by Tory Temple
He thrust a bit faster against Chris’s ass. His balls were tight and the spring coiled in Morgan’s belly was on the edge of being tripped, but years of self-control kept him from shooting before he and Chris were ready.
When Chris covered Morgan’s hand with his own and guided him faster, Morgan knew they were both there. He let Chris pump into the sheath their hands were making and concentrated on how good his cock felt as it skimmed back and forth along the wet, slippery skin.
It was there before he knew it, almost. Morgan sucked in a breath and froze. His orgasm ripped through him and his come coated the inside of Christopher’s thigh as well as the shower wall. His blood roared in his ears, sounding remarkably like the pounding water, and Morgan had to lean against Christopher to avoid sliding to the floor.
Chris had come too, but Morgan had barely noticed the warm liquid running over his fist. He did feel Chris’s stomach muscles contract and heard the soft moan escape his lips. The arm he was still using to brace himself against the wall trembled with the effort, so Morgan managed to stand up straight and haul Chris back against his chest.
They stood together under the spray like that until the water cooled and Morgan’s skin grew chilled. Without a word, Chris placed a kiss on Morgan’s shoulder and shut off the water.
The two of them headed out a half hour later and made their way to an overlook on the coast. The day was gray and gloomy, but Morgan didn’t mind. Sometimes he liked looking at the ocean on cloudy days better than the bright sunny ones.
The area on the edge of the cliff was deserted. Morgan and Chris sat atop their bikes and held their helmets in their hands.
“I was scared.” Morgan gazed out across the water and watched the sea lions laze on the large outcropping in front of them.
“Yes, I know.” Chris shifted his helmet to the other arm.
“But I was more scared for me.” Once Morgan had come to that realization, he had alternated between shame and guilt.
The waves on the rocks below them were the only sound for a while. Then Chris spoke. “I’m not reckless,” he said quietly. “I’m a good fireman. My captain says so. My medic partner says so. My reviews say so. Even you say so. I wouldn’t do anything to leave you alone, Morg. Not on purpose.”
It was the “not on purpose” part that Morgan had the most difficulty with. But could he let that be the elephant in the room for the rest of his life? The life he planned on spending with the man sitting next to him? Morgan honestly didn’t have a concrete answer.
“I know that,” he finally said. “I know you’re a good fireman. There are….” Morgan swallowed, letting the difficult words find their way by themselves. “There are a lot of good firemen. They came to help us.”
Chris nodded and looked over. “I love you, Morgan. And I love my job. I don’t want to choose between you, but I will. If you want me offline, I’ll do it.”
So easy to say yes, Morgan thought. To nod and ask Chris to apply for a desk job down at headquarters, to have him out of danger and safe in an office. So easy.
But Morgan knew Christopher belonged in the firehouse. “Ut ceteri vivant,” said the Latin quote on Chris’s gear bag.
So that others may live.
Asking Chris to give up the fireman’s life would be like asking him to give up life itself. Morgan loved him too much for that. Morgan loved Chris more than he had loved Kyle, and in that love was a greater fear than he’d ever had before, but there was also relief and hope. Living with a fireman was like that. Exhausting and discouraging, sometimes inconvenient, but still proud and grateful for the job Christopher did.
“No,” Morgan said. He shook his head and met Chris’s open gaze. “No. You’re a fireman. I want you to be one.”
Chris took off one glove and reached out a hand. Morgan did the same. Their fingers met and gripped across the small space between their bikes.
“I’ll come home,” Chris said, and squeezed Morgan’s hand. “Just believe it.”
“I’ll try,” Morgan promised, and he knew he would have to.
After all, he loved a fireman.
More from Tory Temple
Sparks fly when Chance meets Tucker, and the flames aren’t far behind.
Heat
Chance has a job he loves as a fireman, an ocean view, and a great bunch of friends. There’s no reason to change until he meets Tucker, a paramedic who works his shift. Tucker might even be worth coming out for. But when Chance is injured, it takes a toll that could shatter everything they’re working to build. Can they get through the first test of their new relationship and come back better than ever?
Flashover
Chance and Tucker return when a family tragedy forces Tucker back to Kentucky to wait out the probate on the old homestead—but they can’t be together for long, because Chance can’t leave work. Their few stolen moments are plagued by adversity from the locals, problems in their personal lives, and even the weather as they try to settle the farm enough to leave it behind. Can they keep it together when the fire burns high enough to flash over their heads?
Flesh and Blood
After they endure those hardships, they still face the daily dangers of their jobs and the uphill battle to prove their love is as legitimate as anyone else’s.
When Nathaniel, aka Deuce, arrives home to an apartment building on fire, he can only think of one thing: his pregnant dog. Luckily firefighter Trey Donovan rescues her, and Nathaniel is exceedingly grateful. In fact, he tracks down Trey’s station so he can show his gratitude properly—and explore the connection he senses between them. Trey’s interested, but a less-than-friendly ex-wife and the seven-year-old daughter he’s raising make things… complicated. Between everything on Trey’s plate and the newborn puppies Deuce must care for—while homeless—finding common ground won’t be easy. But the spark of attraction between them is too enticing to be allowed to fizzle.
Sequel to By the Numbers
Dogs, a young daughter, and shift work make for an unpredictable and never boring life for new couple Deuce and Trey. Trey is keeping his ex-wife out of their hair, but Deuce is determined to forge a truce between them all. Trey is vehemently opposed to a friendship between Deuce and Holly—she’s the last person Trey wants more interaction with. Deuce persists, however, and tensions between them could spell the end of their relationship.
They’ll have to find a way to make it all add up again—or lose everything.
Rodeo cowboy Teagan has inherited his father’s ranch, and it’s in a bad way. To pay his bills, he’ll have to work the rodeo circuit hard, and for that he needs a partner. Team roper Cash is just the ticket. He’s not the friendliest sort, but he has a good seat and a better roping arm, so Teagan takes Cash on and things heat up fast. Maybe too fast.
When Teagan finds out he’s not the only one Cash has in the saddle, he thinks they’re over for good. But then Cash has an accident, and Teagan cares too much about Cash to abandon him. How will he deal with a new Cash, one with no memory of being a bit of an asshole—or of a relationship with Teagan? And how will Cash react when he realizes Teagan has been less than forthcoming about their past?
Like any good rodeo ride, Teagan and Cash have ups and downs, crashing and burning as often as they blaze bright. But to make their love work as smoothly as their roping, they’ll have to push past deception and stubborn pride.
Alex Myers is keeping deeper secrets than just his pet ferret, Karma, who is illegal in California. Both Alex and his twin sister, Tabitha, can “hear” the thoughts of animals. It’s an ability he puts to good use working at an emergency animal clinic while studying to become a veterinarian.
One night, local animal-control officer Dylan Travers comes into the clinic with an injured fawn, and it doesn’t take the two men long to act on their mutual attraction. But the closer they become, the harder it is for Alex to keep Karma and the rest of his menagerie from Dylan. And then there’s the matter of his ability…. Will Dylan even believe him if he tr
ies to explain?
Add to that debilitating migraines from especially “loud” animals and a scheming coworker threatening the clinic, and Alex needs Dylan’s support more than ever. Alex just wants to keep his job, his pets, his lover, and his sanity. But he can’t do it alone.
Readers love Fireline – Oceanside Fire Series by Tory Temple
“I absolutely love this series. It’s a great mm erotica with an exceptional storyline.”
—Alpha Book Club
“…Chance and Tucker are awesome together, hot as sin and they have a passionate relationship and real firefighter action.”
—Joyfully Jay
“I truly loved this series and highly recommend it to everyone who loves stories about firefighters.”
—MM Good Book Reviews
TORY TEMPLE lives and works in southern California where she happens to spend a lot of time around firefighters. It makes for excellent storytelling, so Tory definitely uses that to her advantage! She is guardian to three pit bulls who only attack with kisses, two snobby cats, as well as other assorted friends from the animal kingdom. (Husband included.) Her fondest wish is to be a stay-at-home dog mom. You can tempt her with promises of cheese and/or Mexican food. On Saturday nights, she is usually watching Netflix and thinking about how to get the newest firemen in her head to hook up. Tory loves reader emails and looks forward to hearing from anyone who wants to drop her a line.
Website: www.torytemple.com
Blog: torytemple.com/blog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/torytemple
Twitter: @ToryTemple
Email: [email protected]
By Tory Temple
Down in the Dirt
Keeping Karma
OCEANSIDE FIRE
Fireline – Oceanside Fire Series
The Tinder Stories – Oceanside Fire Series
With Chris Owen
By the Numbers • By the Numbers: Adding It Up
By the Numbers and By the Numbers: Adding It Up (Paperback Only Anthology)
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Tinder Stories – Oceanside Fire Series
© 2017 Tory Temple.
Cover Art
© 2017 Garrett Leigh.
http://blackjazzpress.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
ISBN: 978-1-63533-490-6
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63533-491-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017900389
Published June 2017
v. 1.0
First Edition of Tinder published by Torquere Press, 2007.
Second Edition of Tinder published by Torquere Press, 2009. (Paperback)
First Edition of Embers published by Torquere Press, 2009.
First Edition of Sparks published by Torquere Press, 2012.
Printed in the United States of America