All Fired Up (Green Valley Heroes #7)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

MADELINE

T he next two and a half weeks fly by in a blur, Hunter and I eating, sleeping, and breathing firefighting training. We run through all the CPAT exercises on our own, even borrowing some equipment from the fire station to make sure it’s as authentic as possible. The office manager says we’re the only ones who ask, so we get first dibs at using the weighted vests we’ll have to wear during the test or practicing with the twenty-four-foot ladders at the station, since neither of our cars can transport them home.

I do what I can, finding the ways that work best for me as someone shorter and lighter than the rest of the team, but all that matters is I pass the eight events in less than ten minutes and twenty seconds. Such a small amount of time for something so important.

For Hunter, I scour the internet for all the practice tests I can find, and we take them night after night, poring over the answer keys afterward to figure out how we can improve. He’s probably sick of me quizzing him endlessly, but he doesn’t let on if he is, patiently answering my relentless questions.

Late at night, after all the practicing and studying are done, is my favorite time, though. We put those condoms he stuffed in my locker to good use, and I get a crash course in what it means to be the object of Hunter’s desire. He takes me on every available surface in his bedroom, his bathroom, his living room. Bending me forward over the back of the couch and fucking me from behind. Eating me out in the shower. Even one memorable time on the kitchen counter as I’d been prepping dinner. I’d had to sanitize everything and completely start over afterward, but it’d been worth it. I love how much he wants me.

And even more, it’s as if he’s awakened this other Madeline I didn’t know existed. One who finds sex fun and incredibly hot. Who enjoys giving blow jobs instead of it being a chore. Who isn’t shy to have someone see every part of her. It seems it only took being with the right man to unlock all that.

The night before our final exams, I’m a nervous wreck. “Did you see this email?” I ask Hunter, waving my phone at him. There’s no way he can read my screen from this distance, but I still do it, anyway.

“You know I don’t check my email,” he says, gathering the dishes off the coffee table from dinner earlier.

That’s right. The idea is unfathomable to me, but I guess he’s made it this far without it.

“They want to do a live fire exercise to assess our teamwork skills on Sunday. I guess they had some issues previously with the full-time team that made them think it’d be a good idea.”

He shrugs. “Okay, no problem.”

“No problem? We haven’t prepared.” I push down the gnawing sensation in my stomach, despite having just eaten.

“We did that live fire practice the other week.”

“But that was individual practice, not teams, and from a distance. This will be closer, it sounds like.”

He sets the dishes in the sink and walks over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You sound insane. It’ll be fine. And if it’s teams, it’s even better because Chief McClure will definitely partner us up.”

Right. He’s right. We’ve found a great rhythm working together at the station.

I blow out a long breath. “Okay, sorry. Should we get some last-minute study practice in? I can quiz?—”

He shakes his head. “You need to relax tonight. Here, come on.”

Leading me to the couch, he turns me away from him, then rubs the tense muscles of my upper back until I melt under his touch. His hands move lower, down my spine, working their magic until they’re practically on my ass.

“Hey, you’re just trying to seduce me.” Not that I’ve put up any kind of fight.

“Is it working?”

I don’t have to see his face to know he’s grinning.

“Maybe.”

He leans forward, running his lips over my neck. “Anything I can do to sway you further?” He presses a kiss behind my ear, shivers running over me at the intimate contact.

I bite my lip, wavering. I really did mean to study tonight. Maybe he’s right, though. A night off would do us some good, to be refreshed in the morning. What’s that saying? All work and no play...

Oh, who am I kidding? I just want him to touch me.

Reaching behind me, I place my hands over his, then guide them to my front, to my chest. He groans low in my ear as he slips under my shirt and quickly unhooks my bra, then molds his palms over my breasts, squeezing gently.

I arch into his touch, loving how he draws soft circles around my nipples until they’re beaded with arousal, and moan as he plays with me, working me up. I squirm, needing relief, and when none is forthcoming, I sneak a hand between my thighs, rubbing softly over the fabric of my leggings.

My head falls back against his shoulder, a groan ripping from me as the lust within me ratchets higher, and that’s when he seems to take notice of what I’m doing. He lifts me onto his thighs, his chest to my back, and whispers, “Don’t stop.” There’s unrestrained excitement in his voice. “I’m going to undress you, but don’t stop.”

He slides my shirt and bra off, then hooks his thumbs in my leggings and panties, dragging them down my legs and over my feet, leaving me nude on top of him. He spreads my legs wider, giving him a clearer view from over my shoulder of what I’m doing.

“Oh, fuck, baby. That’s hot.” His hands return to my breasts, thumbing my nipples into tight peaks. “Keep playing with yourself like that.”

I let myself rest against him and draw my fingers in and out of my pussy, half focusing on the bundle of nerves growing tighter and tighter with want, and half on the way he fondles my chest, his breathing growing rough with desire.

“You’re so sexy,” he murmurs, pressing a hot kiss to my shoulder. “You drive me out of my mind wanting you. Tell me what you want. What’ll get you there.”

“Your tongue on me,” I murmur. “I want to come on your tongue.”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

He maneuvers himself from underneath me and kneels in front of the couch, scooting me to the edge. Trailing kisses up my inner thighs, he parts me and buries his tongue in my pussy, a wild zing of pleasure running through me.

I’m helpless to do anything other than experience the full force of his ministrations as he alternates between long, slow licks and fast flicks with his tongue. My hands sift through his hair, keeping him close, never wanting him to stop even as the pressure builds, higher and higher.

When he sucks on my clit, I’m done, spiraling over the edge on a wave of sensation. My thighs quiver as he continues to lap me up, and when I’m finished, he presses one more kiss to my pussy and leans back, rubbing his hands up and down my legs.

“You relaxed yet?” he asks with a grin, knowing full well I’m a boneless heap over here.

I nod, taking in his smug smile. The sudden urge to do the same for him strikes me. To taste him. To have him come on my tongue the same way. “You need some relaxing, too?”

Interest alights in his gaze. “I’ll never turn that down from you.”

I motion for him to stand, his groin eye level with me on the couch. “Unzip your pants.”

His brows pop up, but he does what I say, the sound of the zipper pulling down making a thrill of anticipation run through me.

He tugs his jeans down a little, until his erection straining at his boxer briefs is on full display. I run a hand over him, teasing him through the soft fabric, and he lets out a low noise of satisfaction.

Reaching through the pocket in the front, I pull out his beautifully erect cock, stroking one finger along the underside. It bobs toward me, wanting more, and I look up at him, at the need already on his face. I lightly circle my fingers around him and he shudders, looking down at where I’m stroking him with barely there passes.

“Fuck, Madeline. You have any idea how sexy you are?”

“I am?” I ask coquettishly, and lean forward to give a soft lick to the head.

“I’ve created a seductress,” he murmurs, his hand resting on the back of my head.

I guide his cock into my mouth, smiling to myself as he groans loudly, his hips subtly rocking in the rhythm he likes. Closing my lips around him, I lick and suck, building him up, loving the way he curses under his breath, the way he gently adjusts me to take him in further, the way he says my name like it’s a benediction.

There’s a sort of power in the act, and though it may seem like I’m the one submitting, it’s him that’s at my mercy. I release him with a pop, and trail kisses down his length, staring up at him with all the lust I’m feeling.

“Christ,” he mutters, swallowing hard. “How do you keep doing this to me? Every day I want you more and more. It feels like it’ll never end. Like I never want it to end.”

I know exactly what he means.

“And you just keep opening more doors. When you touched yourself, I thought I was going to come then and there. I can’t wait to watch you masturbate again.”

A flush spreads over me, half in self-consciousness about my actions in the heat of the moment, half in anticipation at how excited he seems. With him, I’ve done things I’ve never dreamed of doing. And the thing is, I love doing them.

Only with Hunter, though.

“Should I touch myself again?” I murmur, sliding my tongue over his cock.

His hand tightens on my scalp for a moment. “Please.”

I snake a hand down and enter myself with two fingers. I’m slick with arousal already from coming earlier, and I moan softly as I find my clit, rubbing it.

“You like that, baby?” he asks, guiding his dick into my mouth again. “When you finger your pussy while you suck me off?”

I tremble at the vivid image his words bring, and nod, working him up as I work myself up, too. I keep eye contact with him, at his hungry expression, his gaze flicking between where his cock disappears in and out of my mouth, and lower, to where my fingers do the same in my pussy. I lose myself in the taste of him, in the feel of him sliding through my lips, in the smell of musky arousal filling the air. I’m so turned on, dripping for him, and my second orgasm looms close on the horizon. Coming twice in a row is the norm now, and my body anticipates it, knowing what’s in store.

“God, I love your mouth,” he murmurs. “Love?—”

My belly jumps, wondering how he’s going to finish that thought, but he groans instead, his hold turning possessive as he comes in my mouth. I swallow him down, relishing the way he loses control, how he turns to putty, panting heavily at what I do to him.

“Oh, fuck,” he mumbles as he finishes, and I lick him clean. “Here, let me...”

He drops beside me and kisses me deeply as he replaces my fingers with his own, drawing in and out of me with urgency. His other hand grips the back of my neck, holding me to him as his tongue slides in my mouth, claiming me as his.

That’s what it feels like, at least, with the way he surrounds me. No one else could ever have this kind of effect on me. Could ever make me feel like I...belong to them.

A cry rises in my throat, and he swallows the sound as I break in his arms, clinging to his shoulders, my body tense with need until I finally relax again, bringing him down with me as I stretch out on the couch.

His cock rests on my thigh, dangerously close to where it shouldn’t be, and I think again about going on birth control. About feeling him fully inside me, nothing between us. As much as I’ve loved us together with a condom, how would it feel for him to fill me up as he comes?

A shiver runs over me, and he pulls the throw blanket off the back of the couch to cover me, thinking I’m cold. I snuggle into it, not saying anything, and make a mental note to schedule a doctor’s appointment soon.

I have a lot of things I need to do soon, actually. Between studying and training for the volunteer firefighter exams, and the happy bubble Hunter and I have created the past few weeks at his house, I’ve hardly been home. I’ve slept every night in Hunter’s bed, wrapped in his arms, and even brought my computer here to work during the day at Hunter’s insistence. It’s a wonder what not being interrupted at home has done for my productivity. Even when he gets home from work, he respects my time and only gives me a kiss hello before making himself busy doing something else until I’m done.

I’d invited him earlier today to my weekly Friday afternoon virtual get-together with Adelaide, which had delighted her to no end, but the one thing I haven’t done is invite him back to my house. Before opening that can of worms, I need to talk to Mom about everything that went down a few weeks ago. Now that we’ve had some time to cool off, maybe we can have a more constructive conversation.

I let myself bask in the comfort of lying next to Hunter for a few more moments, then turn to face him. “I should probably go home tonight.”

His brows punch down. “Why? Did I do something? Are you mad?”

I keep my smile at bay. “No, and stop being ridiculous. But you know I don’t actually live here, right?”

He finds my hand underneath the blanket and entwines our fingers. “Yeah, but I like you being here.”

“I like being here, too. But I have to talk to my mom at some point.”

He nods, understanding. I’d told him everything that went down with her, though it obviously doesn’t compare at all to what happened with his own mother.

“I’ll be back tomorrow, after our exams.” I kiss him one last time and find my clothes on the floor, getting dressed while I still have the willpower to leave.

He looks like one of those big predator cats lounging on the couch, watching me with hooded eyes, the hazel in them sparking a bit like amber.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I say as I retie my disheveled ponytail.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re contemplating pouncing on me to keep me here.”

His lips quirk up one side. “That doesn’t sound like me at all.” He reaches out, running a palm down my outer thigh. “I just...I’ve been really happy lately. Like I didn’t know what happy was before we started dating. And I don’t want anything to change.”

My heart melts a little, loving how open he’s being with me. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him...No, it’s too soon. We haven’t been dating that long.

“Nothing’s going to change,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss him again. “I won’t let it. Not with how happy I’ve been, too.”

He slides his hand over the back of my neck, kissing me deeper, but I pull away before I get too sucked into it.

“I really have to go.”

He half pouts, half grins, and I laugh, then take my leave.

It’s time to get this over with.