by Jaci Burton
He turned and walked out, feeling better tonight than he had in the past week.
One major project down, one to go.
It was time to see Callie.
* * *
* * *
Callie sat out on her front porch and tried to enjoy the summer breeze that drew in the scent of gardenias from her garden and ruffled the hem of her sundress. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t take any pleasure from the things that used to make her smile.
Then again, for the past week she’d taken no pleasure from anything at all.
Since the night she’d thrown Jack out of her house, she’d lived like a robot, doing her job during the day and coming home at night, wandering listlessly around her house until bedtime, then lying there staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. She didn’t even want to see Abby and Blair, couldn’t bring herself to tell them what she’d done to Jack.
God, she missed him so much, mourned him like she’d mourned Bobby. Oh, she knew it wasn’t the same. Bobby had died. He’d been her husband, her soul mate, the man she’d lived with for years. Jack had been a fling, a weekend thing, and nothing more. He still lived, and her life should just go on. It was an experiment, a bet, a dalliance that simply hadn’t worked out.
So why did it hurt so damn much? Why did she feel like there was a hole in her stomach, a gnawing ache that wouldn’t go away?
Because even though she and Jack had only been together one weekend, they’d been working at this a lot longer. They were destined to be together, and she’d let his asshole boss dictate that they should break up.
What was wrong with her, anyway? Did she think so little of herself that she bowed down to the dictates of some bigwig corporate lawyer just because he thought she wasn’t good enough for Jack? Why hadn’t she trusted in Jack enough to at least tell him what that Bob Walters guy had said? Why hadn’t she left it up to Jack to decide if she wasn’t good enough for him?
Why couldn’t she decide if she was good enough for Jack? Where had her backbone gone, the grit and determination that had withstood the death of Bobby, the start-up of her own company? Why hadn’t she stood up to Bob Walters? Why hadn’t she gone toe-to-toe with him and argued that she was good enough for Jack?
Fuck Bob Walters. Or rather, Bob Walters could go fuck himself. That’s what was wrong with her. She’d made the wrong damn decision. She’d let someone else decide for her, and it wasn’t the right decision. She owed it to Jack to tell him the truth.
And then she owed it to him to tell him how she felt about him. If he walked away after that, then at least she’d know it was honest.
She stood and went inside to grab her phone, hesitating for only a second before dialing Jack’s cell phone number. He picked it up on the first ring.
“Jack?”
“Callie?”
Her heart slammed against her ribs at the sound of his voice. Would he even want to talk to her? “I need to see you.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes. I need to explain about the other night. The things I said to you . . . the reasons for them . . . oh, this is so hard to say by phone.”
“Then why don’t you say them in person?”
She whirled around, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sight of him standing in her doorway with the phone at his ear. She hung up her phone. “You’re here.”
He smiled and pocketed his phone. “Was on my way to see you, actually.”
“You were?” She smoothed her sweaty palms down the side of her sundress.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because I have a lot of things to tell you.” He stepped into her house and closed the door.
She moved toward him. “I have things to tell you, too.”
“You do?”
“Yes. About the night I threw you out of my house. I lied.”
They were only inches apart now. She inhaled his scent, nearly crying because she missed his smell. She wanted to reach out for him, to jump into his arms and wrap her legs around him and just breathe him in.
“You did?”
“Yes. One of your senior partners came to see me and told me I shouldn’t date you anymore. He was in the movie theater the night you and I were there. He saw us, said we were perverted and you continuing to see me could jeopardize your future with the firm.”
“I know.”
“Then he said— You know?”
“I figured it out after I went to talk to Blair and Abby.”
“You talked to Blair and Abby?”
“After you threw me out. I knew something wasn’t right. That’s just not you, Callie. You don’t act that way.”
He knew her. He really did know her. Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked them back. “I’m sorry, Jack. I’m so sorry I said all those hateful things to you. They hurt me as much as they hurt you.”
He cupped her cheek, and she nearly died at the warmth and love she felt in his touch. “I know they hurt you, baby. I know he hurt you, too. But that son of a bitch isn’t going to come anywhere near you, or me, again.”
Her eyes widened. “What did you do?”
“I quit the firm.”
“What?” She grasped his hand. “Why?”
“Because I won’t be blackmailed. Besides, what we do isn’t perverted, Callie. It’s our business and no one else’s. It doesn’t hurt anyone, and it sure as hell doesn’t affect my work performance. Besides, Bob Walters has been boinking his secretary for the past five years.”
“No!”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, and I got the pictures to prove it. Dumped those on his desk tonight after he threatened to go public with my so-called perversions if I didn’t toe the line and do exactly what he said.”
Callie’s legs were shaking. “I can’t believe he threatened you like that.” She looked up at him. “You got pictures of him with his secretary?”
He grinned. “Sure did. He won’t be bothering us again. Ever. Not if he wants to hold on to all his money and doesn’t want a messy, expensive divorce.”
“Oh, my.” Still, she somehow felt responsible for all this. “You quit your job because of me.”
“No, Callie. I quit my job because the senior partner is an asshole. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Yes, it does. It’s because of me, because of what we did, what we do.”
“Hey.” He pulled her against him, winding his arms around her back. “What we do is fun and doesn’t hurt anyone. It’s thrilling, sexually stimulating, and hotter than hell. There’s not a damn thing wrong with it, so don’t you feel ashamed or embarrassed. What Bob is doing with his secretary is depraved. What two consenting single adults do with each other is perfectly acceptable.”
She nodded. “You’re right. Still, I hate that you lost your job over this.”
“I’m not. Come with me. I have something to show you.”
He drove her downtown and parked on the street, then walked a short distance, entering a building under construction. A modest four-story office complex, it was a short walk from her shop.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“My new office.”
She wrinkled her nose under the smell of sawdust and paint as they walked the floor plan of his new space. Bright and airy, it was small, with an open reception area and three offices.
“I’m going to start small, but I expect to grow really fast.”
“You started your own company.”
He nodded, grinning. “Already have two clients that have jumped firms to follow me. Hired a secretary and have an associate coming on board Monday. I’ll work from home until the offices are done, but I’m up and running officially.”
She squeezed his hand. “I’m so proud of you, Jack.”
“Hey, this was the kick in the ass I needed. I don’t really think I was ever meant to be anyone’s
flunky. I’ve had adrenaline pumping ever since I made the decision to quit the firm and start my own business. Now I can do things my way. The right way.”
“And you’ll be a huge success at it.”
“Just like you’ve been a huge success at starting your own business from scratch.”
She beamed at his praise. “Thank you. I’d like to think so.”
“I know so. Now, would you like to help me christen my new office space?”
The breeze flapped the plastic wall barriers against the wood, and Callie shook her head.
“Here?”
“Hell yeah. My dick’s getting hard just thinking about fucking you here.”
Her nipples tightened. She’d missed him, missed the excitement of having him in her life. Without him, she felt empty. With him, every day was an adventure. “Where?”
He looked around, then took her hand and headed to the corner office. “My office. Let’s look out on downtown while I fuck you.”
There was a worktable right in the corner and some clean paint drapes. Jack opened up the drapes and spread them across the table, then palmed his cock through his jeans. “I’m already hard for you, Callie. I need my cock inside you now.”
His sense of urgency spurred her desire, the breeze blowing in and flipping up her dress. She moved to the table and lay belly down over it, turning her head to look at him. “Fuck me, Jack.”
She turned away and looked out over the scenic downtown, anticipation moistening her as she felt Jack step behind her, heard the rasp of his zipper. He reached under her dress and flipped it up over her back, then she felt warm lips on the skin of her lower back.
“Such beautiful skin, Callie,” he said. “Like the softest honey, you just melt under my hand.”
He cupped her pussy. She moaned and did just as he said, melting all over his hand right through her panties. He reached for the strings at her hips and drew the panties down and off, baring her cunt, then kissed his way down between her legs, burying his mouth there and sliding his tongue into her pussy.
Her legs tensed as he licked the length of her, swirling his tongue over her distended clit. The pleasure this man gave her was unlike anything she’d ever known. Forbidden, wanton, more than she could ever desire, he took her on a wild journey that inflamed her senses and intoxicated her. When she was just at the brink of orgasm, he stopped, stood up, and leaned over to kiss her. She licked her juices from his lips, sucking on his tongue as he entered her from behind.
He grasped her wrists and pounded her while she looked out at all the office buildings downtown, wondering if anyone was in their office looking out their window at them. She creamed just thinking about being watched.
“Fuck me harder, Jack.”
He powered deep, so hard the workbench scooted across the floor. His balls slapped against her clit, driving her closer and closer to a climax.
“Come for me, Callie,” he said, his voice gritty and dark against her ear. “Come on my cock.”
He ground against her and reached down to massage her clit. That sent her over the edge. She dug her nails into the her palms and let out a cry as she came, bucking hard against him and sending him into his own orgasm. He flooded her pussy with come and shoved deep, groaning against her neck and sinking his teeth into her nape. She shuddered at the intimacy of him marking her that way.
They were both sweating. And panting. When Jack raised up, the cool breeze from outside wafted over her damp skin. He pulled her upright and turned her around, planting his mouth on hers to kiss her. Rather than a kiss filled with passion, it was a soft, gentle kiss, filled with emotion, with feeling, with what she hoped was love, because that’s what she poured into it, grabbing on to his shoulders and showing him without words how she felt about him.
When they broke apart, she laid her head on his shoulder and let him stroke her back, feeling so incredibly complete she didn’t want to move, afraid the fairy tale would be shattered if she said a word.
“Think we’ll ever make love in a bed?”
She snorted. Talk about the intrusion of reality. She lifted her head and smiled. “I don’t know. I guess we could try it.”
He grasped her hand, and they headed for the stairs. “Would be different, that’s for sure.”
“I’ll have to think about it. I’m not sure if I’m up for anything that kinky yet.”
He laughed as they headed down to the street. “You’re right. We should take it slow. We’ll start on the porch again and work our way inside.”
When they passed by her shop, she paused, looked at him, then back at the shop, then back at him, arching a brow.
“Well, we haven’t properly christened your shop yet,” he said.
She grinned and dug for her keys.
epilogue
“I’m in love,” Callie said, slipping into the booth across from Blair and Abby.
Blair and Abby exchanged eye rolls, then Blair looked at her and said, “Tell us something we don’t know.”
Callie grinned. “I mean seriously and completely and head over heels in love with Jack.”
Abby signaled the waitress to bring a margarita for Callie. “Did you not hear Blair? It’s written all over your grinning face, you twit. Of course you’re in love with Jack.”
“So you two got things settled, I take it?” Blair asked, grabbing for a chip from the basket.
“Yes, we did. And he’s starting his own law business. Which is just a short walk from the coffee shop.”
“Fantastic.”
“He wants me to move in with him.”
Blair arched a brow. “Damn. That’s a whirlwind courtship.”
“He loves me. I love him. We have a future together.” She palmed her own cheeks and took a deep breath. “God, I can’t believe this is all happening so fast.”
Abby shrugged. “If it’s right and it’s meant to be, then it is. You can’t fight fate. Look at what happened with Seth and me. I never expected to fall in love after that weekend, but it happened. And it was quick for me, too.”
“So true,” Callie said. “Look at all of us. Not too long ago we were lamenting being single with no men in our lives. Now all three of us are hooked up and in love.”
“And I’m getting married. I mean really getting married this time,” Blair said, shaking her head. “To Rand, of all people.”
“Just don’t put us in foofy, lime green dresses for the wedding,” Callie teased.
Blair rolled her eyes. “I think you know me better than that. Slinky, sexy, and designer all the way for my babes.”
“I can’t believe how much has changed for all of us,” Abby said. “I’m starting up a new practice and have a man I love in my life now. Callie’s in love. Blair’s in love with Rand. Finally,” she added with a teasing wink.
“Unbelievable, when you think about it,” Callie said.
“And we owe it all to your idea for the bet, Blair,” Abby added.
Blair grinned. “That was one hell of a bet, wasn’t it?”
The waitress brought Callie’s margarita, and she lifted it high and said, “A toast. To the best damn bet Blair ever made.”
“To the bet!” they all said in unison.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Hot to the Touch, the first novel in the
Brotherhood By Fire series.
Available now from Berkley!
CHAPTER 1
PRESENT DAY
Jackson Donovan was having the best dream of his life. It involved his favorite spot on the beach, a spectacular blonde in a barely-there bikini, and hot sex on a Jet-Ski. He was just about to maneuver her onto his lap while they were simultaneously bouncing across the waves, because, hey, in a dream anything was possible, when a loud noise sent him jolting off the sofa in the firehouse.
He’d thought it was the firehouse alarm, so he was instantly alert.
“Calm
down,” Rafe said, not even looking up from the video game he was playing. “Just Rodriguez dropping shit in the kitchen.”
Jackson blinked, that sweet dream vanishing instantly. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. “Oh. Okay.”
“So, good dream?” Rafe asked, grinning as he kept his attention on the TV.
Now that he knew he didn’t have to gear up, Jackson leaned back in the chair. “None of your business.”
His other brother, Kal, laughed. “That means it was about a girl.”
Sometimes working with your brothers was great. Other times it was annoying because they knew him too well.
They’d been together for longer than Jackson could remember. Jackson had hit the streets at ten. It didn’t take long to grow streetwise when you were running from either cops or social services, or whatever other dangers lurked out there for kids. You found yourself a homeless community, which he’d done, and then found other kids. He’d hooked up with Rafe a few years later, then Kal. After that, the three of them had been inseparable. They might not be real brothers, but they had all shared similar circumstances. And all those years they’d lived on the streets they’d looked out for each other, had each other’s backs and had vowed to never be separated.
That had never changed.
Which didn’t mean his brothers weren’t a constant pain in his ass.
“You three intending to spend this shift sitting on your asses?”
Their father, Battalion Chief Josh Donovan, glared down at them. Off duty he was loving and protective and fun. Everything Jackson had always wanted in a father. Off duty he was Dad. The guy who’d saved their lives that night in the house fire.
And the man who’d adopted them, along with his wife, Laurel. Their mom.
But on shift? On shift he was their battalion chief—demanding and strict. He expected a lot of every firefighter who worked at Station 6. His own kids got no preferential treatment.