More Than a Fling [Uniformed and Blazing Hot 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

He had set himself up in case he ever got injured. Despite how smart Alyssa thought he was for doing so, the idea of him getting hurt on the job chilled the blood in her veins. She stared at him for a long moment before sliding her attention to Nick. She knew both men put their lives on the line every time they responded to a call at the firehouse, but hearing Tanner say it, even if he hadn’t come right out and used those exact words, brought the reality of exactly what they did rushing home.

“You went for a business degree, not just accounting?” she finally asked.

“I didn’t want to be limited to what I could I do.”

“Do you do anything with the degree now or is it simply there if or when you ever need it?”

Tanner tipped his head toward the kitchen doorway and started walking, shooting her a glance over his shoulder. “Have you been to Sirens?”

“The bar and grill downtown?” Alyssa asked as she and Nick followed Tanner into the living room. “No, but I found a story on the grand opening of it when I was researching past articles on the fire service. It’s owned and operated by a couple of firefighters that work C-shift at Station 4.”

Tanner moved to a recliner in the corner, turned, and nodded as he sat. “Korlin Jenkins and Cameron Slovaks. They have a silent partner that wasn’t mentioned in that article, too.”

Alyssa stopped in her tracks in the middle of the living room floor. “You?”

Tanner nodded again and grinned as he settled back in the recliner. “Me. I do the books, set up the advertising, and make sure the business end stays on the right track.”

“That is so cool! I know I won’t be the only one in this city that’s surprised by it, either. Except,” she said slowly. “You just told me that off the record, didn’t you? There’s a reason you’re a
silent
partner, which means I can’t print it.”

“Does it really matter?” Nick asked as he plopped down on the sofa. “You’re a reporter. Revealing juicy news regardless of whether or not the person wants it to be made public is what you do, isn’t it?”

Alyssa felt herself bristle. “I’m a reporter, but I do have principles. If a source doesn’t want something printed, I don’t print it.”

Nick tipped the neck of his beer bottle toward her before taking a swig. “That’s good to know.”

Alyssa held his gaze for a long moment. He hadn’t really told her anything earlier she felt would be overstepping her principles if she put it in the story. The stuff about his previous relationship wasn’t the kind of information about him she intended to include in the article. Still, he seemed appeased by the fact that she wouldn’t include anything one of them told her not to.

She shifted her attention back to Tanner and gave him a slow, seductive smile around the rim of her glass as she lifted it to her lips for a sip. “Although, if I can convince my source to let me print what he’s told me…”

Tanner chuckled. “I honestly don’t care and I doubt Korlin and Cameron will either, but let me run it by them first before you finalize your piece.”

Alyssa nodded. “Agreed.”

“I wasn’t mentioned in the grand opening article because I wasn’t looking for recognition. I’m still not. Sirens was Korlin and Cameron’s idea. They needed a third investor to make it happen. I had the money and a skill I could contribute to make their idea work. They run the place, decide who is hired, and handle all the other aspects except for the books and advertising.”

“Ah, and see, there’s another reason for letting me reveal your involvement. Sirens will get free advertisement in the local paper twice. The first when I run the piece about Station 5’s A-shift and the second when the piece on Station 4’s C-shift is printed.”

“In other words we’re both benefiting this time.”

Alyssa waggled her brows. “Haven’t we so far?”

Tanner threw his head back and laughed. “Definitely. So what other questions do you have for me?”

That pertained to her story? She couldn’t think of anything. He had already told her about his family, that firefighting ran in his blood, and now she knew what occupied a great deal of his time when he wasn’t on shift.

“I guess I have everything I need,” she finally said. “Though, on a personal note, you still haven’t told us what took you so long at the store tonight.”

“Somehow I’m betting you’ll work that into your story, too. I was checking out when a pregnant woman at the next register went into labor. Her water broke and she started to panic. She was alone so I stayed with her until the paramedics got there.”

“You’re right. That’s definitely going to find its way into the piece. Even when they’re not on duty, they still come to the rescue of those in need.”

“I figured that’s the kind of spin you would put on it.”

“Hey, it’s good stuff! And I’m off to a great start. Now all I need is to interview the other firefighters and paramedics on A-shift, put everything together, and the first piece will be complete.”

“Hell, you got off easier than I did,” Nick commented as he stretched an arm along the back of the sofa. “She drilled me about everything from firefighting to my love life.”

Tanner’s grin faded as he looked at his friend. “She already knows why I don’t have a love life and I’m betting, after talking to you earlier, she knows you agree with what happened, too.”

Nick pushed a hard breath from his lungs. “Not agree with. Understand.”

The blanket of tension that fell over the room as the men stared at each other made Alyssa want to squirm. Nick’s understanding of Tanner’s mother’s decision to leave was obviously a bone of contention between the men. She guessed it was something they didn’t talk about, otherwise it would likely drive a wedge between their friendship.

Tanner’s gaze dropped to his glass of Southern Comfort as he shook his head. “I wish I did.”

Alyssa sipped her drink, watching the men and wishing the conversation hadn’t taken such a dismal turn. She glanced around the room, wondering how to break the melancholy mood that had taken over the atmosphere. When her gaze landed on the stereo, an idea sparked.

“Do you guys mind if I turn on some music?”

Tanner looked up and gave her a quick smile that looked feigned. “Go ahead.”

Alyssa moved to the stereo, found the power button, and scanned the stations until she found one playing a fast techno song. She wiggled her hips to the beat and looked back over her shoulder at Nick. “You mentioned a country song earlier, so I’m betting you don’t like this type of music.”

His eyes had already started to darken the way they did when he became aroused. His gaze did a slow slide down her front to settle on her hips. “As long as you keep shaking your sexy ass like that, I’ll listen to whatever type of music you want to play, sweetheart.”

Alyssa giggled, gave her ass another shake, and turned around. Dancing hadn’t been what she’d had in mind when she turned on the music. She had simply been looking for something to distract the men from their thoughts. But, if they wanted to dance…

“Aren’t the two of you going to join me?”

The men exchanged a wordless glance, but she saw her plan had worked. Neither of them was thinking about Tanner’s mother or Nick’s empathy any longer.

“Maybe in a few minutes,” Tanner told her.

“Right now, we want to watch you,” Nick chimed in. “Dance for us, Alyssa.”

The hint of authority that laced his words sent a naughty thrill racing through her. What the hell? She was comfortable with her body and her ability to dance. If they wanted a show, she would give them one.

The song segued into another one with a slower tempo. Alyssa felt the beat pulse through her body as she started to move. Holding each of their gazes in turn, she gyrated her hips and moved her feet in a way that took her in a slow circle as she flattened her hands on her outer thighs. She skimmed her hands up her sides, swallowing a laugh when she saw Tanner gulp at the move. Feeling invigorated and knowing exactly where this little dance was going to lead her, she did another slow turn, stopped with her back to the men, and spread her legs as she gracefully bowed until her fingertips touched the floor.

“Christ.”

Nick’s low-throated growl made her smile. She steadied her stance, curled her fingers loosely around her ankles, and dragged them up the backs of her legs as she straightened. She knew exactly the view she had just given them. Her skirt was conservative enough for work, but short enough that she had to be careful when she bent over or she would reveal the black lace thong she wore beneath.

She caught the sides of her skirt in her hands and lifted each in turn as she circled her hips once more, turning back to them. The almost mirroring tortured expressions on their faces made her giggle. “Problem, gentlemen?”

“You’re devious,” Tanner said as he got to his feet and closed the distance between them. “And fucking sexy.”

He pulled her into his arms, but Alyssa didn’t stop dancing. Instead, she closed her hands on his biceps, pressed her body to his, and hooked one leg around him as she ground her center against his denim-clad cock. One of his hands slid up to cup her ass and the other skimmed to the back of her thigh, lifting the leg she had wrapped around him as his hips started to move in time with hers.

Alyssa let her head fall back on her shoulders as their sexes ground together through the barrier of their clothing. She saw Nick stand out of the corner of her eye, but Tanner reclaimed her attention as he leaned in and licked a path from the base of her throat to her jaw.

“Oh, yes.” Fiery embers of desire rained through her as Tanner’s tongue traveled over her jaw before gliding down her neck again.

She lost track of Nick as Tanner’s hands explored the back of her thighs and the bare cheeks of her ass.

“Damn, I want you again,” he said against her flesh. “I haven’t stopped wanting you since you got out of bed this morning.”

His words did funny things to her insides and made it impossible for her to speak. She didn’t bother to try. Instead, she let her hands say the words for her as she skimmed them down the front of his broad shoulders, eased her upper body back in his embrace, and fisted his shirt. She tugged the hem from his jeans, pulled it up and over his head, and tossed it to the floor.

He grinned at her, that boyishly mischievous smile that had every erogenous zone in her body fluttering, and started to undress her.

Anticipation rippled through her system as she let her foot fall to the floor, making it easier for him to peel down her skirt and panties. His callused palms skimmed up her sides, taking the material of her blouse with them, and leaving a sizzling trail of need in their wake.

Their gazes met as he tugged off her shirt. She slithered out of her bra when he released the clasp at her back and bit back a smile at the sound he made as his attention dropped to her breasts.

Refusing to be the only one naked, she found the button of his jeans, freed it, and made quick work of getting him out of them and his briefs. They laughed when both of them stumbled as he struggled to kick off his shoes and pull his legs from the jeans and briefs. Somehow, he still managed to snag a condom from his pocket before casting his pants aside.

Alyssa plucked it from his fingers. “Allow me.”

“Not a chance,” he said on a half laugh as he took it back and quickly sheathed his erection. “I know how wicked your hands are, remember? I’m determined to last longer inside you than I did last night.”

“We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Alyssa glanced over her shoulder and found Nick walking back into the room. He was already gloriously naked and blessedly headed her way. “You’re making it easy on me tonight, aren’t you?”

He tossed something onto the coffee table in front of the sofa that she didn’t see and moved in at her back. “For now, maybe. You might not think so in a few minutes?”

Trepidation slithered through her system at the mix of promise and heat she saw in his dark chocolate eyes. “Nick?”

His lips tilted as he dipped his head and stopped a breath from her lips. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll love what I have in mind.”

He kissed her and all her concern about his intentions got lost in the wondrous things he did to her mouth. In front of her, Tanner’s hands framed her hips and she felt the warmth of his breath on her chest a nanosecond before he took one breast into his mouth.

Alyssa moaned as she buried a hand in Tanner’s hair and reached back and up with her other hand to cup Nick’s nape. They sandwiched her between them, their mouths and hands exploring her flesh and working her body into a frenzy of need.

Tanner licked his way down her front, dancing his tongue over her abdomen and belly, and sinking to his knees as he drove the tip between her sodden folds.

Alyssa’s hips bucked and her legs spread even as they threatened to buckle from under her.

Tanner’s hold on her hips remained firm, keeping her upright. He used that hold to slowly ease her down with him. Nick followed behind her, not breaking the kiss as his hands moved around her to cover her breasts.

They took control of her mind, body, and soul, guiding her where they wanted her as if they were speaking telepathically. She didn’t bother to resist. Hell, she didn’t want to. Sex had never been so good. Every time they had fucked her last night had been better than the last. She could only guess that this time would top the chart they had already started.