Ring of Fire

by Taylor Lee

  Nate breathed out a deep sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share his thoughts. They were preliminary at best. But he knew he was on to something, something big. Maybe it would help to articulate the mutterings in his head. Damn, Sam was about the smartest guy he’d ever known and Dan had been with him so long that he couldn’t put anything over on him. Maybe talking it through would help.

  “Okay. But know I’m thinking out loud, right? Something’s brewing. You’re right Dan, we know these bonfires are small potatoes. But in the last ten days, what have we had? Ten, fifteen fires? Nope—and this is what is interesting. We’ve had twenty–three fires. Remember not only do I keep track of crimes in my bailiwick, but I have a personal interest in fires and the people who are sent to fight them.”

  He looked from one to the other of the men who were gazing at him in silence. He was glad he had their attention. He just wished he had more proof that serious danger was in the offing.

  “Best I can do is to describe two smart aleck boys getting ready to fight. First one pokes the other, and gets poked in return. Then one moves on to a jostle, just hard enough to throw his pal off balance. The pal returns the favor. And then what happens? It escalates first in taunts then outright threats. Pretty soon, their yahoo buddies on both sides are egging them on. Before you know it there is a fierce brawl and no one is able to stop it—especially the good guys on the sidelines who didn’t understand what was happening.”

  Dan’s brow knotted in thought.

  “So you think this is the big guys pokin’ at one another, getting ready for a bigger fight?”

  “Yeah, Dan, I do. I know both Jeb and Cougar too well to miss their signals. Think about a line of stock cars revving up at the starting line. Yeah, they snort and snarl and blow smoke up each other’s ass, raring to go. But go back for a minute to the brawl metaphor. What if after knocking each other down a couple of times and the blood is flowing, one of the fighters flashes a knife and the other responds with a gun. Before you know it someone on the sidelines pulls a sawed off shotgun and I’ll be damned if some other runt doesn’t yank out an AK-47. And what do ya know? Damned if we’re not off to the races.”

  “So, what’s next, Nate? And more important what are we gonna do to stop it?”

  Nate shrugged and grinned.

  “Now dude, if I knew that I really would be as brilliant as I try to convince you that I am. No, Dan, I’m not sure what Jeb and Cougar are up to. I do know that just as when we were kids, no matter how many times we fought—and hell, that’s what we did for daily exercise—no one stopped until the other two cried uncle. Most times that took broken noses, a hell of a lot of blood and a few dozen men in blue to break us up.”

  Nate’s grin left his face as quickly as it came as he realized how familiar the scene in his mind was.

  “It’s weird, but we may be lining up for a similar brawl. And in the strangest way, the players are the same. Jeb is the cocky one. Yeah, even cockier than me. Cougar seems more thoughtful but only because no one is quicker on the draw than Jeb. No one except me of course.”

  He chuckled and his grin was heartfelt this time around.

  “But hot damn, if anyone had told me years ago that I would be leading the men in blue to stop the fight I’d have laughed in their faces.”

  Nate shook his head.

  “Now if only along the way, my old buddies hadn’t bought into the most hideous philosophy I know, that of the fucking white supremacists, I’d be resting a little easier. In addition to engaging in an industry that preys on the weak, and has given them a degree of wealth neither of them could ever have imagined, they are out to settle scores. Blessed with self-righteous rage at a country that allows them to spew their hate speech along with their bullets, they apparently don’t see the irony of their actions or their beliefs.”

  Turning to the guy who’d become nearly as close to him as his cousins, Nate apologized.

  “I’m damned sorry you are going to be involved in this, Sam. We’ve dealt with racist shit all of our lives. Hell, we’re surrounded by reservations and the Indians have always had to put up with the assholes who think a different shade to your skin that isn’t a suntan makes you less human. Or less than human. But Sam, a righteous guy like you, who is my second in command? What can I say, except you’re gonna have to watch your six like you never have before.”

  Sam broke in with a snort.

  “Don’t pull any punches, Nate. You think I haven’t heard the trash talk? Hell, I’ve listened to it all my life. Why would it be any different here in Northern Minnesota? Except that you’re right, Nate. Being connected to you doesn’t help my reputation with the racist assholes. It’s bad enough who you are in your own right. But the word is out. The badass detective has gone one better. Now, he’s teamed up with an uppity nigger! And hell, let’s put it all on the table. Adding insult to their assumed injury, it doesn’t help that the woman I’m in love with, and who loves me back, is a gorgeous blonde Swede. The only thing that could be more damning is if Annika were German. Hell, I doubt I’d be standing here today with all my essential body parts intact if she were.”

  “I wish I could disagree, Sam. To say none of that matters. But, we both know that it does. The worst part of it is that I haven’t figured out yet what Jeb and Cougar have planned for us—or for each other. All I know is that it’s bad, and this town and all of us are going to have to pay the price to find out.”

  Sam nodded in agreement.

  “What’s the next step, boss?”

  Nate guffawed.

  “Why Sam, I think it’s time you met some of the kids I hung out with until two of them ended up in jail and I went off to college on a basketball scholarship. And if you think that didn’t cause some upset, you haven’t seen what the rats left in the outhouse do to the one who escaped if they ever get their teeth on him again.”

  Chapter 3

  Erin heard him come into their bedroom and roused up to watch him undress. Nate was stealthy, obviously not wanting to wake her. She smiled to herself. Many times she’d look up and see him watching her when she had thought he was sleeping. Without fail, lust gleamed in his eyes. Now she understood why. There was something profoundly erotic about being a voyeur. Watching her gorgeous lover lost in thought strip off his clothes had her wide awake eager to see each part of his glorious body bared to her hungry gaze.

  Nate took a long pull on the frosty bottle of beer he was holding in his hand and put it down on the bedside table. With a sigh, he unhooked the shoulder holster that held his regulation Sig and laid it on the end table by the sofa. Erin had noticed at the fire site that he was wearing a rig. That was unusual. As cocky as he was, Nate usually didn’t bother to show muscle. Instead he tucked a gun in the back of his jeans and relied on the one in his boot for backup. But tonight he must have been sensing a threat, one he took seriously. Erin watched him put his back-up Ruger and knife next to the rig, then tossed the badge that he wore on his jeans’ pocket on top of the heap. With that move he put aside the badass cop and became one hot-assed man.

  Slowly unfastening one button at a time, Nate turned away from her as he stripped off his shirt. As much as she loved the front of him, his back was a work of art. Erin thought of all the famous sculptures she’d studied in museums and knew that she’d never seen a back as gorgeous as Nate’s. His shoulders were broad and heavily muscled. Sculpted by his torturous workouts, his muscles rippled and gleamed in the soft light of the lamp. His back narrowed to his waist without an inch of fat along the way to spoil the view. He toed off his metal studded boots and bent over to yank off his socks. She couldn’t squelch her gasp at the sight of his hard butt outlined in his jeans. It was only when he turned around that she saw his quirky grin and realized she’d given herself away.

  Nate winked at her and then unbuttoned the top button on his jeans.

  His voice was low and sent shivers of desire shooting between her legs.

  “Hmm. I didn’t know that I
had an audience. Don’t’cha know, little firebrand? It’s not polite to spy on unsuspecting men who are undressing. You might just get more than you bargained for, hotstuff.”

  Erin felt the heat flood her cheeks but decided to play along.

  “Hmm, so even if you think no one is looking at you, you strip off your clothes, piece by piece like a Chippendale dancer? You must be in awe of your body, Nate Stryker. Or maybe you are just that cocky.”

  Nate chortled. “I’m both, sugar. Cocky as hell and yeah, I’m in awe of my body. It must be good, to have a gorgeous woman like you licking her lips in anticipation.”

  Erin reared up. “I am not licking my lips! In your dreams!” She hesitated then conceded. “Well, maybe I am—a little.”

  Nate roared. “Come on, Erin. Admit it. You were gonna lay there in our bed and pretend you were sleeping until I was standing here in all my naked glory. Then you planned to jump little old unsuspecting me and have your wicked way with me. Am I right, my little voyeur? Admit it, hotstuff. You were planning on taking advantage of me.”

  She tossed her head. “Right. Like I ever could! But, fine I’ll admit it. I like the idea of having the upper hand with you, Nate. Giving you orders instead of the other way around. Hmm, maybe, if you’re lucky, I might even take charge….”

  “Ah, now that would be an interesting turn of events, wouldn’t it, sugar? Tell you what. You tell me what you want me to do and then I’ll tell you what I want you to do. Deal?”

  Erin sniffed and hid her grin.

  “At least the first part works for me.”

  Erin rose up in the bed and rested against the tall headboard. The evenly placed slats didn’t leave much to the imagination nor did the high posters on all four corners. Erin shivered remembering the nights that Nate had made excellent use of all the features of their amazing bed. She looked him over from head to toe taking an erotic inventory. Tapping one long fingernail against her lips, she nodded as though coming to a conclusion.

  “I think I’m thirsty, Nate. How about I sip on your beer while I decide what I’m going to do with you?”

  Nate grinned.

  “That’s okay for now. But, honey, just so you know, I’ve got other plans for that mouth of yours, but yeah, you can have some of my beer. Just keep being thirsty, okay?”

  Erin struggled with the heat rolling up over her neck and face. How did he do this to her, she wondered? He drove her crazy just smiling at her. And now, his torso bare, the dark gold matting of hair on his chest that arrowed down his flat stomach and disappeared in the top of his jeans had her swallowing hard. To moisten her suddenly bone dry mouth, she took a healthy swallow of the beer.

  He stood before her, his big hands resting on his hips. As though daring her, he inched his tight jeans lower on his hips but was stopped by the enormous bulge that was getting bigger by the second. Forcing herself not to stammer, she tossed her head and glared at his trousers.

  “It’s good to know that you want me, Nate.”

  “Want you? Damn, Erin. I’ve wanted you since the first time you shook that hot little ass of yours and told me to get the hell out of your way. Nothing like a feisty woman to get a randy bull like me pawing at the ground. And as for this?” He pointed at his arousal tenting the front of his pants. “You better decide quick what you want to do next, baby. This guy is an impatient son of a bitch and is likely to forget that you’re in charge.”

  His eyes lit up like gleaming emerald jewels. His voice was soft, teasing.

  “You are in control, right, Erin?”

  Erin choked realizing that inadvertently she’d slipped her hand under the covers to quiet the raging sensations between her legs. Feeling the moisture there didn’t help. Neither did the grin spreading across his face.

  He chuckled.

  “Tell you what. You’re looking a little flushed. Why don’t you take another sip of that beer and then let’s get rid of some of those covers you’ve got pulled up to your chin. We wouldn’t want you to get overheated, now would we, Erin?”

  Erin couldn’t stifle her groan. She slammed her eyes closed trying to block out the sight of the incredibly sexy man advancing on her.

  His whisper sent shivers along her spine.

  “How about I crawl up on the end of this bed and drag some of these covers off of you. I wanna see what you’ve been hiding from me. Oh, and Erin? Can we agree that you’re handing me the reins? That it’s my turn to give the orders?”

  Erin gave a muffled moan and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. At the rush of cool air wafting over her, she opened her eyes and gave a startled gasp. Nate was standing at the foot of the bed gripping the tangled bedcovers in his hands. If she wasn’t so aroused herself the sheer lust in his eyes would have frightened her. Instead it ramped up her desire to a fever pitch.

  His voice was a low growl. “You didn’t answer me, baby? Am I in charge now, sugar?’

  At her passionate groan, Nate chuckled.

  “I’ll take that as a yes, Erin.”

  His smile quirked the corners of his mouth. Eying her silk cropped pajama top, he jerked his chin. No words were needed. As though following a list of detailed instructions, Erin eased her hands under the hem and slowly drew the silky top up and over her head. Excitement flooded her at his gasp. It was good to know that she could excite him as much as he excited her.

  At her involuntary attempt to cover her naked breasts with her hands, he shook his head.

  “Uh uh, Erin. Oh no you don’t. Cover up those treasures? Those soft luscious sexy gems that drive me to distraction just thinking about them? Uh uh, Erin. Not a chance.”

  He moved forward so that he was kneeling up in front of her.

  “Tell you what, Erin. How about you put your hands over your head and hang on to a couple of those bars. That’s the way. Now hang on tight baby and arch your back. That’s right. Hell, yeah! Damn, Erin. Look at you. You have the most gorgeous breasts I’ve ever seen. Especially when those rosy tips are getting hard just by my looking at them.”

  Erin tossed her head from side to side, unable to quiet the whimpering sounds coming from her. All she wanted was to feel his hands on her, or better yet, his mouth, his lips, and God, yes—his teeth.

  His voice was soft, crooning.

  “That’s a good girl, Erin. Stay just like that.” As though she had any say in the matter, he asked, “Will it be okay if I crawl up between your legs and feast on these, Erin?” Grasping her breasts in his big hands he squeezed the tips between his fingers and thumb. Chuckling at her squeal, he murmured, “Oh yeah. And maybe when I’ve had my fill of these glorious treats, I’ll find some other sweet place to taste. How does that sound? Good, baby?”

  Erin did her best to hang onto the slats above her head, but when he pushed her feet up against her bottom and spread her legs, she cried out and tried to wriggle free—to no avail. He was insistent, and too strong.

  “Uh uh. I need to get closer, Erin. If we handle this just right, honey, not only am I going to be able to feast on your breasts but my cock is gonna be nudging his way into the sweetest spot on earth. But don’t worry. I’ll keep my pants zipped. I’ve got a few orgasms planned for you before I come inside of you. So keep hanging onto those bars, Erin, and then give into all the things I’m going to do to you. Got that? Good. Now, Erin, feel. Just feel.”

  Erin writhed against him as he stroked her tender nipples with his expert tongue. Just when she didn’t think she could stand his feathery lashes a second longer, he began to suckle her in earnest. The strong pull of his mouth and lips sent a firestorm of sensation straight to her core. She cried out, begging him for more. When she thought she couldn’t go any higher, couldn’t climb another erotic peak, he twisted one hard beaded nub between his fingers and bit down on the other. Wild waves of passion splashed over her, each more forceful than the last. She shrieked a harsh keening cry and gave into the overpowering sensations rocketing through her.

  He gently licked her and stroked her a
s she came down from her climax. She tried to pull back not knowing how she could possibly do more than dissolve in a puddle of sensations. Nate shook his head dragging his lips across her fevered chest.

  “Uh uh, baby. We’re not done. Damn, Erin. You are one hot woman. I could take you like this again and again. And you know the best part? You would come every time just as hard and wild as you did now. But honey I’m gonna confess. This big guy of mine is not to be denied.”

  His voice was tight, a mock accusation. “Look, Erin! Look what you’ve done to me!”

  Nate knelt up and managed to shove his jeans down over his strong thighs. Erin gasped at the sight of his burgeoning arousal. He grasped his shaft at the base, a drop of pre-cum hovering on the slit of the swollen head.

  “Touch me, baby.” He grabbed her hand and wrapped it around his staff. Stroking up and down, rubbing the silky covering over the iron hard shaft, he groaned. “Yeah, Erin. Like that!”

  Seeing the flush creeping across his cheeks, Erin became emboldened. She licked the tip of her finger then rubbed it across his weeping slit. His eyes flew open when she stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked on it noisily.

  “Christ, Erin. Do you know how fucking hot that is? But honey, if I let you suck on me like that, on my dick? I’d last all of three seconds. No, I’ve got a better idea. But first let me see if you’re as wet as ready as I am. Are you, honey? Wet, hot, ready for me?”

  Erin cried out when he maneuvered her down against the bed and in one fluid movement stripped off her silky shorts and dragged her legs up over his shoulders. Lifting her hips he brought her groin up to his mouth. For the next several minutes, Erin wasn’t sure she could survive the fierce sensations driving her. Holding her bottom in his huge hands Nate opened her to his mouth and tongue. Unerringly circling her clit with his relentless tongue he lapped at her quivering flesh, urging her higher and higher until she was crying out for release. When she was sure she would die from desire, he sucked her clit into his mouth and bit down. In the midst of her cries he rose up and pressed his turgid staff against her entrance. In one hard thrust, he drove into her. At her shriek, he lifted her hips even higher. He pressed her thighs against her chest and pounded into her. He thrust in and out going deeper and deeper until he could go no more. As she climbed to the top of the precipice, his harsh roar echoed her passionate cry made all the more powerful because they rode the crest together.