Freed by Fire

by Christine, Ashley

Caid nodded and the emeralds in his eyes twinkled. “Lay back, I’m hungry.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Saturday, July 13 — 1:05 pm

  Caid told me he had called a towing service to pick up my car yesterday while I was in the house talking with Mr. Walters. When we passed the place outside of Joliet where Blue had sat, the spot was empty.

  “It’s at a garage just on the edge of Chicago, Em. You can decide what you want to do when we get back on Monday.” Caid reached over the console and held my hand.

  “Monday? I thought we were going to Chicago now?”

  He snorted. “I lied.”

  “Caid…” I said, my voice weak but audible.

  “We’re going to Rockford. I want to take you camping.”

  Say what?

  “Camping? Really? Like…in an RV?”

  This time he laughed. “Hell no, that’s not fucking camping. We’re sleeping in tent, love. I have it all stuffed into the box in the back.”

  I had been camping—in the traditional sense—a whole lot of zero times in my life. I wasn’t one of those girly-girls who didn’t like dirt, bugs or sleeping outdoors. I just had never done it before. Matt and I went “camping” once with his parents in Iowa. And when I said camping, I meant it was an RV fully-loaded like a mansion on wheels.

  “So…in the middle of the woods?” I asked. “With the animals?”

  “Emery, no, not with the wildlife. And not exactly in the middle of the woods either. We’re going to a campground, but it’s secluded. The only animal you’ll need to worry about is the one sharing the tent with you.”

  “You’re a little much, aren’t you?” I said, my voice laced with a teasing tone.

  “A little.” He smiled.

  My stomach knotted as we passed the same Pump N Serve that I had gassed up at on my way to Belleville…the same place where that creepy old guy said he saw me. I shuddered. But as I felt Caid’s warm touch, my body soothed. I was safe with him. I knew it.

  “Have you done that before?” I asked, my cheeks reddening.

  “Have I done what before?” he asked, pulling to a gas station about ten miles from the Pump N Serve.

  “Umm,” I looked out the window, not wanting to finish the sentence. “Never mind.” I was embarrassed, I couldn’t ask the question. Maybe I didn’t want to hear the answer. I didn’t like the idea of Caid being with other women. But, judging by his…experience—Caid had done a lot of things in his life.

  As he pulled into the parking lot, he veered off and parked under a tree instead of next to a pump. “Em…talk to me.”

  “It’s nothing…I just, wondered if you had done that…the thing with my boobs. It doesn’t matter,” I shook my head, “forget I said anything.” There. It was out…now it was the burning anticipation of his answer.

  Caid threw the truck into park and lifted the center console, sliding his body right next to mine. He took my hands and put them on his chest. One hand tipped my chin, forcing me to show him my flushed face. “Emery…beautiful...” His eyes searched mine. “Yes, I’ve done that before.”

  “Oh.” I managed.

  “Did it upset you? I’m sorry, love. I thought you were in to it.” Caid kissed me softly.

  “I—I was in to it…more than you know. I just wondered, that’s all.” Did I want to ask him to take me deeper into whatever sexual world he had been to? My fingers were itching to touch my laptop now, to make my BB and LL go to bed and play out the same delicious actions that I just had. “I write books…”

  “You mentioned that,” he said, nipping my lip. I felt his heart begin to increase and his breathing became heavy. “You drive me crazy, Emery.”

  “I—I…” Oh God, he’s driving ME crazy! “The books are…steamy.”

  Caid kissed my jaw as his hand slipped under my shirt. “And you taste so good,” he whispered.

  “They’re romance books, Caid.” I dropped my hand and slowly stroked his erection over his jeans. There. It was out. Just waiting…waiting…waiting…for his reaction.

  “You’re kidding…” he groaned.

  “Hey! Just because I’m not…as mean as you, it doesn’t restrict me from writing a good love story.” I stuck out my tongue. “But…I was thinking…maybe you could—you know—help me with some certain scenes.”

  Caid blinked. “R-really?” Just as he pulled his lips from me, he closed his eyes and when they opened they were raw and blazing. Heady. “Jaysus, you never cease to amaze me.”

  I found that hard to believe. I was a Plain Jane boring girl from Belleville, with limited sexual experience and a brain full of ideas but no real way to express them. Aside of reading other books, or watching porn. I had no idea what balls-to-the-wall, mind-fucking sex really was…until now. Until Caid.

  Caid slipped his hand under my waist band and began stroking my slick folds. He groaned as I fumbled with his zipper. I needed to touch him. I wanted it again. I was becoming an addict. An addict with no intentions of every quitting. He was a drug—and I would love nothing more than to be strung-out in his poison for the rest of my life.

  “I’m so hard now, Em…with your pretty hands on me, thinking about what those hands write about. Fuck…I’m hungry.” Again, he didn’t mean food. Caid grabbed my legs and turned my body so my back was against the door, my head tipped back as my hair draped the outside of the open window.

  The sound of the busy Interstate whipped by us, the occasional car horn, random talking of people just two-hundred feet away, pumping their gas and going on their way. That was all that didn’t matter. What mattered was right in front of me, touching me…tasting me.

  “You’re insatiable.” I was not complaining.

  “It’s your fault you’re delicious. Now, spread those pretty legs, love.” Caid pulled my shorts down and growled as his eyes drank up my naked skin. It glistened on my upper thighs from the simple touch of his fingers. As he lowered his head, I grabbed his hair—I just couldn’t believe this man was real. That he wanted me.

  “Oh, God!” I cried out as his tongue laved into my heated skin. I knew I wasn’t going to last long. But he took long, languorous licks with his big, velvety tongue and I panted as I felt my body screaming. I didn’t care if someone heard me—hell, maybe the idea of that turned me on a little. Okay, I lied…it would turn me on a lot.

  I panted deeper, gripped his silken hair harder, and bucked my hips when it orgasm hit me. Like I was a boat in the ocean and my climax was a tidal wave—no, a tsunami. It rocked me, capsized me, and as the sated feeling started to wash over me—I sunk into the depths.

  I don’t know how much time had passed after his mouth left my body, and I laid there with my eyes closed, trying to catch my breath and moaned softly. I felt Caid move, so I released my fingers from his hair and moved them to my chest. It hurt—and not in a bad way. I was on the brink of tears, my heart ached and I just wanted to break down and cry.

  This wasn’t just sex for me. Not anymore. I slightly opened my watering eyes and looked at the man before me. He sat there, with his hands on his thighs, watching me. Neither of us said a word. But I felt that there was an unspoken conversation happening between our eyes. His green on my brown.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said as he raked his hands through his hair. “You don’t even see it.” Caid sat back in his seat and grabbed his sunglasses from the dash, placing them over his glorious eyes.

  He was right. I didn’t see it. But, it didn’t matter. He made me feel beautiful, even when I knew I truly wasn’t.

  I pulled up my shorts and adjusted myself in my seat. Caid shifted into first gear and crept over to the gas pumps.

  “I’m going to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Do you want anything from inside?” I asked, nodding toward the convenience store.

  “No, thanks.” He got out and closed the door behind him.

  Shit. What did I do?

  I used the facilities provided in the store to clean myself up. I was a sopping mess.
I had to throw my underwear in the garbage—they were soaked. Never ever had my body responded like that to Matt. Hell, sometimes he had to use lubrication because my sex wouldn’t get excited about having him occupy it.

  As I left the bathroom and stepped into the conditioned air of the small variety store, I watched Caid through the large window that faced the six gas pumps. He was speaking to a woman. I could see in her eyes that she was undressing him with every spoken word. He was still wearing his sunglasses, but I could tell from his smile that he was interested in whatever she was saying.

  When she placed her hand on his chest, my heart fluttered and my stomach flipped. I was feeling jealous—possessive—hurt. I told him I was his…did that make him mine? I damn sure thought so. I watched them intently as I grabbed some bottles of water from the cooler. Holding them in my hands, I saw the woman—a leggy redhead with boobs for days and an ass for weeks (semi-quote/unquote Ice Cube)—place a small white business card into Caid’s hand.

  She winked before climbing into her white BMW and she drove away. Caid pulled the nozzle from his truck and placed it back on the latch. He closed the door of the tank and started walking into the store. As he pulled out his wallet, I was sure he was going to stick the card inside. But, he didn’t. He flicked it into a nearby trash can and opened the door to step into the store.

  My heart resumed beating the moment his eyes locked on mine when he lifted up his shades and placed them on the top of his head. The heat and rays of sun created sweat impressions on his t-shirt and my eyes drank it right up. He was the beautiful one. He was the perfect mixture of soft and hard.

  “Hi,” I said softly as he stood behind me in line. Two people were ahead of me and another three came in just after Caid.

  He didn’t say anything, but I felt his body inching closer and closer to mine. I stepped forward as one person left the line after paying. I felt Caid’s hand on my hip. His fingers slipped under my shirt and circled my heated skin. My knees felt weak and I knew I needed to pull from his touch if I were to remain calm in this store full of strangers.

  The three people standing behind Caid were laughing about something, talking loudly about the fishing trip they were headed on and how hot the girls were that would be joining them later.

  “I can’t wait to fuck that tight little ass,” one said. I felt my body constrict with his graphic choice of words. “I bet she’s better than her sister was,” another said.

  Caid’s grip on me tightened and he stepped closer. I felt his erection against my behind. His fingers dipped into the waist of my shorts again, and they tenderly stroked the soft skin over my hip bone. He was doing it on purpose. He wanted my reaction.

  As the man in front of me paid and left, it was my turn to pay. I set the bottles down on the counter and smiled at the older woman behind the register. “Umm…” I said, placing the tip of my finger in my mouth. “I think I want some gum too.” I pulled away from Caid’s grasp and leaned down to select a package of gum.

  I didn’t bend my knees. I took my sweet time perusing the limited selection of colored wrappers wondering if this was having the same effect on Caid as his touch had on me.

  The whispered and slight mention of “sweet ass” from the group behind him told me his eyes weren’t the only ones currently viewing my…display. I picked up a package of gum and set it on the counter.

  “That’s all, thank you.” I smiled at the older woman who rolled her eyes at me and snorted at the perverts behind Caid.

  She gave me my total and I paid. I didn’t look back at Caid but I heard his deep voice ask me to wait. I stopped, turned on my heel and smiled. “Yes?” I asked, popping a piece of gum into my mouth.

  He slapped down a bill on the counter and told the woman to keep the change. His eyes went from green, to jade, to emerald, to moss, to…fuck, I don’t know what else but they looked terrifying. “You’re a little fucking tease, aren’t you?” he growled has he bent and picked me right up off the ground.

  “Aww, damn! You lucky motherfucker,” one of the guys said. “Girl, if he don’t keep you satisfied you can call me anytime!”

  I kept my eyes locked into Caid’s. “Sorry, sweetheart. I belong to this lucky motherfucker.” I kissed him, and giggled as his hand slapped my ass before reaching for the door.

  “Okay, enough of the PDA! Get a room, you two!” The woman rattled from behind the counter. Her shaking head was the last thing I saw before Caid carried me out.

  Caid pushed me up against the door of his truck and slipped his sunglasses over his eyes. I saw my reflection in them. I almost didn’t know who was staring back. “We don’t need a room. Or my truck for that matter. I could fuck you right here and I think you’d like it…wouldn’t you?”

  I bit my lip and nodded. “Yes,” I breathed.

  Caid groaned and pulled my head down for a kiss. His mouth and tongue moved with pure passion as his hands roamed under my shirt and caressed my back. The pressure building deep in my belly was almost more than I could take. The constant friction of what was beneath me, but shielded by our clothing, was driving me insane.

  He pulled away, began chewing the gum that had just been in my mouth, and gently set my shaky legs on the pavement. Caid opened the door and helped me up into the truck. I fell back into my seat and closed my eyes briefly as he closed the door. The three guys from the store came out and one lifted his hand to Caid as if he wanted him to high-five it.

  Caid smirked and walked around the front of the truck, ignoring the guy. He didn’t say anything to me as he opened his door and climbed in. I passed him a bottle of water and he twisted the cap to take a drink. When he set the plastic bottle into the holder in the console he lifted his t-shirt and wiped his face and mouth with it.

  My breath hitched as I took in his body again. He was so freaking perfect in every single way. The sweat trickled down his chest and made his tanned abdomen glisten. I wanted to lean over and lick the salty trail from his body. But as Caid leaned in to start the truck, I knew that it was going to have to wait…until later.

  ***

  Saturday, July 13 — 4:30 pm

  We made it to Rockford in silence. Caid kept his eyes on the road and his hands on the steering wheel. I passed the time by texting Maggie.

  Me: How’s Indiana?

  Maggie: Hot How’s Caid?

  Me: Hot

  Maggie: That’s not obvious…but you should

  see the CEO of this place. He’s…borderline

  Christian Grey. The things I would let this

  man do to me…

  Me: Maggie! Wow…well, be careful. Don’t

  get too caught up and move to Indiana on me.

  Maggie: Never. Sisters before Misters…

  what are you up to today?

  Me: Caid’s taking me camping.

  Maggie: Really? That sounds…fun. Please

  don’t get eaten by a bear. I need someone to

  tell the cops where I am if I get trapped in

  this guy’s “Red Room of Pain”.

  I laughed out loud. Caid looked over and smiled.

  Me: OMG Maggie. I love you. Be safe.

  Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

  Maggie: Which would be what as of late?

  Me: Not much.

  Maggie: Ding, ding, ding! Have fun.

  I gotta go. Another damn meeting. Tell

  Caid I said hello.

  I tucked my phone back into my pocket and smiled over at Caid as we pulled into a camp ground. “Maggie says hello.”

  Caid smiled and pulled up in front of the building marked OFFICE. He shifted into park and unbuckled his seat belt. “Come here, please.”

  I took my belt off and without hesitation climbed over the console and right onto his lap. “Are you mad at me? You’ve been so quiet.”

  “Em…I’m—I’m trying so hard here.” He took his shades off and ran his fingers through my hair. “You’re making it difficult for me to breathe…to think�
�fuck. All I want to do is bury myself deep in you and stay there. You’re so beautiful, you’re amazing and perfect. No one has ever made me feel the way you do.”

  I leaned my head into the palm of his hand as he caressed my face.

  “It’s not even just about the sex…which, is fucking insane. It’s so much more. It’s the way you look at me. Sometimes I can’t take it.”

  I frowned. What did that mean?

  “Caid, what are you trying to say?”

  “I don’t know. I just feel things. And it scares the fuck outta me.” He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. “Don’t hurt us, Em.”

  Butterflies thrashed in my stomach as I lifted his face and leaned right in to touch my forehead against his. “I would never hurt you.”

  He shook his head slowly and mumbled under his breath. After a pause he resumed his regular breathing and gave me a kiss before telling me he had to go in and register for our campsite.

  Caid skipped down the wooden steps of the building with a piece of paper in his hand and jumped back into the cab of his truck. “Ready?”

  I nodded. “Ready.”

  He backed out of the space and drove down a dirt path that was barely wide enough for his Dodge. A few bumps and sharp turns later we arrived to an open area for overnight parking. Once again he selected a space far from other vehicles and threw it into park. Before shutting off the engine, he grabbed a few things from the glove compartment and rolled up the windows.

  “We’re down there,” he said, pointing to a trail marked 18-A West.

  “So I just realized I didn’t bring any clothes. All I have is what I’ve got on.” I frowned. I didn’t even have a toothbrush or deodorant.

  “Who said you need clothing?” Caid grinned and raised his eyebrow menacingly. “After you, love.” He heaved the large plastic tote from the back of the truck, closed and locked his tailgate.

  “Can I carry anything?” I asked, holding only my purse.