The cool air did nothing to quench the fire burning in his gut. Twisting his wrist so his palm faced the ceiling, Danny rubbed his woman’s pleasure spot and marveled at the delicious sounds that came from her throat. When his thumb circled her clit, Julie’s body tightened around him.

“That’s it, your pussy loves what I’m doing, doesn’t it? Wants more. Ride my fingers, baby, gonna give you what you need to come hard. I want it, Julie, give all you got.”

As if his words summoned her climax, she released. Trembling, moaning, panting, giving him all of her—raw. He loved seeing her that way, loved fucking her that way. His pants were at his ankles, his cock in his hand before her orgasm fully left her body.

“Danny, yes, I want it,” she cried, her eyes round as she watched him stroke himself. “Fuck me, please.”

Poised at her entrance, he rubbed the tip in her juices and swallowed back a groan that would have sounded more animal than human. He entered her slowly, teasingly, uncertain who the joke was on: her or him.

“Fuck me,” she repeated.

And he slammed home. Seated balls deep in her tight pussy, her warmth consumed him. He slowly pulled back.

“No,” she pled, locking her ankles around his waist in an attempt to keep him close.

“Shh, I’m fucking you. Now lay back and enjoy the ride.”

The sides of Julie’s mouth ticked up because she knew she’d love what he dished out. She always did. Slow pumps led to deep thrusts as Danny’s hands slid over Julie’s silky skin. Every inch of her body was perfection, and every piece of her body was his. His skin prickled when she ran her cool fingers down the length of him, touching his muscles, gripping his ass. Her long legs wrapped around his torso allowed him in deeply, but he wanted more.

“Stand up, honey. I wanna sink into you from behind.”

His conscience kicked in a bit when he saw how jellified her leg muscles were, but he held on tight, slipped through her folds, and fucked into her like a man who’d gone without for years instead of days. His orgasm began to build in his spine, a fireball picking up speed, not yet ready to burst. Until… Julie’s hand slipped through her thighs and touched his balls. A light stroke, right behind his sack.

“Fuck, Julie…fuck.”

She continued her massage as his release rushed through his body, out of control. Out of his mind pleasure. His legs buckled, bringing him to the floor. Thank Christ he had the wherewithal to break the fall and bring Julie down on him instead of under him.

“Fuck…holy shit. Where’d you learn to do that?” he heaved through broken breaths.

She winked. “You have your guy talk; we have our girl chats. I learn a shit-ton from our girls.”

Danny’s body still shook with pleasure as he brought his wife’s lips to his. “Keep up the good work, woman.”

***

THE WINDOWS RATTLED with the force of the wind and the driving rain as Danny and Julie snuggled on a pallet by the lit fireplace. The power hadn’t gone out, but after witnessing an old maple tree crack in half and a dozen or so branches whipping around the yard, they thought it best to make a fire, fill the cooler with ice and beverages, and stay away from the windows. Their cell phones were charging, and Julie had found an old corded phone in the attic that she plugged in just in case the power went out.

“This is shaping up to be some storm.” Danny shook his head at the Weather Channel. “I can’t believe they actually predicted this shit right.”

“First time for everything,” Julie answered, lost in thoughts of Ashley and Ryan.

“What’s going on in your mind, honey?” Danny muted the television and faced her.

“I’m worried about Ashley and Ryan. I called her about an hour ago and Ryan wasn’t home yet. That poor girl told me she was okay, but come on, Dan. You think she’s okay?”

“What I think is that she needs to get through this. Did you ask her to come and stay with us?”

Julie smiled. Her husband knew her well. “Of course I did. When she declined, I offered to go to her. She declined that too. So what are we supposed to do?” When Danny’s arms opened wide, she curled into his embrace.

“We let her deal for now, and we check in on her in a couple of hours. She isn’t alone in this, but she is an adult. So if it’s time she needs, we have to give it to her. I will, however, call Ryan and make sure he’s okay. Tell him to get his ass home.”

Once Danny confirmed that Ryan was only minutes from his place and Ashley, Julie relaxed a bit and tried to enjoy the romantic ambiance with her man—until Danny’s cell phone rang.

Julie was pouring them each a drink when Danny’s voice hardened. “What?” Her eyes went to his face, his skin ashen even by the firelight. “Was anybody hurt?”

Julie’s stomach dropped when she heard that question. “Danny?” His gaze found hers, but it gave nothing away. In that nothing, he told her so much. “Danny…”

He nodded. “Let me repeat what you’re saying, Officer. One of the old trees across the street from the bar snapped in half, crashed into a utility pole, and sent it and its live wires into our bar.”

Every word that left Danny’s mouth was a lashing to bruised and battered skin.

“Put him on speaker…Danny, please.”

By the steely look in his eyes, she knew he wanted to shield her from the horror that was filling his ears, but he pressed the button.

The officer’s voice filled the room. “The liquor acted as an accelerant.”

“We’re on our way,” Danny gritted out.

“Mr. Marcus, I’m asking you not to come down here—”

“You don’t call a man and tell him his property, his livelihood, is on fire, then tell him to sit back and let it burn. I was a fucking firefighter, for Christ’s sake.”

Their bar is on fire? Julie’s lungs froze as Danny’s statement hung thick in the air.

“I know I’m asking a lot, Mr. Marcus, but with the storm at full force, we’re asking all residents to stay off the streets and in their homes.”

“That is our home,” Julie’s voice cracked.

The officer continued as if he hadn’t heard Julie’s comment, and maybe he hadn’t, but Danny had. Tear-filled hazel eyes met hers as he pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly.

“You’re a respected member in this community, Mr. Marcus. I’m sorry about your business, but not nearly as sorry as I’d be if something were to happen to you. Please stay put until the storm passes. We’ll contact you the minute we have the situation under control.”

Once the officer had Danny’s verbal agreement, the call was disconnected, the power flickered twice before leaving the house in candlelit darkness and Julie and Danny on their knees, waiting for word of what would become of their fresh start.

***

“I NEED TO call the kids,” he rasped after speaking with the officer again and crying with his wife. “Don’t want any of them to hear it on the news.”

“Danny, the whole town is without power.” Julie sniffled, her tear tracks glistening in the firelight. “Where would they hear it?”

He swallowed the grapefruit-sized lump in his throat. If any of them found out about the bar from anyone but him, they’d be devastated, and that would destroy him. So despite Julie’s logic, Danny picked up the phone. “Max.”

“Danny?” Max’s voice was firm. “Everything okay?”

“No, son, everything is far from okay. We lost the bar tonight…”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Few hours ago, Julie and I got a call that the place was on fire. They just followed up. What wasn’t eaten by flames was ruined by hose and hurricane damage. Place is totaled, boy.” Danny did his best to hide his anguish, but his best wasn’t good enough.

Max’s sob traveled through the line. “Why’d you wait so long to call me, Dan?” Max cleared his throat. “We would’ve come to you, sat with you, and waited until you got the news.”