Page 23 of Her Paramedic (Men in Uniforms #3)

He opened the door and pulled her outside.

Talia gasped when her eyes caught the setup.

On one side of the backyard stood a projection screen set up under a pergola with string lights hanging from it.

There were cream curtains at each corner and a few lanterns set around.

There was a comfy-looking sectional that she assumed was made of beanbags or something similar, decorative pillows, and a couple of plush blankets. In the center of it all was a fire pit.

She noticed a tray with an electric kettle, two mugs, and four tins when he led her over. She wasn’t sure what was in them, but she assumed it was probably different types of hot chocolate. Slate lit the fire pit as she took it all in again.

? ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ ?

S late watched her as she looked around again.

When he planned what he wanted to do for her, he thought the perfect way to end the night would be to watch a movie on the screen in the backyard with the firepit going.

He hadn’t used the area in a while, so it’d taken a little bit to get it set up how he wanted to and change out the covers on the furniture.

“Slate,” she started, turning to look at him. “This is…wow. It’s so thoughtful.”

He pulled her into his arms. “I take it you like it.”

“I love it.”

“Good.” He kissed her. “But it means I’ve made it hard to outdo myself next year.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. What are we watching?”

“Whatever you want to, baby.”

He’d allow her to choose, and if she had trouble, he had a few options to make it easier.

But first, he led her over to the couch.

The heat from the pit should make it warm enough, but if it wasn’t, he draped a blanket over her.

He turned on the kettle and projector before joining her.

Slate handed her his phone after pulling up a streaming app.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she scrolled through it. The ember flickers from the firepit made her cinnamon-colored skin glow. Her honey eyes shone brightly under the soft lights. The soft smell of her perfume filtered to him, and it was one of his favorites.

“Are you okay with a scary movie?” she asked.

“I’m okay with whatever you want, beautiful.”

She returned his phone, and he looked at the movie on the screen. My Bloody Valentine. He connected his phone to the projector and placed it to the side, waiting to start it until the kettle was done.

“Are we making hot chocolate?”

“Yes, baby.”

“Are there different kinds?” she asked, nodding to the tins.

“We’re making s’mores hot chocolate. There’s mini graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, or just cocoa mix if you want that.”

She smiled at him, and he’d never tire of seeing it. The kettle beeped, indicating it was ready. Slate made the drinks, handing Talia hers before settling beside her under the blanket and starting the movie. He’d seen the original, but this was his first time watching the remake.

T hey were a little way into the movie, their empty cups recently set aside, when she moved into his side. He rearranged them, pulling her between his legs, and wrapped his arms around her as she fixed the blanket.

Slate could admit that he stopped paying attention to the movie at some point.

It was okay. Naturally, the graphics were better than the original, but that didn’t mean it was better than its predecessor, and that was the risk you ran with remakes.

He didn’t think Talia would mind if he distracted her from it for a few minutes.

He kissed her neck softly, slipping a hand under her shirt, and she tilted her head, giving him more room.

Slate nipped at her neck and ran the pads of his fingers softly along her stomach.

His hand traveled up, his thumb brushing over her nipple through the lace of her bra as he licked up the column of her neck.

She released a soft moan, which deepened when he pinched her nipple.

“Is the movie boring you, babe?” she teased, sitting up.

“I can’t help that you’re far more interesting.”

She turned around, straddling him, and he rested his hands on her ass. “Maybe we should do something more interesting.”

Talia kissed him, soft lips on his, and he followed her lead. He allowed her tongue to coax his when it slipped into his mouth. She was sweet, tasted of chocolate and marshmallows, and Slate gripped her plump ass.

He didn’t know how long they kissed, alternating between deep, sensual kisses and soft pecks. There were screams on the screen, but they were drowned out. He probably should have been paying more attention to it to ensure the screams weren’t too loud and disturbing his neighbors.

She ran her hands along his shoulders when they pulled apart with a final peck.

“You plan to test them out again?” he asked with a smirk.

She licked her lips as she shifted. “I plan on doing more than that.”

Slate’s dick twitched at her words, and he squeezed her ass. She always said the right things and always had him holding a tight rein on his control until she was ready, and from her words, she was.

“Why don’t you head inside, and I’ll take care of this.” He was sure neither of them cared about finishing the movie.

“You sure you don’t want help?”

“I’m sure, baby. Go ahead. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

She climbed off him, slipped her feet back into her slippers, and headed inside.

Slate turned the projector and lanterns off.

He put his phone in his pocket. Then he put the projector and their cups on the tray with the cocoa ingredients before putting out the fire pit and taking the tray into the house.

He poured the extra water out of the kettle, washed it and the cups, and put them away.

He returned the projector to the living room and headed to his bedroom.

The en suite door was closed, and he could hear the shower running.

He debated joining her, but he knew they’d be in there far longer than needed.

He also wasn’t the biggest fan of shower sex.

It didn’t allow him to take his time like he wanted.

Sure, they could start there, but what Slate wanted to give her was continuous pleasure, and having to pause to get out wasn’t ideal.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and tossed it on the bed.

Then he put his slippers in the closet and undressed down to his boxers, placing his clothes in the hamper.

He sat on the bed, scrolling through his phone until Talia came out in a towel.

It was the first time he’d been offended by a towel, as it obstructed his view.

Patience, he reminded himself. He didn’t have to wait much longer.

He kissed her as he bypassed her and entered the bathroom. The scent of her body wash was prominent and intoxicating. He brushed his teeth before turning on the shower. It wouldn’t take long to heat, and a minute later, he stepped out of his boxers and under the water spray.

After his shower, he dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist. When he stepped out of the bathroom, the bedroom light was off, and the lanterns that had once been outside now illuminated the space.

Talia stood from the bed in a black baby doll, matching thigh highs clipped to the lingerie with garters.

“I borrowed your lanterns and wanted to give you one more gift tonight. I mean, I know sex isn’t a gift, but—”

“It’s definitely a gift,” Slate cut her off, closing the space between them. He cupped the side of her face. “Anytime you allow me to pleasure you, it’s a gift.”

He captured her lips with his, kissing her slowly. Slate picked her up and laid her on the bed, never breaking the kiss. He pulled away after a long minute to look into her eyes.

“I respect you so much, gorgeous,” he stated, and he didn’t miss the confusion that furrowed her brow. “I needed to make sure you knew that because the shit I’m about to do to you will be so fucking disrespectful.”

With that, he took her lips in another kiss. Almost sure he’d owe her an apology tomorrow for all the salaciously nasty things he was about to do to her.

11

S omething as simple as him telling her anytime he got to pleasure her was a gift shouldn’t have caused the rush of liquid it did between Talia’s thighs.

She’d never considered it that way, and now, his saying it would forever have it at the forefront of her mind each time they were intimate.

She fully believed that sharing yourself was a privilege, but she’d never viewed it as a gift to be given instead of something else.

Talia wouldn’t have been able to stamp down the little moan she released as he kissed her if she wanted to. Slate always kissed her like he was giving her a preview of what to expect when he fucked her. As if his goal was to make her cum from kissing her, and he damn near succeeded frequently.

He picked her up like she weighed nothing, lips still on hers, tongue still dictating the rhythm of their kiss as he laid her on the bed. She could feel the bulge that his towel did nothing to hide against her thigh, and she didn’t have to see it to know that he was going to open her deliciously.

When he pulled back, breaking the kiss, those green eyes darkened by desire that she knew was reflected in her own, stared at her. His gaze had a primal undertone, and Talia knew she’d been tempting it to the forefront for the past several weeks.

“I respect you so much, gorgeous.”

His words caught her off guard because it wasn’t what she’d expected him to say.

Yes, she knew, but she didn’t need him to tell her.

Her brow furrowed, and he must have been able to read her confusion like words on a page because that primal look bloomed, drifted dangerously close to feral, and she damn near gasped from the weight of it.

“I needed to make sure you knew that,” he started, voice a mix between dangerous and seduction. “Because the shit I’m about to do to you will be so fucking disrespectful.”