Hot Summer Nights: Hazy, Hot, & Hunted

Hazy, Hot, & Hunted-

Out Now in the Hot Summer Nights with Amira Press

“Ahh, hi!” Louisa stared at him watching the muscles ripple in his back while he flipped an omelet onto a plate. He caught the eggs and set them down on the stove before he turned around.
“Hello. I hope you don’t mind, but I thought you might be hungry.”
“No, that’s fine. What’s your name? Why were those guys chasing you? Why did they shoot you? What the hell is going on here? You shouldn’t be up and walking around.” She noticed that the bandage was gone. Now slightly puckered skin remained where the wound had been. Her hands ran over the flesh and noticed it was cooler than the rest of his body. She trailed her hand trailed over his chest feeling him breathe and vibration of his heart to make sure he was alive and not another spook. Louisa couldn’t help, but smile at the defined muscles under her hand. This boy is rock solid. I wonder if other parts of his are as hard.
“So am I hale to you?”
She looked at him questioningly. He flashed her a beautiful smile, caught her hand, and brought it to his lips. He caressed her fingers with his tongue and nipped lightly on the tips. Her breath quickened as she was transfixed by his actions. A shiver of ecstasy raced through her and settled at her core. She shouldn’t be letting him do this, but her body wasn’t hers to control. It was his. Her eyes widened when he ran his long, wet tongue down her middle finger, over the center of her palm, and stopped at the inside of her wrist. He planted a kiss and then peered up at her. It took her a moment to overcome his spell, but even when she did her legs were still wobbly. When she was herself again, she noticed the slight pink tinge to his cheeks. “Sorry, but you smelled so damn good I had to see if you tasted scrumptious too.”
Her cheeks burned. “So do I?”
He leaned closer. Louisa waited for him to kiss her. Her eyes half closed, but he brushed his cheek against hers. It took all her concentration not to fall into his arms. Her whole body was on edge from this stranger. She clenched her fists together to remind herself this was not a dream. She really had woken up to find a perfectly handsome man in her kitchen and whatever magnetism he oozed had captured her in its spell.
“No, you taste so much better.” Wetness encompassed her earlobe. She let out a small pleasure sound. He chuckled and took her face between his hands. He looked deep into her eyes until his face blurred and she was swaying, waiting for him to claim her lips. She leaned up expectantly on tip toe, but before their mouths could touch, a loud pop exploded above them. Tiny pinpricks of pain showered down against her arm. She looked up and saw the light bulb overhead had burst.
“Damn it. I just replaced that this week.”
“I’m sure it was an accident. We can switch it out later.” He trailed his fingers over her arms smearing crimson over her caramel colored flesh. A cold chill passed by her back at that moment and she knew the bulb shattering wasn’t an accident. She sighed and backed away from the stranger.
“No, it was my roommate. He likes to play tricks on me. My bet he’s jealous that he doesn’t have me all to himself.”
Her houseguest reached out to her, but she avoided him and went into the pantry to grab the dustpan. She swept up the remains of the bulb. What am I doing? I don’t know this guy and I let him sweep me up and kiss me. I need to pull myself together and remember he was nearly dead on my couch last night, but now he’s up walking and talking like nothin’ ever happened. That is not humanely possible. So what does that make him? She got up and dumped the shards in the waste bin. When she turned, he was there with the omelets. Her stomach gurgled at the sight of them. “Why are you getting rid of those?”
“I don’t want you eating glass. Just to be sure.”
She moved aside and let him dump the fluffy eggs in the trash. Right at that moment, the bell rang on the oven making her jump again closer to him. The heat of his flesh radiated against her skin. Desire to let the man take her raged through her. I’m coming down with something. That has to be it. She took a deep breath and put some space between them. With him hovering, it only made her thoughts drift to throwing him down on the floor and riding him. She inhaled and smelled something delicious and heard plates clattering. Her guest seemed to know his way around her kitchen pretty well. I have to get to the bottom of this.
“Is everything okay?” She felt a small tap on her shoulder.
“No! I dragged you in here on a plastic sled for Christ’s sake. Now you’re walking and talking and —”
His lips met hers and she lost herself in his kiss. He tasted sweet like honey. His hand slipped around the back of her neck settling on her nape. Her tongue touched his exploring his mouth. Louisa almost forgot her questions and let him overpower her with wanting until another chill skimmed over her arms.