They kissed hard and deep, and he eased her down onto him a little at a time, until she finally had all of him and he was buried so deep he felt as if he’d reached her core. He shook with pleasure.
He turned his head and kissed her shoulder and her throat as he raised her slowly and eased her back down. Soft noises vibrated through her skin. He continued, focusing on her reaction to keep from losing control.
Her cunt swelled, and he felt her clit hard against his cock. Her ass clenched and released, suggesting a faster rhythm, but he held back, controlling the pace.
She grabbed a handful of his hair and pressed her mouth to his shoulder, and he stopped, buried deep. Her cunt squeezed hard, and he knew he had her on the edge.
He raised his mouth to her ear. “I can’t wait to feel you come,” he whispered.
She whimpered in response.
As he drew her forward and eased her back, just enough to torture her clit, her whimper deepened into a groan. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and pressed her tits to his chest.
Every square inch of his skin felt alive, longing for her touch. Her fingers dug into his traps, and his muscles twitched. Then she moved from side to side, dragging her tits across his chest, and he shuddered.
He drew her forward again, and again, no longer able to wait. She cried out as she reached the peak.
He’d planned to take her over the top alone, but as soon as her cunt bit down on him he lost it.
He wrapped his arms around her as his cock erupted.
She drew him deeper with each fierce pulse.
Deeper and harder, biting down, emptying him.
When it finally stopped, he held her so close he couldn’t tell where his body ended and hers started. Her heart pounded against his ribs, and he felt her breath caressing his neck in short bursts.
“Damn,” he whispered.
She nodded.
He held her for a long time, savoring the connection, and then eased his hold.
She sat up and looked at him, her green eyes shining like emeralds.
He tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear and ran his fingers down her neck and across her shoulder. Her skin was warm and damp.
“I may need another shower,” she said.
He grinned. “Sounds good.”
“Alone.” She pushed against his chest and eased her legs to the floor, then backed off his lap. With a quick kiss to his lips, she turned and sashayed to the bathroom, smiling back at him before closing the door.
Lee fell back on the bed, arms wide.
It scared him that he had so little control around her, but the risk was sure as hell worth the reward. He’d never found a woman who felt so damn perfect in his arms.
Hannah checked herself once more in the mirror. Except for the nefarious grin she couldn’t seem to get rid of, she looked as she had when she’d walked into the firehouse an hour earlier.
She found Lee at his desk. He’d showered downstairs, to her disappointment—she enjoyed seeing him naked, probably a little too much. The man was amazing in many ways.
He sat back and smiled as she stopped in the doorway. His gaze running leisurely down her body made her want to both cover herself and beam with joy at his obvious approval.
He held out a large envelope. “I believe this is what you came for.”
“Yes, thank you.” She slid the envelope into the side pocket of her shoulder bag. “If I have any questions—”
“Just call. Better yet, stop by. Anytime.”
She nodded.
He leaned forward. “Hannah.”
“Yes?”
He looked as though he were going to ask her something but seemed to change his mind. “You look seriously fantastic in that sweater.” Then he smiled and lowered his voice. “And out of it.”
Heat rose in her cheeks and she shook her head. “Lee.”
The front door opened.
“Thank you,” she said in her best business voice.
“You’re more than welcome.” He winked.
She nodded to Tommy, the young volunteer, as she hurried out into the early dusk.
She really had stopped by for the budget information, hadn’t she?
Hannah remembered the way desire had pushed her forward as she walked into the firehouse.
Who was she kidding? She’d stopped by hoping Lee would be alone.
Not only had he been alone, but he’d been shirtless and lifting weights when she’d found him. Dear God, the man was gorgeous. Then she’d had the most amazing sex of her life. Never before had she completely relinquished control as she had with Lee. She’d known he would do nothing but make her feel incredible, and that was exactly what he’d done.
What now? Returning to her “normal” routine was becoming more and more difficult.
Dinner the night before with Sterling had been close to painful. He’d told her that he’d soon be in a position to “step up” their relationship. She’d been trying to decipher the comment when he’d launched into another soliloquy about his campaign. Fortunately, drinks had arrived and she’d been able to tune him out.
She’d spent the whole meal thinking about Lee, trying to decide what to do. Their encounter that had started at the football field had taken her by surprise, more so because it had felt so right. Even the phone call afterward that had terrified her—she’d envisioned volunteer firefighters flocking into the firehouse to find her dressing—hadn’t been a problem. Lee had correctly assured her she had plenty of time to get dressed. The memory of him grinning at her before sliding down the brass pole made her smile behind her napkin.
Sterling had accused her of not paying attention to him, and she’d claimed to have a headache. He’d dropped her off and raced away, and she’d spent the night staring at her ceiling, asking herself the same questions over and over. Why, after all these years, had Lee returned to Tillman, and why was he interested in her? More important, how long would he remain interested?
As she tossed her bag into the backseat of her car, she realized she’d left the rest of the budget information in her office.
“Shoot.” She slammed the car door and trotted across the street.
City hall was quiet and dark, but she had no trouble traversing the familiar route. At her office, Hannah flipped on the overhead light and began sifting through piles of papers on her desk. In her haste to get to the firehouse, she hadn’t even bothered to clean up the day’s work.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” Charlie Richards leaned in the doorway. “I thought you left early on Fridays.”
Hannah shoved the papers she wanted into a folder. “I do. I mean, I did, but I forgot some of the information I need for the meeting.”
“Ah, a little weekend work, huh?”
“I like to be prepared.”
Charlie nodded and waited for her with his hands in his pockets. “You are coming to the barbeque, aren’t you?”
“I’m planning to.”
“I’m happy to hear it. And Lisa will be, too.”
She switched off the light and led the way to the front door. As they walked out, she glanced across the street at the firehouse, then looked at Charlie. Perhaps this was her opportunity to find answers to some of her questions. He’d said he and Lee were friends in school.
“Charlie, why did Lee Evans come back to Tillman?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know for sure. With his record, he could work anywhere in the country. Hell, he’s got more medals than most generals. He was Firefighter of the Year in Seattle last year.”
Hannah opened her car door and tossed the folder onto the passenger’s seat. She’d seen Lee’s résumé. She knew about the medals and honors.
“I kind of think it’s a personal thing,” Charlie continued. “You know, his dad and all.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked at her funny and then nodded. “Yeah, that’s right, you were gone when all that happened. When we were twenty, Lee’s house burned down. His fathe
r died in the fire. Lee tried to rescue him, but a beam fell on him and knocked him out. He ended up in the hospital for nearly a week. After that, he left town.” Charlie sighed. “Maybe he’s looking for closure.”
Stunned, Hannah slid into the driver’s seat.
Charlie leaned over. “See you Sunday.” Then he straightened and closed her door.
Hannah pulled up across the street from the firehouse and watched as Mr. Walker and his son, Kent, hurried in, followed by a young redheaded woman she recognized but didn’t know. Judging from the sounds when Hannah emerged from her car, they weren’t the only ones there on Saturday morning.
Two of the three oversized doors were open, but most of the noise seemed to be coming from the back of the building. Curious, she walked around the far side.
Kent, Mr. Walker, and the young redhead rushed out, pulling suspenders over their shoulders and carrying jackets and helmets.
Lee stood in front of a group of twenty or so people, all dressed alike in brown pants with rings of reflective tape around the legs, and gray Tshirts. Most held orange helmets and brown jackets to match their pants.
The group quieted as Lee spoke. “In order to be of any use to this department, you need some basic skills.” He pointed to a fire hose coiled on the ground. “You must be able to move this hose when it’s charged, to break through a roof with an ax, and to climb a ladder without hesitating. Most important, you must be able to drag a victim or one of your fellow firefighters to safety.” He stepped to what looked like a large dummy without a head. “Jack, here, weighs one hundred and forty pounds. We’ll take turns dragging Jack to safety. But first, Tommy’s going to lead the group in warm-ups. Ready? Three rows.”
The volunteers lined up as ordered and Tommy started them off in a stretching routine.
Lee glanced back at Hannah and smiled. He must have known she was there, but she couldn’t imagine how. He walked to her, raking his fingers through his hair. “Here to sign up?”
“Hardly. I just had a few questions, but this obviously isn’t a good time.”
He glanced back. “I have ten minutes.”
She nodded and followed him into the kitchen, where she pulled out the notes she’d made.
Lee stood beside her and they spread the paperwork on the counter where they’d embraced just two days earlier. He went through her questions, explaining terms and dollar figures and smelling much too good. In spite of his steamy glances, he remained all business. The heat from his body warmed her arm and side.
He checked his watch. “I better get back. Feel free to stick around.”
She nodded.
He stood in front of her for a long moment as his gaze dropped to her mouth; then he turned and trotted back outside.
Hannah took a deep breath as she gathered her papers together. She turned at the sound of heavy footsteps to find Tommy rushing in.
He nodded. “Hi, Ms. Hayward.”
“Hello, Tommy.”
The young man grabbed a large container marked: Water. “Isn’t he great?”
“The chief?”
Tommy beamed. “Yep. We’re gonna have the best volunteer fire department in the whole state.” He hurried away.
Hannah sighed as she considered the budget problems Tillman faced. The city council would have to decide between replacing a leaking roof on the high school, buying a new police car, and providing one-fifth of the work the fire department needed. “Great.”
Her own problems felt no less significant as she glanced out the back door at Lee. He held the dummy around the chest and ran backward, dragging it across the yard.
The young redhead watched him intently with what could have been a little too much interest, and unexpected jealousy flooded Hannah’s chest.
What on earth was wrong with her? Lee might enjoy sex with her, but he hadn’t promised anything. There was no commitment to guard; she understood that. And the thing that had been bothering her since her talk with Charlie the night before was the big question: If Lee was here for some kind of closure, how long would he stay once he found it?
Why did she feel as if a tsunami of heartache was headed her way?
Shaking her head to clear it, Hannah hurried toward her car. She had work to do before Monday night. With or without Lee Evans, her town needed her.
5
“Well done or burned?”
Hannah peered around Charlie at the grill full of charcoal-colored hamburgers and blistered hot dogs. “Um, I think I’ll just have coleslaw. But thank you.”
He sighed as he flipped a burger. “It’s amazing how many vegetarians we have today.”
She glanced across the yard full of people to find Lee holding a paper cup, talking to two of the city council members and their spouses. His gaze met hers and his mouth turned up into his crooked smile. He wore well-worn cowboy boots, blue jeans, and a long-sleeved tan sweater that hugged every indentation in his shoulders and chest. He stood out in the crowd like Adonis among the minions.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?”
She returned her attention to Charlie, who stood with a long-handled spatula in one hand and a canned cola in the other, wearing a Beware of cook apron.
“Yes, I think so,” she said. “I only have a little research left.”
“Great. It looks like we’ll have a good showing. Everyone I’ve run into during the past week plans to attend.”
“I’m happy to hear it.” She looked around. “So, where’s Lisa?”
Charlie pointed toward the house with his spatula. “She’s putting Amy down for her nap.”
Hannah touched his arm. “I’ll see if I can help.”
She wound her way through the crowd, stopping occasionally to talk, until she reached the side door. As she glanced back, she found Lee watching her again from the far side of the party, this time without the smile.
All she could think about was running across the yard and throwing her arms around him. But now more than ever, she couldn’t afford to do that.
She quietly entered the house and followed the sound of Lisa’s voice, singing a lullaby. She found her in the girls’ room, the closest to the backyard. Hannah stuck her head in and Lisa waved.
Charlie and Lisa had two beautiful girls who were sweet enough to make Hannah sorry she didn’t have any of her own. When she’d expressed her regret to Lisa once, the woman pointed out that Hannah was still in the prime of her childbearing years. At the time she had laughed. She couldn’t imagine having a man in her life with whom she’d want to have children. But that was before Lee showed up.
Good grief!
What drove her to make the harebrained leap from casual sex to bearing children? Her biological clock must be in overdrive.
That’s all she needed.
Realizing Lisa would be a while, Hannah snuck back out the door, easing it shut behind her.
“Had me worried.”
She jumped and spun around.
Lee studied her with his dark eyes, smiling seductively. “Thought maybe you were trying to avoid me.”
She glanced back toward the party.
“It’s not that,” she said. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be seen together right now.”
His smile melted.
She studied his face and found his expression suddenly stony, almost as if she’d hurt his feelings.
“Because of the city council meeting,” she whispered.
He frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”
Hannah glanced toward the backyard again and then motioned for him to follow.
She hurried around the house to the garage Charlie had long ago transformed into a shop, knowing the door was usually left open. When the mayor wasn’t working or cooking in the backyard, she often found him in the shop, sanding away on his latest piece of furniture.
Inside the windowless room, she searched the wall for a light switch, flipped it on, and then locked the door. The shop had been cleaned—probably for the p
arty—but still held the scent of freshly cut wood. Every tool hung on a hook in its proper place.
Lee stood in the middle of the room, watching her.
“We can’t afford for the council to think I’m biased when I make budget recommendations,” she said. “Especially not this time. You’re asking for most of the money.”
“That’s why you think we shouldn’t be seen together?”
“Yes. Why?”
Lee dropped his gaze and shook his head. “Nothing.” He looked at her again and smiled. “I was just hoping you’d come over and talk to me.” He stepped toward her as his gaze ran up and down her body.
Anticipating his touch and his kiss made her light-headed. She reached back for the counter to steady herself.
Lee took her face in his hands and kissed her, first tenderly, sweetly, then with more passion. His mouth opened against hers.
She held his sides.
He encircled her in his arms as he reached deeper, offering himself without reservation.
Hannah slid her hands up his back and looped them over his shoulders.
They fit together like puzzle pieces, and her heart raced at the wonder of it.
Lee drew his mouth away and leaned back to look down at her. “I can’t seem to get enough of you, Hannah.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Do you?”
She nodded.
“Good.” He drew her back to him, kissing her, and eased one hand slowly down her back. He reached her waistband and slipped his fingers into the back of her pants.
His touch made her tremble.
He released her mouth and trailed kisses down the front of her neck as he unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them down her thighs.
“Lee, what are you doing?”
“You’ve forgotten already?” he asked, his mouth to her breastbone.
She shoved his shoulder. “You know what I mean.”
He stood. “You locked the door, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but—”
“We only need a few minutes.” He pulled a condom out of his back pocket and held it up. “I came prepared.”
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