High Voltage

Endless seconds ticked by as Serena sat in the cab of the truck, wondering what to do. If she'd just hit a wild boar, she wasn't getting out in this storm to save its sorry ass.

But what if she'd hit one of Pete Dowling's German Shepherds? She wasn't far from his house and everyone knew he let them run wild. They were loveable animals. The few times she'd visited with Pete, the dogs had been kind and gentle. They'd lain at her feet while she and Pete enjoyed a nice glass of wine on his front porch. Pete liked the hard stuff, but he'd settle for wine when she brought it. At least he didn't serve tart lemonade when she visited.

Holy Christ. What if she'd just hit one of his dogs? Pete would never forgive her. Serena would never forgive herself!

As she debated her plan of action, another thunderous roar filled the air and a sizzling, crackling, three-pronged spear of lightning flashed right before Serena's eyes, the tip of one prong connecting with the hood of her truck. The vehicle shook violently for several long moments and the brightness nearly blinded Serena.

She let out a loud scream and covered her eyes with her forearm. Heat seared her skin and the near-deafening noise left her ears ringing and her head buzzing. When the flashes dimmed and the truck stopped shaking, Serena lowered her arm and opened her eyes.

Large white orbs pulsed and burst in her immediate line of vision. Over the ringing in her ears she somehow managed to hear the cry of a wounded animal.

Oh, God. She'd maimed one of Pete's dogs!

Fighting for a full breath of air, Serena contemplated the metal handle on the door panel. She racked her brain, trying to remember from her eighth grade science class if the truck would hold an electrical charge.

Shit, why hadn't she paid better attention in school?

She remembered laughing in the back row with her friends, saying something like, “Yeah, because we really need to know if a car can hold an electrical charge. As if that would ever happen to us."

Well it was happening now!

She took a stab in the dark that she wouldn't get zapped because the truck was grounded. The tips of two fingers gingerly touched the handle. Serena let out a sharp cry at the shocking jolt she received. Holding the pulsing, stinging hand to her chest, covered by her other hand, Serena stared at the offending door.

Son of a bitch!

As she considered how she was going to get out of the truck while it held some sort of electrical charge from the lightning, heat coursed through her, hot and bright, once again targeting her most intimate and sensitive spots.

She shifted in the seat as an uncomfortable spark ignited between her legs, stealing her breath.

Okay, that was really weird.

Sure, it had been a while since she'd paid much attention to that area, but come on! Just because she—or anyone else—hadn't frequented that particular part of her body in a long time, why the hell would an electrical charge?

A warm, molten feeling seeped through her veins, but what she felt between her legs wasn't quite so languid. In fact, the throbbing was sharp and distinct, undeniably uncomfortable yet ... erotic. The thrumming inside her made Serena think of the natural, physical needs she'd ignored for so long.

Denied herself, really.

She shifted in the seat and that seemed to intensify the sensation. Her breath came in soft pants, and Serena had the inescapable desire to succumb to the physical call. Pressing two fingers against the juncture of her legs, the pressure—even through the thick denim of her jeans—brought her an intense, powerful climax.

Serena let out a soft cry as the pleasure coursed through her body.

The vehement reaction left her speechless as she gasped for air. Her eyelids dipped for a moment while she tried to catch her breath. It seemed to take an extraordinary amount of time for her to return to herself—and remember she was sitting in thick mud that would be a bitch to get out of if she didn't act fast.

Still ... She couldn't bring herself to move. She simply stared out the window at the torrential downpour, wondering what the hell had just happened to her.

"You had an orgasm,” she finally said in a droll tone, finding her voice, though it sounded low and sultry to her ears. “Yes, it's a bit shocking. But for God's sake. Get a grip."

Was she really in

such need of male attention—sexual attention—that she was this sensitive to erotic sensations?

Shaking her head, she shifted her gaze to the door again. She removed her denim jacket and wrapped it around her hand before reaching for the handle. Slipping out of the truck without further incident, she rounded the front end.

Serena was instantly drenched and chilled to the bone. With trembling fingers, she pushed the long strands of hair from her cheeks and neck, which clung to her wet skin. She saw that the headlight on the passenger's side of the truck was out now. Whatever she'd hit was likely in a lot of pain, considering it had shattered the glass covering the light. She carefully made her way to that side of the truck, trying not to slip in the slick mud that pulled at her hiking boots. When she rounded the passenger side, darkness consumed her.

She glanced up at the moon, still concealed behind a thick patch of clouds. Not even a shimmer of light penetrated the dark covering.

"Figures,” she mumbled before her teeth began to chatter. She couldn't see a damned thing. And the rain continued to pour down on her, making it difficult to maneuver or even search for the dog she'd hit.