ControlledBurn by Em Petrova Read Free Book Online

Pearce’s voice shook. With anger or
emotion? Mitch narrowed his gaze and tried to read him.
    “No?”
    “You know why things need to be kept quiet. I need this job
to support my wife.”
    Mitch cringed a bit at the mention of Ellie, whom he’d never
want to hurt for all the world. “That’s right. Ellie…”
    “Yeah, Ellie—the same woman who asked me last night to bring
you into our bed!” He pitched his voice low, the furious tones coming out as a
harsh rasp.
    A spike of passion struck Mitch, spearing him to the floor.
He licked his lips. “She wants that?”
    “Hell yes! But we shouldn’t be speaking of it here, and you
damn well know it! Now get out, get dressed and fucking meet me outside. You’ve
got ten minutes, Morelli.”
    Mitch’s heart heaved inside the cavern of his chest. Hope
rocketed into the heavens. The power struggle between them had never been so
evident. Here at the firehouse, Pearce wouldn’t let him have the upper hand.
But once they were outside and alone, Mitch hoped that would change.
    He was going to have Pearce right where he wanted him.

Chapter Six
     
    Ellie padded across the living room floor for the tenth time
and twitched aside the curtain to look out at the drive. Pearce was running
late. He’d called to let her know he was fine and he’d be home for dinner.
    It wasn’t unlike him to stop to help in a car wreck he
passed on the way home or to break up a bar fight, but he usually dropped her a
text to let her know what had happened.
    She suspected that tonight, Mitch Morelli had happened.
    Heat coursed through her and took up residence between her
thighs. Damn, she hoped Pearce hurried home. She was practically drooling for
him to take her to bed, though she hadn’t gotten all dolled up for him as she
had the other day.
    After work, she’d changed into a pair of yoga pants and
t-shirt, and thrown her hair up into a ratty ponytail. Maybe she should slip on
a baby-doll nightie and light some vanilla candles instead. She’d put a frozen
pan of lasagna into the oven and the scents of cheese and garlic filled the
house. Not exactly an aphrodisiac.
    But we won’t need it. We have Mitch to light our fires
now.
    She paced off toward the kitchen, where she uncorked a
bottle of wine and poured two glasses. The heady scents of the liquid made her
head spin. Yeah, after a sip or two, she’d be raring to go.
    Hell, she was ready now. Her clit throbbed heavily. She
leaned against the counter and slid her hand between her legs, pressing lightly
to ease the ache.
    Suddenly she heard the crunch of tires on the drive.
Hurrying back to the front of the house, she entered the foyer at the same time
the door opened and two big males tumbled through it.
    Pearce and Mitch.
    Her blood surged and her cheeks heated.
    “Hey, baby. Smells good in here.” Pearce’s light tone was a
trifle forced. The expression in his eyes asked if she minded that he’d brought
the object of their desires home for dinner.
    Ellie felt the corners of her mouth lift into a smile.
“Lasagna. Hi, Mitch. You hungry?”
    The beautiful man let his gaze cling to Ellie’s a beat too
long. The pool of warmth between her thighs grew. “Very hungry, actually.”
    She got the feeling they weren’t talking about noodles and
tomato sauce.
    Pearce removed his boots and caught Ellie up in his arms. He
smelled as if he’d recently showered, but a faint trace of Mitch’s musk clung
to him. She tipped her face up for Pearce’s kiss.
    Rather than drop a peck to her cheek, which she expected, he
captured her lips. He slipped his tongue over the seam of her mouth and she
opened to him automatically. He plunged his tongue into the depths, chasing
hers around her mouth. She moaned as he flipped it against hers, igniting her
fires.
    He lashed her against him, lifting her onto tiptoe and
stroking her nape with one hand, giving her shivers.
    Mitch made a noise and she and Pearce broke away. A flush
crept over her and Pearce