two
Bale
Ihave no ideawhat suddenly came over me. One minute, I was dreading going to the masked ball, trying to find any excuse to skip it. The next thing I knew, I was claiming a stranger like some beast in a fairytale.
I’ve known of her existence for less than ten minutes, I don’t even know her name, and I haven’t seen her face, but I feel in my heart that she’s the woman I’ve been waiting for my whole damn life.
“So, Cinderella.” I tease, wanting to keep the moment light and not scare her off. “Shall we go inside or stay out here?”
She tips her head to the side in an adorable way as she studies me. “You’re hardly Prince Charming, you know. You’re more like the Beast, making demands of Belle.”
My breath catches in my throat. We’re already in sync with each other. Her comment about me being more like the Beast in 'Beauty and the Beast' matches my own assessment of my behavior.
“I’ve always liked a girl with a book in her hand. Would you prefer I call you Belle instead of Cinderella?” With her long brown hair, touched with hints of red, and her deep green eyes, she would make a better Little Red Riding Hood.
“Hmm.” She pretends to think about her answer. “For tonight, I prefer Cinderella. Who knows, I might turn into a pumpkin at midnight.” She shrugs, drawing my eyes to the creamy curves of her breasts.
Damn, my woman is curvy in all the right places. My only complaint is that I wish she had a little more curves—something soft to hold onto instead of the firmness I feel under my hands. Don’t get me wrong, I still love her body--I’d just like more of it.
“So, Cinderella. Are you from around here?” When her body tenses, I switch the subject. “How about a kiss?” I lift my hand from her waist and trace my thumb over her full bottom lip, memorizing the natural pout of her lips.
“Yes.” She sighs, her warm breath caressing my hand.
Slowly, our bodies move closer and closer until our lips are almost touching.
“Bale. Are you there? Mrs. Jones’s cat is up in a tree again, and you know you’re the only one she trusts with that little spawn of the devil,” Craig, one of the fire department’s dispatchers, voice crackles over my radio.
Damn, why did I agree to be on call tonight?
Knowing there's no way out of it, I reluctantly drop one hand from her waist, unclip the radio from the back of my waistband, and bring it to my lips. “Over and out. Tell Mrs. Jones, I’ll be there in five minutes.” With a click, I secure the radio back into my waistband. “I’m sorry, Princess, but duty calls. It seems Mr. Snuggles has escaped from his home and has taken up residence in the big oak tree out front of Mrs. Jones’s house.”
“Sounds like he does that a lot.” Her soft laughter stops my heart. I could listen to her laughter for the rest of my life and never grow tired of hearing it.
“Mr. Snuggles is quite an internet sensation and very spoiled. When he doesn’t get his way, he escapes, and it seems like I’m the only one at the fire department he likes.”
“Smart cat.” Her fingers play with the hair at the back of my neck. I don't think she even realizes what she’s doing until she suddenly stops, pulls her hands away, and takes a step back out of my arms. "You should probably go. You don’t want to keep a big star like Mr. Snuggles waiting.”
I pick up her hand and place a kiss on her palm, “It shouldn’t take very long—maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. Promise you’ll wait for me? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I’ll wait, but don’t keep me waiting too long—remember I turn into a pumpkin at midnight.” Her laugh fills the warm night air.
“Thirty minutes tops and I’ll be back.” I drop her hand, pull off my black mask, and let it fall to the ground as I rush off to save Mr. Snuggles.
***
“There you go.” I hand a disgruntled Mr. Snuggles to Mrs. Jones, with only a few scratches on my forearms from his claws. My coworker, Josh, quickly removes the ladder from the tree and returns it to the truck.
“Oh, thank you so much, Bale. I don’t know what I would do without my baby.” Her baby takes his time settling himself in her arms like the diva he is. “Oh, it looks like he got you.” Mrs. Jones touches one of the deeper scratches. “Let me fix you up.” She grabs my arm with one hand as she protectively cradles the little demon in her other arm.
“Really, it’s okay. It’s not very deep.” I glance at my watch, which shows it’s already been twenty minutes since I left my woman alone in the garden behind the community center.
“Just like a man, trying to downplay an injury,” she huffs as she pulls me toward her house. “Now come on, let me take care of that arm before it gets infected.”
I snap my gaze at Josh, looking for someone to help me escape Mrs. Jones’s surprisingly firm hold, but I’m only met with a smirk. “I’ll take the ladder back to the fire station while Mrs. Jones takes care of you.”
Realizing that resisting won’t get me out of this situation anytime soon, I give in and let her drag me into her house.
“Have a seat, dear.” Mrs. Jones guides me to a chair in her kitchen. “I’ll be right back. I need to get this little rascal back to his room.”
