What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 9) Read online

  Setting her on the floor, he took her hand and drew her down the hall to his bedroom. He didn’t have much in the way of furniture, but the sturdy four-poster custom-made king bed from Caldwell Fine Furnishings had been the first item he’d bought when he’d moved in. She eyed the bed curiously, then ran her hand over the smooth wooden footboard. “Wow, I didn’t expect this.”

  What didn’t she expect? Good furniture in a firefighter’s house? Anger started to get the better of him, but then he remembered that she didn’t even know what he did for a living. Before bringing her home, he’d made sure she wasn’t a fire bunny. He’d had enough of those to last a lifetime. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the chip off his shoulder. “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “I didn’t expect to be making love on a Caldwell original.” She grinned and turned to him. “My own bed is from IKEA. This is going to be a treat.”

  He wanted to smile, to respond to her teasing, but first, he needed to be sure she didn’t know who he was. “How do you know it’s a Caldwell?”

  “My roommate. She couldn’t stand the dorm beds, so she replaced it with hers from home. She literally spent hours telling me why Caldwells were the best and showing me how to identify them.”

  “So you’re still in school. How old are you?” Shit. If she wasn’t at least twenty-one, she was going home.

  Her chin jutted out. “I’m old enough.”

  “How. Old.”

  “Almost twenty-two, okay?”

  Phew. “What are you studying?” he asked, keeping his tone conversational. If the lady wanted some chitchat before they got serious, so be it.

  “Pre-law, here at UW.”

  His brows flew up. “You want to be a lawyer?”

  Her smile fell and she turned away. “Only if I can get in with a scholarship. The money I make working at the cafeteria certainly won’t pay for law school.” She chuckled then, but it sounded strained.

  Jamie knew all about financial woes. The Caldwell clan had grown up happy, but they’d never had any excess cash. When Grandpa Bill died, Jamie’s father had taken over as CEO of Caldwell Fine Furnishings. Unfortunately, he’d always been more interested in the latest chair design than in the bottom-line, so the company had struggled. Although Jamie’s parents had encouraged him to get a degree, he’d dropped out and joined the SFD to pitch in with his younger brother William’s tuition. Helping William become a CPA had been the right decision for the whole family and for the business. William was slowly whipping the company into shape, and when their dad eventually stepped down as CEO, everyone expected William to take his place.

  Jamie slipped his hands around the girl’s waist, enjoying the feel of her smooth flat stomach, and ran his tongue along the side of her neck. Her breath hitched and her nipples pebbled through the baby blue lace of her bra. “Maybe you just need to find yourself a rich husband who can make all your dreams come true,” he murmured, using his breath to tickle her skin. Her shiver was his reward.

  “Someone like you?” she asked and pushed her ass against him.

  He snorted. “Hardly.” After six years in the fire service, he made decent money, but no one would ever think of him as rich.

  She squeezed her hand between their bodies and stroked his erection. “Speaking of hard…”

  That was all the urging he needed. He spun her around and brought his mouth down on hers in a demanding kiss. The taste of her did crazy things to his body. His heart raced as though he’d just run up the practice tower in full gear, and he could barely think with wanting to be inside her.

  He lifted his head and backed her up until her legs hit the bed frame. Before they started, he had to make something very clear, just in case there was some truth to their joking. “Tonight is for fun. No strings, no expectations, no limits. Agreed?”

  Her eyes clouded for a moment before she nodded. “Agreed.”

  The word was barely out of her mouth when he gave her a little push to make her fall back on the bed. She was still gasping when he grabbed the waistband of her jeans and yanked them off her legs. The matching blue panties drew his attention. Placing his hands on her thighs, he drew them apart. She made a slight show of resistance, but gave that up when he frowned at her. Through the delicate material, he could see the shadowed outline of her folds, but no dark hair showed through. Was she truly blonde? Or shaved? Either would work. He grinned. “Take off your bra.”

  When she sat up, her legs drifted together. He tapped her right knee. “Keep your legs open.”

  Her eyes widened, but she did as he asked. The movement transfixed him like the unwrapping of a long-awaited gift. His gaze wandered up to her chest and focused there while she undid the bra clasp at her back. What tumbled out took his breath away. Perfectly pale, perfectly rose-tipped.

  “Do you know how pretty you are?” he murmured.

  She shook her head and started to close her legs again, but when she looked up at him, she stopped herself. Good, she was catching on.

  “Lie back,” he said. After she complied, he slid two fingers into the sides of her panties and tugged them down to expose her. The very narrow, very fine strip of pale hair left the outer pink lips clearly visible. How would she taste? He was more than eager to find out.

  When he finished removing her panties, she immediately spread her legs wide. He smiled and rewarded her by kneeling between her thighs and tracing his finger along her silken folds. “You have a gorgeous pussy.”

  Her snort caught him by surprise. “You don’t think so?” he asked.

  “First, it’s not gorgeous, and second, I hate that word.”

  “Pussy? What else should I call it? Crotch? Mound?” His mock-shudder made her laugh. The low throaty sound had him imagining what noises she’d make when she came. Christ. His cocked pulsed against his zipper.

  “I guess there is no good word for it. But men use pussy in such a vulgar way. It’s always turned me off.”

  With the tip of his finger, he massaged the V along both sides of her clit. The tender skin gleamed with her juices, and she writhed beneath his touch. “You don’t seem turned off to me.” A blush bloomed on her cheeks. She really was too cute. He continued his exploration. “Let’s see. It’s soft and warm and furry, and it likes to be petted. When you do it just right, you even hear it purr.” He ran his finger up to her clit and circled around it.

  “Mmm,” she closed her eyes and moaned.

  “Sounds like a pussy to me.”

  Her lids popped open and her gaze shot to his face. She answered his grin with one of her own. “You do have a way with… words, Jamie.” She licked her lips and arched her back. “But we’d better get this show on the road. I’m pretty close to the edge already.”

  Was she now? Little Rickie was going to learn that, with him, orgasms had to be earned, and she hadn’t earned hers yet. Far from it. He stepped back from the bed and undid his jeans, letting his cock pop free. She sat up and watched as he wrapped his hand around it and stroked its length. “Want this?” he asked.

  She swallowed and cleared her throat before answering. “Y-yes.”

  “Then come and get it.”

  Rising from the bed, she crossed the few feet over to him and stopped. When she reached out to touch him, he shook his head. “On your knees.” The words tore out of his throat, thick and hoarse with need.

  He waited for her to follow through on his command before removing his jeans and boxers. He tossed them onto the chair by the window then went back to her, placing the head of his cock so that it barely touched her glistening lips. A drop of pre-cum escaped. Her tongue peeked out from her alluring mouth and she licked up the bead with one broad swipe, a satisfied smile on her face. His knees shook with the strength of his arousal.

  Who was this woman?

  To hide his surprise, he wrapped a hank of her hair around his hand and tugged until her head fell back, then he moved in close. “Suck me. Deep.”

  This night was going to kill her.

&nbs
p; Erica Madden gripped the sheets on Jamie’s Caldwell original bed and turned her face into the pillow, clenching her teeth to muffle her screams—screams of ecstasy. She’d come so many times, she’d lost count. All she could do was lie there limp and satisfied.

  But Jamie had other ideas.

  He flipped her onto her stomach, then wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her hips up so her ass was pressed against his cock. His still very hard cock. “On all fours, baby,” he ground out, the raw hunger in his voice like the rasp of a tongue along her spine. She shivered and wondered how he could possibly expect her to keep going.

  Something soft and cool slid over her eyes. “What’s this?” she asked, reaching for it.

  “Shh… It’s just a blindfold. To heighten your senses.”

  Like she needed her senses heightened? He’d already taken her places she’d never been. “I’m not sure about—”

  His hand smacking her butt cheek completely derailed her train of thought. “Did you just slap me?”

  “That was a spank. Now turn around.” He tied the scarf over her eyes, plunging her into darkness.

  She really should resist, tell him to stop. Something. But she didn’t. “Okay. Why should I let you spank me?” she asked. So far this night had been like nothing she’d expected. Jamie was skilled and unpredictable. And she was genuinely curious.

  “Because you love it.” His fingers trailed down the crease between her cheeks and dipped into her. Her body convulsed, pushing against his hand to take more of him. What was it about fingers that felt so darned good?

  Another smack, this one a little harder, had her trembling. “See how wet you are? How good it feels?” he said.

  He was so right. His hand, brushing her butt, was cool in comparison to her heated skin. And his fingers deep inside her found that most sensitive of spots, massaging it in tight circles.

  With the scarf covering her eyes, she lost all perception of time, of place, of self, of everything except the enthralling sensation of his fingers stroking inside her and the low rumble of his voice. She could go on like this forever.

  She moaned in protest when he pulled his fingers out of her, but she sighed in pleasure when he replaced them with his cock. He wrapped one hand around her hair and tugged until she arched her back, then he pulled her in tight against him with his other hand, his fingers grasping her hip.

  In this position, he seemed even longer—impossibly long—as he glided in and out of her, the occasional swivel of his hips driving her crazy. Her breath hitched when he released her hair and his hands cupped her breasts. His strong fingers teased her nipples with light flicks of his nails before he caught the tips between his knuckles and squeezed. Gently at first. But as the speed of his thrusts increased, so did the pressure on her nipples.

  “I can’t take anymore!” she cried.

  “You can and you will. You’ll take everything I give you.”

  Yes! She clamped her lips together to keep from shouting out her answer as he tweaked and pulled on the tight peaks, making her walk that fine line between pleasure and pain. Yes, he was right. She would take it all, and if she didn’t stop herself, she might even beg him for it.

  Deprived as she was of sight, her sense of touch increased. Every slip, every slide, every heated caress became her only connection with the world, with reality. What was this man doing to her? She’d always enjoyed sex, but she’d never experienced anything like this before. It was a mind-blowing, full-body experience. Maybe even a life-changing one.

  Tension coiled inside her. Eager now, almost desperate to reach the edge and jump over it, she rocked her hips against him, urging him to go deeper, faster. He spanked her again. Blood rushed to the spot, and her juices flowed. She groaned, the pleasure almost unbearable. What was wrong with her that she wanted him to do it again?

  He pushed her face into the pillow and pressed a burning hand on her back to keep her in place. “Stay.”

  His gruffly spoken command echoed with his desire, his arousal. Jamie was clearly on the edge right beside her. As his cock slammed into her again and again, the pressure built higher and higher. Was this what heaven felt like?

  Just as she thought she’d die from the intense sensations, she felt him swell inside her—could he really get any bigger? She contracted her pelvic muscles and screamed into the pillow as a powerful climax sent her soaring. Jamie continued to grip her hips and pound into her, extending her orgasm, catapulting her into another one.

  He plunged into her several more times, shuddering with his own release. Her knees gave out under his weight and she dropped onto the mattress. He followed her down, but before she could be crushed under his weight, it was gone. Where was he?

  “Come here,” he whispered, rolling her over and pulling her into his arms.

  Erica woke feeling trapped. Something heavy pressed across her stomach and her legs. And even though her eyes were open, she couldn’t see a thing. Her heart thundered in her chest as she tried to get her bearings and recall where she was, what had happened the previous night.

  Jamie.

  When she remembered what they’d done, her face burned and her pussy quivered. Maybe he was right about that word. The way he’d said it, the tone of his voice—the reverence—had made it sound almost… cute.

  One of her hands seemed to be stuck, but the other was free. She brought it to her eyes and felt the silky material. Jamie had blindfolded her that last time they’d made love. Correction: they’d fucked. And she’d loved every minute.

  Realizing she must still be at Jamie’s apartment, she yanked off the blindfold. And there he lay: his dark hair too short to be ruffled, his closed lids hiding baby blues, and his jaw relaxed in sleep. He was tall, tanned, beautifully muscled, and sprawled over her, as though he wanted to keep her near. She shook off the stupid romantic notion. He’d made it clear last night—no strings, no expectations, no limits. They’d certainly managed that last requirement. Now it was time for her to fulfill the first two by leaving before he woke up. Mornings after were uncomfortable. Not that she’d had many, but this was one she preferred to avoid.

  Maybe she could find out where he worked or where he hung out and arrange a chance encounter. If they met again under more normal circumstances, she’d see if he was still interested in her. Last night had been fantasy-shattering. She could only wonder what it would be like to get to know him, to take things slow and see where the relationship went.

  Carefully, she eased his arm off her stomach and slid sideways, freeing her legs. When he made a noise, she froze and waited to see if he’d awaken. Luckily, he rolled onto his side, away from her, liberating her trapped arm in the process.

  She paused for a moment to admire his sculpted back and remember how it had felt like to run her hands along all that restrained strength. This was the first time she’d slept with someone more than a year or two older than she was. Not that he was ancient or anything, but after him, every guy at school would seem like a boy. Jamie was a man in his prime and he’d proven that to her over and over again. Her entire body tingled just from the sight of him.

  Spinning around, she grabbed her discarded clothes and tiptoed out of the bedroom to the sunny living room. Her shirt lay on the floor near the door. As she fastened her bra and pulled her blouse on, some pictures on the wall caught her attention. This might be her only chance to discover the identity of this man, this sexual paragon.

  A photograph of Jamie in a spiffy navy blue uniform drew her like a magnet. Was he a cop? She peered at it closely and read the inscription on the badge. SFD. Jamie was a firefighter. In a rush, their conversation from the previous night came back to her. No wonder he’d been so insistent about knowing her age. He probably thought she was one of those women who threw herself at firefighters, hoping to land a husband. The men made good money and had great benefits. How could he not think she was one of them after what she’d said in response to his teasing about finding a rich husband to pay for her school? So
meone like you, she’d said.

  She needed to leave. Right away.

  But as she stepped into her panties, she noticed a photo of Jamie with his arm around a young woman who gazed up at him, love shining in her eyes. The photo appeared recent. All residual arousal left her body in a cold rush. Did Jamie have a girlfriend? A wife? She twisted, taking in the rest of the room, searching for signs of a feminine touch. Her heart dropped when she spotted the plant on the coffee table, the colored cushions on the sofa.

  Damn. Damn. How could she have been so stupid? Too busy drowning in her attraction to him, she hadn’t even asked if he was involved with someone. No strings, no expectations. His words made perfect sense now. Fuming, she squirmed into her jeans. He’d used her. Good thing she’d told him her name was Rickie, and he didn’t know her last name. He’d never be able to track her down, even if he bothered to try.

  No matter how great he was in bed, she knew she’d never be—could never be—more than a one-night stand for someone like him. She deserved more. She deserved better.

  Chapter Two

  Seattle, present day (2 weeks after the Seattle Quake of 2014)

  Jamie dragged his tired ass into the fire station kitchen to grab a cup of hot coffee. Regular infusions of caffeine were the only way he’d make it through the rest of the night. Spotting Hollywood with his head in the fridge, he paused. “What’re you doing here?” They’d all been working around the clock since the quake two weeks ago, but Hollywood was supposed to be off tonight.

  “Captain asked me to come in and finish the paperwork on the inspections we did this week.” Hollywood closed the fridge and set a carton of milk on the counter. “The mayor’s breathing down the chief’s neck and—”

  “The captain’s breathing down ours. Yeah, I know. I’ve got a mile-high stack of reports on my desk,” Jamie finished. The quake that had almost killed Rickie and Chloe—that had almost killed them all—had left the city in shambles. The rescue team, all four shifts, was responsible for inspecting every building in the SoDo district. After that, they’d branch out and assist other teams throughout the city.