Where There's Smoke (10 page)

Seth glanced sideways at Andy, one of his crewmates, as he joined him at the edge of the dance floor. Lauren danced with Ryan, another firefighter, and Seth hadn't missed a step. One wrong move and his family's interference be damned, he'd yank her away from that guy. “You better not be looking at any of my sisters."

"No, man. No offense, but I've never seen Lauren Stokes look so good."

Seth seethed.

Andy must've noticed. “You guys have never—” He wagged his finger from one to the other in the universal signal for ‘got together'.

"No,” Seth said honestly between clenched teeth.

"Why not? Scared of her old man?"

Seth nearly crawled out of his skin when Lauren slid her hand to the back of Ryan's neck. He wasn't jealous—he was self-aware enough to know he and Lauren were infinitely better suited, but seeing another man's hands on her when he couldn't touch her made him a little irrational.

Lauren met his eyes over Ryan's shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. God help her, she knew he watched, knew he was wild with—no, not jealousy—he wasn't jealous, he was never jealous.

"Seth?” Andy prompted from beside him. “Why didn't you two ever get together? Because of her dad?"

"I respect Captain Stokes, yes, but I respect Lauren more. She doesn't want it, it's not happening."

"She doesn't want you? Seth? Seth Escamilla?"

The couple on the floor turned with the music and Seth watched Lauren's hips sway, watched Ryan's hands creep dangerously low.

"Hey."

Mary Ann, the station's lone woman firefighter, set two bottles of beer on the table with a loud thunk. Seth dragged his attention from the man he may have to kill, and smiled at her. She didn't return the gesture. In fact, he didn't think she'd ever smiled. She sat beside him and picked up one bottle, motioned that the other bottle was for him.

"You better be glad Mitch isn't here to see you looking at his little girl like that."

"Like what?” He used the excuse of the beer to avoid looking at her.

"Seth, you may be a good-looking boy, but as a liar, you suck. You haven't stopped looking at her all night. Hell, I've been afraid to go around potted plants in this room, afraid of what I might see you two doing."

Wow. He'd never heard her say so much at once. “She's just a friend.” But the words sounded weak to his own ears.

"I thought you two were ancient history."

"What? You thought we'd already got together?"

"I just got kind of a ‘been there, done that’ kind of vibe."

"Not yet. I mean, not ever.” Okay, she was right. As a liar, he sucked. He took a swig of liquid courage and leaned toward her. “Let me ask you this, since I need a woman's opinion."

She rolled her eyes. “I doubt you lack those."

"Yeah, but this—” He rubbed a hand over his face and glanced over toward his sister. “I can't ask; it's kind of personal."

"It's not like a lingerie or jewelry kind of question, is it?” Mary Ann asked warily, slipping off one out-of-fashion pump and rubbing her heel.

"No! No.” He looked toward Lauren, who had extracted herself from Ryan's octopus hands and now danced a respectable distance from him. “She said I'm out of her league. Do you, like, believe that sort of stuff?"

"Well, hell, Seth, do you think you're too good for her?"

"No, but ... she's not like anyone I've ever dated, but in a good way,” he added quickly.

"You don't say that to her, do you? ‘Oh, by the way, you're different from all the drop dead gorgeous women I've gone out with in my life. But in a good way.” Mary Ann snorted.

"Geez, no. I mean, I think Lauren is beautiful. She'd got those eyes, and that soft skin, and her mouth—"

Mary Ann snapped her fingers in front of his face, bringing him back to the here and now. “So have you told her leagues don't matter once you bring home the pennant?"

"Huh?"

"You're head over heels in love with her, little boy. Now go away and leave me alone."

Head over heels, Seth reflected as he shuffled aimlessly up the stairs. That pretty much described it. If Mary Ann, a virtual stranger, saw it, what the hell kind of charade could he hope to keep up in front of their families?

The DJ broke into the song to announce the bouquet toss. Seth's enthusiastic sisters dragged Lauren from Ryan's arms and shoved her toward the gathering of single girls beneath the balcony where Crystal posed. Crystal smiled and pointed at Lauren á la Babe Ruth and Seth edged closer to watch the spectacle.

Crystal turned her back in some semblance of fairness and tossed the bouquet over her head with deadly aim. It hurtled right toward Lauren, who looked horrified and threw up her hands to ward it off. The abrupt motion struck the bouquet on its downward trajectory, acting like a bat, and the bouquet went flying again, petals and leaves scattering, ringless hands grasping for it as it flew up, up.

And landed right against Seth's chest.

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Seth hadn't touched her since helping her into his truck. Now his hands shook as he searched for the right key to his apartment. Lauren stood uneasily by. Had he changed his mind? Because just the slightest doubt on his part and she would bolt. She wouldn't risk their relationship if he wasn't a hundred percent certain.

She wanted this, but doubts could easily be raised. The thought evaporated as the door swung open and he turned, his eyes dark with desire. For her.

She preceded him into the apartment that smelled so familiar but felt so foreign. He caught her hand before she went too far. She turned, pulse thundering as his thumb brushed over her wrist. He stepped closer and bent his head to hers, took her bottom lip between his teeth. She sighed in pleasure and closed her eyes, leaned into him, and wrapped her arms about his shoulders. How long had she wanted this? His tongue caressed her mouth with deep, hot strokes, better than any fantasy, and he tangled his fingers in the ends of her hair as he sought the zipper of her dress.

Reality hit hard when she felt the cool air on her back. Wow. They were really going to do this. He was going to touch her, he was going to see her naked—

She jerked back. “Wait."

He looked at her, confusion mingled with desire.

"Turn out the light,” she whispered.

"What? Why?"

"I don't want you to see me."

Humor lit his eyes. “That's half the fun."

She edged closer when he tried to figure out what possible flaws she hid. Rather than leave it to his imagination, she started babbling. “I'm too pale and all those Krispy Kremes I've been eating."

He hushed her. “We're leaving the lights just like they are,” he said, moving his lips against the corner of her mouth. “You're beautiful. It's me, Seth. Who knows you better?"

God, he was smooth! She melted again, only tensing when he eased the spaghetti straps down. The point of no return. She closed her eyes when he stepped back enough to let the dress pool on the floor—she didn't want to see him see her for the first time decked in control-top panti-hose and cotton underwear printed with pink flowers.

She didn't think he cared because he cupped her too-heavy breasts, stroked them with the reverence of a man who loved women. He whispered compliments and pulled her lower body closer, her belly rubbing the ridge of his erection through his slacks. She parted her lips for his kiss, only to feel his mouth on her breast.

She opened her eyes then, watched his dark head against her white skin, watched his lips close over her nipple, draw on it, leave it glistening as he turned his attention to the other, his mouth hot, his tongue curling and flicking. This was Seth. She had nothing to fear from him. That realization relaxed her. She slid her hands through his hair, holding him to her.

He went down on his knees. Her hair fell forward to curtain him as he drew off her hose with a care she never used.

"Can we, um, go in the bedroom?” she asked, stepping out of the nylons, desperate to be off her feet, desperate to feel him over her. She'd waited so long.

"Not yet.” He trailed his fingers up the inside of her leg, pausing to stroke behind her knee. She started trembling. His fingertips were rough against the sensitive skin. How could he know how this aroused her? He released her breast and bent to kiss her knee, his mouth following the trail his fingers forged.

He stroked her through the flowered panties, adolescent caresses that made her wild nonetheless. He kissed her, the pressure against her most sensitive part focusing every nerve cell. He slid his fingers beneath the elastic of her underwear, started pulling them down.

As much as she wanted his touch, needed it, she clamped her thighs together. “I'm almost naked and you haven't taken off anything. That's not fair."

"Who said life was fair?” He coaxed down her panties until she stood in her naked glory and he knelt at her feet, worshiping her. She swallowed hard at the picture he made, at the thrill he gave her.

"Bedroom now?” she asked, and gasped when he started tracing designs on her thigh with his tongue.

"I'm thinking of starting a fire."

As romantic as the image was ... “That would require stopping."

"Not where I'm going to light it.” He closed his mouth over her.

Her head shot back and she buried her fingers in his hair as he did things she'd never felt, desire flashing through her, incinerating all doubt. He flicked his tongue and suckled and stroked until she forgot where she was, who she was, and rocketed into outer space.

When she landed back on the planet, Seth eased her onto the floor and levered his still-clothed body over hers. They hadn't moved beyond the entryway but she didn't care anymore. Her entire body throbbed with pleasure and craved more. From the feel of Seth's body, he was willing to oblige.

He kissed her jaw, her throat, her shoulder, before turning his mouth back to hers, kissing her softly, teasing her lips with her own taste. Though he'd shaved recently, the roughness of his stubble contrasted with the softness of his lips, chafing, the roughness so masculine. The fabric of his tux dragged across her bare skin, sending her blood dancing closer to the skin. She reached between them, loosened the buttons of his shirt, slid her hands over the smooth sculpted flesh of his chest, touching him in a way she'd wanted for years, breathing him in, the scent of the spilled beer, the fabric and his own musky, spicy scent. He was hard and warm, the perfect male specimen. He helped her tug the shirt out of his waistband, helped her free his arms from his shirt and jacket. He eased back to let her unfasten his slacks. She watched his face as she brushed the backs of her fingers over his erection; first lightly, then when he sucked in a breath, with more deliberation.

"Wait,” she said, stilling his hands that reached to help her. “Wait. Look, if you have on colored bikini underwear, the deal's off."

He looked stunned. “What color?"

"Seth."

He unhooked his pants and pushed them down to reveal dark boxers with the fabric tented in a very interesting way. Lauren swallowed. This was it—no going back.

Then he pulled away and stood. She was confused a moment until he reached for her hand. “I'm not going to make love to you on the floor. Seduce you, yes. Make love, no."

"Where?” she asked breathlessly, following him, thinking it was patently unfair that she was naked and he wasn't when he obviously had the superior body. Honestly, one could learn a lot about human anatomy by looking at Seth naked.

She'd always liked science.

"The bed, of course. How decadent do you think I am?"

Really, not as decadent as one would expect. His bedroom wasn't Dudley-Moore-from-Foul-Play bachelor, more like I'm-barely-home-so-forget-the-froufrou-stuff bachelor. When he dumped her on top of his luxurious comforter, the scent of laundry detergent wafted up as the down fabric fluffed up, like a cloud around her.

He nudged her knees apart and eased her back on the bed, following her down. He kissed her, and when she froze, reason battled lust, he put her hands on his shoulders. She moaned in appreciation of the idea and ran her hands over his sculpted muscles.

"Touch me, Lauren,” he said against her mouth, his breath champagne scented and making her just as light-headed.

Her heart pounded, and she slid her hands haltingly down his chest. She planned to stop at his waistband, feel him through the fabric of his underwear. Only he wasn't wearing any.

When had he taken them off? She slid her hands around to check, encountered only the smooth muscles of his buttocks and gave a little whimper. Patiently he took one hand and guided it to his erection.

Her whimper became a groan as she learned him; found what he liked by sliding her fingertips and palm over him, toyed with him till he tugged her hand away and pressed an already-open condom into it.

"Put it on me."

She'd never done that before. She'd had a lot of firsts tonight, but she wouldn't have a first time making love with her best friend if she hesitated now. “Can I—look?"

He rolled onto his back, one arm crooked behind his head, and watched her watching him. Her gaze drifted from his throat over his bare chest—no hair at all until his navel and the thin line of hair that led to—wow.

Wow.

Okay, enough looking, time to get to the good stuff.

With a little too much enthusiasm she rolled the condom onto him. Both winced when it tore.

She looked wide-eyed. “You have more?” Her voice squeaked with desperation, her body buzzing. Surely he did—she couldn't wait.

"I have more.” He reached into the nightstand and produced another. “Gently, okay?"

This time she took greater care and then there was nothing to do but—

"Do, ah, you like to be on top?” he asked.

"What—however you like to do it is fine,” she stammered.

"Fine? Lauren, this will be more than fine.” To show her, he fisted his hand in her hair, kissed her hard and laid her back before sliding into her with more patience than she possessed.

Seth's mind emptied once he entered her. Okay, so it had started to drain when he kissed her, was mostly empty when she asked if they were going to have sex, but now nothing was left but Lauren and how beautiful she was and how good she felt. She filled all his senses, her scent, her taste and her softness, those wild little gasps that were stretching into moans, the moans into pleas. Her hands were all over him, his back, his chest, his hair, his arms.