Dallas Fire & Rescue: Embers of Lust (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Aliyah Burke

  Sweet merciful heavens—she was in trouble.

  αβ

  Cameron had gotten lost in her eyes. There wasn’t anywhere he wanted to be other than right here with her. He wasn’t an idiot, he could see the suspicion and doubt in her gaze. While it killed him to witness it, he also understood why it was there. Because of him and his past actions. Something he needed to rectify.

  Here, in her kitchen as it snowed more than it had in years in this town, he had calmness and contentment in his soul.

  I’ve been blind, she’s so much more to me than just an exceptional night in the sack. This woman completes the man I want to be.

  Her soft skin beneath his fingertips burned through and had his cock hard within his jeans. The air smelled like Riya and the scent of lemon, grapefruit, and blood orange mixed in made it all the more perfect to him.

  Letting go with his uninjured arm, he slipped it around the nape of her neck and drew her closer to his chest. He shut his eyes in relief when she didn’t fight him on that. Her cheek rested against the cotton of his shirt.

  He wanted to take her right now and remind her of how it had been between them that night so long ago. However, he also instinctively knew that would be the shortest way for him to lose her for good. This woman wasn’t a vapid headed idiot. Not in anyway.

  While it was harder than steel for him to do, he drew back from the curves pressed against him. “Are you going to kick me out?”

  “You know you’re not as cute as you think you are, Cameron Liaci.” She met his gaze.

  “Yes, I am,” he stated with assuredness.

  The slight curl of her lips as she fought her smile warmed him.

  Rolling her eyes, she pushed against his chest and slipped off her counter. “I won’t make you drive in that craziness out there. But you’re staying in the guest room.” She crossed her arms and shot him a look, daring to contradict her.

  “I’ll take it. Want to stay in that room with me?”

  Riya narrowed her eyes at him.

  He flashed a grin. “Just checking.”

  “Do you have clothes or did you just run out with groceries?”

  “I have a bag in my truck. I’ll go get it.”

  She shook her head and held out her hand. “You stay in here and stop using that damn arm or you won’t be able to get back to work as soon as you’d like. I’ll get your bag. Give me your keys.”

  The moment he placed them in her palm, he realized he wouldn’t have turned them over to anyone else without hesitation. He remained there as she moved around him and swiped her jacket on her way out the door.

  I could get used to this. Being in a house with her.

  Shaking his head over his playing house scenario his mind created for him, he made sure the groceries were put away then he got himself a cup of water. He peered out the window over her sink and shook his head at the accumulation thus far. It was going to be much worse than they’d anticipated.

  The door opened and he turned to see her walking in carrying his heavy black bag in one hand. The thing was heavy and it didn’t appear to bother her in the slightest.

  “Bedroom is back here,” she said once she’d removed her snowy jacket and kicked off excess snow from her footwear.

  He trailed her down the short hallway to the room. A double bed was in the middle of one wall with enough room to move on either side. An older dresser and an oversized chair in the corner were the only two other pieces of furniture. Across the bed was a quilt in different shades of pink.

  Riya dropped the bag by the dark brown chair in the corner and turned back toward him.

  Cameron wished there was more light on in the room aside from the single lamp illuminating the space.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked, rubbing a hand along her left arm.

  He was but not for anything in her kitchen, unless she was in there. But yes, he could go for some grub. “I don’t want to put you out.”

  She snorted. “Right, exactly why you showed up at my house in the middle of a snowstorm because you didn’t want to put me out. I’m having another cup of tea and a sandwich, do you want me to make you one as well?”

  “I’ll make the sandwiches, you just show me where everything is kept.”

  Her indecision wavered before she gave a nod.

  He then gestured for her to lead the way out of the room. He had to get her out of here or they would be naked on that very pink bedspread in seconds.

  Before she exited the room, her gaze flicked to the bed and to him briefly. There was no disguising the heat in her gaze. Or the longing.

  He trailed his gaze along the back of her low riding workout pants. Gray in color with pink writing on the ass cheeks. ROYALTY. He hid his smile, it worked for her. He loved it. The white shirt she wore hugged her upper body and he longed to peel it away from her dark skin and trail his tongue along each inch.

  She made them both a cup of tea while he made a huge sandwich then cut it in half. He chuckled over her pink paper plates as she put a half on each.

  “What?”

  “I don’t remember this much pink last time I was here.”

  She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Were you paying attention to my plates then? And the second bedroom?”

  “Can’t say that I was.”

  “There you go then.” She lifted both plates, carried them to the living room and put them on the coffee table. “I got them,” she called out the second he reached for the drinks.

  “I’m not an invalid.”

  “Nope but you are not supposed to be using that arm. I’m guessing you shouldn’t have been out there tonight.”

  “You would be right on that, but I monitored dials and gauges. I didn’t go in the building.” He sat on the couch and took a large bite of his sandwich. Ham, turkey, and salami along with lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard and a dash of salt, all on thick slices of multigrain bread. While he chewed, he watched her.

  She sat curled up on a loveseat, balancing the plate on her knee as the mug of steaming tea rested on the arm. Wisps of her hair fell around her face adding an air of innocence to her appearance and never once took away from the sexiness. As she chewed, she tucked her hair behind one ear and lifted her gaze to his. “What?” she asked around the bite in her mouth.

  “Nothing. Why did you get into cybersecurity?”

  “I’ve been messing with computers since I can remember, the government came knocking before I got out of high school and offered me a position there when I graduated.” She picked a small piece of the bread off and popped it in her mouth.

  “Then why are you taking classes for cyber security and working as a waitress?” He had to be missing something.

  “I never finished high school.”

  He had to try twice to swallow that next bite. “What?” School had not been an option for him or Carter and not finishing something which never came up.

  “I said I never finished high school.” She took another bite and chewed slowly. Her throat moved up and down as she swallowed. “That’s why I’m working at the diner and going to school.”

  He wanted to pry and learn more but his brain wasn’t completely on board with that idea. He took a drink of the tea and tried to figure out the best way to continue.

  She gave a short bark of laughter while she shook her head. “What’s the matter, Cameron? Not used to someone who didn’t finish school and go to college? Ashamed you slept with me now?”

  “I’ll put you over my knee if you keep talking that way. No, I’m not ashamed of that. I’m curious.”

  “Then how about I don’t make you try to figure out a way to ask the questions you’re dying to know in a way with diplomacy, and just tell you. I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  He hated that she believed she should be ashamed.

  Now, she waved him quiet when he opened his mouth once more. “I had to drop out to take care of my mother. She had dementia and we couldn’t afford for anyone to take care of her. So, I quit going t
o school. Never stopped playing with computers to keep up my abilities. When she passed away, I figured I should get back to doing for me, so I got my GED and began working for the degree.”

  “When did you lose your mother?”

  She cleared her throat and shrugged. “It’s been a while.”

  He finished his sandwich and canted his head to the side. “How long?”

  “A little over two years.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze, just finished her own partial sandwich.

  “Riya?”

  She brushed off her hands and placed the plate on the arm of the chair, opposite side of the mug. “The night I slept with you, it had been one week since I put her in the ground.” She climbed out of the chair and picked up the two items before walking out of the room and leaving him alone.

  Holy shit, one week after she buried her mother, he treated her like everyone else he fucked—he’d left.

  Chapter Four

  Riya sat in the middle of her bed with her arms wrapped around her legs as she rested her chin on her knees. It was only three hours since Cameron had entered her home. He was the only person who’d been in here since her mother died. Hell, he was staying in her old room and pink soothed her.

  Not a fan of the color herself, now she kept it around and wore it as tribute to her mother’s memory. Unable to continue being out there with him, she’d run. Childish perhaps but right now, she just needed a bit of space from this man who exuded sexiness by the bucketful.

  She’d managed to get about forty-five minutes of sleep before she was wakened by thoughts of that same man, sleeping less than a hundred feet from her. Crawling off the middle of the bed, she yanked off her shirt and rummaged around for a sweatshirt. As it’s tatty warmth surrounded her, she paused by the window and stared out.

  That looks like more than a foot of snow out there but surely, it can’t be that much.

  The moment the thought zipped through her mind, the power flickered then went out.

  Great, just fucking great.

  She went to her dresser and dug around for a flashlight, clicking it on at the very moment a deep voice skated across her room.

  “Riya, are you okay?”

  “Power went out,” she said turning toward him, light in hand only to gulp and swallow hard.

  Cameron Liaci was fine as hell clothed, when that layer of protection for her sanity was removed, it escalated to an entirely new level of hotness. He’d exchanged jeans for sweats and they rode low on his hips. Her gaze zoomed downed to the happy trail dipping below the band of his pants.

  With a low curse, she jerked the light up to his face then lowered it when he squinted. “Sorry.”

  “Where do you keep the other lights, and do you have a generator?”

  She coughed. “No generator and the other stuff is in the kitchen.”

  “Let’s go.” He beckoned with one hand.

  She took it without any thought. His warm hand curved around hers and she couldn’t help the fluttering of her heart. “What do you think happened? Too much snow? Accident?”

  He took the light from her and led the way, keeping her partially behind him the entire trip to the kitchen. “Either makes sense. A lot of snow has fallen, so an accident is quite possible. So are the lines snapping because of the weight of this wet snow. I’m sure a lot of calls are coming in.”

  She touched his shoulder. “There isn’t anything you could have done anyway. you’re not fit for work.”

  “Right.” Condemnation leaked over.

  “I’m sorry, that sounded horrible. I meant that with your shoulder—”

  “I know what you meant, Riya. I’m just pissed at myself for being injured.” He took a deep breath and let go of her hand.

  She missed his touch instantly.

  It didn’t take too long and there were numerous tea lights lit, casting a soft ambient glow around the two of them as they sat in her living room. Golden light danced over his chest, making her mind wander down roads she wasn’t sure she had the ability to keep from traveling.

  Not that I want to stop going down that road.

  “What?” he asked.

  Riya shook her head and tucked some hair behind her ear. He made her tongue tied like a schoolgirl.

  He stared at her. “Tell me about your father.”

  “Cop, good man. Shot in the line of duty.”

  “Wouldn’t his benefits have helped your mother?”

  “If they’d been married, I suppose so, but because it wasn’t official, it didn’t matter to them.” She used to have massive anger over that fact but over the years, it had dulled.

  “I’m sorry, Riya. It had to be hard.”

  “It was what it was.” She tugged the crocheted blanket off the back of the loveseat and draped it over her legs. “Tell me about your family.”

  His smile made her envision happily ever after and the entire white picket fence dream.

  “You know Carter and of course Gina, who technically isn’t family yet but will be again, when they finally tie the knot.” He scratched his chest before getting up.

  Riya stared at him as he walked toward her.

  “Mind if I join you?” He had already taken up the second half of the loveseat by the time he finished asking the question. Bending forward, he lifted her legs to settle over his lap, then readjusted the cover she’d been using.

  There wouldn’t have been a protest even had she found the words. Riya wasn’t going to lie, she loved having him touch her, even something as simple and innocent as what was happening now.

  Although with Cameron, not sure it’s ever truly innocent.

  A fact which explained far too well the reason he had so many women in his life and why there hadn’t been room for someone like her. Anger swelled in her gut, nearly overflowing. She did her best to swallow it down but it wasn’t going away, not that easy.

  Cameron wasn’t putting his hands beneath the blanket to touch her. In fact, he was toying with the crochet design as he stared at her. Gaze assessing.

  She bristled under his stare and tried to calm down.

  “What are you thinking?”

  She narrowed her eyes slightly. “I was listening to you talk about your family.”

  There it was, that look he gave people the one that said ‘I know more about what you’re thinking than you want me to and I’m about to call you on it.’ Especially when it was directed at her.

  “Nice try. You got all tense and are damn near frowning. What’s going on?”

  “I’m not frowning,” she disputed, touching her face to ensure herself she wasn’t.

  There wasn’t much room on the loveseat to begin with so when he adjusted his body, more of him took up space. Not that she minded but there was something going on in her mind about having some level of decorum, no matter how small.

  “See, sweetness, I know you’re lying. You’re face gets these little lines right here…” He touched the corner of her right eye with his index finger. “And on the other side.”

  Then came another brush of skin on skin instantly skyrocketing her temperature. “I’m not frowning,” she reiterated, brushing his hand away. “You were telling me about your family.”

  He stretched his arm out along the back of the loveseat and twined some of her hair in his fingers, tugging slightly. “So I was.” He nodded. “My father owns his own business, he’s got the shop on Vine that has the malts from the old days.”

  She’d been in there a time or two, had always wanted one of those malts, but had yet to indulge. Olde Tyme Sweet Shoppe. “I heard they’re good.”

  His chuckle was sinful. “Better than sex is what a lot of people say.” He held her gaze as he spoke.

  “Do you now?”

  A panty-melting grin lifted his lips. “I said a lot of people, I didn’t say me.” Another tug on her hair. “But I’m more than happy to put it to the test. You and me, have us some sweaty, loud, dirty, fun sex then we go to the shop and try a malt. You tell me which one was be
tter.”

  “I’m not going to be your entertainment during this snow that closes down the city, Cameron. You want that, go to any of the other numerous women I’m sure you have on speed dial.”

  He gripped more hair and leaned closer. “I’m with the one I want and I’m telling you this now, again, Riya. This isn’t just for the lockdown on the city. I want more than that. Longer than that.”

  Her gut knotted and she tried not to squirm closer. “So you say, now.”

  He grumbled but sat back and rested his head against his arm on the back. “My mom is a manager at the grocery store she works at. Loves her job and isn’t looking to retire anytime soon. We’re close and have a dinner together once a week as long as we can pull it off.”

  Another pain shot through her, this one having nothing more to do with Cameron, aside from jealousy that he got to see his parents still while all she had left were the memories. “Enjoy the time while you have it.”

  He swore and pulled her onto his lap, putting one of his legs up on the couch and putting her against his chest. “I’m sorry, Riya. I didn’t mean to make you focus more on what you’ve lost.”

  “Not your fault. I’m the one who asked to hear about your family. Somedays, it just hits me harder than others.” She wiped at her eyes determined not to drop any tears.

  “I should have handled that better. I’m so sorry.”

  She yawned and closed her eyes. “I’m fine,” she mumbled. His body heat penetrating from one side, the blanket on the other combined with the soft lighting had her so close to falling asleep. She just wanted to enjoy him and not think about the fact the heat was off and it would be getting cold soon.

  That was the final thought that trailed her into a dreamland. How nice it was to be pressed against him again.

  αβ

  The cold air on his face woke him. Cameron opened his eyes and frowned. The place was pitch black. All he knew for certain was, he wasn’t at home, he wasn’t alone, and it was cold as fuck, except where the body against him pressed.

  Riya.

  He knew it in seconds, namely because no one had ever had this same effect on him as she had. It came back to him after she’d fallen asleep on his chest, he moved them back to her bedroom and crawled in beside her, having no intention of sleeping away from her. He figured if she questioned it, he could always use the fact that the power had gone out and they needed to share body heat.