This Fireman Ignites Flames

***Many thanks to jayargonaut3 for editing this story for me!***

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The soft, silky shampoo bubbles tickle as they slither down the front of my body; the hot water stings as it sprays against my back. I tilt my head back and allow the water to flow through my long, dark hair as I rinse the remaining shampoo. I use my hands to trace the path of the bubbles down the center of my chest and under the swells of both breasts. I smile to myself as I allow my right hand to wander down even farther.

A long, hot shower is always the perfect way for me to start my day. I have many things planned as I have begun rebuilding the life I lost many years ago. I'm starting over in a new town with new faces and several hundred miles between me and the thing that destroyed my dreams. A huge weight was recently lifted off my shoulders and I am finally able to relax, for the most part, and enjoy life once again.

As my fingers slide between my legs, I find myself still mentally fighting the horrible way I was treated by my ex-husband when it came to sexually pleasuring my own self. To him it was wrong of me; I was basically cheating. He claimed not only my pussy as being his personal property but my entire body as being his and only he was allowed to give me such pleasure. Bastard! He bullied me so harshly that he was able to gain much control over me, but being young and naïve when we met, I didn't know any better. I simply gave up fighting and went along with all of his bullshit because it was easier than constantly arguing and being emotionally beaten down. He never laid a hand on me, but he certainly made up for it with all of the mental and verbal abuse he made me endure over the years.

I push the feelings of guilt aside and remind myself that I belong to me now! I don't have to deal with his shit anymore and I now realize I never should have felt any kind of shame at all. My fingers slip between the folds of delicate, sensitive skin and I close my eyes to take in my own sensual touches. I step farther back underneath the water; allowing it to flow over my shoulders and down the length of my roaming hand. I gently explore each crease before slipping my finger inside. My breath quickens as I reach inside myself as far as I can. My nipples tingle as they begin to harden with each deep caress I make inside. My free hand wanders up to find one and I squeeze it hard and give it a stiff tug. My thumb grazes over my clit and I flinch when I realize just how sensitive it really is. I circle it around and around before pulling my finger free from the tight grasp my neglected pussy has on it. I make long strokes over my clit and I feel it getting harder as I come closer to reaching my peak. Oh, how I yearn for a man to satisfy me again. Not just physical sex, but also emotionally. I had been nothing more than a fuck toy for far too long. I am eager to once again actually be with a man whom I want to please and allow him to do the same to me.

My body starts to get tense and I begin to feel the tingling between my thighs. My fingers work faster and I start holding my breath. So close! My back starts arching and forces my head even farther under the water. It trickles down the sides of my face and I'm there...but only for a second. My orgasmic high comes crashing down to the sound of a very loud, high-pitched beeping noise. My mind is jumbled as I'm trying to figure out where the sound is coming from before I realize it's the smoke detectors. My heart, which is already pounding from nearly getting off, now feels like it's going to explode.

I'm frantic as I quickly turn the water off, throw back the shower curtain, and grab my robe off the hook. The thin material clings to my wet body and my hair is still sopping wet as I run out into the hallway. A faint smell of smoke lingers in the air but I don't see it anywhere on the second floor. I run down the steps and notice the smell getting stronger. Did I leave something on in the kitchen? No, I couldn't have because I haven't eaten anything nor have I had my morning coffee yet. I run into the living room and see nothing there but as I make my way to the kitchen it's filling with smoke, and I realize the source: the dryer in the basement! I had taken the clothes out of the washing machine and placed them in the dryer before I went upstairs to shower. I can see thick black smoke pouring out through the basement door. I don't dare run down into the basement to check so I grab my cell phone and call 911. I quickly shut the basement door before running outside.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"There's a fire in the basement of my house. I'm guessing it's the dryer. I noticed smoke coming from the basement door and ran outside as soon as I could," I shriek at the operator while standing in my front yard. I remind myself to stay calm, but that's an extremely hard thing to do when all I can think about is my dream of starting over being burned to the ground.

"What is your location?"

It takes a minute for the answer to register. I've only been renting this house for a few months now...oh my goodness! My landlord is going to flip! What am I going to do about all of that? My mind is racing with all of my own questions on top of the ones I have to answer over the phone. The operator continues to ask for my name and phone number. Each question, which is typically a no-brainer, keeps getting harder and harder for me to answer as I watch smoke starting to pour out of the basement windows.

Shortly after asking if there is anyone else in the home and what exactly it was that I saw before leaving the house, I start to hear sirens in the near distance. My nerves calm slightly as I listen to them getting closer. It has felt like I've been on the phone for half an hour but it has actually been more like ten minutes. It's amazing how time seems to change when you're surrounded by a cloud of panic and fear.

"I can hear them! They're almost here!" I squeal a little too enthusiastically into the poor woman's ear.

"As soon as they arrive, you are free to hang up; I've gotten all of the information I need from you. I just want to make sure they get there while I still have you on the phone," she assures me.

"I can't thank you enough," I say as tears well in my eyes. I have never been as thankful and happy as I am when I watch the fire truck pull into my driveway. I let her know that they have made their way into my driveway and they are getting ready to get to work. I thank her once more and say my goodbye.

As soon as the truck stops moving, I watch as five firemen jump out ready for action. When they notice the smoke coming out of the windows, two of them quickly begin putting on more gear, like their self-contained breathing apparatus masks and packs.

None of them seem to be in a hurry and I start to go into panic mode. I'm screaming inside my head and wondering why they aren't running inside with the hose in hand; why are they just kind of standing around and not really looking very productive? Shouldn't there be a hose turned on blasting a large stream of water on something? One of them must notice my expression of nervousness because he walks over and approaches me.

"Excuse me, Miss. We were told there is no one else inside the home. Is that correct?" he asks.

"Yes, that's right. I am the only one home."

"Are there any pets we need to look for?"

"No, I don't have any pets," I say as I try to give him a small smile. It's a hard thing to do when you are unsure if you're going to have a home after this is all done and over with. Is it salvageable? Where am I going to stay now? I still have to call my landlord. He's probably going to be pissed! I am beside myself as to what I need to do. I have never felt so lost and helpless before.

"Try to stay positive, ma'am, we're going to do the best we can," he assures me. That's easier said than done. I'm not sure if he was trying to be calming or not but it didn't really help. I know he means well and can't make any promises that he can't keep, though.

"I closed the basement door. It was instinct but I hope that won't hinder any work you have to do in there," I explain.

"No, that's actually a good thing. You're helping to contain the fire to the basement by doing that," he says with a small smile. I watch one of the masked firemen as he runs to the side of the house and turns the power off. I notice the fifth fireman, the driver, on the fire truck between the cab and the back. There are a lot of buttons and levers that he's working his magic with. It looks extremely complicated and about as confusing as the instrument panel on an airplane. One of the masked fireman hurries inside to take a look at what is going on in there.

I figure I've gained as much nerve as I possibly can and decide to call my landlord. I take in a deep breath as I search for his name in the contact list on my phone. My hand is shaking as I put the phone up to my ear. As I listen to it ring, I watch both masked firemen finally enter the house. They drag the fire hose with them and quickly disappear inside. My concentration is so strong that I am startled when John finally answers the phone.

"John, I hate to have to call you under these circumstances but there's an issue at the house," I begin. I shake my head to myself as I realize that I am probably going to sound really stupid as I am at a loss for words. How do you tell someone their house is on fire without them overreacting? After a long pause, I finally just spit it out. "There's a fire in the basement. The fire department is here and they are getting it taken care of."

"Oh my goodness! Are you ok? You aren't hurt, are you?" he asks.

"No, I'm fine. I was able to get out just after it started. I was taking a shower and the smoke detectors went off. I ran downstairs and saw smoke coming out of the basement doorway. I'm pretty sure it's the dryer. I can't think of any other reason why there would be a fire down there." Actually, I'm sure there are many reasons why a fire could start in a basement but I don't want to get him even more worried than he already is. For my sake and John's, I hope it's small and not much damage has been done. I have no idea where I'm going to go if I have to vacate this house. I don't have any friends nearby, no family, nothing.

"I'll be right there," he says and hangs up. I'm numb. He didn't overreact like I thought he would but the unknown is getting to me. Movies tend to show scenes of fires as crowded, chaotic, and loud but I am experiencing the exact opposite. Things now seem well controlled with very few people and the silence is almost frightening. There is no roaring fire, loud sirens, flashing lights, and people aren't running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

John lives within the city limits whereas this house is on the outskirts of town. It doesn't take him long to pull into the driveway and park on the front lawn. He jumps out and runs towards me. Thankfully there aren't visible flames shooting out of the roof; only small trails of smoke rolling out from the windows.

One of the unmasked firemen approaches the two of us and he starts filling John in on what has been happening so far. I stand silently and take in everything else that is going on. They look like worker ants; all knowing their role and who is responsible for doing what. They seem to communicate with hand signals and gestures. I notice one of the firemen glancing in our direction every time he makes a pass. He's taller than the rest and is the one who went into the house first. I don't know why but I seem to be drawn to him. Oddly, I haven't even seen his face yet but I can't help watching the way he walks and carries himself. He approaches one of the unmasked firemen and has a brief chat with him before heading back into the house.

A few minutes pass and I can see the firemen carrying what used to be the dryer outside. There isn't much left to it and it has turned black with soot. They set it down on the lawn and all the firemen gather around it. One of the unmasked men quickly sets up the negative pressure fan by the front door and they all sit back while the clean air rushes in to push the smoke out through the windows.

The masked firemen both remove their helmets and take off the SCBA devices; they all remove their fire-retardant hoods. The tall one places a pair of sunglasses on his face. I can hear their voices but I can't make out what any of them are saying. The tall one seems to be doing most of the explaining to the others and I instantly think of Dr. Gru commanding his minions and I silently chuckle to myself. I'm assuming he's the one who is in charge and has figured out how this whole situation happened.

I continue to watch him as he removes his turnout coat. Underneath he reveals a tight-fitting dark blue t-shirt and the classic fireman suspenders that only those in his profession can wear and actually look sexy. His shirt clings to his body and gives a hint of his well sculpted chest and stomach - not the overly dramatic look of a bodybuilder but definitely someone who takes pride in himself. I also notice tattoos on his large arms; something I've always been attracted to. This fireman is exactly what you'd expect to see in a naughty calendar, and he's standing no more than 20 yards from where I am? My thighs clench at the sight of his masculine physique. I feel guilty having this reaction to him; instead of feeling grateful and appreciative, my mind is racing in the direction of Naughtyville. As the wind lightly blows against my face, it sends a shiver through my entire body; my pussy even clenches as my mind imagines the wind being his large, strong, wandering hands grazing my body with the slightest touch. I snap out of it and feel my face flush at the thought of how obvious my stare must have been. Luckily it appears as though no one has even noticed a thing about what I'm thinking.

When the group separates, one of the firemen approaches John while the tall one starts walking towards me. I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach like a schoolgirl with a crush. The closer he gets, I realize just how tall he really is. I also realize my thin robe is clinging tightly to my body which isn't leaving much to the imagination. I glance down and quickly cross my arms over my chest when I see my rock-hard nipples poking at the fabric. Crossing your arms is not an easy thing to do for a woman who has D-size breasts and it's obvious that I'm struggling with the task. My large, dark nipples combined with the sheer white fabric of my robe is compounding the difficulty of my situation. I do the best I can before he reaches me but not before I notice a small smile form at the corners of his lips. How embarrassing! My tits look like they're giving him a "two nipples up" for the job well done and I just want to crawl under a rock to hide. He clears his throat before giving me the news on how bad the damage is. I'm sure it's most likely his way of gaining his voice back after my unintentional little preview.

"You must be Miss Dawson?" he asks with his strong voice as he steps within a few feet of me. I find myself craning my head up just to look at him. I'm only five foot three inches and he most definitely has to be at least a full foot taller than me. Once again, I can't help but notice how broad his shoulders are now that he's even closer to me and for the few seconds I see him looking down on me, I feel like he's considering me in a way similar to that of a predator who is ready to claim his prey. With my luck, it's completely wishful thinking on my part.

"Gabriela, please," I say with a hint of a smile. I take in a deep breath and I can smell a waft of smoke emanating from him just like the one I smelled as I was running out of the house. He returns my smile and repeats my name. A tingling wave rushes over me at the sound of my name coming from his lips. I would love to find out just what those lips are capable of. He removes his sunglasses and places them on top of his head. I instantly become lost. His baby blue eyes shine brightly in the sunlight and I'm pretty sure I have forgotten my own name even though I just stated it to him. His stare is intense but not intimidating; not even taking in his size and how closely he is standing. Oddly, I feel safe and trust this stranger with my life knowing that he risked his own just moments earlier.

"I just wanted to update you on the situation. The power has been turned off and will have to stay off until the damage is assessed more thoroughly. I can't give you a time span of how long that might be, though. There is minor smoke and water damage so the repairs obviously won't take as long as it would have had this been a more serious fire," he says as I continue to gaze at him. I'm probably not hiding my infatuation very well but under the circumstances, I'm not terribly embarrassed. I did, however, manage to take in everything that he spoke without having to ask him to repeat anything.

"May I go back inside or is that off limits?" I ask with concern.

"You may remain on the premises if you so choose but, like I said, you won't have any power to run anything. I highly recommend staying with someone or possibly having the Red Cross put you up in a hotel for a little while." I frown as I listen to his words. I have absolutely nowhere to go unless I drive all the way back to the place I couldn't get away from fast enough. A single tear wells and I feel it slowly fall down my cheek. Before I get the chance to swipe it away, his large thumb gently strokes it away and I look into his eyes once again. I see eyes full of compassion; a gentle giant with a caring heart. "I can see that you're scared and I want to help you in any way that I can. I'm going to leave you my card. If you are unable to stay here or can't find another place to stay, don't hesitate to call me. I have an empty apartment above my garage that is available. You are more than welcome to it if you need it."

"I appreciate the offer," I say smiling as bravely as I can. He reaches into a pocket and takes out a business card along with a pen. He writes something on the back of the card and hands it to me. I reach my hand out and lightly take it. As I look up at him, I feel his finger lightly graze mine just before pulling away. "Thank you," I whisper with what little breath I have left. It feels like he has stolen every bit of it from me without even trying.

"Call me at any time if you need anything," he says with a warm smile. "I'm on the clock until eight tomorrow morning."

I watch as he turns and walks away from me. His muscular shoulders and back flex and sway with each step he takes. He reaches up and moves his sunglasses back down onto his face while barking orders at the others. Each of them is gathering equipment and putting things back on the truck so they can get back to the station.

My heart hasn't stopped pounding throughout this whole ordeal but I can't blame that all on the situation with the house. I find myself mesmerized with this nameless stranger. I glance down at the card in my hand and flip it over to see that he has written his cell phone number on the back. I flip it back to the front where I see the fire department information along with his name. Kelly. I smile to myself as John approaches me.

"Do you have somewhere to go? I would move you into another rental in a heartbeat if I had one available," he says. Well, shit. I really wasn't looking forward to staying the night here with no power, but unless I gain the courage of 100 men to call Kelly about his offer, it looks like I have no choice. I don't want to mess with the Red Cross or anything like that; I'll simply feel like an inconvenience over something that could have been a lot worse. I also don't have the extra cash to stay at a hotel and even if I did, the nearest one is over 20 miles away. I guess that's the price you pay when you move to a small town looking for seclusion.