Her Smokin' Firefighter (The Fireworks Series) Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Tracy Lorraine

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Ellie at My Brother’s Editor

  Cover design and formatting by Dandelion Cover Designs

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  The Fireworks Series!

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Tracy Lorraine

  All Star Player Sneak Peek

  Vaughan

  “Please, darling. I haven’t seen you for over a year. I really want you to meet Derek. His kids are going to be here, and I just know you’ll hit it off with his girls, they’re wonderful,” my mom begs over the phone.

  I knew this was coming. Every time she gets married again, she demands that I must come and meet him because he’s the one. Well Derek, my latest stepdad, is probably number eight on her list of the ones. I bite my tongue to keep the sarcastic remark about how they’ll probably end up divorced within the year inside. I’ve been here time and time again with my mom and she’s yet to listen to anything I say.

  “I’ve got plans, Mom.”

  “Plans that are more important than seeing me? I miss my baby.” Her voice turns sad and I can’t stop it from pulling at my heartstrings.

  It’s not because we don’t get along that we haven’t seen each other in over a year. We get along just fine. It’s more that we’re both stubbornly independent and too focused on our own things. For me, that’s my job and for Mom, it’s finding a husband. Somehow she’s turned dating and getting married into a full-time job and I just don’t have the time for it.

  “Please, Vaughan. I really want you to meet Derek. He’s the one, I just know it this time.”

  “Okay, fine,” I say, unable to refuse when she sounds so pathetic begging.

  “Really?”

  “Really. I can only stay a few days though because I’ve got to be back for work. I’ll look for flights now.”

  * * *

  “You’re going to Colorado for Fourth of July?” Cherry, my housemate’s, eyes widen at my admission when I find her having breakfast the next morning. “But we’re supposed to be going to Seth’s mansion for fireworks.” She’s right and I’ve been looking forward to spending the evening with our friend Rose and her ex-NFL playing boyfriend.

  “I know, you don’t need to remind me. I need to go and meet Mom’s latest husband.”

  Cherry blows out a breath. “It won’t be the same without you, V.”

  “I’m sure you’ll cope just fine. I was going to be the third wheel anyway with all you loved up couples.” I’m the only single one left in our group of friends now, something that is glaringly obvious when we all meet up. It doesn’t bother me. I’ve always been too career-focused to care all that much about finding a boyfriend, but I can’t help feeling a little lonely when everyone has someone else to go home with at the end of the night.

  “Some of Seth’s NFL friends are supposed to be going, so I’m sure you’d find plenty of company.”

  “I know, I know,” I say sadly, thinking of what I could be missing out on while I’m getting to know my new family.

  Letting out a sigh, I pour my morning coffee and try to forget about what I’ve agreed to.

  Vaughan

  “Oh my God. I can’t believe you’re here at last,” Kelly, my childhood best friend, squeals when she finds me waiting in the restaurant she booked for us. We were tight growing up, but as the years went on it, became more and more obvious that we were like chalk and cheese. I was desperate to go to college and become a nurse, while she was more than happy to marry her childhood sweetheart and pop out a few kids. We’ve stayed in touch, but with both of us busy with life we don’t get to see each other as much as we’d like.

  Standing, I wrap my arms around her shoulders. Tears sting my eyes a little as we hold each other. It’s been too long.

  “How did you get away with not going straight to your mom’s new place?” Kelly asks once we’re settled with drinks.

  “I told her I was flying in first thing in the morning.”

  “Good plan. I never would have got you to myself otherwise. So, how’s life in St. Louis? Got a man yet?”

  “No, I do not have a man,” I say with a laugh.

  “You need to work less, you might have time to find one then.”

  “Jesus, you sound like my mom. I don’t need a man. I’m perfectly happy as I am.” I don’t need the two point five kids and the white picket fence to feel complete. It’s great for Kelly and I’m glad she’s happy but the idea of spending my days at home chasing snotty kids around and dusting fills me with dread.

  By the time the waitress brings over the check, I know every single detail there is to know about her three kids and husband.

  “You don’t have to go home yet, right? We can go for drinks? Maybe a little dancing?”

  “Of course. I’ve got the whole night off.”

  With my arm threaded through hers, we wander off down the street in search of a bar with decent cocktails.

  I might have grown up here in Milltown, but it’s a little different from what I remember when I left for college ten years ago.

  “Can we have two screaming orgasms, please?” I ask when the bartender heads over to where we’ve found a couple of stools.

  He nods while Kelly’s cheeks heat bright red.

  “What?” I ask when she looks over to find me chuckling to myself.

  “I’m going to have fun tonight if you’re embarrassed by me asking for a screaming orgasm. You’re such a housewife.”

  “I’m going to regret agreeing to this, aren’t I?”

  “Probably,” I admit. “But I can promise you it won’t be a night you’ll forget anytime soon.”

  “Just don’t get me drunk. I can’t do three kids and a hangover in the morning.”

  “I make no promises.”

  The bartender comes back over, but I hardly register it as Kelly hands some money over to pay. The guy who’s just taken up residence at the other end of the bar has all of my attention. He’s got shaggy blonde hair, dark eyes, and the squarest jaw I think I’ve ever seen and it’s only enhanced by the stubble covering it.

  “Earth calling Vaughan,” I vaguely hear before Kelly’s hand waves in front of my face.

  “Sorry, what?”

  “I was asking what’s in this, it’s incredible.”

  “Oh sorry.” Rattling off the list of ingredients in a screaming orgasm, I keep one eye on the guy hoping he might look my way. I might be on a girl’s night out, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to need someone to keep me entertained once she heads home to her husband.

  Callum

  Her red hair stands out amongst all the others in this bar the second I walk in. When I decided to renovate my house a few months ago, I didn’t expect it to turn into such a nightmare and that at almost thirty years old I’d be forced to move in with my dad and his new wife. I know it’s only temporary, but I feel like I’m going backward,
once again living in a bedroom. The last week’s been bad enough, but now my sisters have descended for the fireworks and I feel like a fucking teenager again.

  I escaped the house at the first opportunity this evening. I’d spent all day working and the last thing I needed was to spend the evening making small talk or hiding in my bedroom, especially with the long ass day tomorrow’s going to be. What I need is a distraction. And the woman who’s trying to discreetly eye me up from across the bar is perfect.

  She’s trying to listen to whatever her friend’s saying, but every few seconds her gaze flits over to me. She’s wearing a plain little black dress that’s cut low enough in the front to tell me she’s got an insane rack, and fuck if I don’t want a piece of it.

  “I’ll have another and whatever those two are drinking,” I say to the waiter, nodding in the direction of Red and her friend.

  “Sure thing.”

  I watched her friend sway her way to the bathroom a few seconds ago, so my target’s alone when the bartender delivers their drinks. Her eyes immediately rise and find me. If she’s surprised by the move, then she doesn’t show it. Instead, she holds my stare, nods her head slightly and slowly runs her tongue along her full bottom lip.

  Swallowing down my desire, my cock swells, hoping to feel what those lips might be like wrapped around it.

  Our stare holds as she lifts her glass to her lips and sips. My eyes drop from hers in favor of her lips and slender neck as she swallows.

  She’s distracted when her friend reappears and places her hand on her forearm. She leans in and says something that makes Red’s face drop, well that’s until she turns her eyes back to mine. Her lips twitch at the corners and my pulse starts to race.

  It’s on.

  They hug before saying goodbye and her friend makes her way to the exit on unsteady legs.

  Swallowing down the last of my pint, I stand from the stool and start heading her way. Her eyes burn into me as I get closer, but instead of stopping at her, I continue onward to the bathroom. Her shoulders drop slightly, and I know without a doubt that she’s leaving with me very, very soon.

  When I return, she’s still sitting exactly where she was, alone with only her cocktail to keep her company.

  Running my eyes down the length of her, I take in her long, red hair, her slim waist and the fuck-me heels adorning her feet. My cock twitches as the image of fucking her wearing nothing but those shoes fill my mind.

  “You seem to have lost your drinking partner,” I whisper in her ear and delight in watching her shudder as my breath tickles down her neck.

  “So it seems,” she purrs, looking over her shoulder at me seductively.

  “Can I?”

  “I don’t know. Can you?”

  I hear her challenge loud and clear. If she thinks her feistiness will put me off, then she’s got another thing coming.

  “I’m pretty sure I can.”

  My fingers gently brush from one side of her waist to the other as I move to the bar stool her friend vacated a few minutes ago.

  “Can I have another pint and she’ll have a—”

  “Screaming orgasm,” she requests with so much confidence I feel a little pride swell in my chest. It’s crazy because I don’t even know this woman.

  “Callum,” I say, putting my hand out for her. The second she slides her fingers against mine a shock rushes up my arm and shoots straight down to my cock.

  “Vaughan.” Her voice is barely a whisper as I lift her hand and press my lips to her knuckles.

  I don’t release her straight away, instead, I keep her hand in mine as the bartender places our drinks in front of us. My eyes hold hers, they dilate, and I can practically see everything she wants playing out as a movie in her mind.

  “I wasn’t expecting you to be British.” She pulls her hand from mine and reaches for her glass.

  “And I wasn’t expecting to find someone as beautiful as you tonight. I hope you like surprises as much as I do.”

  “I do. So what are you doing out drinking alone on a school night?”

  “Long day.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I’m a firefighter.”

  “For real?”

  “Yeah. I’m not the kind of man to make that shit up just to pull.”

  “I should hope not because I’m not the kind of woman who takes well to bullshit.”

  “Good to know. I guess I could throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here as if it’s on fire.”

  “I don’t think carrying is going to be necessary.”

  Vaughan

  “So…Vaughan.” His voice is gravelly and deep, and it vibrates through me, sending heat toward my core. “Other than liking a screaming orgasm or two and not taking any bullshit, is there anything else I should know about you?”

  I consider his question for a few seconds as I study his features. I don’t know why I was surprised when he said he was a firefighter. I can totally picture him suited up in his uniform and it’s a sight I think I might need to experience in real life.

  “Hmm…how about, I don’t have time for anything serious, my job is my life and I’ve got a hotel room a block away.”

  His eyes widen and his mouth drops in surprise. I make the most of his silence and finish off the rest of my cocktail before jumping down from the stool. The alcohol makes my head spin a little, but not enough to not know what I’m doing. “What do you say?”

  “I say, lead the way.”

  I wasn’t surprised when Kelly came back saying that her husband had called and one of her kids was sick and wanted her. We can barely get through a thirty-minute phone call without one of them needing her, so I wasn’t really expecting us to have a whole night together. Callum was definitely a surprise though, especially when he opened his mouth and a deep, smooth British accent came out.

  We’re both silent as we walk through the reception area of the hotel I’d booked for tonight.

  “Have you been in America long?” I ask after pressing the button for the correct floor in the elevator. Callum steps in behind me and suddenly all the air seems to vanish from the small, enclosed space.

  “Since I was a teenager.” He doesn’t stop once he’s inside, instead he continues forward until I’m backed up against the wall. “Any more questions?” he asks, his eyes flitting between my eyes and my lips.

  My heart races and my clit pounds as I wait for him to do something. He’s got me surrounded with his tall body and broad shoulders. I feel tiny in comparison. I’ve no doubt he could throw me over his shoulder like a rag doll without very much effort on his part.

  Biting on my bottom lip, I shake my head. With his eyes locked on my lips, he lifts his hand and his thumb lands on my chin, forcing my lip from between my teeth. The second it’s free, his head dips and his lips capture mine. His hands land on the sides of my face and his fingers thread into my hair. Tilting my head so he can deepen the kiss, the elevator dings to announce our arrival.

  “Callum,” I mumble against his lips and attempt to push him back.

  Instead of stepping back so we can walk from the elevator, his hands slide down my body, grip onto the back of my thighs and he throws me over his shoulder. A squeal rips from my lips as I fly through the air.

  “Which room is yours?”

  “Thirty-four.”

  He comes to a stop outside my room, pulls my bag from my hand and digs through for the key.

  “Be my guest,” I grumble. I’m rewarded for my smart mouth with a slap to my ass.

  I hiss in pain as my ass cheek stings but fuck if my panties aren’t soaked from that alone.

  Seconds later, the familiar click of the door unlocking sounds and he marches us into my hotel room.

  The door slams shut behind us and every part of my body is hyper-aware of every movement and every breath that he takes as he walks toward the bed in the center.

  Callum

  Throwing her down onto the bed, I watch her bounce as her chest h
eaves with desire. Once she’s settled, I run my eyes from hers and over every single one of her incredible curves.

  “Are you just going to stand there?” One of her eyebrows lifts in challenge.

  Toeing my boots off, I pull my shirt over my head. I’m just about to drop to her when her attention on my body has my movements faltering. Tingles follow her gaze and my chest swells that she likes what she sees. Once her challenge-filled eyes find mine again, I jump into action.

  Pushing her dress up her thighs, I climb between her legs. My fingers tangle in her hair and my lips find hers. My tongue sweeps into her mouth, her sweet taste exploding around me and my mouth waters to find out if she’s just as sweet everywhere else.

  Her fingers grip onto my ass, pulling me down so she can grind against me.

  “Feeling impatient?” I groan in her ear before biting on her lobe.

  “Fuck. Yes. I need to know if you’re man enough for the job.”

  “I’m fucking man enough, don’t you worry about that, sweetheart.”

  Kissing down her neck, her pulse thunders beneath my lips. I continue down onto her chest, nipping and tasting every inch of her skin. Her breasts are swollen and begging for release. Slipping the straps from her shoulders, I pull the fabric of her dress down and find her gloriously bare beneath. Her nipples beg for my attention and I’m powerless but to give this woman what she wants.

  Flicking the end with the tip of my tongue, she hisses and writhes on the bed. Lifting my head, I stare down at her breasts and up to her flushed face. This is exactly what I needed.

  “Callum.” The sound of my name on her lips is enough to set me back into action.