Their kiss intense, he growled into her mouth with rising hunger, then broke free. Passion propelling him, he increased the tempo.
“Come, baby,” he gasped, his breathing ragged. “Come for me.”
“Oh, God. Yes!” she shrieked, her eyes tightly closed. Her nails dug into his back as she rocked with him, riding the waves of passion.
Overwhelming pleasure shot through him fast and hot. He bit back a yell as her spasms gripped him, sending him over the edge. He threw his head back as burning lava poured through his veins, his chest heaving and his lungs panting at his throbbing release.
Unable to hold himself up any longer, he dropped his frame, his body sinking into a puddle of softness, his mind swimming in a pool of ecstasy.
A little shocked at his intense climax, he couldn’t move. His chest heaved as he listened to the sound of their harsh breathing. Moments passed before he realized he must be crushing her, yet when he moved, she grasped his neck.
“I’m too heavy for you.”
“No.”
He chuckled. “Yes I am. And I need to move to my good side.” Shifting his weight, he eased himself out. Her gasp nearly had him shoving back in. He rolled to her side.
Damn couch wasn’t big enough.
His bandage was hanging half off.
“Mike. Your burn.”
“What burn?” he said drawing Cassie next to his heart.
“You know what burn. Your side must be aching.”
“Hard to tell. My whole body is throbbing.” With the most remarkable sensation he’d ever experienced. When she made to move, he tightened his arms, then pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’m good.”
He relished a few moments of bliss and realized he needed to get up. He shifted again and managed to stand, smiling at her moan of disappointment. He slipped to the bathroom, then hurried back, not wanting to be away from her a moment more than necessary. Lifting her up, he held her exquisite body against his and carried her down the hall.
“Umm.” She rubbed her cheek in the grove of his neck.
“Yes, I know. Mmm.” He padded into her room and placed her on the bed.
With her arms locked around his neck, she tugged him to her. He stretched out beside her and brought the comforter over them, nestling into a cocoon of warmth. She curled her body into his as if they were one. He thought of the pleasure they’d just shared, and now a tender moment of sweetness he’d never felt before. She’d kindled his emotions, triggering his protective instincts. Her passion surprised him, roused him to unimaginable heights. He’d never been a possessive man, but he suddenly found he wanted Cassie to be his. She felt good. This felt good.
She had the face of an angel and a body made for sin. He’d been completely captivated and already he wanted her again. He massaged her thigh with one hand while the fingers of the other stroked lazily over the smooth skin of her shoulder, wondering what the morning would bring.
Before long, he realized she’d drifted off. He never liked his dates to sleep over and he rarely spent the night with them. Yet, here he was all snug in Cassie’s bed, with no intention of leaving. He didn’t want to be anywhere but exactly where he was.
A calming peace settled over him. Cassie had given him a serenity he hadn’t known he needed or wanted. This sensual woman belonged here, in his arms.
At least, for now.
***
The sun rose finding Mike already out of bed. He braced a hip against the kitchen counter and wondered what the hell had come over him. People usually saw sense in the light of day. Yet after two cups of strong coffee, the elation he felt had not weakened. They’d shared great sex. And when she’d nestled right up against him in bed, he’d been damn content.
He could get used to this.
Hell. Who was he kidding? It was one night of sex. Hopefully a lot more. But not a lifetime. What woman would stay for the long haul? He shook his head in disgust. His mother sure hadn’t.
He was a firefighter. That would never change. Some guys lived for the thrill. With him, the job held more meaning. Saving lives. Giving help to those who needed assistance. Sometimes the job offered more grief than reward. Finding horror in a burning house, a fatality at a collision on a freeway, or seeing anguish on a family member’s face ripped his guts out now and again. Still, firefighters were his lineage. His grandfather, his father, dauntless and daring had been bred in his blood.
He cringed when people called him a hero. He just did his job.
It felt good when a burning house held no victims or a car went into a river without its occupants. He couldn’t describe the relief when he felt a pulse or saw a chest rise after a near death encounter. And then there were the days he experienced immense satisfaction knowing his team had survived unharmed. Many nights he’d catch a few hours’ sleep before he had to jump back in a truck when the alarm sounded again.