Burning For Love - A Standalone Novel (A Bad Boy Firefighter Romance Love Story) (Burbank Brothers, Book #4)

by Naomi Niles

  I smiled and sat down opposite him. “Thanks, Chief,” I said. “You’re a champ.”

  I could tell he was trying to suppress a smile as he looked at me. “And what news about Jackson?”

  The smile faltered on my face. “I… It doesn’t look good for him. There’s no doubt he’s guilty, and they have enough evidence to put him away for a few years.”

  Chief sighed deeply. “I don’t know how he went so wrong.”

  “Some do,” I said.

  “It’s a shame. He was an idiot, too…but he was a promising idiot.”

  “He was a hero,” I said. “I think he just…lost his way.”

  “I know this must be hard for you Sam,” he said, in a sympathetic tone. “You worked well together.”

  “He was the only partner I ever had,” I said. “It’s going to be hard working without him. Uh…that’s assuming… I have my job back?”

  Chief stared at me for a moment and nodded. “You have your job back. Don’t mess it up again.”

  “I won’t, sir,” I said emphatically. “You can count on that.”

  “Good man,” he nodded. “Now get out of my sight. I have work to do.”

  “Yes, sir, thank you, sir,” I said, saluting him with vigor as I backed out of his office.

  Feeling like everything was falling into place, I headed for the grocery store first and then back to my apartment. My one saving grace in getting ready was my apartment was so small that the cleaning didn’t take as long as it could have. I had everything looking reasonably tidy in less than an hour.

  Then I started cooking. Peter had given me a recipe for a chicken risotto. First, I marinated the chicken and set that aside. Then I got to work on the risotto. It was a lot of stirring and sweating, but when I was finished adding the wine and chicken stock into the pot of risotto, it actually looked the way it was meant to. I stared at it for a moment, thrilled with how well I had done. I even took a picture and sent it to Peter.

  I set the table with three plates, three glasses, and two wine glasses for Mia and me. I even placed napkins by every plate. I cooked the chicken and added it to the risotto, and then I pushed the bread into the oven to bake and popped the ready-made salad I had bought into a bowl. Peter had given me an easy-to-make salad recipe, but I had been too lazy to commit so fully to my first ever homemade meal.

  By the time everything was done, I felt like a regular old Martha Stewart. I stared at my handiwork for a few minutes, incredibly proud of myself, and then headed to the bathroom for a nice shower. I had just slipped on my jeans and a white t-shirt when I heard the doorbell ring. Spraying myself with cologne, I rushed to the door and opened it with excitement.

  Mia was standing there in a long black trench coat and black heels that made her ankles look particularly sexy. I realized how far gone I was to be admiring her ankles. That was the last place I would have considered attractive.

  Her dark brown hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders and framing the perfect oval of her face. Her eyes were only slightly made up, emphasizing the bright beauty of her green eyes.

  She looked positively radiant, and I felt my body respond to her immediately. I reminded myself that Renni was there, and then it struck me. She wasn’t there. Mia was standing at my door, completely alone.

  “Where’s Renni?” I asked.

  Mia smiled. “She’s with Vanessa tonight,” she replied. “I thought it would be nice to have a night to ourselves.”

  I had never been so turned on by words that were distinctly non-sexual. I returned her smile. “I’ll miss Renni, but I have to admit…that does sound nice.”

  “It smells nice in here,” Mia said as she placed a hand on my chest and walked me backwards, into my own apartment.”

  “I cooked everything myself,” I said. “Well…except the salad, but I figure that doesn’t really count as cooking, anyway.”

  Mia’s smile was slow and purposeful, and I was starting to feel a premature erection coming on. I didn’t want to pounce on her, but it seemed my body wasn’t getting the message.

  “And, I can’t wait to try what you’ve made for me,” Mia said, closing the door behind her. “But truthfully, I’m not hungry right now.”

  “No?”

  “No.” She shook her head slowly. “Do you want to know what I’m in the mood for?”

  All I could do was nod my head and watch her. She was mesmerizing in that moment, and I had a sudden feeling that something great was about to happen. And as though my silent wish had been granted – it did.

  Slowly, Mia peeled back her coat to reveal what she was wearing underneath, which turned out to be nothing but lingerie. She was wearing black lacy panties that had a series of symmetrical cut outs from which her snow-white skin peeked out. The matching bra she wore was a half-cup that revealed the full roundness of her beautiful supple breasts.

  She stretched her hand out and dropped her coat on the floor. Then she approached me slowly in her sexy black heels.

  “Now, it’s your turn.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Mia

  There was a strange kind of freedom about standing there half naked in Sam’s tiny apartment, approaching him with a predatory gait. It was the first time in a long time that I had felt like the girl I had been in college. I had always been sexually confident; I just hadn’t had the opportunity to unleash that part of myself in a long time.

  I moved towards Sam, who was looking at me as though I were an otherworldly creature, and he wasn’t quite sure how to handle me. I liked it. It made me feel powerful and in control. His eyes raked over my body, lingering on my breasts, the curve of my belly, and the area between my legs. I welcomed his gaze, knowing the effect I was having on him. I could see the swell of his erection through his pants.

  I was already wet, but I wanted to drag out the moment before sex. I wanted to tease and entice him; I wanted to be delirious with need before I let him inside me. I had always loved foreplay – it was sometimes more erotic than the sex itself. It was the anticipation that built up the moment and made you feel like you were on fire.

  I reached out with my hand and ran my fingers down the front of Sam’s shirt. Then slowly, one by one, I removed the buttons of his shirt, making continuous eye contact with him the whole time. He shuddered every now and again and I noticed his erection reach maximum capacity. I removed his shirt and threw it to the floor. Then, I unzipped his pants and pushed them down.

  He stepped out of them, kicking them to one corner, while I pushed down his underpants and released his erection. His penis was large and long and it stuck out so far that I could feel its tip brush against my thigh. I smiled at the feeling and led him to his own sofa before pushing him down onto it. He was completely naked, but didn’t seem to notice. The only thing he seemed to be truly aware of was my body.

  I slid down to my knees, running my hands up and down his thighs as I did so. I felt another shiver run through his body. He looked at me as though he were in a trance.

  I balanced my hands on his legs and pushed myself upwards so that our chests met in the middle. I didn’t kiss him immediately. Instead, I ran my tongue up and down his neck for a few moments before moving to his ear to tickle the inside of it. I felt the burn of his fingers on my flesh when his hands fell to my hips.

  Slowly, I moved my lips to his face, kissing his eyelids first and then moving down to his lips. I ran my tongue down his lower lip and parted them easily before kissing him. I could feel the sigh on his mouth as we kissed – a fully-fledged, heat-inducing kiss filled with promise.

  As we kissed, I moved my hand down to his penis and engulfed it in my palm. I moved my hand up and down the length of it, careful to keep my touch light and sensual.

  After a few minutes had passed, I broke out long, impassioned kiss and slid down lower between his legs. Sam stared at me as though he wasn’t quite sure what to do. I saw the burning need in his eyes, but I wasn’t ready for him to enter me just yet. With my e
yes fixed on him, I flicked the tip of his penis with my tongue. He groaned in response, and I smiled. Slowly, I explored his cock with my tongue, taking only the tip of his penis into my mouth and easing him into it. After a minute I bent my head down, committing fully to the task at hand, and took the length of him into my mouth.

  “Fuck!” Sam called out in obvious elation.

  I could feel his hands gripped the soft material of the couch he was seated on. He tasted sweet and I could feel how turned on he was. I changed my angle and then took him deeper into my mouth until I could feel his cock at the back of my throat.

  “Holy-”

  He could barely finish his expletive. His body was quavering, and I knew that within moments he was about to cum. I started sucking on him hard, enjoying the feel of his penis sliding in and out of my mouth in smooth, steady strokes.

  “Fuck,” he yelled as one hand rested gently on my head. “Fuck!”

  I pulled back just as he came, his body shuddering as the orgasm rocked through him. I watched him and smiled; the sight only made me wetter than I already was. I got up and sat down beside him, cradling him in my arms until he had recovered. After a moment, I passed him a tissue from the coffee table, and he wiped himself off.

  “That was… I didn’t…” Sam smiled at his own ineloquence. “I’ve never had a girl deep throat me before.”

  “There’s a first time for everything,” I replied.

  “I’m not done with you,” he said, reaching over to unhook my bra.

  “Good,” I nodded. “Because I’m not done with you, either.”

  Sam seemed to take this as a challenge because the next thing I knew, he had pushed me down against the sofa and was suddenly on top of me. Even as he kissed me, he had one hand on my nipple and one hand between my legs. He played with me for a long time and after a few minutes, I felt a new erection against my thigh.

  “Fuck me hard,” I whispered to him.

  There was a time for gentle lovemaking, soft kisses, and tender caresses – but this wasn’t one of those times. I wanted it rough, and I wanted it now. Sam slipped inside me easily, and then he hiked one of my legs over his shoulder and started ramming into me as though he had something to prove. I could hear the thick sound of our flesh meeting and the sound by itself was intoxicating in its blatant eroticism.

  He fucked me hard, just like I had asked him, and within minutes I could feel my orgasm begin to take shape. I had never cum so fast with any other man, including Clint, and that knowledge shocked and surprised me. I clung to Sam as I came, and a moment later, he climaxed, too. We lay entwined together on the sofa, without much room to move or breathe. Every now and again, he kissed me softly on the lips.

  “This is not the most comfortable place to be,” Sam said, breaking the silence.

  “No,” I agreed.

  “Why don’t you go lie down on my bed?” he suggested. “And I’ll bring dinner in for you.”

  “Dinner in bed?” I asked, with raised eyebrows.

  “Why not?”

  I smiled and nodded.

  “Do me a favor,” he said, just before I entered his room. “Don’t put your clothes back on.”

  I smiled. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

  His room was small and spartan. It didn’t look like much of a home, but I could understand why. Sam worked crazy hours; it wasn’t like he spent much time here. I stretched out in his bed, feeling satisfied and content in my nakedness. I didn’t bother with sheets or pillows. I had no interest in concealing myself from him.

  Five minutes later, he appeared with a tray in both hands. He was as naked as I was, and I smiled at the sight. He placed the tray on the edge of the bed and then passed me a big blue bowl that had been filled with creamy risotto.

  “You made risotto?” I asked.

  “Are you impressed?”

  “Extremely,” I nodded. I took a mouthful and closed my eyes. “Wow…this is so good.”

  “Are you just saying that?” he checked.

  I opened my eyes and smiled. “I assure you, I’m not just saying that.”

  I grinned and slipped into bed beside me, bringing his own bowl of risotto along with him. We lay there, side-by-side, completely naked, enjoying a peaceful dinner. It was the best time I had had in a long time.

  “Thank you, Sam,” I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder. “This is great.”

  “Would you believe this is the first home cooked meal I’ve ever made…no help?”

  “I’m flattered,” I teased. “Guess that means I’m special.”

  “Are you kidding?” he asked. “You are the only woman I’ve ever been with who’s been special to me.”

  “You mean that?” I asked seriously.

  Sam’s hazel eyes met mine. “I mean that with all my heart.”

  I smiled. “That’s…a pretty big statement.”

  “I’m not taking it back,” he said without the slightest trace of self-consciousness in his tone.

  I leaned in and kissed him deeply. “Good,” I said. “Because I wouldn’t want you to.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sam

  It felt like my first day starting a new school, which was insane because this was neither new to me nor was I an awkward teenager.

  Still, the station felt different somehow, and I didn’t have to think too hard to figure out why. Jackson was not there, nor would he be. I was on my own from this point on and the thought was daunting.

  I knew part of it was pure, unbridled sentimentality. It wasn’t as though we were cops who had exclusive partners. Jackson and I had always just considered one another as such. We were fire fighters, which meant we were part of a team. Now with Jackson gone, I would need to learn to rely on the other members of my unit.

  I walked into the day room to booming cheers, claps, and whistles. I stood there for a moment, taken back by the welcome. In order to cover up the fact that I was touched, I got up on the couch and started bowing and waving as though I were royalty. The men just went on clapping and finally I got down off of the couch and told them to shut up and quit making so much noise.

  The moment the room settled a bit, Mitch and Sean approached me. Their faces were a little somber, and I could understand why.

  “Hi, men,” I saluted both of them. “Looks like we’re down a man, huh?”

  I didn’t feel the need to avoid talking about Jackson. It left a bitter taste on my tongue, but I knew it needed to be spoken about. That was the only way to gain some closure and just move on with life.

  “There are other men,” Mitch said a little stiffly. Then, he sighed deeply. “I can’t deny that I’m going to miss having him around, though. You two were…quite entertaining when you got together.”

  I smiled.

  “So, is there no chance for him?” Sean asked.

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “It seems like they’ve got too much evidence against him. One thing’s for sure, he didn’t cover up his tracks well. He was sloppy and careless, and he left a tangible trail that leads right to him.”

  “Who would have guessed,” Mitch said, shaking his head. “I thought he was a good kid.”

  I didn’t know why I felt the need to defend Jackson, but a part of me still felt loyal to him, despite everything. I figured it was just a deeply ingrained habit that would probably always be there.

  “I think he is a good kid,” I said. “He just…made a mistake.”

  Mitch and Sean exchanged a glance. “It’s going to be strange for you, isn’t it?” Mitch said sympathetically.

  “Hey,” I said, with a smile. “That just leaves more room in my heart for you two cuddly seniors.”

  “Who exactly are you referring to, you wispy little shit?” Sean asked.

  I laughed and threw my arms around them at the same time. “I’m just telling it like I see it.”

  “How about you get through puberty and then come and hang with the real men,” Mitch said, shaking out of my grasp.


  Laughing as they sank into the couch, I began to relax a little. If nothing else, it was nice to come back to work. It was nice to focus on something that wasn’t so shitty. I went about my morning tasks, carrying out my chores solo for the first time in a long time. It was different, but it wasn’t as terrible as I had anticipated.

  I was cleaning out the back of one of the fire engines when Hamish signalled to me. His eyes were a little wide, and he looked as though he were blushing.

  “What is it, Hamish?” I asked.

  “Umm…there’s a lady here to see you.”

  “A lady?” I said, wrinkling my eyebrows together.

  Before I could ask who it was, Mia turned the corner. She was wearing a sleeveless black dress that hugged her perfect figure in all the right places. She had paired it with nude pumps and had her hair loose and breezy around her bare shoulders. She looked like some sort of professional angel walking towards me with a small package in hand.

  “Mia,” I said, clambering down from the back of the engine and wiping my hands on the front of my shirt. “If I’d known you were coming, I would have tried to look more presentable.”

  She laughed. “Why would you do that?” she asked. “I like this look on you. It’s very…masculine.”

  “Really?” I said, wagging my eyebrows at her. “Remind me to never look presentable around again.”

  “Gladly,” Mia smiled. She looked around at the station. “I’m sorry; I can see you’re busy, and I didn’t mean to distract you.”

  “You’re not distracting me,” I assured her quickly. “I’m glad for the company, actually.”

  “I wish I could stay,” she said apologetically. “But I have meetings all evening. I just… I was in the neighborhood and picking up lunch for myself, and I thought I’d bring you some, as well.”

  She handed me the little package she had. “Grilled beef sandwiches,” she said. “They’re supposed to be amazing. There’s also some fruit in there.”

  I smiled. “This is so nice of you.”