Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(73)

Jacqueline wrapped her legs around his body, forcing him deeper, to touch the core of her being. Sparks sizzled off their skin as their magic united, blending them together. As if they were floating, Toby became aware that they actually were. Locked together, their bodies had lifted off the bed.

“Whoa,” he whispered and stilled his thrusts.

“No,” Jacqueline said. “Don't stop.”

She surprised him by taking control of the magic and somehow pinning him against the wall above the bed. Now she held the power, riding him, kissing his skin, fanning the flames of the fire until they both found release in an explosion of passion that shook the entire house.


Panting, Toby carefully willed the magic to float them back to the bed. Jacqueline enclosed her arms around him; her head nestled against his chest as they lay on the rumpled sheets.

“That was crazy,” she murmured. “Crazy good.”

“Yeah.” He couldn't quite catch his breath, but he tightened his hold on her.

Even with Gabriella, there hadn't been that kind of magic.

“Did I see actual sparks?” Jacqueline asked. “Were we really floating?”

“Yeah.”

“Wizard sex is awesome.”

Toby grinned, tempted to point out that her husband had been a wizard, too. But he thought better of it. Husbands, ex-girlfriends—that would spoil the mood, and he didn't want that.

For a few minutes, they lay there in silence.

“Toby,” she said at last, “I think there is something you should know.”

“What? You're not a virgin?”

“Ha-ha,” she said, and he couldn't help but grin. “No. This is more serious.”

“Okay.” He sat up in bed.

“The man who killed my husband… you know him, too.”

“Who was it?”

She chewed on her lip and gave him a worried look before spitting it out.

“It was Gabe. He's not really the Keeper of Souls.”

“Then who is he?” he asked.

“Your son.”





Soul Reaper




“Jacqueline, my son could not have killed your husband.”

Toby kept his words calm, but inside a slow rush of heat rose at her accusation. The subject was a painful one to begin with, one he tried not to dwell on. He'd thought more about his past, including the loss of his dead son, in the last day than he'd ever done before.

“Toby, I know it sounds crazy, and I'm not trying to hurt you,” Jacqueline began, but he cut her off and got out of bed.

“Then don't.” He glared at her, unable to stop himself. “Don't talk about things you don't understand.”

“Look, while I was trapped in the funeral home with Derek, Gabe came to me and said that he wasn't really the Keeper of Souls. In fact, he made it sound like he'd made some sort of deal with the hag to get into the box. He knew I'd open it eventually. It was his way of appearing to be part of my family, so I would trust him. I don't know what happened to the real Keeper of Souls, or even if there ever was one. I don't think I can believe much of anything that Gabe says.” Jacqueline took a breath. “The thing is, when you were coming to save me, Derek asked Gabe if he wanted to stick around and see the death of his father.”

Toby frowned. “That doesn't mean—”

“Derek was talking about you. And then Gabe took off.”

“He didn't want to get caught. You just said yourself we can't trust anything he says.”

“Look, I know this is hard to believe, but I know what I heard.” She crept up behind him and put her hands on his shoulder. “Will you tell me the story of your son and Gabriella?”

Toby thought about that as she massaged his shoulders. He never let anyone in when it came to the past. There were times when he felt like he needed to talk about it, but there had been no one he trusted that much.

Until now.

He felt completely comfortable with Jacqueline.

Maybe it was because he'd spent the last year secretly watching her, observing her in his bar or on the street, but he felt like he knew her. Deep in his heart, Toby knew she would never betray the trust of a friend. She wasn't that kind of person.

“Maybe if you can't talk about it,” Jacqueline whispered, “you could show the past to me. Sort of like what you did with the night Eric died.”

He drew away from her soft touch and turned to kiss her. Desire stirred in him again as she caressed his chest and her arms swathed him. Tempting to throw her down on the bed and make love to her again.

But instead, he chose to let her into his life.

“Close your eyes.” She did as he asked, and he kissed the tip of her nose. “Now just relax. I'm going to show you everything. And then you'll see that Gabe can't be my son.”

He placed his hands on her arms and took a breath.

“Let the past and the present be one for a time.” Toby chanted…

A gust of wind blew through the room, bringing in the past.



****



“Get out of my sister's life.” Derek Spark sneered at Toby; his contempt for the man was obvious. “She doesn't need you to protect her. That's what family is for. You are not a Spark.”