After work, I practically run to Marie’s school. I wait anxiously until she emerges from the building.
“Whoa, Brynn. What’s the matter?” Marie asks, noticing my flushed face.
“Nothing, I’m just not a very good runner apparently. Maybe we should start running? I need to lose some of this weight I’ve put on,” I ramble, trying to put off the conversation about Blaze.
“First of all, you’re a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet, Brynn. No need to lose the weight. I’d love to start running, though. I think it would help keep me in shape, and help make me a stronger swimmer. And finally, you ramble when you’re nervous, so just tell me what’s up, you’re scaring me a little,” she says as we make our way back to the apartment building.
“You know me too well,” I admit, defeated. “Do you mind if I miss your swim practice tonight? I’ll still walk you to and from,” I add quickly.
“I’ve told you a hundred times, you don’t need to come to my practices. No parents really ever come to those, and you don’t need to walk me either. Jill lives a few streets over, and she’s offered to drive me. Seems silly since it’s two blocks, but she just got her license and always looks for an excuse to drive. Her dad just bought her a new purple Dodge Charger,” she says hopefully.
“That sounds like a dangerous combination. Not sure how I feel about that.”
“She’s a good driver, Brynn. Didn’t lose a single point on her road test,” she pleads.
“All right, I guess she can drive you if that’s what you want, but I really don’t mind walking you. I feel bad missing your practice, too.”
“I promise you’re not missing anything, and thank you. She’s going to be thrilled when I tell her,” Marie says excitedly.
“All right. That’s not all, though. Do you remember the fire last night? You didn’t seem very alert.”
“Sort of. I remember waiting outside, but that’s about it.”
“Well, Blaze is a firefighter, and he was there last night. He asked me out on a date tonight, and I kind of said yes,” I say, looking at her nervously. It looks like there is no need to be nervous, though; she’s got a huge grin on her face.
“Good for you, Brynn! He seems like a great guy, I’m glad you’re giving him a chance to find out how great you are.”
“Thanks, Marie. You know that means a lot to me,” I say, relaxing.
We enter our apartment, and I throw together a steak stir fry for Marie. I don’t want to eat, because I’m not sure if Blaze is taking me out for supper or not. While she eats, I grab a shower and blow dry my hair.
Marie comes in when she’s finished eating and straightens it, curling the ends. I was skeptical at first, but I love how it turned out. I do my makeup and then beg Marie to help me pick out an outfit for tonight. I don’t even know where he’s taking me, so how am I supposed to know what to wear?
“Here,” she says, tossing me a breezy, white tunic and black leggings that come mid-calf. I change into them eagerly, while Marie looks on.
“Hang on, I’ve got it.” She runs to her room and comes back with a black leather belt she cinches around my waist. She grabs a pair of strappy black heels from my closet, and I slip them on. She closes my door so I can get a look at myself in the full-length mirror.
“You are incredible, Marie. Seriously, you’re hired,” I say, amazed. I spin in a little circle, feeling truly confident about my looks for the first time ever.
“It’s nothing. I’ve spent a long time admiring what everyone else was wearing. Now, thanks to you, I can use my skills,” she says proudly. I hear a beep, alerting her she has a new text message.
“Jill’s here. Now don’t panic, you can do this. You’re just a beautiful, strong, single woman going on a date with a hot fireman. You also get to come home to a pretty awesome sister. You’re living the dream, and you made that happen,” she jokes. I kiss her forehead and thank her for all of her help.
“Now, text me when you get there and when you’re on your way home. I’m going to be worrying the whole time.”
“You got it. Love you, sis,” she says, heading out the door.
“Love you, too!” I holler back.
I look at the clock on the wall. Blaze will be here in another fifteen minutes. I rush into the bathroom and brush my teeth. You can do this, Brynn. It’s just a date. Millions of people go on dates every day. I hear a knock at the front door. No turning back now. I take a deep breath and answer it.
“Hey,” I say, more nervously than I would have liked.
Blaze is in a black leather jacket with a dark grey, striped, button-down shirt and black dress pants. He’s clean shaven, and that makes me want to touch his skin more than usual. He’s even managed to mess up his short brown hair. I realize my mouth is completely agape and force myself to close it.
“Hey Brynn, you look incredible. Wow,” he says, stroking his chin.
“Thanks, I didn’t know where we were going, so I hope this is all right,” I say, looking down at the killer outfit Marie helped pick out.
“It’s perfect. I thought you could come over for dinner, if you wanted. I’ve got a house about twenty minutes from here. If that’s not all right, then I know a little restaurant we could go to,” he offers.
That’s incredibly sweet and thoughtful. He may not know what happened, but he’s trying to make sure I’m comfortable anyway.
“Thanks, but I think that right there proves that I’ll be all right at your house. Do you mind if I just leave the address here for Marie? She’s got her cell phone, so I’m sure she won’t need it, but I’d just feel better if she knew how to find me.”
“Not a problem. Do you have a pen and paper? I’ll draw a map, too.” He draws a map quickly and writes out the address and his home and cell phone numbers.
“All set?” he asks.
I nod, and we walk downstairs and outside of the building. He stops in front of a sleek, black and chrome motorcycle.
“I hope you’re not scared. I brought you a helmet and a jacket,” he says, slipping the jacket through my arms.
“I’ve never actually been on a motorcycle. I’ve always wanted to, though, so what the hell, right? Just don’t make fun of me if I have no idea what to do,” I say, my voice shaking slightly.
“Are you sure, beautiful?”
“Yeah,” I say, slipping the helmet over my head. I promised myself when I left Carl that I would start living, not hiding away in fear. I don’t just want to do this, I need to do this.
He climbs on, and I follow behind him. He reaches back and pulls my arms around his waist under his jacket. Bad idea—I feel every muscle in his abdomen, and my body reacts immediately. I push myself closer to him, and lean in, inhaling his incredibly sexy, masculine smell.
I feel the bike roar to life under me as we pull out into traffic; it’s absolutely exhilarating. A few minutes later we’re on the outskirts of town, and the bike picks up speed, gliding along the curves of the road. I close my eyes and let the wind blow through my hair, and awaken my senses. The sun is starting to set, and the air is starting to get a little crisp. I’ve never felt anything like this in my life, it’s incredible.
We pull into a long drive, surrounded by trees. I didn’t even know there were places—besides parks—with trees in New York. We stop at a two-story timber frame home with huge tinted windows everywhere. There’s a cobblestone walk leading to the huge wrap around porch. The yard could use a woman’s touch. There’s no flowers, or garden, but the lawn is cut, and the trees are plentiful. Blaze cuts the engine, and I take off my helmet to get a better look around.
Beautiful spruce trees line the edges of the property, giving privacy in a place I never knew could offer such a treat. The house itself is incredible, not ostentatious in size or design, simply welcoming.
“You live here?” I ask in awe.
“Yeah, my dad and I started building it about ten years ago. I’m still not completely finished, but I’m really happy with how m
uch we managed to get done together. I’ve got a lot of great memories here,” he says, looking around the property. “Now, come on in, so I can finish dinner for you.” He wraps his arms around me and helps me off of the bike.
We walk up to the house, and he unlocks the front door and once again I need a moment to take it all in. I walk into the grand entryway, which leads into an open concept living room with a floor to ceiling massive stone fireplace, and a kitchen not far behind. There is a loft straight ahead, looking over the living room and there’s dark, intricate wood in every direction.
“Well, what do you think?” he asks.
“I think you’re crazy for even asking. I’ve never seen a more beautiful house in my life. Not even in a magazine,” I say, spinning in a slow circle to get the full picture. He gives me a genuine smile.
“You have no idea how much that means to me.”
I take off my shoes and follow him into the kitchen, which boasts granite countertops, and an eat-in island, with wooden barstools, complete with plush seats.
He pulls a large pan out of the fridge. “I hope you like lasagna?”
“I’m actually not sure. I don’t know if I’ve ever had it,” I say awkwardly.
I cooked the ten meals Carl liked over and over for five years, and according to him, not very well. Marie and I have been trying out new recipes since moving, but we haven’t attempted lasagna yet.
“What? You don’t know what you’re missing. I made it up before I came to get you, so it just needs to bake for half an hour,” he says, slipping it into the oven.
“Can I get you a glass of wine?” he asks, pulling a bottle of red wine from the wine rack in the island.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve never had wine either. Well, any alcohol at all, really,” I say awkwardly. How many firsts am I going to have tonight, I wonder? How embarrassing.
“Wait a minute … how old are you?” he asks. I really don’t want to answer that. I hadn’t even thought about the age difference.
“I’ll be twenty-three next week,” I say uncomfortably. “What about you?”
“I’m twenty-seven,” he says, clearly calculating the age difference in his head. He seems satisfied with the answer as he uncorks the wine.
“Wow, so you started building this place at seventeen?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“I did. I’d been helping Dad renovate our house since I was twelve, and this just seemed like the next step. His dad helped him build our home before he married my mom. I was kind of a ladies’ man when I was a kid, so my dad said we’d better start early,” he says, laughing at the memory.
“Now, that’s something I don’t have a hard time believing. I bet you were winking at the nurses moments after escaping the womb,” I joke.
He lets out a deep belly laugh, and it’s like music to my ears. He picks up the wine bottle again, and pulls two long stemmed wine glasses from out of his cupboard.
“So, did you want to try the wine? I’ve got water, milk, or orange juice if you’d rather something different. I live alone, and don’t have much company, so your choices are pretty limited,” he says sheepishly.
“Wine is fine. Just don’t make fun of me if I don’t like it, all right?”
“You got it,” he says, pouring it into two long stemmed wine glasses.
He passes me mine, and I take a look. It’s red, and looks a lot less like blood than I had anticipated. I swirl it around in the glass. It doesn’t look thick, just red. Kind of like juice, I guess. I inhale the scent of ripe plums and fresh earth. It smells divine. I take a little sip and swirl it around in my mouth, not quite sure what to expect, but the flavors explode in my mouth. I swallow, and a small moan escapes my lips.
“This is divine,” I say, before looking back up at Blaze. He’s gripping the island countertop so hard his knuckles are white.
“What’s wrong?” I ask quickly.
“Nothing at all. Trying to restrain myself. I think that was the absolute sexiest thing I have ever seen,” he says, and I blush deeply. I turn and walk toward the living room, hoping he doesn’t notice how embarrassed I am.
“Oh no, you do not get to walk away after that,” he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me back to him.
He plants his lips on mine, eager, demanding. I run my tongue along the edges of his lips, and he grants me entrance. I explore his mouth with eagerness, wondering how kissing could be so sensual. His strong hands reach down under my ass, and I wrap my legs around him again. I love that he makes me feel so light. He walks us over to the couch, his lips trailing down my neck, my collarbone, and finally between my breasts.
I feel his hardness press into me, but I’m not scared. The only thing I feel is a strong need to have him all over me, inside of me, touching me. I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. He frees a breast from my bra and places his mouth over it eagerly, his tongue alternating between sucking and nibbling. I let out a soft cry, pushing myself into him, wanting more, and needing more than he’s giving me.
I let my hands trail up under his shirt, feeling the hard lines of muscle of his abdomen and then moving to feel those in his back, as well. His mouth is back on mine, and he moves to lay me back on the couch. He is hovering over me, and we are belly to belly, and I realize I’ve never had sex like this. I have to stop this; I’m going to be terrible. I pull away from his lips, panic setting in.
“I’ve never really …” I trail off because he has now pushed up my shirt, and his lips are on my bare abdomen.
His tongue trails along the edge of my leggings, and I let out a desperate, “Please.” I leave behind any inhibitions I have, and start enjoying every touch, every kiss, and every lick.
In one swift movement, I’m divested of everything below the waist.
“You are incredible, Brynn, beautiful …” he trails off as he moves down to scatter kisses along my thighs.
I tense up, a little nervous. I’ve never had a man’s face down there before—never even wanted one. I want anything Blaze has to offer, though, and I pray that I’m good enough for him. I don’t want him to see the damage. He moves up, his hot breath over my core, making me tingle in anticipation.
“Let me make you feel good, Brynn,” he says, bringing his head back down, taking gentle licks.
It’s driving me crazy, and I push myself into his face a little, hoping he’ll take the hint that I want him, because I’m not sure I can speak the words out loud.
He starts licking and sucking, flicking his tongue against my clit, and I gasp with pleasure, letting a moan escape my lips.
“Fuck, Brynn, you taste good,” he says as breathy as I feel.
He puts his mouth back to my core, and I feel him slip a gentle finger inside me. I feel something start to build inside me and throw my head back, letting the feeling start to take over.
God, Carl never made me feel like … My body tenses at the thought. Blaze must feel it, too, because he pulls back.
“Let go, Brynn. Whatever it is, let go. It’s just you and me, and I’m going to make sure you know just how beautiful you are. Let me take care of you,” he says soothingly.
I look into his gentle eyes—hungry with passion—and I know he would never hurt me. I lay my head back down and lift myself to him, hoping that’s enough. He descends on my body again, sucking and flicking his tongue. He slips two fingers inside me this time, and I hear him moan.
“You’re so tight, beautiful, fucking perfect.”
I feel it start to build inside me again, and I let the sensation of his every touch start to take over. I run my fingers through his soft hair, as he begins moving faster and faster, my body rushing over the edge. I climax for the first time in my life. I let the feeling wash over me as he helps me ride the waves, until my body stops pulsing.
I lay panting, feeling relaxed, complete, while his head rests on my stomach.
He lifts his head and looks into my eyes. “That was even better than I imagined it would be, and
I’ve been dreaming of it since the moment I met you.” He places three gentle kisses near my navel, and sits up, reaching for my panties. He pulls them over my legs and then does the same with my leggings, dressing me in a most soothing way.
“Thank you, I just … can’t even put that into words,” I manage to say as my breathing returns to normal.
I’m feeling a little embarrassed now. I can still see him straining against his pants, and I want to return the favor. I just have no idea how, and after that, there’s no way I could ever compare to what he just made me feel. He clearly has experience, whereas I have none. God, how many women has he been with? I push the jealousy aside; I have no room to judge anyone. If he knew what happened to me, there’s no way he would ever touch me again.
The alarm for the oven goes off, signaling dinner is ready. Saved by the bell.
“Perfect timing. Dessert and now dinner,” he says with a wink.
He helps me off the couch, leading me by the hand into the dining room just off the kitchen. My legs are still shaky, and I’m reminded of a baby deer attempting to walk for the first time. The dining room is filled with floor to ceiling windows, and a long wooden table with eight chairs running the length of it. The view is spectacular: all luscious green, leafy trees.
“Do you need any help?” I ask.
“No, please. Just keep enjoying your wine,” he says, placing the wine glass in front of me, with a smirk.
I give him a little smile, remembering that the wine was what just led to that mind blowing event on the couch. He moves into the kitchen and finishes up supper, serving me a delicious looking plate of cheesy lasagna and garlic bread when he returns.
“This looks great,” I say, grabbing my fork, eager to dig in.
“We cook a lot at the fire station, and we all take turns. If you can’t cook well, you’ve got a lot of pissed off men not looking forward to working with you,” he says, laughing. “Luckily, they all love my lasagna. I figured it was my best shot tonight.”
Hell, Fire & Freedom (Fighting for Freedom) Page 10