On Fire

by Alicia Nordwell

  Jax shuddered and made a noise.

  “Keep doing that.” Scottie looked up at him. “Let me hear how good this feels.”

  He couldn’t help but groan, loudly, when Scottie started to suck more of his shaft down in short increments, going down and coming back up, bobbing gently. His tongue was always moving, sometimes the broad, soft surface dragging along the side or bottom of his shaft, or at other times the pointed tip tracing waving lines or circles.

  Scottie didn’t have to touch him anywhere else. Jax was unable to hold back for long, even though he tried so he wouldn’t lose the intense pleasure flooding him. He squeezed his eyes shut and stuttered out a warning. “N-now.”

  Jax lost it as his balls drew up tight and pulsed. His orgasm felt like it was pulled from his toes, tightening every muscle in his body as he nearly turned inside out and pleasure washed through him in waves. It had been a long time since he came with someone else, but had it ever been that intense?

  He panted for air, unable to move. Thank God he’d already gotten Scottie off because there was no way he was going to be good for anything but falling asleep.

  Tugging the sheet up, Scottie slid down onto the mattress next to Jax. “Your knee okay?”

  “What knee?” Jax was floating.

  Scottie chuckled, then rested a hand on Jax’s chest. “Yeah, me too. Movie?”

  “Maybe when I can move again.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  SCOTTIE WOKE up on his side of the bed, so he hadn’t crowded Jax out. Either that, or even while he was hurt Jax was capable of holding his own. Scottie turned his head. Jax was still flat on his back, but he had one hand stretched out and touching Scottie’s shoulder.

  Burying his face in the pillow, Scottie sighed. One night in a hotel was all it took for Jax to completely break down Scottie’s barriers. He should’ve known better than to think he could resist. Even after Jax had acted like a jerk, Scottie went back to see him. Sure, he was hot, but he was also a great guy under all the attitude and ego.

  “Trying to smother yourself in the pillow?” Jax’s voice had that sexy early-morning gravel. “Or are you trying to hide something over there?”

  “My embarrassment?”

  Jax made a noise. “Why in the hell should you be embarrassed? Sex with you was fucking hot, and we didn’t even do more than oral.”

  “This weekend wasn’t going to be about that. We’re getting to know each other, having fun. Stuff like that.”

  “I had a lot of fun really getting to know one part of you last night.”

  Scottie turned his head and glared. “You know, those lines are truly horrifying.”

  “Yep,” Jax said cheerfully. “Now, it’s after seven. Let’s get dressed and head over to the market. We can get some coffee, some breakfast—”

  He interrupted Jax. “And more coffee.”

  “And more coffee. Then we can check out the fresh food market and then the shops.”

  It sounded like a fun day, but Scottie wasn’t ready to get up yet. He hitched the sheet up and curled his arms under the pillow. “I’ll let you use the bathroom first.”

  “Uh-huh. Let me. Should I say thank you?”

  “I might be in there awhile primping. Do you want to hold it for another half hour?” Scottie was lying, but if it meant a few extra minutes of sleep, he was okay being a liar.

  “You’re kidding?”

  “Nope.” Scottie closed his eyes, hiding his smile.

  “Fine. Hand me my crutches please.” Scottie snagged them by the metal tubes on the side and rolled over to leave them on the bed in easy reach for Jax. Then he huddled back into his warm spot and closed his eyes, ready to snooze as long as he could. The bed shifted when Jax got up.

  “Hey!” Scottie pushed up on his elbows and glared. “Give me back the sheet.” They’d left the air conditioner running all night, and he got goose bumps instantly. Scottie normally slept in underwear, and the air was chilly on skin he didn’t usually bare.

  “Oops. I dropped it, and you know I’m not supposed to risk falling by picking up anything on the ground. You’ll have to pick it up before I come back in so I don’t trip. I guess you’ll have to get up now.”

  “Turnabout is fair play,” Scottie warned Jax.

  Jax paused on his way to the bathroom and looked over his shoulder. “Looking forward to it.” He grinned.

  “Cocky son of a bitch.” Scottie tried to scowl, but it didn’t feel convincing. He’d dated so many guys who had a similar personality to his that Jax’s attitude was a fun challenge more than it was annoying. Mostly.

  Scottie sat up and yawned, stretching his arms out in front of him. He could really go for some coffee before he risked driving, but he was not going to touch the coffeemaker in the room or the packet of no-name grounds. He padded around the end of the bed and picked up the sheet and the blanket they’d dumped on the floor the night before. He had Jax’s bag open on the bed and was pulling clothes out of his when Jax came back in.

  “Done already?”

  “Not all of us primp. Besides, taking a shower in there is a pain in the ass. I just used a washcloth to clean up and put my brace on.”

  “I think I’m going to take a shower, but I really won’t take very long. I need my caffeine.”

  Jax sat down on the edge of the bed, setting his crutches next to him. He started digging through his bag. “Okay. Could you help me get my shorts and stuff on first? It’s hard to do when I can’t bend my knee and I didn’t bring the grabber the hospital gave me.”

  “Sure.” Scottie was almost tempted to tweak Jax in a delicate place when he knelt to hook his underwear and shorts over Jax’s foot, but the lure of a mocha was stronger than getting revenge. Temporarily.

  “YOU KNOW how to get back to the Space Needle. I looked up a parking garage on my phone that’s only fifteen dollars for up to ten hours.” Jax buckled his seat belt.

  “That’s a way better deal than yesterday’s parking lot.”

  “Definitely, and it’s handicap accessible. So is the station at Westlake, and that’s just a few blocks from the market.”

  “Address?” Scottie typed it in when Jax rattled off the parking garage’s physical address. “Here we go again.” He really hated driving on Seattle streets. If they came back, Jax was definitely driving. “Coffee first, though.”

  “You know they have the very first Starbucks in the market? It’s insanely popular. Sometimes the lines are out the doors.”

  “I am not waiting in that long of a line. I’ll stop wherever I see the first kiosk unless you want to go somewhere specific.”

  Jax shook his head. “I’m not picky.”

  Finally fortified with liquid tolerance, Scottie maneuvered around the idiots and the impatient people out to kill everyone else and finally found the parking garage. “Where did you say the elevator is?” Scottie asked. If they were going to be walking around all day, he didn’t want to do more than necessary, especially when they were on their way back.

  “That way.” They found the elevator and a parking spot a few rows away. “I’ll pay for parking today since you got it yesterday,” Jax said.

  Scottie unfolded the wheelchair and locked it, but the spots were too tight to get it next to the door. “I don’t even think you’ll be able to use your crutches here. Can I help?”

  Jax stood in the open doorway. “I think I can hold on to the rack and hop, but can you walk backward in front of me to help me balance?”

  It was awkward, but they made it work. “When we get back, you can wait here and I’ll back out before you get in. No way is that shit going to work in reverse,” Scottie said.

  “Should have thought of that before.”

  “Lesson learned. Hopefully you won’t be in the wheelchair too long. We’re not bringing the crutches, right?”

  “Nah. Did you grab that empty reusable bag I brought? It can go over the arms to hold our stuff since you’re carrying your camera bag already.”


  “Got it. I think we’re ready.”

  Breakfast was their first stop after they got off the monorail and approached Pike’s Market, and Jax actually got his fresh pastries filled with cream that he ate very suggestively until Scottie kicked the foot pedal under his good leg.

  “Okay, so let’s hit up the tourist photo ops to feed your creative photographer side now.” Jax opened the guide website on his phone, and he led them to Rachel the Piggy Bank first and got a picture of them taken after they donated. They’d both brought plenty of singles and fives so they could pay the street performers, though there weren’t many doing much more than warming up that early.

  “I can’t believe how big this place is,” Scottie said. They’d been moving up the wide center path between all the fresh food and flower sellers in the farmers’ markets for over an hour.

  “And you can find different things every time. It’s like a scavenger hunt. I love the craft markets.”

  “Maybe we can find a hat to cover up this bald spot on my head over there.” The hair had just started to grow back in.

  “You want to go check out the fish sellers first? They’re over by the sign. We might get lucky and see someone buy a fish.”

  “That would be cool.” They didn’t rush; the whole day was about just spending time together and enjoying something different. There were a lot of people taking pictures of the iconic Public Market Center sign already, even though it was only midmorning. A crowd also circled the guys behind the counters and stands rearranging fish, crabs, and shellfish on ice as they shouted to each other and the people watching. They had a pretty good view since most tourists moved around Jax’s wheelchair.

  Just as they were about to leave, a shout went up. Scottie had his camera ready, the shutter speed set to catch the action, as soon as Jax pointed out who’d scooped up the fish. It was a shiny silver… something with scales and fins. Maybe a salmon?

  Scottie would have to look it up later. He focused on the fish and held down the shutter, panning the camera as it arced over the stands and landed perfectly in the paper held by the other seller. He quickly wrapped it up for the customer waiting to buy her fish.

  Everyone clapped, and the guys laughed and joked as they bowed.

  “Did you get it?” Jax asked.

  “I think so.” Scottie squatted next to the chair and scrolled through the individual images on the viewfinder. There was one, just before the guy caught the fish, when its body was bent and the light was glinting on the scales, almost as if the fish was swimming through the air.

  “Wow. I can’t wait to see those larger.” Jax squeezed Scottie’s forearm. “It’s great.”

  “Maybe my book needs an expansion.”

  Jax tilted his head to one side. “Or maybe you put out more than one book.”

  SCOTTIE BOUGHT some smoked salmon before they left the fish market, and he found a stocking cap in the craft market made from super soft yarn. It wasn’t cold enough to wear it, not even though September was drawing to a close, but the rain and cold would be back soon. The only certainty for weather in the Pacific Northwest was that it would change if you waited five minutes. Jax picked up two hand-carved driftwood frames that barely fit in the extra-large bag.

  They had lunch above the dock in a kitschy restaurant that used only fresh ingredients from the market. The crab cakes were juicy and served with an excellent sauce, and Jax let him taste his clam chowder. It was creamy and had a great flavor. When Scottie pushed back his plate, he was beyond full.

  “How about hitting the shops downstairs?”

  Scottie groaned. “We have to move?”

  “Not fast.” Even on a Sunday it was busy. Meandering was the fastest they could move with the crowds, and they took their time, checking out all the shops tucked away in the various corners. They got matching shirts—in different sizes of course—and Scottie picked up a deck of magic cards in a shop that probably gave geeks and collectors fits of joy.

  There was something for everyone.

  By four o’clock, Scottie was wiped out. Their bag was full, Jax was holding a bag on his lap, and Scottie had filled an entire memory card. He bent over the back of Jax’s chair. “Are you ready to head back to the hotel? That hot tub is calling my name.”

  Jax leaned into him. “I’m definitely ready for that.”

  THEY SAT kitty-corner in the hot tub, stretching out since no one else was in it. It wasn’t quiet enough to really relax since a few families were taking advantage of the pool, but the swirling hot water had taken care of the soreness in his muscles. Scottie leaned his head back against the towel he’d folded up on the edge and sighed.

  “Feel good?” Jax asked.

  “Mmm.” Scottie smiled without opening his eyes.

  Toes nudged his calf. “No sleeping.”

  “Not. Just being quiet.”

  Jax snorted. “It’s not quiet in here.” The younger kids’ shrieks sometimes echoed off the walls, layered on top of each other.

  Scottie shrugged, the water splashing around his shoulders. “They’re having fun. It’s a good day.” He opened his eyes, stretching out his legs and flexing his ankles. “We weren’t climbing a mountain or tramping through a forest, but my body can’t tell the difference. I had fun urban hiking with you.”

  “I’m glad, though I was thinking our next trip could be a little more natural.”

  “Like what?” Scottie opened his eyes and cocked his head.

  “How about Long Beach? They do a kite event in October, or an Oktoberfest weekend, if you like beer. Once they test for toxins, Fish and Wildlife will confirm digging dates, but I bet we could go get some razor clams too.”

  “I don’t know if I can take any days off next month,” Scottie said.

  “So we make it a weekend only or even just a day trip on Saturday. We could fly kites if the wind cooperates. If the weather sucks, we can browse the shops and go to Marsh’s Free Museum. Pick up some shells, play with the nickel peep shows, and watch parents scare their kids with stories about Jake the Alligator Man.”

  “Okay, let’s do it.” Scottie couldn’t wait. Jax leaned forward and rubbed his knee. “How’s that feel?”

  “Not too bad. My physical therapist has a big hot tub, so sometimes he has me start my exercises in there.” Jax grimaced. “I can’t wait for it to heal. I hate not being mobile.”

  “You’ll get there soon.” Scottie ran his hand over his hair where they’d repaired the lacerations. “I’m stuck waiting for my hair to grow.”

  “Have you thought about buzzing it all off to match?”

  “Not happening. I did that once in high school, and I looked like shit. My ears stuck out and my head was always cold.”

  Jax shrugged. “I buzz mine before summer, otherwise it gets hot when I’m in my gear. It usually grows out by the time it gets cold.”

  “Well from the front you can’t really see it. I sometimes have video conferences with clients, so I need to be able to style my hair to look professional.”

  “Not a problem for me. I couldn’t wear a suit every day, but you certainly look good in yours.”

  Scottie raised his eyebrows. So Jax liked his suit… “Well I like your work outfit too.”

  His grin was positively wicked, and Scottie automatically glanced around them to make sure no one could overhear whatever was about to come out of Jax’s mouth next. “You know… I have a spare set of turnout gear.”

  Swim trunks were not good to have on around someone so damn hot. Scottie shifted on the bench, desperately trying not to picture Jax bare chested in just his firefighter pants and jacket. Or just his jacket.

  And of course the timer went off right then and the jets stopped. Scottie casually lifted one leg onto the bench and wrapped his arms around his knee.

  “Something wrong?” Jax gave him a knowing look.

  Scottie glared but didn’t say anything as a woman in a floral swimsuit that didn’t cover nearly enough walked up. “Do you mind if I turn on
the jets?” she asked.

  If Jax said yes, Scottie was going to do something really, really mean to him. “Nope. Go right ahead.”

  Maybe the universe was on his side. Then again, maybe not.

  When the woman walked into the hot tub, she went halfway down the bench and sat close to Jax instead of taking a seat right by the stairs. “This feels good, right?” She swirled the water around with her arms in front of her chest, like the jets weren’t enough. “I’m Theresa. What brings you to Seattle?”

  “We’re taking a weekend trip,” Jax said.

  “Oh.” She looked from Scottie to Jax. “You guys are friends?”

  “You could say that.”

  By now it was pretty clear Theresa had a thing for Jax… and was she inching closer? Scottie tried to suppress his amusement, but then a foot kicked him in the shin. Hard. He grinned wider.

  “I’m Scottie, and he’s Jax. I’ve never been to Seattle before, so Jax decided to play tour guide. We spent the day at Pike’s Market.”

  “Oh, I’ve been there. All those fish stink, though.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m here for a bachelorette weekend. One night just isn’t enough.” She giggled.

  “Congratulations,” Scottie said.

  “I’m not getting married!” Theresa rushed to say. “I’m just here to show my friend how many hot guys she’s giving up. I still love to have fun, whenever the mood hits around a hot guy.” She stretched her arms out and wiggled her shoulders… and other parts of her body. “We were out late last night, so we were thinking about keeping it simple by having dinner close to the hotel before hitting one or two clubs.”

  “If you like burgers, we found a great place yesterday.” Jax scooted farther down the bench.

  “Burgers? That’s a lot of grease. I was thinking Italian.”

  “That’s what we’re having,” Scottie said. He could see the light spark in her eyes. Three. Two. One.