Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2)

by Steele, C. M.

  Claire didn’t flinch when I slid my body behind hers. She curled up against me when I slipped my arms around her. “Rest, my little lady,” I drawled.

  “Goodnight, my cowboy,” she murmured sleepily.

  It was three in the morning, and I was rubbing my hand in between her thighs. I didn’t realize it because I was having the best and naughtiest dream I’d ever had. Then I was awakened from the sound shattering of glass. It wasn’t the sound of a beer bottle crashing to the ground, but a louder sound, like a window. I pulled my hand away from her goodies. I hurriedly jumped up out of bed. I ran to the front window just in time to see a black sedan speeding around the corner. The security alarm didn’t go off downstairs, so I didn’t think it was her building. I was walking back to the bedroom, when there was a loud boom followed a shake and a distinct smell of fire. I knew I needed to get us out of there—fast.

  I ran back to the bedroom, and I threw on my shirt as I shouted for her to wake up. “Get up, Claire.”

  Damn, I needed to get her out of here before we were trapped, but she wasn’t waking up. I shouted again. “Claire, wake up!” She didn’t move. Oh shit. I put my hand on her, “Claire, baby, get up!”

  “What?” she murmured, still half asleep.

  “Fire. Babe, come on. Let’s go!”

  I grabbed her slippers that were right by the bed and the bathrobe. She barely stood up when I scooped her up and ran to the front door, not letting her get dressed. I knew we didn’t have time. I reached for the door handle and it was hot. The door we came up from, attached to the salon was hot too. Our only way out was the fire escape. She was wide-awake now and started panicking.

  “Calm down, baby. I’ve got you,” I promised.

  “Don’t drop me please,” she pleaded.

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” I promised solemnly.

  Just as we got down the fire escape, the fire trucks arrived followed by an ambulance. We walked out from around the back after I helped her put on the slippers and robe. The medics spotted us and shouted to the firemen as we walked up to them.

  “Is there anyone else inside?” the fire chief asked as he approached.

  “There shouldn’t be,” I growled. “Somebody tried to kill her.” I was feeling evil at the moment. I’d never felt the need to seek revenge until this moment. He could see my anger radiated from me as I scanned the area. I was looking to see if there was anyone who looked suspicious.

  There was a small crowd gathering on the street, but I didn’t notice anyone that seemed odd to me.

  “Chief, I don’t know what they used, but it was arson. I woke up to glass shattering, and as I looked out the front upstairs window a black car sped off.”

  “Okay, Mr…”

  “Williams. Brady Williams.” I almost let my real name slip. My rage and fear almost took over my common sense.

  I looked down at my woman who was staring at the flames. I had my arms wrapped around her waist as she was lost in thought, shivering. The EMTs were trying to get a response out of her, but she wasn’t speaking. She was aware, though, because her tears were flowing heavily down her face.

  I turned her around to look at me, and I gripped the sides of her face. “Babe, I need you to go with him. They need to examine you.”

  “You didn’t leave me,” she mumbled almost childlike. It was kind of scary to see her so devastated.

  “Never, Claire. Now go with the medic, Matt here, and I’ll be with you in a moment.” I looked at the guy just above her shoulder and nodded.

  “Okay,” she whimpered as the EMT took her to the bus to examine her.

  The fire chief looked at Claire before he turned back to me and asked, “Sir, what is her name?”

  “She’s the owner of the salon and lived upstairs. Her name is Claire O’Connell.”

  “Do you have any idea who could have done this?” he questioned.

  “Not at the moment. I need to speak with her and find out if she has any enemies or competition. She was just telling me that she was able to pay off her loans with her success. So it’s likely she’s got angry competition out there.”

  “We’ll look into it.”

  “Thanks,” I said. My eyes never left her, and I started to get a little jealous of the smile she gave the EMT. I wanted to be the man who made her smile through terrible times. “Excuse me. I need to check on her.”

  I walked over to her where she was standing by the ambulance. She was being evaluated, but from what I could see she didn’t have any burns. Thank God.

  I’d been in a lot of dangerous situations, but tonight was the first time that I felt true fear. When the doorknobs were hot to the touch, I was almost as panicked as she had been. The thought of not being able to get her out had scared me. My concern had been solely for her. All I could think about was getting her to safety.

  “Claire,” I whispered, causing her to turn to me and rush into my arms.

  “Thank you, Travis,” she whispered in my ear, so that I could only hear.

  “Anything for you,” I said as I looked into her eyes. Our kiss this time was met with a gentle possession. She was mine, and I wasn’t going to let some pyromaniacs try to take her away from me.

  Even with the robe on and the seventy-degree night, she shook, and I knew it was from the shock of it all. “Are you cold? You’re shivering, Claire.”

  “A little bit.”

  “Here Miss,” the paramedic said as he handed her a blanket. I wanted to growl at him and pull her to me, but I knew it’s what she needed.

  “Oh my. I don’t have any clothes or a place to stay,” she cried out.

  “You can stay with me at my apartment, and we’ll get you some clothes once we wake up,” I whispered as I pulled her to me.

  “Okay, good. I stay at my parents’ house sometimes so I have stuff there. I just didn’t want to have to call them. They’ll worry.”

  “They’re going to need to know. You think they aren’t going to find out that your home and shop were blown up? The camera crews are already on their way.”

  “No, but I wanted to wait,” she whined.

  “No can do, babe.” She look worried.

  “If you don’t contact them first, and they see it on the news then they’ll think something happened to you.”

  She knew I was right and finally relented. “You’re right, but my phone was in the house.”

  “You can use mine. I’m going to go get something from my truck. Are you going to be okay by yourself for a second?” I handed her my cell and walked away after she nodded. I would make sure her ass called them. I was sure her parents would be freaking out. I knew my parents would lose their minds.

  Chapter 7—Claire

  “Oh, Travis. What am I going to do? Why would someone do this to me? They’re supposed to be my friends. I feel so bad,” I cried as I snuggled into his bared chest.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I know how to make you feel better,” he whispered. As he gazed at me, his brown eyes brightened with desire.

  He flipped me onto my back as his hand gripped the back of my neck. Tugging on my hair, he pushed my face up to his.

  “How?” I challenged as his mouth rested above mine. I stared up at him waiting and daring him to react, and he did.

  His mouth was attacking mine with a wild hunger I didn’t think I could handle. I moaned with the pressure of his mouth on mine. Sparks flew as he tasted my lips with a forceful tenderness that sent tremors down my body. My hands slid into his hair, pulling it roughly as my hunger increased. I heard a sound like a growl and realized that it came from me. He was definitely making everything better.

  “Better?” he asked with a smirk as he took his lips away from my needy ones. I was trying to chase his lips because I wasn’t done—not by far.

  “Getting there,” I challenged with a salacious grin.

  “That’s my girl. Lie back and enjoy,” he growled.

  His hands made their way down my flesh. I w
as completely bared to him and his hands. He looked up at me with a smirk and a wink before pressing his lips against the top of my pussy, giving it a kiss.

  My thighs squeezed together in anticipation of what he was going to do to me. I felt my juices starting to leak as he pried my thighs open, giving me a look of pure desire. I threw my head back as his tongue tasted my lips below for the first time.

  I was crying, sighing, and purring with the feel of his thick, flat tongue licking my pussy. I looked at him and grabbed his hair pressing his face deeper into me. I could feel his grin as continued to torment me with his tongue.

  I pushed my hips up when he used his clever fingers to tease my wet heat. I moaned as he continued to manipulate my body and mind, making me forget everything but his touch. He took my clit in between his teeth and gently nibbled. I screamed out as I came. I shook so hard I thought I was electrocuted, but it didn’t stop him from wringing every last ounce of pleasure out of my body. He looked up from his position, his lips glistening with my release and whispered, “Are you there now?”

  “Oh, yes,” I sighed as I threw my head against the pillow and grinned. I’d barely caught my breath when he started his commands.

  “Get up, Claire,” he roared. I grinned because I knew where he wanted this to go. It was my turn to satisfy him. I purred just from the thought of having his large, thick length in me—anyway he wanted.

  “Claire, wake up!” I heard it again, and in my hazy mind, I realized—it was all a dream. My eyes fluttered to see him looking at me frantically.

  “What?” I asked still half asleep.

  “Fire. Babe, come on. Let’s go!” he shouted.

  He was moving about the room so fast that I couldn’t focus. I’d been just living the hottest dream in the world, only to be woken up with him shouting at me. Did he just say there was a fire? My heart was pumping fast for a completely different reason now. Still fuzzy, I sat up and looked at him like he was crazy. There couldn’t be a fire in my apartment.

  I barely climbed off the bed, when he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of flour. He lugged me around while he tested the exits, but they were all blocked, I could see the smoke starting to come through the door that lead downstairs to the salon. Our only way out was the fire escape that was back in my kitchen. I was wide-awake now, panicking. My body was shaking, and the tears were starting to fall.

  “Calm down, baby. I’ve got you,” he said powerfully.

  I wanted to believe that he would protect me, but I was scared. My mind was running in a million different directions. I didn’t want to die. “Don’t drop me please,” I begged.

  “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he promised. His words helped calm me a little, but I was still a mess, and I realized that surviving was just the beginning of our troubles.

  Once we hit the ground, he walked me around to the front. Then reality hit me hard, my place was going up in flames. My hopes, dreams, and all of my hard work was being turned into ashes. I cried uncontrollably and was completely at a loss to even grasp it all.

  Travis was at my side and had me see the medics. I didn’t want the medics; I wanted my Travis. I wanted to go back to my dream of complete bliss with the man who singed my panties with just a look and did bad things to me. Instead, I was in the middle of a nightmare.

  “Miss, I’m Matt. Tell me does anything hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Are you burned anywhere?”

  “I don’t think so,” I said distractedly. My eyes were focused on Travis who was talking to the Chief of the fire department. He was so powerful. He must have thought this was nothing, carrying me out and without even batting an eyelash. Travis was a Fed; it was probably nothing to rescue damsels in distress. He was probably just like Shemar Moore on Criminal Minds: hot, tough and suave. He stood there strong with his legs spread wide and his arms crossed, displaying his bulging biceps and muscled shoulders. Even with everything going wrong, my thoughts were all focused on his delicious, masculine body.

  He caught my stare and smiled. I wanted to kiss him and let him hold me like he did before. I went back to answering the man’s questions, but all I wanted was Travis. Like a silly, excited little girl, the instant he came near I ran into his strong arms.

  I almost called him by his real name out loud. Luckily I remembered and whispered it in his ear. Oops. He wouldn’t have liked that, but he was my Travis, so he’d have to get over me slipping every once in a while.

  As I tried to think about what I was going to do, he told me to contact my parents. It was something I didn’t want to do. I spent the last ten years trying to be the perfect child like my brothers. They were always supportive, but I wanted to show them that even though I wasn’t a boy I could still be successful. My parents were proud, and I wanted to keep it that way.

  I dialed their number, knowing that they would be worried. It was too early to be calling them. It was only four in the morning.

  My father sleepily answered, “Hello?”

  “Dad?”

  “Baby girl, what’s wrong?” he asked in a panic. I could hear my mother behind him, asking what’s going on. I could tell he put it on speakerphone.

  “There was a fire at the salon. I’m outside of the salon right now calling you. I’ve lost everything, but my life.”

  “Thank God. We can get everything else back. You we can’t replace.”

  “I wanted to let you know before you saw it on the news,” I admitted.

  “Don’t worry you still have clothes here, and your room was just like you left it on Thursday. We’ll be right there to pick you up,” my mom said in rush.

  I tried to calm her and stop them from coming. “I have a ride, Mama.”

  “They’re dropping you off here? I’ll start some coffee.”

  “No, Mama. I’m going to stay with a friend.” I wasn’t going to tell them it was a boyfriend.

  Just as I said that, Travis walked up and snatched the phone out of my hand. I looked at him like he was crazy. My father didn’t like him. I didn’t think it was the right time for them to meet him or for my parents to learn of our relationship.

  “Mr. and Mrs. O’Connell, this is Williams. I’ll be taking Claire to your home. It’ll be safer there,” he stated.

  “What the hell are you doing with my daughter?!” my father shouted.

  “It’s not really your concern, but we’ll be on our way soon.”

  He hung up on them, and I wanted to bite him. I wasn’t ashamed of him at all, but I never introduced my parents to my boyfriends, least of all one they’d already met and didn’t like.

  “Why would you do that?” I yelled.

  “Do what? Tell your parents that I’m taking you home?” he asked like he was oblivious to the problem.

  “Talking to them in the first place.”

  “Sorry, sweetheart, but you better get used to it. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not going to be hiding in the shadows.”

  I just gave him a glare and asked, “So when can we leave? I don’t want to stare at this anymore.”

  “Let’s ask the chief if we can go.” He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

  I looked around at the scene before us. It was busy and chaotic. The fire was almost out with all the firefighters fighting the blaze at once. It had been considered a four-alarm, and the news crews just started to arrive.

  We walked to the chief who was talking to some of the investigators and waited until he was done to ask. “Chief, we don’t mean to interrupt, but I’d like to take Miss O’Connell to get some rest.”

  “That’s fine. The investigators will want to talk to you, Miss O’Connell. We’ll find out who did this,” he promised me.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. I wasn’t willing to consider who was so evil to do this to me. One thing after another today. The only thing good was the hot-tempered, bossy, sexy cowboy who was holding me tight as he walked me to his pickup truck.

  He st
rapped me in like I was a little kid, but the kiss he gave me was anything but innocent. The drive to my parents seemed to fly by. We didn’t speak much because there was too much to say. I just asked that he not fight with my father about me.

  He chuckled, “I’ll do my best, but you’re asking a lot.”

  “Just chill, okay. You saved my life, but that doesn’t mean that we are really a couple.”

  “Do you normally ask men to spend the night?” he asked angrily. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and his jaw clenched.

  “No,” I said.

  He stopped briefly at the stop sign and turned to me with a stern, powerful stare and said, “Then I’d say we are a couple.”

  “Still, I can’t take any more stress today. Please.” I knew he was annoyed, but I’d been through so much I was feeling stressed and nutty. I wanted to cry and laugh all at once.

  “That, baby, I can understand. I’ll be cool, but I can’t guarantee that he will be.”

  “That’s all I ask,” I said as he drove on.

  The moment we got through the gates my father and mother were on the steps. Travis told me to wait until he opened the door for me. So I took a deep breath after he got out of the truck to prepare myself for the onslaught of questions. Once he helped me out, my mom took me into her arms and squeezed like she’d never been so happy to see me.

  “Sweetheart, we’re so glad you’re okay.” Her voice shook in worry.

  “If it wasn’t for Travis, I wouldn’t have been okay. He saved my life tonight.” I offered, trying to show them he wasn’t the bad guy they imagined.

  “I’m curious. What the hell you were doing in my daughter’s apartment at three in the morning?” my dad snarled as he wrapped one arm around me for a hug.

  “Daddy, I’m a grown woman. I can have any man I want in my place at any hour of the day,” I replied.

  “The hell you can,” Travis growled.

  “Williams,” my dad fumed.

  “O’Connell,” Travis replied.

  “You and me. We need to talk,” dad demanded.