Trial by Fire (30 page)

But Nate focused his attention on the lean black man standing to the side.

He whistled a low, admiring sound.

“Goddamnit, Sam. You’re a badass after all.”

Sam’s grin flashed in the fiery night.

“The worst kind, Nate. The kind who sneaks up on you and takes you down before you know they’re there.”

Chapter 30

It was three days before Nate would let her out of his sight. He’d treated her scrapes, bruises, and cracked ribs as though they were life-threatening injuries. He’d held her in his arms in the back of the ambulance and carried her inside the emergency room. He spit out orders to the hospital personnel like they were raw recruits. Undaunted, the good natured caregivers exchanged sighs and hidden grins. Charmed by the huge man they all knew and admired, they winked at Erin behind Nate’s back.

He insisted that she stay in bed or at least let him carry her from room to room. After the first day Erin put her foot down and insisted she could walk. But she conceded she was weaker than she’d realized, and they struck a truce. She’d let him be in charge if he’d stop sighing and muttering streams of expletives under his breath every time he changed her bandages.

She’d done her best to explain why she did what she did. In hindsight, she agreed that she never should have gone on her own. But Nate reluctantly conceded, he would have done the same. He was horrified but humbled that she risked her life when she thought
he
was in danger. Even when he scoffed at the idea that Laura could have captured him, listening to the message the evil woman sent Erin, he acknowledged that it would have scared the shit out of him as well.

~~~

On the third night, Nate made his famous fish chowder and they had a picnic supper on the floor in front of the fireplace. When they’d cleaned their bowls, Nate opened a second bottle of wine and poured them each a glass. Erin watched him cross the room barefooted to choose from among their favorite R & B tracks. The lush sounds of her favorite Ronald Isley album echoed across the room and sent shivers of pent-up excitement through her relaxed body. She took a healthy sip of wine and rested against the base of the armchair. Her ribs were still sore but not worthy of Nate’s overly solicitous care. Gazing up at him, she arched a questioning brow as he made his way back to her.

His jeans hung low on his hips. He was shirtless and the top button of jeans was open. She openly ogled his broad shoulders, the smattering of gold streaked hair on his chest that arrowed down his eight-pack abs to his waistband and below. His strong body layered with hard muscle brought her simmering desire to the surface. Gazing at his tight jeans that hugged his strong thighs, she glimpsed a familiar twitch.

She gave him a lazy smile and ran her tongue around the rim of her wine glass.

“Are you aware, Detective, that we have set a record? A record I think it is high time we break.”

Nate frowned, then understanding streaked across his face. The telltale bulge in his jeans signaled it knew what she meant and was cheering her on. But Nate’s frown deepened and he stepped back.

“God, Erin. You know how much I want you. And you’re right, baby. We have set a record. Three whole fucking days… but we… you….. You’re hurt, Erin. I don’t want to hurt you more. You understand, don’t you darlin’? It’s not that I don’t want you… it’s just—”

Erin broke through his stumbling hesitation.

“If you’re worried about hurting me, how about I hurt you instead?”

Grinning up at him, she licked around the rim of the glass in a suggestive circular move that made his cock swell before her eyes.

She motioned to him. “Come over here, soldier boy. Unless you want me to come to you.”

His face flushed and his voice was a cross between a harsh groan and a plea.

“Erin, I don’t think—”

She broke in and waved him toward her with a soft laugh.

“Good idea, Detective. Don’t think.” She winked at him. “At least not with your brain.”

He groaned and moved to stand before her.

“Honey, I—”

“I know, Nate. But for once you’re not in charge. I get to decide tonight’s entertainment. All you have to do is do is follow orders. Think you can do that, Detective?”

His voice was gruff. “I dunno know, darlin’. I’ve never been very good at obeying orders.”

“Tell you what. We’ll go slow so you can get used to the idea. See how you like someone teasing
you
until you’re begging for pleasure.”

“I don’t beg, darlin’.”

Erin quirked a saucy brow. “We’ll see. How about you come over a little closer so that I can get these jeans over your hips. Look Detective, they’re getting tighter by the minute. I’m worried. If we don’t hurry we may never be able to get them over ‘this.’”

She ran her hand over his prodigious bulge.

Nate’s low growl deepened when she slid the zipper down and released his rapidly growing erection.

Erin never ceased to be amazed at the size of his staff. It was gorgeous, frighteningly large. The thought of the length of him deep in her throat was scary—and thrilling.

“Come closer, soldier boy. We need to get your jeans off so I can marvel at your tight butt while I’m working with ‘this.’”

She helped him slide his pants to the floor. When he stepped out of them, she cast them to the side.

Gently tugging on his jutting staff, Erin pulled him close to her, murmuring in anticipation. She ran her hands up and down his rock-hard erection, and began an erotic conversation with his throbbing member.

“Oh you poor baby, you’ve been needing this, haven’t you”

She ran her tongue around the sensitive underside of the head and smiled at his harsh groan.

“You want me to lick here… and here?”

She brushed her devious tongue around the pulsing head, sucking at the intoxicating pre cum weeping from the end. She took the length of him between her hands and stroked up and down while licking over and under the sensitive head. His groans deepened, became more guttural.

“Spread ‘em, Detective,” she murmured, nudging his thighs apart. “Wider, baby, I need to get at these.”

She gently tugged at the sac holding his testicles. Sucking one hard ball then the other into her mouth, she ran a moistened finger over the sensitive ridge leading to his ass. His ragged gasp spoke to his rising excitement. Glancing up at him she was humbled by the tortured grimace raging across his face. A heady wave of excitement swept her. Her power to bring this hugely sexual man such excruciating pleasure was exhilarating. She understood why she often saw him gazing at her in awe, when she screamed her passionate orgasms.

His muscular thighs tightened and his stance changed, widened. He grasped his staff at the base and tipped her head back. Tangling his free hand in her hair, he pressed the head of his staff against her lips.

“Open, baby. Open wide. I want you to suck me, darlin.’”

His husky command signaled his need for control. She gave it willingly, taking him deeper in her throat than she would have thought possible. He tightened his grip on her hair, and thrust in and out as she sucked and released, her excitement rising, matching his.

“Now, darlin, now! Suck me. God yes! Like that, Erin.”

His voice rose, then with a harsh cry Nate came deep in her throat, one tortuous jerk after another. She kept him in her mouth licking, sucking until she’d swallowed every drop of moisture from him. When his legs gave out, he slid to the floor, resting against the base of the chair, his head thrown back, his eyes closed tight.

Erin eased toward him and climbed up into his lap, straddling him. When he raised one questioning lid she pressed her lips against his, running her tongue over the seam and pressing deep inside.

Her voice was low, husky. “Taste this, soldier boy. Do you see why you drive
me
crazy?”

His guttural groan was her answer.

She leaned down and licked around the sensitive whorl of his ear and whispered, “I dunno know, Detective. That sure sounded like begging to me.”

His laughter roared through the room. Swiping at the amused tears in his eyes, he laid her gently on her back.

“You asked for it, now, darlin’. I’m gonna give you a Master’s level lesson in the fine art of begging.”

~~~

Hours later, after they made love then slept soundly in each other’s arms, Erin woke to see Nate staring down at her, an expression on his face she couldn’t decipher. It looked as though he was smiling… but she saw something deeper, softer in his eyes.

She roused up, easing to a sitting position. He moved back away from her, and leaned against the base of the sofa.

“What is it, Nate? You look serious. Did something happen?”

He shook his head, then pinned her with a stern look, almost a scowl.

“I’ve been thinking, Erin. About our future.”

Erin’s stomach did a nasty flip, startling her.

“What… what about our future?”

She tried to squelch her concerns, but they fizzed bitterly—like bad champagne. Was Nate getting frightened? Put off by how close they were getting? Even she had to admit the threat of commitment was heavy in the air. But it seemed mutual. Neither one of them could stand being away from each other longer than a couple of hours.

When he didn’t speak, she swallowed hard.

“What is it, Nate? Tell me what you’re thinking.”

He frowned.

“Okay. I will. I think we should have kids.”

Erin leaned back, stunned.

“Kids? Children? Our… children?”

“Of course, our children. I think we should have two. Two boys.”

He moved back and sat up straighter. Clearly on a roll, he insisted, “Yep. Two boys. They have to be boys, Erin. Definitely, no girls! You have to promise me. No girls!”

Erin struggled to respond. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. He wanted to have children? With her? But he had limits? He’d only
accept
boys?

Her incredulity must have shown in her face, because he hurried to explain.

“You don’t understand, Erin. You don’t know what boys are like. Jesus, Erin, if you knew what I was like at fourteen! I’m tellin’ you. No. Girls.”

She bit her lip and fought the tears burning the backs of her eyelids.

He gave a harsh sigh, but relented. “Okay, fine. Maybe
one
girl. But we have to have the boys first so they can protect her if I’m not around.”

He honestly isn’t joking
, Erin realized. She stiffened, a hard wave of disappointment flooded over her. Choking back the ugly taste rising in her throat, she swallowed hard.

“Or maybe we could just trade her in,” she said. She added caustically, “You know, give her away… like they do girls in China.”

Nate reared back, startled.

“Hell, Erin, we’re a civilized country. We don’t just give away kids.”

He frowned. “Nah, we’ll keep her. We just won’t let her leave the house until she’s twenty. No, twenty-five.”

Erin was furious. She wondered if he really thought that was funny. The look in his eyes confirmed he was only half-joking. Her anger flared.

“Is that what you want in ‘our’ future, Nate? You’ll be my ‘baby daddy’? I’ll be your ‘baby mama?’”

He frowned and had the decency to look embarrassed. At least a
little
embarrassed. “I don’t know if I’d put it that way. Sounds a little crude. But yeah. I guess that’s close enough.”

He glanced at her through narrowed eyes.

“I’m just glad you agree with me about marriage, Erin. Sure makes this a lot easier.”

Erin rose to her feet, willing her legs to stop shaking. She didn’t try to hide the anger raging inside of her.

Nate’s voice was soft. “You do feel the same way I do. Right, baby?”

Erin clenched her fists at her sides and squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to let him see her tears.

She turned to leave the room, then lifted her chin and snapped over her shoulder. “I’ll consider your
proposition
, Nate. Right now, I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”

He stood up and caught her at the doorway. He pulled her towards him. When she twisted out of his grasp, he huffed an exaggerated sigh.

“Ah, shucks. If you’re tired, maybe I won’t give you this now.”

At his tone, she turned back with a frown.

“Give me what?”

Nate handed her a small box. His expression was soft. His eyes glistened with moisture.

“This, darlin’.”

Erin gasped. She opened the box and stepped back. Her hand flew to her mouth. Her legs began to shake in earnest. She couldn’t still her quivering lips.

“Nate? Is… is this… an engagement ring?”

Nate snorted.

“Sure as hell hope so, or I got taken for a ride by that damn Freddy Shelton at Morgan’s Jewelry. Freddy said every unmarried woman in town’s been in at least twice to ogle it.”

He stepped closer and pulled her toward him. Tipping up her chin, he smiled at her and brushed the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs. His eyes were suspiciously damp.

“Freddy said it was one of a kind.”

He added, his voice husky, “Like you, Erin.”

Erin struggled to speak.

“But….But you said. You said. You’d never get married again.”

Nate scowled in mock annoyance.

“Dammit, Erin. Give a guy a break. Are you saying only women can change their minds?”

~~~

Want more of Erin, Nate and the “All Fired Up” Gang?

Watch for the third book in the series:

Trapped By Fire

Coming 2013

Afterword

Thank you for reading
Trial by Fire
.
I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it
.
I love all my characters – their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Nate is one of my favorites. He’s jaded, obnoxious and outrageous. But like all damaged heroes his redeeming features outweigh his bad-assed actions. Erin is damaged by the hideous events of her past but as Connor says she is a noble survivor. Erin is my tribute to the survivors of domestic abuse. Noble women indeed!

If you loved Nate, Erin, Connor, Sam and the rest of the heroic first responders in
Trial by Fire
, and want more of their brand of sizzling romantic suspense, watch for
Trapped by Fire
, to be released Summer 2013. AND if you haven’t read
Playing with Fire
, the first book in the series, get it now!!