Smoke (9 page)

Satisfied with the casual look, she straightened the bed, fixed her makeup and slipped on a long sweater to cover her body; she didn’t want to expose too much of herself to him before they ate. She slipped into the black fuzzy slippers she normally wore around the house. The slippers didn’t match her attire but she didn’t want to wear heels and her pedicure was too fresh to hide with socks.

She patted her chest to ease the racing. “
Slow it down, girl. He’s just a man, don’t
get carried away.”
The timer on the oven went off indicating the cinnamon buns were ready. The sweet aroma filled the kitchen making it smell like a holiday. Spreading the icing on each bun, she set the platter on the table and got the pre-cut bags of fruit and a carton of eggs from the fridge. She would make the eggs when Jonathan arrived.

Midnight scurried between her legs. She shooed him away with her foot. “I can’t play at the moment, Midnight, we have company coming and I want you to behave,” she said dumping the fruit in a decorative bowl. Feeling confident about possibly jumpstarting her love life again, she clicked on the small CD player sitting on the kitchen counter to fill the room with Beyonce singing Love On Top.

Gabrielle danced and sang along with the song placing four sausage links in a skillet. She put the remaining eight in the pan not sure how much Jonathan ate. He was a big man and probably ate more than one or two sausages for breakfast. With the breakfast meat going she went to the pantry to get the ingredients to make the French toast casserole.

She passed the backdoor to get to the pantry. Pulling the curtain aside, she looked outside; it was snowing. She sighed heavily. “Why! Dang it! It was seventy-degrees yesterday and today it wants to snow! I hate Cleveland weather,” she grumbled gathering her items.

*****

It was mid-morning on a Sunday and not many cars were on the road to help melt the snow and no snowplows were around either. The eastside of Cleveland was always hit hardest in the winter and Gabrielle lived in the snowbelt area of Mayfield Heights. He exited 271 East at Mayfield Road to come to a crawl. The traffic was lined bumper to bumper on the off ramp.

He took his cellphone from the holster and dialed Gabrielle’s number drumming his fingers on the steering wheel waiting for her to answer. Finally she did on the third ring. “Hi, I’m stuck in traffic not far from you. I think there is an accident up ahead.”

“I was getting worried you wouldn’t be able to make it. I can’t believe how hard the snow
is falling.”

“A little snow ain’t about to keep me away. But, I think I will take a walk to see if there is anything I can do to help.”

“You are a fireman and I wouldn’t expect you to sit in your car and not do something.

I’ll keep the food warm until you get here.”

“I won’t be long. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me either. Jonathan, be careful. You’re lungs are still healing and the cold can cause
them to collapse very easily.”

“Stop worrying. I’m only going to make sure no one is hurt.” Pulling over to the curb, he got out of the truck and went to the back unlocking the compartment that held emergency supplies. Taking a few tools and a small extinguisher he walked up the ramp to investigate.

As he suspected there was a two-car accident blocking the intersection. No police were on scene and both cars had been heavily damaged. An older man pulling on a door fell to the ground. Jonathan ran over to assist.

“Are you okay?” The Asian man’s English was broken and he barely understood what he was saying. “Slow down. I’m a fireman and here to help.”

The man’s voice was high with excitement. “My wife, she stuck in car.”

Jonathan went to the passenger’s side of the car that was damaged the worst.

The older woman was awake but trapped in the backseat of the car. “I’m going to get you out, so relax.”

Other civilians rushed over to help. He asked they check on the ETA of police and rescue squads while he worked to free the woman from the wreckage. Using a crowbar, he was able to wrench the door ajar slightly. “Do you speak English?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded.

“Good, are you hurt?”

“No,” she shook her head.

“Okay, you’re wedged in there pretty tight and I can’t get the door open any further. I’m going to bring you out through the rear window.” He removed his coat covering her head. “Bend over on the seat to avoid the breaking glass.”

Police arrived on the scene yelling at Jonathan to get off the rear of the car. “Get down! Rescue is on the way.”

Jonathan continued to work yelling back. “I’m a Cleveland firefighter and know what I’m doing! One of you could give me a hand getting her out.”

Together they were able to free the woman who appeared unharmed and

grateful for the rescue. She bowed thanking Jonathan and handing him his coat.

Slipping it on, he collected his tools from the ground when the Chief of the Mayfield Fire Department handed him a piece of paper.

“I need you to read this over and sign it.”

“I didn’t see the accident. I’m actually parked down the ramp.”

“You were in the right place at the right time. Thanks for your help. What department are you with?”

“Company 30,” he said feeling the stiffness settle in his side.

“Ah the infamous
Superman
station of all the Cleveland fire houses. You think fast on your feet.”

Jonathan chuckled. “I didn’t realize we were known outside of our district. Are the occupants of the other vehicle okay?”

“Yeah; the old man spun out of control hitting them. Thank goodness neither car was moving at a high rate of speed”

“Chief, this might be a busy day for you. I gotta get going; I’m late for a very important date.”

*****

He figured Gabrielle would live in an apartment since she was single and worked different hours. He could hear music streaming through the closed door as he waited.

Gabrielle opened the door with her beautiful smile. His heart thumped a little harder at the sight of her. She unlatched the screen door allowing him access inside her home. “Come in, its’ freezing out there.”

“I didn’t think I would ever get here. That accident took over an hour to clear.”

“Did you have to magically rescue anyone?” She asked taking his coat.

“Indeed I did. I extracted a woman from a badly mangled car.”

Her face dropped. “Oh my god, is she okay?”

“She wasn’t hurt, just shaken a bit. Damn, I forgot the wine in the truck.”

“Come to the kitchen when you come back in.”

He returned in seconds taking his shoes off in the small alcove, he followed his nose to the kitchen. “You have a nice place. I expected you to live in an apartment not a house.”

“I have a cat and I like to play music loud sometimes; so I figured a house would work better for me.”

He came behind her. The visual of her plump buttocks and slim waistline had him wanting to reach out and touch her. “Did I mention you look delicious and the food smells good, too?”

With a slight turn of her head over her shoulder, she said, “No you didn’t but thank you. Are you hungry?”

“I’m starving. I worked up a good appetite freeing that civilian, and I don’t even get paid for doing it,” he said with a chuckle.

“Your payments are shown by the gratitude showered on you by those you’ve helped. Have a set and I will fix you a man-sized plate to fill your appetite.”

“Gratitude doesn’t pay the bills but it’s all good. You cooked a lot of food. You aren’t going to fix yourself a saucer-sized plate to keep from eating in front of me, are you?”

“Heck no! I like to eat and have no shame in getting my grub on,” she sniggled.

He unfolded the napkin placing it on his lap. “A real woman I can relate too.

You’re beautiful, smart, sexy, and can cook. Why aren’t you married or at least in a steady relationship?”

Sipping the orange juice, she looked over the rim of the glass. “I could ask you the same. But in my case, I haven’t found the right man and I guess I’m a little difficult to be with when it comes to long-term relationships.”

“How are you difficult? Do you turn into a raging she-devil after the initial phase of getting to know each other is over?”

“Hardly. I tend to work a lot and it kills the romance. I’ve been told I put work before the relationship. I’m going to be honest with you, Jonathan. I’ve haven’t been in a relationship in a long time and the longest relationship I’ve ever been in only lasted six months.”

“Gabrielle, don’t try an’ scare me away before we get started. I’m not asking you to run down your history to me. I work a lot too. Since I’m single, I do trades to take on extra shifts for guys that have families—so I know how it is to work a lot. As it is, my hours are different. It seems I’m at the fire station more than I am at home.”

“How have you been dealing with being on medical leave the last few weeks?”

“I’m dealing with it better than I thought. I didn’t realize I was exhausted physically. The time off has recharged my batteries and given me time to catch up on stuff just sitting around the apartment collecting dust.”

“My vacation is coming this Spring and I can’t wait.”

“What are you going to do on your time off?”

“I have brochures stashed in my drawer at work of Jamaica and Montego Bay. I want to go lie on the beach of either of those places and do nothing for seven whole days.”

“Are you alone basking on either one these beaches?”

“I am alone since I never make it past my probation period for dating.”

“Your problem is you’re not dating the right type of man.”

She propped her chin on the backs of her hands. “Here we go—you’re going to say, you are the man I should be dating.”

He raised his eyebrow and clicked his tongue to say, “In a nutshell—yup.”

“How do you know that? We could be different as night and day, Jonathan. I won’t dispute the attraction is strong, but once that has lifted what if there is nothing left underneath?”

He scooted the chair away from the table throwing the napkin on the plate.

Taking the few steps to where she sat, he reached a hand out to her. Gabrielle took it not knowing what to expect. Her pulse kicked into high gear when he drew her near.

She could smell his scent; feel his breath on her forehead. She wanted him more than any man she’d ever encountered in her adult life.

“Do you trust being alone with me?”

Her mouth was dry with anticipation. “Yes.”

“I’m opening myself up to you. Do what you want with me, Gabrielle.”

“What?”

“I want you to do whatever is on your mind to me. If you want to throw juice in my face—then do it.”

“I’ve never heard of doing anything like this. Is this a test of some sort?”

“You’re being apprehensive. You have already warned me about your failed relationships so I’m giving you the opportunity to do whatever you want to me and walk away. But, if you come back, then, I know there is more lying underneath to be explored.”

“You’re crazy and I’m not doing this,” she said huffing.

“Admit you’re scared there might be more and you don’t want to face it.”

“I’m not scared of anything. I didn’t get where I am by being scared to take chances.”

The glaze of his hazel eyes never left hers. He concentrated on the actions running through her head. He could almost hear her thinking. Gabrielle stood frozen to the floor. She’d gone tit-for-tat from day one with him, and now she had him on her territory and at her mercy.

Frowning, she bit her bottom lip. “I’m not apprehensive. You want to know what I really want to do to—well I’m about to show you!”

She shoved him against the counter lifting his t-shirt. Kissing his stomach, her fingernails clawed at his hard chest. Her tongue traced a line from the middle of his chest to veer over and tease a flat nipple. She could hear him sucking in a breath as she flicked and suckled his nipple with her tongue.

Jonathan gritted his teeth balling his fingers in her hair. Her light biting at his body was driving him insane. Pulling her to stand straight, his lips descended on hers.

Parting her lips with his tongue, he sought hers to play. His hands roamed over her back and down lower to squeeze her plump derriere.

She moaned deep in her throat when his hands instantly came up to her breasts twirling her nipples with his thumb through the silky fabric. In one swift move he pushed the sweater down to expose her shoulder kissing the softness of her skin, moving his lips up to her neck and biting her earlobe gently.

Jonathan moved the both of them over towards the table. Her butt touched the edge of it when she stopped him. “Un-um—I eat on this table. Let’s go to my bedroom.”

In her bedroom he kicked the door shut with his foot resuming his actions.

Lifting her arms over her head, he removed her sweater and camisole. He had to stare at her. She was just as he imagined. Her smooth skin glistened with a light dampness.

Her breasts were perky with round succulent, dark nipples.

He dove in with both hands anxious to taste the morsels already aroused.

Gabrielle’s head went back with the first stroke of his tongue. Hot breathing was all that was heard echoing in the bedroom. She grabbed the sides of his head dragging her tongue across his lower lip. Lifting his arms, she removed his shirt tossing it on the floor.

Her hands worked eagerly to unbuckle the belt to his jeans. Jonathan pushed her hands away pushing her gently backward to lie on the bed and dropping to his knees.

Undoing her jeans she lifted and wiggled her hips to help him remove them. Jonathan thought he would explode from the sight of her swollen womanhood through the lacy underwear. He parted her thighs, spreading her open to devour her forbidden fruit.

Gabrielle’s body soared from the bed when Jonathan mouth locked on the