Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(11)

After all, what was a world without second chances, without forgiveness, without an opportunity to renew and grow? As he leapt to his feet, pulled her into his arms and kissed her urgently… she was one thousand percent certain she had made the right choice.

Later that night, after the last patron left the bar, Derrick locked the door and pulled her behind him. Lisa was long gone, having taken Jessie’s car back to her place, promising to come get her “if you change your stupid-ass mind,” as she had so sisterly put it.

She wasn’t going to. This time it felt so right. The years they’d been together melted into this perfect moment, the pain shifting into total forgiveness.

Derrick pulled her into his arms and kissed the ring on her finger. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

They made love that night, for the first night since she’d been back. A sweet gentle rhythm that was so familiar. He worshipped her, kissing and licking every inch of her flesh, spending wonderfully long moments between her legs.

“You taste so good,” he murmured and she closed her eyes. Ryan had said those same words so many times.

Ryan.

Although she often thought of Ryan, it was mostly as a fond memory. She wasn’t sure why tonight, of all nights, her mind wandered to him. She hadn’t heard from him since that last text and she had changed her phone number just in case he got psycho. She didn’t want her past to mix with her future. When she decided to give Derrick a second chance, she meant it.

Now, as Derrick’s cock pushed inside her, as Derrick’s weight pressed her into the mattress, Derrick’s lips nibbled at her throat… it was Ryan she was thinking of. Ryan she missed. She closed her eyes, blocking out the memories.

In and out, Derrick pushed her toward climax. Her fingers dug into his back. She opened eyes and focused on her fiancé. She stared into his face hovering over her, just as he stared into hers.

She was building, growing, heading toward that beautiful edge, she felt it in every cell of her body. Just as she tightened, clenching around him, shattered by her orgasm, she shouted, “Ryan” and everything stopped.

She lay on the bed in a daze, from the orgasmic release and from her traitorous mouth. Derrick was sitting on the side of the bed, his face in his hands.

“I’m sorry,” she finally whispered and she honestly was.


“Who’s Ryan,” Derrick asked. “I think we should talk about this, don’t you?”

Jessie sighed, pulling the sheet tightly to her, still not believing she’d f*cked up their special night so completely. “Yes. We promised to be honest with each other, and there’s something I’ve kept from you.”

He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Clearly.”

She bristled at his tone, and then took a deep breath. He had a right to be angry. Months ago, they had talked about everything that had occurred in the months before their break up. Jessie even told him about finding evidence of her dad’s betrayal.

They’d talked about his affair, about the two other women he’d been with the summer she was gone. But, Jessie hadn’t said a word about Ryan. Not one.

“I didn’t want to tell you, but it seems my secret has to be told.” Tears welled up, but she continued, “I met a guy this summer. I won’t lie and tell you it was just a fling. In fact, I thought about staying with him. I almost did.”

She could see the lost look on Derrick’s face as he choked on the words. “Do you love him?”

Honesty she promised. Honesty.

“Yes. I mean in a different way. We were together for such a short time, everything was new and fresh. Remember when we were like that? It’s a different kind of love. Puppy love, my mother used to call it.”

Derrick was quiet as he processes her words. Now that she’d started talking, she couldn’t seem to stop.

“Would we have stayed together? I don’t know. I only know that I came back to you. I’d made you a promise. So I came back and I’m glad I did. I forgave you for the affair, mostly because I learned that summer how easily it was to fall into one. To be honest, it’s kind of nice to be around someone who knows you, not just the ‘everything is exciting and new’ you.”

“Jessie, I’m speechless.” She could see the pain in his eyes, but it slowly turned to relief. “You left a promising new relationship to come back to me. I don’t know whether I should feel pissed off or higher than the moon.”

She smiled at him, completely understanding his indecision. Maybe everything would be alright after all.

He stretched out next to her and twirled the ring he’d just re-given her around and around her finger. “I think we’ve both hurt and been hurt and it’s time to wipe the slate clean.”

She rose onto her elbow, looking down into his eyes. “I couldn’t agree more.” She reached across him, to the bottle of red wine he’d placed on the nightstand earlier and turned it up for a long drink.

He laughed. “Classy.” Then he wiped away the small dribble running down her chin as she continued to guzzle the delicious Merlot.





Chapter 7


Her phone woke her. The dizziness makes it difficult to read the text: Jessie, are you ok? Worried about you. It was Lisa and, holy crap, it was after two o’clock in the afternoon.