Arsonists Anonymous

by Nora Snowdon

  The blue nail-polished fingers stalled above the cash register keys as the girl smiled encouragingly. “Do you need anything else? Would you like to look at some jackets or shawls?” she asked.

  “No, thanks. This will be fine.”

  “Okay.” There was a brief flurry of tapping and scanning and the girl paused again. “Did you see the new jewelry we just—?”

  Lu shook her head. She inserted her card in the pad and punched in her pin number. Ninety-eight bucks! It was on half price, but still felt extravagant. That’s what you get for buying only button-down shirts and BOGO black pants for two years, an unrealistic sense of value. Now onto the shopping she hated even worse, lingerie.

  She figured La Senza would be a good place to try. Hopefully they’d have comfy as well as sexy underwear. Byron hadn’t been noticeably turned off by her cotton bikini briefs, but she wanted to get something a little better.

  She might as well have come clomping into La Senza wearing her turnout gear and boots for how awkward she felt amongst the frilly lace, satin, and corsetty-things.

  “Can I help you find anything?” A short plump woman with gray hair came up beside Lu with a warm smile.

  “Yeah … I guess. I’d like a bra and undie set that’s not too uncomfortable, but, um, pretty?”

  The saleswoman picked up a pale pink camisole and bra with tap pants and held it out to her. “Something like this?”

  Lu wrinkled her nose. “Too sweet.”

  “Hmm, this or this?” The woman held up two more choices, a stretchy bra with lacy trim and a black satin thing that looked like a one piece bathing suit.

  “More like that one.” Lu pointed to the black lacy bra with matching thong hanging on a nearby rack.

  “And what size, or would you like me to measure you?”

  “No!” Lu held up her hands and took a step backward. “I mean, I’m thirty-six B, I think.”

  Heat raced up her face.

  “Right. Why don’t you take these,” the women gathered a few more fancy sets, “and try them on in the change room over your underwear?”

  “Thanks.” Lu slunk into the minuscule room. She looked at the price tags and winced. At these prices she really had to try them on. A few minutes later she brought a small stack to the cash register.

  “Now these will last longer if you hand wash them in cold water and hang them to dry,” the woman advised her.

  “Sure.” Hopefully she wouldn’t have to wear them too long in the first place. That was the true test of sexy underwear.

  *

  Lu checked her make-up in the rearview mirror again. God, she’d worn more makeup this past week and a half than she’d used in the last four years. She tapped her steering wheel impatiently and glanced at her watch. Still seven minutes early. She studied Byron’s cute little bungalow. She’d wondered what his house would look like. They’d gone so quickly from coworkers to lovers; this was her first chance to see how he lived. But he’d said if she was taking him out then she should pick him up, too. She chuckled. Damn, I should’ve brought him flowers.

  There were larger houses to either side of his home and along much of the street. This neighborhood was obviously going upscale with huge mansions overtaking the unassuming homes of yesteryear. Trust Byron to be one of the holdouts to the ever-growing legion of developers.

  His house was a surprisingly warm burnt-orange color. Enthusiastic greenery tumbled from two small window boxes. A winding pathway between the rows of hydrangea and azaleas led up to a porch with two Adirondack chairs looking out. She couldn’t help but smile. The bungalow looked like the ideal house a young child would draw, currently missing only the smoke curling out of the brick chimney and a white picket fence. And perhaps a cat in the window.

  She checked her watch again and got out of the car taking care to slide both legs out the door at the same time. She was still practicing exiting cars gracefully in a dress and heels. As she stood she ran her hands down her new dress to smooth out the driving wrinkles. This was by far the most form-fitting dress she’d worn in decades. Byron had better like it.

  She smiled and walked up the slate pathway to his door trying to control her nerves. The doorbell set off a series of echoing chimes in the house and she jumped.

  “Coming.” Byron’s voice was muffled. A moment later his shadow appeared behind the white sheers covering the triangular windows inset in the door. The door swung open.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Byron said as he pushed his damp hair back from his face. He was in bare feet and hadn’t finished doing up his shirt. God, he looked sexy. “Come in.”

  “Thank you.” Lu stepped in and looked around. The living room was painted a deep, rich red with gold moldings and the windows were covered in ornate sheer material in matching tones. The fireplace was gold and the surrounding book cases and entertainment unit were in dark mahogany. Tan leather furniture completed the look.

  “Wow. This is not what I’d expected.”

  “Is that good or bad?” Byron asked.

  “Good, I mean, it’s better than good, it’s … beautiful. You just don’t seem like the decorator type. No offence.”

  “None taken.” He laughed. “And I’m not. My sister, Annie, however …”

  “She’s a decorator?”

  “Not really. Well, maybe in a way. She watches those TV shows and likes to try out stuff. Her husband’s tastes are more conservative, so she practices her magic here. This was her Indian kick. She made the curtains out of sari material and found a lot of the knick knacks at temple bazaars.” He led her into the living room. “Would you like a drink?”

  “Love one.” Lu settled into the squishy couch and watched him walk into the next room. His black pants weren’t tight, but somehow they showcased his muscular ass perfectly. She straightened her skirt around her legs and checked that the low v-neck was still in the right place.

  “Here.” He handed her a glass of wine then sat down beside her. His hand covered her free hand. “I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me too.” Lu leaned toward him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

  Byron deposited his glass on the side table and pulled her in for a deeper kiss. His fingers laced through her hair while his other hand slid down her back. His touch felt especially sensuous through the thin layer of silk. The dress was working even better than she’d hoped. Lu let out an involuntary purr. She cleared her throat. “Wait a second.” She leaned over to put her glass on the coffee then almost spilled it when his hand caressed down her bottom. She smiled up at his surprised expression.

  “You’re not wearing …?”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Maybe, but you’ll have to wait until after dinner to know for sure.”

  “Oh right, if I let you buy me dinner, you’ll expect to have me for dessert. My father warned me about girls like you.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “I hope you’re taking me somewhere with really fast service.”

  “Nope, it will be excruciatingly slow.” She licked his collarbone and nibbled deliberately up his neck to demonstrate just how slow before murmuring, “After, I believe, dessert may go on for hours.”

  His skin seemed to quiver under her lips, whether from her touch or anticipation, she couldn’t tell.

  “In that case I’d better get ready to go.” He stood then looked at her hopefully. “Are you sure we can’t start with an appetizer here?”

  Lu put her hand on the front of his pants and slowly traced his erection with her fingertips. “Mmm, I’m tempted … but no. I don’t want to spoil my appetite.” She cupped her hand around him, licked her lips and added, “And believe me, I’m hungry.”

  He let out a shaky breath and removed her hand. “Damn you, woman. I believe you’re toying with me. Excuse me.”

  Unfortunately her toying was getting to her too. After he left, Lu stood up and looked around the room to distract herself. Except for the crime novels and horse racing books, the room seemed authentically Indian t
o her untrained eye. Several statues of elephants, multi-armed gods, brass candle sticks, and carved wooden boxes covered every available surface. She was checking out his DVD collection when he returned.

  “Shall we?” He had a hungry gleam to his eye as he led her to the door.

  *

  The service in the restaurant was slower than Lu had hoped. That was the difficulty in picking a restaurant based on reviews. The food had been delicious though, and she’d enjoyed teasing Byron. She watched his fist clench around edge of the table when her bare foot somehow nudged its way up onto his lap.

  Lu sipped her coffee. “So, you like Bollywood movies?” she asked and nestled her bare toes a little deeper between his legs.

  “Huh?” His eyes were unfocused and his coffee hovered forgotten halfway to his parted lips. “Oh. Not really …. Annie gets carried away with her decorating sometimes.” He coughed to clear his throat then quietly suggested, “I could make more coffee at home.”

  “That would be nice.” Lu caught the waiter going by and handed him her card. She tried not to squirm as Byron nonchalantly massaged her straying foot. She pulled her foot back before she signed the bill so she could think clearly enough to calculate the tip. “Ready?”

  “One moment.” Byron finished off his glass of ice water and casually stretched in his seat. A few deep breaths and he stood up, holding his jacket in front of him. “Okay.”

  “It’s a little drafty. Can I borrow your coat?” Lu smiled innocently.

  “You’ll be fine,” Byron answered through gritted teeth as he directed her swiftly to the door. He avoided touching her, but Lu felt his eyes devouring every sway of her hips. When they reached her car she opened the door for him first and then walked around to her side.

  “This car runs pretty good. What year is it?”

  “Eighty-nine, and it should run well with how much it costs me. There are fewer mechanics these days who know how to repair cars without computers.”

  “Have you found a mechanic in Seattle, yet?” His voice was casual, but Lu’s shoulders tensed up nonetheless.

  She paused before answering. “Um, do you know someone good?” She studied the road before pulling out of the parking lot.

  “I’ll check with some guys at work,” he answered. “How long have you had it?”

  “It was my grandma’s, so I’ve driven it for years, but only officially owned it since two-thousand-twelve.”

  “It’s a nice car, although I was a little concerned about the three fire extinguishers in the back seat. Is this make prone to spontaneous combustion?”

  Damn, I keep forgetting about those. At least he didn’t see the rest in the trunk. “No. I just like to be prepared.”

  He looked out the window and Lu breathed a sigh of relief.

  “So, is your sister, Annie, older or younger than you?”

  “She’s older, but … she has a few problems.” He shrugged before continuing, “It’s not bad. She’s what you’d call a high-functioning autistic. She’s very bright and artistic. She just … isn’t very good dealing with most people.”

  “Oh.”

  “Probably why she gets along so well with Ace; he’s tongue-tied around women so they hang out together without talking. I’m not crazy about her husband, but she is, so …” He shrugged again. “Would you like to meet her?”

  “Yeah, I would.” Lu glanced over at him. “Were you two friends growing up?”

  “Off and on. We’re both pretty strong-minded. You know—didn’t you say you have a brother?”

  “I had an older brother. Victor. He died in a fire when I was eight.” She laughed without humor. “I guess the question isn’t why I became a fire fighter, but instead what took me so long?”

  “And your parents …?”

  “They died in a car crash six years later. Alcohol related. They’d never really recovered from losing Victor.” Lu waited for the usual outpouring of useless platitudes. Instead Byron just placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. She drove in silence a bit.

  “Note to self,” Lu said quietly. “Don’t bring up dead family when you want to get laid.”

  He snorted loudly. She glanced at him and found him looking at her in surprise.

  “That definitely wasn’t the sexiest conversation I’ve had with you,” he admitted. “But do I still want to screw your brains out? Hell, yeah.”

  “Good. I thought maybe I’d lost out on dessert,” Lu said as she pulled her Chevy up to his curb. “Lock your door,” she reminded him.

  “Manual locks. Imagine that.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder and held her close as they walked up the pathway to his house. “I’m glad you told me about your family.” He kissed her temple and then pulled his keys out of his pocket.

  Lu watched him unlock the door. How could she feel so safe with the one man who could easily destroy her life? Not just the fear of him ending her career, but if he found out about her psychic abilities, he could have her locked up for good. What the hell was she doing? And how had Byron snuck under her guard?

  “Are you coming in or just planning on decorating my doorstop?” Byron asked with a smile.

  “The interior’s already decorated so I thought I’d be more useful out here.”

  “Uh-uh. I have plans for you inside, young lady.” Byron pulled her into the hall and closed the door. “You’ve been driving me wild all night long. Now it’s my turn to torture you.” He leaned over to kiss her exposed cleavage.

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “And this lovely ass of yours …” His hand slid down the back of her dress and he pulled her snugly against his body. Lu closed her eyes as he kissed her, his tongue exploring her mouth, tasting her excitement. Her breasts tingled as her nipples pressed against hard chest. His lips moved to caress her neck and she inhaled his warm, sexy scent.

  With a sigh, Byron straightened up to look at her. “You’re so incredible I forget my manners.” He laughed. “Would you like some coffee, wine, or anything?”

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing the rest of your home.”

  “Sure.” He took her hand lacing their fingers and led her through the house. “The dining room.”

  Lu barely had a chance to take in more than the deep forest green walls and English hunting pictures before he was pulling her through to the next room.

  “The kitchen—Annie’s still trying to decide what to do with the backsplash. Bathroom, I wouldn’t let her do it Japanese style. She loves those huge family baths. I had to keep reminding her I live alone and don’t want to waste water. I think it’s the mosaic tiles she likes. My bedroom—”

  “This is very nice; comfortable and masculine.” Lu was surprised at the room’s simplicity in décor; just warm tan walls and large dark furniture.

  “She calls it my man-cave.”

  “No TV?”

  “I don’t like TVs in bedrooms. It’s too intimate a place to invite all the strange people you find on the tube.”

  “I never thought of that. I like having the TV in my bedroom for company.”

  “To each their own.” He kissed her nose. “I like having certain company in my bedroom, but unfortunately there’s a dress code.”

  “There is?”

  “Yup. No dresses. I’ll take this off for you.” He slid her dress up her body and over her head. “Oh yeah,” he said as his eyes burned over her lacy bra and thong. “This definitely measures up to my dress code.”

  Lu stepped forward, reaching out to undress him and he grabbed her hands. “Oh no. First I just get to look. Turn around.”

  She turned, feeling embarrassed by his intense expression. He stopped her half way and kneeled down to kiss her exposed butt. One hand slid up the front of her leg to stroke the lace between her thighs. His other hand was following the thin strip of material that ran down her behind.

  “A whole new playground,” he murmured.

  “Um …?”

  “No. You don’t get any say here. You look this good, I get
first dibs.”

  “Oh really?” Lu chuckled at the childish term.

  “You’re right. I guess I shouldn’t be so selfish. Sorry.” Byron stood, picked her up, and laid her down in the middle of his big bed. He stared at her a moment then murmured, “The stuff that dreams are made of.” Byron stripped off his clothes and edged onto the bed.

  Lu’s mouth watered at the sight of his toned body stretching out beside her. The fact that he seemed unaware of how good he looked, only added to his appeal.

  “Now, where was I?” Byron asked as he propped himself up on his elbow to look at her.

  “If you want to go and check map quest, I’ll wait,” Lu offered.

  “Thanks. I think I’ll find my way.”

  “Typical male,” Lu huffed. “Now may I—?”

  “No.” His fingers lightly skimmed over her torso and her nipples perked up at the attention. He groaned and bent over to suck a taut nipple through the flimsy fabric. Lu closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his mouth pulse through her body. His hand slid to tempt the moist heat between her legs. The gentle strokes over and around the thong frustrated her as she tilted her hips for more contact.

  Byron slid one leg over her and straddled her thighs leaning down to kiss her lips. He slowly trailed his lips down her body and Lu held her breath when he reached her underwear. She was already so close to the edge, it felt as if he need only breathe on her to send her over. He pressed his mouth against the damp fabric and Lu’s body jumped in response.

  “Hmm, you like that?” He shifted the thong aside and licked her, his tongue but a whisper on her sensitive flesh.

  “Please,” Lu begged. “More.”

  This time he stroked her with his fingertip a little harder. Lu groaned when he stopped. He slid the thong down her legs and dropped it off the bed. Then he spread her thighs apart. His tongue again, this time circling her bud. He pressed his fingers inside, the rhythm building within her. She was so close. Her entire body froze in anticipation. His fingers increased the tempo. Then his mouth was suddenly sucking and pulling and—

  “Oh, God!” Lu clapped her hand over mouth as the scream ripped out of her. Her body crunched up in a violent series of shudders until she fell back onto the pillow gasping for air.