Page 14 of Falling for the Bad Boy Firefighter
A small smile plays at the corner of his mouth as he steps inside, his presence immediately filling the small space. "Too late now."
He's close—too close for my thoughts to remain coherent. His scent envelops me—smoke and leather and something purely male that makes my head spin. I take a small step back, trying to create space to think.
"We need to finish what we started," I say, gesturing vaguely toward the documents on the table, trying to sound professional despite the tremble in my voice.
Jax follows my gaze to the papers, then looks back at me, his expression knowing. "Are you sure? Because if we're being honest, you're not exactly focused on history right now."
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but I don't deny it. "I don't know what this is anymore, Jax."
Something shifts in his eyes—a softening, a vulnerability I've never seen before. "You've never been the kind of woman I thought you were."
"What kind did you think I was?" I ask, barely above a whisper.
He steps closer, and I can feel the heat radiating from his body. "Uptight. Judgmental. A Clark through and through." His hand reaches up, fingers gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "But you're not, are you? You're fighting just as hard as I am to be more than your last name."
"Is that why you kissed me?" I ask, bolder than I feel.
A corner of his mouth lifts. "I kissed you because I couldn't stop thinking about doing it since the moment I carried you out of that building."
My heart pounds so loudly I'm certain he can hear it. His hand moves to my cheek, a touch so gentle it nearly undoes me. The roughness of his callused palm against my skin is a delicious contrast that makes me lean into his touch.
"Penny," he murmurs, and my name has never sounded like that before—like a prayer, like a promise.
He leans in slowly, giving me time to pull away. But I don't. I can't. Every cell in my body is drawing me toward him.
His lips brush against mine—tentative at first, a question rather than a demand. But the moment we connect, something breaks loose inside me. I press closer, my hands finding their way to his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath the soft cotton of his shirt.
Jax groans, deep in his throat, and suddenly the kiss deepens, becomes hungry, desperate. Heat pools low in my belly as histongue traces the seam of my lips, seeking entrance. I open to him, meeting his exploration with my own. The taste of him is intoxicating, making my head spin.
His hand slides lower, gripping the curve of my hip, pulling me firmly against him. I feel his hard bulge pressing against my stomach, and a small gasp escapes me.
Jax pulls back suddenly, his breathing ragged, his eyes dark with want. "Penny... we shouldn't—"
I press my finger to his lips, stopping his words. "For once in my life, I'm choosing something just for me." My voice is steadier than I expected. "Not for my family. Not for the town. For me."
His jaw clenches, a war clearly raging behind his eyes. "You don't know what you're asking for."
"I do." I hold his gaze, refusing to look away.
A shudder runs through him. "I'm not good for you. I'm not—"
"Stop." I press my palm against his chest, feeling his heart thundering beneath my touch. "I don't want the man the town thinks you are. I want the man who ran into a burning building for me. The man who listened when I showed him the truth. The man who looks at me like I'm something precious."
For a moment, he's perfectly still, searching my face. Then something breaks in his expression. His hands frame my face, and this time when he kisses me, there's no hesitation, only hunger and need.
With surprising gentleness, he lays me on the bed, his body hovering over mine, supporting his weight on his forearms. His eyes search mine, still asking permission.
"Are you sure about this?" he whispers.
I nod, unable to form words past the lump of emotion in my throat.
"Penny," he says, his voice rough with restraint, "I need to hear you say it."
"Yes," I breathe. "I'm sure."
Something shifts in his expression—relief, hunger, tenderness all mingled together. "Have you done this before?"
Heat rushes to my cheeks. "No," I admit quietly. "Never felt right before."
