Ablaze (Dallas Fire & Rescue Book 2)

by Paige Tyler

  “Not at all.” Skye’s lips curved. “Who we fall for—or how fast—doesn’t have to follow any rules. It simply happens. The smart people are the ones who recognize that and let it happen. The crazy ones are the idiots who overthink everything and screw it up.” She moved around the table in the kitchen, setting down the bowls and plates. “I had a crush on Jax when I was younger and knew he was the one for me the minute I came back to Dallas. I didn’t care how long we’d been seeing each other.”

  Lexi leaned back against the granite island with a grin. “Now I don’t feel so bad admitting I transferred to Station 58 so I could meet Dane.”

  Skye looked at her in surprise. “You did?”

  “Uh-huh. I ran into Dane at an incident scene a couple months ago and couldn’t get those dreamy dark eyes of his out of my head.”

  “I knew there was a reason I liked you the moment we met,” Skye said. “You’re a woman after my own heart. You saw what you wanted and you went after it.”

  Lexi watched Skye collect cutlery from the drawer. “Do you think Dane and I have what it takes to make a relationship work?”

  Skye’s expression was thoughtful as she placed a spoon and knife beside each bowl. “Yeah, I do. I mean, it’s hard for firefighters and paramedics to find people who understand what they do for a living and the crazy hours they work. Believe me, I know. Not only do you and Dane already work the same shift at the station, but you have the whole living-the-life-of-danger thing down pat. That’s got to count in your favor, right? Besides, if I know my brother—and I do—he’s already head over heels for you.”

  Lexi hoped she was right.

  “Speaking of which, has my brother gotten around to asking you to the wedding yet?” Skye continued.

  Lexi shook her head. “I think he’s probably worried it might send the wrong message since we’ve only gone out a few times. You know how guys can be about weddings.”

  Skye scowled. “That’s stupid—and so typical. I’ll ask you then. Would like to come? Jax and I would love to have you there.”

  “I’d love to.”

  Lexi hoped it wouldn’t be weird for Dane. Yeah, they were dating, but some guys could be funny about stuff like that.

  Skye looked like she wanted to say more, but Dane and Jax walked in the back door. Dane gave Rodeo an affectionate pet then straightened with a grin.

  “Smells great,” he said.

  Skye glanced over her shoulder as she opened the oven. “Wash up. Dinner’s almost ready.”

  Dane chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

  While Dane waited for Jax to finish at the sink, Lexi slipped up beside him and mentioned Skye had invited her to the wedding.

  “You don’t mind that I said yes, do you?” she added.

  He smiled. “Of course not. I wanted to invite you myself, but I didn’t want put you in the awkward position of saying no if weddings weren’t your thing.”

  Lexi almost laughed when she realized she’d been worried about putting him on the spot. But Dane didn’t seem freaked out by the idea at all. “I think it will be fun.”

  He leaned in to kiss her. “Me, too.”

  During dinner, the conversation quickly turned to shop talk. Skye didn’t seem to mind, but Lexi noticed Jax steered clear of any of the more dangerous calls he’d gone on. He mentioned he’d talked to Captain Stewart earlier, though. According to their boss, there’d been several more car crashes around Dallas thanks to those crazy street racers. Clearly, those jackasses didn’t care if anyone got hurt.

  As Skye smoothly changed the subject to talk about the upcoming wedding and where they were going on their honeymoon, Lexi felt Dane’s sock-covered foot caress the inside of her calf. She looked up to see him sitting across from her looking like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. His foot moved a little higher until he was teasing the inside of her thigh. She slipped off her flip-flop and responded in kind, tracing her bare toes along his jean-clad calf then up his leg.

  They took turns playing footsie with each other under the table for the remainder of the meal, all the while trying not to give anything away. Messing around while Skye and Jax were none the wiser was fun—and hot. Lexi even slipped her toes all the way up to Dane’s crotch to caress the bulge there. On the other side of the table, Dane sucked in a breath. She hid her smile in her glass of iced tea. That had definitely gotten his attention. Speaking of things at attention, he had a heck of a hard-on hidden in those jeans.

  When Skye and Jax got up to clear the table after dinner, Dane sat there for an extra five minutes, no doubt worried the bulge in his jeans might give them away. By the time Skye brought over dessert—chocolate cupcakes filled with coffee mousse and topped with chocolate frosting—he seemed to be back in control. Lexi was tempted to start up another game of footsie under the table, but behaved herself.

  “I had fun today,” Dane said to her a few hours later as they pulled out of Jax and Skye’s driveway onto the road and headed back to the city.

  “Me, too.” Lexi grinned as she snuggled closer to him. “Especially playing footsie with you under the table. I haven’t done anything like that since I was a teenager. Hope you don’t mind my teasing you like that.”

  Dane chuckled. “I definitely didn’t mind. But I do intend to get you back for it later.”

  Lexi quivered at the promise in those words. Even though they both had to be up early to get to the station for their shift, she didn’t want the evening to end.

  She rested her hand on his thigh and leaned in a little more. “What do you think about going back to your place for a while so we can pick up where we left off?”

  He stopped at the corner and turned his head to look at her. The light from the streetlamp glinted off his dark eyes, making her breath hitch. “You sure about that?”

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

  “That works for me,” he said.

  Mouth curving into a sexy smile, he turned right instead of left and headed toward his place.

  Chapter Eight

  DANE COULDN’T REALLY blame Lexi for teasing him during dinner since he’d started the game of erotic footsie under the table with her in the first place. And while his hard-on had eased up a little bit while they had dessert, it had come back in full force on the drive to his apartment. When she’d put her hand on his thigh, he’d been ready to put the truck in park and pull her onto his lap right there.

  Pulling into his parking space, he cut the engine and opened his door then climbed out and offered his hand to Lexi. She took it without a word and, together, they practically ran up the stairs to his apartment.

  The moment they walked inside, Lexie spun around and kissed him hard. Dane urged her back against the door, holding her there with his body as he explored her mouth. She got a hand between them, sliding it down his abs to caress his erection.

  Damn. It felt like his cock was going to burst through his jeans.

  He kept his hands pressed against the door over her head as their tongues tangled with each other. Keeping his mitts off her steaming hot body was the only way to make sure he didn’t rip off her dress and take her right there.

  But the hand caressing his hard-on proved to be his undoing, and he finally weaved his fingers into her long hair, yanking her head back and kissing her fiercely, taking her mouth like he wanted.

  Lexi moaned, spreading her legs a little to grind against his thigh through her dress at the same time she gave his shaft a firm squeeze. He was so caught up in how good it felt, he barely realized his other hand had wandered down to cup her bottom. She had absolutely the finest ass he’d ever had the privilege of touching. It was firm but curvy, and oh-so-squeezable.

  She clutched his shoulder with one hand, sighing against his mouth.

  “You like when I do that?” he asked.

  “Mmm,” she breathed.

  He bunched the material of her dress in his hand, pulling it up until he was grabbing one panty-covered cheek. The sound of pleasure Lexi l
et out almost made him want to tear off her barely-there panties. Telling his inner caveman to chill, he dragged his mouth away and rested his forehead against hers.

  “I’m not sure I can hold out long enough to make it to the bedroom,” he rasped.

  She let out a husky laugh. “Who says our first time has to be in a bed?”

  Dane groaned.

  Catching the hem of her dress, he slowly lifted it over her head and tossed it in the general direction of the couch. Lexi kicked off her sandals and unsnapped her lacy bra even as he yanked his shirt off and sent it searching for her dress. Instead of stripping off his jeans, he stopped and stared.

  Lexi stood there wearing nothing but a skimpy pair of panties. He’d seen her in the bikini earlier, so he’d already known she was in fantastic shape, but seeing her perfectly rounded breasts with their subtle tan lines and dusky-pink nipples made him realize how amazing she truly was. He could stand there the rest of the night and simply gaze at her.

  She slipped her fingers in the waistband of her panties and slowly shoved them down over her hips with the sexiest damn wiggle he’d ever seen. When the scrap of material pooled on the floor between her legs, she gracefully stepped out of them and walked toward him.

  Giving him a sultry smile, she reached for his belt.

  Dane captured her small hands in his much larger ones before she could unbuckle it, tugging her forward against his bare chest as he pulled her wrists behind her back and held them there. Lexi didn’t seem to mind being his prisoner, but he didn’t give a chance to say anything as he covered her mouth with his and slipped his tongue inside to tease and play.

  She moaned as he glided his free hand over her body, paying specific attention to her breasts and her nipples. Then he moved lower, running his hand down the center of her taut abs past her belly button and through the collection of curls at the junction of her thighs before finally delving into the folds of her pussy to tease her clit.

  Lexi whimpered as he slipped his finger inside her wetness. Then he very slowly began to move in and out as he pressed the palm of his hand to the sensitive area at the top of her cleft. She trembled, and if he hadn’t been holding onto her wrists, she probably would have collapsed to the floor.

  She writhed against his hand, moaning. It would have been so incredibly easy to make her come that way. But while he wanted her to climax, there was a very special way he wanted to make it happen.

  He slipped his hand out from between her legs, ignoring her complaints as he took her hand and led her into the living room. Spinning her around, he nudged her until she was sitting on the back of the couch, her toes off the floor and confusion clear on her face.

  Grinning, he grabbed her thighs, lifting them up and spreading them wide as he moved between her legs.

  Eyes widening, Lexi clutched as his arms with a breathy giggle. “Are you crazy? I’m going to fall off.”

  Dane leaned over and slowly kissed his way down her inner thigh. “You’re not going to fall. You’re going to come…until you scream.”

  He didn’t tease her, not even a little. He’d already done that with his fingers, and she was clearly ready for more. So after he ran his tongue carefully up and down the folds of her pussy a few times, he settled his mouth over her clit and began to gently lick there.

  Lexi’s whole body went rigid. Dane tightened his hold on her thighs, keeping her in place as he lazily moved his tongue back and forth over the most sensitive part of her body. Her taste was intoxicating, making him hungry for more of her while making him hard as hell at the same time.

  She did indeed scream when she orgasmed, dropping her head back and biting down on her knuckles in an attempt to muffle the sound. It didn’t work, of course. The echoes of her pleasure bounced off every wall in his apartment.

  Dane had never been with a woman who gave in to her pleasure like Lexi did. Watching her body writhe as he continued to lap at her clit was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  He held onto her until she got herself back under control, not letting go until she raised her head and looked at him. The heat in her blue eyes made him groan. Licking her lips, Lexi languidly slid off the back of the couch and onto her knees in front of him.

  “My turn,” she said, a wicked smile crossing her face as she popped open the buttons on his 501s.

  * * * * *

  After the hard orgasm Dane had given her, it took Lexi longer than she would have liked to get his jeans off. But once she had them yanked down to mid-thigh, it got easier. After that, his underwear was a piece of cake, even though she had to work carefully to free the serious bulge hidden in there. When he was completely naked, she sat back on her heels and appreciated what a hunk he was.

  Damn, what a body. Abs so cut she could wash her clothes on them, pecs and shoulders muscled enough to give her a visual orgasm, powerfully strong thighs, and a cock so thick and perfect, she wasn’t sure if she should cry or cheer. She decided to go for option number three and simply worship it.

  Reaching out, she wrapped her hand around the base of the shaft and tugged him close, taking him into her mouth the second he was within range.

  Dane groaned as her lips closed over the head. She closed her eyes, echoing the sentiment with a moan of her own. She couldn’t help it. He tasted so unbelievable good.

  She fluttered her tongue over the tip then took him completely into her mouth, moving her head in time with her hands, working him slow and sensually. She was going to make him come exactly like he’d done to her.

  Lexi was getting a good rhythm going when Dane reached down and dragged her to her feet.

  “Hey, I was working down there,” she pointed out.

  He ignored her, scooping her off her feet and carrying her into the bedroom. He was really strong. Which wasn’t an excuse for interrupting her blow job, but it was definitely a valid observation.

  Dane tossed her into the middle of his big bed then dug a condom out of his nightstand and joined her. She helped him roll the condom down, refusing to be a passive participant in any part of this evening. Then she lay back with a smile and spread her legs wide as he climbed between them.

  He planted his big, strong arms on either side of her shoulders then leaned down until his face was mere inches from hers. Pulse quickening, she found it impossible to look anywhere but into those warm chocolate-brown eyes of his.

  “Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy you are?” he whispered as he closed the distance between them and kissed her softly.

  She hoped that was a rhetorical question, because she wouldn’t know how to answer it even if she could have spoken. Instead, she focused on returning Dane’s kiss and pulling him down on top of her. Dane held back only long enough to get himself positioned right so that when Lexi wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him close, his perfect shaft slid in like they were made for each other.

  Lexi gasped as he filled her. Grabbing a handful of his hair, she kissed him harder. When Dane started to move, it felt so good she nearly cried. His thrusts started slow and smooth, but built quickly to a wild pounding that sent spirals of pleasure through her. The sensations were so overwhelming, she buried her face in the curve of his neck and shoulder and urged him on, locking her heels together behind his back and yanking him in harder with each thrust.

  When her climax hit, she buried her face deeper in his shoulder and screamed as a lightning-fast orgasm zipped through her like a runaway train. She squeezed her legs tightly around him when her pleasure crested then kept going on and on and on.

  She wasn’t sure when it happened, but at some point, Dane flipped them both over until she was riding on top of him. This position drove his cock even deeper, triggering another surge of sensations that left her crying out.

  She both felt and heard it when Dane came. He grabbed her hips and slammed himself into her as far as he could go, letting out a hoarse groan as he poured himself into her.

  Afterward, Lexi collapsed forward onto Dane’s stro
ng chest like a limp ragdoll as the last of the tremors dissipated, leaving her weak as a kitten. She lay there with her face against his chest, gasping for breath. That had to be the best sex of her life.

  “That was amazing,” she whispered.

  He ran a hand over her hair. “Ditto.”

  Lexi wasn’t sure how long they lay there like that, but at some point she finally found the energy to look at the clock and realized it was after midnight. They had to be at the station at seven. Crap, they were both going to be so tired tomorrow at work.

  She pushed herself up off Dane’s warm, inviting chest. “It’s getting late.”

  He twirled her hair around his finger. “I’ll drive you home, if that’s what you want. But, if you’re asking, I’d rather you stay the night.”

  Lexi blinked. Not in surprise, but because she was taken aback by the depth of emotion she saw in his eyes. She might have had the greatest orgasm of all time, but her heart was beating even faster now.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind getting up early to drive me back to my place so I can change and grab some stuff?” she asked.

  She wasn’t asking because she needed him to talk her into staying. Falling asleep in his arms was the perfect way to end the perfect day.

  Dane pulled her against him and kissed her long and slow. “Hell no, I don’t mind.” His mouth curved. “Although I don’t know about waking up early since I don’t plan on letting you get any sleep tonight anyway.”

  Lexi laughed as Dane rolled her onto her back and trailed kissed along her body. If he was thinking about round two, she was definitely down with that.

  Chapter Nine

  LATE NIGHT?” TRENT asked, glancing at Lexi as he pulled their rescue truck out of the hospital parking lot and headed for the highway on-ramp.

  She’d tried to hide her yawn behind her hand, but Trent must have seen it anyway. While she was tired partly thanks to making love with Dane half the night, the constant string of calls she and Trent had gone on today probably had something to do with it, too. It had been one long day of nonstop car wrecks, chest pains, trips, slips, falls, industrial mishaps, and poor athletic decisions.