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  “It’s you!” he says.

  “Yeah,” I murmur with a nod, putting out my hand to shake his. “I’m June. I wanted to thank you for everything.”

  He grasps my hand in his, warm and strong. Something inside of me melts at his touch, and I struggle to contain my composure.

  “I’m Lee,” he nods, still holding my hand. “Nice to meet you, June. And you’re welcome. Just doing my job.”

  Slowly, I pull my hand away, missing his immediately. I stuff my hand into the pocket of my jeans. “Just the same. I appreciate it,” I murmur. I inhale deeply, my stomach fluttering and I smell his aftershave in the air.

  He smiles down at me warmly. He’s tall and wide, so much taller than me that I have to raise my face up towards the heavens to look into his eyes. Seeing them this close, sends me reeling.

  “And I…well, I think it was you…that brought the box to my hospital room? I just wanted to thank you for saving that. It had a lot of sentimental stuff in it.”

  “I figured,” he says. “Well, I hoped. I wasn’t sure since you kept talking about a peach pit. At first, I thought you’d hit your head, but once I got you outside and you were so angry…” He chuckles, running a hand through his hair. “Well, you seemed to know exactly what you were saying.”

  “Yeah, in addition to thanking you, I owe you a huge apology. I was a total jerk.”

  He shrugs. “You’ve got a strong right hand,” he says, winking.

  I want to melt right into the ground.

  I groan, shaking my head. “I am so sorry, really. I don’t know what was wrong with me. It’s just that my folks just died, and I’ve been going through their things. In case you were wondering, my parents met when my dad bought peaches from my mom. The peach pit is from the peach he bought, and the receipt too. I just found these things myself and I would have hated for them to be destroyed after he’d taken such care of them for forty-five years.”

  “Wow, that’s quite a story,” he agrees. “I’m glad I could save it for you.”

  “Me, too. But even if you couldn’t have, that was no reason for me to act that way towards you.”

  “Hey, I’m used to dealing with folks on the worst day of their lives, so no judgment here.”

  “Thank you,” I smile up at him.

  This is the part where I should walk away—smile politely, put one foot in front of the other, and leave this man be.

  But everything swirls in my head all at once — the fact that I may never be here again, the bittersweet memories, all the sights and sounds and smells, the slight buzz from the beer, and the feeling of his touch still lingering on my fingertips.

  How can I just walk away?

  “Let me make it up to you,” I suggest.

  “Do you want to get a beer?” We question in unison, both of us stopping and smiling with wide eyes.

  “Okay,” he says. “What did you have in mind?”

  “A beer sounds great,” I say. “But I’m buying.”

  “Deal,” he agrees. Turning around, he says something to the man he’d been laughing with and then turns back to me, placing his hand on the small of my back and leading me out of the booth.

  Butterflies flutter in my belly and as much as I try, I can’t pull the corners of my lips down. His hand stays on my back the entire way back to the concession stand.

  7

  Lee

  Holy shit, I thought, as I watch June make her way through the crowd. I was slightly behind her, my hand on her back, her pretty floral sundress soft under my calloused fingertips. The feel of her hips swaying beneath my hand is enough to have my dick pushing against the zipper of my pants.

  She certainly cleans up nice, that’s for sure. Without the soot, tangled hair and dirty clothes, she is even more gorgeous. That dress clings to her body like a glove, leaving nothing to the imagination.

  Standing in front of me, blinking those big green eyes at me all sheepishly, well hell yeah, I’m going to take advantage of the situation. There’s no way I’m going to let her walk away. I want to get to know her better, there’s a definite spark between us—pun intended. With any luck, before the night’s over, I’ll get to know June really well.

  I let my hand slide down another few inches, letting it rest just at the top of her round ass. I wonder what sound she’d make if I gave it a good, hard smack.

  I flash her a smile as she glances back at me, hoping she can’t read my thoughts in it. When she looks at me, heat in her eyes, I begin to wonder if I’ll know the answer to that question before the sun comes up.

  8

  June

  His hands are all over me.

  As we dance around the floor, the heat in Lee’s touch is intensifying and the chemistry flows strong between us. This is the third song we’ve danced to and Lee has yet to loosen his grip. Not that I mind. I’m actually loving the feel of his hands on me. I’ve never been this kind of woman, the kind that has this heated, instant connection with a man that is so strong…

  Now, I’m starting to see why women have one-night stands with men they don’t know.

  Lee’s a roamer, too. His hands caress over my arms, my back, even coming dangerously close to outright cupping my ass cheeks. His hands are like a heavy wave flowing over my flesh, up and down, over and over.

  Being with him like this feels like foreplay and it’s drugging me, making me crave more.

  I’m melting under his touch, but it’s so intense and purposeful that it makes it hard to meet his gaze, because each time I pull away from his embrace and look at his face, his eyes smolder—heating me even more than his touch.

  I can tell he knows the effect he’s having on me, and he’s delighting in it. A mischievous spark in his eyes tells me everything I need to know.

  Meaning, how far this goes is entirely up to me.

  I mean, sure, he’s a gentleman, I can tell that. Yet, there’s also no mistaking his interest in me physically.

  He’s moving so fast I can barely catch my breath. I wanted to thank him and apologize, but I didn’t think about things moving so quickly. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced, but yet, it feels right.

  I’m leaning into his body, his ripped arms wrapped around me possessively as we sway to the music, and I’m loving every damned second of it. I don’t care who’s watching. Or what friends of my parents might see. My history here in this town is mostly done now. Any friends I once had have grown up and left the town behind, just as I did. I’m just passing through at this point, like a ship in the night just tying up loose ends.

  Who says I can’t have a little fun at the same time?

  Lee leans down to my ear, his lips brushing against my skin.

  “How about we go somewhere a little less crowded?”

  His voice is a low, suggestive growl that leaves me trembling.

  I look into his eyes and nod firmly. He grabs my hand and pulls me off the dance floor quickly, and we head for the exit, as he gently pulls me through the now-rowdy and buzzed crowd.

  “Let’s go back to my place,” Lee says, stopping at a black pickup parked next to a nearby curb.

  I hesitate briefly. I don’t know this guy. He could be a serial killer, for all I know. I roll through the list of serial killers I know more than two facts about, searching for any of them employed as sexy firefighters.

  I come up empty.

  I slide into the cab of his pickup in silent agreement. He slams the door behind us, running around and sliding behind the wheel next to me. He leans over and grabs my hand and places it on his leg, before putting the truck in gear and pulling onto the street.

  His thigh is one big, hard muscle under my fingertips. We make a quick, silent stop to pick up Lucy, after I mention her. I thought he might suggest we just use my hotel room—because we both know what’s going to happen—but, he doesn’t. Once we’re back on the road, he makes sure my hand is back on his leg.

  I pray his house isn’t far, because I have no idea how long I can keep
my hand there without slowly moving it up to find out what other parts of him are just as hard.

  Luckily, it isn’t far at all and when he turns off the road into a quiet street, I breathe a sigh of relief. He pulls into the driveway of a small ranch style house and I smile at the sight of the neatly manicured lawn. The grass is trimmed, flowers line the curved sidewalk leading to the door and mature bushes hug the edge of the house itself.

  It looks like a perfectly normal and respectable home. It’s probably never seen one murder. This bodes well for crossing axe-murderer off of Lee’s resume. With that in mind, I take his hand and let him help me from the cab. Lucy follows us to the door, and I realize the thumping in my ears I’ve been hearing is actually my heart about to beat out of my chest.

  I look over at Lee and wonder what his flaws are. At this point, he seems too good to be true. Handsome, hot as hell, gainfully employed, and he lives in a nice home. After we walk inside, he flips a few lights on and I’m pleasantly surprised to see the inside is kept as tidy as the outside.

  “Nice place,” I murmur as he comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. Tremors vibrate through my body as I turn to face him. “Hey,” I whisper, staring up into his eyes.

  “Hey,” he whispers back.

  “Are you sure it’s okay if my dog’s in here?”

  “Absolutely,” he says, as we watch Lucy curl up in front of his sofa. She’s such a good dog, I don’t have to worry about her doing anything to embarrass me. “I’d have one myself if I didn’t work such long hours.”

  I nodded, placing another mental check mark next to his name.

  So, he’s a dog person, too. This fact makes me happy, but again leaves me wondering when his flaws will become obvious.

  Nobody’s perfect, right?

  He turns back to me and the tension between us grows. His gaze is a white-hot flame threatening to devour me and I open my lips slightly to force breath into my lungs, but instead, he takes it as a sign and before I can brace myself for impact, his lips are crashing into mine.

  His hands are everywhere again, flying up and down my back as he pulls me closer, his body hovering over me, his lips working hungrily against mine. I kiss him back eagerly, pressing my body into his, a silent invitation.

  I’ve given up worrying about things going too quickly.

  Now, he can’t move fast enough.

  I don’t want to slow down, or stop, or take it easy — I want everything he has to give me. By the feel of his hardness throbbing against my thigh as he plunges his tongue into my mouth, he has quite a lot to give.

  I open my mouth, our tongues tangling together as I kiss him back, the kiss deepening. He groans into my mouth, his body pressing into me.

  “June,” he growls, ripping his mouth from mine. He looks down at me and his eyes widen with hunger. “You sure you want this?” he asks, and I know he’s giving me a chance to walk away.

  I lift my chin and meet his gaze head-on, licking my lips daringly.

  Slowly, I nod, then reach down between us, my fingers closing around the bulge in his jeans. He growls deeply and reaches down, pulling my hand away.

  “I like that,” he growls, “But, if you touch me too much, I won’t be able to hold back, and I want to make this good for both of us.

  I’m being much more daring than I usually am, but in the spirit of the evening, I’ve decided to jump in with both feet, no matter what the outcome. I’m committed at this point, so why not? Besides, there’s something about Lee that makes me feel safe and definitely hungry for more.

  Once he pulls my hand off his cock, he kisses my fingers, his mouth hot and wet against my skin. “Soon,” he whispers, before placing my hand on his chest, his muscles hard as rocks.

  With a sly smile, he puts his hand behind my head, his fingers grabbing a handful of hair and wrapping it around his fist. I gasp at his quick movement as he pulls my head back. My lips fall open as I watch his head lower until he captures my mouth again, his tongue hard and demanding as he devours me. I whimper as he tightens his grip on my hair, shocks of delicious pain rippling through me as he kisses me deeper.

  I lose myself in his kiss. He’s strong and confident and coupled with his size, I’m easily submitting to every move he makes.

  When he scoops me up by my knees in one fell swoop, I feel even smaller. I wrap my arms around his neck and continue kissing him as he carries me down the hallway and lays me on a bed that smells exactly like he does. I melt into the softness and watch as he towers over me.

  A slow smile spreads across my face as he pulls his shirt over his head, revealing the rippling pecs and abs I’ve been caressing all night. His skin is taught, smooth and tan. I sit up and grab his waistband, pulling him closer as I stare up at him.

  He growls again, the sound of which is quickly becoming my favorite sound in the world, and as I pull the snaps of his jeans apart in one quick tug. He lets out a grunt of appreciation.

  I push the jeans over his hips, and he steps out of them quickly, and when he raises back up, everything is gone, leaving him standing in front of me in only a pair of black boxers. I rise, moving so I’m in front of him. My breath catches as he reaches down and grabs my blouse, pulling it up and over my head.

  His eyes drink me in as I unclasp the hook in front, releasing it, revealing myself completely. I feel drunk on the hunger in his eyes. Something about that heated gaze makes me feel like the most beautiful, desirable woman in the world. Lee leans in with a low growl, his mouth quickly engulfing my nipple, his teeth nipping at the tender flesh. I sink my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer, needing more.

  He pushes at my jeans, unfastening them, before impatiently pulling them off of me. I step out of them, somehow keeping my balance as his hands run over my thighs, burning my skin.

  He stands back up, his mouth finding mine again, his body a hot, hard, solid wall that pushes me back onto the bed.

  He follows me down, hovering over me like a conqueror and me his willing captive. Our skin slides together like silk, his cock rests between my legs as he peers into my eyes again. I press my hips up, a silent plea.

  Needing more.

  “June,” he growls my name like a warning, like I don’t know what I’m asking for—as if I don’t know what I’m going to get if I keep going.

  I press my hips up again, licking my lips. His lips fall on me again, trailing kisses down my neck to my collarbone and then capturing each nipple in his mouth again before continuing down. My body shudders, my eyes closing at the intense pleasure, as he slowly makes his way down my belly.

  He stops when he reaches the edge of my panties, a tongue darting under the lacy waistband, teasing me. I moan, on the edge of losing it.

  He’s moving excruciatingly slowly now and I long to feel him inside of me. It’s as if I’m a different person, because I would never normally do something like this. Yet, I not only don’t want to stop this, I want more.

  I need more.

  I need Lee.

  Pushing my panties down, his breath hot against my thighs, and sending shocks of electricity through my limbs, I raise my hips so he can slide them off, leaving me bare and exposed as his gaze centers between my thighs.

  I lay sprawled out before him and I know he can see the wetness coating the bare lips of my pussy. I don’t feel shame, only the throbbing intensity of my clit and the hunger for relief that only Lee can give me.

  “Fuck,” he says, raking his fingers through his hair. “You’re incredible.”

  I can’t help but smile, feeling proud and basking in his masculine approval. I feel powerful, sexy and wanted. Three things that I don’t think I ever have experienced in my life.

  I’m about to tell him as much, but he descends on me with the passion of a madman, his lips and hands seemingly everywhere and all at once.

  His kisses start at my belly again, but he quickly delves down, his mouth landing between my legs. His tongue slides against the sticky-wet coating on my
pussy and pleasure ripples through my body like an earthquake.

  “Lee!” I gasp, his tongue dipping inside of me deliciously, before sucking my clit into his mouth. I lay beneath him, quivering and shaking, his mouth working against me skillfully, pulling every ounce of pleasure from my body.

  “Yes, yes!” I cry out, my thighs falling open to allow him more access to my trembling body. Slowly and purposefully, he uses his fingers, mouth and tongue to work me, leaving me shuddering and whimpering mess, begging for more.

  “Please don’t stop,” I beg him, nearly mindless. I needn’t worry, because he chooses that moment to slip a finger inside of me, adding to the shocks of pleasure that are threatening to send me crashing over the edge.

  He pulls back and I whimper, crying out in distress. If he stops now, I think I’ll die. He reaches over me, leaning to get to his nightstand. My eyes dilate as he straightens over me, this time holding a condom.

  Shit.

  I didn’t even think about protection. Immediately, I start to worry about what I’m doing, or about who Lee is. Yet, before I can pull myself out of the passion-filled haze that has clogged my thinking all evening, my gaze drops down to watch Lee expertly roll the condom on his thick cock.

  The walls of my pussy physically flutter as I take in his long, beautifully girthy cock. He’s a work of art—there’s no other way to say it.

  “Lee,” I murmur, and even I hear the hunger in my voice, the need that I don’t even bother to disguise. “Hurry,” I plead, needing him inside of me more than I need my next breath.

  Lee doesn’t rush, however. He slides the head of his cock against my wet pussy, refusing to slide inside. He’s toying with me, teasing me and I can do nothing but tremble, completely at his mercy.

  Then, without warning, Lee thrusts into me with a feral growl that drowns out my gasp of pleasure-filled surprise.

  His strong grip bites into the flesh of my thighs, as he rocks against me. He holds me exactly where he wants me, fucking me, dominating me with a bruising force that I love. My muscles tighten as I try hold his cock tightly inside of me, my fingers clenching into his back, my nails biting into his skin. He increases his pressure and slams into me harder until I cry out, my body exploding in a chorus of moans and tremors as wave after wave of pleasure washes over me.