by Peyton Banks
“What will you two lovely ladies have to drink?” The bartender asked, giving Laura a more extended look. I had to admit that Laura was gorgeous with her Blasian looks. Laura’s mom was black, and her dad was Asian. Her dark eyes twinkled as she looked at me.
“I’ll be having a Sprite, but give my friend whatever she wants on me.” Laura asked, “So, what shall it be, Sheena?”
I needed something alcoholic— a type of drink that would knock me out when I got home and give me a good night’s sleep; better than I have had in months.
“Give me a tequila,” I replied, “thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Get sloshed and let your hair down. I’m the designated driver tonight so you can get loose,” Laura said as our drinks were placed before us.
“Oh, my God! Who is that that just walked in?” Laura asked. I turned around and looked toward the entrance of the bar. My breath lodged in my chest. I could see his eyes collide with mine. The man halted at the door, and he just stared.
He was tall, I assumed about six foot three or four in height, and muscular. His biceps strained against the short sleeves of a black tee-shirt. My eyes roamed the fit of his black snugged jeans that fit him like a second skin. His hair was jet black, wavy, longer on top, short on sides and back. A hot feeling flushed my body, and a sudden throb pulsed between my thighs. I gasped and hurriedly turned around in my seat.
“Give me another drink, please,” I said, catching the bartender’s attention. I chanced another peek over my shoulder. Blaze the sexy firefighter’s silver gaze clashed with mine. I hurriedly looked away, only to find Laura looking at me with a teasing smile on her lips.
“That man is a hunk! If I wasn’t married—”
“No, you wouldn’t. As if you would give any man a second glance after meeting Roger. I don’t think so,” I turned up a second shot and gulped it down. I coughed from the burn in my chest. I wasn’t a drinker, and I knew I needed to slow down, but tonight I didn’t want to be my usual reasonable self. I craved to be carefree, happy, and the woman I was over six months ago. The woman I was before the loves of my life were ripped from me.
Laura was right, though; Blaze was an absolute hunk. I glanced over again in Blaze’s direction. His grin flashed brilliantly white before he sauntered in my direction.
“Hell no,” I cursed. “He’s coming this way.” I swiveled back towards the bar, picked up my drink, and drained it in one go.
“Calm down, Sheena. Just act natural,” Laura said before asking the bartender to refill my drink. “Damn, you need to loosen up girl. My advice to you is to do something you’ve never done before.”
“Like what?” I muttered and glanced over my shoulder. Blaze was talking to a buxom blond bombshell. The woman had plastered herself against him, and he had his big hands placed at her tiny waistline. My lips pinched, and my eyes narrowed when the woman whispered something in Blaze’s ear and he laughed. What could she have said to him that would cause that reaction? I crossed my arms in front of my chest, causing my breasts to push closer together.
Blaze’s eyes locked on mine again over the bombshell’s shoulder. The smile that split his lips grew wider as he stared at me. Backing away from the woman, he spoke to her without taking his eyes off mine. The woman turned around to glance my way. Her thin pink lips flew open, and she frowned. She then stomped her foot and marched off in a huff.
“I gotta use the restroom,” I told Laura as I hopped down from the barstool.
“Wait, I’ll—” was all I heard her say before I half ran in the direction of the ladies’ room.
The restroom was relatively empty when I walked in. I walked over to the sink, turned on the cold water, and splashed my face. The cool water did little to calm the emotions running through me. Why was I acting like this? Why did it bother me to see Fireman Blaze, who was a total stranger to me, talking it up with another woman? Why did it bother me to see his hands on the woman’s tiny waist? I bet they were lovers. He looked like the type that got around plenty.
The door opened, and two women walked in. They gave me a smile before proceeding to the bathroom stalls. I had been hiding out in the restroom long enough. I reached for a paper towel and dried my face before opening the door and stepping from the room.
“Hey, you. Fancy seeing you again,” Blaze drawled as his gray gaze raked me from head to toe before settling back on my face. “Remember me? I’m Blaze Kent,” he said and smiled. Heat coursed through my body when he reached out his hand and I placed mine in his to shake.
“I remember who you are,” I replied, and attempted to pull my hand away. “May I have my hand back now?” I asked, and Blaze’s grin grew wider.
“Your name is Sheena, right?” He ignored me and kept my hand in his. The two women in the restroom took that moment to walk out. Blaze pulled me closer and my body was pressed against his muscular tallness to give the two women room to walk by in the hallway. They both sent a look of appreciation Blaze’s way.
I breathed in Blaze’s tantalizing scent. I immediately felt the need to bury my face in Blaze’s broad chest. He had a tangy, citrusy smell of a mixture of sage, vanilla, and almond, with a hint of lavender. I knew that scent. It was fucking Tom Ford. I inhaled, then inhaled again. Damn, Blaze’s scent was downright intoxicating. Even more intoxicating than the two drinks I had consumed earlier.
“Are you sniffing me, Sheena?”
I jumped away from him and gazed up into his smoldering gaze.
“No,” I lied.
“I was just going to say that I didn’t mind if you were. You smell good, too,” he said. I couldn’t believe when he leaned down, nuzzled his nose against my neckline and gave a loud sniff.
“Wha—what are you doing?” I asked in a loud whisper.
“I’m smelling you. What does it look like I’m doing?” A teasing glint penetrated his eyes.
“You’re making fun of me,” I stated.
“No, I’m getting to know you is all. Come and dance with me, Sheena.”
“I can’t, my friend is waiting for me at the bar.”
“Laura doesn’t mind.”
“How do you know Laura’s name, and how do you know that she doesn’t mind my abandoning her when we came here together?”
“You see, Laura and I had a quick chat. I know her husband, Roger. He’s my dentist, by the way. Laura gave me her blessings to get to know you. She said she’d be at the bar.”
“Oh,” I said, at a loss for words.
“Come on,” Blaze pulled me from the dim hall, out onto the dance floor, and I let him. I made up my mind that I was going to take my friend’s advice. I was going to do something outrageous. Something totally opposite of what I would usually do. I wanted—no, I needed, to feel alive again, if only for tonight.
4
Blaze
Sheena walked ahead of me, and I allowed my eyes to roam over her rounded backside. I admired the way her plump ass fit inside her jeans. I was usually into tall, leggy blondes; but one look at Sheena’s curvy frame made my blood boil and my cock hard as granite.
Sheena glanced back at me, and I quickly tore my gaze away from that juicy ass and followed her to the dance floor. When she turned and walked into my arms, our gazes connected in the dimly lit room. I couldn’t help but gaze at her kissable plump lips. Shit. I craved to kiss her. For a moment, I imagined those thick lips wrapped around my cock.
A shy look crossed Sheena’s face. “Stop staring,” Sheena said softly.
“I can’t help it. Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now?” I asked.
“We don’t even know each other. How can you want to kiss me?”
“Have you ever met anyone that you feel you already know? That’s the way I feel around you, Sheena.”
“Who was the woman you were talking to earlier? Was she your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend. That was Tansy, someone I used to hang out with. She’s dating one of my work buddies, Collin.”
“Fuck, I’m trying my best to be a gentleman, but you make it damn hard—in more ways than one.” Sheena’s brown gaze held mine. It became my undoing when she nibbled on her bottom lip.
The slow rhythm of the music swirled around us. I placed my hand around her waist, meshing her body with mine. I could feel the warmth of Sheena’s skin. We moved our bodies to the rhythm and I slid my hand over her lower back.
“Do you feel what you’re doing to me?” I asked.
Sheena tilted her head up, our gazes clashed. A small grin played around her sexy mouth.
“I do,” Sheena replied, and brought her body even closer to mine.
My erection got even harder, thickening as it strained against my zippered jeans. I danced Sheena into a darkened corner, giving us some privacy. I pushed her against the wall and pressed my erection against her belly. I caressed her soft neckline with my mouth before raising my head to suck her earlobe into my mouth. “I know it may be too fast, but I want to make love to you. How do you feel about that?”
“Ahh—”
“Take your time, sweetheart,” I grunted. I caressed the shell of her ear gently with my tongue before sucking on the delicate earlobe again. “I’m not going anywhere, darlin’.” I took that moment to slide my hand down even further and grabbed the soft globes of her ass cheeks.
“Oh, God, Blaze!” Sheena gasped. Our gazes clashed, and fiery heat sizzled between us. That fact couldn’t be denied.
My head dipped, and my mouth latched onto hers. My tongue darted into the warm cavity of Sheena’s mouth, and our tongues dueled and tangled.
“Blaze, I need you. Make love to me,” Sheena whispered against my mouth.
I stepped back, breathing in deeply. I asked, “Are you sure? If I go there with you, Sheena, there's no going back. Once you’re mine, you will always be mine. Can you handle that?”
Sheena nodded her head slowly. “Yes, I understand. But I need to tell Laura I’m leaving.”
“Send her a text on the way,” I replied. I took her hand in mine and pulled her out of the bar into the cold night’s air.
5
Sheena
Blaze put his truck in park, letting it idle for a minute before cutting the engine. He braced his forearms against the wheel and turned his head my way. “Damn, you are beautiful.”
Blaze reached over and hauled me against him. He cupped his hands around my face and slammed his lips against mine.
“Fuck.” Blaze said as he pulled away. I immediately missed the warmth of his mouth against my own. Without another word, Blaze opened the door to his truck, got out and jogged around to help me from the vehicle. Once inside his home, he flipped on the light switch and kicked the front door shut behind him. I didn’t have time to even look around before he had me up the stairs and to his bedroom.
“I need you, sweetheart.” Blaze muttered as he helped me shed my clothes, piece by piece. I felt hot and bare before his gaze.
“So beautiful,” Blaze repeatedly grunted. He latched his mouth against my neckline. Blaze’s teeth were sharp as they grazed against my heated flesh.
“Mm,” a prolonged moan tore from my throat.
Blaze drew my naked body closer against him. He was still fully clothed, and my hands skimmed across the hemline of his tight tee shirt.
“Let me,” Blaze whispered, his voice harsh with need.
Blaze stood back and slowly disrobed. I stood in awe as each muscle of his toned body was revealed. My hand automatically reached out to touch him, and to trace the tattoo of an eagle on his shoulder. I pulled my hand away when Blaze grimaced.
A shadow passed over his gaze, and he shut his eyes. A second later, Blaze’s silver gaze opened, he grabbed my hand and pulled me over to sit on the king-sized bed.
“I was shot in combat when I was a SEAL. My missions included the sea, land, and air. I was on a land mission when I was wounded. I received an honorable discharge. For a few years, I was lost. I drank, and chased women. Then one day, I decided to get my head outta my ass, and I became a firefighter.”
“Wow, that’s admirable of you. I’m glad you found your way,” I said. I became ashamed when I felt my eyes glistening with tears.
“Don’t cry, Sheena,” Blaze said, wiping away a stray tear. Why are you so sad? Talk to me, baby.”
“My parents, Ella and James, were killed by a careless driver six months ago. I moved here from Anniston, Alabama to get a fresh start. I couldn’t stay there with so many memories surrounding me any longer.”
The memories of that time made more tears fall from my eyes.
“Damn, Sheena, I’m so sorry. No one should have to experience that kind of loss.”
“I can’t even hate the sixteen-year-old kid who caused the accident. He died on impact. All this happened because the teenager was texting and driving.” I sniffed and dashed the tears away with the back of my hand.
“I’m sorry,” Blaze said again, and pulled my face against his chest.
“My father loved my mom so much. He was a great dad, and husband. He doted on me when I was growing up like you wouldn’t believe.”
“That’s great, Sheena. What was your mother like?”
“My mom was awesome. She was a stay-at-home mom until I started school. She started to work part-time, not because she had to, but because she liked to keep busy, and she didn’t want her education to go to waste. She was a nurse. The way my mom cared for everyone she came in contact with that needed her help is why I wanted to be a schoolteacher. I want to teach small kids with learning disabilities. I start to work during the second week in January. Until then, I’m just using the time to get settled into the home I’m renting.”
Blaze cleared his throat. “It’s a blessing you had a great family life. I too, suffered a loss when I was eighteen. I was raised by a single mom. I never knew my father, and I don’t want to know him. The deadbeat got my mother pregnant and ran off. My mother never heard from him again.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. My heart felt sorrow for Blaze. What man wouldn’t be proud to be a father to a man like him? “Does your mother live here, in Tennessee?” I asked him.
Blaze stayed quiet for a beat before he spoke. “My mother died from heart disease two years ago, it was around the same time I became a firefighter. My mom’s name was Marie. She was such a beautiful woman who worked too hard to provide for me and my brother, Chase.”
Tears streamed down my face. Now, I not only cried for my loss, but for Blaze’s loss, too. “Are you and your brother close?”
“Yes. We see each other whenever we can. Chase is a police officer, and he lives in Colorado with his wife, Mandy, and their two kids.”
“That’s great. I was my parents’ only child. It’s got to be great to have a sibling to lean on.” More tears sprang to my eyes at the severity of my situation. I was really alone in this world. But you have Laura, my conscience scolded.
“Yeah, it is. Sheena, I know you don’t know me very well— yet, but I want to be a person you can lean on. I’m willing to prove myself to you. I know one night won’t prove—”
“Shh, let’s not talk anymore about sad things. I have the rest of my life for that,” I said.
“Okay...” Blaze replied. “Sheena, do you trust me to make you feel good— to make you forget your pain?”
I was quiet for a moment, and then I nodded. “Yes, I trust you, Blaze. I don’t know why or how, but I do. I feel secure around you.”
Before I could finish my words, Blaze was on me. He struggled out of the rest of his clothes, kicked off his shoes and socks, and cupped my face in his hands. The kiss was long, sweet, and slow. I wanted to luxuriate in the sexiness of his mouth forever.
I didn’t know what it was about that man that felt like home. I finally felt like the missing piece to my puzzle was complete. Blaze hovered over me to keep the bulk of his weight on his forearms, but I wrapped my arms and legs aroun
d him and began grinding my heat against his hard cock.
He was hard as granite, and I craved for him to be in my wet sex.
I tore my lips from Blaze’s mouth and gazed up at the fiery lust in his silver gaze. I had no doubt that it matched the desire in my own brown eyes. Blaze slipped one hand into my hair and slammed his lips onto mine once again. His lips were supple and hot. Blaze’s mouth was gentle at first, and then urgent.
I laid back and Blaze hovered above me. He gazed into my eyes for a moment, then leaned in slowly and kissed me with an insistence that was almost desperate.
A soft whoosh of air escaped my lips, and I ran my fingers through the short spiky crop of his hair, pulling him in even closer. I relished in the full length of Blaze’s body pressed against mine. His knee pried my thighs apart. Blaze lowered his head and peppered my cheek and neckline with kisses. The feel of his lips across my soft skin caused me to moan again and tremble.
Blaze crushed his mouth against mine. I made a crooning noise and melted under his tutelage. His tongue flicked over my lips and invaded my mouth to intertwine with mine.
My heart beat erratically against my chest. The heady, aromatic taste of Blaze filled my mouth, making my body pliant. I met Blaze’s tongue with my own as we dueled and tangled. My free hand reached over and grabbed his shoulder, and my body arched into his.
Electrical shocks of desire reverberated through me, making me aware of Blaze’s every caress. His cock hardened, planted deep inside my moist heat, fusing our bodies together to begin a sexual dance.
Our breaths mingled, as we breathed as one. My senses exploded with the taste and feel of Blaze. I felt like I was in paradise with Blaze's cock buried so deep inside my core.
This can't be right, a voice inside my head rationalized. Go with the flow, another inner voice insisted. Something that felt this good couldn’t be wrong.
Blaze’s fingers slid between my drenched folds and made me once again focus on him, and him alone. I moaned when he ran his knuckles along the seam of my wet pussy and bumped against my slick nub. My breathing became faster. Sexual need glittered in the depths of Blaze’s eyes and he pulled me even closer into his embrace. A finger slowly circled against my clit and Blaze brought his wet finger to his nose and inhaled. He then he took the same finger with my juices and sucked it into his mouth. My core clenched and shuddered at the sight of him enjoying my slickness.