Backdraft Read online

These weren’t “his” women and they weren’t Craig’s women. They were just women passing through his life on their way to another destination. The only girl he and Craig had ever really shared was Maya, and if he’d had his way, she would have been his, and only his, until his dying day.

  “It’s not like that, Dad,” he said, lowering his head. In spite of his words to the contrary, he was ashamed of his actions. He wanted to be the kind of man that made his father proud, and he knew it would be a long time before he could erase this black mark from his record, if ever. “It’s not like these women are my girlfriends; they’re not.”

  “That makes it even worse,” he said, shaking his head. “Jesus, don’t you have the good sense to worry about sexually transmitted diseases?”

  He would give his last dollar to be able to get up and walk out of the room right now, but he knew his father was speaking to him not just as the patriarch of their family, but also as his boss, and no one disrespected the chief in his firehouse. It was an unwritten rule that all the firefighters, himself included, obeyed. “We always use protection.”

  “Those things break sometimes, you know. What if one of these girls got pregnant? You wouldn’t even know who the father was.” He gripped his knees, leaning forward. “What in the hell is the matter with you, boy? You’re not a kid anymore. Why can’t you just find a nice girl, settle down, and have a couple of kids of your own?”

  His family had been on his case about getting married for the past couple of years, and he’d always told them he would when he was ready. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about doing just that, okay? You and Mom can relax and stop worrying about me.”

  “This is about more than that. You’re putting your career, your future, in jeopardy. Do you really think you’re going to get that promotion when I retire if you keep this up?”

  He wouldn’t let anything jeopardize the promotion he worked his whole life to attain. Being a firefighter was the only thing he ever wanted, and earning the top spot would prove to himself and everyone else that he’d made the right choice. “Okay, you’ve made your point. I’m done with that shit, okay?” He raised his right hand, looking his father in the eye. “I swear.”

  Chapter Two

  The night had finally arrived and Maya’s hand shook so badly when she finally raised it to bid on him that she was afraid the whole room, including Dave, would notice.

  He still looked incredible. The dark shaggy hair that was his trademark throughout high school was much shorter now, and the brawn that impressed girls and intimidated opponents on the football field was evident, even beneath a well-cut black tuxedo.

  The chiseled face that haunted her for the past decade bore a dark shadow of whiskers that conflicted with his formal attire. It was obviously his way of telling them he would wear the monkey suit, but he was still the one calling the shots. The one thing that hadn’t changed was those gray-blue eyes, so painfully familiar they made her ache for all the years they had wasted.

  Their gazes locked a few times during the night, and when he frowned, as though he was trying to place her, she looked away. She was careful to disguise herself in a long black gown, black wig, and mask. No one would recognize her as long as she kept to herself and refused to talk to anyone.

  She feared the distinct raspy quality to her voice would give her away the instant she opened her mouth, so she asked Craig to tell Dave that their “date” had laryngitis and was on strict vocal rest. She only hoped he bought it.

  “We have $500 from the lady in the back,” the mayor said. “Do I hear $550?”

  Several other women were bidding against her, not that she was surprised. Dave was always the guy every girl wanted, and for a while he was hers. She swallowed the lump of fear that rose when his gaze drifted back to her and nodded, letting the mayor know she intended to go higher. Hundreds, thousands, it didn’t matter. Nothing would stand between them tonight.

  “$550, do I hear $600?” The mayor paused, looking around the crowded banquet hall. “There you have it, ladies and gentleman; fireman Dave Briar, sold to the lady in black for $550.”

  Earning dates with both men cost her $1,000, and to her, it was worth every penny. Regardless of how Dave responded to her surprise, she would have one more chance to prove to him that time and distance couldn’t diminish the passion they’d once shared.

  Dave’s buddy and fellow firefighter, Brian Maxwell, slapped him on the back when they retreated to the backstage area. “How do you like that? Some crazy broad was actually willing to spend good money to go out with you.”

  Dave laughed at his good-natured ribbing. “You’re just jealous ‘cause they couldn’t give you away. How embarrassing was that when your mother and sister started competing for you, Max?”

  All of their fellow firefighters joined in the banter until the crowd finally dispersed, leaving only him and Craig. They hadn’t spoken since that awkward exchange in the firehouse a few days before, and Dave didn’t know what to say. Maya and their betrayal still hovered in the back of his mind, but this didn’t seem like the time and place to air their dirty secrets.

  “We okay, man?” Craig asked.

  “Yeah, we’re okay.” Dave didn’t know if that was true or not. He thought he’d put this behind him ten years ago when Craig came home from the rehab clinic begging for forgiveness, but now that he started to think about settling down, the pain he’d lived with during the months that followed surfaced with a vengeance, and he knew why. Maya was the one, the woman he should be making plans to spend his life with, but his friend’s selfish indulgence had cost him everything.

  “You sure?” Craig asked, lowering his head. “I get the feeling you want to say something to me.”

  He had so much to say. Why would he betray him that way? Who had initiated the sex? Were they in love? How many times did it happen? Were they planning a future together? He was dying to ask those questions when Craig returned home, but his recovery was tenuous, and he didn’t want to do anything to push him over the edge. Craig had suffered a lot, and Dave didn’t want to be the one who de-railed his progress.

  In the years that passed, when Craig was finally stable, Dave began to fear the questions. What if Craig gave him answers he wasn’t prepared to hear? How would he cope if he learned that the only woman he ever loved never gave a damn about him?

  “Dave? What is it? What the hell’s going on with you? You haven’t been yourself lately.”

  He didn’t want to deal with this tonight, but he knew they would have to eventually. If they didn’t, it would erode their friendship, and the bitterness and anger would eat him alive. “Nothing. Hey, the same chick bid on both of us. Did you notice that?”

  Craig pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. “Yeah, check this out. She slipped me this note as I was on my way to the restroom.”

  Dave opened the folded slip of paper. “Shit, are you serious?” he asked, reading it. “Does the whole fuckin’ world know we’re into threesomes?” He lowered his voice when he realized they weren’t alone backstage. “Who the hell is she?”

  Craig shrugged. “How the hell should I know? She never took the mask off.”

  He crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it in a nearby wastebasket. “Not gonna happen,” Dave said. “My old man already tore a strip off me when he heard about Linda Morrow. I told him I was done with that shit.”

  “You serious?” Craig asked. “You’re not even tempted? Man, that chick had a rockin’ little body.”

  He’d have to be blind not to notice that body. She was tiny, barely more than five feet tall, but she was curvy, with tits the size of ripe melons. His mouth watered just looking at them. “Her note said it was both or neither, a take it or leave it deal,” Craig said, turning to walk away. “I’ll tell her you’re not interested.”

  “Wait,” Dave said, grabbing his shoulder. He hadn’t had sex in more than a month, and jacking off in the shower was getting old. He needed a living, breathing female to take the edge off
tonight, and if she happened to be built like a stripper, so much the better. “Okay, I’m in, but this is the last time, and no one can find out about it. Deal?”

  Craig walked over to the wastebasket to retrieve the ball of paper. Fisting it in his hand, he said, “What are we waiting for? Let’s get this party started.”

  Dave followed Craig to the hotel in his truck. He turned the vehicle off as a feeling of uneasiness settled over him. He had never been apprehensive before, not since the first time a woman they met in a bar proposed the idea of a threesome.

  Craig knocked on the window of his truck, grinning. “You up for this or what?”

  Reaching for the door handle, he said, “Yeah, let’s do it.”

  According to her note, she would leave an envelope containing her room number and key card with Craig’s name on it at the front desk.

  Dave lingered near the elevator as he waited for Craig. After punching the button, he asked, “We good to go?”

  “Yeah,” Craig said, holding the envelope in his hand. He waited until they stepped on and punched the button for the fifth floor before he said, “Oh yeah, I forgot to mention our girl has laryngitis. She won’t be able to talk much, maybe just whisper.”

  That suited Dave just fine. He wasn’t in the mood for small talk. He wanted to get fucked hard and fast so he could get the hell out of here before someone spotted them and ratted him out to the chief. “Whatever.” He followed Craig down the hall and watched him slip the key card into the slot. He frowned when they stepped into the dark room. “Where the hell is she?” he whispered.

  Craig shrugged. “Beats me.” He hit the light switch and pointed to the bed. “Look, there’s a note.” He walked to the bed and picked up the slip of paper, reading it.

  “What the hell’s with all the secrecy? This feels weird to me, man. Maybe we should just bail. She could be some psycho chick who’s just trying to set us up, ya know?”

  Laughing, Craig said, “She looks to be about a hundred pounds, Briar. I think we could take her if she tries anything.”

  Ignoring his friend’s remark, he pointed to the note. “What’s it say?”

  Craig passed him the note, a grin splitting his face. “See for yourself.”

  “Oh hell no,” he said, scanning the brief note. “A blindfold and handcuffs? Is she nuts? I don’t even know who the hell she is.”

  Craig laughed. “Stop being such a pussy, man. It’s not like we’ve never used that shit before.”

  Dave enjoyed being in control, and he certainly wasn’t going to relinquish that control to some little vixen with a dominance complex, no matter how much he wanted to fuck those amazing tits. “Ya, but we were the ones binding and blindfolding, not the other way around.” “It says here she’s in the shower, but it sounds like she’s out now. The hairdryer is on. We’re running out of time. You want to do this or not?”

  Son of a bitch. His dick was so hard it felt like a steel rod. What the hell was it about this room that made him so hard? He walked around, trying to uncover the unique scent. “Is that her perfume?” he asked. God, if it was, he wanted to lick it off her.

  “I don’t know. I don’t smell anything.”

  It wrapped around him, infiltrating his nostrils, his pores. He was getting drunk on it. “Fuck, I can’t believe you can’t smell that.” The hairdryer turned off and he knew his window of escape was closing. But he didn’t want to escape, not from her. “All right, shit, let’s do this,” he said, sitting down on the bed.

  Craig laughed as he fastened the blindfold to his friend’s eyes. “You can’t see anything, can you?”

  “Fuck off, asshole,” Dave growled. “Hey, why doesn’t she want you bound and blindfolded?”

  “How the hell should I know?” Craig chuckled. “Hey, maybe the little boss lady will want you out of that tux.”

  “I’m not cuffed yet. I can still kick your ass, just remember that.”

  “Not even on your best day,” Craig muttered. “Okay, slide back, let’s get this over with. Now it’s starting to creep me out.”

  The two men had gotten involved in some pretty crazy sexual feats over the years, but they always had a woman between them. Dave suspected it made his friend as uncomfortable as he was, preparing for the act when it was just the two of them. What if she expected them to go at it? That was so not going to happen. But he would be cuffed, defenseless. Not that he didn’t trust Craig. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t trust him with his woman again, but he knew Craig wouldn’t cross certain lines, and that was definitely one of them.

  Once he was bound to the bed, he asked, “Okay, now what?” He sensed the lights in the room turn off and heard the click of a door. He knew, without asking, that she had finally joined them. A soft buzzing sound cut through the silence. A cell phone. The loud ringing sound that followed told him that one of them had a new text message.

  “Shit,” Craig muttered. “You’re not going to believe this, but I’ve got to go work. Johnson just called in sick and I’m first on the list.”

  “Are you serious?” Dave asked. He couldn’t decide how he felt about having this kinky little vixen to himself. He knew nothing about her, hadn’t even seen her face, yet there was something compelling about her.

  “Yeah, you okay with that?”

  “I guess so, but I thought it she wanted both of us or neither?”

  He laughed. “Uh, I think she’s come too far to turn back now. I’ll tell her to go easy on you. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow, okay?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Dave listened to the sound of receding footsteps and the click of the door as his friend left the room. Holding his breath, he waited for her to make the first move. “Uh, are you still there?”

  Instead of responding, he felt her weight on the bed. She climbed on top of him, straddling him as her fingers worked at the buttons running down his shirt. This was so messed up. He was about to fuck a woman whose face he’d never seen, whose voice he’d never heard.

  She lowered herself, pressing her bare tits against his chest, as she sucked his earlobe into her mouth.

  He groaned. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. He didn’t care who she was or where she came from or whether she might cost him that promotion. Fucking this woman was suddenly the only thing that mattered.

  She thrust her tongue into his mouth, swallowing his guttural moan. It was so unexpected, and the fact that he didn’t know it was coming and hadn’t initiated it made it even more erotic. He was dying to thrust his hands into that long dark hair and take control, but he couldn’t. She was in control, and he had no choice but to surrender if he didn’t want the pleasure to end. The kiss went on and on, as though she viewed their mating of tongues as a prelude to the act itself. God, if a kiss could turn him on like that, he couldn’t wait until she fastened that mouth to his cock.

  “Baby, please,” he whispered, tearing his mouth away, panting into her neck. There was that scent again. He licked her neck and his cock twitched, as though his entire body was hard-wired to respond to that unique, spicy scent. “Fuck,” he said, sucking the tender skin into his mouth, marking her. “I just want to eat you alive.”

  She moaned softly, brushing her hair aside to give him access to her neck.

  Grinding her mound in his leg, he knew she was getting close. He could hear it in her breathing, feel it in the pulse point pressed against his lips. He kept licking and sucking the sensitive skin, marking her over and over again. He had never branded a woman before in his life. What was it about her that made him want to lose control and say fuck the consequences?

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  He could barely hear it, but he wanted to evoke that sexy chant over and over again. “Sit on my face,” he growled. “I want to eat your pussy.” He sensed her hesitation when she pulled away. “Right now, and don’t make me tell you again.” She may have thought she was in control, but she didn’t know him.

  He felt her crawl up his body, positioning her thighs on either side of hi
s face. “That’s it. Now let me taste you.” He flicked his tongue out and smiled when he felt bare, soft skin. “I love that,” he whispered. He hadn’t had a completely bare woman in so long. Not since… Shit, he was not going to go there now. “Let me have you, all of you.”

  She shifted, and he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. She tasted and smelled incredible. That sexy, spicy scent seemed to permeate her pores, straight to her pussy. He lost it, licking, sucking, fucking her with his tongue as though she were his last meal. Her whimpers of pleasure shot straight to his cock and he wanted to make her scream. He intended to love her like no man ever had. Fuck, he had to own this sweet pussy.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered.

  It was barely a sound, as though she was trying to hold back, but he wanted, needed more. He wasn’t going to be satisfied until she was screaming his name and filling his mouth with her hot come. “Let go,” he said, cursing the handcuffs. He wanted to spread her pussy lips apart and dive in. “Just let go, I want to hear you scream. Say my name, say it.”

  “Dave.”

  His cock strained against his zipper at the sweet sound of his name on her lips. Drawing her clit between his lips, he swirled his tongue around the swollen bud, fixating on the pleasure he knew he could give her. First chance he got, he would turn this game around. He wanted her tied to this bed, spread eagle, so he could suck and fuck and taste every sweet inch of this luscious body.

  He felt her legs clench and tremble, and he knew she was close to coming. He dipped his tongue inside of her, coating his lips with her juices. He didn’t know which one of them was enjoying this more. He loved sex, loved pleasuring women, but it had never gotten him off like this. The sensation of her pussy throbbing against his mouth almost drove him over the edge of sanity, but he wanted more. He needed to make her come again and again. He wanted her to walk away from this night with more than just a nice memory. He would leave a lasting impression on her body and her heart.

  He groaned when she pulled away and he felt her getting off the bed. “Get back here. I’m not finished with you, not by a long shot.”