Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
DRAKE
Peering through the small window in the door, I watch her hobble around the classroom with a crutch under her arm as she helps the kids pin their pictures on the wall.
Her smile lights up the room, as well as my soul, and I know I’m smitten in the short time I’ve known her, but more than that, I’m desperate for her.
Last night, not being able to touch her was as torturous as it was incredible.
I can’t wait to get this woman alone in my bed where I can give her the special dragon treatment.
Our eyes lock through the glass, and her smile widens as she hobbles over to the door.
“You’re early,” she says as the door swings open.
“Didn’t want to be late, Miss Sparks.” I pull the autumn bouquet in blazing shades of orange, red, and gold, from behind my back. The fiery plumes look as if I’ve stolen them straight from a bonfire.
Her lips part, her eyes darting to the bouquet before flicking back to mine. “They look like flames.”
“Exactly.” I step closer, lowering my voice. “Reminded me of you—setting my world on fire.”
Her cheeks flush a shade that could rival the flowers. “Smooth, dragon boy,” she whispers.
“Truth.” I grin, brushing a golden rose petal with my thumb. “Besides, I figured a pumpkin like you needed a little fire in her classroom.”
She takes the bouquet carefully, cradling the flowers as if they’re precious jewels. “You realise you just set the bar very high for future deliveries?”
“Good thing I’m a firefighter then.” I wink. “Always ready to bring the heat.”
Her laugh bubbles out, soft and melodic, and the sound sparks in my chest.
She steps aside, welcoming me into the classroom, and the kids erupt with chatter.
“Daddy.” Sienna rushes to me, and I scoop her up into my arms. “Is it home time?”
“No bug. I’m just doing a fire talk in the gymnasium after lunch.”
The lunch bell sounds from the corridor, and Ember waves the kids off as the horde exits the classroom.
I set Sienna down. “Get your lunch. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Daddy.” She holds her friend’s hand as they skip out of the door, and I close it behind them, turning the lock.
Ember’s breath catches in her throat when I close the small blind on the door window. “What are you doing?”
“It’s time for your fire drill, Miss Sparks.” I stalk towards her, shedding my turnout coat, my cock already at half-mast beneath my uniform.
She places the flowers on her desk and scans the classroom, her fingers scratching her neck. “I was just kidding. I thought we could just eat lunch together or something.”
“Oh, I’ll be eating lunch.” I walk over to the window and unhook the blind, letting it drop to the sill, dimming the room. “I’ve been dying to snack on you, pumpkin.” The fire in my veins is bubbling as I prowl towards her.
She leans against her desk, her crutch tucked under her arm. “Drake, we can’t—”
“Shhh.” I brush my lips against her heated cheeks while I let my hands roam over her curves in a knee-length button-down dress. “Flint says no public displays of dragonry in the gymnasium, but he said nothing about the classroom.”
Her chest rises and falls against mine as I pepper kisses along her neck.
I dip to reach the hem of her dress and walk my fingers up her thigh until I reach her knickers.
“You’re so fucking hot, Em.” Before she can speak, I crush my lips to hers, plunging my tongue deep into her mouth and taking what I need, lapping up every moan and whimper that belonged to me last night.
My fingertips tease the elastic of her knickers and find her seam wet and wanting. “I need to taste you. I’ve done nothing but think about this pussy all morning.”
She gulps, checking her surroundings one more time. “Here?”
“Here.” I hoist her onto the desk, lifting her dress. A dark patch of wetness seeps through her red lace knickers and fuck me she looks hot in these but I need to have her bare. “Take these off. I want to play with my food before I eat it.”
“Drake. You’re gonna get me fired.” But despite her words, she leans back on her elbows and lifts her bottom.
I hook my fingers around the fabric and yank her knickers off until they drop from her knees, catching on the cast on her foot.
My mouth waters at the sight. A neatly trimmed patch of fiery hair covers her plump little pussy.
Her thick folds hide her clit like buried treasure, and I waste no time in hunting for it with my tongue.
She sucks in a breath as my tongue slides along her seam, carrying her slickness. “Drake—Holy—Drake—Oh.”
I press my palms against her inner thighs, pinning her in place while I feast on her pussy.
Her fingers run through my hair, her hand pushing me harder against her.
I suck on her clit, loving how her body trembles and the small whimpers she’s making sound desperate, as if she’s trying her best to keep from crying out.
I should have waited till I had her in my bed where we could take our time, explore each other properly, no need to be quiet or hold back, but with Harold and May on holiday today until the end of the week, it’s not likely to happen anytime soon, and I couldn’t wait any longer.
“I want to kiss your pussy until you come, but I need to be inside of you, Em. I can’t wait another second.” I straighten my spine as I unzip my cargo pants, her arousal coating my face. “Tell me you want this too.”
“I want you, Drake.” She gazes up at me from her position, leaning back on the desk on her elbows. “But I don’t know if it will fit. It’s been a long time.”
“I’ll be gentle.” I fist my erection, my gaze searching the room for my coat, knowing I put a condom in there.
“What’s wrong?” she says, a crease between her brow.
“Condom.” I pat my trousers, searching for my wallet.
“You don’t need one with me.” She gazes into my eyes, hers full of vulnerability. “I mean, you won’t get me pregnant and… well, it’s been like 84 years. I’m clean. I trust you are too.”
“Em.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I don’t sleep around.
The last person I was with was…” I swallow another lump, like swallowing the guilt of what I’m about to do.
“Last time was with Elise, my wife.” Saying her name out loud releases a weight from my shoulders I didn’t even realise was there.
Ember reaches up and strokes my cheek with the gentlest touch, burning away the guilt. “It’s all right. I don’t want to replace her as your wife or your daughter’s mum. You have enough love and fire in your heart for the both of us.”
“Pumpkin.” I dip my head and crash my lips to hers, then, the head of my cock seeks her heat, her slickness guiding me into her as if her body’s been waiting, calling me home, and now welcoming every inch of me with heat I thought I’d never feel again.
Guilt tries to claw at me, but Ember’s touch chases it away. This isn’t replacing Elise. This is me learning I can love again. Every thrust, every breath, every sound she whimpers from her lips makes me feel alive.
“Drake,” she whispers my name against my lips, cracking me wide open. “You make me feel like I’m not broken anymore.”
I thrust deeper, my forehead pressed to hers, swallowing the breathless sounds that escape her.
The room reduced to the soft scrape of paper beneath us and the distant hum of heating.
Every movement is a promise and a confession.
Every small sound she makes brings me closer to something I hadn’t realised I’d been looking for. Love. Family. Home.
“You were never broken, just a fire left to go out unattended. But with me, we can keep each other burning,” I rasp, every word torn from the depths of me. “Sometimes the fire just needs a hand to get going again.” I press my lips to hers, tasting cinnamon and something sweeter.
Her hands frame my face, thumbs brushing away sweat and shadows.
“You really are my hero, Drake. I’m falling in love with every part of you.
Including your daughter and your past and everything about you.
” Her words set off a spark chasing a long-dormant flame, and suddenly it isn’t just my body moving inside her—it’s my soul clawing back to life.
Her heat grips me, sears me, and all the ash I’ve carried disintegrates under the firestorm we’ve lit together.
“Ember,” I groan, grinding into her as her legs tighten around me. “You’re setting me on fire from the inside out.” I reach between us and find her clit, hoping to bring her to orgasm before my control snaps.
Her lips brush mine. “Then burn with me. Don’t hold back. Fuck me, Drake.”
I drive into her harder, deeper, and every thrust feels like a promise of my love, of a life together, of something I thought I’d lost forever.
Her body clings to mine, her breath mingling with my own, and for the first time in over a year, there’s no guilt, no shame, and no turning back, because this woman is my salvation.
“Are you close? I’m gonna need you to come because I don’t know how much longer I can last.” My thighs burn, my stomach tightens as I hold back my release.
“You mean the big bad dragon is running out of steam?” She quirks her lips, curls her fingers around my neck and lifts her leg to wrap around me.
“There’s too much steam. That’s the problem.” I drive into her again, my thumb circling her clit. “Come, pumpkin. Come for your dragon.”
“I’m there, Drake.” Her nails dig into the back of my neck, her back arching as if offering herself to me, and her entire body trembles beneath me.
“Come with me, Drake. Spill inside of me.” Her release tears through her like an inferno finally unleashed, heat rolling off her in waves that set me alight.
“Fuck. Em.” I bite my lip to stifle my roar as my release sears me from the inside out.
White heat scorches through my veins, lightning strikes my soul, and I explode like a dragon finally unleashing its fire.
White-hot flames spill into her, claiming her, marking her with my scent.
Every pulse, every shudder burns through my very soul, cleansing and burning away the guilt until all that’s left is love.
And it might be too early to say it, but I think I’m in love with this woman.
For a breathless minute, there’s nothing else, no classroom, no station banter, no ghosts from our past. Just the two of us, held together by a quiet understanding that both of us silently acknowledge. There’s no going back now.
“Em,” I say, bending to kiss the place where her collarbone rises and falls. “You have no idea how much I needed this.”
“I needed it too.” Her fingers caress the back of my neck, sending tingles down my spine.
A muffled footstep and the faint thud of someone in the corridor prick at my nerves. Sienna’s voice floats from down the hall.
Ember smiles with quiet mischief and lifts on the desk. “As much as I’d like to stay like this for the rest of lunch, I’d rather not get fired today.”
I do up my trousers, tuck in my t-shirt, and search the floor for Ember’s knickers.
“Come on,” she says, sliding off the desk. “Get out before you set the school fire alarms off.” She pulls on her knickers, catching them on her cast.
“Need a hand there? I don’t want you falling over and breaking another leg with your knickers tangled around your ankle.”
She laughs, the sound bubbling up as she finally gets herself sorted. “Honestly, dragon boy, you’re going to get me into trouble.”
“Trouble by knicker entanglement? Don’t worry, I’m trained for all kinds of rescues.” I brush a kiss across her temple and smooth her dress back into place.
Her cheeks are still flushed, lips swollen, eyes sparkling like she’s carrying my fire in them. “Go,” she whispers, giving me a gentle shove towards the door. “Before I forget I’m supposed to be a respectable teacher.”
“Respectable isn’t the first word that comes to mind.” I press one last kiss to her mouth.
Voices echo closer in the corridor. Ember straightens a stack of papers as if nothing’s happened.
I pull my turnout coat back on, mask of professionalism sliding into place, but inside I’m still burning.
As I leave, she catches my hand for the briefest second, her thumb brushing mine. “One o’clock, dragon,” she says softly.
I grin, tugging open the door. “Don’t be late, Miss Sparks. Wouldn’t want you failing fire safety.” I wink as I leave the room, the scent of her still clinging to me like smoke after a blaze.
A child’s voice sounds from the room, “Miss, why are the blinds closed?”
I shake my head, shoulders feeling lighter somehow… and my balls definitely emptier.
Fire drills have never been this much fun.