by J. H. Croix
I’d been relieved to leave behind the investigators mulling about the area and was impatient to get to Fairbanks. I hated that meant yet another wait to be cleared to leave for Willow Brook. Since we’d been in a crash, I’d already received orders that we were to wait on site in Fairbanks to be interviewed for the NTSB investigation. All in all, more delay in getting to Amelia. It still wasn’t sitting right with me that she’d gotten worried about Shannon’s bullshit hints. Weary as I was, no matter the machinations of my mind, my eyes closed and I dozed off.
I woke with a start when the helicopter came down to land, setting down with a soft bounce. Within a few minutes, I was walking with the rest of the crew from the helipad into Fairbanks Fire & Rescue. All four of us were on a blind mission to the showers, and I could hardly be bothered to stop and chat with any of the local guys. Then, I heard Amelia call my name.
Disoriented, I spun around, quickly scanning the area. The waiting area here was busy with the station dealing with whatever usual issues at hand, along with juggling the presence of the NTSB investigators and a few extra hotshot crews passing through here to be sent out to the big fire. As such, there was a hum of voices and unfamiliar faces. I glanced around to find Amelia pushing her way through a few people toward the front doors. Her amber hair caught the sun glinting through the windows.
I forgot I was tired to my bones and cold all the way through. I dropped my bag to the floor where I was and strode to meet her. I didn’t hear a word she said, although she was running on about something. I stepped to her, wrapped her in my arms and breathed her in. She shut up and buried her face in my neck. She smelled so good—like warm grass under the sun.
The sounds around us faded, and I simply held on. After a few minutes, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I lifted my head and glanced over to see my dad.
“Hey Dad. Didn’t know you were coming up.”
My dad flashed a grin. “Got the scoop you’d be tied up for a day or two and figured you might want to see your girl.”
Amelia lifted her head, glancing between us and throwing a wobbly smile in my dad’s direction. “Thanks Rex.”
My dad nodded, his eyes flicking to me. “You okay?” he asked, gesturing to my bloodied shoulder. The cotton had dried stiff, and the makeshift bandage Levi had put over the jagged tear was visible through the torn fabric.
Before I had a chance to speak, Amelia gasped and stepped back enough to check my shoulder.
I caught her hand in mine. “Hey, I’m fine.”
Rex chuckled. “All I needed to know. I’ll leave you two be. I’m checking in with an old buddy here at the station. Come find me when you’re ready. I’m flying back tonight, but I booked a room for you two nearby.”
I didn’t even hear him walk away. I stared down into Amelia’s amber eyes, trying to impart everything I felt in one look. “I missed you,” I said, my voice rough with weariness and the depth of my feelings.
She caught her bottom lip in her teeth, letting it go with a sigh. Meanwhile, I knew I needed to be focused otherwise, but my body tightened and a jolt of need rolled through me. All because she bit her delectable lip.
“I missed you like crazy, but I can’t think about it. Your shoulder’s all bloody and we need to get it looked at.”
She took another step back, reaching for my hand as if to drag me along behind her. Where I didn’t know, but I knew Amelia would demand what she wanted. I curled my hand around hers and held firm.
“Wait,” I said.
She turned back, and I reeled her in, pulling her flush against me. “Are you okay?” I asked gruffly, dipping my forehead to rest against hers.
“Am I okay?” she asked, her tone incredulous. “Of course, I’m okay! You’re the one who was in a plane crash. You’re walking around like nothing happened and…” Her breath hitched, her voice cracked, and she pressed her forehead into my chest, her breath coming in shudders.
“Hey, I’m okay. Really. I spend the night out in the middle of nowhere all the time. Usually with fire somewhere in the distance, so last night was no biggie,” I said, sweeping my palm in passes along her spine.
“Yeah, but you’ve never been in a plane crash,” she mumbled into my chest.
“Maybe so, but we’re all okay.”
“How come you’re asking me if I’m okay?” she asked, still essentially talking to my chest.
Now might not be the best time to talk, what with people milling around us, phones ringing and zero privacy, but I wasn’t walking anywhere without making sure we were on the level again.
“Because I got pretty stressed about you worrying about whatever bullshit Shannon said. I have no idea why she did what she did the first time, and why she would do anything now. You have to know that. I don’t want you worrying about something so pointless,” I said, my words coming out fiercer than I intended.
Amelia finally lifted her head, her eyes glistening. “I know it was bullshit. It’s just you were gone and I missed you and I’m not used to us yet and everything feels big and intense so I freaked out.”
Her words flew out in one long-running sentence. She paused and took a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry. You didn’t need me getting all worked up like that when you were out there. I’ll do better next time.”
My heart squeezed in my chest, and I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. I lifted a hand and sifted it through her silky hair. After a beat, I managed to gather myself enough to talk. “You don’t need to apologize. I just need to know we’re good. I get it. Trust me, I get it. Seven years wasted all because of someone else’s lies. I’m as susceptible as you. Hell, I hauled off and hit Earl. At the wrong time, if he said the wrong thing, well…” I paused and shrugged. “Don’t be sorry. I just don’t want you worrying about anything like that. I’m here and you are the only woman I think about. Hell, you’re stuck with me, so you’d better say so if you don’t want me.”
Her eyes held mine, my heart thudding inside my chest hard and fast, before she closed the distance between our lips. In a flash, I forgot where we were and hauled her against me, sweeping my tongue inside her mouth. I forgot I was cold and so damn tired my legs were shaky. At the moment, the need bolting through me could’ve sent me on a marathon…as long as it involved Amelia bare ass naked tangled up beside me at the end.
“Get a room, would ya?”
Levi’s voice broke through the fog in my mind, and I tore my mouth free from Amelia’s. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes bright, and all I wanted was to be alone with her.
I glanced sideways to find Levi rolling his eyes. “Sorry to break up the fun, but we’ve got ten minutes in their locker room for showers. The medic is waiting to stitch you up too.”
Amelia all but shoved me at Levi. “Go.” She looked to Levi. “Make sure he sees the medic,” she ordered.
Levi winked. “Of course. I’ll bring him back all clean and stitched up.”
I had to drag myself away when all I wanted was to stay right there with Amelia. If I hadn’t known she’d boss me into the shower herself, I might’ve skipped out. As it was, I experienced a visceral ache stepping away from her.
Chapter 35
Amelia
I walked beside Cade down the hallway at the hotel. He’d been quiet since he’d returned from his shower to find me in the waiting area back at the station. His hair was still damp, and he had on clean clothes. Levi had hollered over to me that Cade was all stitched up, so we’d said our goodbyes to Rex and hopped in the rental car he’d arranged for us. I was relieved Cade was quiet because I was awash in nothing but emotion. My body was thrumming with need, and I could barely think past it.
I had the keycard in my hand, but had no recollection of our room number. I stopped in the hall. He glanced to his side, arching a brow. Sweet hell. With his damp brown curls, his green eyes and his body of nothing but muscle, I wanted to tackle him right here. My breath hitched and my pulse lunged.
“I don’t know which room, do you?
” I asked, my voice coming out raspy.
Cade’s mouth curled at the corner as he shook his head. He reached for the key card and turned it over. It was blank. Next, he tugged the receipt from the reception desk out of his pocket, scanning it quickly. “Room 34,” he announced.
We stood beside room 30. In seconds, we were at the door to our room. Cade shouldered though, tossing his bag to the floor with a thump. The door barely closed behind me before he was on me, his mouth crashing to mine in a fierce kiss. Need spread through my veins like wildfire. I couldn’t get close enough fast enough. He molded his body to mine, pressing me against the door, his hands roughly mapping over me as he yanked at my clothes. I was as rough and frantic as he was, tearing at his clothes. We stumbled away from the door, rolling against the wall in the short hallway as we left a tangled trail of clothing behind us.
The only pause came when Cade flinched, just barely, when I shoved his shirt off his shoulders. I tore my lips free. “Oh God! Are you…?”
“Fine,” he bit out before his lips blazed a searing trail along my neck.
Goose bumps rose on my skin, chasing in the wake of his touch. I shoved his jeans down around his hips, biting back a groan at the feel of his cock as I curled my palm around it. His lips closed over a nipple, his teeth nipping just enough to send a bolt of need straight to my core.
My thighs were damp, my channel slick with need. He still had too many clothes on though, so I roughly pushed his jeans down. He palmed one breast in his hand and teased me, while his lips, teeth and tongue nearly drove me mad. He kicked his jeans free and spun around, lifting me high against him. I loved how strong he was, how it didn’t matter that I wasn’t exactly petite. He held me easily, injured shoulder and all. I’d completely forgotten about that with the feel of his cock against my folds. He took a step, bringing my back to the wall, and adjusted me in his arms.
With my legs curled around his hips, he paused, his dark green gaze locking with mine. My heart pounded wildly and my breath came in shallow gusts as I stared back at him, caught in the web of his gaze.
“Just so we’re clear…” He arched his hips subtly into mine. Pleasure spiked through me, and I gasped. “It’s you I want. Only you. Always you.”
Despite being nearly lost in the thrum of desire and need, my heart felt so full I could burst. I couldn’t do anything other than nod with my throat too tight for words. With his fierce gaze on me, he adjusted his angle and sank inside me in one swift surge. His forehead fell to mine on a ragged breath, and he held still for a beat. I could feel his heart pounding against my skin. After a moment, he began to move, slow, deep strokes into me. I was so wet, his motion was one endless slide and pull inside my channel. So close to release already, I tried to hold back. The pressure built and built, pleasure starting to ripple through me.
I curled my legs tightly around his hips and bit my lip.
“Don’t,” he murmured, his low voice a caress.
“Don’t what?” I managed to gasp.
“Hold back.”
With a subtle adjustment, he drew back and sank in to the hilt. I let go, my release uncoiling in a snap and hitting me so hard, I cried out sharply. He was right there with me on the next stroke. He went taut as a bow and let out a rough growl, his head falling into the curve of my neck as he shuddered and spent himself inside of me.
I thanked the stars I had a wall behind me and Cade holding me up because otherwise I’d have melted into a puddle. We remained like that for several long moments, our breath heaving. As my pulse slowed, I ran a hand through his damp, rumpled curls and traced along his neck to his shoulder, following the tidy square outline of the gauze over his stitches.
He lifted his head, catching my eyes. “You can only ask once an hour if I’m okay,” he said, a sly grin curling the corner of his mouth.
I giggled. “I can manage that.” I reached up to trace his brows, sobering as I looked at him. “I love you, and I went a little crazy missing you.”
“Ditto.” He paused, his throat working with a swallow and his gaze direct to my heart. “I know it’s been a long time apart. Just focus on what matters—us. Don’t let anything or anyone else tell you otherwise.”
At that, he dipped his head and caught my lips in a quick, fierce kiss before tightening his grip on me and spinning away from the wall. “I think we need another shower.”
Not much later, we were lounging on the bed with takeout pizza between us. I looked over at him propped on the pillows, his ridiculously muscled chest gleaming in the soft light, and thought maybe I could figure out how to love him as fiercely as I did and not lose my mind.
Epilogue
Amelia
I looked to the sky, dusky blue and dotted with clouds, and watched a helicopter descend to the helipad behind Willow Brook’s Fire & Rescue station. The rotating wind created by its blades sent dust spinning in a circle across the open lot around the landing pad. The helicopter rocked on its landing, but settled quickly. It was a midsummer’s late evening in Willow Brook. Cade had been gone a full two weeks up north at a wildfire. I was chomping to race across the lot to tackle him, but I knew I had to hang back until the pilot and the rest of the passengers disembarked.
A gust of wind blew my hair wild. I brushed it back to see Cade climbing off the helicopter. My heart started banging in my chest, and I forgot to hold back. Dashing across the lot, I collided with him just as he was turning and slinging his gear bag over his shoulder. Amidst six firefighters from his crew and the pilot, he stumbled when I flung my arms around him.
He caught me fast against him, his laugh muffled in my hair.
“Amelia, how many times do we need to remind you you’re not supposed to charge out here until it’s clear?” the pilot asked.
I stepped back just enough to lift my head and looked over at Fred. Fred had been the pilot injured in the crash last year. He was still flying and had now added several routes for the Willow Brook hotshot crews to his rotation. He winked at me and then sobered. “Technically, I have to tell you that, so I’ll just keep at it. Maybe someday you’ll listen.”
Cade’s hand slipped down my back in a heated pass and gave my bottom a squeeze. “No she won’t. She’s more stubborn than me,” he said with a chuckle.
I looked to Cade, colliding with his green gaze, and heat slid through my veins. Two weeks apart, and all I had to do was get near him and my body went wild. It was safe to say our chemistry wasn’t wearing out yet. Fire season in Alaska, which stretched from spring to fall, meant he was gone every few weeks. The absences that had initially amped up my worry didn’t anymore. They only made me a lust-addled wild woman when he returned.
My breath caught, and I almost forgot where we were. Until a balled up towel landed on Cade’s head.
“What the hell?” he muttered as he yanked it off and glanced around.
Beck was approaching from the station and flashed a grin. “Just keeping the PDA to a minimum. How’d it go out there?” he asked, clapping Cade on the shoulder when he reached them and retrieved the towel he’d thrown at Cade.
Cade kept his arm tight around my waist as we walked into the station. I didn’t pay a bit of attention to the conversation around us, while Cade updated Beck and the other guys. I soaked up the feel of his warmth and strength for a few minutes until I decided enough was enough.
“Okay, guys. Cade’s done for now,” I announced, curling my hand into his and tugging him away.
Beck arched a brow. “Sure you don’t want him to shower first?”
I glanced over, scanning his chiseled features and rumpled brown curls. Truth be told, he was obviously in dire need of a shower. Dirt streaked his arms, soot streaked his face, and he’d likely slept in what he was wearing at the moment. Impatient though I was to have him all to myself, I reluctantly released his hand. “Fine. Maybe you’d like a shower first?” I asked, canting my eyes up to Cade.
He threw one of his devastating grins at me—my belly clenched and heat
rolled through me—before nodding. “Might be nice. Give me five.”
At that, he lifted my hand and dropped a kiss in the center of my palm before sauntering behind the rest of the crew into the back rooms at the station. I pushed through the door into the front and plunked down in a chair by Maisie’s desk.
Maisie finished up a call and glanced my way. Her wide brown eyes were so similar to her grandmother’s eyes I sometimes felt a pang from missing Carol’s presence here.
“Waiting for Cade?” Maisie asked, managing sort of a smile.
“Yeah. Figured it was fair to let him shower first. It’s not like he can’t as soon as we get home, but it’s been days, so…” I let my words trail off with a shrug.
What I was thinking wasn’t polite to say in good company. Even with Lucy, I probably wouldn’t say what I was thinking, which was I couldn’t wait to get Cade naked and all to myself. I certainly didn’t know Maisie the way I knew Lucy, so I wasn’t about to say a thing.
Maisie’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded. “Yeah, they practically run to the locker room for showers when they get back. They didn’t have a stopover in Fairbanks this time either, so…”
“They’re filthy,” I finished for her with a grin.
At that moment, the door from the back swung open and Beck strolled through. Beck managed the local crew for Willow Brook, which occasionally rotated out to the fires in need of hotshot teams, but they were back up rather than primary like Cade’s team. Maisie’s cheeks went from pink to cherry red, and she ducked her gaze down, suddenly busy typing something. I watched with interest.
Beck nodded in my direction and leaned his elbow on the counter. “You have a chance to submit those orders?” he asked Maisie.
Maisie’s hair, pulled back in a slapdash ponytail with wild curls escaping willy-nilly, bounced when she nodded, but she didn’t say a word, still typing away. Beck reached across the counter and snagged one of her curls, pulling it out and letting it bounce back.
