HEAT
LAURA
I felt the heat creep up my cheeks as his smirk deepened. “Fair enough,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “But you
shouldn’t be in here alone, you know.” The subtle shift in his tone sent chills racing down my spine, leaving my nerves buzzing.
I stepped back instinctively, my shoulders bumping into the cold dent of a window pane. Carefully, I set the bottle of wine on the ledge, grasping its edge with both hands to steady myself. Maybe it was the alcohol clouding my mind, but the room suddenly felt smaller, like his presence alone had sucked the air from the space.
Turning to the garden below, I focused on the scattered clusters of kids on the lawn, trying to ground myself. More people strolled up the driveway, their laughter muted behind the glass.
“This dress is something,” Josh murmured. His voice was closer now, his breath ghosting over my skin.
Startled, I whipped my head around to find him inches away. His gaze raked over me, lingering on the curve of my waist and the hem of my dress. It felt like he was touching me, even though his hands hadn’t moved.
“You’ve never worn anything like this before, have you, Laura?” His eyes traced the lines of my body, his voice low and rough.
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HEAT
I fought the impulse to tug the short dress lower, settling instead for pressing my thighs together as warmth pooled between them–a sudden, traitorous ache I didn’t want to acknowledge.
1288 Mourne
When his eyes finally met mine, they held a spark that made my pulse stutter. He raised an arm and braced it against the wall next to my head, caging me in. “You usually talk so much back at the house,” he said, his tone laced with amusement. “Now you’re so quiet. Why is that?”
I didn’t have an answer, so I just shrugged, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. His quiet chuckle rippled through me, a low vibration I felt more than heard. His eyes were slightly hazy, probably from the tequila shots I’d seen him down earlier, but the sharp blue with a hint of hazel still cut right through me.
“So innocent,” he murmured, his head tilting slightly as he leaned closer. “Not used to a guy getting this close to you, huh?”
His words snapped me out of my haze. I pushed back against the cold glass, letting it bring me back to reality. “You’re drunk, Josh,” I said, my voice firmer now. “Go find a cheerleader to flirt with.”
in
He didn’t even flinch. The corner of his mouth quirked up into a smirk, his dimple making an unwelcome appearance. “Oh, I’m
not flirting, Laura. You’d know if I were flirting.” His gaze held steady on mine. “I’m just…talking.”
“Yeah, well,” I shot back, forcing my voice to stay cold. “You and I don’t talk. And I don’t think half a bottle of wine and a few tequila shots are going to change that.” My stomach twisted as I saw his smirk widen, but I pressed on. “Sorry if you struck out with the cheerleaders, but I’m not an option.”
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HEAT
288 Vouchers
“An option?” His voice dipped, amused now.
“Yes, an option. Don’t think I don’t know what you guys come to these parties for.” I crossed my arms, trying to put up some kind of shield between us.
Josh leaned back slightly, his grin deepening as he ran a hand through his tousled hair. “What would that goal be, honey?” He spoke slowly, deliberately, his tone dripping with feigned innocence as he leaned one hip against the massive dining table.
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t act like the dumb jock, Josh. I know you‘ ve got a few brain cells.”
Something in his eyes sparked, like my defiance was a game he wanted to play. “You’re going to have to spell it out for me,” he said, his grin widening. “I don’t seem to understand what you’re implying.”
Groaning, I threw up my hands. “Oh, come on. Everyone here knows about your…sexcapades.” The word felt foreign on my tongue, but I squared my shoulders and didn’t back down.
Josh’s grin faltered for a brief second before he blinked, his expression darkening with something new. Slowly, he stood upright and began circling the table, his eyes locked on mine. I froze, watching him stalk closer, my instincts screaming at me
to run.
If this was National Geographic, I was the Impala, and he was the lion.
“Little Laura,” he drawled, his voice low and dangerous. “I never thought I’d hear a word like that come out of your mouth.”
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1288 Vouchers
He stopped right in front of me, his hand lifting to brush his thumb over my lower lip. The touch was soft, fleeting, but it set my skin ablaze. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.
Jess is going to kill me. He’s her brother. My best friend’s brother. What the hell am I doing?
My mind screamed for me to pull away, but my body stayed rooted in place. Josh was everywhere–his size, his scent, the heat rolling off his body–and I felt trapped in the best and worst
way.
“Has a guy ever touched you like this before?” he whispered, his breath hot against my cheek. It smelled of whiskey and something uniquely…Josh.
The alarms in my head blared louder, but I couldn’t focus on anything except the way his hand skimmed over my thigh.
“What about here?” His voice was softer now, almost tender, as his hand slid higher. “Has anyone ever touched you here?”
I sucked in a sharp breath when his fingers brushed over the thin fabric between my legs.
“Didn’t think so,” he said, pulling back slightly, his smile slow and wicked.
The haze shattered, and mortification surged up my spine, forcing me back into control. What the hell was I doing?
Josh didn’t move as I shoved past him, his grin still firmly in place. My heart thundered in my chest as I bolted out of the room, desperate to find Jess or Sam.
HEAT
288 Mouchers
“Laura, wait!” His voice followed me, but I didn’t dare look back.
I turned briefly to see him being swept up by his teammates, their cheers and laughter drowning out his protests as they carried him toward the pool. His eyes found mine across the crowd, his expression unreadable, as I stumbled out of the house.
Tears blurred my vision as I fumbled for my phone, my only thought being to get far, far away
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