Inextinguishable Love: Firefighter and Interracial Romance

by Kathleen Bunker

  “Have you ever been to America?” Metimeh asked, breaking Anna’s thoughts.

  William shook his head. “We haven’t. But I’m looking forward to it.”

  Metimeh smiled. “Me too.”

  THE END

  Another bonus story is on the next page.

  Bonus Story 19 of 44

  Kiss of Tomorrow

  Description

  Avery Sherman’s life is a mixed bag of love and tragedy—which comes with the territory. Six months pregnant, and engaged to a serving Marine corporal, she endures long spells alone in her apartment, with occasional visits from her hard-working fiancée.

  But when he returns home unexpectedly, having survived another dangerous fire fight, she is profoundly grateful to have him in her life, and puts aside the fears that one day he might never return to her embrace.

  For such a thing to happen would be devastating and unthinkable.

  She could never be so unlucky.

  Could she?

  *****

  Avery almost cried with relief when the door opened.

  “Hey, baby,” Marine Corporal Ross Nichols called. “I’m home!” Avery dropped the paint brush into the sink, careless of any splashes, and rushed as best she could toward her returning fiancée. Running was no longer easy for her. Six and a half months of pregnancy made hurrying impractical.

  “Hey, hello!” he cried as she slammed into him. Her arms pulling him into a hug that would have been crushing—if he wasn’t two hundred pounds of solid muscle.

  “Thank God you’re safe,” she murmured into his chest.

  “Oh, you heard, huh?”

  “It was all over the news. I thought I’d lost you.”

  “I’m too stubborn to go down.”

  “And the others?”

  “Babe…”

  “I want to know,” she said. “I need to know. They were my friends too.”

  “Okay, but it’s not good news.”

  “I still want to know. What happened? Who made it out?”

  Ross sighed. “Casper didn’t make it. Manny went down trying to save Elliott. But there was too much smoke and flame for him to find his way back. I never saw either of them come out the other side.”

  Avery nodded stiffly. “And Jeff?” His was the only other name she knew, the last name from the five survivors of Ross’s original squad.

  “Jeff died on the flight back, baby.”

  If possible, she hugged him even harder. The entire squad was gone—at least, the squad of seven months ago. Now only Ross was left of the original twelve she’d partied with. That left him as the last possible father for her baby.

  “Come in, come in.” She released him and let him walk into the kitchen. “How long are you here for?”

  “They gave us three days, baby.” He sighed deeply. “Three days to put it all behind us.” He pushed a hand through his short-cropped hair and looked around. Nothing much had changed in the kitchen of the living room. So why did Avery have paint all over her hands?

  She caught his wary glance. “Don’t worry, I didn’t get any on your uniform.” Still, she cast her eye over his smart jacket.

  “What have you been painting?”

  “The nursery, of course.”

  “In your condition?”

  “I’m pregnant, Ross, not disabled.”

  “Still…”

  “It needed painting, okay? Don’t fuss.”

  He extended his hand. “Come on, sit down for a minute.”

  “Why?”

  “To rest.”

  “What’s rest?” She smiled wearily.

  “I’ll show you. Come on.”

  She nodded, then shuffled past him to the sofa, pressing her hands into her lower back. She was tired, but as she was alone in the apartment, she had to press on and get as much done as possible before the baby arrived. Still, a few minutes rest would be welcome. If Ross was home, then he would be able to help move the furniture around. She hadn’t been looking forward to that part at all.

  As she moved past him, Ross got his first glimpse of her from the side.

  “Wow, you’ve really grown around the middle,” he said. The careless words would have earned most men a black eye or a busted jaw, but Avery smiled and stroked the bulging shirt with a gentle hand.

  “None of my old pants will fit me. Not with this bun growing bigger every day.”

  “It won’t be forever, sweetheart.”

  “I know. I’ll be glad to get this part over and done with.”

  “So we can make another one?” He raised an eyebrow as she glared at him. “I was teasing you.”

  “Well, tease away. This is the last time I do this. No more babies for me—ever.”

  “Really? None?”

  She grinned. “My turn to tease you, Corporal.”

  “Well, you have three days to tease me, civilian. You got me all to yourself.”

  She smiled up at him. “That’s wonderful. But remember, I’m civilian-and-a-half to you now.”

  “Only half?” He leaned against her bump. “Feels more like three-quarters to me.”

  “Careful. Erica isn’t ready for any rough stuff yet.”

  “Erica? You named her without me?”

  “Erica if it’s a girl,”

  “And if it’s a boy?”

  “Eric if it’s a boy—after your father.”

  “Good choice, babe.”

  “I know, right.”

  “So what have you been doing this week?”

  She raised a paint-stained hand. “Guess.”

  “Wallpapering?”

  “Funny guy.”

  “So you’ve been busy.”

  She shrugged “Someone had to do it.”

  “Well you don’t have to do it all by yourself anymore. The cavalry has arrived.”

  “I thought you were in the Marines, Corporal.”

  “It’s a figure of speech, babe.”

  “Hoo-yah, right?”

  “Something like that. So what do you need me to do?”

  “Keep me company. It can get lonely around here sometimes.”

  “I’m all yours.”

  “Maybe you could rub my feet?”

  “Deal. Come on over.” He put his big hands on her shoulders to help her walk, and she frowned at him.

  “I can still walk, you know.”

  “Sorry, babe. I’m trying to take care of you.”

  “I know, and it’s nice that you care, but you’re over-reacting. I have no problems moving around. It’s standing that tires me out.”

  He waited until she settled onto the sofa before sliding in under her legs, lifting them gingerly as he moved into place. He pulled her slippers off one by one and began by rubbing his thumbs along her soles, pressing firmly as he slid them from heels up to her toes.

  Avery let her head drop back as deep, warming waves of heat spread through her feet. The deep ache that had plagued her for weeks began to fade immediately. Ross repeated the rub over and over, each time using firm pressure, but slow hands.

  “Mmm… that’s nice, baby.”

  “Your skin’s so soft,” he remarked.

  “One of the benefits of being pregnant,” she murmured as his big hands sent warm waves of pleasure through her feet. “Wrap your hands right around as you move them up.”

  “Like this?” As he moved his hands up from her heel, he curled his fingers around to cover her feet entirely, stroking the tops of her toes until he slipped off the end, returning to massage her over again. After a few strokes, Avery reached down to the floor and retrieved a tube of massage cream. Once she applied it to her feet, Ross’s hands slid over her skin more easily.

  “I’ve missed that so much.”

  “Not the same when you do it to yourself?” he asked.

  “Nothing ever is,” she replied with a wink.

  “Now, now.”

  “Sorry. I’m enjoying it so much.” She let her head fall back onto the cushions. She curled her toes
as he stroked her feet, wriggling them each time he returned to her heels. “You’re so good at that, I might let you do my whole body later.”

  “One piece at a time,” he said. “Let’s get your feet feeling better, then move onto your calves. They look swollen.”

  “They are, and they ache when I’ve been standing for a while.”

  “Let’s see what we can do about that.” Ross reached for the massage cream and squirted out a generous portion into his big hand.

  “Careful with that stuff. It’s only supposed to go on my tummy—to keep the stretch marks at bay.”

  “I’ll get you some more. There, how’s that?” His fingers easily enveloped her right calf, his fingers overlapping on the opposite side. She sighed happily as he slid his hand up her leg, stretching the skin as he moved, until her reached her knee.

  “Better?”

  “It’s soothing. Maybe you could keep doing it?”

  “My pleasure.” He repeated the action, each time squeezing a quiet sigh from his fiancée. It wasn’t any chore for him. They’d watched TV together, with Avery’s legs draped across his. He’d massaged her feet absently for most of a movie, and when she requested it, her calves as well. If it had been late at night, he’d moved higher, above the knee to soothe her thighs. There’d been nothing wrong with them, but they both enjoyed the experience anyway.

  And after that? Well, ‘after that’ was Ross sweeping Avery up in his arms and carrying her off to bed.

  “I’ve missed having your hands on me,” she said.

  “I’ve missed doing this.”

  “Well, you have three days to rekindle old memories.”

  “Maybe we should put a movie on.”

  “And see if you can rub my feet for ninety minutes? I’d like that.”

  “Thinking about it, I should get out of this uniform, or I’ll get cream all over my pants.” When Avery smirked, he continued. “Massage cream, babe.”

  “Oh, right. Of course.” She lifted her legs so he could stand, then watched as he began to undress, removing the jacket, his dress shirt beneath, and finally his Marine pants. He folded everything carefully and laid it aside, then returned to the sofa, wearing only a white t-shirt and his dark boxers.

  “You didn’t need to stop,” she said.

  “You can remove the rest later, if you want to.”

  “There’s no if involved, Marine. Of course I want to.”

  “I thought I’d leave some of the unwrapping for you.”

  “As a surprise, you mean? Like opening a Christmas present?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Except it’s a present I’ve opened scores of times already.”

  “You getting bored with your package?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Of course not, sweetheart.” She stroked his cheek, enjoying the rasp of stubble beneath her fingertips.

  “Then we can play later, once you’ve rested. I can take over the painting, if you want.”

  “It’s pretty much finished. But there’s a crib to assemble, and new lights to wire up, and the furniture to slide back in…”

  “Hey, wait. You were moving furniture? In your condition?”

  “Relax. It was the self-build stuff, and it was empty. That set of drawers weighs less than a cardboard box.”

  “I don’t want you overdoing things.”

  “Then you can move them back in. You’ll see. They weigh next to nothing.”

  “You stay down here. I’ll finish the upstairs.”

  “I have a better idea.” She raised an eyebrow. “How about you run a bath for me?”

  “I can do that. What scents do you want me to add?”

  “The ones on the side of the bath. Lavender and lotus.”

  “You’ve been experimenting?”

  “They’re the ones that relax me the most.”

  “Lavender and Lotus… they sound like Nickelodeon characters.”

  “Two little girls, fighting crime?”

  “Lavender would be American, and Lotus could be Oriental.”

  “I like it.” Avery closed her eyes. “I can imagine them right now.”

  “You should write it down. Maybe you can write some stories when you have the time.”

  “I don’t think I’ll have much time to write.” She stroked her bump. “I’m tired most of the time, and I still have ten weeks to go.”

  “Write it down anyway. You never know, I might write them for you.”

  “You?” She snorted. “When did you ever write anything that didn’t involve a bathroom wall?”

  “Hey, I write training notes. How hard can it be to write a story?”

  “Try it and see. It’s not as easy as you’d think.”

  “I’ll take that as a challenge to my manhood. In the meantime…” He slid out from beneath her legs and padded barefoot toward the door.

  “Your manhood has nothing to prove, sweetheart.” She stroked the bump again, sliding her hands down the sides, then underneath before drawing them back up the center.

  “Yeah, I know. All my fault, right?”

  “I seem to remember being present at the conception.” She grinned at him.

  “I have fond memories of that night,” he said as he walked out. The moment he was out of sight, her grin dropped. Ross had definitely been there the night she’d conceived. But so had the rest of his squad.

  She had only vague memories of that night. Everyone had been very drunk. Wives and girlfriends of the twelve Marines had partied hard into the night, only leaving because they had families to return to. In the end, only Avery and her friend Alice had remained, drinking with Ross and his buddies.

  What had happened next had largely been Alice’s fault. She’d started groping Ross’ Sergeant. When the Sarge had threatened to pull her top off, she’d raised her arms and let him undress her in front of the whole squad. The guys had cheered loudly and formed a circle as Alice’s jeans had come down. Somehow—and Avery had no idea how—Alice had encouraged Avery to join her and the pair of them had ended up standing together in their underwear, much to the guys’ delight. Ross had returned from the men’s room to see his girlfriend surrounded by Marines, about to unhook her bra—and he’d stepped into the circle to stop her. He’d been booed loudly, and Avery had berated him for being boring. The next memory she had was of her on her knees, sucking on him. Alice was doing the same to the Sergeant, much to the delight of the squad.

  The rest of the evening was a drunken blur. She remembered being taken from behind—by Ross, she assumed, and when he’d had enough and staggered away after filling her with liquid heat, one of his buddies had quickly moved in to take his place. Avery had been too drunk to object, and a line had formed. Alice, not to be outdone, had enjoyed the attentions of at least three other Marines before she passed out, leaving the rest of the squad for Avery.

  She’d been rolled over and taken again and again, pleasuring the waiting Marines with her mouth as their buddies emptied their lust into her. Sweating, flushed and incredibly sticky, she’d drifted off into a drunken stupor with one guy still using her body.

  When morning came, and the first hints of daylight filled the room, she awoke in Ross’ arms. He was sound asleep, and they were alone in the bar room, comfortable on one of the cushioned benches, and covered with a blanket. That was the night she had conceived, and Ross had definitely been there. But so had eleven of his buddies, and any one of them could have been the father.

  But now they were all dead, except for him. In a morose way, it had all worked out for the best. None of the other Marines would ever contest Ross’ claim to fatherhood. None of them had even mentioned it in the weeks following the drunken celebration, and one by one, as they failed to return from the action, her fears shifted from worrying about too many potential fathers, to her baby ending up with none at all.

  She’d often wondered how much her fiancée remembered of that night. Only Alice had spoken to her about it, in a low and embarrassed voice, filling in
a few of the details Avery had forgotten. She’d never even heard of double penetration, never mind tried it.

  But Alice had.

  *****

  Five minutes later, Ross returned, carrying a large, fluffy towel.

  “What’s that for?”

  “I thought I could wrap you up in it. It’s fresh from the radiator.”

  “A warm fluffy towel? You’re so thoughtful.”

  “And your bath is running.”

  “What about our crime-fighting cartoon girls?”

  “Enjoying the warm water. The bathroom smells odd.” His jaw stretched into a huge yawn.

  “I told you those scents were restful.”

  He blinked his eyes wide. “I might not be awake long enough to join you in the water.”

  “Oh? You’re thinking of joining me?”

  “Isn’t there room for a little one in there?”

  “There’s nothing little about you, Marine.”

  “So that’s a no?” He pouted.

  She stood on tip-toe and kissed him. “I’m sure I could squeeze you in somewhere, big guy.”

  “Does that mean that’s a promise?”

  “I haven’t seen you for six weeks. What do I you think?”

  “Is it still safe, babe? I mean, with the bump and everything?”

  “So long as we’re careful, babe. There are ways we can manage.”

  “I’m suddenly wide awake again. Let’s go upstairs? I can carry you if you like.”

  She shook her head. “I’m shocked. One mention of physical contact with me and you’re a powerhouse.”

  “You’re going to say you can manage to walk up the stairs, aren’t you?”

  “Sweetheart, I’ve been painting the nursery all week. If you remember, the nursery is upstairs, as is the bedroom. What do you think?”

  “I think you’re a capable and independent woman.”

  “Textbook answer, Marine.” She tapped his nose with a forefinger, then headed for the door.

  “What about the warm towel?”

  She shook her head. “It’d fall off as I walked.” She patted her swollen belly. “Plus, this would stick out too much. Put it back on the radiator, and I’ll enjoy it later.”