One Night's Fire

Chapter 1: The Countdown

The clock ticked with a cruel, deliberate slowness, each second a taunt to Paige and Riley as they sat across from each other at the polished oak dining table. Thursday night. Their night. The one sliver of the week they carved out for pure, unadulterated connection—no work calls, no emails, just the two of them and the heat that had been simmering for six long days. Paige, with her sharp green eyes and a smirk that could cut glass, sipped her wine, her gaze locked on Riley like a predator sizing up prey.

'You're staring, babe,' Riley said, his voice low, a playful challenge in his tone as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his broad chest. His dark hair was mussed just enough to look like he’d rolled out of bed—or wanted to be rolled back into it.

'Am I?' Paige replied, arching a brow as she set her glass down with a deliberate clink. 'Maybe I’m just wondering if you’ve got anything left in the tank after all that gym bragging this week. What was it? ‘I could bench press you, Paige’? Big talk for a man who’s been dodging cardio.'

Riley laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down her spine. 'Oh, sweetheart, I’ve got stamina for days. You’ll be the one begging for a breather tonight.'

'Is that a promise or a prayer?' she shot back, her lips curling into a wicked smile as she stood, her silk robe slipping just enough to reveal the curve of her thigh. She sauntered over to the counter, pouring herself another glass of wine, knowing full well his eyes were glued to her every move. The air between them crackled, thick with anticipation that had been building since last Friday morning when they’d last touched.

Riley pushed his chair back, the scrape of wood against tile loud in the quiet room, and stalked toward her. 'Keep talking smack, Paige. I’m gonna make you eat those words—among other things.'

She turned, leaning against the counter, her chest rising and falling a little faster now. 'Big promises, Riley. Hope your cock’s as hard as your ego tonight.'

He stopped just inches from her, his breath hot on her neck as he braced a hand on either side of her, caging her in—but she didn’t flinch. Paige tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze with a fire that matched his own. 'Hard enough to make you scream,' he growled, his voice dripping with intent.

Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer. 'Then stop talking and start proving, hotshot.' Their lips crashed together, hungry and fierce, the taste of wine and want mingling as their hands roamed with desperate precision. Paige’s nails dug into his shoulders, and Riley’s grip on her hips was bruising, pulling her flush against him. She could feel him, already straining against his jeans, and a smirk played on her lips even as they kissed.

'Someone’s eager,' she teased, her voice breathy but still sharp, as she ground against him, drawing a low groan from his throat.

'Six days, Paige. I’m fucking starving for you,' he panted, his hands sliding under her robe, finding her bare skin, her heat. She was already wet, dripping with need, and the realization made him curse under his breath.

'Good,' she whispered, her hand slipping down to palm him through the denim, feeling him twitch under her touch. 'Because I’m not in the mood for gentle.'

Their clothes were a barrier they couldn’t shed fast enough, the tension of the week exploding into raw, urgent need as they stumbled toward the bedroom, ready to devour each other in every way possible.