The Fireman Who Loved Me by Jennifer Bernard Read Free Book Online Page A

despite Melissa’s absurd prejudices about firemen. He would have enjoyed showing her just how wrong she was. But then he’d lost control—he, Captain Brody, whose cool under pressure was legendary on the force.
    He was embarrassed. Ashamed. This proved he had no business dating. He thought he’d put all thoughts of Rebecca behind him. But she’d popped up like a mocking jack-in-the-box determined to ruin his good time.
    Out of sheer, dogged politeness, he followed Melissa to her door. She stuck out her hand to shake his.
    “Thank you for the nice evening. And just so you know, my shoes cost thirty-two dollars at Payless—” But she didn’t get a chance to finish. Before he knew what he was doing, Brody yanked her into his arms and covered her mouth with his. She tasted so good she made his head spin. She was warm cream, vanilla velvet, wine, and fire.
    What was he doing? He was insane. This girl despised him, she thought they weren’t compatible; but none of that mattered. He had to touch her, had to feel her soft lips against his. She’d probably knee him in the balls, spray him with Mace . . . but no. Her mouth opened on a sigh.
    Her bare arms came around him, silky and maddening. Losing himself in the sweetness of her mouth, he let his tongue explore, feeling hers dance and twirl with his, as if they were still on the ballroom floor. This was a bad idea, a very bad idea. In another second he would lose the last ounce of his control. With a groan, he pulled away.
    Her green eyes had gone all hazy, like mist over a quarry lake. She looked so beautiful he couldn’t stand it. He had to kiss her again, taste that smooth skin . . . He lowered his head to press kisses into her neck, onto her cheekbones, against her ear. “Even when you were yelling at me, I wanted to do this.”
    She laughed. Such a rich sound, like deep wind chimes in a forest. He loved her laugh.
    Was her skin this soft everywhere on her body? Just the question made him tighten with excitement. If he didn’t stop now, he was going to tear off her clothes and run his hands over every curve of her body. That tempting vanilla scent was driving him insane, and so was the way she’d gone loose in the limbs from his kisses. He would have to be made of mahogany to resist.
    He felt alive, fiercely aroused. He hadn’t felt like this in so long he’d forgotten how to handle it. Giving in to the craziness of it, he pushed her against the front door, braced his arms on either side of her, and pressed his aching groin against her.
    When she arched her body against his hips, it felt like a spark in a tinderbox. He ground himself into her. She answered with a moan and a thrust of her hips. Urgent need raced through him like a sheet of flame, obliterating every other thought.
    His hungry hands flew to her neckline. She was wearing some kind of sleeveless top that had no visible way in. Too tight to pull up, no zipper that his fumbling fingers could find. How the hell did she get it on? He’d have to rip it off. But he couldn’t wait. He molded her full breasts through the thin material and felt their eager tips leap toward his hands. His hands shook with the need to feel her secret softness against his palms, their tender nipples hardening under his fingers.
    He was about to rip her shirt in two, when suddenly the door swung open behind her. Melissa stumbled backward. He hauled her against him to keep her from hitting the floor.
    Nelly, arms akimbo, glared at them in outrage. “What are you doing to my granddaughter?”
    Brody felt Melissa shake against his chest. He tightened his arm around her. “It’s okay, Mrs. McGuire. Nothing happened.”
    “Melissa?”
    Melissa raised her head. Her face was flushed, lips swollen, glasses fogged up. “Nothing happened,” she echoed in a smothered voice. Brody hoped Nelly’s glasses were equally foggy. It was their only chance.
    “I saw his hands around your neck! He’s no fire captain, he’s an axe