Free Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) by C.M. Steele

me from the room.
    We stopped in the garden where before I knew it, she was pulling my head down for a kiss. I took it from there. I lifted her up into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist. I knew there were cameras back here, and I’m pretty sure she did too, but I didn’t care. I wanted her father to know that it wasn’t just a one sided thing; she wanted me too.
    “Babe, we need to stop before I strip you right here,” I groaned as I pushed away and set her down.
    “So I guess we should talk then?” she said begrudgingly.
    “Yes, I think that would be best…I’ve really got to go.” She took my pause the wrong way.
    She looked at me with complete concern on her pretty face before she asked, “What is it? Are you done with me?”
    “Done with you?” Did she think I was trying to cut ties?
    “Yeah. You know…did my dad get you to walk away?” The fear was strong in her words
    I pinned her to the wall of the house, lifted her a little, and pressed my hard cock against her belly. “Baby, I’m not leaving you for good. I’ve got things to take care of. Your dad offered me a guest bedroom here when I come back later on today.”
    “You’re coming back?!” she practically squealed.
    “Of course. I have to get on this right away. I’m not going to let someone get a second chance.”
    “Please, just be careful,” she pleaded.
    “Careful is my middle name,” I proclaimed.
    “Bullshit,” she snorted.
    “Okay, it’s Bradley, but I’ll still be careful. I want to come back to you as soon as possible. Just try and get some sleep. I know your parents have this place on lockdown, so you’ll be safe here. When I come back, we can talk and do other things.” I gave her a wink.
    “Hey, I thought you said no sex.”
    “Ha, that was yesterday. I didn’t make any promises for today.”
    “I guess that’s a valid point,” she replied timidly.
    “Babe, I’m just messing with you. If you’re not ready to take us there, that’s fine. You’ve been through a hell of a lot in the last twenty-four hours,” I said reassuringly.
    “It’s not that. We’re at my parent’s house. It’s a little awkward.”
    “We’ll have to wait until the coast is clear, and your safety isn’t threatened before we can go to my place. If I didn’t have to still look after Sam, I’d take you to Texas with me.”
    “Oh, yeah, cowboy?”
    “Sure thing, ma’am.” I gave her a long drawl, a wink, and a click of my tongue. “Now, let me get you inside. I know it’s secure around here, but I’m feeling a bit paranoid.”
    “I’ll be safe here, but I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself or how I’m going to be able to reopen again.”
    “Don’t think about those things right now. Just rest, and we’ll figure it all out.”
    “I hope you’re as real as you claim to be because you’ve got me wanting things I didn’t want before,” she stated.
    “I’m real, Claire. What is it that you want?”
    She blushed profusely but just shook her head. I don’t know what she wanted, but it didn’t matter because I wanted everything from her.
    “Well, my beautiful pixie, you can tell me when you’re ready,” I said reassuringly.
    Once I took her inside, I hurried out the door. My first stop was my apartment. I needed to shower and change. I couldn’t take it anymore; I could still smell the burning wood on my clothes. It was a reminder of almost losing her today. I needed it off me.
    I was halfway there when I got a call from my brother-in-law Eli.
    “Williams,” I answered using my Bluetooth.
    “Travis, where are you?” he asked anxiously.
    “On my way back to my apartment. Why?” I wondered.
    “Don’t bother going there right now. I need you to come to the office, ASAP,” he requested not so politely.
    “I can’t. There was a fire last night at my girl’s place, and I smell like a fire”
    “I don’t care if your ass smells like manure. The Lakes were killed last night,” Eli