Judging from his comments today, he’d been under the impression she was used to spontaneous sexual encounters while on the road. Although she’d had plenty of offers, she’d never taken a man to her hotel room after a performance until she’d invited Jake. She’d only done it then because she’d known him.
She’d expected to have fun because they’d always had chemistry. She hadn’t expected to have such an incredible sexual experience that she’d turned down every guy who’d asked her out since then. Without consciously admitting it, she’d been saving herself for Jake. That made no sense, especially now that she’d pretty much decided to move to LA.
Or maybe it did make sense. She’d laid all her cards on the table so he knew she was career focused and he wanted her anyway, for whatever time they could be together. He’d initially questioned her new plan but now he seemed to have accepted it provided she got some martial arts training.
That left them free to enjoy passionate sex for the next couple of nights. She’d forgotten to ask him when he had to drive back, but if he’d been given the holiday off he wouldn’t be leaving until at least the twenty-sixth. That was more time with Jake than she’d had last summer and she was grateful.
The two-story Victorian that she now shared with Arlene was dark inside. When she’d left earlier today she’d planned to come back, change clothes and freshen up before the party at Thunder Mountain. But the multicolored Christmas lights she’d draped along the porch railing were on a timer so they were glowing and illuminated the fresh pine wreath she’d hung on the front door.
She’d also figured on having an opportunity after the party to prepare a seductive welcome for Jake by turning on the Christmas tree lights and lighting some scented candles. That hadn’t happened, either, but judging from the way he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t need atmosphere to get him in the mood.
She pulled into the driveway and left enough space for him to park behind her. Anticipation tightened her chest and sent her pulse into the red zone. Until now they’d had to be somewhat cautious, but once they were inside her house, they had almost no restrictions.
They’d have more freedom tonight than they’d had in her hotel room. Her windows were closed and so were her neighbors’. They could yell all they wanted.
By the time she opened her door and climbed out holding her purse and her gift bag, he was there to grab her hand and tug her toward the porch. “Got the key?”
She held it up.
“Perfect. Your lights are festive, by the way.”
She laughed. “I’m surprised you noticed.”
“I’m trying not to behave like a sex-starved man.”
“I appreciate the effort.”
“What kind of flooring do you have?”
“Hardwood. Is that a firefighter kind of question?”
“No.”
“Then it’s a weird thing to ask me, Jake.”
“Not if you’re in my condition. I need to know if the floor would work or if the sofa is a better option. Do you have a sofa?”
“Yes, and you’re insane.” She opened the door.
“I’ll admit to it.” He propelled her through the door and kicked it shut. “Oh, good, you have a rug. Come here.”
“Jake, this is crazy. My bedroom’s just up the—” But the trip upstairs that she’d been about to suggest became a moot point as his eager mouth captured hers. She dropped her purse and the smoke alarm as he pulled her down to the flowered carpet she’d found on sale last year.
After getting it home, she’d been pleased with how it echoed the Victorian theme of the house. She’d never envisioned that she’d be pinned to it while a virile cowboy unzipped her jeans and thrust his hand inside her panties, but she enjoyed that maneuver.
She enjoyed it even more when his nimble fingers coaxed an orgasm from her quivering body. As she lay gasping from that unexpected pleasure, he pulled off her boots and divested her of her underwear and jeans. Then he lifted her hips and gave her another climax, this time using his mouth and tongue with devastating effect. But she was still wearing her shirt, her bra, her coat, her scarf, her gloves and her knit hat.
She tore off the gloves and hat and tossed them away, but that didn’t solve the issue. “I’m burning up.” She unbuttoned her coat and yanked her scarf from around her neck.
“Me, too.” A zipper rasped in the darkness followed by the crinkle of foil.
“No, really, I’m burning up. The top of me is dressed for a blizzard and the bottom of me is in Tahiti.”
“Oh.” Breathing hard, he loomed over her. “I see.”
She reached up and gripped his sheepskin coat. “Don’t you want to take all this off before we continue?”
“Okay.” Sitting back on his heels, he wrenched off his coat and tossed it aside. Something spilled out of the pockets that sounded like a barrage of condoms. Then he helped her sit up so she could wiggle out of her coat.
“I have a nice bed upstairs.”
“Couldn’t make it. Grab on to me.”
His desperation sent lust spiraling through her again. She got a grip on his shoulders and he spanned her waist with his big hands. His upper body strength allowed him to lift and position her so his cock nudged the spot where his mouth had recently given her such pleasure. Then he let gravity take over.
She’d never loved a sensation more than she loved this one. There were other techniques for getting and giving satisfaction and they’d tried quite a few. But as Jake slowly filled the aching space that was so ready for him, she felt a special joy that only happened when they connected in this basic way. Once her knees reached the floor, she was able to help him create that sweet friction they both craved.
He groaned. “So good.”
“Mmm.” She moved faster, yearning for the climax that hovered just out of reach.
His breathing roughened and he tightened his hold on her hips. “Slow down.”
“Don’t want to.”
“I’ll come.”
“That’s the idea.” She dug her fingers into his shoulders. “Turn me loose.”
With a soft oath he let go and she rode him fast, and faster yet, until she came in a rush. The moment she did, he thrust upward with a strangled cry of triumph. He held her in place as his cock pulsed and he gasped for air.
Gradually their bodies relaxed and they sagged against each other until their breathing quieted. Then Jake began to chuckle.
Leaning back, she looked at him. “What’s so funny?”
“Me. I barely made it through the damn door before I was on you. I’m pretty sure I scattered condoms everywhere. Not particularly cool of me.”
“I like it when you lose your cool.” She cupped his face and gave him a tender kiss. “Remember August? Remember what happened the minute we got into the room?”
“I backed you up against the nearest wall and we did it standing up. Couldn’t make it to the bed that was only ten feet away. You make me go wild.”
“How does that feel?”
“Great.” He took her mouth gently, almost reverently, before lifting his head again. “Thank you for inspiring me to go nuts.”
“My pleasure.” Maybe this was what Jake needed from her, the chance to abandon his cautious nature and surrender to his underlying sensuality. She’d known all along it was there. She’d had a small taste of it when they’d been teenagers and she’d had solid confirmation now that they’d shared hours of adult pleasure.
How ironic that she wasn’t any bolder than Jake and yet, because he’d believed she was, he’d become more sexually adventurous. That might carry over into his next relationship or it might not. Until now she’d avoided imagining him with someone else but she had to be realistic. If she didn’t want to be tied down, then of course he’d move on. What a depressing thought that was!
9
JAKE STILL COULDN’T believe his lack of restraint with Amethyst. Mr. Smooth he was not and now he had a little problem. “Wild and crazy is fun and all, but it’s left me sitting in the middle of your fairly dark living room wondering where I can dispose of the—”
“Oh!” She gently lifted her hot body away from his. “Stay put. I’ll bring you a trash can and a box of tissues.” She was back in no time. “There you go.”
“Thanks.” His eyes had adjusted so he could see a little better, but fortunately he could do this job blindfolded. Getting to his feet, he took care of the condom. Then he pulled up his briefs and zipped his jeans.
“Don’t you want to just take everything off? I’m still roasting.”
He glanced over at her and noticed she’d taken off her shirt. “And walk around your house naked?”
“Sure. Ah, that feels so much better.” She whipped off her bra, too. “I really worked up a sweat.”
“If you’re going to strip I want to be able to see you. Mind if I turn on a lamp?”
“No, but I have a better idea.” She walked over to the shadowy branches of the Christmas tree she’d placed in front of the windows that looked out on the porch.
Seconds later colored lights bloomed on the Christmas tree and bathed her in a rainbow that took his breath away. “You’re gorgeous.”
She smiled. “I love being naked with you, Jake. Take off the rest of your clothes, okay?”
He thought about it. “Not gonna work for me.”
“Why not? You were fine being naked in the hotel room.”
“That’s different. We were either in bed or in the shower most of the time. Here we have an entire house to have sex in.”
“So what?”
“We can do it anywhere.” And the longer he looked at her, the more ideas he had. “On the kitchen table, on the stairs, in the hallway, against the front door, under the Christmas tree, up against the—”
“Okay, I get the idea, but if you’re naked that makes those episodes so much easier.”
“The shirt can go, and the boots, but not the jeans. I need pockets.” Speaking of which, he needed to reload. Sure enough, the carpet was littered with condoms. He gathered them up and transferred several to his jeans before putting the rest in his coat pocket.
She watched him with a smile on her face. “Think you have enough, there?”
“Maybe not.” But he sat on the sofa so he could pull off his boots and socks. They definitely weren’t necessary.
“I have more of those little raincoats upstairs in my bedroom, where the bed is, hint, hint.”
“Patience.” He dropped a boot on the floor and glanced up with a lazy grin. “We’ll get there.”
That made her laugh. “See, you’re not the only eager one around here. And I admit I hadn’t thought of the storage issue, especially if you want to have sex all over the house.”
“It’s not your job to cover the equipment.” And his equipment was really interested in some action now that she was standing there in the glow of those Christmas lights. Her silky skin was dappled in soft shades of red, green, yellow and blue. He committed the image to memory because chances were good he wouldn’t be enjoying this view a year from now.
As he stood and walked toward her, he noticed that her nipples were rigid. Could be either a response to him or to the temperature. “Are you cold?”
“A little, now that we’re not having sex. I guess we can’t exactly be doing it all the time.”
“Now there’s a challenge.” He pulled her into his arms. “Can I keep you heated up enough that you don’t feel the need to put on clothes? I just might take that challenge.”
“No, don’t. It sounds exhausting.” She gave him a quick kiss. “Let me throw on something that’s a good compromise. I know what I need. It’s in a basket of clean laundry on top of the dryer. Want to come with me to fetch it?”
“You bet. Then I can check your wiring.”
She batted her eyelashes at him. “Mmm, laundry room sex. What sort of position do you need me in so you can check my wiring?”
He groaned. “Any position works to get me hot. But you’ll hate hearing I meant the wiring in your house.”
“Well, damn.”
“But after that I’ll be happy to check out your personal wiring.”
“Okay, then.” She tossed a smile over her bare shoulder as she sashayed through her kitchen and into the small room adjacent to it.
He took a quick glance at the kitchen on the way through. It looked recently remodeled, which was a good sign if the remodelers had known what they were doing. He’d check it out later, but apparently they’d installed refurbished antique appliances. Nice touch.
Amethyst flipped on an overhead light and gestured toward her washer and dryer. “Check away.”
He leaned over the back to study the outlets. “They’re fine. Sometimes older houses aren’t set up to handle newer machines but this one seems to be. I’m assuming you clean out the lint trap regularly.”
“Yes, Fireman Jake, I clean out the lint trap regularly.”
“Good.” He turned around to find her wearing a red flannel sleep shirt trimmed in faux white fur. Although it covered her up, knowing she wore nothing under it created a whole new level of tension.
She walked over and snuggled against him. “You like?” She lifted her face to his.
“Sure do. It’s very soft.” Reaching down, he pulled up the fur-trimmed hem so he could fondle her firm little butt. “But you’re softer.”
“And you’re harder.” She wiggled against him. “I can feel your pride and joy. Did you want to check my wiring?”
“I do.” He leaned down and nuzzled the curve of her neck. “I really do, but I also want to evaluate the appliances in your kitchen. I promise to make it fast.”
“So I’m getting my own personal safety check?” She massaged his chest in slow, sensuous strokes.
“That’s the idea.” He breathed in the coconut scent of her shampoo. Coconut had become a trigger that made him think of her long, dark hair sweeping over his naked body. “If I can keep my mind on the subject.”
“You’ll feel better once you’ve made sure I’m not living with any fire hazards, won’t you?”
“Yes.” He forced himself to stop nibbling on her smooth shoulder and lift his head.
She stepped back. “Then let’s take care of that. I want you to feel loose and carefree, not uptight about any dangers lurking in my house.”
“You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”
“I think I do. You’re very sweet, Jake.”
“Sweet?” He winced. “You sure know how to hurt a guy.”
“It’s a compliment!”
“Not to a member of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood. We prefer strong and courageous.” He grinned. “But I’m sure you meant well. Let’s go look at your retro kitchen.”
She turned and led the way. “I love it. The landlady wanted it to appear as if it might be more than a hundred years old, and in some ways it does. I feel as if I step back in time when I come in here.”
“I wonder if women a hundred years ago used to walk through their kitchens naked.”
She leaned against the counter, temptation personified. “Depends on whether they were lucky enough to have a lusty man who enjoyed watching them do it.”
“That counter is the perfect height for...”
“What?”
He blew out a breath. “Never mind.” With great effort he looked away from her seductive smile and continued his inspection of the kitchen. “It’s well-done. No complaints.”
“Want to see my roommate’s area?”
No. But once he’d realized she lived in an older house his first thought
had been faulty wiring. If he didn’t check it out, he wouldn’t be doing his job as a firefighter. “Might as well cover the entire bottom floor before we head upstairs.” That was another issue he had with her moving to LA. She wouldn’t have a lot of money and rents were high. She could end up living in some firetrap because it was all she could afford. “If you ever think of renting a place and the windows are painted shut, please don’t move in, okay?”
“I won’t.”
He made a cursory examination of the bedroom her roommate Arlene used and he found no frayed cords or overloaded outlets. “Looking good. Upstairs we go.”
She preceded him up the wooden staircase. “I’m glad I’ve passed inspection so far.”
He couldn’t respond to that because he was mesmerized by the view as he followed her. The soft flannel outlined her body and aroused him almost beyond his endurance. The possibilities of the staircase taunted him. They could connect on multiple levels and create all kinds of positions. He filed the information away for later because he really wanted to check out the second floor. That’s where Amethyst spent most of her time and a person could become trapped in such a situation.
Her bedroom was the primary source of concern because she slept alone up here—at least, that’s how he preferred to picture it—and she might not be aware of a fire breaking out on the first floor. He studiously avoided looking at her bed while he opened the window to make sure it was functional.
Closing it quickly to shut out the cold air, he pulled the curtains closed and turned to her. “If you had a fire and the stairs were blocked, you could climb out this window and onto the front porch roof.”
She gazed at the window as if imagining the scenario. “You know, I never thought of that.”
“Then I’m glad I mentioned it. Sometimes in an emergency we don’t think of the obvious. If you had to, I’ll bet you could hang from the porch roof and drop to the ground without doing major damage to yourself.”
“I’m sure I could.” Her blue eyes darkened. “You’re really sexy when you’re being official.”
He tossed that off with a laugh because he hadn’t finished his inspection. If he responded to the invitation in her gaze, he never would. They’d wear each other out in the bed that was steps away and then fall into an exhausted sleep. “I’m not trying to be sexy. I’m trying to—”
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