Page 36 of Striking the Match (Redwood Bay Fire #3)

I blink and focus on him, and he gives me a second to let it sink in that he’s right about those parallels.

I’ve been beating myself up that I botched both their rescues by not being able to see them through to the end by myself.

But in this moment, I’m looking at two souls who I gave everything I could to save…

and I did just that. They’re here, together, in this beautiful house.

With me.

More than anything else recently in my life, this realization is what makes me understand that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. This is the right place and the right time. I’m not being overlooked, dismissed or forgotten.

This is where I belong. With Cassius and Kiki. Whatever the rest of the world thinks doesn’t matter.

My author knew what she was doing all along. It just took me a little time to catch up with her.

Wordlessly, I move from my seat to straddle Cassius’s lap, staring into his eyes as I loop my arms around his neck. Kiki rubs against both our legs and gives a disgruntled howl, but then I feel her wander off.

That’s probably for the best. Things are about to get real not safe for work around here, Miss Kitty.

Cassius leans up and captures my mouth with his, kissing me fiercely as his fingers dig into my back. He tastes of the tangy stir fry and sweet beer and his own woodsy, vanilla scent.

“I want you to know,” he mumbles between kisses. “That if I wasn’t so banged up, I’d be lifting you off the floor right now and carrying you to my bedroom.”

I grin against his lips. “Maybe one day I’ll get so big and strong I’ll be the one picking you up.”

He growls and nips at my lower lip, sending electric shocks directly down to my excited cock. “I’d love to see it,” he says.

Maybe it’s ridiculous, but even just the idea that we’d have a future like that—possibly years down the line—makes me so happy I could kick my feet with joy. Instead, I give him another lingering kiss before standing up and offering him my hand.

“Can I escort you instead?”

As he rises, he drags his hands up my sides, which has the dual purpose of steadying him and also being sexy as fuck.

“Oh, you want to go to bed already, Teddy? What on earth do you plan on doing there?”

I seize a fistful of his T-shirt and ghost my lips over his. “I thought I might start by riding that big cock of yours like a pony at the county fair.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he hisses before snagging my mouth for a truly filthy kiss. “Are you going to take care of your boyfriend, my handsome firefighter?”

“You know it,” I say with a smirk.

Not wanting to waste a second more standing around here, I go to grab his crutches. But Cassius shoots his hand out and stills my arm. “Can we leave them here?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Will you be okay getting up the stairs?” I don’t actually know where his bedroom is, but seeing as this whole floor is basically the open plan living, dining and kitchen area with just a small bathroom behind a door, instinct tells me we have to go up.

Turns out I’m right, but it’s not a problem.

“Would you help me?” he asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “I trust you to take care of me, Teddy.”

I can’t believe I ever thought my name might not be cool. Hearing it on his lips as he stares at me with blown pupils and kiss-swollen lips, it sounds like a prayer.

“Of course, Cassius,” I assure him.

It’s obvious his ankle has already improved since yesterday as we’re able to maneuver much more easily across the floor to reach the staircase.

He could probably have hobbled along by himself if necessary.

But I much prefer how he clings to me as I use all my strength to make his short journey as easy and painless as possible.

Considering he hasn’t been long in the house, his bedroom is gorgeously decorated.

The large space could seem echoey, but the wooden floor and marble feature wall have been countered with fluffy rugs, cloth curtains, and soft lampshades.

Shades of gray, tan, and peach make the room feel inviting, especially with the dozen or so throw pillows on the enormous bed before us.

I would have expected more sports paraphernalia from a pro athlete, but all I see is a single football displayed in a glass case under a spotlight.

It must hold significance for him, and I wonder what the story behind it is.

Gold frames also showcase some beautiful artwork of cityscapes, and a series of elegant bars positioned above his bed look like they might represent soundwaves.

“Is that your favorite song?” I ask, jutting my chin toward the interesting feature.

But he shakes his head. “That’s my nephew’s heartbeat. He’s the first baby to be born in the next generation, my brother’s kid. I still can’t really believe I’m an uncle.”

“That’s so beautiful,” I tell him sincerely. “The whole room is.”

He smiles as I guide him to sit on the side of the bed. “Bryan helped me source everything, but I picked it all out. It was a relief to get back here yesterday after a night spent on the cold ground.”

“Tell me about it,” I say with an eye roll, thinking about how my bed at the station last night felt like a dream in comparison.

Then I suddenly become aware that he’s on the edge of his mattress with his hands on my hips, his knees either side of mine, and he’s looking up like he’s just waiting for me to realize that the energy has shifted again.

My heart skips a beat as my breath hitches.

“All good?” he asks playfully.

Just like in the forest, I know he’d be totally fine if I needed a minute to collect myself or even if I had to stop all together.

But between the landslide and the TikTok it feels like we’ve wasted enough time getting cockblocked by outside forces already, and I am more than ready to bring this fantasy to life.

“So good,” I utter, yanking my T-shirt over my head and dropping it to the floor.

“Oh, baby,” he says, sounding awestruck as he runs his hands up my chest, cupping my pecs and brushing my nipples with his thumbs. I shudder and bite my lip as a moan creeps up my throat. “If I had one complaint from the other night, it was not getting to see you naked.”

“Happy to fix that now,” I assure him sincerely.

He hums and drags his hands back down, squeezing my ass before yanking his own shirt up and discarding it carelessly on the floor. “C’mere,” he murmurs, slipping his knees out from between my legs so he can lay down with his head on some of the many pillows we’re already making a mess of.

I decide to skip ahead a few steps before settling on the bed with him, though.

As quickly as I can manage without looking like I’m rushing, I unbuckle my belt and unzip my jeans, shoving them down and pulling them off with my socks so I’m left only in my boxer-briefs.

It’s clear from the bulge in my underwear how excited he’s making me, and when his lustful gaze drops to it, blood only pumps harder through my veins.

He’s given me more than enough reassurance that he likes it when I’m bossy, so I prop one knee on the edge of the mattress, exposing my hardening length even better as I lean over and unbuckle Cassius as well.

I don’t experience any of the hesitation I did when we were in the wilderness park.

Already knowing how good he feels in my hand and in my mouth chases away any lingering nerves I might have had and only makes me want him again more.

As I pull down his jeans and reveal his own arousal, he lifts his hips to assist me get the job done quicker.

The second I drop his clothes by mine, he’s yanking me down on top of him for a messy, urgent kiss.

In a reversal of our previous tryst, the only thing between us now is our underwear which does little to prevent our hard, leaking dicks from rubbing together.

All the rest of his hot, glorious skin is pressing against mine as he devours my mouth with his own.

I prop myself up on the mattress as he digs his fingers into my back once more. The last time almost left bruises.

This time, I want him to try harder.

Apparently, he’s way ahead of me. “There’s lube and condoms in the drawer,” he mumbles into my mouth.

“Is there?” I ask innocently. “What shall I do with those?”

He snorts inelegantly and tickles my sides, making me shriek. “You promised to ride my dick, hotshot. But if you’d rather snuggle up and read a book, I suppose we could?—”

“Shut up,” I growl before slamming my grinning lips back against his. “I need you inside me right the fuck now.”

“I know, baby, I know,” he groans.

Somehow, between all the kissing and groping and panting and cursing, I manage to fumble with my hand enough to drag open the top drawer of the nightstand. Luckily, the items we need are easily in reach, almost like Cassius was hoping this would happen.

The fact that he’s been thinking about us fucking to the extent of setting his room up with supplies only makes me harder and hornier.

We’re still in our underwear, which is just rude at this point. I realize belatedly that I’ve got my hands full of the lube bottle and condom packets, so for a second, I just stare helplessly down at where our covered cocks are nestled together.

“Here,” Cassius says, his voice a mixture of amusement and affection. “Let me have those, then you can take care of the more important matter at hand.”

He pulls the items from my fingers and waggles his eyebrows. “Right,” I say breathlessly. I feel dizzy with want, and my thoughts are taking a little longer to organize than usual. “We don’t need these anymore, do we? These suck?”

I snap the elastic of my boxer-briefs against my hips, making him laugh.

I’m reminded in this moment that I’ve always treated sex as serious business, as that seemed more grown up to me.

But all the laughing and silliness and messy kisses with Cassius are a thousand times better than any straight-faced seduction I’ve experienced in the past.