Freed by Fire (17 page)

“You wish.” I set the drink down and smiled. “Really, though, I don’t mind if we saw the one you wanted to.”

“I want to do whatever you want to do. Now shut up so we can watch the man I’m up against and see what all the fuss is about.”

I was in awe. Matt would never have sat through a romantic movie with me. He didn’t even watch movies. We had Blu-ray and Netflix simply for him to be able to watch reality television shows on repeat. If I wanted to see a movie with hearts and flowers, I would have gone alone.

The movie was good. A bit teary, and I made it through without swooning and gushing over the male lead. Caid’s phone lit up a few times during the show. He ignored it after checking to make sure it wasn’t Caleb’s grandparents calling.

As promised, Caid took me back to his house for a “sleepover”. Even though sleep was the least of what took place once we got there. The last thing I remembered, before finally falling asleep was Caid gently tracing his fingers over my naked back.

***

Thursday, August 1 – 6:37 am

“Shit, shit, shit, shit!” Maggie clambered around the house waking me from a peaceful sleep. “I’m so fucking late!”

I staggered out of my bedroom and rubbed my eyes. Blinded by the scorching sun. “Mags? Everything okay?”

“Shit,” she said again. “Sorry, Em. I slept in. I’m supposed to be at work for seven and it’s going to take me at least half an hour to get there. I’m not even dressed yet.”

“Can I help you with anything? You want me to make your lunch?”

Maggie laughed and peeled off her long t-shirt. “No, mom. I think I might have lunch in the cafeteria with all the cool kids today.” She buttoned up her blouse and hopped on one foot while trying to put on her heel. “What are you doing today? Is Mr. September coming over again?”

“I should have never said anything about that,” I whined.

Caid, along with other members of the CFD had been asked to pose for photos that would be used in calendar form to raise money for a charity. They weren’t naked, and you couldn’t even see their faces. Caid was Mr. September. I asked him if he chose that month because it was my birth month but he smiled and denied it.

He was set in front of a black background, with his back turned. He held a long axe over his shoulders—picture a stockade—and his hands were gripped around each end. The muscles rippled in his back and shoulders. The dragon stretched and deliciously blew its fire. He wore low-hung jeans that let the waistband of his underwear peak out.

“You wouldn’t have even known yourself if Daniel hadn’t told you. Besides, you should be proud. He’s hot.” Maggie raised an eyebrow and stuck her tongue out. “Anyway, I have to go. Have a good day, darling!”

I waved my fingers as she left and headed to the kitchen to pour myself some coffee. No sleeping in for this girl today. I opened my laptop and fired up my manuscript. Time to get down to business. I set a goal for myself to have it completed within the next two weeks, and back from my editor before the end of the summer.

My phone chirped, and I swung around the in the desk chair when I saw it was a text from Caid. I hadn’t seen him for almost one week. He was working tirelessly, and to boot, it was all night-shifts.

Caid:
Good morning. I’m just heading to bed.

Wishing you were here. I can’t sleep without

a little drool on my pillow.

Me:
Good night, sir. I’m choosing to ignore

the comment regarding my supposed salivation,

and simply tell you that I wish I were there as well.

Caid:
I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.

Me
:

Same. Do I get to give you

birthday spankings?

Caid:
You get to do no such thing, love.

Birthday….blowjobs, perhaps.

Me:
Go to sleep, Burke.

He didn’t text back. He called.

“I said go to sleep.”

“I can’t without hearing your voice first.”

I liquefied hearing his deep guttural rasp. “This is the sound of my voice. Close those beautiful eyes and go to sleep. Tomorrow is your birthday and you need to get some rest for all of the wicked things I plan on doing with you.”

“I’m coming over.”

“No! Sleep.”

“I don’t know why I put up with your bossiness.” He sighed. “Want to guess what I’m doing right now?”

My cheeks turned red. I could only imagine what he was doing. “Closing your eyes?”

“Close.”

“Thinking of me?”

“Closer.”

“Caid…” I said. “I’m going to hang up now.”

He let out a small laugh. “I’m almost there, just keep talking.”

The thought of him touching himself on the other end of the line made me incredibly hot. Even if he was just teasing me, it started the wheel in my mind. “Here is a little image for you to think about…I’m going to shower now. I’m going to slowly…Ever. So. Slowly. peel off my clothes and stand under the steamy water…”

“Oh, Christ.”

“Goodnight. See you tomorrow.” I hung up the phone and fell back in the chair. Letting out a small sigh, I actually did go and take a shower. Not in the provocative way like I had let Caid believe. Just a quick in-and-out type of thing. Enough to wake me up and let me focus on my book. I managed to push over twelve thousand words without taking one bathroom break. I did, however, refill my coffee. Twice.

Since it was the first of the month, it was time to pay my cellphone bill. I logged into my online banking account and paid the debt. As I sat and viewed my balance, which was an enormous number with the added money from the sale of my mom’s house, a twinge rippled through my stomach.

She didn’t want her house to sit after she was gone.

She wouldn’t want the money to either. I knew that, because she had told me.

“Take a trip, Emery. Maybe one for just you. Live a little. Find the girl that I know is in there,”
she had said months ago.

I didn’t want to think about anything but her. Money meant shit to me. But now, I had more than enough to take that trip. Or to replace Blue (who was still sitting at a garage outside of the city). Or to take a small shopping spree and buy something to wear to the Birthday Boy’s celebration at Leland’s pub tomorrow night.

I spun around in the chair. It wasn’t mom’s office chair. But it was good enough. I closed my eyes and pictured her here with me. Her warm eyes smiling at me as I laughed and gained my bearings from the spinning room. “God, I miss you so much, mama…” I whispered, holding my hand over my heart.

I grabbed my purse, snatched the keys from the table and headed out the door. I wasn’t going to recreate Ellie’s wardrobe in my own closet, but I was going to buy myself something. Even if it was one thing. It would be mine, and no one could tell me I couldn’t wear it.

I found myself in a glitzy boutique downtown. I felt extremely out of place in my $2.00 Wal-Mart flip-flops and JC Penney shorts and tank top. An employee approached me with a big smile, flashing pearly white teeth. Her short blonde hair sat just above her shoulders and swished as she walked.

“Hi, there! My name is Lexi. Can I help you with anything today?”

“Hi,” I said, timidly. Clearing my throat, I straightened my posture. “Lexi, I’m looking for…I don’t know actually.” I laughed nervously. “I need something to wear for a birthday celebration.”

She put her finger to her chin, as if she were in deep thought. “Is this a child’s birthday?”

I shook my head.

“Another relative?”

“No, it’s my…boyfriend’s birthday.” I didn’t know if Caid was that exact term. We hadn’t defined anything in stone. But I knew I cared about him enough that I considered him in that context. “It’s taking place at a pub.”

Lexi’s eyes lit up and she grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the intimates section. “I have been bored all morning. Please tell me you don’t have any plans for a while. I would love to have a little dressing room fun!”

I blinked at her. She wanted to take me into the dressing room? What?

“Oh!” She giggled. “I mean…like, in Pretty Woman! Let’s get you out of that beater tank and find you something sexy. You need to show off that body!”

Blushing, I let her go on about what she thought would suit me best. By the time I made it into the dressing room I had an entire arm full of clothes and a small black basket with bras and other…questionable items in it.

“Well?” Lexi called over the door. I heard her foot tapping the tile while I dressed.

“Well,” I said. “I don’t know. It’s…very tight.” I opened the door and stepped out in my bare feet.

“Shit, that’s it. That’s the one. Forget the rest, honey.” Lexi took my hand and led me to the large floor-to-ceiling mirror at the end of the aisle of dressing rooms. “Look at you. You’re stunning.”

I didn’t know if she was being this nice because I was a potential customer. She probably laid the same lines on every woman who came in alone and looked completely like a fish out of water.

I turned my body and looked at my behind. Shit, it was tight. I wore a black dress. It was so simple, too. Sleeveless, with a neckline that dipped just above my average breasts, with a full back. My legs were bare. It was short too. Turning to look again I checked out the rear.

“If I bend over, you’re going to see my ass, Lexi.”

She giggled. “You didn’t even look in the black basket!”

I gave her a scrunched face. “Huh?”

“Go put one of those power-bras on and tell me what you think.” She pushed me back into the dressing room and pulled the door closed.

“Damn,” I said, looking at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t entirely sure why it was called a power-bra, but nonetheless it enhanced what I had by ten-fold.

“Your beau’s going to have to keep his eye on you, girl!” Lexi stood back with her arms crossed, happy with herself.

“I hope so,” I whispered.

After I left the dressing room with my black shred of cloth—err, I mean, dress—I set it on the counter, along with the power-bra and a matching black pair of silk panties tied at the side with a little bow. I saw them and thought of Caid. I want to watch him untie that bow. I wanted to be his present.

“You came in at the right time, girl! There’s a secret manager’s promotion right now. Everything is forty percent off.” Lexi winked.

She probably thought I couldn’t afford full-price considering I walked in wearing clothing that was still cheaper together than the panties were alone. But, who was I to argue a good deal? I smiled, thanked her, and headed home before I changed my mind and returned the clothing.

Chapter Thirteen

F
riday, August 2 – 11:22 am

I sent Caid a message this morning to wish him a very happy birthday. He didn’t respond, but I knew he was out with Leland and Caleb. They went fishing early this morning. Maggie asked me to have lunch with her this afternoon, so after writing a little more in my manuscript, I headed down to the Winston, Walker & Waverly building.

“My name is Emery Finn, I’m here to see Maggie O’Halloran,” I said to the man behind the half-moon desk in the lobby of the skyscraper Maggie worked in.

“The elevators are just over there,” he pointed and smiled, “go up to the sixty-second floor.”

I stood in the crow
ded elevator holding my breath the entire time. It smelled like too much perfume and expensive cologne. Again, I stuck out like a sore thumb, in my jeans and t-shirt, while everyone else was clad in pressed suits and freshly laundered linen.

I heard Ellie’s voice before I stepped out of the elevator and saw her standing with Maggie near the reception desk. “There she is!” Ellie squealed. I wondered to myself if she was always like that. Every time I saw her, she was bouncy.

“Hey, guys.” I smiled and inhaled a breath of conditioned air. “Ready to go?”

“Hey, Emery! We were just on our way down to meet you. I’m starving…let’s go!” Ellie said and took my hand to lead me back into the elevator. Maggie joined us and bumped my hip with hers.

“Looking forward to tonight, Em?” Maggie asked. “Ellie hasn’t shut up all day about how excited
she
is.”

“Daniel and I are official now. What’s not to be excited about? Plus, it’s Friday and I just want to go and drink with my girls!”

I smiled at them both. “That’s great, Ellie! I can’t wait for tonight either.”

We headed back down in the elevator, thankfully that time there were only the three of us and two others. A new sushi shop opened across the street from Maggie’s work, so we made our way over and sat down at a table near the window.

“Mmm, this is so good.” I moaned while I ate my first bite of the deliciously perfect sushi. “I love avocado.”

“Eww, I hate it. I should have read the menu better. Take mine,” Maggie said, scraping three rolls from her plate onto mine. “So, anyway…what are you planning to do with the birthday boy tonight?”

I blushed as she waggled her eyebrows suggestively. I don’t think I will ever get over my blushing. Yes, I could
write
about certain things, but I was still having a difficult time actually speaking out loud about them. To me, those things were personal. Especially after being with Caid. I wanted to keep it private. I wanted him all to myself. “I don’t know,” I said, shrugging. “I haven’t heard from him today. I think they’re still out on the water.”

“You aren’t going to surprise him with a little French maid outfit or something?” Maggie asked. “I mean, come on, Em…use that big brain of yours to drive your man crazy!”

Blushed. Again.

I couldn’t picture myself dressing up in some silly outfit and parading around for Caid. I doubt I would be able to pull it off without laughing at myself. “My French is horrid.” There. That should be the end of that one.

“So?” She said. “I doubt your mouth would be used for much talking.”

“Holy shit, Mags…what’s with all the dirty talk over lunch?” I laughed at her.

She pouted. “Sorry…I guess I’m long overdue for…pound-cake.” She winked.

“Pound-cake?” Ellie asked with her mouth full of rice.

“We’re in public, Ellie. We don’t say certain words…” Maggie giggled. “Like
pounding
…or pussy.”

Ellie’s eyes lit up and she sputtered her rice. “Oh, my God!”

“See.” I smiled, pointing out that some words weren’t table-appropriate. Instantly my mind took off in another direction. Okay, so…I was embarrassed at dirty words, but I let Caid go knuckle-deep inside of my
pussy
in a fucking Big Boy for crying out loud. I think it was about time my girly bits, and brain starting speaking. There must have been a connection broken at some point and the pair of them needed to regroup and get their shit together.

“You know what…” I crossed my arms. “Maybe I will do something for Caid. Something sexy. Hurry up and finish your lunch, girls. We need to find the nearest La Perla.”

Ellie squealed, Maggie smirked approvingly, and we finished our lunch in about five minutes.

As we walked into the doors of the sexy shop, I felt my heart race. I didn’t know what I wanted to get, but I knew it had to be something Caid would never forget I wore. I wanted the image of me in the sexiest pieces of fabric I could find to be imprinted in his brain forever. I still planned on wearing what I had bought yesterday from Lexi at the boutique, but I was going to slip whatever I purchased here into my purse and slide into them before rocking Caid’s world.

As I stood back and listened to Maggie and Ellie talk about whether I should get a thong or panties that covered my ass, I received a text from Caid.

Caid:
Thank you, beautiful. I’m sorry I didn’t

respond earlier. We just got back from the lake.

Me:
I knew you were out. I hope you boys had

a good time. Catch anything?

Caid:
We did. Caleb caught the biggest.

An 11lb. bass.

Me:
That’s awesom
e


Caid:
I can’t wait to see you tonight. What are

you up to right now?

Me:
Shopping.

Caid:
For…

Me:
Stuff ;)

Caid:
Stuff sounds sexy. Am I going to see

this stuff?

Me:
Depends.

Caid:
On…

Me:
If I have enough nerve to actually buy it.

Caid:
Buy it ;) But try it on first and send me

a picture of yourself wearing it.

Me:
Umm…no way, Mr. Burke.

Caid:
It’s my birthday.

Me:
I know that. But, the answer is still no.

Caid:
Pretty please?

I didn’t respond. I grabbed whatever Maggie had in her hand and marched toward the dressing room. Swallowing when I saw the price tag on the Donna Lucia babydoll set, I pulled off my shirt and slipped on the silk chiffon. It felt like a second skin. It was…perfect.

Holding up my phone, I took a photo. Of the tiniest detail on the top. All that showed in the image was the swell of my breast, my collarbone and shoulder. I hit send.

Me:
There you go, sweetheart ;)

I waited a few moments, but when he didn’t respond, my heart sunk. Did he not like it? Was he expecting more? I pulled it off and put my own top back on. Just as my fingers touched the handle to leave the dressing room, Caid called me.

“Em…” his deep voice growled and goose bumps spread across my skin. “I don’t think I’m feeling well enough to go out tonight.”

I actually frowned. “Really?”

“Really. I think it would be best if you just came straight to my house—wearing that, of course—and take care of me.”

“I don’t think so, buddy. But nice try.”

Caid laughed. “It was worth a shot. Anyway, can I just say how fucking hot that was. You’re such a tease, you know.”

“I try.”

“Well, I’m going to stare at that all day, and think about running my tongue all along that beautiful body of yours.”

My heart fluttered, my stomach flipped, and my knees weakened. “Caid…” I whispered. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“I miss you, Em. I can’t wait either.”

I hung up before he could say another word. “This is it,” I said, placing the items down and handing over my debit card.

“I have pretty good taste, eh, Em?” Maggie said, elbowing me. “I like the color, too.”

Ellie picked out a few things for herself too, and after we paid we headed back to Maggie’s work. I said goodbye to the girls and went to the apartment to finish writing a little more.

***

Not only was it tradition for Caid, Caleb and Leland to fish the morning of their birthdays, but they also went out for dinner to celebrate as a family. As much as I yearned to see him, to touch and kiss Caid, I knew what he was doing was special and it warmed my heart to know that even though he didn’t have a big family—the two he did have meant the world to him.

The hours dragged by. By the time Maggie arrived home from work I had fallen asleep on the couch watching TV. She didn’t wake me when she got home, instead she cooked us dinner and woke me once it was on the table.

“Maggie, this looks so good! Thank you.”

“You were right out, I figured you needed the rest for tonight anyway.” She smirked and stabbed a piece of cheese and broccoli-stuffed chicken, putting it on her plate. “Ellie heard that Leland’s will be at, if not over, capacity tonight. It’s not just Caid’s firehouse that are coming, there is supposedly a few of them in the city. A brotherhood type of deal, I guess.”

I smiled. “He’s a popular guy.”

“Yeah, especially since his tattooed bod was nailed to the wall of every horny housewife’s kitchen in Chi-Town.” Maggie laughed before she sipped her wine. “I think every woman and a few men in my office alone bought copies of that calendar.”

“Did you?”

“Of course! Have you even checked out the rest of it, besides Mr. September?” Maggie smirked. “Em…I suggest you take a peek into March…or May, perhaps.”

I liked September. I was happy with September. I had an autographed copy in my dres
ser from Mr. September himself.

“
To the sweetest girl in the world.

My Emery.

xo Caid
.
”

It read. I can’t tell you how many times I opened that calendar and stared at his back, his tattoo, and the inked curve of his handwriting in Sharpie. The part that got me spinning was that the world “My” was underlined. Just in case it wasn’t clear, it needed to be defined.

I was his.

“Is Ellie going to meet us there?” I asked.

“Yeah, she’s going with Daniel. She said she would text when she arrived.”

“Good. I want to be a little late.” I wanted Caid to spend some time with his friends first, because I knew when I got there I wanted his focus to be solely on me. I felt starved. It was too long since I had seen him. Locking him in the bathroom for a while once I got there sounded like a good plan to me.

“I’m happy for you, Em. I want you to know that.” Maggie smiled. “It’s like…having the old Emery back. Pre-Matt.”

I smiled back at her. “I know. And thank you. I feel different. But, the same. It’s weird. I feel like this person was trapped inside all along. The only way I could let her speak was through my writing. Caid brought her out.” I blushed. “It sounds stupid. I feel free.”

“It’s not stupid. You were freed, Em.” She reached to clink her glass with mine. “You were freed by fire.”

I regarded her with my head cocked to the side. She was right. I was. It wasn’t just that Caid was a firefighter.
He
was fire. He ignited something inside of me, he consumed me. Once the fire touched me, I was marked…changed for life.

“To the fire,” I said, clinking her glass.

We finished dinner, showered and dressed for Caid’s birthday celebration at the pub. I carefully rolled the La Perla babydoll set and tucked it into my purse. I sat at the kitchen table while Maggie curled my hair into long and thick waves. I pinned a small section at the front back with a tiny pearled comb and put the diamond earrings that my mother bought me when I graduated high school into my ears. I felt pretty.

“Ready?” she called from the hallway while I glanced around my bedroom one last time before we left.

“I’m coming!” I sung.

Arm linked through arm, we walked down the hallway and traveled down the elevator to climb into our awaiting cab. During the drive I tried my best to calm the million erratic butterflies flourishing in my stomach.
Breathe, just breathe
—I repeated to myself under my breath.

“Em, wait,” Maggie said, looking down at her phone. When she turned to me, she bit her lip. “I…I don’t think we should go in.”

“What? Why not?” I asked, my forehead crinkled.