He moved his mouth to her ear. “You feel amazingly good.” His left hand ran down her side to her thigh, and he tugged.
She raised her knees on each side of him, anxious now, and kissed his shoulder.
He groaned and reached between them, gently tracing her pussy with one finger, then sliding in.
The excitement of his touch surprised her.
He stroked her clit with his slick finger.
She gripped him tighter, denting muscles in his back with her fingertips.
He kissed her jaw and the side of her neck as his erection replaced his finger, parting her folds, lubricated coolness against her heated flesh.
She wanted more, and tried to take it, lifting her hips.
He grunted softly and held back.
Heat sizzled through her, searing desire into longing. She locked her lips on his shoulder and opened her legs wider for him.
He started into her slowly, his breath hot on her ear, pushing and drawing back, pushing deeper. He stretched her pussy, filled her, and her muscles thickened around him.
His rhythm eased as he reached her limit. With one long, slow thrust, he buried himself completely and the world stopped.
Her body stiffened.
Every nerve tingled, waiting.
His arms tightened around her.
“Oh yeah,” he breathed, his voice low.
His hot breath scorched her skin, a flame to the powder, and her back arched.
His mouth covered hers as long, glorious waves of release rolled through her.
He thrust through each crest, drawing out another and another.
She clung to him, taking more.
Muscles bunched and flattened under her hands as he came.
She held him, meeting his thrusts, sharing his power.
With a low groan, he stilled.
Their hearts pounded against each other’s chests as they lay there, panting.
The sound of blood rushing through her ears gave way to a strange buzz. She opened her eyes. “What’s that noise?”
Lee raised his head and sighed. “Damn it.” He kissed her lips as he lifted himself off of her and hopped to his feet. “It’s Dispatch.” He snatched his cell phone from the night table as he passed it.
“What?” Hannah sat up, grabbing stray pieces of clothing from the bed.
“You look like hell.”
Lee glanced up from his coffee to find Dale Pierce, senior among the volunteers in both age and experience, strolling through the kitchen doorway.
“Thanks.”
Dale filled a mug from the coffeepot. “I hear you were up with the State Patrol half the night.”
“Yep.”
“You should have paged me.”
Lee sighed. “Wasn’t anything to do except direct traffic. An SUV rolled off the highway at the pass on that narrow section. Took a while to get a wrecker big enough to pull it up and small enough to fit across the road.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Not seriously. Driver and two passengers were belted in.”
“Glad to hear that.” Dale straddled the bench and sipped his drink, then placed his mug on the table. “It doesn’t look like you’ve been to sleep yet.”
“No, too much to do.” He wasn’t about to admit that, because of Hannah, he’d been too wound up to sleep. Since getting back around five, he’d scrubbed the kitchen, straightened more of the storage room, gassed up Command One, and gone over the budget again. He’d about spent his last drop of energy, but now it was too late to go to bed. He didn’t want to be found sleeping in the middle of the day if anyone came looking for him.
“I can hang around if you want to get some rest,” Dale said.
“Yeah?”
The older man nodded.
The offer was too good to resist. “Thanks.”
Lee poured the rest of his coffee down the drain, left the cup in the sink, and headed upstairs. He just needed a quick nap.
He stopped inside the doorway to his room, overwhelmed by a feeling of emptiness. It might be the same room he’d been happy with yesterday, but that was before he’d shared it with Hannah.
Sighing and raking his fingers through his hair, he closed the door, sat on the bed, and pulled off his boots. Then he stretched out and closed his eyes.
He could smell her scent, and it made the memory of holding her even more powerful. His arms ached to be around her again.
Shit, this wasn’t good. Had he gone off the deep end?
Just because he’d gotten her into bed once didn’t mean it would happen again. After all, this was Hannah Hayward, not some woman he’d picked up at a bar. She wouldn’t just show up for sex until they got tired of each other.
What the hell was he thinking? She deserved to be treated better.
When he woke an hour later, he knew what he had to do. He showered, shaved, and dressed in his best jeans and shirt. As he trotted down the stairs, he slid his cell phone into its holster, daring it to ring, and he stopped at the office, where he found Dale reading the newspaper.
“Thanks, man,” Lee said.
Dale folded the paper, rose, and stretched. “Not a problem. Are you headed out?”
“Just to grab a bite, but I’ve got my phone.”
“Okay.” He slapped Lee on the shoulder as he passed him. “I hope it stays quiet tonight.”
“Me too.”
As soon as Dale left, Lee started toward the door. Should he wait until she walked out and stop her at her car? Or should he just show up at her house and ask her to have dinner with him?
A moment of doubt slowed his step. They obviously had the hots for each other, but could she care about him the way he did about her? It wasn’t like they’d been dating the entire time he’d lusted after her. In fact, they’d never dated. They’d never even had a meal together, except in the lunchroom at school, and he doubted she’d known he was there.
Wondering again about his sanity but admitting he had no choice, Lee pushed open the front door and stepped out into the afternoon sunshine.
He definitely wasn’t going to her office. If she turned him down, he didn’t want her to do it in front of the entire city hall workforce.
No, he’d wait for her to leave.
Leaning against the building, he crossed his feet as if he were standing around to enjoy the sun’s warmth. People walking the sidewalk waved, and those driving by stared. The town had changed some, with a few more shops and businesses, but it was still small.
The oversized wooden door to city hall swung open, and Police Chief Tony Bertrand hurried down the steps. He was a little older than Lee and smaller by a few inches. Although hired from out of state a few years back, Bertrand seemed at home in Tillman. When he saw Lee, he waved and crossed the street.
“How’s it going today?”
“Good.” He shook Bertrand’s hand. They’d spent half the night at the accident, but they’d been directing traffic on opposite sides of the wrecker and hadn’t had a chance to talk. No doubt they’d have plenty of opportunities to get to know each other in the future. “You get some rest?”
“Yep. Did you?”
Lee nodded, keeping an eye out for movement across the street.
“So, how’s the fire department looking?”
“Not great.” Lee motioned toward the building behind him. “Hasn’t been easy to sort out.”
“I can imagine. I think Chief Black was coasting the last few years.”
“Looks that way.”
Bertrand turned to watch a blue BMW screech to a stop in front of city hall.
The driver looked familiar, although Lee couldn’t be sure. “Isn’t that—?”
The city hall door swung open again and Hannah stepped out.
“Sterling Mason,” the chief said. “He lives over toward Pagosa Springs.”
Hannah opened the passenger-side door and disappeared into the vehicle without even glancing across the street.
Lee felt a pit open up below
him.
“I hear he’s planning to run for state senate,” Bertrand continued. “I think he and Ms. Hayward have been an item for a while. Maybe Tillman will have an ‘in’ if he gets elected.”
The rage that flared in Lee’s chest was something he hadn’t felt in years. Every bit of him wanted to charge across the street, rip open the car door, and drag Mason out onto the pavement. Good thing he’d learned long ago how to hide that rage.
Bertrand glanced back at the car as it sped away. “Yeah, good ol’ Sterling Mason, the perfect politician. He’ll probably win.” He grinned at Lee. “Well, I gotta run. We’re helping out with a roadblock tonight, see if we can get some of the drunk drivers off the road.”
Lee forced himself to smile. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. See you Sunday at the mayor’s party?”
Lee nodded.
As soon as Bertrand turned the corner, Lee yanked open the station door. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered, marching to the kitchen.
Yeah, Hannah might sneak into his bed, but she went out in public with Sterling Mason.
Things hadn’t changed as much as he thought they had.
4
Lee raised the barbell from the hooks and pressed it slowly, enjoying the burn in his chest and arms. He continued the reps in spite of the sound of someone coming in downstairs. It must be Tommy, although he was early.
“Lee?”
He faltered, surprised by Hannah’s voice.
Holding the weights on straight arms, he responded, “Up here.” Then he finished the set as he listened to her footsteps on the stairs.
He was still trying to figure out what the hell to do. Less than two days ago he’d shared his bed with her, and yesterday he’d found out she was involved with someone else. And not just anyone else but Sterling Mason, the bastard.
Unfortunately, having sex with Hannah hadn’t quenched Lee’s long-standing desire for her. Truth was he wanted her now more than ever.
Lee placed the bar on the hooks and sat up to find her watching him. He wiped his face and chest with a towel.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said.
Damn, but she looked great. She wore gray slacks and a tight black sweater that somehow made her eyes look even greener than usual.
It wasn’t fair. What could she possibly see in Mason? Had she forgotten how crappy he’d been to her in high school? Rich or not, the man was scum.
Lee had vowed years ago not to pursue another man’s woman. But Hannah wasn’t wearing a ring. And she’d let him carry her to bed. She wouldn’t do that if she and Mason were serious, would she?
Christ, he was rationalizing.
Maybe being the one she came to for sex wasn’t such a bad thing. He knew what he was doing in the sack, and it might be his only chance to get her away from Mason. Lee wasn’t sure he’d ever be good enough for Hannah, but he knew Sterling Mason never had been.
He smiled. “You can interrupt anytime.”
She returned his smile. “I thought I’d stop by to pick up your latest budget write-up. The meeting’s Monday. I should spend some time this weekend preparing.”
He nodded, enjoying the graceful sway of her hips as she approached one slow step at a time.
“Maybe we should go over it,” she said, standing in front of him.
He reached out and ran his right hand up the outside of her thigh to her hip. “We should definitely go over something.”
“Lee, it’s the middle of the day.” In spite of her protest, she stepped closer and slid her hand up his arm to his biceps.
“Yes, it is.” He drew her closer still and kissed the front of her slacks just at her pubic bone, wishing he could bury his face in her sweet cunt. The memory of her coming in his mouth sent a shiver through him.
She combed her fingers through his hair.
He urged her closer until she straddled him, her arms around his neck. He was hard before she sat, and harder still after. Caressing her ass, he pulled her up against his cock.
Her hands felt wonderful kneading his bare shoulders. He reached up and drew her mouth to his.
Kissing Hannah was intoxicating. As soon as he got a taste, he needed more and tilted his head to reach deeper.
She groaned softly.
When she rolled her hips, he matched her groan.
Forcing himself to end the kiss, he moved his mouth to her tender neck. “My room is ten feet away.”
“I remember.”
Holding her, he stood and carried her to his room, kicking the door shut behind them. He released her onto his bed and leaned over to steal a kiss.
“I need a shower,” he said. “Want to join me?”
Her eyes glistened. “Maybe.”
“Good.” He pushed off his warm-ups and his cock sprang free.
She stared for a long moment and then drew her sweater off over her head.
Lee watched her undress, enjoying ever bit of her delicious body. Her breasts were full and round and the nipples puckered under his gaze. And her legs were deliciously long and sexy. But even after she stood before him naked and he’d enjoyed a leisurely look that left him rock hard, his gaze settled on her eyes.
Damn. She had the most amazing eyes.
He offered his hand.
She took it and smiled, and he led her to the shower.
As the water warmed, he kissed her and let his hands roam over her body. Smooth skin teased his fingers and he sighed. What would it be like to have her there every time he showered? To make love to her every night?
Dangerous thoughts, under the circumstances. Right now she was his to hold, but even if he managed to get her away from Mason, it wouldn’t last between them. It couldn’t.
“I believe the water’s hot,” she said, her voice breathy.
Lee leaned back and opened his eyes to find the small bathroom thick with steam. “I think you’re right.” He adjusted the spray, then turned around and lifted her.
She grabbed his shoulders.
Her body felt warm and soft against his, and his cock slid into the cleft between her thighs as he walked her into the shower stall. She squeezed her legs together and he nearly fell to his knees.
Hot water beating against his back and Hannah in his arms had to be as close to heaven as he’d ever get. She drew his head down and kissed him as water splashed into their faces and ran in rivulets between them. Her nipples beaded against his chest.
Christ, she felt good. If he’d thought to grab a rubber, he’d be inside her. But he’d enjoy it more if she was as desperate when he entered her as he felt already.
Besides, that was what she was there for, wasn’t it? His sexual skills? His best bet was not to disappoint her.
He sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged on her left nipple, and she made soft noises of need as she pressed her body closer. Then he skated his hand slowly down her side, enjoying the feel of her slick skin. When he reached her lovely ass, he caressed it, stimulating the nerve bundle that made her wriggle.
“Aren’t you supposed to be showering or something?” she asked, her voice husky with desire.
“First things first.” Holding her waist, he turned her around to face the tile wall, then stood behind her and leaned over to kiss her shoulders.
She flattened her palms to the tile.
He centered his cock between her cheeks and reached around her, working his way to her clit, careful not to get there too soon.
She gasped when he squeezed her swollen nub, and he nearly forgot what he was doing.
Focus.
He nipped her shoulder, drew her back against him, and eased one finger into her cunt.
She reached around and grabbed his ass.
He slid in and out, added another finger as she felt her cunt tighten, and stroked slow and steady.
She leaned back, her head to his shoulder, and he kissed and sucked on her neck. She began to tremble, so he eased up, pulling out.
As soon as her body stilled, h
e started again.
It was all he could do to keep from sinking his cock in her juicy cunt. Warm water caressed his shoulder and back, and whispered around the base of his cock and over his balls as the scent of her wet skin taunted him.
After the third round, she groaned. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to drive you crazy,” he said softly, “like you do me.”
“You’re succeeding.”
“Good.” He stepped into the shower’s spray to rinse off and then turned off the water. “I know where we can get more comfortable.” He kissed her. “Hold on to me.”
When she locked her arms around his neck, he lifted her and she hooked her feet together behind him. He kissed her again, and enjoyed her fiery gaze as he carried her to his bed.
He sat, placing her on his lap, and they kissed.
His cock rose against her ass, and he felt her smile. He straightened. “Going for the entertainment factor again, huh?”
She shrugged and glanced down between them. “More or less.”
“Hmm. Sounds like a challenge.”
She laughed softly, and the sweet sound left goose bumps across his chest.
With one arm around her, he leaned over and fished a condom from the nightstand drawer; then, holding her gaze, he ripped it open with his teeth.
But Hannah surprised him by taking the package from him, withdrawing the condom, and scooting back so that his cock rose between them. He clenched his jaw to hold back a sigh as she rolled the latex slowly over the head and down the shaft, squeezing and stroking as she went. By the time she reached the base, his eyes were nearly crossed.
“Took you long enough,” he said, drawing her close and taking her mouth.
She rocked her hips up so that his shielded cock rested against the length of her heat, and she ran the backs of her hands up his stomach and chest, grazing his nipples with her knuckles. He sucked in a breath against her lips and felt her smile again.
Water from her hair dripped onto his arms and shoulders and trickled down the front of her chest. He leaned her back and traced several drops with his tongue, making sure to circle her puckering nipples. When he crossed slowly over one nipple, she tightened her legs around his hips.
Growing desperate to be inside her, he drew her close again and, with his hands under her ass, lifted her until the head of his cock pressed against her folds. She didn’t even try to hold herself up, trusting him completely. He raised his mouth to hers, and she welcomed his tongue.
Feel the Heat Page 24