Summer Heat (The Storm Inside #5)

by Alexis Anne

  xoxo

  Alexis

  EXCERPT FROM WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES

  An Excerpt from When Lightning Strikes (Storm Inside #3)

  Thank fuck. I thought she’d left last night. In fact, I remembered her leaving pretty damn clearly. But she was here—so soft. I pulled her closer and pushed my nose into her hair. Marie smelled good. It was weird how I’d never really noticed how women smelled before (unless it was some seriously obnoxious perfume), but with Marie it was like a blaring red sign. It was as much a part of her as the way she laughed and moaned.

  And damn…those moans were gold.

  My dick twitched to life and my hips automatically flexed towards her warmth—except there was nothing. No warmth, no body to press against. My eyes flew open and I stared at the grey pillow I was hugging like my life depended on it.

  I’d dreamt my fucking pillow was Marie. Yeah…that could not be good. She’d definitely left an impression on me. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Her scent was everywhere. It was on me, on the pillows and sheets…I was going to have to call Sally and have the apartment cleaned earlier than usual.

  This was exactly why I never brought women home. It wasn’t nearly as clean a break as when we parted ways somewhere much more anonymous. Now I was going to smell her until Monday.

  And remember the way she bit her lip in my doorway, looking strangely vulnerable despite being fairly kickass every other moment I’d known her. I’d remember the way she looked writhing on my sheets while I—

  Okay. Maybe I needed to buy new sheets.

  Yeah. I was going to go buy new sheets today. That would take care of most of my problem.

  I decided it was smarter to shower and then run, so by the time I actually got out on the road it was warmer than usual. I texted Eve to ask where I should buy these new sheets I suddenly needed, and somehow that turned into a ten-minute phone call.

  “Why do you sound out of breath?”

  “Because I’m running.”

  “Why are you talking on the phone while you’re running? Shouldn’t you be running?”

  “Thank you Captain Obvious. That was why I texted you in the first place.”

  She sighed, grumbling something about how a full-grown man should know where to buy sheets. “I just assumed if I was getting a text on a Saturday morning, requesting advice on fucking sheet shopping, that there had to be a story to go along with it.”

  I didn’t reply.

  “So there is a story…” she drawled.

  I still didn’t answer. I knew it wasn’t going to get me anywhere, but I still held out a little hope Eve would let it drop.

  “Tell me the fucking story!” she finally yelled into the phone.

  I yanked my ear buds out and popped my ears. “Thanks for fucking blowing out my eardrums.” I stopped at the corner and carefully put them back in. “Could you possibly talk without making me deaf?”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “Story.”

  “Fuck.”

  She giggled. “You know we each owe Jake a drink now, right?”

  “Fuck it.” Jake was sick of hearing us both say “fuck” all the time so he’d imposed a drink rule. Every time we said it more than two times in a conversation we had to buy him a drink. It was fucking stupid and annoying as shit. And the bastard had gotten at least a bottle of liquor out of each of us in the last month. “Fine.” I started down the next street and took a deep breath. There was only one person I’d ever be this girly and honest with, and that was Eve. “I met someone two nights ago. I offered to give her an orgasm, she turned me down.”

  “So you shredded your sheets in misery?”

  “No.” I replied flatly. “I went out to dinner last night with Chuck and the guys.”

  “She was there?” Eve gasped.

  “Yep.”

  “And she didn’t say no twice?” Her voice went up a few octaves with each word in the sentence.

  “No she didn’t.”

  And then there was the gasp I was expecting as she put two-and-two together. “Wait…you took her home?” And then her voice dropped to a whisper. “Is she still there?”

  “Of course not. But yes, I took her back to my place, thus the need for new sheets.”

  “What kind of crazy sex did you two have? I mean, Jake and I have crazy sex, but we don’t need new sheets every time.”

  I gagged thinking about my best friend and his wife doing it. Jake was like my brother and Eve was essentially the sister I never had. Thinking about them having sex was as gross as thinking about my parents doing it. “Thanks for the visual.”

  “What? We’re adults. We can talk about this stuff.”

  “Maybe I’m not nearly as evolved as you are.”

  “Whatever,” she sighed. “Don’t you have a spare set you can use?”

  “Have you seen my condo? Do I look like the kind of guy who keeps coordinating sheets around for the hell of it? Sally washes them once a week while she’s here. I don’t need a second set.”

  “Says you,” she grumbled. “So you met someone who actually made you stop and think for a few seconds and now you need to exorcise her from your condo. Bed, Bath & Beyond at the mall should have what you need. I’d offer to help, but I need to have crazy sex with my husband.” There was a squeal in the background and the sound of Jake’s voice in the distance as Eve’s giggle disappeared from the line.

  I was always a little jealous of those two. They had fun together, they understood each other. I was really happy for both of them, but sometimes I got that same ache in my chest that I got when I thought about Jenn. I was having it right then, so I ran faster.

  It didn’t help the ache.

  I got back home and jumped in the shower for the second time that morning. As the water beat my shoulder muscles, I did what I knew I had to do. I let myself remember Jenn. I’d fought it as hard and as long as I could, and I’d lost again. Not that I minded losing, but sometimes the pain was overwhelming.

  We would have both been thirty-six this year. It would have been our fourteenth wedding anniversary if we’d made it to our wedding date. We might have had kids.

  It was the “would have’s” and “might of’s” that always broke me.

  She deserved to live a full life, instead it was cut short.

  I studied the scar on my wrist as the water washed over it, almost making it invisible.

  Almost, but not quite.

  Just like Jenn. She was almost invisible to me most days, but never gone. She was always there, and she always would be.

  I’d made so many choices as a reaction to the night our car ended up wrapped around a tree. I’d run away and spent most of my adult life in the desert. I’d hidden from friendships and both of our families.

  Until I met Jake. It was the first time I’d met someone more screwed up, more in love, and more regretful than me. He fascinated me. But there was something else. I could see his life so clearly. I knew what he needed to do, and how easy it would be for him to do it, even though he couldn’t see it for himself. It seemed so dumb to me—until I realized he was me. I couldn’t see my own life or the choices I had in front of me, either.

  We were equally blinded by our regrets and doubts. I wasn’t ready to help myself, but I knew I could help him. I took Jake under my wing and helped him in all the ways I wasn’t ready to face my own life yet. Call it “living vicariously” if you will.

  And then I met this woman who was the love of Jake’s life and fell in love with her, too. Not in the same way—I wasn’t attracted to Eve or romantically in love with her. But we instantly bonded over our shared love for Jake. We both wanted him to have a good life, and as we banded together to help him, I found a little bit of happiness for myself.

  Jake and Eve were kind of my fantasy. I could look at them and imagine what my life might have been like if Jenn hadn’t died. We would be happily married. We would have an enormous library in our house. W
e would be thinking about the future.

  I think I’d gravitated toward them—and stayed here in Tampa even after they got married—for that reason. I loved Eve like a sister, but I also loved that she reminded me of Jenn when we were kids. Not just the books, but the attitude. Eve always called me on my shit and could keep up with me in conversations—just like Jenn.

  So, in a strange way, I loved having Eve in my life because she was a constant reminder of the good times. It kind of helped keep the happy memories alive.

  It was the bad memories I kept avoiding. And those were the ones that were haunting me now.

  I finished up in the shower and hoped my short walk down memory lane would be enough to get me through the rest of the weekend. The ache in my chest was still there, but it was fading. I made my trip to the mall for new sheets and threw away my old ones.

  I didn’t even want to wash them. I never wanted to see them again. I had enough trouble with memories; I didn’t need sheets reminding me of yet another woman.

  Then I watched some baseball while working in front of the television. It was getting dark before I realized I needed food for dinner. As usual it had slipped my mind to do any grocery shopping for the weekend.

  Maybe I needed to start having Sally do my shopping, too. Domestically, I was apparently a complete lost cause. I didn’t know where to buy sheets and I couldn’t be trusted to buy food.

  I grabbed my keys and headed out the door.

  Get When Lightning Strikes

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Alexis Anne is the author of the steamy The Storm Inside series and the sexy Tease serials. A recovering archaeologist, she loves writing stories about passionate people overcoming mistakes and finding where they belong (amidst some equally passionate sexy-times). Her heroines are smart, her heroes are strong, and her stories are always close to her own life experiences. She lives in Florida with The Sexy Editor, their two superheroes, and a dog who would be much happier in the snow (although he seems okay with the beach). AlexisAnneBooks.com

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  First Draught

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  WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF TEASE

  When two protected hearts find safety and undeniable chemistry in a fling with a hard expiration date, sparks fly.

  Tease

  Welcome to Calhoun Beach, a sleepy beach town on the shores of South Carolina, filled with history…and secrets. Dr. Elizabeth Filler has carefully built a quiet life away from prying eyes. She doesn’t trust anyone and the last thing she’s looking for is love. Adam Callaway is Calhoun Beach’s prodigal son home for a two week vacation. He’s spent his life keeping his boundaries up and avoiding two family legacies…and he just might be the only person who can understand Elizabeth’s complicated past. Read it now!

  Stripped

  Travis Brantley, Adam’s best friend, simply wants to make a living doing what he knows best: making music. When he’s sucked into opening for yet another “pop princess” he can’t help but wonder if she’s all makeup and costumes or if there is actually a singer underneath the electronic sound. Kristen Holt is tired of being used by the label. All she wants is to make real music and prove she has what it takes to succeed beyond her looks. When a challenge on stage is caught on camera, their fame skyrockets, and so does their undeniable chemistry. Read it now!

  Tempt

  When Elizabeth’s best friend Allison Riley heads to London in search of a leg up in her career, the last thing she expects is to stumble into the city’s most mysterious and eligible bachelor. Theo Sutherland has spent his life trying to make up for the sins of his past, but when the beautiful American dances into his arms and sees right past his walls, he is forced to decide whether he wants to continue paying for his mistakes, or finally find a way to move forward…and fall in love. Read it now!

  Burn

  Theo’s brother Michael ran away from the Sutherland family legacy and never looked back. Ava Hanson has spent her life building a secure career so that she never has to relive the chaos of her childhood, but when one night of passion turns into two weeks with Michael in Calhoun Beach, he forces her to realize there is more to life: like love, passion, and family. Read it now!

  5 Dirty Sins

  When Michael and Adam’s old friend Logan moved to Calhoun Beach all he wanted was to live a quiet life as a pastry chef, surf some waves, and find himself, but when his sexy new neighbor avoids him at every turn he begins to suspect Nora is hiding from someone dangerous. The more he learns the deeper he falls for the quiet woman with a complicated past…and the more he’s willing to risk to keep her safe. Read it now!

  6 Dirty Secrets

  The untold love story of Nicole Sutherland and Darcy Higgins. Find out what really happened between Theo’s little sister and his best friend in this epic story about fighting for the happily ever after. Read it now!

  7 Dirty Lies

  Lily Lawrence (Elizabeth’s little sister) finds out that what happens in paradise doesn’t always stay in paradise. And that’s a very tall, dark, and handsome lesson to learn. Learn more!

  *Adam Callaway is Jake Spencer’s cousin.

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  EXCERPT FROM TEMPT

  “I’m so freaking late!” I said under my breath as I pushed into the iON Innovations Building at exactly 7:08 in the morning. Or, to be more precise, eight minutes after my morning meeting was supposed to start. Something had gone wrong with the alarm on my stupid state-of-the-art, latest and greatest iPhone, and I’d woken up twenty minutes ago in a panic.

  Margaret was not a fan of late. She did not excuse oversleeping, not even on a Monday, not even when she called meetings at ungodly hours of the morning. Not to mention I’d only gotten the meeting invite last night at dinner.

  None of it would matter. All Margaret would talk about once I got upstairs was that I hadn’t been on time.

  Honestly, it was all Theo Sutherland’s fault. It had been two nights since he appeared and disappeared from my life and since then he’d invaded my dreams and disturbed what little sleep pattern I’d fallen into since moving.

  It was like those eyes were haunting me.

  The iON Building was a modern, glass-laden acropolis with smooth lines and green technology built into every nook and cranny. My company had designed it so I knew more about it’s hidden features than most. Tiny wind turbines were hidden in corners. Solar panels merged seamlessly with windows. Special materials were chosen for maximum energy savings.

  The atrium stretched upward for the first twenty floors. It made for an awe-inspiring entrance most days, but today I ignored all of it, my caffeine-deprived brain taking longer than usual to register that something was wrong. The bank of elevators, my current destination, sat just past the desks and metal detectors. I’d already badged my way in and been wanded, I just needed an elevator. But the area was filled with ten men, all in identical black suits, standing shoulder to shoulder. It was like the freaking Prime Minister was waiting for a lift.

  I skidded to a stop behind the row of security (it had to be security) and tapped my fingers impatiently against my hip. That was when I realized none of the elevators were moving. Well, one was. The one they were all standing in front of.

  Fuck me. It really was some asshole VIP holding up the whole damn building.

  “Hello!” I called. Maybe the meeting was making me ballsy. I’m really not sure, but panic or something made me need to get on that elevator no matter how important the person in front of me might be. “I have a meeting I really, really need to get to, so if the Prime Minister or the Queen or whatever VIP you guys are all hiding up in there could spare a ride for a commoner like me, that’d be gr
eat.”

  One security guy glanced over his shoulder at me.

  “I promise I’m harmless. Just late for a really important meeting. I’m not an assassin.” I don’t know what possessed me to say that. Clearly I’d blown my chance of getting a ride.

  I set my bag on the ground beside my feet and crossed my arms, resigning myself to waiting until they unlocked the elevators. Maybe I’d be able to use this as an excuse for being late?

  Yeah, not likely.

  The elevator finally dinged and the doors slid open. The sea of black suits moved forward, but the last guy—the guy who’d actually glanced at me—held out his hand like he was beckoning me forward.

  “Are you actually letting me on?” I grabbed my bag and rushed forward, the security guard standing very close.

  That’s when I saw him.

  Theo Sutherland.

  My knees went weak all over again and I tried not to gasp as his eyes locked onto mine—just as dark and haunted as I remembered. Just as sexy.

  I swear the moment our eyes met I could feel him everywhere. My whole body lit up, my skin tingled, the air was lighter. As if one look jump-started a connection that drew us together. A connection that hummed with tension and electricity until it was like he was inside me even though we weren’t even touching. I enjoyed that rush for a moment.

  Then I got a little angry. Sexy or not, he was keeping me from my meeting because he was too important to ride an elevator—lift—like a regular person.

  “It seems we meet again, Allison,” he said with an amused smirk on his lips.

  I arched an eyebrow. “Ten security guys for one elevator ride?” I slid in beside him and turned to face the doors, hoping he couldn’t see how much he was affecting me. “Shouldn’t you have your own private elevator or something?”

  He was painfully quiet until the doors closed and we began to move upward. “I do, but I’ve had some security issues lately. What floor?”

  “Forty-seven.”