“Administrative and the what not,” he shrugged. “Who knows where it ever goes really.”
“So, when does any of this information go on the record?”
“It doesn’t. Big Brother has closed the meetings to the press, to a lot of us in the firehouse too. They’re not releasing information. I don’t know why, but they’re not doing it. So what I just told you about the fire strategy—”
“What fire strategy?” She smiled. “Adam, seriously, I’m a photojournalist. I tell my stories with pictures, and when I start adding words to that I can’t imagine the addition will change the essence of who I am. I don’t think it’s right to throw people under the bus to make a fast buck. If this is off the record, then it’s off the record. It stays here, in this house, between us.”
“Thanks,” he exhaled slowly. “I needed to let out that information to somebody and I’m glad I decided to trust the right person.”
“Now, I have one more question for you about the fires and then we’re going to stop talking and start kissing.”
He laughed. “What’s the question?”
“Do we, or do we not have a chopper that could be assisting in putting these fires out?” She already knew the answer. They did have a helicopter—the FireFlight helicopter was purchased in two thousand two and from what she had heard of the FireFlight, it was a multi-functional investment for the city.
“Yeah. The FireFlight is great. It can reach any area in the county in under fifteen minutes, and it has a two hundred ten gallon water bucket. And if we have another nineteen ninety-eight maybe they’ll actually pull it out and use it,” he snapped. “The problem is that it’s used for everything from medical transport to law enforcement support. We’re sharing it—not just with our own emergency personnel, but with other counties too. We really need it for the fires though. If we can’t get in to an area it’s the best first line of defense. Thus far nobody has been willing to authorize it since Espanola is almost completely contained and White Eagle was never as big as that one, so who knows when they’ll authorize it. Would be nice though.”
“I wasn’t here in ninety-eight, so what was so different—other than more devastation?”
“The fires converged due to winds. It was bad. I wasn’t down here then, obviously, but trust me; you can’t become a firefighter down here without hearing the horror stories.”
“I hear the nineteen eighty-five fires were bad too. They burned down to the beach.”
“Yeah. It seems the fires are about thirteen years apart so I guess we’re due another big one; but I’d prefer if we didn’t get it.”
“Wouldn’t everybody? I smelled the fire again today. I hadn’t smelled it as strongly in a little while so I thought maybe it was almost over.”
“Winds are shifting. And yes, before you ask, we’re worried about that.” He used a dishtowel to dry the droplets of water from the sink before turning to her with a devilish grin on his face. “Now, you asked more than one question and I think that should entitle me to more kissing time.”
She smiled. “Couch looks comfy.”
“Oh, it is,” he winked. “Very comfortable.”
“Then maybe we should take this over there.” She took his hand in hers and led him to the couch. They had enough shop talk for one night. Right now she was more interested in doing something far more relaxing than thinking about fires. “When you find out where you’ll be, will you let me know?” She didn’t want to worry at every ounce of news she received. If she knew he was at the White Eagle fire then she would worry if she heard news on that one. If she knew he was still at the Espanola fire then she would worry if she heard something on that one. But good Lord, she didn’t think she could handle worrying about both fires at the same time. She would drive herself crazy.
“Absolutely. As long as you don’t show up with your camera.”
She laughed. “I can’t promise you that. Mitch has already told me the mayor, and now the governor, wants us covering the Espanola and any other aspects of the almost contained fires that we can. Espanola is their priority of course. So, I’m going to be there whether you are or not.”
“Then maybe I should hope for the Espanola so I can keep an eye on you.”
“Which eye?” She grinned.
“Oh, quick with the tongue are you? Well, we’ll just have to see what else you can do with that mouth of yours smart Alec.” He leaned in and stopped her laughter with one sweep of his tongue across her bottom lip.
Adam was a fabulous kisser, and everything about him screamed sexy. But for some reason, her mind wasn’t focused on the good kissing, or the sensations going through her body as he touched her, not even when his hand slid beneath the bottom of her blouse and edged upward toward her breasts. She placed her hand on his chest.
“That house fire yesterday, any news on whether or not it was the ex who set the fire?”
He pulled back and looked at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. “That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
“Hmm…” she moaned as his lips descended on her neck. “But seriously, any news?”
He pulled back once more and looked down into her eyes. “No. And I’m not a fire investigator so I don’t know what’s going on with the case.” He started to kiss her again and she put her hands against his chest to hold him at bay.
“But it was arson?”
“Looks that way,” he sighed. “But I don’t know because there’s an ongoing investigation and I’m not the person doing it.”
“Maybe it was our Palm Coast Arsonist. Do you think he deviated from his routine?”
“I’m afraid to think anything right now,” he mumbled as he leaned in and started kissing her neck again.
“There would be some type of call sign though, right? I mean he’s been really into leaving his chemical signature and letting us know he’s setting the fires. At least I would assume he is since all the wildfires that have been arson induced have been linked to him.”
Adam pulled back just a little. “I must be doing something wrong.”
“Well it’s not like it’s your job to stop this guy.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he mumbled. He started to pull away again, but she looped her arms around his neck, pressing the palm of her hands against the back of his head.
“I’m sorry. My mind just never really stops thinking about things. It’s just curiosity. Like why would a man hell bent on setting wildfires, deviate to home fires?”
“There’s no proof that he did.”
“I know.”
“Besides, there wasn’t anything left of the place. Everything is pretty much scraps that the investigators are going to have to go through. That is going to take some time to figure out. You’re not going to get answers tonight.” He groaned. “And I’m apparently not getting my kiss tonight.”
“Don’t be so sure about that last one,” she pulled him a little closer. “We’ll kiss first, talk later.” She pulled him down completely, letting her mouth make contact with his first. He was very forgiving of her moment of distraction, as if it hadn’t happened at all actually. His tongue slipped inside her mouth, dancing freely with hers. His hand brushed under her blouse again and swiftly made its way up to her right breast where he deftly slipped his palm inside the satin fabric of her bra and begin to stroke her warm flesh. She moaned, feeling the rough calluses on his hands brush against her smooth skin. The contrast felt good, intoxicatingly good and she wanted more of it.
His fingers found her nipple, pinching it lightly and causing her to arch her body into him, trying to be closer to the source of her sudden thirst. “Please,” she moaned and he did it again, letting his fingers stroke her, tease her, coax her into something more, something higher than the pleasure that was already building in her body. Heat pooled between her legs, need flooded her body, desire and lust and want and craving all mingled together to create something bigger, something deeper than just this kiss.
She spread her legs, letting him rest against her more completely and when she did she could feel his erection press against her. She tore her mouth from his, let her head fall back to the cushion and her eyes close tightly as he rubbed against her once more. “God, that feels good,” she moaned.
“So I’m doing something right?”
“You do everything right,” she said breathlessly. “Just don’t stop yet.”
He pulled back a little. “I have to.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
He rocked his erection against her middle. “Oh,” she whispered. “How about if you just hold me then?” He agreed, leaning back against the arm rest of the couch and bringing her to rest on top of him.
“Comfortable?” His voice was low and seductive.
“Absolutely. You?”
“Getting there,” he mumbled as he held her in his arms, her head nestled against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat lulled her to sleep, right there in his arms on that beige suede couch. At that point in time she didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Chapter Eleven
“It’s not fair.” He knocked a series of photos off the desk. How could they ignore his work? How could they not even mention him? They mentioned that firefighter again. They put his pictures in the paper, but they couldn’t even mention the fire-starter. They didn’t just overlook his call sign; they didn’t give him any credit at all. It was as if they didn’t know it was him. Well now he would have to change that. He would have to set another fire—a bigger fire. Bigger was better with the media; it always had been. He would get the attention he wanted, and then he would get rid of that pesky spotlight thief. The firefighters were destroying his art. They didn’t deserve credit for that. He would make sure they paid for what they had done. He would make sure they all paid—starting with that one—“Adam,” he mumbled. “Let’s see if you really were made in God’s image. Let’s see if you can survive my hell.”
The shrill of the phone jolted Adam out of a deep sleep. It took a few seconds to realize it wasn’t his phone, it was Eve’s. It took a few more seconds to process the reality that she was asleep on top of him, and it was now morning. She had been there all night and not once had they awakened so that he could take her home.
Her hand reached up as her arm moved haphazardly. She hit around the table for her phone. “I’m up,” she mumbled. “I’m up.” She hit at the phone as if she were trying to turn off an alarm clock. He laughed, and reached for her phone, trying not to move her from his body. He very much liked having Eve asleep on top of him.
He looked at the caller ID and growled. “It’s him,” he wanted to throw the phone across the room. After hearing what Mitch tried to do to her Adam couldn’t see the man’s name without wanting to pound his face in. Eve took the phone from his hand.
“Hello,” she said groggily as she tried to wake up. “What time is it?”
She started to move, but Adam wrapped his arm around her and held her firmly pressed against his chest. “That late,” she said a little more alert. “No, I guess I was sleeping comfortably.” There was a brief pause and then she said, “I’m not working today. I’m going down to Orlando to pick up some things that I need.” She mumbled some more and then she agreed to whatever he had asked her to do. When she hung up Adam took that as his cue that it was safe to ask the question he needed an answer to.
“What was that about?”
“He wants me to get some pictures of the White Eagle fire...” she yawned. “…Today. He’s working on another story. He says it’s something big. I told him I’ll get it before I head down to Orlando.” She placed the phone on the edge of the couch and then placed her hand on his chest as she kept her head resting there as well. “You should have woke me up. You couldn’t have been comfortable with me sleeping on top of you all night.”
“I slept just fine,” he mumbled. “Do you ever take a day off?”
“Do you?”
He brushed his fingers through her hair. She was beautiful—even when she was still waking up. “I’m taking today off with you.”
“That’s a mandatory day off,” she countered. “You’re off the rest of the week because you have to be.”
“Don’t change the subject,” he let his fingers brush over her cheek. Her soft skin felt good beneath his fingertips.
“I take time off. This will only take a few minutes anyway. I just need a few shots and then we can go to Orlando.”
He mumbled under his breath. Mitch was using her. She had to see that.
“Is this about my working, or the fact that you no longer like Mitch?”
“I didn’t like him in the first place,” his tone was laced with hostility.
“So this is about Mitch.” She raised her head, folded her hands on his chest and then rested her chin on the back of her hands so that she was now staring at him. “I’ve moved on, Adam. Please don’t make me go back there?”
“I’m sorry,” he once again ran his fingers through her soft hair. The sun light peeked through the uncovered crescent shaped window above the bay window. The light illuminated the red undertones in her hair and caressed her skin gently. She looked amazing. “But I can’t forget what he did to you.”
“I shouldn’t have told you.”
He knew she hadn’t meant to, but when she said she hadn’t pressed charges he had too much information for her not to tell him the whole story.
“Morning breath,” she said. “I’m going to go brush my teeth.”
“I have an extra brush in the cabinet.”
“No need. I always carry toothbrush and toothpaste in my purse.” She carefully moved off him. When she reached the hallway she looked back at him. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I shouldn’t have unloaded on you. I’ve been carrying this around for so long by myself that I shouldn’t have placed this burden on you. I’m sorry.” And on those words she turned and walked away.
She thought she was burdening him with her problems? Was she serious? He was glad she trusted him enough to share with him. She shouldn’t have had to carry the load at all, let alone by herself. He followed her into the bathroom and quietly picked up his own toothbrush and toothpaste. He had a double vanity so it was just as easy for him to brush his teeth while she brushed hers. The act alone felt natural, as if they had been doing this for years. He would look at her, and she would look at him. A slight smile tugging her lips upward as she brushed her teeth. He would have laughed, but laughing would have caused an extreme amount of spit to find its way onto his mirror.
“Okay, you’re finished. Get out. I have to use the bathroom.”
“You’ve slept on me all night, Eve. I don’t think it’ll be an issue if you pee while I’m in here.”
“I’m not going with you in here! I can’t go if somebody is in the room while I’m trying to go.”
He laughed. “Too bad. I need a shower.” He stripped off his shirt.
“Adam,” she hit his bare chest and he took the opportunity to grab her hand and pull her close to him. When she looked up into his eyes he went in for the kiss—one that had her leaning into him to get closer. He let his tongue delve deeper into her mouth as one hand came down to her behind and covered it, pulling her center closer to his growing erection. She moaned softly as he kissed her.
“Good morning,” he said when he relinquished her mouth.
“Good morning,” she smiled up at him.
“Now, you go on and do what you need to do. I’m going to take my morning shower.”
“You’re not…” she turned sharply when he started to unfasten his pants.
“Duty calls,” he said.
She shook her head and headed for the toilet. “If I didn’t have to go so bad I would just wait.” She looked back to him and he already had his pants down.
“Oh my,” she stammered as her eyes traveled lower to his boxer-briefs. She looked away for all of one second before her eyes reconnected with his bo
dy. He could see her blushing. He could see the way her breasts rose and fell with excitement. He smiled deviously, knowing she was admiring the package. He slipped his fingers into the waistband and started to pull his underwear down. She turned so quickly he thought she might trip over the toilet trying to get away from him. He laughed.
“You are impossible!”
“Thought you might like to see what you’re getting once we get married.”
“Married!” She turned around, clearly forgetting that he was now fully naked. Her eyes widened as she drank in his naked body. “My God you’re gorgeous,” her mouth hung open. “You should model for me.”
“Model?” He folded his hands across his chest.
“Yeah…I actually started off taking artistic photos when I was younger. They weren’t nudes, but I’ve always wanted to try them.” She kept accessing his body. “Wow,” she breathed in deeply.
“Only if you get naked and pose with me,” he said.
“I just might. There’s something I have wanted to try anyway, so why not do it with you?”
She kept staring at him. He smiled, knowing she appreciated what she saw and he wished he could see her right now too—all of her. “Are you through appraising me or should I keep standing here?”
She shook her head as if trying to clear the fog in her mind. “Go take your shower.” She snapped. “I have to pee.”
“Maybe I’ll watch.”
She gasped loudly before grabbing a towel from the rack and throwing it at him. “Get in that shower right now Mr. Man.”
He laughed. “Going,” he kept laughing as he stepped into the glass encased shower and turned the water on. He had perfect view of the toilet from where he stood. If she wanted complete privacy she was going to have to wait until the steam fogged up the glass. Otherwise, he was just waiting for her to drop her pants so he could get a good look at those gorgeous legs of hers.
For the second time within twenty-four hours he had mentioned the possibility of him being her husband. He was trying to get her comfortable with the idea before he proposed because he knew she would need some time to think about it. Marrying him would mean coming with him to California, assuming he got accepted to the program. There were plenty of newspapers there that would kill for her photojournalistic skills. He wanted her to come with him, to be with him always. He was one hundred percent sure that he wanted to marry this woman. Now he just needed to convince her that she wanted to marry him too.
Fahrenheit Page 14
