Ladder 54: Five Firefighter Romances

by Maren Smith

  The grass seed looked intact on the mud-covered hillside, but he groaned softly at the sight of a camper parked in the bigger lot on the other side of the house. He and his ‘date’ had made their arrangements through Sophie. They’d planned to start the weekend at five, and he’d counted on a few hours of peace and quiet until he had to play host. The thick introduction packet that Sophie had pulled together remained unopened in his backpack, and the woman’s early arrival would make this first greeting awkward.

  With a frown, he let himself in the door to find a dark-haired beauty sitting nervously in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the expansive living room. Instead of the middle-aged schoolteacher from his imagination, the twenty-something-year-old woman wore a cute red sundress that showed off her sassy curves and high-heeled stiletto sandals that stretched her already long, smooth legs. Sparkling diamond earrings contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin and dark chestnut hair, and a deep blush cemented a very welcomed innocence.

  She stood when he entered, but her trembling chin immediately went toward the floor. The cabin was home to his dominant lifestyle, and he quickly realized his stern frown was difficult for the young woman to accept. Setting his bag next to her small suitcase, he softened his exterior so he didn’t scare her further.

  “Hi. I’m Declan Kennedy. I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier, but I thought you weren’t coming until after five. I’m not quite prepared; I haven’t even read the packet yet.” To make his point, he took the large manila envelope from his bag. “Sophie said she put some things in here for you, too… about the area and the town, if you’re interested.”

  A shaky hand was offered in his direction, and her voice quavered. “I… I’m C… lee. Sophie gave me the code to get in the front door. She said it would be alright. I… I… I’m sorry I was early… I just…”

  She was adorable. Clearly a natural submissive, she would definitely have been an interesting choice during one of the bi-monthly scenes held at the club. The still unopened packet mocked him as he wondered about her background, and he silently cursed himself for not opening it earlier. The discomforting thought emerged that maybe his stubbornness had left him unprepared.

  Taking her hand, he shook it solemnly, but her pretty smile and shy demeanor called for holding on a tiny bit longer than social norms would dictate. “Clee? That’s an unusual name. Is it short for Cleo?”

  “I… sort of… I guess…” Pulling her hand away, she shook it as though she weren’t quite sure of the proper reaction before she chewed nervously on the well-manicured nail of her index finger.

  He really needed to see if her eyes were as dark and sexy as the rest of her. When he delivered a gentle tap to her chin, Clee looked at him and their gaze locked for a long second. Dark brown soulful eyes, full of trepidation bordering slightly on fear, stared back, but the tiniest sparkle of anticipation matched with the tiniest smile he could imagine. This weekend was proving to be much more interesting than he’d expected.

  “Relax,” he said gently. “This can go as fast or as slowly as you like. You know from the auction that all five of us were fully vetted, and we all have reputations as trustworthy doms. You’re safe here.”

  She nodded slightly and dropped her hand back to her side. After a moment of awkward hesitation, she ran it through the part in her hair before resting it on her shoulder. “Yes. I do remember reading that.”

  One of the traits that made Declan a good dom was his ability to deliver what his submissive needed; a talent that had served him well in a game where, often times, his companion didn’t have a clear understanding of what she wanted. They needed to have an honest, frank conversation as soon as possible, but her trembling chin and still shaking hand needed to be calmed. Declan set the manila envelope on the floor by their bags. “Why don’t we get something to eat? I had one of the restaurants in town deliver a few meals that we just have to heat up. I’m not much of a cook beyond eggs and hamburgers, and you paid a lot of money for the weekend. You deserve better than that.”

  She nodded quietly and followed him through the open floor plan to the fully equipped, modern kitchen. Carefully designed by Sophie, the dark browns and grays of the granite countertops connected the inside of the beautiful house with the spectacular lakeside view. He motioned for Clee to sit on one of the stools at the kitchen countertop, then turned to the refrigerator to see what had been left for them. “Is chili okay? There are only a few restaurants that we let deliver out here, but Tommy does make a mean chili.”

  “I… It’s fine. I eat just about everything.” She paused for a moment. “This place is spectacular. I’ve never been out here before… before the auction, I mean.”

  “It really is pretty special. Sophie inherited it from her dad over twenty years ago, but she and Walt had always dreamt of owning a kinky resort to share with their friends, and the whole project grew from there. The house needed to be modernized, but Mike LaNeve was running the bank at the time. He was the first person to sign up as a member after the loan was granted. Now, there are members from as far away as Missoula.”

  “I drove through the town on my way in,” she said softly. “I never knew Big Banks was this nice.”

  “I grew up in a big city back east, so this was a nice place to settle down after I graduated from college. It has a lot of the convenient chain restaurants and big box stores, and some really nice independent ones, too. If what we have isn’t enough, Missoula’s only twenty miles away.

  “So tell me about yourself,” he asked, ladling their warmed food in bowls and adding a few pieces of cornbread from the package on the counter. “I really should get that packet. I think all of your personal information should be in there. Did you go over your expectations with Sophie?”

  For the first time, Clee spoke firmly. “Really, it’s okay. You don’t need to bother with the paperwork. I’m twenty-two years old. I’ve lived in Missoula my whole life, and I just graduated from college. I’m really kind of boring.”

  Declan rubbed his fingertip along the woman’s jawline and watched her turn a stunning shade of pink that contrasted beautifully with the dark, wavy hair. Her eyes closed briefly, and she tilted her head toward his hand as though she didn’t want him to stop. With a chuckle, he said, “Spending a few thousand bucks to participate in a kinky spanking date doesn’t sound very boring to me. What are your goals for this weekend? I want to make sure you get what you paid for.”

  She crossed her legs with a wiggle of her hips as though she’d developed some discomfort that needed to be tended, but her failure to put out the sparks was obvious from the growing frustration on her face. He’d recognize that need anyplace. This wasn’t a bored, middle-aged housewife. This was a stunning submissive waiting to join him for the weekend.

  “I… I don’t really have goals,” she stammered. “Whatever you want to do is fine.” She crossed her arms nervously and stared at her untouched chili.

  “Keep eating, little girl,” he demanded softly. “You need the calories this weekend if I’m going to keep you… busy. So let’s start with the basics. Have you ever had an adult spanking before?”

  Two almond-shaped eyes stared at him almost helplessly. She shook her head slightly before speaking. “I… yes. I’m pretty sure I put that in the file, so you don’t have to worry or anything.”

  Her guilt was so apparent that he frowned. Using his sternest voice, he said, “Let’s get something straight. This only works if we trust each other. I’ll always tell you the truth even if you don’t think you want to hear it, but you have to tell me the truth, too. So I’m going to ask again, have you ever had an adult spanking, or any other BDSM experience?”

  “I… I…” She started to stutter, but Declan lifted his chin slightly until her gaze returned to the floor. “I… no. I’ve never done anything that you would probably call kinky. I’m really sorry. I just don’t want to be a bother to you.”

  Her sincerity was so adorable that he softened a little further
. “Don’t worry, honey. Everybody has to start someplace, and it’s going to be easier to plan a scene if I know the whole truth. So, what are you looking for? Do you want to stick to a little spanking, some good food, and a beautiful location? Or do you want to try something else? I’ll support whatever decision you make.”

  “I… I… yes… anything sounds good…” She took a deep breath before continuing, but this time, her voice was strong and clear. “I’m really just nervous, Declan. I’m not fragile. I can do it, and I want to experience this the right way.”

  “Maybe it would be easier if we just stuck to the allowable list. A little spanking? Do you want to go bare bottom or do you think you need clothes? A little red? My hand? Maybe a touch of leather or a paddle? They have all the equipment here: restraints, benches, clamps, cuffs. We can have a lot of fun, if you’re up to that.”

  The slightest hint of a groan escaped her, and she blushed furiously upon its release, her hand moving slowly down her outer thigh, and her legs squeezing together to match the frustration furrowed across her brow. She rested her hand briefly on her midriff before re-crossing her legs and sucking in her stomach as though she had an itch. The slight rise in tension pushed his own arousal a little tighter against the confines of his jeans. She stood without warning. “I… can do all of that. But I need to visit the restroom. Is that okay?”

  “Of course it’s okay,” he chuckled softly. “I’m not quite that controlling… on a first date, anyway. There’s a private powder room right down the hallway. I’ll clean up here, then meet me in the theater at the back of the house. They have a great selection of DVDs and maybe we can just get to know each other a little bit.”

  Her dark brown eyes never left the floor, and she mumbled, “Thank you. Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll be…” Her sentence trailed off to leave in its wake a deafening silence as she fled the room in a slight panic.

  Declan rinsed and loaded their dishes into the gleaming stainless-steel dishwasher with a growing grin. This might prove to be a kinkier than average weekend after all.

  Chapter Three

  It had only taken twenty minutes before Claudia’s carefully laid plan had collapsed into a disastrous pile of crap. The promotional flyer for the auction, retrieved from a crumbled little ball in their brothers’ trash, had provided five amazing options, but they’d focused on Declan’s handsome picture from the beginning. His chiseled body, standing with one foot placed strategically on the big rig, a single hand resting on his knee as though he were demanding she come to his side, was impetus enough, but his bright blue eyes had cut through the camera lens to tickle her clit with a shudder.

  But the cryptic biography provided by the club had not prepared her for the physical presence of six-plus-feet of stunning male dominance. Melting inside the first time he’d frowned, the corresponding rise in her sexual barometer had filled her channel with a warm, wet ache. His short black hair was just long enough to reveal a hint of curly sprigs, but it was the depth of blue in his eyes that had left her breathless, sparkly hints of sunshine speckled among an ocean of colors boring deep into her soul, destroying any chance of exaggerating her past experience.

  Her sister had embellished their experience to guarantee that the Crystal Cabin community would let them play, but if she was going to survive her half of this weekend, she needed to see exactly what was in that file before Declan did. The small package was still resting on his bag where he’d left it, and she took a guilty glance around the room to make sure she hadn’t been followed before picking it up with a shaking hand and sweaty palms. Staring at his name written in bold magic marker, she fought a quick battle between her guilty conscience and her need to survive. His very clear demand for honesty and communication did not correspond with stealing his mail.

  A small clatter from the kitchen cemented her decision. Clutching the package to her chest, she ran to the elegant first floor powder room painted in a pretty eggshell blue with thick navy hand towels and a luxurious selection of soaps. With the door firmly locked behind her, she took her first full breath since she’d met the powerfully handsome firefighter. Most of the thick envelope consisted of a history and description of the property. There were maps of the town and county, a list of amenities including several local restaurants and bars, plus the emergency telephone numbers of Walt and Sophie Lassiter. Pushing all of them aside, she found the application, but the only thing familiar was her sister’s flowery handwriting.

  They’d agreed to use an alias for fear somebody at the club would recognize their last name and connect them to one of their brothers, so there was no surprise to see Lee Masters written on the form. She’d slipped when she introduced herself to Declan and made a mental note to tell Claudia of the slight name change. Clee. My God, she was an idiot, but he seemed to accept the unusual choice as a cute nickname. The rest of the paperwork, however, was downright disturbing. Thirty-two years old and a divorced tax accountant from Seattle? What the hell was her sister thinking?

  But the next section stopped her breath. Claudia had described them as ‘advanced’ BDSM players. There were four freaking options below advanced before you got to ‘none,’ but Claudia never did settle for second best. The checkmark was permanently tattooed to the paper in the bold purple gel pen that her sister always carried with her.

  With a groan, Claire knew she had to keep the envelope away from Declan at all costs. Even if she’d believed for a single, stupid moment that she could pull off the lie, giving a contradictory statement to the powerful man who was waiting in the next room was a really bad idea. Before she could come up with a plan to get out of this mess, she heard Declan’s voice through the locked door. “I’ve finished the dishes. I’ll be in the theater room when you’re done.”

  In a panic, she flushed the toilet to sound busy, desperately searching the tiny bathroom for a place to hide the guilty evidence. With one of those free-standing sinks and no storage, the only option was the toilet tank. She thrust the entire packet into the tank just as it started to refill, then watched in horror as the bottom of the envelope slowly absorbed the rising water. Regret was instantaneous, but it was too late now.

  She washed her hands slowly, wishing desperately for a time machine to take her back to the first day Claudia had suggested this bat-shit crazy plan. There had to be a thousand better weekend options than ending up in the bathroom of a huge house of kink while a powerfully sexy firefighter stood in the next room, ready to… wow… she wasn’t even sure what he was ready to do, but her imagination splintered into a thousand different options, all of which fed both the pressure between her legs and her rising anxiety.

  If she could start the whole process over, she would pay more attention. Ask more questions. Pull out of the stupid agreement altogether. Claudia was nuts to think they could do this, and Claire was so far out of her comfort zone that she couldn’t even see the end. Opening the door to the bathroom, she focused on the heavy oak front door, gleaming like a portal to a separate, safer, saner, and very much needed alternative dimension. With her quick speed, she could make it to the camper and switch permanent places with Claudia… for life.

  She took the first tiny step toward salvation before she caught a glimpse of Declan down the hall. His hardened biceps still poured out of the tight navy blue t-shirt with the Big Banks Fire Department emblem boldly displayed on his chest, and he looked up with a genuine smile that matched those sparkling blue eyes. The haunting, underlying tingle twisted and wound throughout her body before metamorphosing to spark the unrelenting pressure on her clit. He was really, really hot, and there was no way she could leave without seeing this through.

  He’d already turned the entertainment system on and was looking through the DVD collection when she arrived in the theater. With his killer smile still boring into her thoughts, he motioned for her to sit. “There are a lot of choices here. I think every member has emptied their personal DVD collections into the shelves in the last few years. Do you want a com
edy, drama, or what?”

  “Anything is fine. I like anything.” Repetitive babbling was the best she could do under the circumstances; the idiot inside of her simply refused to be silenced. He didn’t seem to mind. With a small smirk, he started a popular superhero movie before joining her on one of the double recliners. There was a lot of space for one, but when his deliciously warm frame snuggled against hers, she had to fight the urge to run her hands over the hardened thigh that bumped casually against her hip.

  Claire may not have been experienced in BDSM, but she wasn’t a virgin by any stretch. She understood the underlying electricity that connected them, but the unknown boundaries of his game generated a fear that she couldn’t define. Her hand continued to shake, and she reconsidered the dramatic, screaming exit through the front door when he quietly rested his palm on her shoulder.

  “Relax, little girl. I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll go slowly, and I’ll always honor your safewords. I’ll quit or slow down anytime you say. Have you chosen them yet?” She shook her head, and Declan snapped his fingers. “That reminds me. Does your file include any of your thoughts about all of this? I should really read it now.”

  “No.” She spoke quickly and with a little more force than she’d intended. “The file. It just… it probably just has my application. I didn’t give anything else.”

  “I guess that makes sense. All negotiations were supposed to be between the two of us. So, what safeword do you want to use? Red for stop? Yellow for slow down? Are those okay?”

  Given her current circumstances, safewords sounded like a really good idea. Claire nodded sincerely. “I like them. A lot.”

  Declan gently pushed the hair out of her eyes and ran his finger down her cheek. Even though they’d met less than an hour earlier, the move was so alien, yet so familiar, that she could anticipate the tingling reaction left in the wake of his fingertip. “So you are okay with a few restraints, some nudity, a little spanking? And what about an orgasm? Can I take you beyond a fiery bottom and give you some real pleasure this weekend?”