Naked Pursuit

She rolled to her back and he settled between the V of her legs. She felt the hardness of his cock through her leggings and his jeans. In moments, he’d released the top buttons that hadn’t flown off her shirt when she’d ordered him to rip it apart. He shoved her bra out of his way and she moaned when his hands touched skin.

“I can’t wait to taste you. Taste all of you,” he groaned into the side of her neck.

Stella tried to sear that sexy, guttural sound into her memory so it could never escape. But that tiny, troubling doubt poked at her again. “It would be awful to not remember this.”

“We have the notes,” he reminded her, and his lips lowered to her nipple, drawing it into the warmth of his mouth and making her ache.

But she could potentially wake up next to a naked man with no idea who he was or how she got there. Disconcerting didn’t even describe that idea.

Stella squeezed her eyes shut. Ugh, all she wanted to do was enjoy this moment. To hold something so amazing and sensual in the vault of her mind so she could dust off the memory and relive it when she was deep into a shift and needed something to remind her that she was a living, breathing woman.

He circled her nipple with his tongue. This. Why couldn’t she just simply enjoy this? But uncertainty still prodded her. “No, I know me. I’d yell first and ask questions later. I’d grab my clothes and race from this hotel and try never to think about it again. Or what if you wake up first and decide to get the hell out? Waking up alone with no memory might actually be worse.”

“I wouldn’t run,” he assured her, then drew the tip of her nipple into his mouth again.

“Mmmmm.” What was she protesting about? Oh, yeah. “Sure, you say that now.”

He lifted his head and pinned her with his gaze. “If it makes you feel any better, I do have handcuffs in my duffel bag. We’d have to talk to each other. At least until I got them off.”

“Why would that make me feel better?”

“You’re worried I’ll be gone in the morning. I can’t leave if I’m handcuffed to you.”

A rush of satisfaction made her smile. “So you want to see me in the morning? Not that I’m judging you for hooking up or anything.” Could she stop herself from rambling? “I mean, clearly I’ve hooked up with you. It’s just that I’d like to think that it’s more.” Nope, she couldn’t stop the rambling. “Believe me, I understand. I’ve taken enough biology classes to understand the imperative to—”

The stubble on his cheek tickled her breasts as he skimmed up her body until they were nose to nose. His hazel eyes were dark once more. And serious. “Stella, I want to wake up in the morning with you. Order room service and have breakfast, then take you back to bed and stay here with you until we have to eat again.”

“You have a way of convincing a girl. So why do you have handcuffs in your bag? Is that part of your normal, um, repertoire? Not that I’m against them or anything, but I just need to rearrange my thinking a little bit. You know...in case.”

“It goes with being a firefighter. And did you just say ‘in case’?”

“I’m still a little confused. Are cuffs part of the job? I don’t really remember that on the tour of the fire station I took in the third grade.”

He rolled off her body and began to trace light patterns on her skin with his index finger. “Sometimes couples need help getting out of their restraints, so they call 911. Firefighters usually take those emergencies.”

“And this happens a lot?”

He shrugged. “Well, a lot more since that book came out. After your first restraint release, the other guys sort of gift you with a pair.”

“Like a ceremony?”

“More like, uh, friendly hazing.”

She held out her right hand. “Okay, cuff me.”

His finger stilled. “That’s the sexiest damn thing you’ve said. And you’ve said some damn sexy things.”

“Ha-ha. You’re getting cuffed, too, buddy.”

He scooted off the bed and then lifted her until he’d flung her over his shoulder. He carried her back into the sitting room.

“I thought you weren’t going to demonstrate the fireman hold until I showed you my note.”

“You complaining?”

As she had a pretty good view of his ass... “Nope.”

He placed her gently on her feet next to the small table where he’d dumped his duffel bag. She lowered her bra into place and refastened the top buttons.

“Why do you insist on ruining all my best work?” he asked. The metallic rip of the zipper sounded as he opened the bag, and she watched as he dug around neatly folded clothes and socks.

“Your best work?”

“I’ve had you nearly undressed twice now.” He tugged out a box of condoms.

“Good thinking,” she said as he handed them to her. Then she shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel I should be clothed if I’m getting handcuffed.”

“In our case, it’s the exact opposite.” He fumbled around until she heard the muffled sound of metal and he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. After zipping the bag closed, he placed the cuff around his wrist and clicked it in place.

“You went first.”

“A show of good faith,” he told her. “A gentleman always cuffs himself first. Milady?”

She lifted a brow. “That’s the official etiquette in this situation?”

He nodded. “If you’re uncomfortable...”

Stella took a breath and held her wrist out to him. Then pulled it back. “Wait. You’re sure you have the key in there? As much as I like this firefighter tradition, I’d just as soon not be the cause of someone else earning his cuffs.”

“Oh, the key’s in there. Besides, I’ve learned a few tricks on how to get out of restraints.”

“You know how to keep a woman intrigued.” She held out arm again and he fastened the cuff around her wrist. Then she looped an arm around his neck as best she could while handcuffed to the man.

His cock hardened against her thigh.

“Show me more,” she urged.

2 (#ulink_f4e842df-8d0e-5b04-b8d3-eee25262039a)

“YOU HAD TO wear a shirt with buttons,” he said with a heavy sigh, his voice teasing.

“I’m pretty sure a firefighter can figure it out.”

“I could use both hands, but then I’d have to move yours. And I like your hand right where it is.”

As her hand was cupped around the hard arc of his sexy butt, Stella wasn’t all that interested in moving it, either.

Had she ever been with such a gorgeous man? Most of her romantic partners had been colleagues who, like her, subsisted on food from the vending machine with few hours spent at the gym. So tonight she’d treat herself by taking her sweet time touching, tasting and savoring this amazing male specimen.