Fire Down Below Read online

  Annie grabbed her phone and swiped through her mailbox while she finished her coffee. She tucked her phone in her back pocket, and headed for the cat food cabinet and took down a fancy can of food for George. She sent it for a spin on the electric opener and dumped it out into George’s fancy bowl.

  Not that he was spoiled or anything.

  “George, where the hell are you, buddy?”

  Annie walked from room to room looking for the orange imp. She started to panic just a little bit when he didn’t appear. Just as she started to make another round of the house, she noticed the living room screen had been pushed out of the window. Damn, he’d never done that before. She always left that window open at night along with the one in her bedroom so she’d get a cross breeze through the house.

  She stuck her head out the window and called again. That’s when she heard a faint meow. He was definitely outside. Pulling her head back in, she ran for the front door, George’s dish still in her hand.

  The meow sounded again and Annie looked up. Damn. George was up the tree in her front yard. Crap. He wasn’t so awfully high, but he paced on a branch and made no attempt whatsoever to come down for his breakfast. It was serious if he didn’t come down for food.

  Shit.

  “Come on buddy, you got up there on your own, you have to get down on your own. Doesn’t this smell good? It’s your favorite.” Encouragement might work, right?

  “Meow.”

  “George. You come down here right now, you hear me?” Annie used her stern teacher voice. George stopped pacing and sat on the branch.

  “Okay, fine. Give me a minute. You little jerk.”

  Annie put the food bowl down on the ground and headed for the garage. She opened the side door and threw open the overhead door to make it easier to get the ladder out to the tree. Heights were not her favorite thing, but she was doing this for George, so maybe she could deal with it. She’d find out soon enough. Though, her stomach churning wasn’t a good sign.

  The ladder was fairly heavy, but she managed to half- carry half-drag it out to the tree. Then there was the bit about unhooking the thing-a-ma-jigs so she could make it longer, that took a minute. Or ten. Finally, she leaned it against the tree so that it extended just past the branch below George.

  One trembling step at a time, Annie made it to her target branch. She stepped carefully off the ladder, hanging onto the tree trunk like a long-lost love and carefully maintaining her balance. A breeze kicked up, scaring the crap out of her. The branch she stood on was wide, which was a bonus but it didn’t really elicit a warm fuzzy feeling in her belly. More like an I-just-might-puke feeling.

  A few slow, deep breaths and the nausea lessened but didn’t disappear entirely.

  “Okay, George. I’m here now. Can you come a little closer buddy, so I can reach you?” George sat and lifted a paw which he licked and wiped his face with. Little turd. Just like a cat.

  I should have adopted a dog.

  None of the sweet-talking, coaxing, or bullying tactics prompted George to move his furry little butt at all.

  As much as she hated to do it, Annie was going to have to climb back down and see if she could lengthen the ladder a little more and try this whole routine again. Wouldn’t that be fun? She looked down and her stomach churned.

  Satisfied with her plan, Annie hugged the tree a little tighter and extended her foot from the branch to the ladder rung. In an instant, her foot slipped across the rung, pushing the ladder sideways. She snatched her foot back and braced herself, barely keeping her balance on the tree limb.

  Holy shit! That was close!

  The ladder continued its slide sideways and fell in a graceful arc to the grass.

  “Holy double shit, now what do I do? George! I might just trade you in for a dog, do you hear me?” George chose that moment to move to within Annie’s grasp. He sat on his limb right above her and batted a paw at her head, catching a hank of her hair and pulling it out of its ponytail.

  “Ouch, George you are such a jerk. I hate you right now, you know that, right?” Annie carefully lowered herself into a squat, then let each leg fall astride her branch. She debated the drop to the ground, but it was too high, or she was too short, either way, the risk of injury seemed more than she wanted to gamble on. But what choice did she have?

  She waited a few minutes for her nerves to settle and her heart to stop kicking her chest quite so hard, then took her cell phone from her back pocket.

  The whole cat-stuck-in-a-tree seemed like a legitimate fire department kind of thing, so her being stuck in the tree with the cat seemed an even more compelling reason to call Justin. But the embarrassment? No, no she would just call Mr. Dobbs down the street. His house was the closest at a mile and a quarter, but he’d be there in no time.

  Just as Annie’s fingers tapped out the first three digits of Mr. Dobbs’s phone number, a rumbling sound in the distance caught her attention. Her finger hovering over the number nine, she watched as a big, black, badass truck nosed over the rise at the other end of her driveway.

  At the wheel was one big, sexy, badass Fire Chief.

  This was going to be so embarrassing.

  ∞∞∞

  Justin had waited two days for Annie to call him, which was a day and a half longer than he’d wanted to wait. So, here he was on a Saturday morning, headed to her place to commence with the begging for a date.

  He should just turn around now and save himself from any further rejection. Annie was too young for him. She needed a man with a regular job, and regular work hours, and one who didn’t walk into burning buildings for a living.

  She deserved so much better than him. Yet, for some unknown reason, he just couldn’t resist her sweet smile or her sharp wit, and he hoped like hell at some point he could get up close and personal with that beautiful, curvy body of hers. Maybe he should have thought this out more before hopping into his truck and hauling ass to her place.

  “Too late now, Rex. We’re committed buddy,” he said to the Dalmatian riding next to him. “Let’s see if our girl is at home.” He rolled to a stop at the end of her driveway, threw the vehicle in park, and slid out of his truck.

  Rex insisted on coming along and barreled past him heading directly for the tree in her front lawn. He hunkered down, tail wagging, his face in a bowl of God only knew what.

  “Hey, Rex! Get out of there!” Rex sat beside the presumably now empty bowl and waited for his master to catch up. The dog lifted his nose in the air and let out a litany of barks while jumping at the base of the tree. “Next time, you’re staying home, buddy.”

  Justin noticed the ladder lying off to the side of the tree and he glanced upward.

  “Oh, Christ. Annie are you all right?” Justin shot into fireman mode. He grabbed the ladder, placing it against the tree. He looked to where Annie sat on a branch and scaled the ladder in two seconds flat. Practicing that technique came in handy.

  He touched her thigh, “Are you injured?”

  “No. No, I’m good." She didn’t meet his eyes. “I was actually thinking of calling you, but...well, here you are.” She tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. A tentative smile crossed her face and a wave of pink rose from her neck to her checks to her forehead.

  A cat meowed and batted at her hair from the branch above her. “Who’s your friend?” he asked and began to relax now that he’d seen for himself that she was unharmed. Just stuck up a tree. With a cat.

  “That’s George. He’s kind of a jerk.” She turned her head and glared at the cat. “But, I’ve pretty much learned to deal with him. This is new though, the whole stuck-in-a- tree thing. I’m hoping it’s a one-time thing.” She was adorable when she babbled.

  “Let’s get you both down from here, okay beautiful?”

  Annie nodded. “Maybe you should get George first?”

  Justin shook his head, “Nope, ladies first, I’m afraid.” He stepped down a couple of rungs, making sure his footing was solid. “How about you pu
t your right foot out and onto the ladder, beautiful?”

  “It didn’t seem this high on the way up,” she said biting her bottom lip. He knew she was scared, but that was the sexiest move he’d seen in a long time, and he had to control his reaction or they’d both fall out of the tree.

  That would leave George laughing his ass off.

  Not happening.

  “You want me to get you down in a fireman’s hold?” He winked at her.

  “Pffft. I’m too heavy for you to do that. Besides, that would leave me with no dignity whatsoever,” she said. She took a deep breath, fortifying her courage right before his eyes.

  “Are you questioning my rescue skills? I’m hurt, Annie. My gear weighs more than you. I can still wear it and haul a damsel in distress out of a burning building,” he smiled to try and ease her worry. “You’re going to be fine, I promise. The first step is the hardest. After that, you’ll be back on the ground in no time.”

  Annie continued to worry her bottom lip, but she finally nodded, took a deep breath, and shifted her foot onto the ladder. When it didn’t move, she sighed with relief. They stepped down in unison and the instant she was on the ground he wrapped her up in his arms and hugged her tightly to him. Her full round breasts pressed against him, and it took every ounce of self-control to comfort her and not ravish her. She felt good in his arms. Hell, she felt great in his arms. They fit together perfectly.

  Rex nudged at Annie’s leg and woofed. Not two seconds later, George moved from his perch and wound his way down the trunk of the tree and ran like hell for the porch of the house. Damned cat. Rex cautiously followed behind the feline, not sure what to make of the situation.

  “So. . .you were going to call me, huh? Was that before or after you got stuck in the tree?” he asked.

  The sound of her giggle filled his ears, and he knew he wore a grin a mile wide. Annie pulled away from him just enough to look up at him, and she matched his grin. Her eyes met his in a way she hadn’t done before and her gaze dropped to his mouth for a second. The temptation to kiss her soundly was hard to resist, but he didn’t want to take things too fast and scare her off.

  “Thank you, for the rescue. Pick me up at six?”

  “Hell yes, beautiful,” he replied. Annie stood on her toes and gave him a peck on the cheek, then left his embrace and headed into the house. When she turned at the door and waved and the fire hose in his pants pressed painfully against his zipper. Six o’clock couldn’t come soon enough.

  ∞∞∞

  Annie couldn't remember the last time she’d gotten ready for a real date. With a real man. Who apparently was crushing on her as much as she was crushing on him. She’d never had this many butterflies in her stomach. They felt rather like the size of hummingbirds and she knew that was entirely due to the man who’d be picking her up in, oh, five minutes or so. The attraction she felt for him was unlike anything else she’d ever felt before.

  It scared her.

  What if her instincts were wrong and Justin turned out to be a jerk? What if he couldn’t handle her curves once he saw her naked? Did he even want to go there with her? She was prepared for anything. Instead of cleaning house today she’d mani’d, pedi’d, waxed, and shaved all the important parts, just in case. A girl couldn’t be too prepared when the hottest guy on the planet came calling. Now, if she could only stop with the worrying and just enjoy their date.

  Justin hadn’t mentioned where they were going so she’d gone with a casual look. Skinny jeans, how’s that for an oxymoron, a softly flowing flowered tunic that stopped at her hips and a pair of low-heeled mules. Her hair was down and she let the riot of curls have their way.

  The rhythmic rumble of a diesel engine and the crunch of gravel in the driveway announced Justin’s arrival. Thank God. The waiting and second-guessing herself was exhausting.

  Annie grabbed a sweater and her purse and headed out the front door, locking it behind her. George pounced on the back of the couch and parted the picture window curtains to stare daggers at her for leaving him alone when he’d come to expect her attention every evening. She still wasn’t speaking to him after the tree incident.

  Justin met her at the bottom of the porch stairs. Damn his smile was brighter than the sun. Just the sight of him took her breath away. Well-worn jeans with a snug fit and a long-sleeved navy Henley shirt stretched across his massive chest. Could he be any more gorgeous?

  “Hey, Annie. You look—-amazing.” He leaned in and inhaled before softly kissing her lips. “You smell amazing, too.” He extended a hand and she took it, then stepped onto the stone path next to him.

  A moment of panic set in when she looked up, and up, at his truck. His ginormous-bad-ass-he-man-truck. The one with a distinct lack of running boards.

  He opened the passenger door for her and without missing a beat lifted all one hundred and seventy pounds of her right into the seat without a single grunt or groan.

  Holy shit. He’d just taken on God status. Was it too soon to tell him she loved him? Yeah, probably should wait until after dinner. Would he still be able to lift her after dinner? Maybe she should skip dessert. Unless where ever they were going had crème brûlée. Life was too short to skip crème brûlée.

  “I’m glad you changed your mind about dinner, Annie. Been looking forward to it all day.” He turned to her and flashed her another megawatt smile.

  “I am, too.” They settled into a companionable silence. It was nice not to have to make small talk to entertain him like she’d had to do with her ex and just be together.

  At the edge of town, Justin hooked a right on Meadow Street. Annie didn’t recall any restaurants in this direction. He pulled into the driveway of a small bungalow style home. A large picture window and a small porch filled the front of the entry.

  “I hope you don’t mind dinner at my place. I grill a mean steak.” He opened his door and strode around to help her out of the truck.

  The inside of the home was open and bright with plenty of light. It was small but cozy. “I love your house, it suits you,” Annie said.

  “I’m just renting. When I started off at the department I saved to buy my own place. When I had enough, I thought I’d hold off until I found the right woman so we could pick out a place together. So far, that hasn’t happened.” An odd sense of relief settled in her mind. He walked over to the fridge and took out a pair of lovely looking steaks and grabbed a couple of beers, holding them up in a gesture of inquiry. Annie nodded and he popped the tops and handed her one. “Here you go, beautiful.”

  “Nobody has ever called me that before,” Annie said.

  Justin cocked an eyebrow at her. “Beautiful?”

  Annie nodded and felt the flush of a blush heat her face. That was a stupid thing to say. But, it was true and she didn’t know if it was just a word he tossed around or if he actually saw her that way. Her ex certainly hadn’t, why would Justin?

  “Annie, I don’t know what kind of guys you’ve dated, but you are a stunning woman. You’re smart. You’re kind. I admire you for becoming a teacher and making a difference in the lives of the kids that are lucky enough to be your students.” She’d never heard such kind words from a man before.

  A telltale sting behind her eyes made her turn away from Justin before he could see how his words affected her.

  In a beat he was behind her, wrapping her in his arms, and tucking her under his chin. His body enveloped her in warmth, and she didn’t want this single moment in time to end.

  In short order, this man rocked her world.

  She turned in his arms to face him and his eyes were two shades darker and hooded. He ran one hand down her back and pulled her closer, his erection straining between them.

  “I want you, Annie. Right here, right now.” Disbelief rendered her mute.

  Justin slanted his mouth over hers, and she opened for him. His tongue danced with hers, and she welcomed the flames burning low in her core. The man breathed fire into her unleashing a passion unlike
any other she’d known.

  He dropped to his knees, his hands at her waistband tugging her jeans to her ankles in one smooth move. Her panties joined her pants at her feet. She stepped out of the clothes and parted her legs for him. He stared up at her with reverence in his eyes, then he dropped his gaze, leaned in and pressed his nose to her mound, inhaling deeply.

  “You smell so fucking sweet. I bet you taste like honey.” The heat of his breath against her skin sent chill bumps skittering across her body.

  The first lick of her slit and she nearly came unglued. He parted her lips with his thumbs and licked her up and down, side to side on her nub. He found a rhythm that had her panting and climbing ever closer to the orgasm building. She leaned against the counter and held onto the edge to keep herself upright.

  Tremors started in her legs and she couldn’t stop the shaking. Justin wrapped an arm around each leg grabbing an ass cheek in each hand and pulled her closer to him. He latched onto her nub and sucked. The orgasm blew through her like a backdraft. Just as she was about to collapse, Justin stood up and swept her into his arms.

  “That’s just the beginning, beautiful. I can do that to you all night long.”

  Annie looked up at him and smiled. “Not bad for an old man.”

  “It’s just a number, Annie. We all have one, but I don’t let it define me,” he said, and carried her down the hall to his bedroom.

  Chapter Three

  Justin set her down gently on the edge of the bed and simply stared at her. His woman. From this day forward she was his whether she knew it yet or not, he was never letting her go.

  She was soft in all the places he was hard. Rounded in the places he was angled. She was perfect, and she was his.

  Justin shucked his clothes in three seconds flat. “I’m sorry, Annie. I’d like to go slow and take my time, but I can’t. I want you too much. I’ll make it up to you next time, I promise.”