Her lashes hid her eyes, but her cheeks pinked. “I know. I feel the same way.”
He swept her hair behind her ear so he could see her face. She was smiling, and there was a soft glow in her eyes.Yup. She means it.He cupped her cheek and kissed her soundly.
She responded immediately, opening her mouth and seeking his tongue. Their kiss deepened, and Dante’s skin heated. Mallory Summers could drive him to the point of spontaneous combustion.
He walked her backward to the bed, and they both tumbled onto it. Without a word, they resumed the kiss to end all kisses—at least in Dante’s experience. She writhed beneath him and he tried to ease off her, but she stopped him.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
Holding his hip, she said breathlessly, “I like you right where you are.”
He smiled, knowing what she needed. He rocked against her core, creating erotic friction.
“Oh God!” She arched into him and moaned.
Without breaking his rhythm, he kissed her cheek, jaw, and neck. She was so sensitive and responsive. He suspected she was close to climaxing, and if that were the case, he’d keep going until she came apart in his arms. Later, he could treat her to more.
She cried out, shaking and gripping his shoulders. He kept going, letting her ride the wave. At last, her body relaxed, and her breath came in deep pants.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Sorry? What for? Enjoying yourself?”
“No. Not that. I really needed the release, but I didn’t give you anything in return.”
He laughed. “I’ll let you make it up to me after you’ve rested a bit.”
She grinned up at him, linking her fingers behind his neck. “I will. I promise.”
He stared into her eyes. He had been warned by Noah not to fall in love with this girl. He’d called her a train wreck. Well, it was too late. Dante was already falling. And he didn’t care if she was a train wreck, a shipwreck, or a fender bender.No one comes through life unscathed.
* * *
Kizzy and Noah decided to drop in at the bar where the firefighters would be gathering to celebrate, and afterward, they’d go out by themselves for their very first real date.
As they entered the bar, Noah was greeted with many hard pats on the back. It was difficult not to crow about their victory, but with Kizzy right next to him, he decided to take a humbler approach.
“It wasn’t just me out there, guys. We were a team. A great team.”
“Well, let me be the first to buy a beer for our team leader,” O’Rourke said.
“I can’t stay. I just wanted to drop in, say hello, and thank everyone for a great game.”
“You can make time for one beer and whatever your lady would like,” O’Rourke insisted.
He smiled at Kizzy. “Would you like a glass of wine, Kiz? You like red, right?”
“Uh, sure.”
Another firefighter strolled over and said, “Hey, Noah. Wasn’t that your brother Dante under the scoreboard, catching the monkey that fell?”
Noah had been afraid of this. Many of his fellow firefighters knew his brother too. Dante worked in the station closest to his, and they backed each other up whenever the need presented itself. The family resemblance was pretty close, so it wouldn’t take a genius to put them together.
“Yeah. He’s always been an animal lover.” Hopefully, that would be enough of an answer.
“That monkey is all anyone can talk about,” his buddy Paul said as he and his girlfriend, Kim, joined them. “What the hell was that?”
Noah shrugged. “Don’t ask me.” He glanced down at Kizzy. She remained quiet with a pleasant smile on her face, but he sensed something uncomfortable behind her expression. It seemed plastered on.
