Fanning the Flames (Jackson: Girls' Night Out 0.50)

“I’m sorry,” she said to the roof of her car, “I can’t come in today, because I came all over the fire captain’s hand last night, and then his daughter walked in and realized her dead mother’s friend is a loose woman with no morals.”

Oh, God. It was almost tragically funny. Or it would have been if everything leading up to that moment hadn’t been searingly perfect. The chemistry made it that much more painful.

Jake’s body had felt even better than it looked. He was all hot skin and flexing muscle and soft hair. And he smelled so damn good. Her mouth watered at the memory of the taste of him.

She wanted more. So much more. Starting with that thick cock she’d gotten her hand around for such a brief moment.

Lauren squeezed her eyes shut and moaned in sorrow. She’d be haunted by that memory for the rest of her life, because it was never going to happen again. She’d never get to see him naked or taste his cock or feel him deep inside her.

You’re so fucking wild.

She was. Or she wanted to be. But not with Jake. Not with a man who was used to someone nicer. Look what she’d already done to him. Tempted him into disaster right in front of his daughter and one of his men.

She waited until the parking lot had been quiet for five minutes, then slipped out of her car to hurry for the back door of the library. She didn’t make a sound today. There were no heels to clack against the asphalt and no jangling bracelets to draw attention. No, today she wore black leggings and a long sweater and the most innocent of ballet flats. Granted, it was already warm outside, but she’d be hiding in the stacks all day, deep in the shadows, where she couldn’t seduce anyone. The leggings should keep her panties, carefully chosen for full granny effect, securely in place.

She should have listened to Sophie. Lauren needed to work out her newly blossomed lust with a few strangers. Get it out of her system in a way that left no evidence.

But hopefully this would stay quiet. No harm done. Just a little personal humiliation whenever she saw Jake. Or Kevin. Or Annabelle. And a devastating, soul-wrecking boost to her already racing libido.

One tiny taste of good sex and she was ravenous. She’d already gotten off to a fantasy of Jake this morning. It was the first morning of many, she imagined. And maybe it was better that way. She’d keep him close enough to feed her fantasies, but not so close that he could ruin her.

Head down, Lauren made it all the way across the lot without spotting any firefighters, much less one who’d been witness to her indiscretion. She thought she was home free, but before the door closed behind her, her cell phone rang and she tensed for the worst.

And it was the worst. Her ex-husband.

“Karma,” she muttered before answering the call.

“Hi, Steve,” she said, her face already warming with guilt. There was no way he’d heard anything already.

“Lauren! How are you?”

“Good. Hold on a second.” She meant to escape to the library office, but she glimpsed Sophie in there, typing away. Cell phone calls weren’t allowed in the library. She had no choice but to step back outside. Steve only ever called about their son. “Is everything okay?” She’d just talked to Sawyer yesterday morning, but maybe he’d called Steve with a problem.

“Everything’s good. I was just checking to see if you’re going to homecoming next month.”

She smiled at the thought of interfering with the football fun during Sawyer’s first experience of homecoming weekend at college. “No, I know Sawyer’s looking forward to the weekend with you. I don’t mind. You boys have a good time.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Why?” They tried to be friendly for Sawyer’s sake, but it was a little extreme of him to try to talk her into a trip.

“Oh. No reason. Just...”

She waited him out. Steve didn’t like silence.

As expected, he gave in quickly. “I thought I might bring someone along, and I didn’t want to make you unhappy.”

“Oh, for God’s sake,” she snapped. “I’m not affected by you dating.”

“Well, sure, but it’s getting a little serious, and you know, I wouldn’t want to flaunt it in your face. With your history...”

She was honestly dumbfounded. “What history?”

“Well, you weren’t really into marriage, and you haven’t managed to settle down since then.”

“You weren’t really into marriage, either, if you remember correctly. Neither one of us was particularly happy.”

“You’re right. Of course. It’s just that at your age...”