Mari Carr's Blog, page 51

Top Shelf

The Cocktales series is going into print and the first volume, Top Shelf, is available NOW. This book contains Party Naked and Screwdriver. The second two stories in the series are slated to hit print in spring 2014. More details on that as I receive them.

Party Naked

Cocktales, Book One

Stephanie Harper is perfectly happy co-owning Books and Brew, where she slings drinks and entertains her friends with cutting wit and a cynical take on love. She’s convinced she has no time for anything deeper than sex; she has a business to run, after all. And her thrice-married mother has proven happy every after doesn’t exist.

Jarod Nolan begs to differ. Chance has him running into Steph—and giving her a ticket—one morning, but it’s fate that finds him in her place of business that same evening. A sizzling one-night stand ensues, and although Stephanie escapes before he wakes the next morning, Jarod is already sure she’s worth the chase.

Steph’s more than willing to party naked with the hot cop, but she’s adamant they’re driven by lust, not love. Jarod is prepared to prove otherwise, even if it means giving up one of the things he and Stephanie do best…

What’s that old saying? Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder?

Screwdriver

Cocktales, Book Two

When Jordan Lance isn’t pouring over spreadsheets for Books and Brew, she’s fantasizing about the store’s landlord. Too bad she’s squarely in Gabriel’s “just friends” column. Jordan’s prepared to pine forever—until she meets Casey. The handyman is hot, handsome, charming…and Gabriel’s best friend. Suddenly her wicked fantasies are porntastic times two.

Casey has suspected his friend’s interest in Jordan. If he can push them together, he might get Gabriel off the bimbo train he’s been riding. The plan? Jealousy. And it’s working. It’s not long before Gabriel’s deeper feelings for Jordan emerge. Problem is…so do Casey’s. What happens when two friends want the same woman? Red-hot ménage, baby.

Two gorgeous men playing every inch of her body? Um, yes please! Jordan doesn’t know if threesomes are considered acceptable, but she’s sure of one thing—being this bad feels far too good.

Top Shelf is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Ellora’s Cave.

Book Signing

Tomorrow I will be signing books at Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend in Hagerstown, Maryland. It is open to the public from 12-2. More details can be found here. If you’re in the area, I would LOVE to meet you.

Covert Lessons in Print

Covert Lessons was one of my very first books. It came out in January 2009 and WOO HOO…today it releases in print

Covert Lessons

Gangs are taking over the hallways of Lowell High School. Desperate to save her alma mater, English teacher Kelly Finch reaches out to at-risk students in an effort to steer them from more dangerous pursuits. Still, gang activity is rising, and when the superintendant seeks help from an undercover task force, Kelly is forced to play host to the most arrogant, infuriating, sexy man she’s ever met—Lt. Jared McNally.

The opinionated pair clash constantly, especially when Mac sets his sites on Kelly’s favorite student. As the intensity of the mission grows, so does their attraction, leading to an erotic “punishment” for Kelly when she consistently disregards her own safety.

But the stubborn beauty’s devotion to her students continues to bring her closer to the escalating gang violence. If Mac can keep her safe long enough, she’ll definitely need a few more sensual, covert lessons.

Publisher Note:  For more sexy suspense featuring staff from Lowell High, check out Retreat.

Excerpt:

Kelly narrowed her eyes, angrily glaring at Mac. “Are you implying that I’m arrogant, overbearing and opinionated?”

Meg snorted back a laugh before walking toward the door. “That sounds like my cue to leave.”

“Freeze! What are you implying, Meg?”

“Not a thing. I really need to go to class.”

“You think I’m arrogant and opinionated?” She was unwilling to let Meg off the hook. This was news to her.

“Listen—” Mac started. He must have sensed the tense undercurrent and was clearly hoping to break up the fight he’d started.

“Butt out.” She turned back to Meg. “Do you?”

“I think you’re an extremely self-confident, self-assured woman with a strong sense of right and wrong.”

“Good God.” She thought perhaps Mac’s comments were closer to the mark than she’d realized. “You think I’m a bitch!”

“Kelly,” Meg laughed. “Sweetheart, I think you’re the bee’s knees and you know it. You are just what I said.”

“Yeah, but all those words you used are synonyms for arrogant and opinionated and bitchy.” She frowned.

“Lord save me from English teachers,” Meg joked. “Tell you what, Mr. McNally—sorry, Mac. You started this so I’m going to let you finish it. Have a nice first day. You couldn’t ask for a better cooperating teacher than Kelly, by the way.” Meg walked out of the room. From the hallway, they could clearly hear her add the words, “Even if she isarrogant and opinionated!” Her jest was followed by her own loud, pleased laughter.

Kelly rolled her eyes, accustomed to Meg’s teasing manner. Turning around, she found Mac studying her closely, no doubt expecting her to blow up at her friend’s words.

“Meg has a rather twisted sense of humor.” She grinned despite the fact she was once again alone with the man who seemed capable of tying her insides in knots simply by entering a room.

“I don’t know.” He leaned back against the counter, drawing her attention once again to his muscular thighs. She couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like in swim trunks, or better yet a Speedo. Not that she’d ever find out, of course. After all, it was the middle of January in Virginia. He waited until her eyes returned to his face. The cocky look in his gaze let her know she’d been busted again and she shook her head for being so transparent. Damn man was reading her attraction to him like a book. “Meg seems to be an extremely intelligent and astute woman.”

“Such big words, Lieutenant.”

The immediate disappearance of his smile clued her in to her mistake. Glancing around quickly to make sure they were alone, she held up her hand to ward off the chastisement she read on his lips.

“Sorry. Slip of the tongue. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

He stalked toward her and she found herself backing up involuntarily at the anger she saw in his face. In four steps, she found herself cornered in the book room off the office, backed up against the wall and watching him kick the door shut with his foot. The room was tiny at best and finding herself in such close proximity to him left her struggling to take a deep breath.

“I said I was sorry.” However, he simply continued to glare at her.

“Sorry isn’t really enough, Kelly,” he said sternly. “If Meg or anyone else had been in that room, my cover would have been blown in an instant. Not only would you have ruined my chances of working here covertly, you would have made it next to impossible to sneak someone else in without raising suspicion.”

“I understand all of that.” She was unhappy with being treated like a child by this infuriating man.

“Do you?” he asked hotly. “Do you really? Because from where I’m standing it seems to me you’d be very happy to see this investigation fail.”

“That’s not true,” she retorted. “I don’t like the underhanded way you’re going about it, but I do realize the need for change. I don’t like my students being in danger and I’m perfectly aware of the fact that gangs are dangerous. Hell, I broke up two fights just last week outside my classroom door! I’m not an idiot.”

At his deepening scowl, she feared her words weren’t soothing his temper at all. “What do you mean you broke up two fights?”

She was taken aback by the quick change of topic. “Verbal altercations and a little shoving. Not fights, really.”

“Well, you won’t be doing that again.”

She was appalled by the man’s conceit. Surely he didn’t think he could solve all the school’s problems in one day? “Well excuse me, Mighty Miracle Worker, but I hardly think you can claim there won’t be any more fights simply because you’re in the building.”

“Oh there are bound to be more fights, but you won’t be breaking them up. Good God, woman, what were you thinking? Tiny thing like you? You could have been hurt.”

She was confused by his immediate about-face. One minute he was yelling at her for nearly blowing his cover and the next he was yelling at her for endangering herself. Infuriating, frustrating man. Anxious to recover the upper hand, she dismissed his words with a shrug of her shoulder. “It’s part of the job. Besides, as I recall, you were brought here to put an end to gangs taking over the hallways, not to act as my personal bodyguard. If trouble starts up again, I’ll step in.”

He leaned toward her as a smile she immediately distrusted claimed his handsome face. “Perhaps it’s time for us to establish some ground rules.”

“Rules?” His lips hovered mere inches from hers. The temperature in the small book room shot up and she fought the impulse to fan herself.

“You’re a teacher.” He moved even closer, although she wasn’t sure how that was possible given the fact that it already felt as if he were taking up every available square inch of the room. “No doubt you have rules in your classroom and consequences if those rules are broken. That might be a good idea for us as well.”

“Fine,” she choked out. “Rule one, you can’t keep—!”

He interrupted her. “Oh no, sweetheart. You misunderstand. I make the rules.”

Fury rippled through her at the thought of Mac attempting to impose a bunch of rules on her. Did the pompous male chauvinist pig actually think she would consent to such foolishness?

“You can kiss my ass if you think—”

“Careful, Kelly, you might not want to give me that particular permission. You see, there’s nothing I’d like so much as to kiss your…” He reached back to envelop her rear end in his strong hands, letting his fingers fill in the blanks.

Covert Lessons is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

Sugar and Spice on Audible!

Today marks a very exciting first for me! Audible is releasing Sugar and Spice! I cannot wait to HEAR one of my stories read aloud!

Sugar and Spice


Written by: Mari Carr
Narrated by: Aisling Conaway
Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins 

Ginny’s 30th birthday is shaping up to be the worst ever, until her best friend Ryan takes her to the Way Down Under, a new sex club she’s been dying to visit. Too bad Ryan refuses to let her see anything but the club’s tasteful bar.Sneaking off to explore, Ginny is busted by Ryan in the Voyeur Room. But instead of taking her home, Ryan intends to teach her a lesson – and immediately commands her to strip. Stunned, Ginny obeys and embarks on a night unlike any other.

Sugar and Spice is available at Audible.

Quote of the Day

The ultimate in motherly advice. LOL

“Darling…if you HAVE a baby, you won’t BE the baby anymore.” – Overboard

Meet the Heat T

What is your favorite book? *sigh* You might as well ask me which one of my kids is my favorite lol – I guess I’d have to say Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard, I have read reread as well as listened to the audio more times that I can count. It never fails to have me laughing my ass off .

What is your favorite food? Steak, my idea of a perfect meal medium rare steak and grilled zucchini lightly seasoned Yep now I’m hungry.

What is your favorite song/singer/type of music?

Song: Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad by Meat Loaf has always been my favorite song. I have many favorites as new songs come out by this one just does it for me. Recently my daughter tuned me into a new one that could easily become a fast favorite I just it. Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. If you haven’t heard it before you should take the time to listen. http://youtu.be/hlVBg7_08n0.

Singer: To many to choose just one, some of my tops… love Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry, Taylor Swift. Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Credence Clearwater Revival, Dr. Hook..

Type of Music: As you can see from my list of singers I have a rather eclectic taste in music, my dad put us to sleep listening to Johnny Cash and John Denver but the waking hours were ABBA or England Dan and John Ford Coley or CCR I had a good childhood I was raised on some good music. Thanks Dad!

What are your goals for the future? I want to get my art published that would be my ultimate goal.

If you could meet any author, who would you choose and why? I’m assuming this means besides all my IH gals right I guess I have three really. My two favorite mainstream authors. Laurell K. Hamilton to meet the woman who created Anita Blake oh yeah that would be a super serious crazy fan girl moment. Sherrilyn Kenyon, because Acheron Parthenopaeus is like a god among men ‘literally’ at least in her world. I wish they could write as fast as I read and last but definitely not least. Stormy Glenn I love her books she never fails to make me laugh and cry, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book of hers that hasn’t sent my emotions on an emotional rollercoaster. I get into so much trouble where she is concerned because once I start reading one of her stories the world around me ceases to exist. “Dinner…  What do you want on your pizza?”

What’s the one scene in a book that impacted you the most and why? *Give Mari the evil eye* this requires me to think… let me get back to you on this one… in a couple of years

Favorite type of art to create? I love art period not much about it I don’t want to try except knitting my fingers haven’t figured that one out and never will. I like to express myself in my art I do that mostly in my art journals they represent how I’m feeling, it is something just for me not everyone has to get it and that is fine some people write in a journal me I do art and sometimes I might journal a bit about what is going on or why I created what I did. I also love creating unique gifts it is fun to give someone something different besides the usual gifts and I enjoy being able to create that special gift for someone to give to that special person. My author promo some books and or cover art speak to me and my muse just works over time with ideas of something we could do using that cover.

If you could have any book made into a movie, which one would you choose and who would play the hero/heroine? This is easy Carol Lynne’s series Cattle Valley I’m not really sure who I’d choose for the parts I just know that this would be a #1 prime time series, well that is if we lived in an ideal world anyway.

Boxers or briefs? Commando, there is just that little thrill you get knowing…

Pleasing the Doctor

My lovely friend, Sami Lee, has a new book out today at Ellora’s Cave called Pleasing the Doctor!

Pleasing the Doctor

It’s been a year since Alice’s divorce—and since her lady parts haven’t gotten any up-close-and-personal action from anyone other than herself. When she meets Damien and he invites her back to his hotel room, she decides to be wild and brave for a change. After all, it’s just one night. His card says he’s an out-of-town doctor—it’s the perfect chance for her to explore some of her deepest desires without having to worry about after-sex embarrassment.

Except…Damien isn’t an out-of-towner at all. He’s just moved to the area and knows, as soon as he sees Alice, that he can give her the kind of pleasure she secretly craves. The kind of pleasure that comes from a good spanking and some leather bindings. Convincing Alice to give in to her cravings isn’t a problem—convincing her to stay once the sun comes up is the real challenge.

Inside Scoop: The heroine explores her naughty-but-nice side in this romance with BDSM elements.

You can read an excerpt over at the Ellora’s Cave website.

More than Lovers

Ooo la la…a brand new, spicy, red hot book from the incredible Jess Dee. Run…don’t walk…to get More than Lovers!

It was just sex…until the booty calls got serious.

More Than, Book 2

When Sarah Deacon’s new relationship comes to an unexpected end, she heads straight for the one place she can always find no-strings comfort—her neighbor’s bed. Charlie, who’s made it clear sex is all he wants, is only too happy to oblige.

Hot sex with a gorgeous surfer any time she’s single and in the mood? Oh, yeah. She’s all signed up for that course.

Charlie Hudson knows he’s all wrong for the sexy geneticist. After all, what could a long-haired school dropout have in common with a classy academic? Nothing…except maybe a burning desire for her that just won’t quit no matter how often they have sex.

Sensing the breakup has damaged her self-worth, Charlie cooks up a plan to introduce her to three “appropriate” men who’ll show her she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. But when his matchmaking begins to work too well, he realizes there’s only one thing worse than not having her in his bed.

Losing the chance to make her his forever.

Product Warnings

One blond-haired, blue-eyed surfer dude + red-hot booty calls = a book you will not be able to put down (unless you plan to go surfing…or jump your guy.)

Excerpt:

Sarah Deacon released the breath she’d held in a long whoosh. Relief zipped through her veins. Charlie Hudson was home. He stood in his doorway, eyeing her speculatively.

Just as quickly as she’d released it, her breath hitched again. He might be home, but that didn’t mean there was no one else here.

“Sar,” he greeted.

“Charlie.” She bit her lip. “Are you, um, alone?”

He nodded. A slow nod, accompanied by a sensual smile. “As it happens, I am. Would you like to come in?”

Her belly tightened in anticipation. “I’d love to.” He had no idea how much.

It wasn’t the first time she’d asked the question. It was a key one between the two of them, and after eighteen months of asking, it needed no embellishment.

Charlie stepped back, allowing Sarah into his unit. The layout was identical to hers downstairs, but the furnishings were so different, no one would ever mistake his place for hers.

Charlie’s chocolate brown leather couches faced a huge flat-screen TV embedded in the wall. The wooden floor remained unadorned, with nothing but a glass coffee table set in the center. Stark, modern and nothing like Sarah’s lounge room, with her plush carpets, upholstered sofas and treasured collection of antiques.

Décor was the last thing on her mind now, although those leather couches would come in handy when her legs collapsed beneath her, as they usually did when Charlie worked his magic.

Already she fingered the hemline of her T-shirt, and the instant she heard the click of the door closing, she drew that hemline up over her breasts and tugged the tee off, turning to face Charlie in her bra.

The purple bra she’d chosen specially to wear tonight, because without a doubt, it was her sexiest.

His blue gaze darkened as it settled on her chest.

“Correct me if I’m wrong…” Charlie’s tongue touched his upper lip, leaving the spot glistening. “But didn’t you have a hot date this evening?”

“I did. And then I didn’t.”

“Ah, right.” He looked totally confused. “And that means what exactly?” Charlie stepped closer and brushed his hand over her arm, leaving a streak of goose bumps in his wake.

“He fell in love with another woman.” Sarah tried not to let the disappointment mar her tone but must have failed by the frown on Charlie’s face.

“In three days?”

“I know. Go figure.” She arched her neck as Charlie’s fingers trailed from her shoulder to her ear, a slow burn starting in her belly.

God, his touch felt good.

“I’m trying to figure, Sar, but honestly? You’re not making too much sense.” He flicked her red hair over her shoulder, bent forward and nipped her neck.

The second his teeth scraped over her sensitive skin, Sarah forgot to care how sexy her bra was. She just wanted it gone. Twisting her arms behind her back, she unclipped the hooks and let the underwear fall to the floor, loving the rush of air against her hot skin.

“He phoned and invited me over to his place,” she explained. “Which I thought was pretty okay for a fourth date.” She arched her back as Charlie wound his arm around her waist, dipping her, pushing her now bare breasts upwards.

He leaned his head down and licked her nipple. Ran his warm, moist tongue over it, and a soft cry filled the air.

Hers.

“Pretty okay,” he agreed. “Explains the purple bra too. Drives me crazy when you wear that thing. Suspect it would drive any guy crazy.” He kissed her other nipple.

Sarah’s breasts tingled beneath the arousing attack, and she arched her back further, encouraging him to keep it up—which he did, in a manner magnificent enough to send chills up her spine.

“So I get to his place, and there’s someone else there. His friend.”

Charlie paused. “So you wore the purple bra for…what’s his name again?”

“Sebastian.”

“For Sebastian and his friend?”

“No. I wore it just for Sebastian. His friend happened to drop in minutes before I arrived.”

“Did the friend get to see the purple bra?” He rubbed his left cheek on one breast then his right cheek on the other. His five o’clock shadow scraped over her sensitized skin, making Sarah shiver.

“God, no. The friend was a woman, and she wasn’t interested in my bra.”

“I’m interested in your bra.” He nuzzled her breasts then bit down gently on one nipple, taking Sarah’s breath. “More interested when your bra’s on the floor though.”

Quote of the Day

Another classic quote from Overboard…

“I don’t belong here, I feel it, don’t you think I feel it! I can’t do any of these vile things and I wouldn’t WANT to. Oh, my life is like death! My children are the spawn of hell, and you’re the devil. Oh God!”

Bonus points for anyone who can tell me what line comes right after this. No cheating! 

The Last of the Monsters

Lila’s amazing Monsters in Hollywood series wraps up with the latest book, The Last of the Monsters, releasing Tuesday. If you haven’t read this series, why not?!

That’s a wrap.

Monsters in Hollywood, Book 6

Leading lady Akta Patel is in love with Henry, her co-star in Truth in Darkness, the most anticipated movie in Hollywood. But there’s a problem. Only a few know that the “truth” in the title is the fact that Monsters are real. Henry is one of them—and he’s sworn never to date a human.

Henry is at the end of his rope. A year ago, an in-the-moment touch of her lips on his bought his monster roaring to the surface. Kissing and touching her now, as they film, is torture—and his fight to maintain control shows in the dailies.

An attack on the production brings life’s uncertainties into sharp focus, and Henry wastes no time making room for Akta in his arms, a space she gladly fills with her body. But as the premiere approaches, enemies close in on all sides, threatening Akta’s life.

Forcing Henry to risk everything—including the clan’s safety—to save the woman he loves.

Product Warnings

This title contains a monster with a sexy secret, a woman who believes in love (and smoking-hot sex) and the last battle of the Monsters.

Excerpt:

There was a cool breeze wafting across the patio. Akta pulled her hair over her shoulder, twisting it into a rope. It was long enough to sit on, and on warm nights like this she imagined cutting it. She never would, it was too much a part of her image, as well as a way to honor her heritage. America’s favorite Indian actress couldn’t go from traditional long hair to a bob without causing a stir.

The sliding door opened and a tall man appeared. A little thrill went through her as Henry stepped out of her living room onto the patio. He was tall and lean, but not too skinny. His face was classically handsome, his brown hair short. But it was his eyes that called to her. He had the most intense blue eyes. When he looked at her it was as if there were no one else in the world. Akta was used to attention—it was part of her job as an actor—but attention from Henry was something else altogether.

“Henry, I didn’t know you were still here.”

Henry and his friends had come to her house for a casual party. She’d assumed all the guests were gone. He carefully closed the door, then made his way to her large outdoor dining table. He took the seat next to her and accepted the bottle of beer she passed him from the drink tub on the table.

“I think they forgot about me.”

Akta laughed. He sounded both forlorn and relieved. “I’m sorry. I’ll take you home.”

“If it’s all right, I’d like to stay for a while.”

“Of course. I need to sober up a bit before I drive anyway.”

Akta pushed away her half-empty beer and fished out a bottle of water. The table was littered with dishes and cups, the remnants of a good party. She stacked a few unused napkins that the breeze had scattered, placing the beer bottle on top to hold them down.

“Thank you for dinner. I’ll help you clean up.” Henry grabbed a few other napkins and passed them to her.

“You’re welcome. It was nice to have everyone here, and to celebrate Margo and Runako.”

Two days ago, Akta and three of her best friends—Lena, Jane and Cali—had gone to rescue their other friend and the fifth owner of their movie production company, Calypso Productions. Margo had disappeared over a week ago, and they’d been in a panic, assuming that their newest project had put her in danger.

It had, but not in the way they thought.

Margo had been kidnapped by Runako, one of their clients. Runako was a new—and reluctant—addition to the client group. They’d originally been approached by just three men, Luke, Michael and Henry himself.

Runako kidnapped Margo because he had some very cavemanesque ideas about romance, though from what she’d heard, Margo gave as good as she got in her brief time as a sexy captive. The kidnapping and subsequent rescue attempt ended in an unexpected way—a proposal.

Now they were back in LA, and the guys had spent the night alternately cursing and congratulating Runako. He wasn’t the first of the men to fall for one of Akta’s business partners. Lena’s asking Luke out on a date is what had started this whole project, while Jane and Michael had fallen for each other when she’d used him as a resource for information while writing the screenplay.

Akta tugged at her hair again, using it to shield her face as she looked at Henry. The moonlight made a silver halo around him, while the sputtering candles lit the planes of his cheeks. There was no indication that he was anything other than what he appeared to be—a good-looking guy drinking a beer.

But Henry wasn’t a guy. He was a monster.

An actual monster.

And so were all his friends.

“Your home was beautiful,” Akta said.

“I wish you’d seen it under other circumstances. Not all the caves look like that.”

Henry and his people—he called them his Clan—lived in a network of caves in the Rocky Mountains. They’d made their home in the inaccessible peaks of the mountains, places where the terrain made it almost impossible for humans to go. That didn’t matter for Henry and his friends because they all had wings.

Huge, scary bat wings.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, they don’t look so much like…caves.”

Akta laughed at that. Runako had taken Margo to a place they called the Captive Caves, a remnant from a time when humans had been hiding from the monsters, and for good reason. They’d assured Akta that they never ate humans, but in the past they’d kidnapped humans to help them build or make things. Humans were much smaller and more dexterous—because their fingers didn’t end in talons the size of kitchen knives. As Akta’s rather caustic friend Cali had said, humans had been their equivalent of the child factory workers at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

But all that had changed. Human communities’ isolation had meant information couldn’t be spread easily, relegating tales of winged monsters to folklore and myth. In the past one hundred years, humans had spread far and fast. The monsters had retreated, moving to physically inaccessible locations and hiding from the humans. There had once been scores of different clans, each made up of its own type of monster. But now many of these groups had been forced to band together for security, forming one Great Clan in Colorado.

The monsters knew they couldn’t hide forever. They had to either disappear entirely from the Earth or prepare for an all-out war with humans. A third choice had become available to them not long ago. The Clan’s Seer had discovered a spell that allowed them to shift-shape and become humans. Henry and his friends had first come to Calypso Productions’ offices looking like nothing more than three attractive, everyday guys.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

“What does yours look like? Your…cave, I mean.”

Henry tipped his head back, staring at the stars for a moment before answering. “It isn’t too different than your home. There are bedrooms, bathrooms, a living room. Everything is larger, and the furniture is very different, but at its core they are the same.”

His gaze shifted to her. “I suppose it’s because we want the same things as you. Security, comfort, safety.”

“And love?”

The words seemed to hang between them and Akta had to look down at her lap. She was a sappy romantic at the best of times, and her intense crush on Henry was only making it worse.

“Yes, and love.”

Silence, save for the rustle of palm fronds swaying in the breeze, fell over them. There was more to this silence than the ones before it, a note of tension Akta’s question had put there.

When it got to be too much, Akta stood, grabbing a few things to take them inside. “I’m just going to clean up a bit.” She reached for the tub of drinks, the few remaining ice cubes clinking as she heaved it.

“I’ll take that.”

Henry reached out, his hand closing over hers.

An electric thrill went through Akta. She twisted her head to the side so he wouldn’t see her reaction to his touch. It had been a long time since Akta had felt so out of her depth with a man. She had no idea if the lingering looks he gave her when he thought she wouldn’t notice were the result of interest in her, or if he was just curious.

“Akta.”

She took a breath. There was no doubt now. That single word, her name, was laden with longing and promise.

Lowering the tub to the table, she turned to face him. Hesitantly, he raised his hand, smoothing her hair away from her face.

“You are beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

He scrutinized her cheeks, her lips. Akta licked them, and he stiffened.

Kiss me.

Henry seemed frozen, one hand cupping the side of her head. Now that she was so close to him she could see the hunger in his eyes. Excitement swelled within her.

“Henry.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want me?”

“Yes.”

“I thought so.”

Akta lifted onto her toes, cupped his head in her hands and kissed him. He was stiff for a moment, before he relaxed into the kiss, his arms twining around her. Akta kept the kiss light, lips closed, until he pulled her tighter against him, their hips pressed together.

Akta leaned into Henry, giving him her body weight. She waited for him to take charge of the kiss, but he seemed content with the rather chaste meeting of lips.

He may have been, but Akta wasn’t. She wanted more.

She parted her lips, touching his with her tongue. His mouth opened and she slipped her tongue inside to taste him. She savored the earthy, bitter taste of hops as his tongue met hers. He seemed unsure what to do, and Akta had a jolt of realization. This was probably the first time he’d ever kissed a human woman.