head snapped up. “What? You want me to come and meet your family?”

  “Yes, no pressure. Just a small thing, but I think you’d have fun.” Barbecues in a family of six children never were a small thing, but he chose not to mention that part, and neither did he think it wise to hammer on the fact that the barbecue was actually a birthday party for his mother.

  “You sure? I almost never take time off during the season…”

  “One hundred percent sure.” Tyler knew just how to make her agree and pressed his groin against her stomach, while his hand moved up and down her thigh. His action had the intended effect and her skin erupted with goosebumps, making her writhe with anticipation.

  “We’d have a lot more privacy than here.” His hand delved between her thighs to touch the wetness. “In my apartment nobody will hear us.” He spread her thighs and rubbed her clit, relishing at the focused expression on her face as she struggled to keep the moans and squeals low. “You could scream all you want.” His finger entered her tight channel and he rubbed it across the spot he knew would make her come in no time at all. She’d probably add another bite mark to his shoulder in her effort not to scream, but that was a cheap price to pay for the pleasure he received watching her come all over his hand.

  He stilled his hand.

  “Don’t stop, Tyler. Not now!” Jules let out an agonized groan.

  “So, what’s the answer, darling? Are you coming with me to L.A.?” He placed soft kisses on her shoulder, making her shudder.

  “Blackmail. That’s blackmail,” she protested.

  Tyler chuckled and let his lips wander down to capture one of her taut nubs between them, while his hand rubbed across her clit. Just once. Then he grazed his teeth across her nipple. His erection almost exploded at the sexy moan she gave, arching her back.

  “Okay, I’ll go with you to the barbecue, but you better make it worth my while!” she hissed.

  “On my way, darling. On my way…” he gently bit down on her nipple and pushed her thighs further apart to push his cock into her hot and wet center. Once inside, he grabbe
d her ass and thrust in and out of her until he felt her inner muscles clench around him.

  His mind became blissfully blank as he increased the rhythm of his hammering and they both toppled over the edge together.

  Much later, he pulled her into his arms, covering both of them with the bedsheet and switching off the night light.

  “Aren’t you going to return to your own room?” she asked sleepily.

  “No way on earth. I wouldn’t want to miss holding the woman of my dreams in my arms for the entire night,” Tyler said, his heart filling with warmth.

  Chapter 18

  Jules woke every morning in Tyler’s arms, and she found that she actually liked it. Sure, the bunk could have been bigger…but it did also give her the advantage to wiggle her ass against his groin to get him primed, without seeming too obvious.

  Not that he seemed to mind her being obvious. Actually, he seemed to love everything about her and that instilled a certain kind of fear deep inside. It wasn’t only the physical attraction, although she was beginning to crave the mind-numbing sex only he could provide. In fact, she felt like a sex-starved teenager most of the day, which made no sense since Tyler slept in her bed every night. Or rather, he was in her bed every night and they tried to get a little rest between bouts of fantastic sex.

  He understood her like no other man had before and he even loved her passion for firefighting. Before she had time to dwell further on frightening thoughts about what might happen after the fire season, her alarm went off and she frowned when the code came across. A structure fire?

  She elbowed Tyler to wake him, but he’d heard the alarm too and already jumped out of bed, slipping into his clothes on the way out the door. Jules grabbed her radio as she headed for the dispatch meeting place, seeing confused looks on the others faces as well. Chief Carter briefly explained the situation.

  “Folks, I can see the confusion on your faces, but you really are being sent out on a structure fire. A house in town has smoke coming from the roof. The town’s firefighters left several hours ago to help out in Beaver Creek with a three-alarm fire in an apartment building. That means we’re the only ones left in this area. Load up and head out. You’ll have directions relayed before you clear the road,” her superior promised.