A Lick of Flame Read online

  “Uhhh…what just happened?”

  He bristled, reaching for the only thing that came to mind. “You don’t want to get involved with the likes of these men.”

  “And why not?”

  “Look at them, Sydney.”

  No sooner did he say it than he regretted his words. Because look, or more to the point ogle, was exactly what she did, receiving several interested smiles in return that made his hackles rise to the surface.

  “Okay. That’s enough,” he barked.

  Her brows shot upward so fast he half expected them to disappear into her hairline.

  “Enough?” She paused. When she spoke again her tone firmed. “No. What’s enough is your overbearing— Errr…” she growled. “That you think you have some say over my personal life. You’re my boss. I work for you. But you’re not my guardian or my protector. That’s all—” Her voice cracked. “That’s all there will ever be between us.”

  Sydney was exquisite in her fury. Pink spotted her cheeks, while tendons tightened along her neck. Her hands clenched by her sides. And that perky little nose was high in the air. Her waspish effect made his blood pump hot and wild. He reached for her but she jerked away.

  “That’s all, Sean.” Spinning around, she marched right into the arms of the cowboy who had interrupted them.

  Sean fought the urge to go after her, but she was right. He had no claims on her. The realization soured his mood as he stomped back to the table and threw himself into his chair.

  Louisa and Ted were on the dance floor. Cameron was nowhere in sight.

  Harry leaned toward him. “Something wrong, bro?”

  “That woman is infuriating.” Sean released an ominous growl as the cowboy swung Sydney into his body, her hips grinding his. Sean’s mouth went dry. Heat traveled so fast up his neck it felt as if his head would burst into flames.

  “And beautiful.”

  “Hell yes, she’s beau—” Sean stuttered. “I mean…she’s young and vulnerable.”

  Both men turned to watch her just as she spun away from the cowboy, her body dissolving into the music as her eyes closed. Her ass swayed seductively to the beat. Her shoulders undulated, her breasts pressed tight against that sexy damn sweater. Arms above her head, she bent her knees, taking her body down in a wave that made Sean’s heart crash against his chest.

  “Vulnerable? Sydney?” Harry chuckled. “So you’ve got it bad for her?”

  Gaze locked on the woman of his infatuation, Sean huffed. “Are you kidding?” Watching her rub against another man made his palms itch to tear the little minx out of the cowboy’s embrace. “She’s my sister. Well, sort of.” They had no blood ties.

  “The man doth protest too much, methinks.”

  Sean slowly turned his head, leveling his glare on Harry. “Ha. Ha. Think what you want, Shakespeare.”

  He picked up his beer and took a deep swig before slamming the bottle on the table. Without saying another word he got to his feet. The last chords of the music strummed and he planned to be next to Sydney before a new song began.

  As he stepped onto the dance floor, sweet laughter caressed his ears. Sydney wore a broad smile for the cowboy who stroked his palms down her arms until he held her hands in his. Another growl rumbled in Sean’s throat. He wanted her to smile at him like that.

  Anchoring his fingers around her biceps, he pulled her out of the man’s grasp. “My turn.”

  The cowboy took a step toward them, stopping when Sydney shook her head. Disappointment greeted Sean. He’d like nothing better than to wipe the smirk from the cowboy’s face.

  With several quick brushes of her hand, she fanned the blush on her cheeks. “I think I’ll sit this one out. But thank you.” Not waiting for a response, she sauntered off at a clip.

  Hard-pressed to follow, he worked his way through the crowd, increasing his pace when he realized she wasn’t heading for their table. Instead, she ducked out the exit.

  Sydney wasn’t getting away from him that easily.

  The relationship is pretend. The chemistry…isn’t.

  Sweet Deal

  © 2012 Kelly Jamieson

  After her last job ended with a broken heart and a humiliating exit from the company, Shelby Leighton’s project management career is back on track with a new job and a high-profile project. The problem: her new boss is a little too friendly, and the staff is talking. Can you say, “déjà vu?” The solution: casually mention a fictional new boyfriend.

  New problem: she’s expected to bring her new man to the upcoming corporate picnic.

  Jake Magill doesn’t do relationships. It’s casual or nothing, but the hot blonde he’s been eyeing at the coffee shop sure is something. Especially when she confesses her problem, and he finds himself offering to act as her date.

  Sounds simple. Stroll around the party with Shelby’s sexy curves clinging to his arm? He’s all over it. Until he meets her boss—the man who once stole and married the one woman Jake thought he loved.

  Now Jake’s the one with a reason to pretend. If only to save his own pride…and Shelby from the predatory gaze of the man who could ruin her, and any chance of finding out if their fake connection is the real thing.

  Warning: Contains one desperate lady in need, and a pretend boyfriend who shows impressive dedication to nailing all—and then some—elements of his role. Oh my!

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Sweet Deal:

  “You’re just a little thing, aren’t you?” Jake set his hands on her hips as they moved to the music and smiled his sexy smile down at her, his dark eyes heavy-lidded and sensual. They were both putting on a good act, but Shelby knew she was kidding herself. This was no act. She was so attracted to Jake. More than attracted. His charming personality, the easy way he talked to her coworkers, just the way he’d stepped in to help her and how he’d been so convincing in his role as her boyfriend drew her to him.

  She could pretend this was all just an act. Yeah. When the evening ended and they parted, Jake’s favor over and done with, she’d be fine. But right now, pretending was so much fun.

  “I hope Andrew doesn’t give you a hard time at work next week,” Jake murmured, a small crease between his thick, straight eyebrows.

  “I’m hoping he’ll just leave me alone. I mean, I still need to work with him. Well, you know what I mean.”

  “I know what you mean, Shelby Rose.”

  The way he called her that made her go all soft inside. They shared a slow smile, gazes fastened on each other as they danced.

  They drank another beer, chatted a bit more, danced again. As the evening grew cooler, Shelby slipped on a hoodie she’d brought. She almost forgot to be aware of where Andrew was, and whether he was watching them. As the crowd dwindled, she looked at Jake with regret.

  “We could leave now,” she said softly. “I think our mission is accomplished.”

  “Yeah. Okay.” He nodded and set down the cola he’d requested instead of beer last time. “I’ll drive you back to your car.”

  “Oh. Yeah.” She hesitated. “You know, that wasn’t very smart of me, but I think I’ve had too much to drink.” She bit her bottom lip as she met his eyes. “I completely forgot I had to drive.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll just drive you home then. Will you be able to get your car tomorrow?”

  Things were pleasantly blurry as they walked hand in hand toward the parking lot. “Yeah, I’ll get it somehow. But thanks for driving me home. Geez, I feel so stupid.”

  “You are far from stupid, Shelby Rose.”

  “I like how you call me that,” she confessed. He opened the passenger door of his Audi SUV, and she paused. “Man, this is a high vehicle.”

  “It is for an elf,” he said. “Here.” He lifted her and sat her on the passenger seat, then closed her door.

  “Hey!” But he was walking around the vehicle to his side. She glared at him when he slid in and he grinned.

  “I’m teasing.” He leaned over and brushed his mouth acr
oss hers, sending tingles cascading over her whole body. She blinked at him, then remembered to fasten her seatbelt.

  He parked on the street in front of her apartment building in the quiet residential neighborhood and walked with her to the door. As she paused at the door, the shadows of the tall queen palm shifting moonlight over and around them, he slipped his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face. She stared back at him, her gaze moving over his dark eyes, crinkled at the corners as he smiled, the cleft in the middle of his chin, the sexy curve of his lower lip. Oh. Her breath whooshed out of her.

  Heat expanded, the air around them feeling like it might ignite, and then they were wrapped in each other’s arms, mouths fused together in a hot, impetuous kiss, bold, frantic and hungry.

  His arms crushed her to him, her purse thunked to the ground and her feet lifted as he hauled her higher and tighter to his body.

  “Jesus,” he muttered against her mouth, before taking it again in another devouring kiss. She kissed him back, mindless, frenzied. The sexual tension that had been smoldering inside her all evening burst into flames. Heat swept over her.

  His tongue dragged over hers, licked her bottom lip, then his mouth sealed over hers again. An intense ache bloomed low in her belly, and she slid her hands into his hair, holding his head, and she kissed him back, a full-mouthed, full-bodied kiss that had more heat exploding between them.

  Eventually, she pulled back, panting, heart hammering, and gasped, “Wait.”

  He made a sound like a groan.

  “We don’t have to do this,” she wheezed. “This was supposed to be an act.”

  He made a derisive noise. “Yeah. It was supposed to be. But don’t tell me you don’t feel it too, Shelby Rose.”

  His hands tightened on her ass, pulling her against him, and she felt his erection against her belly. Holy crap, he was big. She’d made him that hard. And he’d made her so wet her panties were soaked. You couldn’t fake that kind of reaction. She gazed up at him, uncertain of what to do now.

  “Invite me in,” he ordered softly.

  A Lick of Flame

  Cathryn Fox

  Where there’s heat, there’s a smoking-hot firefighter.

  Boys of Beachville, Book 2

  No man lights Madison Kelly’s fire quite like Sean Adams, the firefighter she’s been hired to guard during the Boys of Beachville calendar shoot. Though he stars in her hottest, steamiest fantasies, he’s the last person she’s going to tell. An accident left its mark on her, body and soul. But when she catches Sean looking at her like she’s water for a man dying of thirst, she wonders if it’s possible he might see the girl beneath the scars.

  Ever since he pulled Madison from the fire that injured her, Sean’s been hot for her. Too bad she clearly has no interest in him—or so he thinks, until he sees a spark in her eyes that says she burns for him as much as he does for her. No more tiptoeing around the matter—a blatant seduction is in order.

  Soon they’re igniting the sheets, but come morning Madison’s old fears and insecurities threaten to snuff the flames to ashes. Except Sean’s fuse has been lit, and he has no intention of letting her put it out. Ever.

  Warning: First rule for putting out a fire—take a firm grip on the fireman—er, the hose. Second rule depends on what kind of fire we’re talking about.

  eBooks are not transferable.

  They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B

  Cincinnati OH 45249

  A Lick of Flame

  Copyright © 2012 by Cathryn Fox

  ISBN: 978-1-60928-961-4

  Edited by Sue Ellen Gower

  Cover by Angela Waters

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: September 2012

  www.samhainpublishing.com