Free Controlled Burn by Delilah Devlin Page A

voice. When he glanced back down, he was smiling.
    Something inside her seemed to click into place. Right man. Right moment. Carly put her arms around his neck and hugged him before she said something she’d regret.
    His arms closed tighter, and he kissed her temple. “I think I drowned my radio.”
    “Then we won’t be interrupted.” Carly kissed him, sharing her happiness in the moment, giving him everything in that kiss. They’d be all right. She knew it. Certain as the sun piercing the smoky haze.
    When she broke the kiss, she returned his steady stare. “We still have a fire to work. Sooner it’s out, the sooner we can go home.” And then she winced a little over her word choice. She’d sounded presumptuous—and she didn’t have the right to take anything for granted.
    “You’re right,” he drawled. “We need to get home. To our bed.”
    “I’m not pushing,” she whispered, running a finger along his jaw. “I spoke before I thought.”
    “I want you to push,” he said quietly, his expression sober. “Because then I’ll know you’re just as far gone as I am.”
    Splashes sounded right behind Jeremiah. Tater clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a brave man,” he said as he passed, giving Carly a wink.
    Carly leaned back and laughed, feeling lighter and more carefree than she ever had before. With a groan, she let her legs drop from his waist and pushed away.
    Jeremiah caught her hand and together, they waded out of the river.
    “When I first saw it, I thought this tub was huge,” Carly grumbled.
    Jeremiah grinned, something he really hadn’t stopped doing since they’d left the creek. The two fires met and extinguished within minutes. All crews had tromped through the entire burn area, turning dirt and spraying. The teams had been released. Park services would monitor the area to make sure no flare-ups occurred, but everyone left happy at their success.
    He’d loaded the mule on a trailer and sped home, the ache in his groin not helped one bit by Carly’s roaming hands. She’d felt him up the entire way home, and she’d nearly caused a wreck when she’s opened her shirt and bra and settled back against the leather seat. Why? Not because she expected him to do anything about the exposed skin, but because she said they ached and needed air.
    He’d been tempted to pull over to the side of the road to have her, regardless of other vehicles that might happen by. Instead, he gripped the wheel harder, ignored her questing fingers the best he could until he rolled into the driveway. Then he opened his door and dragged her laughing across the bench seat. Before she could button her blouse, he had her over his shoulder.
    He’d even smacked her bottom as he’d run up the porch. “That’s for nearly causing a wreck.”
    “Ooo. What do I get for flashing that Mustang?”
    “My hand on your bare ass as soon as we get upstairs.”
    Now, Jeremiah sat bemused, his arms riding the top edge of the tub while Carly splashed water over the rim of the tub with her enthusiastic bounces.
    She’d liked her spanking—had even thanked him when he’d finished.
    “Easy.” He gripped her waist to slow her downward thrusts. “I told you your punishment wasn’t over.”
    “Right,” she said, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Guess we’re clean enough now.” She rose, and then stepped over the edge of the tub, grabbing a towel as she walked out of the bathroom.
    Why she’d insisted on using the guest bath instead of the one situated in his master suite, he didn’t know. But whatever she wanted, he’d give her. He shot out of the water, grabbed a towel, and followed, dripping all the way.
    Inside her bedroom, Carly was already divesting the bed of covers and pillows, but she was careful to make a short stack of two in the center of the floor before kneeling in the middle of the soft goose down.
    He handed her his towel, then waited as she dried his thighs and rubbed his balls and dick a little too