He knocked on the door at the top of the outer steps shortly afterward, and looked nothing short of ragged. “Sorry for coming so late, and looking like this. I didn’t stop by my place after leaving the fire house.”
“No problem,” she told him, stepping aside to let him into the living room. “Come on in.”
“Thanks.” He kissed her on the cheek and headed for the couch, but stopped short. Seeming unaware of his anxiety, he began pacing around.
“Are you okay? You sound like you could use a drink.”
Brock shook his head. “Not tonight. I’ve got to be at work in the morning.” His voice came out throaty and hollow.
Sky stretched out her hands and rubbed Brock’s massive arms. “Hey…sit with me.” Sky settled into the sofa and Brock finally sat beside her. His fingers trailed across her palm, over her wrists and slowly up her arm.
“You always know how to get me to relax.”
“You look tired,” she whispered.
“It was one of those nights.” Sky gazed at him, waiting to see if there was more. After a few moments his dark eyes locked onto hers. “One firefighter was injured. A good friend of mine. You remember Doug, right?”
“Of course.” She leaned into his strong arm, looking up at him. She could see how distraught he was. “I’m so sorry to hear. Is he gonna be all right?”
“The doctors are hopeful.”
“It must be so hard, waiting for news.”
His voice was so low she barely heard his mumble of thanks. Or maybe it was those piercing, sad, irresistible eyes staring back at her. Or his hand, that now slid up from her arm to cup the back of her neck. Good God, this man had such an overpowering effect on her, she could barely breathe. Sky drew in a shaky breath. The familiar buzzing warmth that filled her up whenever Brock touched her was back. It started where his fingertips grazed her skin and spread down her body, collecting in a hot ball at her center.
“Get over here,” he whispered, the words a sweet command as he reached around her waist and pulled her into his lap.
As if I can say no to getting close to him.
She let him shift her weight into his thick, strong legs, and nuzzled her face into his neck. Brock lifted her chin with one finger and planted a kiss on her lips. God, those lips that scorched against her skin wherever they made contact. That was all it took and she was undone. His tongue parted her lips, pushing against her teeth, and moving deeper. Both of his hands were on her, one winding up through her hair and the other at the small of her back. He tugged slightly at the strands, and she let out a moan of pure want, relishing the sweet mix of pain and pleasure between her legs.
Sky pulled away just enough to move one leg and straddle him, sinking into his lap and rocking her waist forward.
“I want you right now,” Brock moaned into her mouth before moving to tickle a hot breath against her neck, kissing and nibbling as he moved south.
Breathless, she ran her hand through his hair, gripping the strands as her need built up. “Let's go to my room.”
In response, he clutched the small of her back, held on to the back of the sofa with the other hand, and picked her up as he stood. Sky didn’t bother telling him to put her down. He wouldn’t. Besides, she liked his big, strong arms around her, and the feeling of being held like precious cargo. This close to him, as he carried her across the room and down the dark hallway to her bed, she was his. In her bedroom, neither of them bothered to turn on the lights. The security lights from the backyard gave the room enough of a glow. She liked it better this way. In the dark, she could be herself. She could forget.
Brock let her drop her feet to the floor at the foot of the bed. He cupped her face with both his hands, molding her body to him. He massaged behind her ears as he looked down into her eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sky.”