Royce blew out an exhale. “But you didn’t become an alcoholic. So just like we have different levels of tolerance of bad experiences, we have different reactions when we reach that breaking point. I turned to alcohol, but Pete, my roommate at the center, turned to pills.”
“I guess my reaction was that I wanted to leave. So when the job came up here on the island I jumped on it. It was a total long shot. The guy before me had retired after over thirty-five years of service. But I got the job and I found my refuge.”
“Refuge.” He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed her shoulder, a flush of erotic need suddenly cascading over him. “Yes, that’s what this place has become for me, as well. And what thinking about you has become.”
“Me?”
He looped his arms around her waist and nudged the tip of her nose with his. “You.”
“But I’m weak and spineless. I’m damaged goods.”
“And you came here to be undamaged. Just like me.” He pecked her lips. “I feel better every single day.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “How about you?”
“I’d say dreaming of a hunky fireman the last couple of weeks has been very restorative to my psyche.”
The flush flared, arousing his dick to full stand. “Really?”
She lifted herself on tiptoe to nibble on his lower lip. “Really.”
“Yeah,” he said, his huskiness betraying his need. “Me too. Except I dream about a sexy park ranger.”
* * * * *
Samantha exhaled relief. She’d told Royce her secret and he still wanted her—a lot, if the bulge in his jeans was any indication.
His hands spread across her back as he brushed his lips against hers. Every nerve in her body sparked. She leaned forward to taste more of him, but he retreated ever so slightly. She tried again, but he frustrated her efforts. She pouted. He laughed.
Suddenly, he pressed his mouth fully against hers. His tongue breached the seam between her lips, thrusting in hungrily, dancing with hers while she moaned in encouragement. She arched her back, pressing her puckered nipples against his beefy chest, the cotton of her blouse and his t-shirt deliciously rough against her delicate skin.
He drew back, licking his lips.
“Hmm,” he rasped. “I’m feeling a bit exposed on this bluff. How about we go somewhere more protected.” He nodded down the hill.
Below was a cleft in the rocks shielded from the wind but still witness to the crashing waves. He grabbed her hand. Giddy excitement set her heart thudding as he guided her down the steep dirt path. They climbed over wind-whipped granite to a dark gray glacial boulder embedded in the side of the hill.
Royce leaned her against the rock, cupped her cheeks, and took her in a devastatingly erotic kiss, slowly grinding his groin into her. He was heated and hard.
“I want you, just know that.” His lips pressed hot against the pulse point in her neck. “What happened in the past brought you here, brought me here, brought you to me.” He tugged her blouse out of her waistband and slid his hand underneath, over her lacy bra. “If I could, I would fuck you—” he rolled his hips “—right here, right now.” He pinched a nipple.
She gasped. He smiled.
“So why don’t you?”
He arched a brow. “Why don’t I what?”
“Fuck me.”
“Remember? I didn’t pack any condoms when I was shipped off to rehab.”
“Yeah, but I have some.”
Royce gaped. “You have a condom?”
“I was out at a bar tonight—”
“I thought I tasted wine.”
She huffed. “Royce, I’ve been on edge since I’ve met you. And then I got all self-conscious about the other night. I admit I was out looking for action, to get you out of my system.” She shook her head. “I just feel awful now.”
“Who were you about to get lucky with?”
Her jaw dropped. “What? No one!”
He eyed her with suspicion. “How’d you find me?”
“Vic called to say you were missing. I knew where to look.”
His smile inched wider. “So how about we put that condom to use?”
“Here?”
“Here.”
He hiked up her skirt, his thick hands sliding up her woolen thigh-highs until he hit the bare flesh above. A shiver of anticipation slid down her spine to spiral in her sex.
He probed further. And discovered another secret.
He gawked before his expression of amazement melted into an erotically charged smirk. “Well, well, well. What on earth are you not wearing?”
Her face heated in embarrassment. “God, now you really must think me a floozy.”
“Oh, no.” His eyes twinkled in amusement. “I think I just won the sexual lottery.”
She laughed and went for his waistband. She couldn’t unzip him fast enough.
“Where’s that damn condom?” he grumbled as he grabbed her purse.
She fished out a string of attached packets and waved them in front of him.
He snatched them out of her hand. “Three? You got some appetite, woman.” He tore open the top packet while the other two fluttered in the breeze.
She leaned in, the scrape of his stubble against her cheek electrifying. “You better be able to satisfy me, hunk.” She tugged on the elastic of his briefs.
He swatted her hand away. “I got this.” He pulled his cock free and rolled a condom over the thick, veiny shaft. Her labia tingled while her cunt clenched in greedy impatience.
He hooked his hand under her left thigh and lifted to spread her open. She gripped his brawny shoulders for support. He positioned himself, then caught her gaze, the blue of his irises black with lust.
“I want to see what I feel reflected in your eyes.”
He pushed in, sliding slowly, his face softening as he savored every slick inch inside her.
“Shit, Sam,” he groaned. “You’re so goddamn wet.”
She tilted her hips to take more of him. “And you’re so goddamn rock hard.”
He grabbed her ass, his fingers digging into each cheek, and slammed inside, filling her. A mini-orgasm stirred within setting loose a thundering shock wave. Royce stilled, his breathing labored, while her climax pulsated around him. The quivering in her cunt quieted and he drew back. He locked his gaze with hers and resumed thrusting at a languid pace, quickly building up speed.
She wrapped her leg around his hips, holding on for dear life as she slid a hand under his t-shirt and skated her palm up his taut abs, over the firm ridges of his pecs, threading her fingers through his soft chest hair. His head dropped to her shoulder as he pistoned like a man crazed by lust, desperately needing gratification.
His carnal grunts and groans suffused her senses, egging her on toward another climax. Orgasm welled, then surged, roiling within, threatening to burst. But her brain didn’t want the pleasure to stop.
She held back with all her might, wanting to come simultaneously with the man who was suddenly so crucial to her happiness.
With a libidinous growl, Royce lunged inside, shattering her resolve. She clenched around him, drenching him with a flood of orgiastic joy.
A shudder rippled through his body, his bolstering strength weakening for a split second as he roared his release. He held her, his chest heaving, erratic breaths hot in her ear.
It was too fantastic. Tears banked in her eyes. “Royce—”
“Shh, shh.” He slipped free from her body and let her down. He cupped her face and delved in for a tender kiss. “Where have you been all my life?”
“Waiting for tragedy to bring us together on an island.”
He chuckled.
“Come home with me,” she said, trying to temper the fervor of her plea. “Stay the night. I’ll call Vic. Don’t make excuses.”
He laughed. “I’m not arguing with any of that.”
He buttoned up his jeans as she righted her skirt. He helped her climb up the bluff. Once back on the trail, he turn
ed to her, the boyish grin on his face a mirror to her own absolute happiness.
Hand-in-hand, they returned to her car in contented silence.
Chapter Eight
Royce turned onto his back in Samantha’s bed as morning light streamed through the windows. He stretched, his satisfied moan waking Samantha at his side.
“I’ve missed sleeping in a queen-sized bed.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her naked form alongside. “And I’ve missed sharing a night with a companion who is not named Pete and snoring on the other side of the bedroom.”
Samantha giggled, her lids half-closed and sleep-addled. He kissed her forehead, trailing delicate pecks over her temples, down her cheeks, to her parting lips.
He sipped at her mouth as he stroked her body, his palm landing on her perfect ass, cupping and squeezing the taut orbs. She melted into him, her gorgeous tits pressing into his heated flesh. His cock swelled to iron-hard. They had had sex twice the night before, but he was raring to go again like a teenager. She just did that to him. And something more.
Sex with Samantha wasn’t just getting off, it was—he had to admit even though he didn’t have a spiritual bone in his body—transcendent. He lost himself in her embrace and became something more than a man fulfilling base desires. He became a man at peace with himself.
And a little more at peace with what had happened in the past.
She sighed and snuggled against him, shaking off the haze of slumber. Every inch of his body roused in anticipation.
He rolled on top of her and nudged her thighs open as he arced over to play with a puckered nipple. He swirled his tongue around the stiff peak then drew it in his mouth, sucking mercilessly, until Samantha gasped, pulling his hair, he enduring the pain for the sake of her pleasure.
“Royce, oh God.” She bucked up, willing him to continue the sensual torture, wrapping her legs around him as her slit sought his cock.
Yes, she was that incredible. She could orgasm from having a nipple sucked, then demand even more.
And he was ready to give her so much more. He pressed a thumb to her slippery clit as he slid a finger, then two, inside her soaking cunt. He worked her, unrelenting, controlling her ecstasy, she thrashing beneath him. She ground her crotch against his hand, spewing clipped expletives, wanting, pleading to come. He ground his thumb even harder. She bucked up with a wail, drenching his hand, then crashed to the mattress, panting.
Royce grabbed a condom from the nightstand, his fingers shaking with desperate need as he tore the wrapper and unrolled the latex over his erection.
He quickly sheathed himself inside her throbbing cunt. She squeezed him in welcome, wresting a satisfied groan from deep within him. She smiled drowsily as she emitted a lackadaisical sigh, her body enervated from climax or…
Maybe morning sex wasn’t Sam’s thing.
But it was definitely his. He’d have to use a little creativity to get her full attention.
He grabbed her wrists and stretched her arms over her head. She wriggled but he held fast, gripping in earnest. Her eyes widened as a crinkle of surprise deepened between her brows. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but instead stayed silent as she nibbled on her lower lip looking up at him with something akin to a pleading expression.
Royce grew harder inside her warm wetness. Samantha clearly liked being held down. And last night against the rocks she had not worn panties. She definitely had a kinky side.
He curved over her. “You want me to tie you up?” he murmured in her ear.
She swallowed. “Maybe one day,” she said hoarsely. “Not now though. I have to go to work.”
He chuckled and pulled through her slick sex eliciting a sensual sigh. He could take it slow, but he and his cock wanted something else.
He hammered away, each thrust deeper than the last, each educing a gasp of excitement from her luscious mouth.
Still he needed to be deeper, needed something more than the mere physical.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, surrounding her, feeling her relax into his embrace. They merged, bodies and minds becoming one, as he drove them toward mutual rapture. She came around him, wrenching his orgasm from him, he juddering as he emptied himself.
Still holding her, he rolled onto his back. Their hearts pounded together, the frantic rhythm calming with every intake of breath.
He kissed her hair. “There’s not enough time. I barely have two weeks to get to know you.”
She propped herself on an elbow. “So stay on the island a bit longer. You know, after rehab.”
“You might lead me to ruin with that wine-laced mouth of yours.”
She smiled. “Or you might lead me to redemption with your teetotaling.”
He hugged her more closely. “I guess I have to go back,” he sighed. “I’ll just get the bike out of your car—”
“What? Don’t be foolish.” She thumped his chest with an index finger. “I’ll drive you back. I have to check in with the Parks office in town first, then I’m off to English Camp anyway.”
“All right.” He pecked her nose. “Anything to spend more time with you.”
* * * * *
Having a man in her house wasn’t really all that unusual for Sam, but having a man linger over her bookshelves after an insane night of sex was definitely extraordinary. And awesome.
“You have a lot of books,” Royce said as he grabbed his jacket from the entryway rack.
Samantha’s face heated from embarrassment. Her house was rather cluttered and full of stuff, mostly books. “When I was packing to move, I just couldn’t part with anything. You know, after having lost things in the robbery.” She knotted her non-regulation red bandana around her neck. “Suddenly everything was laden with memories. I swear I’ll go through it one day.”
She gathered her purse and ranger hat, and followed Royce out the front door to the deck. He drew a deep breath as he took in the view.
“Wow,” he said.
Before them stretched a low sloping mowed lawn that disappeared under a wildflower-sprinkled meadow, all fringed by a stand of tall evergreens. Sam had purposely sculpted the view to create the effect of being surrounded by never-ending nature.
“I’ve never owned a home before,” Royce said. “But if I ever did, I’d want the view from the front door to look pretty much like this. This is truly a dream come true.”
Samantha slid her hand in his. “All this land. I call it my fortress against humanity sometimes.”
Royce chuckled.
“It’s taken me a while to realize what a charmed life I lead living here. I still remember the first time I had a solid night’s sleep. It was about a year after I moved here. Up until then I still had nightmares from time to time.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s hope for you, Royce. You’ll get through this.”
“A view like this every day would help me get through it more quickly.”
Samantha tensed. She’d like him to stay, even if only for a little while, but it was presumptuous to assume he’d want to dig in deeper with her. “Well, if you wanted, I mean, I have two bedrooms, and…” She trailed off.
He kissed the top of her head. “Yeah. That would be really great. Let’s think about it for the next two weeks. I wouldn’t want to be a burden to you. Something else might come up.”
Burden? More like his presence would be restorative.
Samantha took the side roads into town, making the journey a bit longer than it had to be. Friday Harbor wasn’t very far from her house.
“I know you’re not a tourist here, but you should see some of the island.”
She purposely drove the route to show how the landscape changed from bucolic farms to houses with manicured landscaping to slightly more dense suburban-style homes. All were set amid trees and lawns and other greenery—
“Shit,” Royce muttered.
She followed his gaze to the left. Dark g
ray smoke billowed from behind a modest single-story ranch house.
“Sam, pull over. Something’s wrong.”
“Probably just a burn pile for yard trimmings.” Let’s hope.
“It’s too close to the house.”
“Yeah,” she said in realization.
Samantha pulled into the driveway. The dark gray smoke was now highlighted by licks of orange flames. Royce opened the door and jumped out of the car before it came to a stop.
A young woman with long dark hair dragged a girl about eight years old from the front porch. The child’s face was screwed in agony as she kicked and punched, the woman trying to grab flailing fists and legs in an attempt to quell the tantrum. Finally the woman grappled the girl at the edge of the lawn, hugging her as the girl sobbed.
What was one of those things that was worse than being robbed?
A house fire.
Samantha pulled out her phone and punched in 911.
* * * * *
Royce approached the woman and girl on the lawn. A blast of heat and the stench of plastic wafted on a breeze. Kitchen fire. A surge of adrenaline pumped through his veins.
Samantha came up behind him. “I’ve called 911.”
“Good. Thanks.”
The girl screamed through her tears. “Perrita. Perrita.”
Which was Spanish for…little dog? No. Puppy.
Royce bent down on the lawn. His gaze met the bloodshot eyes of the young woman. “Ma’am, is there a dog inside the house?” he asked gently.
“In Nina’s bedroom,” she said. “A puppy, in a crate. Her name is Perrita.”
“Mommy won’t let me go back and get her,” the girl shrieked.
Royce patted Nina on the back. “You should listen to your mommy. It’s too dangerous.”
She stared at him with big brown eyes, her cheeks bright red and tear-stained. She tugged on her t-shirt, a pale yellow button-down with purple pinstripes and a large “FH” patch sewn over her heart. Probably impatient for afternoon baseball practice.
“What kind of dog is Perrita?”
Dallas Fire & Rescue: Undamaged (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 6