Chapter 5

Five

Ryder

A pounding sound rips me from sleep, and I bolt straight up in bed. It takes me a second to get my bearings, but words mumbled by the soft lips now pressed against my hip brings me to my senses immediately.

Kandy.

How many times did I fuck her before we both drifted off to sleep? We stopped only long enough to forage for some leftover pie from her fridge and promptly tumbled back into bed where I positioned Kandy on her hands and knees, her gorgeous, tight ass in the air so I could take her from behind. And my sassy girl loved every minute of it. She offered herself to me, her back arched, her sweet little pink cunt clamping down onto my cock. She particularly liked it when I ran my hands over her body, leaning forward to fill my palms with her heavy tits and coming back on my knees to fist her long hair, using it to anchor myself as I rammed into her curvy body.

She loved it.

And over and over again, she'd said the one word I was coming to love more than anything—yes, yes, yes. I don't think there was anything my girl wouldn't agree to allowing me to do to her body. She loved everything and I loved giving her anything she asked for.

I came in her the first time unprotected, which was an asshole move. We both dropped our guard and got carried away. Thankfully, after we came up for air after our first round, she had the clear head between the two of us to say she was on the pill.

It was game on after that.

Analyzing my need to spill myself into her with no barriers between us and thinking of Kandy as my girl, has me slamming on the brakes one second and in the other dreaming of a heavily pregnant Kandy.

I find myself reflexively reaching for her and sinking myself into her again.

"Kandy, why's this door locked?" The sound of the somewhat familiar voice bellowing through the front door followed by the jingle of the doorknob shakes me from my thoughts and has me rolling out of bed, reaching for clothes.

"Wh-what?" A disheveled and disoriented Kandy sits up, finally roused by the noise. "What's going on?"

"Someone's at your door, sweetheart. And unless something's on fucking fire, they're about to find themselves on the wrong side of my knuckles. It's not even six in the morning."

"Oh, shit. Fire!" With that bizarre exclamation, Kandy rolls from the bed without a care for her nudity and runs toward the front door.

Whoa! What the fuck?

I manage to get my jeans on just in time to catch her hand before twisting the doorknob. Red-hot anger rushes through my brain at the idea that she is about to carelessly throw the door open and reveal herself to whoever is on the other side.

Where the fuck this possessive and protectiveness is coming from I don't know, but right now I don't have time to deep dive on my feelings nor the misplaced nostalgia causing them.

What I do know is that I don't care if it is her fucking mama behind that door. Nobody but me gets to see Kandy in all her glory. That sweet ass, those gorgeous tits, and most definitely her little pink pussy are mine. I wrap my arms around her from behind and lift her away from the door.

"Ryder, I have to get that!" She pouts up at me as she struggles in my arms. I ignore the reaction of my body to having every inch of her curves writhing against me.

"You're not answering the door naked, Kandy." My tone is tight, harsh and yeah, fuck it, possessive, and she picks up on it instantly.

That sassy brow of hers jacks up, her mouth opening, ready to let me have it when she notices I'm right.

"What the—?" As if she is just finally really waking up, she shakes her head and then glances down at herself. "Oh, shit. That would have given everybody a start in the morning, huh?"

I can't help but grin at her words. She pushes against my arms and I release her. Without missing a beat, she sets out for the bedroom, calling out over her shoulder, "Tell Theo I'll be right there."

She slams the bedroom door just as the pounding on the front door starts again. "What's going on in there, Kandy? You okay?"

I rip the door open to a surprised Theo, catching him just as he lifts his hand to pound again.

"Oh," the other man stutters as he lets his hand fall to his side. "Didn't know you were still in town, boy."

I am not a boy anymore but I let it slide. People in these parts think anyone a few years younger than them are kids in their eyes. Theo is no different given he's about Tommy's age and pushing eighty.

Theo put two and two together pretty quickly, considering the sly smile crossing his face. Seeing how fast he is to share all the details of Kandy's almost-wedding with me, I have little doubt that half the town will know he found me here in Kandy's apartment before sunrise.

I get small towns and all that, and the idea of people talking about Kandy or me should piss me off, but instead I return his grin.

Let him tell every man in town that Kandy is claimed. Might save me from busting a few heads the next time I see one of them sneaking a peek down the front of her top.

"What brings you here so early, Theo? Can I get you a coffee or something?"

"Ah, crap. I almost forgot. I came to get Kandy for…"

Before he finishes, the bedroom door opens. I angle my head to watch Kandy walk out of the room and do a double-take. I am not sure what I expected her to throw on. Maybe a robe or some sweats. I was prepared for pretty much anything, but nothing prepares me for that outfit—black pants with a reflective band around the cuffs, yellow jacket with the same reflective band around the sleeves and chest, yellow boots and a yellow helmet on her head.

A fantasy of undress the firefighter comes to mind and I fight to shove it away for another time.

"Sorry, Theo. I totally forgot I was on call this morning. I'm assuming by the lack of lights and sirens, there's no fire?"

"Nah, Chief. No fire. Just Mrs. Hillman again. I wouldn't have bothered you, but she doesn't want anyone else helping her."

"No problem." Her eyes finally come to me

"You can go back to sleep, Ryder. This shouldn't take long."

My brows pinch, "What shouldn't take long, babe? Should I be worried? Can I help with anything?"

"Helping Mrs. Hillman. This happens about once a month. Don't know why she insists on locking her bathroom door even though she lives alone. She goes in and her legs get numb and she has a bit of trouble getting herself up. She doesn't want any of the guys to help her, especially after that ex of mine had trouble picking her bathroom lock once and busted in the bathroom door. Poor woman was mortified. So now she only wants me to come help her."

"And it's your job because…?" I'm truly perplexed. She owns and operates the diner and the garage and I'm guessing the single station gas pump with her name across it. But now she's the fire chief?

What the hell? How many hats did this woman wear?

I know what my eyes are telling me, but I am having a bit of trouble making the last little leap.

"She's the Fire Chief," Theo shares helpfully. "Our town's too small for much of a fire department. A while ago Doc James' house caught on fire and it took so long for the fire crew to get here from Hanville that it burned down while we all watched. Kandy here decided that wasn't ever going to happen again. So she organized our volunteer fire department and we made her chief."

I blink at them, stunned at her determination and grit. In awe actually.

But before I have a chance to absorb the idea of Kandy as the fire chief, she is marching toward the door. She stops in front of me and gives me a quick kiss. "Gotta run. Can't leave poor Mrs. Hillman waiting. Let's go, Theo."

She pats me on my bare chest and with her other hand on the doorknob, slides me a smile full of mischief. "I should be back in half an hour. But hey, maybe don't lock the door. I don't have a key."

I pull her back to me and wrap my arms around her middle. "When you get back, we're having that talk as I peel every last layer of clothing off you. Be careful."

With that I spank an ass cheek and give her a wink as she closes the door. With my back pressed against the door, I listen to their boots clomp down the rickety stairs.

What the fuck just happened?

"Fuck me," I whisper to the empty room. I shake my head ruefully. She looks like a little kid playing dress-up in her firefighter gear, but damned if the sight of her doesn't have me hard all over again.

I turn back to the bedroom and find the rest of my clothes. I wish I could wait for my adorable little fireman to return but I have keys and paperwork to deliver to the new owners of my childhood home.

Before I step out, I make a mental list of the things needing done to make this place safe before I get back on my bike and head out of town. I don't want haunting thoughts of what could happen if I were to leave this place as is. When I head out, I need to be one hundred percent certain I am leaving Kandy safe and sound.