by Aliyah Burke
“Well, they were a bit off of about when it was going to start. The rain has already turned to snow.”
He heard the shower cut off and he reached for the remote to do the same thing to the television. Departing his bedroom, he went to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee, figuring she would want something warm to drink next.
He did a quick scan of his place, wondering what she would think of it. Last night, she hadn’t done all that much looking around.
Cameron sensed her before he saw her. He finished with the coffee pot then turned to look at her. His heart jumped and threatened to burst out of his chest. Abso-fucking-lutely adorable. That’s what he thought when he saw her in his clothing.
His gray fire fighter shirt hung over her curves and his sweats, well, she’d rolled them up both waist and legs just to keep them on.
God damn, he wanted to kiss her. “Feel better?” he asked, voice a bit more graveled than normal.
“Much, thank you. It wasn’t necessary though. I need to get home.”
“It’s already begun snowing and they’re calling for quite a bit.”
Her eyes grew round. “Well, I can’t be stuck here.”
“What’s wrong with my place?”
“You think I would want to be here while your neighbors come over for whatever they come here for?”
He tsked. “You’re sounding jealous, sweetness.”
“No, not jealous. Just wanting to be at my house.” She smoothed her hand down the front of his shirt, accentuating her breasts. “I can call for a taxi it’s no bother and I promise to have these back to you soon.”
“I’ll take you home. Just let me get some coffee for us. Or are you too good to drink that with me as well?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor and he nearly felt bad. But come on now, he was being a gentleman, couldn’t she forget about their past and just move forward. Preferably with him at her side?
“I’m sorry. It’s just been a long day.”
He stole a glance at the clock. Not much after two. “What’s going on?”
“Never mind, just some things I have to deal with but I can’t until I get home.”
He fixed two travel mugs, well aware about how she liked her coffee, and handed one to her.
“Thank you but this isn’t necessary.” Even despite the words, she didn’t return the drink to him.
“I’m going to turn you over my knee if you keep saying that, Riya. It is necessary. I couldn’t let you walk home in that. Hell, it would have turned to snow on you and you’d be sick.”
“What about you?”
He sipped some of the hot drink. “What about me what?”
“Your arm. Are you sure you should be driving? In fact, where’s your sling?”
“I took it off. It got bothersome and I have my other hand for driving.”
“Don’t you have a stick shift?”
“Yes.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her. “Want to shift my stick for me?” He watched her try to contain the laugh but her entire face lit up and her eyes sparkled.
“There’s just something wrong with you,” she said shaking her head. “I just have to grab my clothes and I’ll be ready to go.”
She was back before he knew it and he swiped his keys and led the way back out into the steadily falling snow. The accumulation was piling up faster than they’d mentioned.
“You should just let me walk home.”
“Get your ass in the truck,” he growled holding the door for her.
“I don’t want you to get stuck.”
Dipping his head, he inhaled as her hair brushed by him. “I couldn’t think of a better place to be stuck than with you, Riya.”
Her entire body stiffened and he knew precisely where her thoughts had travelled. Down the same road, his had been constantly. Cameron slammed the door and hurried around to the driver’s side. This weather was going to get ugly fast.
Riya lived on the other side of town from him and on a good day, it took him about fifteen minutes to get there. Tonight, it took him closer to forty-five and the conditions weren’t getting any better. Part of the tie was that he’d stopped to assist a few people who’d slid off the road.
Pulling into the parking space beside her car, he idled the truck.
She opened the door and hopped out. “Be careful getting home, Cameron. Thank you for the ride.” A brief pause. “And the clothes. Shower too.” Riya shut the door and was gone seconds later, vanishing amidst the heavy flakes falling from the sky.
Hand on the door, he was moments from heading out after her when his CB came to life announcing a fire. Shifting into gear, he backed out of the spot and headed to where he was needed most. Arm pain or not, he wasn’t going to sit idly by while his crew were out fighting fires in this weather.
A lot of people thought it would be easier on snowy cold nights but it wasn’t, not by a long shot. Cameron pushed his truck as fast as he dared through the town until he reached the firehouse. Coffee in hand, he ran inside.
“What’s up, Chief?” he asked the bald-headed man who was the first one he saw.
“We’re getting emergency calls to help stranded motorists then we get a call about a warehouse fire. I swear, if your sister-in-law hadn’t caught that arsonist, I would think he’s striking once more.”
Cameron didn’t bother correcting him in that Gina and Carter hadn’t gotten married yet. “I’d had that same thought. A lot of abandoned places going up at the most inopportune times.”
“See what she says about it later. Right now, we have a date with a red-hot woman.”
“Right behind you, boss.”
“And you’re not going in, Cameron. I know about your shoulder and that it’s still not back to one hundred percent.”
“Fuck,” he swore. He wouldn’t fight it. “I’m where you put me, boss.”
“If only that were the truth,” Hammond muttered.
Cameron knew he got on the man’s nerves and pushed him at every turn, but he wasn’t at peak condition and wouldn’t risk the lives of the men he served with. He could still go and help however, so he would be there, out in the cold and snow with them.
He claimed his seat on the engine as it pulled out from the house. The men with him were yawning and talking shit about the weather. Cameron kept to himself and thought about the woman he’d left outside her own place. A place he’d been inside of once but could draw an exact replica of it, he replayed his time with her so much in his head. Hell, if she hadn’t moved her dishes around he knew where all of them were and in which cupboard.
Pathetic?
More likely bordering on stalkerish, if he wanted to think about it but he didn’t. He’d memorized every second he’d spent with her and wanted a repeat. Ignoring the cold, he stayed by the truck and watched his teammates go in and out of the burning building. As he watched the gauges, he thought about the arsonist.
There were definitely some things to think about and he had to get it figured out because the one thing they didn’t need was more fires like this, especially when it involved cold weather. Another explosion rocked the building and he tensed, his need to run toward the danger almost overwhelming his common sense of not getting in the way because of his injury.
Men shouted, hoses sprayed, and all he could do was watch and wait. The snow worsened as did the cold. Whatever the fuck was going on with the weather it wasn’t expected and they were going to be in trouble. They had one plow in town and Old Man Flarretty wasn’t exactly spry any longer. They were used to cold, sure, but not the snow. Especially, not like this.
When they finally managed to wrangle the blaze under control, five hours had passed. The hoses had begun to ice up, while they were all cold and uncomfortable. On the plus side, there had been no major causalities and the fire was not posing any serious threat at the moment.
His chief looked at him and jerked his head. “Go home, Liaci. You’ve done all you can. Heal up and be ready.”
Brushi
ng away the fat flakes hitting him in the face as the wind did another directional change, he nodded. “As you say, boss.”
Turning the job over to another, he said his farewells and climbed up in his truck. As it idled, warming up, he wished his shoulder were better. It was his job to be out there with them, not safe and cloistered in his house. That wasn’t what he joined for.
Shifting, he rolled his truck by slowly until he got back onto the road. The snow still came down fast and thick, there were over six inches on the surface already.
This is going to get ugly. Maybe I should stop at a store and pick up a few things.
He wanted to be helping fight the fire but purchasing groceries was important too, as he didn’t have that much in his place. So he headed to the nearest all night grocery and pulled into the nearly empty lot. Shoulder aching now that it had gotten out of the cold, he sighed and did his best to ignore it. Climbing down, he slogged through the parking lot and inside the building.
Chapter Three
It took a moment for the knocking to penetrate her concentration bubble. Riya shook her head and frowned.
Am I hearing things?
The noise came again, and she sighed heavily, rolled her shoulders, and got up from her desk. She swiped her mug on the way from her office determined to grab another cup of tea while she worked on the latest program she had for homework. Cup on the counter, she snagged a peek at the clock and shook her head.
Where does the time go? I didn’t know it had gotten so late. This isn’t good, I have to stop and find some rest at some point. Although, I do want to get this finished.
Pulling the door open, her breath whooshed out of her body.
Cameron Liaci stood there, arms full of bags, snow dotting along his shoulders and hair.
Wait, snow?
She’d been so into her work, it had totally escaped her how much had fallen since she’d walked in her place. “Cameron,” she said calmly.
Here’s hoping he can’t hear how hard my heart is pounding. Or see the pulse in my neck.
“Injured shoulder. Cold. Think I could come in?” He gave her a half sexy grin.
She frowned, it was a smile he bestowed on everyone when he wanted something.
“Shouldn’t you be home? And not standing at my door at three in the morning?”
“What if I like being at your door?”
Riya rolled her eyes and stepped back. “I’m fine with you coming in, Cameron, but don’t lie to me.” She closed the door behind him, locking it, then trailed him into the kitchen where he put the numerous bags on the counter.
“I’m not lying to you, Riya. Why do you think I am?”
He gripped his shoulder and she caught the wince he tried to hide. Then he put his attention on her and she forgot what she’d been about to do.
“Riya?”
Christ, that voice. Decadent, deep, and tempting her to do all sorts of things—naughty things—with him.
“Because I’ve seen your practiced lines on other women, Cameron. You forget I see you in the diner flirting with anything that has breasts. I know the lines, the looks, and the half smiles you dole out in order to get whatever it is you’re after.” She flicked her tongue over her lips, wishing his were there instead, before it hit her.
I was getting him something for his shoulder.
Turning on her heel, she went to the bathroom and grabbed a bottle of over the counter medication and carried it out to where he was finishing up emptying the bags. “Here,” she said, placing the white bottle on the countertop with more force than necessary.
Those gray eyes found her, flicked down to the bottle and back up to her face. “Thank you.”
Her response was a grunt. It wouldn’t do to get herself involved in this. She needed to get to bed. Flashes of the last time she was in a bed with a man—correction, with this man and nearly whimpered aloud. The way his gaze heated, Riya wasn’t so positive she’d managed to keep her sound contained.
I’ll not address it. I’m still not sure what he’s doing here.
“Do you need water to take the pills with? Or what can I do so you can get on your way, although I have to say, I’m confused as why you just brought me a bunch of groceries with things I don’t necessarily eat.”
Another lazy perusal of her form as he dropped two pills from the bottle into his hand after opening it. “I showed up at your door because I figured if I’m going to be snowed in somewhere, it should be with you.”
She moved her mouth but nothing came out…For a bit. “You figured you would just come here to get snowed in?”
Cameron nodded.
“What the fuck would possess you to do that for?”
He took the pills without water and swallowed them. Then he moved toward her. Purely sexual, purely masculine until the tips of his boots touched her socked toes. “Because I want you, Riya Hendrickson. I don’t know any other way to get you to spend time with me.”
She blinked owlishly, head tipped back to hold his gaze. “You already had me. I wasn’t your type and you left and never came back.” Damn her sensitive heart for thudding out of control at his words and holding out some feeble hope of him being serious.
“I left because I was an idiot and I didn’t come back for the same reason. And I thought you’d come to me.”
His words triggered something in her brain that snapped the haze of wishful thinking away. “Like the other women,” she sneered. Riya had to give him points, he didn’t try to worm out of that statement, but owned it with a firm nod.
“Exactly like that.”
Holding her anger, she shook her head. “I’m not like the other women.” She longed to yell that out and beat it over his head. She wasn’t like anyone else, she was her own person, with her own hopes and dreams. “Just because we all fell for your charm doesn’t make me like the hordes of women you fuck on a random basis.” This time more than only anger laced her words, there was also pain.
She blinked away the tears. Riya hated how she tended to cry when she got upset. Not because her feelings had been hurt or anything but when she got angry, tears gathered and fell. She hated how it made her look.
Cameron stared at her for a moment then lifted her onto the counter.
Startled, she opened her mouth to reprimand him for using his arm only to realize, he’d lifted her with one arm alone. Okay, so that was pretty flipping sexy and hot, especially since he didn’t seem all that bothered by picking her up that way.
Fireman.
Her brain’s comment wasn’t appreciated or needed.
Cameron got right in her face. “You’re nothing like them, I completely agree. What you are Riya, is a breath of fresh air. You hold my balls to the fire when I do stupid shit. You don’t let me get away with it. When I watch you, I see the wheels spinning as your mind takes you wherever it does and you just go with it. You’re impulsive, carefree, absolutely adorable, and perfect.”
Riya didn’t know what to say. No one had said those things about her. Well, perhaps the impulsive part but that rarely came out as a compliment.
Why do I think I’m looking like a fish here once more?
Cameron settled the back of his hand along her cheek and slowly drew it down until he rested it along the curve of her neck. His fingers were across the back of her neck, his calluses rough against her skin and creating ripples of desire through her. He had his thumb on the pulse below her ear, making lazy circles and driving her to distraction. “I want to be here with you, Riya. I want to do this right and have an actual relationship with you. Something more than the fling we had before. I couldn’t get that time out of my head, no matter how much I tried.”
“You couldn’t?”
“God no. Christ woman, you sunk your claws into me that night and still, years later, haven’t let go.”
Her self-preservation kicked in. “So you’re trying to get me to loosen my claws?” It hurt. How the hell did he think she had her claws into him? She pretty much avoided al
l contact with him that she could. She never made him come to the diner. Sure as hell didn’t make him sit in her section when he was there. “If that’s what you’re after, then leave and never talk to me again.” Her words were cold and slightly devoid of any feeling.
Riya thought he may back up but instead, he tightened his grip on her slightly and inched closer between her legs. “Well now what would be the fun in that? I want them in deeper.” His breath brushed her cheek. “Dig them in, mark up my back. Hell, draw blood if you want. I want to feel them as I’m fucking you, Riya.”
Her pussy was slick and wanted to be touched. Not by her either. But him. If he stood between her legs like this much longer, she wasn’t going to be responsible for her actions. “What are you playing at, Cameron?” She had to keep him at a distance, it wasn’t fair for her to allow herself to involve her heart all over again.
He locked gazes with her and gripped her waist. “I’m not playing, Riya. Not yet. I do want to play with you though. I want to pet you, stroke you, and play. All night long and then some. I already told you I wanted back in you. But I also want more than that. How can I make you see this?”
“You roll up to my house in the middle of a snowstorm carrying groceries. I’ve spent more time with you in the last twenty-four hours than I have since the night you were here in my bed. Perhaps even more than that. You fucked me and left, it’s not like there was anything more than that. So why would I think any other way but suspiciously?”
“I am so sorry for how I treated you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need an apology. I’m not in high school. I knew what I was getting into when I said yes to you coming home with me.”
His fingers located her skin and brushed along it, lightly, teasingly. “And what did you get?”
“A night to remember. That’s it.” She hadn’t any idea how she was managing to keep her cool, especially with him so close, sharing his body heat with her.
“This time, I will have to do better.”
