Southern Charmer (Charleston Heat 1)

Tonight, though, I’m too wired to nap. I’m bursting with good news. Exactly the kind of surprise I wanted to give Eli.

I finish up some emails to some indie authors I’ve been in touch with. After that, I read a few of my favorite romance blogs.

I head for the shower next. I want to give myself extra time so I can shave everything. I’ve never been bare for Eli before. I figure it might be nice to try something new.

Whatever he thinks of it, it definitely turns me on. My skin feels tingly down there. Soft.

Then I put on his shirt—the one I stole from the cabin that smells like him—and the lacy red thong I know he likes so much.

No bra.

I’m in bed reading over the chapter I wrote earlier when I hear a low zip.

The key being inserted into the lock.

A heartbeat later, I hear the door open.

“Hello,” Eli calls.

The sound of his gruff voice makes my nipples pebble. I see him in my head. Holding his hair back with an enormous hand while he toes out of his sneakers. He’ll smell like a wood fired oven and sweat. Skin.

“You here, baby?” he says. I hear him put something down on the counter. Open a drawer.

I leap out of bed, the pages falling from my lap onto the floor. I don’t bother picking them up.

I can’t stand the thought of wasting another second without him.

“I’m here,” I say, mussing up my hair one last time in the bureau mirror before heading out into the kitchen.

For the split second before he sees me, Eli wears a somber expression. It hits me just how tired he looks. There are dark rings around his eyes, and his skin is pale. A few grey hairs dot his scruff.

But then his eyes meet mine and his face lights up in a smile. He’s halfway through opening a frosty bottle of white wine, but he drops the opener and stalks toward me. His eyes flash with hunger when they catch on my nipples.

“Hey,” I say, biting back a grin when he blatantly adjusts his hard on.

“That my shirt?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say. “I kind of stole it. Smelled too good to resist. Smelled like you.”

“As sexy as you look in it, sweetheart, I gotta admit I want to tear it off you. You joined my shirtless club, remember?”

I laugh. “Of course.”

He steps around the counter and pulls me into his arms. We’re really good at this by now. I go on my toes, pressing myself against him. His hands go to my ass. Guide my groin into his.

He’s always hard for me.

Always.

And my body is always eager to rise to the occasion.

A low thrum of electricity sparks in my core when he massages my ass cheeks, giving them a possessive squeeze.

He buries his face in my neck. Inhales, then grunts. A needy, primal sound.

“You smell good,” he murmurs against my skin. I feel the prick of goosebumps. “Did you just get out of the shower?”

“I did,” I reply.

“Oh? This have something to do with your surprise?”

“Part of it. Yes.” I pull back, flattening my palm against his chest. “I have some news.”

One side of his mouth curls into a half smile so handsome and so joyfully familiar it makes me weak in the knees.

“Oh yeah?” His fingers play with the hem of his shirt at the top of my thighs. “I’m dyin’ to hear it.”

“I spoke to the head of the English Department at the College of Charleston this afternoon. They aren’t hiring for this semester. But I am first in line for any openings for next semester, and he’s letting me put together a proposal for a commercial fiction class I’d like to teach.”

His eyes go wide. “Seriously? You went in today? That’s incredible news! Congrats, baby.”

“He was impressed with my resume, and even more impressed with my knowledge of the romance market. Apparently they’re trying to make the department a bit more career focused, so my specialty lines up nicely with that.”

Eli tugs me into another hug, giving my whole body a squeeze this time.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am for you, Olivia. This sounds like something that’s so you. You love to write, and you love to teach. Now you’ll hopefully get to do both. And in my city, no less.”

I’m smiling so hard I worry my face is going to crack.

“Charleston’s my city now, too.”

His turn to pull back. He searches my eyes.

“You mean that?”

I bite my lip. Nod. “I do.”

In reply, he dips his head and nips at my earlobe. My breath catches. So does a hit of lust between my legs. It feels slightly different on my bare sex. More tingly. Which just makes me that much more turned on.

“We should celebrate,” he breathes.

“We should. I have another surprise,” I say. “But first, that wine you brought looks good.”