Blaze (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters Book 8)

by Ophelia Sexton

  While she was still living under their roof, Damaris had gotten used to holding simultaneous conversations with her second dads.

  "On vacation," she answered. "And yes, the hunky cowboy. His name is Dimitri. I got a new job working for an online gaming company headquartered in a little town named Bearpaw Ridge, and I'm going to be relocating—"

  "Bearpaw Ridge?" Jim interrupted excitedly. "Bearpaw Ridge? You got a job at Grizzly Creek Games, didn't you?"

  "Yeah, I did," Damaris confirmed. "But how do you—?"

  "Hunter's Blood!" Jim and Dan chorused before she could finish her question. "We play online with our 'pack' every Saturday night."

  Damaris felt laughter bubbling up.

  "How weird is that?" she asked, teasing them. "I thought you retired guys hung out in the park playing chess or something. Anyhow, I'm GCG's new HR director, and my fiancé, Dimitri Medved, is the company's chief financial officer."

  "Congratulations!" Jim exclaimed. "HR director? That's a big step up!"

  "I don't know if I ever told you how grateful I am that you guys were there for me when I got pregnant. Graduating high school, going to college—I couldn't have done it without you."

  "We're so proud of everything you've accomplished, doll," Dan rasped.

  Now for the hard part. She took a deep breath. "I am so sorry that I disappeared on you for the past three years. But I was hoping that maybe the two of you would walk me down the aisle at my wedding?"

  "Absolutely, yes, of course," Jim said without hesitating.

  "Wouldn't miss it for the world," added Dan. "When is it?"

  "Labor Day Weekend. I'll email you the details in a day or two—Dimitri and I are currently figuring out where everyone's staying. And we're throwing a big engagement party over Fourth of July weekend," she added. "Sorry about the short notice on that, but we just got engaged last weekend."

  She heard a long whistle. "Girl, when you move, you move fast," Jim exclaimed.

  "I learned that from you two," Damaris said. "Never hesitate when you spot a break or an opportunity, remember?"

  "That's our girl," Jim agreed warmly.

  "I'm proud of you, doll," Dan said. He paused, and his next words hit Damaris hard. "We've really missed you…and our sweet Ms. Kiddo."

  Guilt bit deep into her vitals, like an angry pit bull. It was long past time to come clean with her second dads about her involvement with the Mob.

  "About that…" she began, "I, uh, I have a favor to ask, and it has to do with why I've been out of touch for so long." She stopped, trying to figure out how much she could tell them right now.

  "Go on. We're listening," Jim urged.

  "I'm in kind of a bad place with one of my clients, and I could really use your professional advice. There are, um, legal issues involved."

  "Sure. We've got your back," Dan told her.

  "Does have to do with Tony Rizzo's Mob connections?" Jim asked bluntly. "We've been worried about you, hon, ever since we heard that Rizzo was one of your clients. And when you stopped talking to us…well, we figured something was going on."

  They knew! And they still love me! Damaris felt her eyes stinging with tears of gratitude.

  "Yeah. I didn't want to get you involved. I thought I could sort things out on my own, but…" She swallowed hard. "I hired a lawyer, and he's advising me to contact the Organized Crime Task Force and cut a deal."

  "You sure about that, doll?" Dan asked. "Becoming a Mob informant is pretty damn dangerous."

  "I've spent most of my vacation out here in Idaho thinking it over," Damaris said. "And I had a pretty rough conversation with Tony this afternoon that made it clear that I really don't have a choice. It's either turn information or stay tied to him forever and go down when he does." She swallowed, considering her next words, then added, "And…he threatened Sophie if I walked away from him."

  "Shit," Dan and Jim said in chorus.

  "Always knew he was a fuckin' creep!" Dan added. "But don't worry, doll. We got your back."

  It felt so good to hear that, to know that she hadn't messed up her relationship with her second dads beyond repair.

  "Yeah, and I actually know someone on the task force who's been investigating Rizzo for a long time," Jim continued. "If you know something and you're willing to testify, I'm sure Adriana Marconi could authorize a deal for immunity."

  Immunity? Whew.

  "Yeah. I know something, and it's pretty big," Damaris admitted. "Big enough that Tony's got his hooks into me, but good."

  "Well, don't you worry about that no more," Dan assured her. "I'll contact Adriana in the morning and ask her to get contact with your lawyer. Text me his info, would ya?"

  "As soon as we get off the phone," Damaris assured him. "Thank you so much. I wanted to tell you before, I really did, but I couldn't."

  "Well, I'm glad you're getting this all straightened out now," Jim said.

  Damaris noticed that neither of them had asked her for details of what Tony had on her. Thank God.

  As retired cops, they knew better than to ask questions when they didn't want to know the answers.

  "And first thing in the morning, we're going to get measured for tuxes," Dan said. "We can't wait to meet your hunky cowboy. I always knew you had good taste, Damaris."

  "And I'll send you our flight reservation details as soon I've made them," Jim added. "Should we book a hotel?"

  "Dimitri thinks that Elle—she owns the ranch and runs a B&B—can host all of the guests here. I'm planning to talk to her about it in the morning."

  "We'll see you in two weeks, then," Dan rasped.

  "I can't wait," Damaris told them. "I've missed you guys so much."

  "Same here, hon. Same here," Jim said.

  Damaris ended the call and went back into the house, feeling better about the whole Tony situation than she had in a very long time.

  Everything in her life had taken a turn for the better since she'd met Dimitri. And now it looked like she had a fighting chance to free herself from Tony without going to prison herself.

  For the first time, she found herself believing that everything might actually turn out all right.

  When she went back inside the house, Dimitri was in the process of scooping vanilla ice cream on top of the still-warm berry cobbler. He was standing at the big kitchen island, with Sophie perched on one of the barstools across from him.

  "One scoop or two?" he asked Damaris in a neutral tone.

  He didn't say anything about the conversation he'd probably just overheard.

  But the look he gave her informed her that they were going to have an uncomfortable discussion later.

  * * *

  Once Sophie had gone to bed, Damaris cuddled up with Dimitri on the big sectional couch in front of his fireplace.

  Dessert had been a couple of hours ago, and she had hoped that Dimitri had forgotten about her phone call to Jim and Dan.

  No such luck.

  She was spooned against him, her back against his broad, hard chest, and his arms around her. She felt safe and cherished like this, and it had quickly become her favorite way to watch the news or a movie with him.

  Tonight, though, he didn't make any move to reach for the remote perched on the low, Danish modern-styled triangular glass and wood coffee table.

  "So, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with your second dads earlier," Dimitri began softly.

  Damaris had known this was coming, but she still stiffened in his arms.

  "I’m sorry, love," he continued, his breath stirring her hair as he pulled her back against him. "I'm not trying to spy on you, but I can't help what I am. And what I am right now is really concerned. Please let me help you."

  Damaris knew that she had to tell him at least part of the truth now, to prepare him for when she had to testify and all of the ugly bits of her life became public record.

  "Believe me, I appreciate that so much," she told him and forced herself to relax against him. It wasn't hard—
there was just something deeply comforting about his touch. "Look, there's some stuff I haven't told you about my clients…not only are they sleazy, but some of them are involved with organized crime."

  She paused, trying to figure out how much to tell him now.

  He waited patiently, just holding her and breathing as her heart slowed down to match the steady beat of his.

  "They—they got me involved in some…stuff." God, I'm such a coward. "Illegal stuff. And I couldn't say no."

  She knew that was the lamest of excuses, but Dimitri made a sympathetic noise and drew her closer, as if trying to protect her.

  God, I love him so much. Please don't let him hate me when he finds out what I did for Tony.

  "I know what kind of guy Tony Rizzo is," Dimitri said. "When I was still living in New York, he was an investor in my parents' bank, before the feds shut it down. I found out later that the bank catered to a lot of mobsters, and my parents were responsible for those guys losing a lot of money. We've had some trouble since then with the vengeful types."

  That piece of news startled Damaris. Maybe I'm not the first person sent out here to off Dimitri.

  That thought led her to wonder how effective a traditional Mob hitman would be against a bear shifter.

  Since the Medveds were apparently all still alive and in good health, she figured not very effective. That made her feel better.

  She continued, "So, I called Tony this afternoon and told him that I was shutting down my consulting company. It was my way of trying to fire him as a client. It…didn't go so well."

  "Let me guess, he threatened you in some way." Dimitri's voice had roughened, and she heard the ragged edge of a growl on the last word.

  "Yeah," she admitted, then added quickly, "but I got it handled, no problem. Mark's going to help me find a way out of this mess, and so are my second dads."

  "Mark's going to help you?" Dimitri echoed incredulously. "Why didn't you come to me?"

  She heard the hurt in his tone and wriggled around to face him.

  "Because, sweetheart, he's a lawyer," she told him. "And I'm trying to find a way to avoid a prison sentence if Tony goes down the way I think he's about to go down."

  Dimitri didn't look any happier.

  "But it's my job to protect you," he said. "And I wish you'd let me know about this instead of trying to handle it all on your own. I may not be a lawyer, but I have resources of my own."

  Dammit. I hurt his feelings.

  She didn't like that. Dimitri was such a mensch, a true prince among men, and she already felt bad about the bombshell she was going to have to drop on him sooner or later.

  "I'm sorry, Dimitri. You're going to have be patient with me. I've spent so many years doing it all on my own that I didn't even think about asking you for help."

  She leaned in and kissed him, deep and slow, and felt the familiar heat gather between her thighs.

  "Well, don't make that mistake again," he said, still sounding unhappy.

  "It's great to know that you've got my back," she continued, pulling just far enough away to speak, but close enough that her lips brushed his with every word. "And I really truly wish I hadn't done some of the things I did. But between Mark and my second dads—I think I'm going to be okay."

  Damaris felt a jolt of fierce desire as she leaned forward. Her lips brushed lightly across Dimitri's, teasing, nibbling with feather-light touches as she ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his smooth nape.

  Dimitri remained absolutely still, but she felt his pulse hammering against her fingertips.

  Still mad at me. I'll have to see if I can soften him up a bit.

  She pressed her breasts shamelessly against his chest and deepened the kiss, desperate to get some kind of response from him.

  She touched her tongue shyly to his lips, hoping he would let her in.

  As if that touch had opened the floodgates to his hunger, Dimitri groaned. His lips parted beneath hers at last, and his arms came around her with fierce strength. He took control of the kiss, his mouth devouring hers, his tongue seeking as he stoked a wild, sweet rush of desire through her entire body.

  She wondered if she would ever stop reacting like this to his kisses. The depth of her response scared her sometimes, but he was everything she had ever wanted in a lover…or a husband.

  Damaris lost track of time as their kiss deepened and lengthened. The universe shrank to the sensation of his mouth against hers as arousal throbbed through her in hot waves, making her want more of him.

  She devised a plan to make him forget about his hurt feelings.

  "We can't make any noise," she whispered.

  Chapter 19 – Mama Bear

  Dimitri nodded in agreement, and she pressed her body shamelessly against his, feeling satisfaction at the hard bulge that strained against the front of his jeans

  He cupped her ass through her maxi-dress and pulled her hard against him. Their bodies touching from thigh to chest, he kissed her for a long, sweet time.

  Finally, Dimitri drew away with lingering reluctance.

  "Let's go to bed," he said hoarsely. "I don't know how quiet I can be."

  "I know what you mean," Damaris said breathlessly, need pulsing between her thighs in time with every heavy beat of her heart.

  In the next instant, Dimitri was on his feet next to the couch, and she was cradled in his arms.

  "Damn, you're fast. And sneaky," she said, laughing.

  He just smiled smugly and began to stride towards the master suite, located on the far side of the combined kitchen-dining room-living room open plan area and about as far away from Sophie's bedroom as it was possible to get in this house.

  She draped her arms around his neck and nibbled on his earlobe as he walked.

  When he had kicked the bedroom door closed behind them, he gently lowered her to her feet and reached for his shirt buttons.

  Damaris intercepted him. So far, he'd been in control of their lovemaking, but Damaris decided it was time to pamper him a bit.

  "Let me."

  Dimitri obediently let his hands drop back down to his sides.

  She opened the top button of his shirt with tantalizing slowness and worked her way down, revealing the edge of his tan just below his collar bones. Below that, he was all hard muscle covered by pale skin and dark hair.

  She finished opening his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, revealing his broad, black-furred chest, sculpted torso, and nicely muscled arms.

  "You know, being this sexy should be a crime," she said, looking him over with open appreciation.

  "I can't help my good looks," Dimitri said, grinning.

  But Damaris noticed the slight flush under his tan, guessed that he wasn't used to receiving compliments.

  She reached for his waist and unbuckled his belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. Hooking her thumbs under the waistband of his briefs, she pushed them down, letting them fall to his ankles.

  Dimitri was already barefoot, so he just stepped out of the crumpled heap of his clothing and undergarments.

  He raised his arms to pull her in for another kiss, but she raised her hand. "Hold on, just a sec. I want to look you."

  "I'm all yours." His flush darkened, but he stood completely still, waiting patiently as she looked her fill. He was magnificent, all muscle and strength.

  "You are the most beautiful man I've ever seen," she told him.

  His large, thick cock rose rigidly from the dark hair at his groin. It pressed eagerly against his belly, the pale skin flushed deep red.

  And he was all hers. For tonight. Maybe forever.

  Dimitri's grin widened. "And you're a real goddess, Damaris. So I guess we make a good pair."

  "I guess we do," she agreed.

  Feeling a little drunk with the freedom of being able to do whatever she wanted to him, she stretched up on tiptoes and kissed him again.

  He returned her kiss eagerly this time, all hesitation gone. His arms closed around her wi
th almost painful strength as his tongue thrust into her mouth. He pushed his hips against her, and she felt his erection hard against her belly, pressing through her dress.

  She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and take him inside her now. The place between her legs felt swollen and ached with the slow throb of arousal.

  "Now," he said, when their kiss ended. "It's my turn to undress you."

  He seduced her with slow deliberation as he removed her clothes, one by one, letting his fingers and lips caress every bit of newly exposed skin. His touch, his scent, and his intense, tender focus all disarmed and overwhelmed her.

  They were both breathing hard when she stood completely naked before him at last.

  "Gorgeous," Dimitri said in a hushed voice, touching her cheek softly. "And so strong. You frustrated the hell out of me today, Damaris, but I love your strength."

  Damaris's face heated at the compliment.

  She yielded to temptation and wrapped her fingers around his rigid shaft and felt him twitch under her touch.

  Tonight, she was going to see if she could make him lose control in the same way he made her lose control whenever they made love.

  She sank to her knees on the plush carpet and licked her lips. She ran her hands up his hard, muscled thighs. His cock was beautiful, thick and long, the head and shaft darkly flushed and pulsing as it pressed against his muscled belly.

  Dimitri groaned softly as she blew a teasing puff of air across the glistening tip.

  "Remember, you're going to have to be quiet," she warned him with a wicked smile.

  She slid her hands around to his tight ass and pressed her breasts against his thighs. Then she deliberately licked the very tip of his cock, a quick, teasing dart of her tongue.

  "You're going to enjoy torturing me, aren't you?" Dimitri asked.

  "Every minute," she assured him. "Remember, you can't make too much noise."

  His theatrical groan turned into a genuine gasp as she stroked the sensitive head with her fingertips.

  Oh yeah. This is going to be a lot of fun.

  Damaris took her time playing with him, seeing what kind of reactions she could tease out of him with just her hands and her breath.