Ladder 54: Five Firefighter Romances

by Maren Smith

  “The Bills suck,” she insisted with more high-pitched giggles. “You can’t spank that out of me.”

  “I guess I shouldn’t use my power for manipulating football loyalties,” he admitted with a rueful smile, setting her back on her bottom. “Even a corrupt Patriots fan is entitled to their mistakes. What about you? What are your goals now that you’ve graduated?”

  Her giggling stopped sharply. “I don’t know. I guess, if I had to do it over again, I’d pick a different path, but my… my family was pretty set on the business degree. I took a few basic science courses during my freshman year, and I kind of wish I’d had gone for a career in medicine, maybe even a paramedic certification.”

  “You’d make a great paramedic. You’re not some tiny thing who couldn’t carry their weight, and it’s never too late. An EMT certification is a little quicker, and that could be done in a year or so to get you started.”

  “That seems sort of risky and… well, I’m not comfortable with taking a lot of chances.”

  “I don’t know,” he said with a chuckle. “You took a lot of chances by showing up here today. And you were amazing, by the way.”

  Her eyes were bright with only the slightest hint of a blush decorating her cheeks. “You have no idea what it took to get me here. That was probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done, Declan. I mean honestly, I don’t jump into bed with guys I’ve just met, and I sure as hell don’t let them tie me up and spank me. But…” She frowned, looking for the right words.

  “But…?” He tickled her tummy to return her giggles while she tried to squirm away.

  “But, I hate being asked over and over again, ‘What do you want?’ I mean, at some point, I just want a guy to, well, know what turns a woman on and just do it.”

  “That’s pretty much this game in a nutshell, kiddo.” He laughed, pulling her in for another hug. “I guess it’s hard to explain unless you live the life. I enjoy taking control and directing a scene. I don’t want a totally lopsided power relationship in the rest of my world, but I’d never be comfortable with a bossy shrew, either. There’s a balance in there.”

  “I probably need to work on making more of my own decisions,” she admitted ruefully. “Like getting this degree. Nobody forced me into it, and I’ve always done pretty well in school if I do say so myself, so I had choices. But I have a big, Italian family, and they all give advice, whether you want to hear it or not. We have a whole genetic tie to business, finance, and accounting, and it seemed to be the logical choice when I was eighteen years old.” She put her hands on her chin to support herself on her elbows, giving him her full attention. “What about you? Your family must be really proud of you.”

  “Actually, it was just me and my mom for most of my life. She was a pregnant, Irish Catholic, seventeen-year-old from County Galway who was sent to her aunt’s house outside Buffalo to wait out her shame before she’d have to put me up for adoption. She says she took one look at me, contacted a social worker at the hospital for help, and never returned to any of her family. Within two years, she had her GED and a housekeeping job at Buffalo State.”

  “Wow,” she responded with true sincerity. “She sounds amazing. I bet she was really supportive of your decision to join the fire department.”

  “I guess so,” he said with a small frown. “But I think she would have supported any decision I made. She’s always given me the freedom to make my own choices. When she married my stepfather, I wanted to give her the same freedom to live her life, so I took the football scholarship and moved out here. She was still in her thirties and deserved that quintessential suburban life without worrying about the rent check or the car breaking down. They had a daughter about thirteen years ago.”

  “It must be fun having such a little sister. I’m actually one of the younger ones in our family. I’ve got five siblings who are all well past childhood. There aren’t even any grandchildren yet, much to my mother’s chagrin.”

  “I haven’t seen her for a few years,” he replied with his frown deepening. “She got a cell last Christmas, and she’s been texting me a lot recently. I’m just not sure what to say to a little kid. We don’t have enough in common to sustain any kind of relationship, so it’s better this way. My mom deserves this family time.”

  “Don’t be a twit, Declan. You’re her child, too. If she’s as strong as you say, she’s probably too proud to tell you that she misses you. When was the last time you were there for Christmas?”

  “Maybe,” he drawled reluctantly. “I guess I should give her a call after I get back from leave. I probably am overdue for a visit, but I always volunteer to work the holiday shifts. Let the guys with families stay home.”

  “Just because you don’t have kids or a wife doesn’t mean you don’t have a family,” she continued to scold gently. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  The gentle rebuke was lessened with the full knowledge that her criticism was far from self-serving. The little minx was probably right, and he should plan a trip to Buffalo. To home… The word left him a little reflective as he wondered what kind of teenager his little sister had grown into.

  The sun had started to go down and the fiery orange display reflecting off the glass-like lake was every bit as spectacular as he’d anticipated. The shadows grew even darker, but she was so perfect against him that he hesitated to leave her long enough to stoke the fire and bring a second layer of warmth to the room. “The sun is setting later and later.” As he spoke he slipped his hand expertly down the small of her back. “It’s going to be summer soon.”

  Without warning, she wiggled away from him. “I need to run out to the camper and get… my purse. I left my cell out there, and I should check my messages. My… my grandmother is in a nursing home, and they talked about moving her to the hospital. I hope you don’t mind?”

  He rose with a yawn and stretched his muscles slightly as a simmering log fell from the pile of glowing embers, sending several crackling sparks around the fire pit. “Of course not. Just let me settle the fire, and I’ll go with you. There are a lot of critters out there after dark, and I wouldn’t want to see you get eaten by a bear or anything.” Moving toward the hallway, she looked panicked. “I’m just kidding. We don’t see bears out here that often, but I still don’t want you wandering around after dark by yourself.”

  “It isn’t that dark,” she called from the other room. “And I might have to call them back. They’re big video chat people, and I’d really rather they didn’t know where I am tonight. Just let me get my clothes, and I’ll be right back.”

  Before he could finish his task, she arrived in the doorway in her slightly rumpled dress and the killer stilettos. She was hastily brushing her hair with her fingertips when he asked with a grin. “And how long have you been driving a camper? I have to admit it doesn’t exactly fit with the mental image I have of you.”

  “I… It’s my dad’s camper,” she stuttered. “It… my car had a broken alternator, and I needed a ride. He thinks I’m with a college friend out here in Big Banks, though, and I’d just as soon keep it that way.”

  “I get it,” he replied, placing a new log on the fire. “Why don’t you change into something warmer while you’re out there and get a little more comfortable? That’s an adorable dress, but it can’t be very practical when it gets chilly in the evenings.”

  “No, women’s clothing really does suck. I’ve never really thought about it, but I guess I prefer jeans and sneakers over dresses and heels.”

  “I bet you’re just as stunning in a pair of old sweats and a t-shirt,” he said with an evil grin. “But I think I prefer to have you wearing nothing except my toys. Just move quickly. I really do want you back here before it gets dark. Besides, I’m not sure I’m done playing with you tonight, and you wouldn’t want to make me cross, would you?”

  Her deep frown surprised him. “No, sir. That wouldn’t be a good idea at all.”

  Chapter Six

  Walking out of the beauti
ful house was probably the hardest thing she’d ever had to do, but if she didn’t show up in the camper soon, an impatient Claudia would come looking for her and their deception would be revealed. The end of the weekend would be bad enough, but his inevitable disappointment was more than she could bear. The closer she got to her sister, however, the grumpier she became as the reality of the cold, dark camper loomed in front of her. By the time she opened the door, a thousand regrets had boiled to the surface, and she was scowling.

  Claudia was hanging thick blankets over the windows, and Claire took the stilettos off and tossed them on a table. With a little too much force behind them, they knocked over a lamp before both hit the floor with a crash, and Claire turned her glare on her twin.

  “You’re late,” complained Claudia. “And what the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I’m fine,” snapped Claire. “I… just hate those shoes. Why didn’t we wear the flip-flops we got in the Caribbean last year? They look great with that dress.”

  “Heels are always more elegant, Claire. You know that. What took you so long, anyway? And what do I need to know before I go over there? Did he spank you? Was it fun? Is he totally hot?”

  There wasn’t even a break between the impersonal interrogations, burning her annoyance to a new peak. “It’s not easy to break away,” Claire protested bitterly. “You need to be flexible. And… you didn’t tell me everything I needed to know. We’re a thirty-something divorcee with advanced BDSM experience? How the hell did you think we’d pull that off? It isn’t acting, you know. This is a real way of life to these guys, requiring real practice.”

  “Don’t be stupid. We talked about all of that. I can’t help it if you just don’t listen half the time. You didn’t blow our story, did you? Is he pissed about all of this?” Claudia stopped hanging blankets long enough to turn a piercing gaze in her direction. “If you tell me that this is over before I’ve even had a chance to play, I’m going to go over there and demand our money back. It’s not like we broke a law or anything. He doesn’t get hurt just because there are two of us.”

  A Claudia-Declan confrontation over the cost of their weekend suddenly became her worst nightmare. Or at least, it was her worst nightmare after the thought of the two of them in bed together. “No… it’s all fine,” she drawled. “But we didn’t do anything. He… he just gave me a few pats on my bottom, and we ate dinner. It was no big deal.”

  Claudia looked disappointed, her priorities switching tracks in an instant. “You’re kidding? Were you dressed the whole time? You must have done something wrong. We spent a lot of money for this weekend, and he’s going to have to do better than that.”

  Right then, she realized that there was no way she was going to make this easy for her sister, and there wasn’t even a stutter to her response. “I think you should tell him that, Claudia. You are a lot better at this stuff than I am. He’s really kind of a wuss deep down.”

  Claudia nodded in agreement. “I knew we should have gone for that Blake guy. You shouldn’t have talked me out of it. But this is what we have to work with, and we’ll just have to make do.”

  It took everything in her power to hold her tongue. They had both agreed on Declan as their first choice, but typical of Claudia, the blame was sent to Claire. “Well, I think you should get moving, then.” Claire cleaned up the broken lamp pieces just to avoid eye contact.

  Claudia was already fastening her own black heels before she touched up her lipstick. “Is there anything else I need to know? By the way, I hung up the blankets now that it’s getting dark, but you probably shouldn’t risk any lights. It will be too easy to see shadows in here.”

  “What the hell do you expect me to do? Sit around in the dark all night?”

  “There’s a penlight on the table if you get desperate. Besides, you were late so I’m going to be late, too. I’ll be back around two, then you can have the morning shift until ten-ish, and I’ll go back until we leave at three. It isn’t our first schedule, but we have to adjust. Quick though, what else do I need to know? Did you agree to anything outside of our original plan?”

  Even the thought of Claudia in the same space as Declan made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and her next words were easy. “No. There’s nothing else. Just make sure you take charge in there, Claudia. I think he needs a little direction.”

  Her sister flashed a hasty thumbs-up sign on her way out the door, and Claire couldn’t resist the urge to peek under the makeshift curtains to watch her saunter across the parking lot, still smoothing out her already perfect hair. A last-minute adjustment to the sundress over her full bottom, and Claudia entered the front door.

  In a desperate attempt to return to some level of reason, Claire changed into a pair of sweats and a torn sweatshirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and washed the makeup from her face, but nothing calmed her nerves. It took thirty-five minutes of pacing in her tiny cage before she began to lecture herself. “I’ve got to get a grip. This is just a weekend date. He’s practically being paid to be nice to me. Claudia will have her turn, and we’ll leave tomorrow. We’ll return to Missoula and send out some more resumes to any accounting jobs we can find. It’s all planned.”

  Claire kicked the hated heels a little further across the room before wrapping herself in a worn blanket and a mean pout.

  * * *

  Declan was beginning to worry until he saw her crossing the parking lot still wearing the red sundress. She let herself in the front door as he refilled their glasses from the chardonnay bottle. Restored to its former glory, the warmth from the roaring fire combined with the soft afghan to complete their cozy nest on the couch.

  “Is everything okay at home?” asked Declan, patting the spot next to him. She always looked stunning, but she’d fixed her hair and makeup and pressed the wrinkles out of her dress. “I thought you were going to get comfortable? That doesn’t look like sweatpants.”

  “Everything’s fine,” she responded with a snap, her gaze just a little harsher, less content than it was before she’d gone out to the camper. “And I’m not exactly sure sweatpants is an appropriate attire for the evening.”

  Declan raised his eyebrow slightly. He’d slipped back into his own t-shirt after she’d discarded it, but didn’t see any sense in reminding her how his oversized garment had displayed her ass so very nicely less than half an hour earlier. “Okay, then. Here, I poured you another glass of wine. Come sit with me. You still look a little cold.”

  A hint of her smile returned as she slipped next to him in front of the fire. “It is a little cold out there, and you do make that couch look pretty yummy.”

  He wrapped both of them in the blanket, and she snuggled into his chest with a sigh. “I think we should probably have a conversation though,” she mumbled. “I’m a little concerned that the evening is almost over, and we haven’t gotten very far. I paid a lot of money for this weekend, and I’d hoped to see some serious BDSM practices.”

  Declan leaned back to stare at her in confusion. “Clee, we talked this all through when we negotiated. I thought you were happy with the way things were going?”

  “My name is Lee, Declan. At least you can get that right. I just want to make my expectations clear. I signed up for a kinky weekend. If this doesn’t work with you, Sophie should let me come back with a different guy.”

  Declan stood with the pretense of stoking the fire. Lee, not Clee? How many times had he actually called her by her name today? When he couldn’t come up with a number, a tinge of embarrassment crept over his brow. He was strongly attracted to her and didn’t even know her name. That was the kind of guy he had no respect for. “I’m sorry, Lee. I must have misunderstood. And if what we’ve done wasn’t enough, maybe we just need to renegotiate. I do want this to go well for you.”

  “That’s great,” she said, tossing her hair away from her shoulders. “Now, let’s start with a simple spanking, but I’d like you to try on my bare bottom. Not too hard, but I’ll let you know
when you can stop.”

  The new attitude was more than a little annoying. “Are you sure everything is okay with your grandmother?”

  “She’s fine.” Lee dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “But I just had some time to think about all of this. I know what I want now.”

  “Let’s get something straight,” said Declan patiently. “I explained this to you once, so make sure you’re listening. I’m the top. You can give me your list of limits, and you can define your boundaries and safewords, but I’m the one who’s going to make the decisions. I’m not going to play any other way.”

  “Of course,” she said absently. “I think that’s a great idea. But when you’re ready to start the spanking, make sure you give me some warning. I want to pull my hair into a ponytail so it doesn’t fall in my face.”

  “A ponytail?” he asked dryly. “You want to negotiate time for a ponytail?”

  “Well, yeah. And maybe I should change my dress, too. I have a more formal evening gown in my bag and that might set things off right. Just give me a minute, and I’ll change now.” Without waiting for an answer, she moved toward their suitcases still sitting by the front door.

  “Hold up there a minute, little girl. I think maybe we need to refocus.”

  “Don’t be silly,” she scoffed. “It’ll only take a minute. It’s not like I need any hand holding. I told you in my application that I know what I’m doing.”

  The slightly contradictory information took his thoughts back to the beginning of this confusing weekend. “You know, I think I should read that paperwork. Have you seen the envelope? I left it right there by the suitcases.”

  “I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Just hang on while I change, then we can get this spanking thing going. I can hardly wait.”

  “Oh…” said Declan just softly enough to be heard. “I don’t think you’re going to have to wait long.”

  She stared at his crossed arms and slightly lifted chin. For the first time since she’d returned from the camper, he saw a hint of her submission, but with a quick shake of her head, it was gone as fast as it came. “Keep that look going, big guy. It’s crazy hot,” she said with a sassy grin.