by Ivy Jordan
Marcus was in the corner of the room with a clipboard over his crotch. Yeah, we were hot together, everyone could see that.
“I feel like I owe you dinner,” Josh laughed.
“At least,” I teased.
“Why don’t you go home and grab your bikini and then meet me at my house? I’ll prepare dinner, offer you wine, and do all the things I should’ve done before climbing into bed with you naked,” he smiled.
“Yes. That sounds perfect,” I agreed.
He sent me a quick text with his address and then made sure I knew where I was going. It wasn’t far from the haunted house we’d visited, like he said. In Santa Monica, on the beach. Holy shit.
Tamara pulled me aside before I left to tell me how proud she was of me. I was proud of myself. I thought for sure I’d freeze up, but being in Josh’s arms felt natural, even with the camera snapping pictures.
I arrived at the address Josh had given me a couple hours later. The house was a beautiful stone home nestled deep in the chiseled cliff’s shore. My finger shook as it pushed the doorbell, and my heart raced as the loud ding sounded.
Josh opened the door wearing a tight t-shirt with his firehouse logo and a smile that melted my heart.
“Glad you made it,” he said cheerfully, motioning for me to come inside.
The home was lined with windows, from ceiling to floor. The view was astonishing with the ocean slapping at the sand just past his infinity pool. “Wow,” I exclaimed, unable to hide my shock.
“Are you hungry?” he asked, moving towards the delicious scents coming from the kitchen.
“Starved,” I admitted, realizing I hadn’t eaten at all. I planned on taking a croissant after the shoot, but I was so worked up, I’d forgotten.
“Have a seat. I’ll bring you a glass of wine,” he said, motioning me to the antique mahogany table situated near a large window.
I took my seat, stared out at the view and waited for Josh to bring me the wine I so desperately needed to calm my nerves. “Is there anything I can do?” I asked as he handed me the delicate crystal glass filled with red wine.
“No. It’s all ready. I hope you like scallops,” he said hopefully.
I nodded, sipped my wine, and watched him walk back into the kitchen. Damn, his body had me sweating.
“Dinner is served,” he said with a smile.
I stared at the plate he sat before me in awe. Scallops, seared to perfection, and thin pasta with a pesto sauce. “You can cook, too? Is there anything you can’t do?” I asked.
“That’s just part of the job. We all take turns cooking at the firehouse,” he replied.
He watched me as I took my first bite, and his eyes danced with pleasure at my obvious satisfaction. “This is amazing. You’re amazing,” I said softly.
“You never told me about the part you auditioned for. Did you get it?” he asked.
“I did.”
He quickly scooped me from my seat and held me in his arms. “I never doubted you,” he whispered.
This man was too perfect. I felt my body melting into his strong arms, my heartbeat syncing with his, and suddenly, I realized, he could be serious trouble for my heart.
“Did you bring your bikini?” he asked.
Fuck. I forgot in my rush to get there. It was on the counter; I could still picture it there.
I shook my head, pushing out my bottom lip to pout.
“That’s okay. It’s really private here,” he assured me with a wink.
“Yeah, being nude in private is important,” I laughed.
“I wanted to get you into the hot tub,” he said, a flirtatious edge in his voice.
That sounded amazing. I could use a hot soak, especially with a scorching-hot man beside me. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll pretend I forgot my suit, too,” he chuckled.
Yes. That makes me feel so much better.
Josh grabbed the bottle of wine, and both of our glasses as he led me through the large patio doors. The sun was already going down, and the dim light of the tiki torches near his hot tub was romantically intoxicating.
He set the glasses and bottle down on the ledge of the hot tub. He stripped off his shirt, exposing the muscles I’d been yearning to see. His chest was tight, chiseled, and hard. God, I wanted to touch him.
I watched as he kicked off his shoes, and his hands rested on the button to his pants. He smiled, somewhat nervously, only adding to my excitement. “Here goes,” he laughed, undoing his pants and stripping them from his body.
His cock wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t limp either. My eyes lingered on the flesh that hung between his legs. My mouth watered, my nipples tightened, and my clit swelled at such a delicious sight.
“Your turn,” he said softly, stepping into the tub of rippling water.
I took a deep breath before sliding my dress from my shoulders. My skin tingled from the cool wind coming from the beach as his eyes took me in. “You are beautiful,” he said with a grin.
I felt beautiful. In that light, standing nude as Josh stared at me with such appreciation, I felt beautiful.
My foot teased the water by dipping in quickly and then pulling back out. It was hot and soothing. Josh smiled as I finally worked my way into the water. My breasts tightened as the hot water whipped around them.
Josh’s hands gripped my waist, pulling me gently across the hot tub and into his lap. My legs parted, straddling his thick waist and letting the hardness of his cock tease my body. “I’m sorry. I just can’t resist you,” he said softly.
His fingers pulled at my flesh, parting my ass cheeks and opening my pussy so that his cock nestled between my plump pussy lips. Sweet, delicious teasing.
My back arched, pulling my breasts from the warmth of the water and letting the cool ocean breeze roll over them. His mouth lowered, consuming my right breast while his tongue teased my tight nipple. I moaned, louder than expected. My body ached for more as he pulled his mouth away, moving slowly to my left breast.
His cock grew between my legs, threatening invasion into my tight hole.
He pulled me closer, sucking the delicate flesh of my nipple between his lips, and then stared up at me as if tortured by his own teasing.
He reached behind him, pulling a silver foil packet from a compartment on the hot tub ledge. “Am I being presumptuous?” he asked nervously, holding the condom between his thumb and pointer finger.
“No,” I gasped. I wanted this. I needed this.
He lifted me from my sweet spot on his lap and allowed my body to gently glide back into the warm water. He rose from the bubbles, exposing his large cock, hard and rippled with veins bulging from his flesh.
I watched as he slid the condom on, his hand gripping himself tightly to secure the protection. He lowered back into the water, pulled me back into his arms, and let me position my pussy over his impressive manhood.
This was fast. Was it too fast? It’s just fun, Emily. Just fun.
My eyes closed tight as the weight of my body relaxing pushed him deep inside my pussy. I let out a moan, louder than the one before. His hands clenched my skin, gripping me tightly as he slid me further down onto his cock.
The water rolled around us, excited and wild as he filled me.
His beautiful blue eyes filled with pleasure as his lips parted and a deep sigh escaped. My hips rocked towards him as his mouth searched for mine.
Our lips met, sending a quick electric wave of pleasure through my entire body. He tasted of the red wine we’d drank, mixed with a sweetness that no matter how much I tasted, it wouldn’t quench my thirst.
Our tongues entangled, my legs tightened around his body, and my pussy slowly started its pulsating massage around his cock. “I don’t know what you do to me,” he whispered, gripping my ass cheeks tighter and pulling them apart.
The water rippled around us, teasing my clit with what felt like flicks of a tongue. I pressed hard against him, rolling my swollen nub into his chiseled abs to bring me closer to my impend
ing orgasm.
Water splashed out of the hot tub as we rocked into one another. Our bodies melted into each other, becoming one, as my orgasm exploded violently and without shame around him.
My breathing sped up, my heart raced, and my fingers sunk into his damp, warm flesh while my body throbbed, shook, and jolted in his arms. “Fuck,” he gasped, his eyes closing, and his head falling back against the hot tub ledge.
His cock began to pulsate, teasing my sensitive, tortured flesh, and quickly swelled to fill me with a satisfaction I’d never experienced.
Low, deep growls escaped his throat as his arms tightened around me and his thrusting slowed to a steady pace. I couldn’t take my eyes from him as he let his orgasm loose. Yes, this man was going to be real trouble for my heart.
Chapter Four
Three days on the set. There was so much more to making a movie than a play, or a commercial. This was wild. I loved it, except that I’d been so busy, I hadn’t had time to see Josh.
“I’m making dinner,” Lisa said on the other end of the phone.
“I’m not sure when I’ll be home,” I explained, watching the director glare at me as I took my personal call.
“I gotta go,” I said quickly, shutting my phone off and shoving it into my bag.
The man who was playing my husband was Mark Lewis, a B-rated actor from years ago. It wasn’t Scorching Rays of Beauty like Jackie Lemay landed, but it was my first leading role, and I was going to give it everything I had.
The long hours were exhausting, and not seeing Josh was torturous. It was sweet that Lisa was planning dinner, since the four of us were always busy lately. It used to be a ritual, at least once or twice a month, but I knew it had been at least three months since our last meal together.
When the director closed the set down, it was only seven o’clock, plenty of time to make an appearance at dinner, even if late.
I sent Lisa a text as I got out of makeup, letting her know I’d be there. On my way home, I called Josh, but got only his voicemail. I hadn’t talked to him all day, and even though I knew he was working his twenty-four-hour shift and couldn’t see him, I wanted to at least hear his voice.
Laughter rolled out of the house as I pushed my key into the front door lock. I opened the door to a smoke-filled room that smelled like someone had burnt old tennis shoes over a charcoal grill. “What the hell happened in here?” I asked, looking around the room at my three drunken roommates.
“Lisa burnt dinner, so we’re drinking instead,” Tamara said, holding up her beer.
“We need to open some windows,” I gasped, covering my mouth to keep from breathing in the stench.
Amy giggled, her plump cheeks pushing up her face. “Where’s Maria?” I asked, not used to seeing her without her sidekick.
“She got pissed off because I got asked to do some work for one of the car companies,” she said stiffly.
“I’m going to light some candles,” Lisa said, getting up and walking towards the kitchen.
I fell into the sofa, too exhausted to change, or to care about the burnt smell drifting through the room. “Here,” Tamara said, handing me a beer.
It tasted good. Cold, wet, soothing. Yes, I needed a beer more than I needed dinner.
“How’s it going with Josh?” Tamara asked.
My cheeks burnt as I let my lips curl into a smile. “That good?” she laughed.
I nodded.
Lisa returned from the kitchen with a tray of cheese, salami, and crackers. She laughed as she placed the tray on the table. “Dinner is served.”
It felt good to just sit there and talk to my roommates. I found out Lisa got hired for a semi-lead role in a play, making me feel more at ease as I told them about the movie set.
Tamara kept pushing the conversation back to Josh, and how we were doing. I didn’t mind giving them all the details about our love affair, but honestly didn’t know how to answer the questions about how I felt, or where I saw it going.
“He’s twenty-seven, six years older,” I argued when Lisa said he’d be perfect for me.
He was perfect for me. The age difference didn’t matter to me, and I didn’t think it did to him, either—but I needed something to keep him from entering my heart. That was all I had.
“Who gives a shit?” Tamara growled.
I didn’t. Not really.
“I have to pee,” Amy said after sucking down four beers.
We all teased her about her tiny girl bladder as she left the room, and quickly went back to talking about Josh, and why I was being so stubborn about a possible relationship.
“Fire!” Amy yelled from the other room.
She ran into the living room with flames chasing her from the kitchen opening. “Fuck!” Tamara yelled, quickly gripping her phone.
“Everyone out,” Lisa shouted, ushering us through the front door as Tamara called 911.
Standing on the front lawn, we all watched with horror as our house was engulfed in flames. “My camera,” Tamara shouted, running back towards the house.
We all screamed at her, begging her to stay away, but it was her only way to survive; we knew it was a lost cause.
The fire trucks blasted loud horns and flashing red lights as they approached. Men piled out of the trucks, some running towards the house, and some dragging the long yellow hose to the nearest hydrant. It was like a bad dream. Tamara was still inside, the flames were growing more powerful, and suddenly, I realized, she may not come out.
“Emily. Are you okay?” I turned to see Josh, all geared up in his yellow suit.
“Tamara. Tamara went inside to get her camera. It’s been too long,” I sobbed, falling into his arms.
“It’s okay. Stay here,” he ordered, peeling me from him.
My heart sank deep into my chest as he ran into the house with several other men. Now, not only was my best friend inside the flames, but so was Josh.
Lisa let out a cry, sobbing that it was all her fault. Amy comforted her in her arms as I stared at the front door, waiting to see if anyone came back out.
Two firefighters exited; I couldn’t tell if one was Josh right away or not. My knees weakened when they both walked towards the truck. It wasn’t Josh. It wasn’t Tamara.
“There she is,” Lisa yelled out.
I looked towards the door to see Josh carrying Tamara out of the house. She gripped her camera case tightly as the rest of her body fell limp in Josh’s strong arms. He set her on the lawn near us, shook his head, and smiled. “You’re not a very smart woman, are ya?” he teased.
She smiled weakly. “I got my camera, didn’t I?” she snapped.
He nodded and winked.
The EMTs quickly rushed to Tamara, giving her oxygen, and covering her in a cool cloth.
“What happened here?” he asked, his eyes lingering in my direction. “I mean, I want to see you, too, but this is a little extreme,” he smiled.
Even in this horrid situation, Josh had a way of making me feel safe and at ease.
I explained the situation, how Lisa burnt dinner, and we lit candles and opened windows to kill the smell. The candle in the kitchen had most likely brushed with the curtain as the wind blew through, causing it to ignite.
Josh seemed to agree it would be tough to determine the house was on fire with the smell and smoke still so strong from earlier. I felt foolish, but I was glad to see him.
The fire was finally contained, but there wasn’t much left to the house. “You’ll obviously need a place to stay for a while,” Josh said.
“Where are we going to go?” Amy cried.
“Do you have anywhere?” Josh asked. “Family? Friends?” he added.
“None of us have family here,” I explained.
“All my friends live here,” Lisa laughed nervously, pointing at the house. “Can I stay with you?” she asked me with a laugh.
“Sure, bring your own marshmallows, though,” I teased.
Tamara was fine despite how long she’d been insid
e with the blaze, and was released by the EMT. She assured us that the insurance would handle everything. “We can stay in a hotel. They’ll reimburse us,” she suggested.
“Why don’t you girls go to my house,” Josh offered, reaching under his suit and into his jeans.
“Here,” he said, handing me a key.
“We couldn’t,” I argued.
“Of course you could,” he said with a wink.
He leaned in, kissing me softly on my forehead. He reeked of smoke, but I didn’t mind. He was sensual, sweet, and so kind that I could feel my heart swelling inside my chest.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he insisted.
The girls all thanked him as the other firefighters pulled him away. “I gotta go. Emily knows how to get there,” he said, grinning as he turned to head back toward the truck.
Wow, only two official dates, and I’m already moving in.
Chapter Five
The girls all gushed with excitement when they saw Josh’s place. “He’s a keeper,” Tamara said with a wink. I already knew he was; that was the problem.
The first night, we all snuggled under blankets in the living room, not sure if we should venture out to the guest rooms.
It was gracious of Josh to let us stay the night, but when he told us we could stay until our house was fixed, we were all a little more than shocked.
“And, you need to be in my bed, keeping it warm,” he whispered in my ear, kissing me softly on the neck.
“Yes, sir,” I agreed, vowing to never sleep on the floor again.
He situated the girls in guest rooms, each with their own room. It was nicer than our house, and much more spacious. None of us were worried about getting back home anytime soon, especially me.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to get a hotel?” I asked after our third day there.
“Absolutely not. You’re so busy with the movie, at least this way I get to see you,” he smiled.
Damn, his lips tasted delicious as he pressed them against mine. Tamara made a growl as she passed us, laughing at our public display of affection.