It certainly felt right when his lips were seared to mine.
I imagined Cain’s powerful arms wrapped around me—hands on my skin—the same desire coursing through him that raged inside my body. I closed my eyes and I could still smell his scent—still taste his kiss—still feel his hand on my leg, refusing to move further than the edge of my dress when I wanted him to go so much further.
A couple of guys I dated in college tried to get me to give them something when I was hesitant to spread my legs—they wanted my lips to kiss and explore while my tongue gave them pleasure. I refused. The thought of it made my stomach turn. But, in my fantasy, with my finger swirling around my clit, I started imagining Cain wanting the same thing. His obsidian stare—enough to melt my panties off my hips—enough to make me want to get down on my knees and beg for him to use my mouth to satisfy his desires.
I would do it for you, Cain. Thinking about it—oh god!
My fingers moved in a quick circle, making my whole body tingle with anticipation of the orgasm that was starting to build. I tried to imagine what Cain would look like—naked in front of me with more than his shirt removed. His muscular physique was so gorgeous. I imagined having all of those muscles crashing into me as he drove himself inside my pussy and took my virginity. It would probably hurt, but would I be squirming and begging for more, just like I was doing as I pleasured myself? My finger kept moving—each second bringing me closer and closer to the bliss that my body needed to push me across the threshold of lust.
This is what it feels like to really—want someone.
My tongue moved across my lips and lightly teased them. The kiss was so vivid that it didn’t take much imagination to picture him there—ravaging my lips with the same ferocity I felt hours before. My body was writhing on the bed. I was moaning louder with each passing second. I had gotten so turned on that my bed was wet with my desire.
I’m gonna cum!
“Oh god!” I couldn’t suppress the verbal reaction any longer.
I reached the point of no return. I felt my pussy spasming as my clit shot pleasure through my entire body. My legs shook and my whole body surged with euphoria. I kept my finger swirling on my clit, using it like a button to prolong the bliss until there was nothing left.
If only Cain was here to hold me. I bet he’s the kind of guy that would keep his arms wrapped around me as we fell asleep…
* * *
The next morning
I woke strangely invigorated. It wasn’t like waking up with a good night of sleep to push me forward into the day—it was like waking up to the sound of my favorite song—yet there was nothing in my room but silence. I got dressed, walked into the kitchen, and poured a cup of coffee. I could hear the shower running, so I assumed Lola was getting ready for work. I seriously hoped that I would have an opportunity to do that one day—my bank account was going to be in the negative soon if I didn’t find some form of gainful employment.
I guess I should just bite the bullet and apply for a job at Starbucks, so I’ll truly feel like I wasted the last four years getting an education that was supposed to take me places.
“Wow, you’re awake. I figured you’d be up all night texting Cain and have to sleep until noon.” Lola smiled as she walked into the kitchen and refilled her cup of coffee.
“We talked for a little bit, but I don’t think he’s much of a texter.” I shrugged. “We’re going out again tonight.”
“What!?” Lola’s eyes opened wide and she almost spit out her coffee. “You’re going to go out on two dates before I even get to meet my guy?”
“You’re not meeting Mr. Doctor until next weekend, so…” I grinned and sipped my coffee.
“What are you going to do, go out on a date every night this week?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Not every night—but after he does his twenty-four hours at the fire department tomorrow, he’s got two days off.” I grinned. “Never know…”
“Well, I don’t know when you’re meeting him, but feel free to borrow anything from my closet.” Lola reached for her purse. “I hate working on Sunday—it’s so slow and boring.”
“I wish I had a job that I could hate.” I grimaced.
“Oh—sorry.” She flinched. “Yeah, I guess I should appreciate what I have.”
Lola left and I checked through my emails just to be on the safe side. It was unlikely that I was going to get anything over the weekend from the companies I applied to. I went to a local job listing website and copied the information for a few possible options. None of them were in my field of study and they didn’t pay more than minimum wage, but it the bottom of the barrel was better than starvation.
Lola wouldn’t throw me out, but she couldn’t pay for everything on her own. Every time we had a bill due, the savings I built up over the years took another hit. If I had realized it was going to be so difficult, I would have never quit the retail job I had while I was in school. It made sense at the time because I had some money saved up and wanted to focus on finding a job, but even that tiny paycheck would have been better than nothing.
I really have no idea what I should wear. I guess I need to text Cain and ask…
Chloe: Do I need to find another pair of heels before our date tonight?
Cain: Tonight? I’m picking you up at noon.
Chloe: Noon!? I haven’t even showered!
Cain: Better hurry then.
Chloe: You still haven’t told me if I need heels!
Cain: Nah. I’m wearing tennis shoes.
Chloe: So… It’s casual? Jeans?
Cain: I’m going with a t-shirt and jeans.
Chloe: Okay. I’ll see you soon!
Thank goodness I asked when I did.
I put down my laptop and headed to the bathroom so I could shower. A slight smile crossed my face when I started washing my inner thighs and remembered what I did before I fell asleep the night before. It was self-indulgence, and not what my body really craved, but the substitute would have to do until we took thing to the next level.
It was still strange to be thinking about that, especially with someone I just met, but I knew what I wanted. I never fully understood why it wasn’t right with other guys, but at least that gave me a baseline for what I felt when I was with Cain. Without the bad experiences, I wouldn’t have truly known how incredible he was.
I wonder where he’s taking me on our date. Noon on a Sunday—I guess we aren’t going to church.
I finished my shower, dried off, and walked to my bedroom so I could pick out some clothes. I grabbed my best pair of jeans and a t-shirt with my college logo on it. I liked the idea of a casual date. Our first date was so formal—not that our best attire was necessary for the bar and grill we ended up at. I went from feeling like the most underdressed woman in the room at The Hawthorne to the most overdressed once we found a place that suited our tastes.
Okay, I’m making good time. Once I do my hair and makeup, I’ll have some time to relax before he picks me up.
I wished I had Lola with her attention to detail when it came to cosmetics, but my best would have to do. It wasn’t perfect by any means once I was done, but I did look presentable enough to leave the apartment. I walked back into the living room, picked up my laptop, and decided to waste the rest of the time I had on social media. It had been a while since I even posted a status update, much less a picture.
Wait, I have an email. Holy shit!
I saw the email icon at the bottom of my screen and when I flipped over to see an email that made me forget to breathe for a moment. It was from someone at Cardinal Advertising, which was one of the companies I had submitted my resume to—hoping for a job in their marketing department. I nervously opened it and my jaw fell open.
They want to interview me! Oh my god!
I quickly typed out a reply, letting them know that I was still interested in the position, and would love to be interviewed. I read over the email to make sure it was perfect, and then sent it. Cardinal Adv
ertising was one of my long shots. They weren’t even hiring when I sent in my resume, but I still took a chance—one that seemed to have paid off before any of the other companies reached out to me.
A date with an amazing man and now I might land my dream job. Maybe things are looking up after all…
“Uncle Cain, I thought you were going on a date.” Abby eyed me suspiciously as I walked into the kitchen for another cup of coffee. “You’re not dressed for a date!”
“We’re doing something fun today.” I smiled at her and nodded.
“Fun?” Bridget looked up at me as I walked into the living room and sat down.
“Yeah, I’m taking her to that new place downtown—the Escape Room.” I nodded.
“Interesting.” Bridget raised her eyebrows. “I guess it could be fun…”
“I think it will be.” I shrugged. “If she hates it, then we’ll find something else to do. Speaking of—it’s time for me to hit the road.”
“Okay, don’t stay out too late.” Bridget chuckled and nodded.
I probably would if it was an option at this point…
I picked up Chloe and after we exchanged a kiss, she told me about the email she got with a request for an interview. The excitement was practically resonating from her, and it definitely sounded like the kind of job she wanted. An office job would have bored me to tears, but she made it sound more exciting than fighting fires. I was just happy to see her smile—to watch the excitement on her face—to have a chance to spend time with her.
“Sorry, I’m just kind of rambling here.” She took a breath and smiled. “Where are you taking me today?”
“Have you ever done one of those Escape Rooms?” I looked over at her.
“Oh, that new place downtown? I’ve heard about it…” She nodded. “Some people at school said they tried it, but they ended up getting stuck for hours.”
“Not a bad thing.” I winked at her. “Especially if I’m with you.”
We pulled up outside the Escape Room and I bought two tickets. After a brief overview of the puzzles we would encounter, the guide led us into the first room and locked the door. Based on what we had been told, there were several rooms that got a little more difficult as they were solved. We could keep going until we got stuck, or we could finish one and save the others for another day. The first one was supposed to be fairly simple, and if we got stuck there, we definitely wouldn’t enjoy any of the rooms that were more complex.
“Interesting…” Chloe looked around the room. “It looks like a walk-in closet.”
“Yeah.” I nodded and walked over to the lock on the door. “It needs a three digit code.”
“Too bad they have a camera in here.” Chloe walked up and put her hands on my waist. “We’re locked in a room—alone.”
“I don’t care if they see this.” I pulled her close and crushed her lips beneath mine.
I kissed Chloe until we were both gasping for air and as soon as we were able to pull oxygen into our lungs, I kissed her again. We finally got our composure long enough to start looking around for clues. It was definitely beginner level, because we found the first clue within a couple of minutes. It was attached to the bottom of one of the shoes in the walk-in closet—the number six. We started pulling down clothes after that, checking the fabric, and going through everything that could lead us to the next number, or a clue.
“Oh look.” Chloe slid a dress to the side. “There’s a safe back here.”
“Interesting…” I walked over and tilted my head. “So, maybe it’s a puzzle within a puzzle?”
“Like puzzle Inception?” Chloe giggled.
“Maybe.” I nodded. “If I remember correctly, this dial lock usually needs three digits, so maybe the number on the bottom of that shoe is for the safe instead of the door.”
“Possibly.” She walked to another line of shoes and started flipping them over. “I wish I had a walk-in closet this nice. My clothes would barely fill half of it.”
“Maybe you will now that you’ve got this awesome new job lined up.” I chuckled and pulled a dress off a hanger.
“Yeah, hopefully I don’t screw up the interview.” She exhaled sharply. “Wait—I found something?”
“What is it?” I tossed the dress down and walked over to her.
“This shoe doesn’t have a match.” She pointed at a single shoe in the middle of several pairs. “That has to mean something, right?”
“Yeah. Probably so.” I nodded. “Maybe that’s another number? One?”
“Or…” She picked it up. “All of the shoes here are the same size except this shoe—it’s a size six.”
“Wait.” I tilted my head. “Six—and six.”
I walked over to the safe and dialed six three times. It immediately popped open.
“Creepy…” Chloe raised an eyebrow. “What’s in it?”
“A piece of paper with another three digit code. I bet this goes to the door.” I handed it to her.
Chloe punched the three digit code into the door and the lock clicked.
“Well that was pretty easy.” Chloe pushed the door open and we walked outside of the closet.
“I think they get harder from here. Do you want to try another one, or was this enough of an adventure for you?” I looked over at her.
“Another one might be fun.” Chloe grinned. “It’s kind of nice working together to figure it out.”
We walked into the next room and it was set up like a medieval dungeon. The room was much larger than the closet. It also wasn’t clear which one of the puzzles in front of us would actually open the large wooden door. Unlike the closet, there was no keypad for a code. I did a little investigating and found a spot for a key, which appeared to be the only way to get it open. Finding it was definitely going to be a challenge.
“Well this room is interesting.” Chloe walked over to a human-shaped metal box with spikes on the inside, commonly known as an Iron Maiden.
“Yes. I wouldn’t get too close to that thing…” I quickly closed the distance between us and stared at the metal box. “Hmm, the spikes are dull, and—they’re attached to springs.”
“Wait a second.” She reached out and gently pushed on one which caused it to disappear into the metal. “What if someone has to get inside it to unlock a clue?”
“That would be quite terrifying for some people.” I pushed a spring and confirmed that it didn’t appear to be capable of causing harm. “I guess it’s worth a try though.”
I stepped into the Iron Maiden and tested each spike on the door before pulling it closed. Thankfully, there were none near my face or eyes, which would have probably hurt, even if the pressure pushed them back into the metal. Once the door was closed and all the spikes retracted, I saw pin sized holes drilled into the eyes that were focused on the rack directly in front of the Iron Maiden. Even though it didn’t have the ability to actually hurt me, the Iron Maiden still felt like a coffin, so I was happy when I pushed the door open.
“The rack.” I pointed across the room. “It’s the only thing you can see once you’re inside it.”
“Okay, then that has to be a clue.” Chloe walked over and started to fiddle with the leather straps.
“Well, I’m certainly not getting on that thing.” I chuckled under my breath.
“What? You don’t want me to tie you up?” She winked and saved a leather strap at me.
“Not if that is all you can do for the next three months.” I took her hand. “Besides, you’d be the one tied up—not me.”
“Fine, I guess you convinced me.” She turned to the rack and climbed on it.
The rack was very sturdy and had metal supports underneath the wood, which was totally unrealistic for a medieval torture device. I couldn’t suppress a smile when I attached the leather straps to her wrist and watched her pull on them. I let my hands drag along her body and down her leg before I started working on the ankle straps. Whoever designed the room had a twisted way of solving puzzles—not that I
would have minded having my date all tied up if we weren’t planning to abide by the rules and abstain from chasing our desires until the time period was up.
“If you feel any sort of pull, let me know.” I reached over to the crank and gave it a slight nudge.
“Nothing.” She shook her head back and forth.
“Okay.” I nodded and slowly turned the crank, watching as the wood beneath her spun. “Yeah, the straps are attached to the metal support underneath it, not the crank. It’s safe.”
“I guess I didn’t need to let you strap me to this after all.” She giggled and looked over at me.
“You were a little too eager.” I traced her stomach and then leaned in for a quick kiss.
“Yes, I suppose so.” She gasped when my lips pulled away.
I gave the crank a few turns, and she looked around the room. There was nothing that obviously pointed to the next clue. If the rack was meant to be the next one, then it wasn’t as simple as looking up from position like it was in the Iron Maiden. After a few more cranks, I noticed something—a number carved into one of the pieces of wood that rolled. I stopped turning the crank with it exposed and leaned over.
“There’s a number carved into this—three.” I tilted my head to the side.
“It can’t be part of code since there’s no electronic lock.” She leaned to the side and looked at the number. “Okay, get me down from here.”
“Already?” I let my fingers trace her leg. “Maybe I want to keep you tied up for a little longer.”
“I’m at your mercy.” She bit down on her bottom lip, grinned, and started to squirm underneath my touch.
“Yes you are.” I chuckled and traced my way down to her ankle.
Dear Mr. Firefighter: The Match Maker Series Page 9
