Page 21 of Wild Fires

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Literally nothing. This isn't for your gossip train, but we've had daily fires for the last few days. Clarence thinks there’s too much of a coincidence to be random occurrences.”

“Arson? Here in Ravenden? Is it one of the fire witches?”

“I have no idea yet. But Gracie showed me around to the different sites today, so yeah, we met up after lunch at Gia's place. Nothing more scandalous than that.”

“I should have known.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“The girls were just excited about the idea that maybe you'd finally met someone.”

“The girls huh?”

“Well, I certainly wouldn't hate the idea either. You work too much. A good woman to balance you out would do you some good.”

“It's Gracie Montgomery.”

“What's wrong with Gracie?”

“Nothing, I guess. Just never gonna happen. And why does every happily mated person want to see everyone else in their lives happily mated as well? Did it occur to any of you that maybe I'm happy being single? Have you already forgotten what that feels like?”

“Dude, I haven't been single for a long time. I may not have been officially dating Kim but as far as my bird and I were concerned, she's always been ours.”

“Well, not all of us are that lucky. Besides, I don't have time for a mate. I don't even have time for a casual fling or a date right now. I can't even go to lunch without someone coming over to tell me about a problem. So do me a favor and don't encourage this sort of gossip. Please.”

“I hear you and promise to handle it better next time.”

“Thank you. Now go home and let me finish my meal in peace.”

He grinned. “Well, that at least sounds more like my little brother.”

I groaned, but he left before I could say anything further.

I spent the rest of the night moping around my apartment. I didn't work out. I didn't even take a shower before bed. And when I finally did start to fall asleep, her face popped back into my mind and suddenly, I was hard all over again.

This time I didn't even hesitate. I had to get this woman out of my head. My hand slipped down under the sheets and I freed myself as I stroked up and down, allowing the thoughts to play out this time.

In my mind I was kissing those plump pouty lips that seemed to torment me throughout the day. I moaned, stroking myself faster and harder as I imagined her touching me. And then suddenly, the image shifted and it wasn't me touching myself, it was her hand.

“So good,” I whispered into the dark. “Faster, Gracie.”

I imagined she smiled at me and then lowered her head to suck me into her mouth.

My fist pumped harder than ever, and my hips began to buck off the bed.

“Yes,” I cried out imagining her sucking me fast and hard, maybe even tickling me a bit with her tongue.

And then she looked up at me and all my frustrations of the day exploded.

Panting and sweating, I laid there in the dark staring up at the ceiling.

“Shit!” What the hell was happening to me?

It wasn't like I'd never masturbated to vivid storylines before, but it had never been like this.

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