Brave the Heat (20 page)

“I want more from you, Jordan,” Gavin rasped, his shoulders heaving.

He tightened his hold on her and, in one teasing stroke, brushed his lips over hers without giving in to another kiss. Her taut, toned body wiggled eagerly against him and a needy whimper escaped her lips.

“Do you understand me? I want all of you, Jordan, and tonight I won’t be satisfied with one kiss. If we keep going, right here and right now, then it is
on
. No more games. No more back and forth. It’s you and me. Get it?”

“I get it.” Jordan nodded and tried to kiss him, but once again he pulled back. She let out an unmistakable growl of discontent as her fingers dug into the flesh of his waist and she tugged his hips against hers.

“I don’t know,” Gavin murmured. “I’m not sure you really understand what I’m asking you.”

“I think I’m pretty clear on it,” she murmured. Her pink tongue flicked out and swept over her lower lip in one sexy stroke. “I only have one question for you.”

“What?” He stilled, worried that perhaps this moment, the one he’d waited for and dreamed about, would vanish in a blink. “Well?”

Silence lingered and the waves crashed wildly, the spray of the ocean wafting over them as the weight of her unknown question lingered like a giant dead end. Frustration swirled, and if she didn’t ask him soon, Gavin’s head might explode.

“Are you gonna kiss me or not?”

Relief and lust shot through him, and he linked one arm around her waist, tugging her to him. Jordan gasped, her hands settled over his biceps, and those full lips parted in a clear and unmistakable invitation. Taut with need, Gavin cupped the nape of her neck. His thumb trailed along the edge of her jaw in one slow stroke.

“The better question is…” he growled, lowering his face so it was scant inches from hers, “once I start, am I ever gonna stop?”

Before she could respond, he slid his thigh between her legs and in one swift movement laid her out beneath him on the sand. He pinned her body under his, dragging her hands above her head and holding them there. Gavin had never seen anyone so beautiful in all his life. With her eyes glazed with desire, her hair spilling around her like a halo in the dim moonlight, and her body laid out for him, she was all of his fantasies come to life.

Perched over her, need clawing at him from the inside out, Gavin tilted his hips and rubbed himself against her in one slow pass. He wanted her to know what she did to him, to be certain of how desperate and needy she’d made him. Jordan gasped and arched her back, the movement highlighting her full breasts. The sight made his dick twitch.

Gavin dipped his head and slanted his mouth over hers as a strangled cry escaped her parted lips. Soft and pliant, weak with lust, Jordan opened to him as he slowly and languidly slid his tongue along hers. With each passing second the intensity of the kiss grew, as though fifteen years of waiting and wishing were bubbling to the surface all at once. He fleetingly thought about the most dangerous fires. The ones that burned really slowly, right under the radar and out of sight, until finally, at a certain point, that red ember erupted into a full-blown blaze.

That’s what this was, this
thing
between him and Jordan, the one he couldn’t escape or shake off. No matter where he went or what he did, his feelings for Jordan were always there, right beneath the surface, waiting to erupt. It was the slow burn before the inferno, and right now, the flames burned hot.

Breaking the kiss, he trailed his lips along her throat, then inched lower to the valley between her breasts. Releasing one arm, he dragged his fingertips down to the thin strap of her dress and tugged it off her shoulder. Jordan yanked her arm free, and Gavin let out a groan of appreciation as the fabric slipped away, revealing her full, round breasts. Leaning on his elbow, he shifted his weight, lowered his head, and drew one rosy pink bud into his mouth. Taking his time, he lavished attention on one and then the other, not sure which one tasted sweeter but eager to take the time to find out.

Jordan cried out when he grazed his teeth over her nipples. She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him to her as he licked and suckled. Need and desire surged through him, and his erection throbbed harder with every passing second. As if knowing exactly what he was thinking, Jordan let her hand drift down and curl over his heavy length. He swore and nuzzled her breast as she stroked him through the thin, wet fabric of his swimsuit.

“Let me touch you, Gavin,” she whispered, slipping her hand beneath the waistband of his suit. “I need to feel you. I’ve thought about this for so long.”

Her warm fingers curled around the length of him, and he almost came right then and there. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting for control as she worked him in her hand. Gavin pushed himself up on his elbow and flicked his eyes open, immediately latching on to her heavy-lidded stare. It was intimate and erotic to look Jordan in the eye as she pumped the length of him with slow, sure strokes. Still, he needed and wanted more.

“No reason you should have all the fun,” he rasped. His fingertips trailed over her breasts, along her rib cage, and over the curve of her hip before tugging the fabric up. Gavin’s hand rushed up the smooth flesh of Jordan’s bare thigh, his thumb trailing along the inside until he bumped up against the lacy fabric of her panties. Hooking his finger under the edge, he pushed them aside and the tangle of need in his gut swelled. “You are so wet for me, Jordan.”

Gavin slanted his mouth over hers at the same instant he ran his thumb over her clit. He slipped his thumb between her slick folds. She pumped him faster as he slid two fingers in and out of her sex, alternating with swift passes over her clit. Each time he pressed the tiny nub, slick with her desire, Jordan moaned into his mouth and tilted her hips toward him, begging for more. Her tempo increased and Gavin’s own orgasm started to crest. It was too soon.

Damn
it.
He didn’t want it to end.

A huge crack of thunder and a shot of lightning seared overhead, making them realize they had to move this little party inside.

Kissing her deeply, Gavin grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her hand away. He settled, once again, in between her wide-spread legs. Resting his forearms on either side of her head, he brushed sand off her cheek. Her hands played over his back and down to his ass. Thunder rumbled again and the wind howled over them, and he started to feel the first droplets of rain.

“The storm is about to unleash on us,” he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose. “Why don’t we go inside and continue what we started?”

“Afraid of a little rain?” she teased. Hooking her ankles over his legs, she tugged him against her. “Wait until the guys at the station hear that one, Chief.”

“It’s not the rain I’m afraid of,” Gavin said quietly. Even in the dim moonlight he could see that her hair was a mess, her lips were swollen from his kisses, and she looked absolutely perfect. His heart ached with the perfection of her. She was made for him. He knew that now more than ever. “I want tonight to last. Come on.”

Gavin pushed himself to his knees, and as Jordan sat up, he helped her put the top of her sundress back in place. Giggling, she brushed the sand off and held out both hands before Gavin yanked her to her feet. She kissed him firmly, linking her arms around his neck, and then hugged him. Her face nestled against his throat, and the warmth of her breath fanned his skin like a caress. He laced his hands in her hair and breathed her in as the scent of the beach and a hint of her shampoo filled his head. She smelled like
home
. That’s what scared him and thrilled him. For the first time in his life he wanted to build a home, a real home, and it would be with her.

Hand in hand they walked toward the house. Just before they hit the steps to the deck, Gavin heard the distinct and familiar sound of sirens in the distance.

“So much for making tonight last,” he murmured. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I’m not on duty, but I’m always on call.”

“It’s okay. If you and I are going to be…
you
and
I
, then this is part of the deal.” Jordan wrapped her arms around his waist. “Promise me you’ll be careful, and we can finish this when you get back,” she purred.

Giving her a quick kiss, he reluctantly left the warmth of her embrace. He threw on dry clothes and grabbed the keys to his truck, the whole time wishing like hell he didn’t have to leave. As he backed out of the driveway, Gavin saw Jordan’s tall, lovely form standing in the window, watching him go. The danger of his job was never lost on him. But this was the first time in his career that he actually had something to lose.

Gavin pulled up to the school. Orange flames were shooting out of the first-floor windows along the south side of the building, lighting up the night with a macabre glow. Not only had his squad shown up but Rick had called in Engines 11 and 13 from neighboring towns. Fires in buildings like this could go from bad to worse in record time, and having backup on hand was protocol.

Hauling his gear, Gavin ran over to Bill, who was manning their pumper engine.

“Rick’s inside?” he asked, pulling on his air tank.

“Yup. He’s with Jeff, Mark, Owen, and four other guys, two from each engine. They’re ventilating the first floor by busting out the windows. We’re trying to take it horizontal to see if we can keep it from taking out the second floor,” Bill said, referring to the fire. Gavin nodded his understanding. Fire was a hungry beast and it ate oxygen, so it went where the air was. The trick was to try and make the flames go where you wanted them.

“We’ve got the volunteer guys on the hose and the kid wanted to help,” Bill added, referring to David, “but I have to keep reminding him he’s too freaking young.”

“David’s here?” Gavin glanced over to the crowd of onlookers, and sure enough, his eager future firefighter was in the mix with that same expression of awe and excitement. Dread clawed at him but he shoved it aside. “Keep that crowd back. Including the kid.”

“Rick said it’s creeping along the south side.” Bill’s face was a mask of concern as he kept his serious stare on the water gauges. “We have to get this one under control quick or we’re gonna lose the entire building.”

“Understood.” The other two pump engines were attacking the blaze from both sides of the school, and it looked like the flames were starting to shrink back. “I know it’s late on a Friday, but did they find anyone in there on the sweep? Is the building clear?”

“Yup. All clear.” He nodded to the small crowd of people that had gathered by the police cars. “The principal showed up right before you did and she’s freaked out, but she said the building should be empty. All of the campers cleared out by four o’clock and the building was supposed to be locked down by six. Damn good thing this didn’t happen during the school year. We’d definitely have people in there.”

“Right.” As Gavin secured his mask, he studied the crowd. In addition to the Heffernan kid, it consisted of the usual EMS personnel, some of the other volunteers, and police, but Gavin did a double take when he spotted the school’s van. The cold finger of dread ticked up his spine as he scanned the crowd, not finding the person he was looking for. “Where’s Tommy?”

Before Bill could answer him, Gavin ran over to the group standing a safe distance from the building. Mrs. Drummond was crying and let out a sound of relief when she saw Gavin.

“What happened, Gavin?” She grabbed his coat and uttered strangled cry. “My God. I was here a few hours ago and everything was fine. Tommy locks up at six every night. I don’t understand how this could have happened.”

“Where is Tommy, Mrs. D.?” Gavin had a pretty good hunch that this fire was no accident, and right now he had to find Tommy. “The van is still here. Doesn’t he take that home with him?”

“What?” she asked absently before looking around. “The van? Well, yes. He does take that home. Why do you…” She stopped speaking when her teary eyes fell on the vehicle in question. “Oh my God, Gavin. Tommy could be in there. He’s not out here. Have any of you seen Tommy?” she shouted, looking frantically around the crowd.

The others all confirmed what Gavin feared. Tommy was nowhere to be found, and in all likelihood he was still somewhere inside the school.

“Okay.” Gavin kept his voice calm and commanding even though under the surface he was panicked. He settled his hands on Mrs. Drummond’s slim shoulders and looked her square in the eye. “I need you to think and tell me where he might be. If he’s in there and he’s not calling for help, then he’s probably passed out from the smoke.” His gut clenched as he recalled that day so long ago and the fire that had changed both of their lives forever. “Given what Tommy’s been through in the past, he might even be hiding.”

“The basement,” she sputtered. “He has a room down there that he uses as an office. Oh my God. It’s under the gym in the back left corner of the school, on the south side of the building. If he was here after his usual hours, then that’s where he would be. I know sometimes he stays later during the week, but it’s Friday and I didn’t think…”

“It’s okay.” Gavin pulled his mask on and immediately radioed to Rick as he headed toward the building. “Rick. It’s Gavin. You copy?”

“Ten-four.” Rick’s voice came through loud and clear, but he was breathing heavily. “We’ve ventilated the first floor and the smoke is still thick as hell in here. So far we’re keeping it from climbing, and those pumpers are starting to stamp it out. The game’s gonna change if these flames hit the boilers in the basement, but it looks like we have most of it contained to the back right side of the building.”

Gavin moved faster, forcing the voices of panic away as he tried not to notice the tingling in his shoulder. He had to find Tommy.

“This was definitely our firebug’s handiwork, Gav. It went too hot too fast. The sprinkler system went off, but this baby just laughed at it and kept on coming. There had to be an accelerant used—and a hell of a lot of it. My bet is that when that arson investigator gets in here, he’s gonna find a clear V pattern and an accelerant trail as dark as the devil.”

“Copy that, but we have another problem.” Ax in hand, Gavin strode through the smoky hallways of the school, the familiar sound of his breathing echoing through his mask. Visibility was low in the hall, and as he moved farther down, the heat increased tenfold. “Tommy’s van is parked outside and he’s nowhere to be found. There’s a good chance he’s in his office. Drummond says it’s in the basement. Back left corner under the gym.”

“Ten-four.” Rick’s breathing picked up, a sign he was moving fast. “I’ll meet you on the lower level. I’m comin’ down the back center stairs. Mark and the others are heading out now.”

“Roger that. Mark, do you copy?” Gavin confirmed.

“We copy, Chief.” Mark’s voice crackled through loud and clear. “Clearing out.”

“Ten-four.” Gavin made his way down the side stairwell. The smoke grew even thicker as he went—not what should have been happening, based on where the fire was situated. “You said the fire’s contained? I’m getting heavy smoke down here. I think we have another hot spot somewhere—a slow burn—in the walls maybe.”

Every warning bell went off in his head as he turned the corner. The heat was undeniably stronger. Senses alert, sweat dripping down his back, Gavin made his way down the basement’s dark hall. The emergency lights had come on, but even that did little to help illuminate the underground level of the building.

“Rick, after we find Tommy, we need to make another full sweep of the lower level. There’s something else going on down here, man. I have a bad feeling about this.” Gavin moved down the hall, stopping at the first door on his left. “If he’s not in there, we gotta sweep any rooms leading to the south side of the building.” He knew he sounded slightly panicked, but as he did a sweep of two storage closets and two larger storage spaces, hope dwindled. “I hope like hell he’s in that office.”

The minutes ticked by, and with every passing second, Gavin’s level of panic rose. The smoke was dense and toxic, thanks to the materials in the building that were being burned, and if they didn’t find Tommy soon…

Shit
.

Gavin shoved the awful thoughts aside and kept moving. The scar on his left shoulder tingled, but he pushed through with one thought on his mind. He had to find Tommy and get him the hell out of this building.

“Found him,” Rick grunted. Relief bloomed in Gavin’s chest and he picked up the pace, barely feeling the heat anymore. “Gavin, come straight back. Drummond was right. He’s in the office past the south stairwell, directly below the gym. He’s passed out behind his desk and his breathing is shallow. Getting the RIT mask on him now,” Rick said, referring to the lifesaving tool they each carried. “Hang in there, man.”

“I’m almost there.”

Gavin ran down and turned the corner at the four-way intersection, relying on his years of experience of attending the school within these walls. It was a labyrinth of hallways, especially down here, but he and his brothers had spent more than their share of time exploring places where they weren’t supposed to be.

As he rounded the corner, he spotted Rick emerging from the doorway, Tommy’s body thrown over his shoulder.

“This little guy hardly weighs a thing,” Rick said, his voice a welcome relief in a tense situation. “Let’s get out of here, Gavin. I’ve got a gorgeous woman waiting for me back in my bed.”

Gavin and Rick, with Tommy slung over his shoulder, headed to the back stairwell. The moment before they hit the first step, a massive explosion erupted to their right, rocking the building. Debris rained down. Concrete. Drywall. Pieces of the building, the school he’d loved for so many years, slammed into Gavin. His breath rushed from his lungs as he was pummeled to the ground.

The last sight Gavin witnessed was Rick pulling Tommy down and in front of him, in an effort to shield the injured man.

* * *

The shock of the explosion knocked Gavin’s face mask askew. Stunned from the blow and with toxic smoke leaking in through his mask, Gavin gasped and struggled to fix it. Sucking in a few deep breaths, he coughed and hacked in a desperate attempt to clear his lungs. His eyes stung and his chest burned as he fought to regain his bearings. As the smoke cleared, his first thoughts were of Rick and Tommy.

As Gavin blinked the sweat from his eyes, his heart thundered in his chest. He spotted them. Both men were facedown on the stairs and covered in debris, Rick’s body protectively covering Tommy’s. Gavin scrambled to his feet and ran to the two men, pulling various sections of debris off them. Neither of them moved.

“Chief!” Bill’s frantic voice came through the speaker. “Chief? Do you copy?”

“I copy,” Gavin ground out. “I’m okay, but Rick is down.”

“We’re comin’ in.”

“Negative,” Gavin shouted, pulling pieces of the ceiling off Rick’s legs, along with what had to be parts of the wall. Black smoke curled around them like a snake, and visibility was getting worse by the second. “No one else comes in. That felt like a damn bomb going off. For all we know, that’s exactly what it was.”

“I’ll radio the bomb squad from the county,” Bill responded.

“Son of a bitch,” Gavin growled as he pulled a heavy section of stone off Rick’s back. He went to turn his friend over, but let out a strangled cry and dropped his hands. A jagged piece of metal pierced Rick’s jacket and protruded from his back, directly between his shoulder blades. “Oh my God.”

Tearing off his glove, Gavin pressed his fingers to Rick’s throat, frantically searching for a pulse. Something.
Please, God.
Letting out a strangled shout of rage, Gavin checked again but was met with nothing. The vacant, wide-eyed gaze staring back at him answered the question he didn’t want the answer to.

Fury and grief flooded Gavin. Tears stung his eyes and a knot of unbridled rage coiled in his chest as the truth settled over him. Kneeling on the step, with Rick on one side and Tommy on the other, only the sound of debris falling nearby and the heat of the flames pulled him from his personal loss.

If Gavin didn’t move fast, Rick wouldn’t be the only casualty. He had given his life to save Tommy. Gavin would be damned if he’d allow his friend’s death to be in vain.

He checked Tommy’s pulse. It was weak and thready, but it was there. He adjusted the RIT mask, securing it back in place and ensuring that Tommy was getting clean air. Gavin felt for any other injuries that he might make worse by picking him up, but didn’t find any. Grabbing Tommy’s arm and leg, he leveraged his body weight and, with a grunt, hoisted him over his shoulder.

“I’m coming out the south side exit by the gym,” Gavin seethed. His body strained with effort, and guilt tugged at him as he moved up the stairs toward the doorway. “I’ve got Tommy. Have EMS standing ready with a stretcher and keep everyone else back.”

Climbing over various hunks of debris, Gavin reached the landing and shoved the door open with a grunt. He burst into the night air, Tommy passed out over his shoulder. Gavin ran to the EMS personnel who were waiting at a safe distance. He put Tommy on the stretcher and immediately turned to go back, but Bill grabbed him by the arm, stopping him.

“Where’s Rick?” Bill’s worried brown eyes studied Gavin’s. “Chief?”

Unable to say the truth out loud, Gavin simply shook his head. He yanked his arm away and ran toward the building. Flames continued to shoot out the windows, dark smoke billowing toward the night sky. “I’m going back in for him.”

He hadn’t gone a few yards before another explosion erupted, sending glass and debris flying through air. Gavin and Bill were thrown back by the blast, and when he scrambled back to his feet, it was painfully obvious he wouldn’t be retrieving his friend’s body anytime soon.

The reality of the situation hung over Gavin like a shroud. Suffocating him.

Rick was dead.

He had been Gavin’s coworker and his friend, but above all, he had been Gavin’s responsibility.