Page 65 of Burning Justice

He hadn’t felt this way about being with a woman in so long he couldn’t remember. Maybe never.

She gripped his forearms, her blunt nails digging into his skin as she held on tightly, surging her hips to meet his thrusts. With every meeting of their bodies, his pulse rate jacked higher. She was so sexy and desirable, lying beneath him with her eyes half closed, her breasts heaving as she breathed faster. When her tongue darted out to swipe across her lower lip, he couldn’t resist.

Resting his forearms on either side of her head, he leaned down and captured her face in his hands. With her hair spread out on the pillow and her face flushed, she was more beautiful than he could have imagined. Softer. And perfect.

Her breasts mounded beneath his chest, and he captured one rosy nipple in his mouth, sucking it and flicking it with his tongue. A tiny little moan escaped her parted lips that was so darned sexy it sent a jolt of current through his body.

Pressure built at the base of his dick. His balls drew up, tightening to the point of pain, and all he could do was watch the play of emotions on Gemma’s face as the orgasm began rumbling through her.

She bit her lower lip. Her brow wrinkled just before she threw back her head and cried out.

Brett thrust once more, exploding inside her and biting back another growl. For a long moment, he remained where he was, absorbing and savoring the last of their orgasms. He rolled to his side, snugging Gemma against him as they both struggled to breathe. Her skin was warm and damp against his.

The urge to stay this way, with her in his arms, was a powerful need, swamping him with all kinds of emotions he didn’t dare address. Because she was right. This was going to complicate things.

His growing feelings for her were both welcome and scary as hell. If he was truthful with himself, he cared about her more deeply than he was ready to give voice to. For the first time in his life, he worried that if he fell for her, he still might have to walk away or she still might kick him to the curb where he deserved to be. He’d experienced both those scenarios before, but not with Gemma.

This time, if either of those scenarios played out, he could be the one getting hurt the most.

…

Outside, the winter winds rolling off the foothills roared like a lion, buffeting the sheets they’d tacked over the broken windows and doorway to keep the heat in.

Brett grinned at the ingeniousness of his plan. School had let out for Christmas break, and it was time to have some fun. He’d already scoped out the old, condemned house at the end of the road right next to a fire station and found a way for him and his friends to sneak inside. His father would kill him if he ever found out, which made the whole thing so much more fun and totally worth the risk.

Through the hole in the roof made by an enormous oak tree that had crashed down during a storm, the moon glowed yellowy-orange. Passing clouds cast shadows on the peeling wallpaper and posters. Despite the hole, the room was dry and pretty warm. The gas company had shut off the gas, but luckily, the power company hadn’t cut the electricity yet. The decrepit-looking space heater they’d dragged up from the basement had crackled and sparked when they’d first plugged it in but seemed to be working okay now and was cranked to the max.

Brett aimed the flashlight beneath his chin. Cody and Ryan did the same with theirs, making their faces look creepy. “You guys know why ninja farts are so dangerous?” He shifted on the stack of old furniture cushions and pillows, giving his friends a few seconds to answer. “Because they’re silent but deadly.”

Ryan and Cody laughed so hard one of them farted, then they all laughed even harder.

Next up was Ryan. “Why was the nose so sad?” Brett and Cody looked at each other and shrugged. “Because it didn’t get picked.” For effect, Ryan stuck a finger in his nose, then flicked it at them.

“Eww!” Brett yanked the sleeping bag over his head.

“I can beat that,” Cody said. “What did one booger say to the other?”

Brett lowered the sleeping bag, then pointed his flashlight at Ryan. “I don’t know. Ask Ryan. He’s the nose picker.”

“Am not.” Ryan hurled a pillow at him.

“Well?” Cody prodded. “What did one booger say to the other?”

“What?” Brett asked.

“You think you’re funny, but you’re snot.” Cody burst out laughing.

Ryan’s face twisted. “That sucked.” He grabbed another pillow and rocketed it at Cody, who ducked.

The pillow flew over Cody’s head. Brett lunged for it but missed. The pillow slammed into the space heater, knocking it over and sending it tumbling onto a stack of sofa cushions they’d piled up for their beds. Crackling and popping came from the heater. Sparks shot from the glowing, red grill plate, landing on more pillows and the sheet they’d tacked across the doorway.

One spark came directly at Brett’s head. He ducked under the sleeping bag just in time. More popping sounds. More crackling, then a sudden roar. Cautiously, he peeked out from under the bag.

Sparks continued shooting from the space heater like fireworks. The pillows and sofa cushions were on fire. Flames raced up the sheet they’d hung over the open doorway. Within seconds, the peeling wallpaper caught fire. Posters taped to the wall began to burn, and the space heater continued shooting off sparks, landing on more sheets. Smoke filled the tiny attic, billowing and making them cough. From somewhere overhead came the deafening screech of a smoke alarm.

“We gotta get out of here!” Brett shouted. “C’mon!” Cody and Ryan had their sleeping bags over their heads. “C’mon, you guys!”

Brett could barely see anything through the thickening smoke. Flames blocked their way out. He coughed, covering his mouth with his hand, and raced for the only window that wasn’t covered by a burning sheet. He yanked off the sheet and looked down. The drop had to be at least twenty feet.