Scorch (Missoula Smokejumpers Book 6)

by Piper Stone

  “When the evening shadows and the stars appear…”

  “And there is no one to dry your tears…”

  The words of the country song blasted through the speaker system, the male singer’s slight twang filled with regret. Remorse. A single tear slipped into the corner of her eye, creating a flutter in her heart. The reaction shocked the hell out of her. Unable to look into his eyes, she simply clung to him, drinking in his scent, reveling in the quiet moment, as if no one else was in the room.

  “Oh, I hold you for a million years. To make you feel my love.”

  Sawyer’s voice was whispered, a slight husk as he moved his lips back and forth across her ear, his fingers brushing softly against her lower back.

  A sense of knowing, of belonging slipped past the last vestige of anxiety, creating a wave of anticipation. Lost in the rapture of his voice, she closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder.

  “I could hold you for a million years,” he murmured, their bodies melding together.

  Swallowing hard, she rubbed the tips of her fingers in lazy circles, shivering even as a rush of heat rushed through every muscle. She could no longer feel her legs. Even his aftershave had the scent of a real man. Woods. Musky. Testosterone. And why had he bothered since he hadn’t shaved in at least two days? Lifting her head, she caught a glint in his eyes, a light misting and so very unexpected. “A spanking?”

  “Yes,” he breathed, his lips remaining dangerously close to her pulse.

  She dragged the tip of her tongue across the seam of her lips as she clung to him. The way his groin was pushed into her stomach, the thick bulge sliding back and forth, was such a powerful aphrodisiac. There was no reason why she was this attracted to a stranger. A literal stranger. This magnificent man remained a mystery man. Mmm… “And do you handle the spanking?” You can’t fall this easily. You just… You’re a grown woman. The connection was so intense, leaving her breathless as the desire increased. Forcing her eyes to open, she gazed into his. Even in the shadowed light of the dance floor, the luminescent shimmers highlighted the gorgeous steel blue eyes of his.

  He gave her a thoughtful look as he rubbed his hand up and down her back before sliding two fingers just inside the waistband of her jeans. “Absolutely. I’m a firm believer in discipline.”

  Had Stasha told him all her dirty secrets? Wait. Stasha only had a remote idea of what she craved, fantasized about every night. Even her time with Christopher couldn’t compare to her imagination. “Yes.” Laughing nervously, she could feel her pulse increasing, her heart thumping.

  Sawyer remained quiet as he turned them in small, succinct circles, controlling the tiny portion of the dance floor as if it were his own. And his eyes, his soulful eyes never left hers.

  She could tell what he was thinking, his desires similar to her own and she wished this could be a different time, another place.

  When the song ended, he continued to sway back and forth, his groin pushed as hard against her as possible. After other people brushed by them, leaving the dance floor, only then did he widen the distance between them. “I know this sounds crazy.”

  “Crazy can be good.” Seeing his hesitation, she caressed his shoulder.

  “Would you like to take a drive?”

  The question seemed to ring in her ears, one she wouldn’t have anticipated, and she knew the answer without thinking. “Yes.”

  Gripping her hand, he took another step back before lifting her arm, brushing his lips across her knuckles. The look authoritative, he headed toward her table.

  Jo and Tina shrank back, watching every move as she reached down, grabbing her purse. And of course, she heard their exclaims of glee as she was led to the entrance and out into the parking lot. The storm had created a light fog blanketing the area, muting the lights in the parking lot. She shivered, although the night was humid, and every inch of skin was covered in pinpricks. Every part of her was alive, invigorated, even though this might be the craziest decision of her life.

  He weaved his way through the myriad of mostly trucks, the jam-packed lot splattered with a few sports cars, to the back of the building. Sitting directly under a street light was an aging Bronco, colorful murals painted along the entire passenger side.

  “Spaceships?” A giggle bubbled to her mouth. Everything about this man was unexpected.

  “Hey, don’t knock it. They were considered art at least at the time,” he said then shrugged as he tugged his keys from his pocket. “Somebody paid a lot of money to have these babies hand painted.” Grinning, he unlocked the door, wincing as the hinges creaked. “My chariot away from home.”

  “Not you, huh?”

  “Oh, hell no. A little drug money helped me purchase this for a song off a kid at a 7-Eleven.”

  “You do realize you’re talking to an officer of the court,” she said, holding back a laugh.

  “Oops.” Closing the door, he tapped on the window before walking around to the other side.

  Even his walk was sexy as hell. “Wow.” Wiggling in her seat, the way her G-string pushed against her pussy lips was a distinct reminder of just how turned on she was.

  Sawyer slid inside, closing the door and sliding the keys into the ignition. “What shall we do now?”

  “We could talk,” she offered, although her words held absolutely zero conviction.

  “We could,” he said as he nodded. His face pinched, he hummed for a few seconds as he tapped his finger on the steering wheel. “But I have a better idea.” Leaning over the bench seat, he yanked her close to him, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other cupping her head. He captured her mouth, holding still as his lips moved slowly, a gentle caress, a lover’s taste.

  She moaned as she gripped his shirt, clenching the thin material, the angle forcing her nipples to scrape against her lace bra. Unhindered by the amount of space, she scooted closer, allowing her hand to travel down his chest to his waist.

  Sawyer slipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring, hot breath skipping around the edges, the heat brushing against her skin.

  Tingling all over, she rubbed his leg, kneading, caressing as her fingers stretched for his crotch. She longed to feel his thick cock in her hand, throbbing as she pumped the base.

  Grunting, the kiss became more passionate, their tongues entwining, the act forceful.

  Reese cupped his groin, rubbing her fingers up and down the length of his bulge, the fabric straining, as if begging for release. She was wet and hot, her pulse rising into her throat.

  He fisted her hair, holding her in place as he French kissed her, thrusting his tongue in deeper, harder. His grunts became almost savage, filling the tight space.

  Her fingers worked to find his zipper, to release his dick, his balls.

  Yanking her head, he broke the kiss, a single growl emitted from deep within as he breathed across her mouth. “God, I want you.”

  Blinking, she tried to focus but there was no way of seeing, no way of being able to clear her foggy mind as desire ripped through her. She was lost to the man, hungry and almost desperate to have all of him, to give him anything he asked. “Yes. Yes!”

  He licked around her lips, the circle becoming a zigzag, slow and steady. Moving his mouth, he slid his lips across her cheek to her ear, flicking the tip of his tongue back and forth across her earlobe. “What do you want?”

  “Every… thing…” she muttered as she finagled his brass buckle, yanking on his leather belt. Leather. Another shiver slithered down her spine, crossing to her cunt. She longed to be tethered, waiting for his firm hand, his belt.

  “Mmm… Be careful, lady. I will give you just that.” He licked down her neck, sucking on her tender skin as he shifted his other hand to her shoulder, crawling his fingers down to her breast. Squeezing, he kept the hold firm, commanding.

  “Oh, God.” The heat became extreme, leaving her panting. Sweating. Beads rolling down the back of her neck. And all she wanted to do was bend over, take his cock into her wet mou
th.

  Tap. Tap!

  Jerking up, Sawyer hissed as he looked over his shoulder.

  She half hid yet was curious and peeked out. Seeing both Boone and Stasha, she groaned and closed her eyes.

  “Get away or I’ll kill you,” Sawyer stated playfully, just loud enough to pop through the closed glass. After they made faces before walking away, hand in hand, he slumped then tipped his head in her direction. “So much for spontaneity.”

  “You surprise me, smokejumper Sawyer Lincoln,” she said after a few seconds. Studying his face, she adored his carved cheekbones and pronounced chin, the single dimple creating a mischievous expression. Even the way his graying hair hung on his shirt collar was sexy.

  He smiled, his face flushing. “Why is that, defense attorney Reese Winton?”

  “You’re not like any other man I’ve met.”

  “And how many men have you met?” he asked playfully, taking her hand into his.

  “Enough to know the monsters from the good guys.”

  Sawyer issued a guttural sound. “Monsters?”

  Swallowing hard, she was forced back into the holding cell. Walker. His words. The look on his face. She realized she must be shaking given Sawyer’s tightening grip. “Monsters are real. They aren’t just the things nightmares are created from. They eat at your soul, dragging you down with them into their myriad of murderous cravings. They get inside your head, pushing you to pull that very part of yourself into the open so they feed off the energy. They are controlling in ways that the majority of people could never understand. They are sick. Evil. And trust me, you never want to get in their path of destruction.”

  The air was heavy.

  “And you didn’t need to hear all of that now did you?” She wiped her brow, almost terrified to look in his eyes. What the man must think.

  Wrinkling his nose, he hesitated before speaking. “Wow. I hope I’m one of the good guys. I don’t usually allow the beast out of his cage very often.”

  She plied her fingers between his. “I might like to see that beast sometime.”

  A wave of sadness crossed his face, if only for a split second. He glanced down, his fingers rubbing back and forth across her hand. “Not the one buried deep inside. He’s not a good man. Granted, he’s not what you just described.”

  The words were so touching, a mere glimpse inside a tortured soul. She cupped his jaw, brushing her thumb across his lips. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’m a very good judge of character and I can tell you’re kind and loving, giving to a fault.”

  A single long breath escaped his lips. “You don’t know me.”

  “I know enough. You’ve been a smokejumper for over ten years. You’re originally from Missoula and lost your parents before they could see you join such an amazing team. You have a little ranch with horses and cattle, a place you call Serenity. You favor bourbon over beer. Steaks over fish and have a penchant for jazz music. You, and the rest of the team, were indeed a featured article in People Magazine, which you absolutely loathed doing. And most importantly, at least to me, I know you’re not a serial killer or rapist. How am I doing so far, cowboy?” Grilling Stasha had been her style and she would never have understood how important the information might be in simply getting to know him. Guarded. Maybe jaded. This was Sawyer.

  “Whew,” he managed to say, his eyes opening wide.

  “My job. To dig into everyone. That’s how I know you’re not a killer.”

  “You deal with a lot of them?” There was a lilt in his voice.

  “Serial killers?” When he nodded, she sighed. “Unfortunately, I’ve had my share.”

  Chuckling, he lifted a single eyebrow and made a face. “I can see I’m going to have to instruct Boone to spank Stasha for hours.” Laughing, the heavy mood seemed to lift. “You have me at a total disadvantage given you know my life story. I don’t like that.”

  “Because you prefer being in charge.” She bit her lower lip, joyful from the bantering. Just what would the hunky man do?

  “Prefer?” he asked, the tone full of blatant command. “I will be in charge and you will obey.”

  Whether or not he was teasing, she wasn’t certain she cared. The words wrapped around her mind, filling her imagination with delicious and very sinful thoughts. “Why, yes, sir.”

  Sawyer gave her a once over before tugging her closer. “I’m serious.”

  Somehow, she knew he was dead serious. Change the subject. Calm down. Breathe. As if her little voice could do anything about her condition. “By the way, I kinda liked this out in the open rendezvous. No, I really enjoyed this.” Even her laugh was nervous around him.

  “You did, huh?” He narrowed his eyes as he studied her. “I know a beautiful place after a rainstorm. Are you game?”

  “As long as I’m with you.” How could the words be said so simply, without fear or prejudice? There was no decent explanation, just a gut feeling pooling in her belly. This man might just be someone she could trust.

  Or even love.

  “Excellent.” He started the engine then cupped her chin, brushing his lips across hers. “Get ready for a rough ride.”

  Sawyer was surprised he was lightheaded, his heart rate higher than normal, but the way Reese was leaning against his arm, her hand on his thigh was driving him bat ass crazy. The kiss, the fondling had been off the chain and the interruption? He bit back a laugh. As if finding the two of them half clothed in the back lot of Ziggy’s wouldn’t be some kind of special story. He could envision a bulletin on the six o’ clock news.

  “Where are we going?” Reese asked, her hand moving dangerously close to his crotch yet again.

  He sucked in his breath and gave a quick glance. “I told you, somewhere very special to me, but if you keep that up, I might just have to pull over right here.”

  “In the middle of nowhere?” Lifting her head, she gazed out the windshield as she moved her hand closer, her fingertips rubbing the base of his crotch.

  “Oh, you are so bad. I know how to deal with that.” He eyed the turn he was searching for and while the moon had broken through the swirling clouds, there would be little reflection on the water. Still, just being by the river would make this night endearing. What did he know? Easing the Bronco onto the gravel drive, he could tell she was intrigued. His thoughts drifted to her monster. Whatever case she was dealing with was eating at her, turning her upside down.

  “What is this place?”

  Sawyer pulled the car past the normal parking areas and through a series of trees until he hit a clearing. Pulling to a stop, he cut the engine. “When I was a little boy, my parents used to take me here on picnics. At the time, I was bored to tears. Skipping rocks can only create but so much imagination.” Laughing, he pressed his hand on top of hers, moving both up to the middle of his groin. “And my parents would never know what this spot just might turn into.”

  “Lover’s lane?” she asked as she gave his cock a squeeze.

  “Something like that.”

  She caressed it for a few seconds before darting a look in the back. Unfastening her seatbelt, she crawled over the seats, plopping herself down and patting the area next to her. “Room enough for two, cowboy.”

  “Hmmm…” After removing his seatbelt, he glanced into the rearview mirror. He didn’t need a bright shining light to know just how gorgeous she was or how much he wanted this moment to happen. “I’ll think I’ll be civilized and use the door.”

  “Have it your way. No sense of adventure.”

  “Oh, you just wait.” Sawyer laughed as he moved from the front to the back, settling in next to her. “Now, about all that teasing you were doing.”

  “Me? Teasing?”

  “Yes, you.” Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her over his lap. “We have plenty of room for a spanking.”

  “Here? Now?”

  “You betcha.”

  Smack! Crack!

  “Ouch!” Jerking up, Reese struggled in his lap, every move grind
ing against his groin.

  “You aren’t going to get out of it, so I’d relax if I were you.”

  Pop! Slap!

  “That hurts.”

  “You know what? Not as much as a spanking should. Take off your jeans.”

  Reese pushed her hand against the side of the Bronco. “You’re kidding me, right? You want me half naked in the back of your vehicle? You realize that this is likely against the law.”

  There were so many sexual overtones in the tone of her voice. “I am a rule breaker. Something you will learn.” He eased her into a sitting position. “Take them off, now or your punishment will be much worse.”

  “You’re mean.”

  He held his breath for fear of laughing. “Now.”

  “Okay.”

  “That’s not what you say to the man in charge.”

  “Fine. Yes, sir.” She mumbled under her breath as she unfastened her jeans then yanked off her shoes. Lifting her ass off the seat, she struggled to yank the tight material down past her hips.

  “No cursing. You know better than that.”

  “I do? Who says?” Reese huffed as she finally managed to tug them all the way down, jerking them off. “There. You happy?”

  “Panties too and give them to me.” He held out his hand.

  “I like these panties, thank you very much.”

  Sawyer took a long and very slow glance down from her face to her stomach then her long legs. “I do too. They’ll make a nice treat.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “That I am.”

  Shaking her head, she did as she was told, sliding her fingers under the thin elastic and easing them down, balling them into her hand.

  He closed then opened his fingers. “Come on. Let me have them.”

  “Such a brute.” She slapped them in his hand, her mouth pursed.

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet, darlin’. Okay, let’s get this spanking over with.” He slipped the panties into his back pocket, a smile remaining on his face. Patting his lap, he held up both arms until she crawled over, settling her stomach on his thighs. “A hard spanking so let’s see... Forty. If you don’t stay in position, I might have to pull out my belt.”