Heat of the Night

by Elle Kennedy

  Annabelle shook her head. “No way. I just took a shower before I boarded the flight. I’ll get all sticky if we do number ten.”

  But he was already on his feet, heading for the kitchen to get a bottle of maple syrup. Glancing at her over his shoulder, he flashed a brilliant smile and said, “Trust me, it’ll be fun.”

  About the Author

  A RITA-award nominated author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not reading, she’s making music with her drummer boyfriend, oil painting or indulging her love for board games.

  Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her Web site www.ellekennedy.com or send her a note at elle@ellekennedy.com.

  Look for these titles by Elle Kennedy

  Now Available:

  Bad Moon Rising

  Dance of Seduction

  Midnight Encounters

  Going for It

  Red Hot Summer

  Hot Summer Nights

  Hidden Desires

  Out of Uniform

  Heat of the Moment

  Heat of Passion

  Heat of the Storm

  Heat It Up

  Coming Soon:

  The Heat Is On

  Letting her into his life is not an option. Letting her go…impossible.

  Heat It Up

  © 2010 Elle Kennedy

  Out of Uniform, Book 4

  One look at Thomas Becker’s seriously ripped body, and Jane Harrison is having trouble remembering why she tracked down the Navy SEAL. Oh, yes, that hot scoop for her magazine. Instead they get trapped in an elevator together—and she gets sizzling hot sex.

  After the delicious encounter is over, Becker’s out of there, she’s left off balance, and even more determined not to take no for an answer. Either for that interview, or another chance to find out if he always goes commando.

  One minute Becker is making it plain his answer is no. The next, he’s using the only weapon at hand to calm her confined-space panic attack—a kiss. And caving in to a fierce, unexpected need that wasn’t even on his radar. Long term? Hell no—not after the divorce that just spit him out. But a fling with the redheaded reporter with a brutally honest mouth and a body made for sin? Abso-effing-lutely.

  Trouble is, when the week is over, she isn’t even close to being out of his system…

  Warning: Contents under pressure. Hot elevator sex, a redhead who knows exactly what she wants, and a Navy SEAL who can’t help but give it to her. May cause spontaneous combustion. Be sure to fan yourself frequently.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Heat It Up:

  Becker resisted a sigh. Shit, he really needed to quit thinking about the divorce. It had been finalized months ago, and yet here he was, constantly thinking about his ex-wife. Maybe he needed to take a page out of his teammates’ books and indulge in some random, no-strings sex.

  And double shit, because sex was definitely something he shouldn’t be thinking about either. Not now, anyway.

  The woman in his lap shifted, letting out a wobbly breath that broke through the silence. “Okay, this isn’t working,” she choked out. “Maybe you can try to distract me? Talk to me about something.”

  Becker fought a wave of discomfort. Wonderful. If there was one thing he sucked at, it was talking. Especially to women.

  “Please,” she added, obviously seeing the reluctance in his eyes.

  “Talk about what?” he finally asked, caving in.

  “Anything. Tell me about the bullet wound in your arm, your favorite movie, your pet peeves. I don’t care.” Another shaky breath.

  “Um, okay.” He paused. “Well, bullet wounds hurt.”

  Her lips quirked, and Becker was startled by the little spark of pleasure he got from knowing he’d made her smile. “What does it feel like? Is it like a knife wound? Because I know what thatfeels like.”

  “When the hell did you get a knife wound?”

  “College. I was a reporter for the school paper and I went to interview this meth addict for a piece I was doing. Only he was super high and thought I was a narc.” She offered a small shrug, as if to say no biggie.

  Despite himself, Becker grinned. “Remember earlier how I said you were persistent? Well, correction—you’re nuts.”

  “It was an important story. Getting knifed added some color to the piece.” Her blue eyes twinkled. “So, the bullet…?”

  “Right. Well, to be honest, I didn’t even feel it at first. Adrenaline running too high, you know. I was too focused on getting your sister into the chop—” He narrowed his eyes. “All this is off the record, right?”

  Jane made a face. “Unfortunately. But I still think you should let me interview you.”

  “Not interested.”

  “Fine.” She gave a little pout, which brought another smile to his lips. “At least finish the story.”

  “Yes, ma’am. So, like I said, didn’t feel a thing at first, not until I climbed into the chopper. Then the pain hit me, like a streak of lightning. Arm started throbbing, head spinning from the loss of blood. Felt like someone stuck a live wire straight into my bone.”

  “Is that the first time you’ve been shot?”

  “First time I’ve had a bullet in me, yeah. I’ve been grazed a few times, knifed, slashed by a machete once…” His voice drifted, and he smiled at the horror in her eyes. “Part of the job.”

  “I could never do it,” Jane said frankly. “A job where I’m constantly getting injured? No thank you. I’d way rather interview people in the comfort of their homes.”

  He shot her a curious glance. “What kind of stories do you write?”

  “Whatever I get assigned. Last issue I had a piece about insider trading, the one before that was a story about human trafficking.”

  “And now you’re working on a story about your sister?”

  She nodded then released a long breath. To his relief, this one didn’t sound shaky. She was evidently calming down. “I was so worried about her, Becker. When her office called and told us she’d gone off the radar, I thought she was dead.” Jane swallowed. “I always tell her not to take such risky assignments, but she never listens.”

  He arched a brow. “Would you ever turn down a story because someone told you there might be some risk?”

  The corner of her mouth curved. “No. I guess it runs in the family, huh? Pigheadedness is probably the only thing I have in common with them.”

  “You don’t get along with your family?”

  “No, I do. I love them to death. But sometimes I feel like the odd man out, you know? My mom, Dad, Liz, my brother Ken—they’re all so similar. Look alike, think alike. Hell, they all chose the same career. Photographers, all of them!” She shook her head, looking baffled. “Journalism is a related field, I guess, but I know squat about photography. We have dinner together every Wednesday night, and the four of them drone on and on about new techniques they’re using or what not, and I just sit there, twiddling my thumbs.” She halted suddenly, her cheeks reddening. “Sorry, I don’t mean to complain. You’re probably bored by my rambling, huh?”

  Actually, he was the farthest thing from bored. Becker couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed listening to a woman talk. And he knew exactly what Jane was saying. How many times had he sat at the dinner table listening to Alice go on and on about her headshots and runway walk and the latest fashion trends, then watching her get all huffy when he had nothing to contribute to the conversation? Too many times.

  “I don’t mind the rambling,” he admitted. “I find you interesting.”

  She smiled again. “Thank you.”

  He liked that. Thank you. Alice had never been able to take compliments, always feigning humbleness while in reality she loved hearing how wonderful she was.

  He swept his gaze ov
er Jane’s beautiful face, and then, before he could stop himself, lightly ran his hand over her hip. Her lips parted slightly, a flicker of arousal in her eyes, and Becker’s hand instantly stilled. Shit, what was he doing? The air between them sizzled, while the heat from her curvy little body seared into him and made his pulse race. He realized she was the first woman he’d been attracted to since the divorce, and the notion unnerved him.

  Clearing his throat, he struggled to snuff out the flame of desire burning in his body. “So, did you always want to be a journalist?” he blurted out.

  She blinked, as if snapping herself out of her own sexual haze. “Uh, yeah. Ever since I was a kid. I used to write articles about everyone in the neighborhood.” She grinned. “I was convinced Mr. Jervais from across the street was up to no good, so I would spy on him and then write about what I saw.”

  “What did you see?”

  “Well, he took out the garbage a lot, so I decided he was getting rid of dismembered body parts. And he spent a lot of time in his garage, which was obviously where he killed his victims.”

  Becker laughed. “Poor man. I hope you didn’t show him any of the stories.”

  “No, my parents made me shred them. They said even ten year olds could be arrested for slander and harassment.”

  “And ten years later, you’re still at it, huh?”

  “That would make me twenty. I’m twenty-eight, thank you very much. But I appreciate the compliment. And yes, I’m still at it. I’m going to win a Pulitzer someday, you know.”

  The flash of ambition he saw in her eyes brought a wave of uneasiness. He’d seen that look far too many times in his ex-wife’s eyes.

  “And what about a husband and kids? Do you see that in your future too, or just the Pulitzer?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Sure, I want those things too, but there’s no rush. I want to focus on my career right now, make a name for myself. There’ll be time for all the rest.”

  Becker stifled a snort. How many times had he heard that one? There’s no rush. There’s time.Alice had spouted that bull for fourteen years of marriage, before finally dropping the bomb that she never planned on starting a family.

  A spark of bitterness ignited in his gut, but he forced himself not to reveal his thoughts on the subject to Jane. He seriously needed to stop comparing her to his ex. He didn’t even know this woman. He had no right judging her choices and goals. So what if they weren’t aligned with his? Wasn’t like he was going to marry the girl.

  “I do make plenty of time for sex, though,” she added with a small grin.

  His hard-on returned with full-force, straining against his zipper. No doubt Jane felt it straining against her too, because her eyes widened slightly. “Oh my,” she murmured.

  Becker rolled his eyes. “That’s what happens when you say the word sex while you’re sitting in a man’s lap, sweetheart.”

  “Do you want me to say it again?” she asked with an impish look.

  “Seeing as we’re trapped here in this elevator, I can’t really stop you from saying anything, can I?”

  He instantly knew he’d said the wrong thing because Jane’s blue eyes flickered with terror. She glanced around the small space, as if remembering where they were and why there were there. Her throat worked as she swallowed repeatedly, and Beck could practically hear her pulse began to race. Shit. Why on earth had he reminded her they were trapped in an elevator?

  “Jane—” he started.

  “How long has it been?” she cut him off. “Didn’t he say a half an hour? It feels like ages since—”

  “Jane—”

  She shifted in his lap, hand fumbling toward her purse. “My phone has the time on it. I need to see—”

  “Jane—”

  “—how long we’ve been here. Do you feel hot too or is it just me? And it is getting hard to breathe, because I really can’t—”

  Becker pressed his lips to hers. He hadn’t planned on kissing her, but it was the only way to shut her up, to distract her before she hurled herself headfirst off another panic cliff.

  Only, the second his mouth touched hers, he forgot all about why he’d kissed her in the first place. Instead, all he could think about was…well, kissing her. Kissing the holy hell out of her.

  So he did.

  One man wants her heart. The other wants her dead…

  Going Down

  © 2010 Shelli Stevens

  Holding Out for a Hero, Book 1

  Eleanor Owen needs to get out of Chicago and quick. It’s not that she doesn’t want to obey the subpoena to testify against her drug-trafficking ex-boyfriend. It’s making it to the witness stand alive, should a dirty cop make good on his threats.

  Tiny, remote Wyattville, Oregon, looks like the perfect place to disappear, but it’s hard to blend into the woodwork when one of the town’s infamous namesakes sends her heart racing. Worse, Mr. Tall, Hot and Packing is the town sheriff, which means she should stay as far away from him as possible.

  Tyson Wyatt is positive the sexy new girl in town is hiding something. Question is, what? He vows to feel out her secrets—including what she feels like beneath him. Preferably naked. Until then, he’s not buying the story she’s selling.

  Their chemistry is sheet-melting hot, and Ellie realizes much too late that the man with the badge is as dangerous to her heart as her ex is to her life…

  Warning: A city girl on the run, and a small-town sheriff set to seduce. Explicit sex. Dirty talk. A hint of danger. Oral sex with a cupcake.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Going Down:

  “Okay, you need to stop cornering me like this,” she said breathlessly.

  He slid his gaze over her, took in the hardened points of her breasts beneath the tank top, and her uneven breathing.

  “I think you like it when I do, Ellie.”

  Instead of replying, her tongue darted out to trace over the mouth that was tempting the hell out of him.

  His blood pounded harder and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

  “You do like it. Don’t you?” his voice dropped an octave as he curled his fingers around the swell of her hips.

  “Tyson.” His name on her lips was a breathy combination of plea and protest.

  But when he lowered his head, there was no protest in her wide eyes. And before his lips could touch hers, her lashes fluttered down in submission as she leaned into him.

  A wave of need washed through him, primal and potent. With a low groan, he closed that last distance, taking her mouth.

  Her lips, pillowy soft and pliant, moved against his. The warmth of her breath teased him, ripped at his self-control.

  He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, using her gasp of surprise to thrust his tongue inside the hot cavern of her mouth.

  He moved his hands around her hips and grabbed the firm roundness of her ass, squeezing, and then lifting her onto the counter.

  Jesus. He was going to lose it. So much for being professional. But screw it, just like he’d told her earlier, he was off duty. And right now, his only duty was to see how far she’d let him take this.

  And if he played his cards right, maybe all the way to the bedroom.

  You need to stop him.

  Ellie ruthlessly silenced the voice of reason in her head and moaned as Tyson pushed her legs wide to step between them. The only thing that mattered now was pleasure, and following the thread of temptation that Tyson had so carefully laid out for her.

  The edge of the counter bit into her bottom, the angle and pressure adding to the intensity and spontaneity of the moment.

  His tongue danced with hers, rubbing and sucking. Their mouths separated for just a second, giving them both enough time to gasp in air, before once again he claimed her lips.

  His hands, confident and knowing, moved to her waist, gathering the tank top she wore and pushing it upward.

  Cool air brushed her belly and her pulse quickened. If you’re going to stop him, now would be the time.<
br />
  Then it was too late, and she really didn’t give a damn as the fabric lifted over her breasts and her nipples tightened.

  His head lifted from hers again, and she refused to open her eyes, because she knew he was looking at her body.

  “Oh, yeah, sweetheart,” he muttered thickly. “You like it.”

  Wet friction rasped over her bare nipple and she groaned, pleasure rocking through her as she finally let her lashes flutter up.

  The vision of Tyson’s head bent over her breast sent heat exploding in her belly and a rush of moisture between her legs.

  His tongue moved against the tip, teasing and exploring her, making her nipple lengthen and tighten for his touch.

  With a soft laugh, he parted his lips and drew her into his mouth, suckling lightly.

  So good. It felt so damn good. How could she possibly stop him when this moment was so exquisite? She was only going to be in Wyattville for a couple months…why not indulge in a little harmless sex?

  Ellie squirmed on the counter, her breath quickening as she tunneled her fingers into his short, blond hair, holding him against her. Wanting him to suck harder, to use his teeth.

  His free hand came up to cover the other breast, squeezing and massaging the flesh. Then he caught the nipple between two fingers and pinched lightly.

  She jerked against him, crying out. More, she wanted so much more. Wanted his fingers buried deep inside her, and then his tongue, before finally, his cock.

  The image of it skittered through her head, robbing her ability to breathe, making her wetter.

  Tyson switched his mouth to the other nipple, sucking fiercely as he eased his hand down her belly. His teeth grazed over the tip over her breast, before he lifted his head.

  “I want to touch you here,” he muttered thickly, just before he cupped between her thighs. “Feel how hot your pussy is right now.”

  “Tyson,” she moaned, her sex clenching at his erotic words. Jesus, it was like he’d known her thoughts.