Page 35 of Forbidden Firefighter

That alone would be enough to drive anyone mad. And from what I could tell, she didn’t deserve any of it.

“I’d be happy to help,” I said, turning her around to face me. My touch lingered at her arm, enjoying the feel of her beneath my hands once again. A voice within me whispered something like “home”, and I tried not to imagine my life with a woman like Lyndsey Saunders.

She was not the woman for me and never had been—completely off-limits in more ways than one.

And yet, she did feel like home to me. Especially when she looked at me the way she did in that moment with her eyes wide and hopeful, trusting me to share her burdens. Her lips curled into a soft smile.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “It’s just been nice to talk about it with someone.”

It was. She’d been the only person to listen to me about how I felt about my family duties. Even though Vanessa knew why I wanted a family, she never cared about my feelings on the matter. I hadn’t volunteered them either. There was an unspoken rule between us siblings: Vanessa would do all the talking, and I would have no other role than to simply listen.

“That goes both ways doesn’t it?” I asked. After all, she’d listened to me share all my thoughts and feelings about my own family problems. “Despite what others may say, this isn’t something you should have to do on your own. If someone offers you the help, you can take it.”

She shook her head, shaking loose a flurry of curls and neatly tucked strands from behind her shoulder. “I’m not very good at that, but I appreciate the offer. Though, for what it’s worth, I think your father would be very proud of the man you’ve become—wife or no wife.”

A small corner of my heart tugged forward, leading me again to this woman. Without warning, my feet shifted forward, closing the distance between us. One stray curl fell against Lyndsey’s cheek, and I brushed it back behind her ear. My fingers brushed her chin. She shuddered despite the heat filling the room.

“Thank you,” I said, low and raw. “That means a lot.”

She swallowed, then opened her mouth as if to speak, before promptly shutting it again. But I was beyond the point of words, beyond the point of excuses. There was no convincing Lyndsey of how right we were together. She’d closed herself off for whatever reason, refusing emotions she clearly felt if that kiss was any indication. There had to be a way to convince Lyndsey we were worth taking a chance on. No matter what it was pushing her away from me, I knew there was a woman just as daring to see this through.

I would find her and pull her out of this mess the way I’d hauled her out of the smoke and fire. Some people were simply worth the heartache, if it meant even the possibility of happiness.

And Lyndsey Saunders, sworn enemy to my sister and my matchmaker, was definitely worth the risk.

Chapter Twelve

Lyndsey

Before I even knew what was happening, Hunter kissed me.

The first time, I’d been the one in control, and even then, I hadn’t had much control over anything. I’d been so swept up in the moment, lost to emotions, I’d struggled to hide for the sake of saving myself.

Yet, when his lips touched mine again, there was no question this was where I was meant to be.

With him. Always.

Hunter’s lips brushed mine, a gentle request for permission which I granted wholeheartedly. It didn’t matter how wrong any of this was anymore. I wanted him, this man who stole my breath with one glance. The man who listened to my problems and sought to fix them, despite the divide between our families. He captivated me the very first moment I met him, his worry for a complete stranger endearing—even if it frustrated me at the time.

And now he was all mine, his lips worshiping my mouth like an offering. I raised myself up onto my tiptoes and looped my arms around his neck. His tongue teased along the seam of my lips, tasting every inch before delving into my mouth. He tasted of fire and pure unadultered heat, though nothing like the sinful man from dreams. That man was too close to smoke and mirrors for my taste. Everything about this man was real and none of it felt wrong.

Our mouths moved together, his tongue circling mine in a delicious exploration. I joined him in the search, the one where we found all we’d been searching for all along. All this time I thought I needed to travel the globe to find myself. And yet, I never felt more myself than when I was with Hunter.

My hands slid down from around his neck, wandering, wanting to discover more in this new adventure we’d engaged ourselves in. They glided down his chest, his muscles flexing beneath my palms. He was perfect. Even the most skilled sculptor could not have crafted a more chiseled specimen.

I needed to feel his skin against mine. My fingers tugged at the bottom of his shirt, lifting it upward. He pulled back for only a second to remove the garment from his back and toss it to the floor.

“Fair’s fair,” Hunter said, his fingers moving to the buttons of my blouse.

“I’m not complaining,” I whispered against his mouth, surprised by how hoarse my voice sounded.

Within seconds, my shirt joined his on the floor. At least I’d chosen a killer bra this morning before going to work. It made me feel sexy and empowered, even if no one else was meant to see it. In this case, it paid off.

His hands closed over my waist, sliding upward until his thumbs grazed the underside of my breasts. My skin tingled beneath his touch, every nerve responding to him as if meant for his hands alone. One hand slid over my breast. His fingertips stroked the lace edge at the top of my bra, sending a ripple of pleasure down my stomach to the space between my thighs.

“Lyndsey, you’re beautiful.” His whisper feathered across my cheek. I’d been called beautiful before and had heard every sweet line a person could imagine. But, I never truly believed it until Hunter said it. At least, it never meant anything, never mattered until then.

How had this man come to mean so much to me in such a short time? I told him things I didn’t even want to admit to myself and revealed feelings harbored for years without regret. I wanted to share everything with him, to give in to him, and yet…

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