Misadventures with a Firefighter

by Julie Morgan

  “Well, that’s a shitty way of going about it.”

  “Yep. I warned the principal about his actions as well. That putting me on leave because of Erin’s accusations will come with repercussions.”

  My brows rose. “What kind of repercussions?”

  “Just that if Erin went after me for my job, what’s to stop her from going after someone else’s? Like his. I also think it would be a good idea to write a letter to the principal, making it clear that in no way is Erin allowed anywhere near your son, for any reason.”

  She was right. I nodded. “I’ll definitely do that.” I paused and considered my next words. “Well, I came over today to beg for you to come back. And I’m not above getting on my knees and pleading with you.”

  Cara fidgeted with her fingers, and then a smile tugged the corners of her mouth. “I would love to see you do that.” She raised her gaze and met mine.

  It was good to see her lighten up. She needed a laugh, which I hoped I could give her. She needed someone to lean on. I longed to be her person. “Which part? Beg or get on my knees?”

  “Both, please?”

  I smirked and picked up Luci. “Sorry, kiddo. Your mama needs me to plead for my life.”

  Luci meowed at me, then jetted away as soon as I placed him on the couch. I stood and took a few steps closer to Cara, then got down on my knees. I took her right hand into both of mine, then brought it to my lips.

  “Please, baby girl, please forgive me and my foolish ways.” I closed my eyes and brought our hands to my heart. “Please, I beg you with all things on this green earth, to take me back. Please”—I did my best impression of a minister cleansing demons from a person’s body on television—“let our love be enough to cut through the curtains of this universe and allow me to hold you in my arms once more.” I held our hands up to my forehead. “Please, woman, I’m begging you here, please! I love you, Cara Murphy.”

  I brought our hands back to my heart, and I took a chance to look up into her eyes…and found her in tears. I frowned and moved to the couch next to her. This wasn’t the result I was hoping for. “What the hell did I say? I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  She shook her head and took her hand back from me. She wiped her eyes and hiccupped. “You’re apologizing for something you didn’t even do. You’re begging me to come back, when I left and pushed you away. It should be me begging for you to take me back.”

  I reached for her and cupped the side of her face, then swiped at her tears with my thumbs. “You know, I’m not above begging and a blow job.”

  She stopped crying and looked at me with a confused expression. It took only a moment before her frown shifted into a grin, and Cara then began to giggle. “How do you do that?”

  “Do what, baby?”

  “Take a serious conversation and make it a joke?”

  “Oh, this isn’t a joke, baby. I want you back, and if I’m not mistaken, you want me as well. All I’m saying is I’m down for a blow job.”

  She rolled her eyes and laughed, then sniffed. “I love you too.” She climbed over me and straddled my lap. She pushed her fingers through my hair and tugged my head back. Cara then slanted her lips across mine and kissed me.

  I cupped her ass and squeezed her closer to me. Our tongues tangled in a dance of seduction. Her lips were soft, and she tasted of cinnamon.

  She let a soft groan escape, then mumbled, “I missed you so much. I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m here now,” I told her. “And I’m never going anywhere again.”

  “Good, because I don’t want you to go anywhere without me.”

  I stood, Cara’s body in my arms, and carried her toward her bedroom. I laid her back against her bed. Her legs remained tight around my waist, and I pressed my erection against her body, the friction drawing a moan from her.

  I didn’t want to stop kissing her, but fuck, we needed to remove our clothes. I reached up and grabbed my T-shirt, yanked it over my head, and tossed it.

  Cara pushed against my chest, and I stood over her. She sat up and unbuttoned her flannel top. Her breasts were bare underneath, and I couldn’t wait to taste her mounds once more. She lifted herself up and removed her bottoms, then lay naked for me on her bed.

  I grinned and placed my hand over my mouth. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked.

  I opened my eyes and moved my hand. “I’m just grateful that all of this is mine.”

  She smirked. “Then come and take it.”

  Quickly I removed my shoes, socks, and pants, then my boxers. I returned to Cara and pushed her back against the mattress again. She moved her legs up around my waist and lifted her head up to kiss me.

  “Don’t you dare hold back,” she whispered. “I need you inside me, right now, Noah Hughes.”

  A groan escaped me, and I reached between us to line up my cock to her pussy and pushed. I filled her instantly, and she arched her back. Fuck, she felt amazing around my dick. Her walls squeezed my manhood as I pulled out and thrust back in.

  She grabbed hold of my shoulders, and her nails dug into my skin. The sensation of her holding on hurt and burned in the best way possible. If she were marking her territory or staking a claim over me, I welcomed it.

  “I love you,” I grunted as my body moved in rhythm with hers. I slipped my fingers around her throat. She met my gaze, and her lips parted with a gasp.

  “I love you,” she whispered between thrusts.

  I squeezed slightly on her throat, and she moaned louder, her pussy tightening around my cock. “You like that?”

  “Yes,” she groaned. “Yes, harder, baby. Harder. Make me yours.”

  I didn’t hesitate. I pulled back and slammed back deep inside her. Cara’s back arched, and she gasped hard against the slight strangle I had on her.

  “Pull my hair,” she requested.

  I let go of her throat and pressed my hand to the bed. I fisted my other hand in her hair and yanked it to the side.

  She gasped, and her pussy tightened around my dick. I tugged her hair again, this time harder. Cara screamed out, and I moved my body faster, my cock pushing deeper inside her.

  “You. Are. Mine,” I grunted with each thrust in her ear, then nibbled on her earlobe.

  “Yes!” she yelled out. “Yes!”

  My balls tightened, and the familiar warning I was about to come surfaced. “Baby,” I whispered, “hold on…hold on. Don’t shatter for me yet.”

  “I’m trying,” she cried out. “Oh shit, Noah. I need to, please.”

  “Fuck,” I growled. “Come for me, baby, come with me. Now.”

  Cara’s body went rigid, and I thrust once more as warm liquid spilled from me inside her. “Holy hell.” My breath came out in pants. I felt a warm rush come from her, soaking my pelvis and balls.

  Cara panted, beads of sweat on her face, as her chest rose and fell. She held on to me, and her legs began to turn soft and limp. “May I ask something?”

  “Anything.” I looked into her eyes and slipped my lips across hers. In this moment, I knew she could see directly into my soul.

  “Can we fight more often?”

  I chuckled and pushed my dick inside her once more. “Anything you want, baby.”

  “I only want you, Noah. I want my life with you and Marshall. I need you both. I love you so much.”

  I teased my nose across hers, then kissed her once more. “I love you too. And we’re yours, baby. I’m yours.”

  Epilogue

  Cara

  A year had passed since I’d met Noah, and it had been a roller coaster of a ride. I had continued teaching and considered furthering my studies into special education. I picked up a few books from the local library and read articles on how teachers have accommodated to curriculums, autism, and nonverbal students.

  Noah and Marshall moved in with me in my condo. He had put the place he had with Autumn up for sale. Per Noah’s request: “It didn’t fee
l right moving you in when we could start something new.” I agreed with him, but I also wouldn’t have minded living there. I think if Autumn and I had met under different circumstances, we would have become friends.

  I had seen a few pictures of her, including those of their wedding day. Marshall had her eyes. I could see a part of her in him every time we spoke.

  As for Marshall, he enjoyed having me around and called me “his dad’s girlfriend.” And I was just fine with that.

  Today, I’d gotten a call from Principal Bishop. He’d requested my attendance back at New Expeditions School. I wore a red-colored dress with a white overcoat. Christmas was coming soon, and I felt like Mrs. Claus. I had the best man in the world and was gaining a new son. My life felt complete.

  I made my way into Mr. Bishop’s office and noticed he was not at his desk. Instead, I went over to his assistant, Mrs. Beverly Scott.

  “Hi there,” I said, and Beverly looked up.

  She smiled and stood from her seat. “Well, look who the cat dragged in! Cara Murphy, it is great to see you!”

  “Well, it’s great being seen. How’ve you been?”

  “Oh, I’m good.” She motioned to a chair for me to sit in. “I know you’re here to see Principal Bishop, but woman, I need to prepare you for what you’re in for.” She lowered her voice. “You remember Erin Malone?”

  I lifted a brow. “Yes.”

  She smiled and pressed her fingertips together. “Miss Malone has had a misunderstanding of how things work around here.”

  “Oh? What does it have to do with me?”

  Beverly leaned in. “Let’s just say that she has been removed from the grounds and will never teach again.”

  What the hell did she do? I tilted my head, confused. “Can I ask what happened?”

  “Since the investigation is now over, yes. I can tell you she tried to blackmail Principal Bishop into giving her what she didn’t deserve. When a position to run the kindergarten program up through third-grade classes became available, she was quite upset that she was not selected. So she decided she would come in here and offer a sexual trade in exchange for the position.”

  My eyes widened. “No, she didn’t!”

  “She most certainly did. She had it in her head that you apparently did this. When Bishop marched her out of his office, he told her that her belongings would be packed for her and to never return.”

  “Oh my,” I whispered and sat back in my chair. “Then why am I here?”

  “I’ll be happy to explain that.”

  I turned around in my chair to find Principal Bishop behind me.

  I stood and turned to face him. “Hi. Thank you for calling me.”

  “Thank you for giving me a chance to speak with you directly. Now, if you wouldn’t mind?” He motioned toward his office.

  I looked over to Beverly and mouthed thank you. She returned it with a nod and a wink.

  Principal Bishop and I went into his office, and he pulled a chair out for me at his conference room table. He took a seat and crossed one leg over the other.

  “I’m a man of integrity and can admit when I’ve been wrong.”

  I sat forward in my seat. “Okay? Well, what can I do for you?”

  “It’s more like what I can do for you.”

  I was curious about what he wanted to offer.

  “Since I overheard your conversation with Beverly, you’re aware of the situation.”

  I nodded. “It’s too bad how it all came about.”

  “Truly,” he said and folded his hands in his lap. “I’m prepared to offer you your job back, full tenure, and the promotion to run the kindergarten through third-grade classes here at New Expeditions. You’ll take on the art division and receive a generous bump in pay, full benefits, and a bonus for coming back.”

  I widened my eyes, completely caught off guard. “I appreciate the offer, and trust me, I want to say yes, but you and I both know I broke the rules when dating Marshall’s father, Noah.”

  He nodded. “I’m very well aware of that. But that school year is now behind us.”

  “So, have the rules changed?”

  “Kind of. If a teacher is found to have been dating a student’s parent, we’ve made a rule change to move that student to a new classroom.”

  “That’s all?”

  He nodded. “That’s all.”

  I smiled. This was what I wanted—tenure, to run the department, and in time, make a run for superintendent. It was all on a plate just waiting for me to say yes.

  But this involved more than just me.

  “Would you mind giving me one minute, please? I need to make a quick call before I give you my decision.”

  “Of course. Take all the time you need.”

  I nodded, pulled out my phone, and called Noah. I stood and left Mr. Bishop’s office while the phone rang.

  “Hey, baby,” Noah answered.

  “Hey, yourself. So I’m here at New Expeditions.” I told Noah everything I was being offered. “What do you think?”

  The line was silent for a moment. “Well, this is your decision, baby, not mine.”

  “I’m aware of that, but this affects you as well.”

  “I think you should go for it.”

  “I’m glad you said that. Thank you. See you later tonight.”

  “You got it. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” I hung up the phone and returned to Mr. Bishop’s office.

  “Well? What’s the verdict?” he asked.

  “I’ll accept on one condition.”

  “Okay?”

  “If there are any allegations, they’ll be investigated before any decisions are made.”

  “Agreed,” he said. “Anything else?”

  “Yes. I need you to be aware that Noah, Marshall, and I are now living together.”

  He nodded and offered a letter packet. “Thanks for letting me know. Inside is everything we talked about, as well as an offer letter. I’m happy to have you back at New Expeditions, Miss Murphy.”

  I was happy to be back too. I wouldn’t trade this life, this misadventure with my firefighter, for anything in the world.

  NOAH

  Everything had fallen into place. Cara got her job back with the school and received full tenure. Marshall and I moved in with her, and he got a new room out of it. He loved the space and living in a condo.

  He also seemed to enjoy having Cara around as a motherly figure. And her cat took to Marshall like a new best friend. Marshall asked why a boy cat would be named Luci. I loved his innocence and hoped he held on to it for many more years to come.

  Tonight would be a game changer. It wasn’t Christmas, but it might as well have been. Tonight I planned to propose to Cara.

  I had talked to Marshall about it just after we moved in.

  “How would you feel if Cara would become your stepmother?” I had asked.

  “I like her, Dad. I’m not sure I’m ready to call her Mom, though.”

  I’d smiled. “You don’t have to until you’re ready. She’ll never ask you to do it, either, unless you want to.”

  He’d nodded. “Then I’m good with it. I love our new place, and you smile more with her.”

  It had warmed my heart, and I knew Cara and I were doing a good thing.

  The evening had approached quickly, and now dinner was finished. We all sat at the dining room table. I looked over to Marshall and winked. He winked back and took his dish to the sink, then took off for his bedroom, Luci right behind him, chasing his heels.

  “What was that about?” Cara asked.

  “No idea what you mean.” As soon as Marshall was out of sight, I reached for Cara’s hand. I brought it to my lips and kissed the top of it. “We’ve been through a lot, baby.”

  She smiled. “Yeah, we have.”

  “I’m not good with speeches, but I am with begging.” She giggled, and I stood from my chair. “Cara Murphy.” I bent down to one knee and tugged a ring box from my pants pocket. “Will yo
u do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Her eyes widened, and when she didn’t say anything, I continued.

  “Please, baby?”

  She blinked, then fell into my arms and screamed out, “Yes!”

  I chuckled and hugged her to me. I never wanted to let go. “I hope the ring meets your approval. My wingman helped me pick it out.”

  She pulled back to look at what was in the box. It was a teardrop-shaped yellow diamond surrounded by rubies set in a platinum setting. A tear slipped down her cheek, and I smiled when she held her hand out.

  I slipped the ring onto her finger, and she hiccupped.

  “Thank you. I love it.”

  “I was hoping you would. These are the colors of fire, because baby, you set me alive when we met, and I haven’t been the same since. I want you to be mine officially. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Marshall peeked back into the room. “Can I come back now?”

  Cara laughed, motioned him over to the two of us, and embraced him in her arms. “I love you too, kiddo. Thank you for helping your daddy pick out such a beautiful ring.”

  “You’re welcome, Miss Mur— Wait, do I still call you Miss Murphy?”

  “You can call me Cara, or, when you’re ready, Mom.”

  He smiled and rested his head on her chest. My heart swelled with love, and if I wasn’t careful, it might burst into flames. Good thing I was a firefighter.

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  Acknowledgments

  Heather Ray and Martha Frantz — You were with me every step of the way. I owe you so much. Thank you.

  To the team at Waterhouse Press — Thank you for making this process seamless. You’ve been incredible!

  To Victoria Blue — Thank you for all of your advice, letting me pick your brain, and just being one of the most amazing people I know.

  And finally, to my husband, John — You’ve been so supportive. You’ve been my rock. Thank you. I love you.

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