by Lori Foster
Had something happened to him? Just the thought made her frantic, but she kept her tone calm and easy for him. Smoothing her hand through his thick, still damp hair, she said, “Please, tell me you’re all right.”
He nuzzled into her. “Yeah.” His voice was thick with emotion. Rolling to his back and pulling her into his side, he said, “You heard about the fire?”
“It was on the news.” They didn’t look at each other. Amanda pushed his coat open so she could touch him, not leather. He wore an untucked flannel over a soft thermal shirt and he felt warm and hard and—she wanted him naked.
The thought came out of nowhere, but it was true. She wanted to assure herself that he wasn’t hurt in any way.
Josh groaned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think of that.”
Amanda went to work on the buttons of his shirt, almost popping them in her haste. “You’re not supposed to think of me. Not on the job, not when it’s dangerous.”
Josh started to protest and she sat up to work his coat off him. He obliged her, twisting his arms free, then giving a raw chuckle when she did the same with his flannel. Amanda tossed them both to the floor. She eyed his thermal shirt, caught the hem and tugged it upward.
“What are you doing, baby?” Josh asked, even as he raised up to help her get it off.
“Undressing you.” The second the shirt was free, she saw the red, welted scratches on his neck. Her breath caught. “Oh, God. Are you all right?” She bent closer, touching his hot skin carefully.
Josh smoothed the backs of his knuckles over her cheek. “Yeah, I’m fine. I got that tangling with a fat cat who didn’t have the sense to know I was his savior.”
Amanda melted. He was the finest man she knew, and right now, he needed her.
She put several gentle kisses on his injured neck and then turned, straddling his legs with her back to him. His boots were lace-up and took her a minute, but she got them free and tossed them into the pile on the floor.
Josh’s hands moved up and down her back. While her touch was agitated, his was more so. “When I’m naked,” he asked, “will you get naked, too?”
“Yes.”
He went still, then suddenly he was as busy as she, yanking at her robe, distracting her from her efforts as he tended his own. Amanda had to leave the bed to remove his jeans. Josh stood to help her. They bumped heads when they both bent at the waist to push the denim down his long muscled legs. Josh kicked free and reached for her, wanting to remove her nightgown.
Amanda didn’t give him a chance. She pushed him onto the bed and stretched out over his tall, naked body. She kissed him, holding his face and feasting on his hot mouth, his throat, then down to his smooth shoulders and broad chest. He was alive, unharmed, and for now, he was hers.
The night had been endless and horrifying. She hadn’t slept. Instead, she’d sat in bed watching television while waiting for the occasional update on the fire. Knowing Josh was good at his job, that he was well trained, hadn’t helped. She just kept remembering how a man had died for her in just such a fire….
The memories had a different effect this time. Rather than filling her with shame that caused her to withdraw emotionally and physically, they spurred her on. They made her want to grab everything she could, every special moment so that not a single second of her life was wasted.
Josh risked himself every day on his job. He never knew when he’d be called upon to fight a fire, never knew which fire might be his last. He was a hero in the truest sense of the word, and he wanted her.
For that, she was very grateful.
Amanda licked at his hot smooth flesh, biting and sucking, hungry for him in a way she had never experienced, not even seven years ago. She wanted to give him pleasure. She wanted him alive with it.
Josh groaned and put his arms out to his sides, making himself a willing sacrifice.
“I was so scared,” Amanda said between kisses and touches and deep breaths that filled her with Josh. It still wasn’t enough. She didn’t know if she’d ever have enough of him.
His abdomen contracted sharply when she put her mouth there, taking a gentle love bite of a sharply defined muscle. He settled one big hand in her hair, caressing, encouraging. “I was, too,” he rasped. “I didn’t want to go home alone.” He paused to groan, then added, “I want to spend the day with you, Amanda.”
“Yes.” Amanda could smell him, fresh from a recent shower, but still with the lingering scent of smoke clinging to him. She saw traces of soot under his nails, and remembered him telling her how hard it was to remove, even though he wore gloves.
The hair on his chest, narrowing to a silky line down his abdomen, was brown rather than dark blond. But the hair at his groin was darker still, and thick. Amanda looked at him in fascination and awe and barely suppressed excitement.
His erection rose thick and long, a drop of fluid at the head, proving that he was excited, too.
With her heart pounding, Amanda touched him, exploring the hot, velvet-soft skin over tensile steel. She saw him flex with pleasure. Aware of his accelerated breaths, the intent way he watched her, she wrapped her hand around him in a firm hold. Gently, cautiously, she stroked up his length and back.
Josh’s body strained from the mattress—and abruptly dropped when she bent and pressed a kiss just above where her fingers held him. It was a light kiss, tentative, but his wild response and guttural groan lured her. She licked up and over the tip, tasting his salty essence.
A sound of pleasure and pain exploded from his chest. His entire big body quivered. While her mouth moved over him, she cupped his testicles in her other hand, cradling him.
“Damn,” he said, twisting on the sheets, “I like that, sweetheart.”
“Me, too.” She breathed in the strong musk scent of his sex, feeling swollen with emotion. It was nearly painful, feeling this way about a man.
“Take me into your mouth,” he whispered urgently, “as much of me as you can.”
Aroused by the carnal command, Amanda parted her lips wide and drew him in. Both his hands settled in her hair, tangling there, pressing her closer.
“Suck,” he growled, arching his hips at the same time.
Amanda squirmed around for a better position to do as he needed her to. It was wonderful, tasting him like this, making him lose control, knowing he enjoyed her efforts. Long before she was ready to quit, Josh pulled away from her. His movements were clumsy, rough and fast and she found herself on her back on the bed, Josh between her thighs, in a matter of seconds.
He stared down at her, heaving, his face hard and dark and his eyes glittering. Not giving her a chance to speak, he took her mouth in a demanding, tongue-thrusting kiss.
His long fingers were between her legs, petting her, quickly parting her. She could feel her own slippery wetness, heard his low murmur of satisfaction. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, a riot of emotions clamored for attention.
“I need you now,” he panted into her mouth. Against her sensitive flesh, she felt the broad head of his penis, and then his penetration, unrelenting, forceful, going deeper and deeper.
She gasped, and he kissed her fiercely again, swallowing the sound of surprise and wonder.
Amanda twisted as he filled her, a little uncomfortable, a lot turned-on. She’d never had a man inside her and she found it to be an amazing thing, given the man was Josh.
He didn’t allow her time to absorb the new sensations. No sooner was he all the way inside her than he began thrusting, sliding all the way out and then driving in deep again, harder and faster with each stroke.
With a groan, he pushed to his knees, forced her thighs wider apart and levered himself on one arm. Using his free hand he touched her everywhere, her breasts, her belly, down between her legs where he circled her, feeling himself as he pounded into her, feeling her stretched taut around him, holding him so tightly.
Amanda felt a scream of intense sensation building. She lifted her legs and locked them around Josh’s waist—and he was a g
oner.
He cursed, long and rough and lurid and then he gripped her close, so close she couldn’t draw a breath. His face pressed hard into her shoulder and he said, “Amanda,” on a broken whisper.
She knew he was coming, could feel the spasms of his erection inside her, the jerking of his taut muscles, the stillness of his thoughts in that suspended moment. His broad back grew damp, heat rising off him in waves. His buttocks were tight, his thighs rigid. It went on and on and Amanda just held him, so pleased, so awed, until he dropped heavily against her, breathing hard, his heartbeat rocking them both.
Long minutes passed and Amanda relished his limp body cradled against her own. Finally, Josh lifted his head. His movements were slow and sluggish. He looked at Amanda, smiled tenderly, then shook his head. “I’m an ass,” he said, his eyes twinkling lazily.
Startled, Amanda frowned. “No you’re not. You’re wonderful.”
He smiled again, then stretched and moved to his back with an earthy groan. “Oh, hell.” He put his forearm over his eyes. “That didn’t go at all as I meant it to.”
Amanda touched his sweaty chest. She couldn’t not touch him.
“I should be horsewhipped,” he complained.
“No, you should sleep here with me.” She loved the feel of him, the sleek skin, now damp from exertion, over hard planes and hollows. He was so impressive in every way. “Stay all day, and then tonight again. Let me take care of you, Josh. I don’t have to go into work and I assume you won’t either now.”
“I’m off for the next forty-eight hours.” He lifted his arm and looked at her with heavy, sated eyes. “C’mere,” he murmured, pulling her onto his chest, “let me show you ‘wonderful.’”
It was almost six in the morning and they’d both been up all night. Amanda had spent the night worrying and waiting, but Josh had worked hard. She knew he had to be exhausted, going on lost reserve, but instead of sleeping, he kissed her forehead and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m astounded,” she told him, and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m also a little…messy.”
“Mmm.” Josh stroked his hand down her back, over her bottom, and between her legs. “Messy with me. And with you.”
The things he did, the things he said never failed to shock Amanda. She was engorged, her flesh still tingling, and his rough fingertips rasped over her, gently exploring. She caught her breath and he pushed slightly inside her. The careful prod of his finger only served to exacerbate already sensitized nerve endings.
“I didn’t use anything,” Josh whispered, and began kissing her ear, her neck. He didn’t sound apologetic so much as matter-of-fact.
Amanda couldn’t assimilate the repercussions, not while his fingers were there, making her crazy.
“I still don’t want to use anything,” he told her, but rather than explain why, he pushed his middle finger deep inside her, making her gasp and stiffen.
Amanda nodded. She didn’t want him to use anything, not if he didn’t want to.
Her quick agreement drove him to action. “Spread your thighs wide around me.”
She did, and felt him catch her knees to draw them up so she literally sat astride him, but with her cheek still to his chest. It was an awkward position, forcing her behind up.
“Hmm,” Josh growled in satisfaction. “Now I can get to you better.”
And he did. Feeling open and vulnerable, Amanda curled her fingers on his shoulders and held on. All the tension began building again, quicker this time, making her vision blur, her skin burn. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Stiffen your arms so I can get to your nipples.”
Amanda moaned. She wasn’t sure she could move.
“Amanda,” he scolded in a rough throaty purr. “Trust me, honey. Raise up. You’ll like this.”
Swallowing hard, she forced her arms straight.
With heated eyes, Josh surveyed her breasts. “Beautiful. Damn, honey, let me taste you.” So saying, he lifted his head and closed his mouth around her nipple to suckle.
A tearing moan escaped her. She was already so aroused, but now his mouth drew at her breast and his finger moved gently in and out of her, easily because her lust and his climax had made her very slick. She trembled. “Josh…”
He seemed to have all the patience in the world now that he’d come. He licked a path to her other nipple and put that breast through the same sensual torment.
Amanda hovered over him, her belly drawing tight, her nipples aching, her vulva hot and pulsing. Josh released her breast with a last leisurely lick and looked up at her. “You’re close,” he said with a tender smile. “I can feel you contracting. Almost there.”
Amanda couldn’t answer him. She bit her lip and concentrated on breathing.
“Do you want to come, sweetheart?”
She nodded.
“Tell me how this feels.” He pulled his wet fingers from her and found her clitoris, gently stroking.
Amanda tipped back her head, moaning, so close…
Using his free hand, Josh positioned his erection against her and slowly pressed upward. He sank in to the hilt on the first stroke. “Let’s sit you up,” he said.
Amanda was too mindless with newfound carnality to do anything, so Josh gently guided her. The new position left her filled, impossibly stretched, and it was wonderful.
Josh bent his knees to support her back, cupped her left breast firmly in his hand, and started the rhythm that she knew would make her wild.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he whispered, looking at her belly as it pulled tight, at her breasts as they bounced. She flushed, her muscles tensing and she did her best to stifle a scream.
Locking his intent gaze with hers, Josh licked his middle finger, wetting it, then reached down to toy with her turgid clitoris again.
The scream broke free.
Amanda reached back, clutching his thighs for support as her body shook and bowed with her first orgasm. Josh was so high inside her, filling her up, encouraging her, she felt shattered.
It was her turn to drop onto Josh, and she did so just as he cupped her hips, held her to him tightly, and gave into his second release with a rumbling groan.
Their hot sweaty skin felt fused, their heartbeats mingling. In slurred tones, Josh mumbled, “Sleep.”
Mindless, Amanda reached out with a limp hand, snagged the corner of the sheet and pulled it up and over their bodies. Just as Josh began to breathe evenly in sleep, she felt him slip from her body. Smiling, she realized she was really messy now, but she didn’t care. She closed her eyes on a sigh, and fell asleep.
10
JOSH WOKE with a groan and without even thinking, he reached for Amanda. He found an empty bed.
His head fuzzy from lingering exhaustion, he looked toward the bedside clock. It wasn’t even noon yet, but it felt like he’d been out cold for two days. His body was lethargic, his brain sated for the first time in weeks.
And he smiled, knowing why he was sated, remembering Amanda’s scream as she’d climaxed, how her sexy brown eyes had gone all soft and vague in her pleasure. She’d been a virgin, so snug and warm his brain had almost shut down. She was all his—he’d given her her first climax.
At that thought Josh frowned and jerked upright. His head spun, but he ignored it. Her first time. God, he hadn’t been gentle and coaxing and understanding. He hadn’t eased her into lovemaking.
He hadn’t even insured her pleasure that first time.
He’d been a pig, concerned only with his own pleasure. He’d coerced her into giving him a blow job! He’d been wild, like a crazy man, pushing her and…
Naked, Josh threw his legs over the side of the bed and cupped his head in his hands. For weeks he’d been planning to make Amanda limp with pleasure while utilizing iron control over his own urges. She was emotionally fragile where sex was concerned, and more than a little wary about commitment.
He’d hoped to woo her with sex, to show her how beautiful it could b
e between them. Ha! He remembered the way she’d taken him in her mouth, the way he’d instructed her, and he squeezed his eyes shut. What they’d done had been raw and uncontrolled and just remembering made his blood boil.
He pushed to his feet, going over in his mind all the things he’d say to her, how he’d explain and try to make it right.
A quick trip to the bathroom was top of the list. He recalled Amanda saying she was messy, and what had he done? He should have bathed her, cherished her. He should have used his mouth to bring her to orgasm. It was one of the most intimate methods of making love, and it was something he especially enjoyed. But he hadn’t tasted Amanda, hadn’t shared that with her.
Instead, he’d had her ride him, and he’d been so deep… Josh groaned. At least that second time she’d gotten her own orgasm.
Josh washed up, splashing his face with cold water to clear away the cobwebs. Though he now smelled more like sex than smoke, he still felt coated in soot. God knew he’d scrubbed long enough under the shower before coming to Amanda early that morning. He hadn’t wanted any reminders of the fire for fear it would trigger her memories.
Last night he’d needed her more than he’d needed air.
He needed her still.
Josh located his jeans, now neatly folded over the foot of the bed and he stepped into them. He didn’t bother with the zipper or the snap and despite the chill of the air, he never gave his shirt a second thought. The moment he entered the small living room, his eyes were drawn to her.
She sat at the tiny kitchen table, the morning paper open before her and a blank, almost shocked look on her face.
Damn, damn, damn. Josh strode to Amanda and pulled her from the chair. He’d tell her he loved her and she’d just have to accept it. Sex was great, damn it, not something to shy away from, not something to mentally link to a bad memory. Sex between them was so incredible he didn’t know how he’d survived.
So what that he’d shown her the more carnal side to sex, rather than the gentle beauty of it? He was a man, and he didn’t see a thing wrong with enjoying a woman’s body in every way possible.
