Sudden Response (EMS #1)(35)

She suckled his tongue into her mouth as her arms wrapped around his neck. In seconds the kiss went from cautious to out of control and desperate. He couldn't get enough of her and if the way she was fisting his hair was any indication then she felt the same way. They stumbled back until his back met the wall.

Without breaking the kiss he turned them around until she was against the wall. He removed his arms from around her and slid his hands over her back to her sides and up. He ran his hands over her br**sts, earning a needy little growl from Joe as her hard ni**les teased his hands through her shirt. She felt so good, a thousand times better than he ever imagined she would.

After a moment he needed more. He released her br**sts and reached down, cupping her behind her knees and pulled her legs up. She didn't hesitate in wrapping her legs around his waist and he sure as hell didn't waste any time in shifting until his erection was pressed against her center.

Even through multiple layers that separated them he could feel her heat. He couldn't remember ever wanting a woman more than he wanted her at that moment. He ground himself against her as he swallowed her moan of pleasure.

She ran her hands over his back and ass, encouraging him on and he knew by the sounds of her breathing and the way she dug her nails into his back that she was close and god help him, but so was he. It wouldn't be enough. Not nearly enough, he thought as he pulled her away from the wall and placed her on the edge of the kitchen table. He needed to be inside of her.

He reached for her pants button when he heard her front door open. They both went completely still.

"Joe? Look, I can't stand you being mad at me so I brought you another milkshake."

The moment he pulled away from her, reality crashed in over them like a bucket of cold water and they both realized they'd just f**ked up.

Chapter 16

"Are you going to share that with me?" Nathan asked, pouting.

"No," she said, sighing as she took a big bite out of her fried dough. She didn't really want it, but she needed something to do in order to distract herself from the colossal mess she'd made out of her life.

"Cheap," Nathan mumbled, throwing her a little pout that had her rolling her eyes.

"You can have some of mine, Nathan," Caitlyn said, smiling sweetly up at Nathan.

"Thank you," Nathan said, looking a little uncomfortable as he accepted a bite of her fried dough. Caitlyn must have noticed it too, because her smile slipped a notch.

She just barely stopped herself from slapping him upside his head. What the hell was wrong with him? Caitlyn was smart, funny, sweet and kind and he was pushing her away. He did this so often that she knew the signs by heart now.

Right now he was distancing himself from Caitlyn and in a week she'd be gone from the picture. In another month or two he'd find another woman that was just as perfect for him and he'd be happy until whatever stupid notion he allowed to take over his common sense had him pushing that one away too. She wanted to scream at him and slap some sense into him, but she honestly didn't know where to start.

"I-I'm going to go get a drink. Does anyone else want one?" Caitlyn asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"No, thank you," Joe said, throwing Caitlyn what she hoped was a warm smile.

"I'm all set," Nathan said absently as he watched the teams of firefighters run a relay race with rolled up hoses.

"Okay," Caitlyn said softly as she turned and walked away.

"Do we need to send you to therapy?" she asked when Caitlyn was out of hearing distance.

He frowned down at her. "No. Why?"

She rolled her eyes as she gestured towards Caitlyn's retreating back. Nathan followed her gesture and sighed.

"It's just not working out," he said with a shrug.

"Then tell her that instead of dragging this out. It's not fair to her."

"I will," was all he said and she had to ball her hands into fists to stop herself from choking some sense into him. What the hell was wrong with him that he couldn't even see what was right in front of him? How the hell could he push someone who was obviously perfect for him away like that?

The man needed his ass kicked. That's really all there was to it.

"What's going on with you two?" Nathan asked, gesturing towards the row of ambulances lined up for the EMS competition. She spotted Eric leaning against the ambulance, shirtless of course, talking to an equally shirtless Dave, the EMT that took her spot, but the sight of Dave didn't send her heart racing, make her palms sweat or confuse the hell out of her.

After their momentary lapse in sanity he hadn't said one single word to her. He simply stepped away from her and went to her bedroom to get dressed, leaving her sitting on the table, confused, aching and furious. Of course the milkshake Nathan brought her had helped calm her down. It really was too bad they weren't selling them here because she could really use one right about now.

By the time Eric reappeared he was dressed and wouldn't make eye contact with her for which she'd been immensely grateful. She'd never been more embarrassed in her life than in that moment. He kissed her and what had she done? She'd turned into Super Ho and practically swallowed his tongue and rubbed against him.

She still couldn't believe it happened and if there was any doubt in her mind then the way her ni**les tightened and tingled every time she thought of him was proof enough. It didn't help that she couldn't stop thinking about him and what almost happened. It didn't matter that she'd always been attracted to him. He was her best friend and she didn't want to lose that.