by Cora Seton
God, he wanted to be inside of her, but this was for her. Next time he would make damned sure he had protection.
Austin pinched the bundle of nerves and held the pressure. Sunny’s body tensed and she mewled, breathing shallowly, her opening flexing as if wanting to feel his stretch. Austin went rock hard. Sunny whimpered, shifted until he felt her anus settle right on the head of his cock and he tensed. Did she want him there?
His body went slack—no they needed protection for that too—and lube.
His fingers rolled her bud, and Sunny hummed, wiggled her ass against him faster. He kissed her deeper, applied more pressure and she screamed, her body shook and she stiffened. He pulled his mouth from hers, dragging in breaths he held her until the tremors stopped then hugged her to him fiercely.
“That was some determination, Sunshine,” he said kissing the top of her hair.
“What’s that noise?” she mumbled into his chest.
Austin shrugged, listened to the storm raging outside, but then he heard it. A faint siren that raised every hair on his body. A TORNADO siren! Adrenaline surging through him to mix with the endorphins flooding his veins, Austin shoved Sunny off of his lap just as tones went off from the kitchen where’d left his radio earlier.
Chapter Seventeen
‡
Without speaking, Sunny scrambled into her clothes as Austin pulled on his shorts. He ran for the table, jerked up his radio, and spun the dial until he found the weather channel. Several long blasts of a whining siren preceded the mechanical voice which confirmed there was a tornado warning for their county. Weather spotters indicated a twister was actually on the ground cutting a two-mile swath through the adjoining county.
It would be on them in fifteen minutes.
Ice water flowed through Austin’s veins when he saw Sunny run to the front door. He dashed over and grabbed her arm. Her whole body was shaking. “Baby, we can’t leave yet. It said shelter in place, so we need to find a closet or something. We’ll head to the station as soon as we get the all clear.”
“The only thing I’m going to find is my son and mother,” she said frantically as she pulled her arm from his grasp. “They’re on opposite ends of town, she’s at the church and he’s still at school.” She twisted the knob, but tensed. A tremor not unlike the one that racked her as she came moved through her, followed by a whimper. “Unless he’s already on the bus toward home.” Sunny turned to meet his eyes, and her groan twisted his gut. “What if he’s already on the bus?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes glazing over.
“Sunny, we have to keep our shit together. People are depending on us, including your family.” Hail pinged against the window pane in the door, the wind roared, and Austin’s heart stopped. Grabbing Sunny’s arm, he all dragged her toward the bathroom. “If we don’t keep safe until it’s over, we won’t be helping anyone.” Going to the tub, he yanked down the shower curtain, then pushed Sunny inside the tub. He put his radio back on the station channel.
“Hunch down, so I can cover us,” he growled, and she curled up, her body shaking like a leaf in the storm outside. Austin stepped into the tub, leaned over her quaking body then covered them both with the shower curtain. Their heated, quick breaths mixed under the plastic, the terrified sweat from Sunny’s body soaked through her shirt to coat his skin, and sickness boiled in Austin’s stomach. But he had to keep focused to protect her, not show his own fear because it would just make Sunny’s worse.
The siren outside was louder now, telling him the one closer to the house had been activated, while the radio chattered with reports of damage to their south—near Billy’s school. Fear sliced through him, but hearing that the crews were organizing gave him an ounce of comfort. Braden would get them going, or he hoped he would, because Austin and Sunny were staying put until the danger passed. Austin closed his eyes and prayed. For them. For her mother. For Billy. Please, God, keep them safe, keep us safe.
Love and fear swelled up in his chest until it overflowed into his throat choking him. If something happened to any of them, he’d die. He’d want to die.
Oh, God—did that mean?
Yes, it did.
As unlikely as it was, he loved Sunny Gleason and her family as much as his own. Missing his own family, visiting them like his mother had been wanting him to do, had even become secondary to helping Sunny and her family. Helping Sunny find her stride at the station, helping her mother fix her roof, being the house husband she didn’t have, helping Billy learn to pitch a baseball—all of it. With their accomplishments, their progress to becoming whole after each suffering through horrible circumstances, came deep inner satisfaction for him.
That was love, any way you sliced and diced it. Showing love was much more important than the words in his opinion, and Austin had no idea he’d been doing that. And he wanted a lifetime of it. But now that he realized it, he only hoped they’d survive so he could talk to Sunny. They hadn’t ever dated, had only had sex twice, but he loved her.
The wind screamed outside and the bathroom window rattled, the house creaked and shuddered. Heavy thuds sounded on the roof, scaring the shit out of him because he worried one of the rotten trees in the yard would come through it at any second. That roof was bad anyway, that’s why he’d been up there trying to patch it for them. He imagined every new shingle he’d laid was in the yard now, but he’d gladly put them on again, if they just survived.
Then a rumble shook the house, his ears popped and Austin knew the worst was yet to come. He heard Sunny’s teeth rattling, and bore his body down on hers, gritting his own teeth. A long ripping sound preceded his hair feeling like it was being pulled out by the roots. Jamming his feet against the tub, he wedged himself there, every muscle in his body fighting the suction trying to pull him up. The shower curtain flew away, and Sunny screamed, but he could barely hear it over the roar as shards of wood and debris pelted his back, and he focused on holding on.
The deafening roar lasted probably ten seconds, but it felt like a lifetime, and his ears rang when it finally stopped. His breath came out in a rush, and heart still pounding, Austin lifted his body off of Sunny or tried to. Something heavy weighted down his back though.
Turning, Austin saw it was part of a splintered roof rafter, and with a grunt, he lifted it then tossed it aside. He got out of the tub, and found Sunny still curled in a ball, her body shaking so badly he thought she’d splinter too.
Putting a hand on her back, he rubbed. “It’s safe to get out now, baby. It’s over.”
Looking up at the sick, green color of sky through the crisscrossing boards that were the only thing left of the roof, Austin knew it might be over for them but someone else was now facing the fury. The radio chatter confirmed that. They needed to get to the station—and find out where Billy and Pauline were. Sunny’s mother was probably still in danger if she was on the north side.
“C’mon, Sunshine, you’ve got to get up so we can go find Billy and your mom,” Austin said, taking her limp, dust-covered arm to pull her up. When Sunny didn’t move, when he found she wasn’t shaking anymore his heart stopped and he leaned in to put his hands under her arms and drag her out.
“Wake up, baby!” Austin shouted, as if that would bring her around. His hand shook as he felt for the pulse in her clammy neck. A slow, steady thud tapped his fingers and Austin finally breathed again. Shoving his fingers into her hair he searched her scalp for knots or blood, but found nothing, and the knot finally slid down his throat. Running his hands down her arms, he searched for any sign of injury, then finished his assessment at her ankles. He pulled her out of the tub and across his lap, then gently rubbed her sternum with his knuckles.
The final ratchet of tension left him when her eyelids fluttered, and she sucked in a gulping breath. Her hand shook as she lifted it to his cheek.
“We’re alive,” she said with amazement in her gravelly voice.
“Yes, we are and we need to go find Billy and Pauline,” he replied gruffly, standin
g to set her on her feet on the rubble littering the bathroom floor. Austin leaned down and grabbed the radio from the tub. Keying the mic, he said, “We’re alive, but the house is gone. On our way to the station.”
“Tell Sunny that Braden says Billy is safe. The bus stopped at the station when the sirens went off, and all the kids and the driver sheltered here. We didn’t get any damage.”
Sunny let out a long whimper, and grabbed Austin’s arm when her knees went weak. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. “Any word on the Baptist church near the county line?” he asked, looking down into her eyes.
“Spotters reported in and the funnel fizzled out before it got there.”
“Ten-four. We’ll be there to help soon.”
Sunny slid her arms around his waist and tilted her face to kiss him. “I’m so damned glad you were here with me,” she said, then tiptoed to kiss him. “I had no idea what to do.”
“Sure you did. You just froze for a minute. You had Billy and Pauline on your mind,” Austin replied, kissing her again.
“No—I froze—a firefighter, especially a Chief or Captain, can’t do that in a crisis. It’s a programmed response for you, instinctual for you to take control, but I just figured out I’m not cut out for it, Austin. I’m withdrawing my application for the Chief’s job.”
Anger sizzled down his body to his toes. “You can’t do that after how hard you’ve worked to get it. That’s just stupid, Sunshine. You said it yourself that you and Billy need you to be Chief.”
“No, Billy and I need me to be happy. That’s something that came from my counseling sessions, and I’ve been thinking about it. The Chief’s job won’t do that, being a firefighter doesn’t do that for me at all.”
“What would do that for you then?” Austin asked confused, and more than a little frustrated.
“Being a nurse. That’s always been my dream, and I’ve found an accelerated program for paramedics that would make it quicker. Paying for school and supporting us will be tough, there will be sacrifices, but I’m going to do it.” The fire in her eyes, the passion there, lit one inside of Austin and his arms tightened around her. “Nearly losing my life has made me realize life is too short to be anything but happy.” She laid her head on his chest and kissed the area over his heart and a shiver worked through him.
Yes it was. “I love you, Sunny Jane Gleason. I want to keep protecting you, loving you for the rest of my life. That is what will make me happy.”
Sunny gasped, and her eyes flew to his.
“And Billy too—I love that kid,” Austin said, his voice trembling. “And your mom.”
Her eyes filled, and she laid a hand on his cheek. “You’re already Billy’s hero, and although you’re the most abrasive, irritating man on earth most of the time, I love every damned minute of grief you give me. It’s about time someone did, according to my uncle.”
“You love it when I call you on things? You talked to Silas?” Austin asked with a disbelieving laugh.
“Yeah, last week when you stood on the ground heckling me and laughing while I tried to haul that sack up the stairs. He told me to suck it up and appreciate a man with the balls to challenge me to be better. And he was right. That’s exactly what you do, Austin McBride, and I love you for it.” Sunny held forever in her bright blue eyes as she tiptoed again to press her mouth to his. The radio squawked, and she tensed. Falling back on her heels, she immediately turned for the door. “Get your ass in gear, cowboy. We have people to save.”
Epilogue
‡
“God, I’m nervous for some reason,” Sunny said, an excited shake in her voice.
Austin laughed, and squeezed her waist as he guided her inside the almost empty auditorium. It was empty, because they were almost two hours early for her graduation. Sunny had woken up at five a.m. and had been a bundle of nerves ever since. Even their very intense, and extended round of lovemaking in the shower hadn’t taken the edge off of her nervous energy.
If anything, it made things worse. At least it helped him hide the fact he was probably even more nervous and excited than Sunny was today.
Austin stopped, put his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward him. Maybe a little positive reinforcement would help, he thought. “Have I told you lately how damned proud I am of you?” he asked, meeting her worried blue eyes to emphasize his words. “You have nothing to be nervous about. This is your moment to shine, Sunny, so bask in the light, sweetheart.”
She huffed out a breath. “But when I get that diploma, I have to start working at the hospital. Foxy is not going to make it easy on me.” Worry narrowed her eyes, as she stiffened. “Hell, I almost didn’t make it through clinicals because of her.”
“She was only trying to make you better. You said it yourself,” Austin reminded, although he thought that Foxy should go back to school herself to improve her people skills. The number of times that this strong woman in front of him had come home from school almost in tears had ripped his damned heart out. He wanted to go to the E.R. and confront Foxy himself. Find out exactly what her motivation was to crush those who worked or trained with her.
He grinned, and gave Sunny a wink. For some reason that always seemed to calm her down. “Another thing a very wise woman told me once is anything worth having isn’t easy.” Austin fought a shiver as he remembered that turbulent day eight months ago when Sunny said that to him, and how an extremely good day had turned horrific in a matter of minutes. How lucky they both were to be alive to celebrate this moment. “You were determined and you made it happen, sweetheart, so be proud and don’t forget it.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Sunny said with a giggle, putting her arms around him to squeeze.
Austin’s arms closed around her to hold her tight. God, he loved hearing that sound bubble from her full lips. Hearing this woman, who’d been through so damned much get to this day laugh, was an accomplishment even bigger than her graduating from nursing school today.
“Momma is so damned excited to be back in her house,” she mumbled into his collar where she snuggled her face. “She’s so thankful to you and the guys.”
“That’s what firefighters do, baby. I told you that.” Austin shrugged. Rebuilding her mother’s house hadn’t been easy. Most of what was left after the tornado was kindling. But the town, as well as its residents had pulled together to help her when they found out she was uninsured. The local lumber mill had donated wood, the hardware store nails and other building materials. And every one of his men, new and old had banded together to help rebuild the town. He was so damned proud of them too. “It gave us something to do on our off days and downtime.”
Pushing back from his chest to meet his eyes, Sunny sighed. “You keep saying that, but you’re being entirely too humble. Don’t you know how freaking amazing you are, Austin McBride? Do you have any idea?”
Not until he met this woman, and she told him every day. God, he loved her, and he loved his new job. Austin was finally happy—happier than he’d ever been in his life. The intensity of her eyes, the warmth of the love and admiration flowing into his body from hers pulled emotion up to his throat, and he cleared it. “No, won’t you tell me again,” he said with a laugh. He would never get tired of seeing that look of awe in her eyes. How in the hell he’d earned it, Austin would never know.
“You are an amazing Fire Chief, better than I could have ever been, an unbelievable role model. Your heart is as big as this state, and I am so damned grateful you came into my life,” she said, her voice vibrating with intensity.
“You forgot amazing lover,” he added, with a wink. “Can’t forget that.”
Her eyes narrowed and sparked. “Good Gawd—you are a conceited bastard aren’t you?”
“You just said I was humble. And a god in bed.”
She slapped his shoulder. “You are a god in bed, but you know it, and that’s the problem.”
“How’s that a problem?” Austin asked with a laugh, loving her fr
ustration.
At least the nerves seemed to be sidelined for a few minutes. And he loved teasing her. Loved tasting her more though, he thought, lowering his head, tilting it to press his mouth to hers. Sunny moaned, as she slid her hand over his shoulder to cup his neck, draw him in closer. Austin savored her mouth, deepened the slow, sweet kiss, told her with his mouth how he felt.
When her calf rubbed his, and she leaned into circle her hips, Austin’s body jerked to attention and he knew it was time for him to end the kiss. Either that or he would be sitting with a hard-on through this ceremony. A perpetual state for him around this woman who kept him in a constant state of arousal she seemed to enjoy.
Loosening his arms, he stepped back and she frowned. His eyes traveled down to the crotch of his jeans and she gasped. When her eyes met his again they were dark with need.
“I could help you with that problem, Chief. I’m sure there’s a bathroom around here somewhere,” she said, licking her lips before they curled into a smile that made him harder. That mouth of hers was an amazing thing. “That might help me to get over these nerves too.”
“Didn’t help you this morning,” he growled, fighting the urge to take her up on her suggestion. “And your mother and Billy will be here soon. We need to save those seats up front for them, your uncle, Foxy and Jolie, and the rest of the row for my family.” Every one of his brothers, his baby sister and his mom and dad were coming. After Austin had taken Sunny and Billy for a visit to meet them, his family had fallen in love with this amazing woman he loved too.
God he was proud of her, so damned proud.
Sunny let out a long sigh. “Yes, sir,” she replied, her shoulder slumping.
A thrill snaked down his spine, and zipped right to the end of his painfully hard dick. Those two words were now a part of their sex life, and Sunny seemed to enjoy torturing him with them at moments like this. She loved torturing him period. With a growl, he jerked her back to him and his fingers dug into her ass to hold her there.
