4

The man was a breathing, walking, talking sex god. Emily had seen a lot of hot men but none of them compared to the man standing in front of her. Whoa! she thought as she took another look at the man from the top of his head down to his dress shoes and back up. 

“I’m Kian Lucas Nordin by the way.” He gave her a Colgate smile then stuck out his hand. She feared shaking his hand. She was afraid their skin to skin contact would send her melting to the floor.

“Emily,” she stated. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. 

“Just Emily,” he chuckled.

“Yep.” She wasn’t about to give anyone in this town her full name. The less they knew about her the better. She didn’t need any future stalkers. “Just Emily.” 

Emily hesitantly placed her hand in his and much to her surprise, he brought her hand to his lips and laid a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. His commanding blue-green eyes looking up at her. Emily felt herself enchanted by him. 

“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Emily.” 

“Nice to meet you too, Kian.” She took her hand back from him before she ended up drooling all over her hand and his. “Do storms around here usually last long?” 

“Ah. That. Well, it all depends on the situation.”

“Situation?” Emily crossed her arms in front of her. 

“I mean that it depends on the time of the year, the barometric pressure, and such that the storm can sometimes last a few days.”

“A few days,” she shrieked. A few days was not an option to her. She needed to get to the book signing not sit in a creepy ass town even if the town had two of the hottest men on the planet.

“Afraid so.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. A red flag rose in Emily’s mind. 

Crash! 

Another bolt of lightning struck the ground. This bolt was too close for comfort. 

Emily spun on her heels and looked out at the rain again. Kian walked up beside her. His arm rested against hers. She looked down at his arm then up at him. He didn’t seem phased by their arms touching; however, their arms touching had an effect on her. It seemed like her arm was on fire from his touch. Not a scorching melt you fire, but an incredible sensual fire. 

“Your husband know where you are,” he asked leaning against the railing and looking at her. 

“No husband.” She instantly regretted giving him information. He now was displaying a grin. 

“Well, I’ll keep you company until the rain stops.”

“That’s okay. I’m sure you have other things to do. I don’t want to hold you up.”

“It’s okay. I don’t have any plans and I’d feel bad leaving you out here alone.” His words seemed genuine. He had a chivalrous tone when he said it. It made Emily feel he wasn’t just some creep and that he might be a gentleman. Those were rare in this day and age. 

“Thanks. I’ll just wait a few more minutes and then I’ll make a mad dash.”

“I could run to my office and grab an umbrella.” Emily quickly faced him and shook her head.

“No, that’s okay. Don’t go out of your way. Please?” He smiled. The last thing she wanted was owing anyone a favor. She didn‘t plan on sticking around long enough to repay any favors.

“I don’t mind.” 

“I’d feel bad. I promise I won’t melt in the rain.” 

“Not going to pull a Wicked Witch of the West?” For the first time since leaving Selma, Emily laughed. 

“No,” she said still laughing. “If I could, I would click my shoes together and magically appear in Lansing, Michigan.” 

“Lansing bound?” Emily nodded. 

“That was the plan until Bitching Betty died.” Kian’s eyes widened. 

“Someone died?” She couldn’t help but laugh. Most people assumed Bitching Betty was a person. 

“No. Well, kinda. Bitching Betty is the name of my car.” He tossed his head back and laughed. His pleasing laugh filled Emily’s ears. She loved his laugh. It was like a Siren’s song drawing her into him.

“That’s quite the name,” he stated looking back at her. 

Silence fell over them. Kian was looking at her. A sweet smile was plastered on his face. A dreamy look in his eyes. He was staring at her as though she was the only woman in the world. Emily felt her heart skip a few beats. She loved how the man was looking at her. It’s how she always wanted a man to look at her. 

Her boyfriends of the past were far from the definition of romantic. That’s why she had turned to writing romance novels. She needed romance in her life. And writing it seemed to be the only way for her to get it. The paranormal romance just happened to come into play when she discovered she loved writing about the unknown. 

Roughly a minute passed and the silence still remained. Kian was still looking at Emily dreamily. 

“Are you okay,” she asked. 

“Yes. Why do you ask?” 

“You’re just kind of staring at me.” He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled softly to himself.

“Oh. Sorry. I’m not trying to make it weird. I was just...” Emily knew what was coming next. Admiring your beauty. It was a common flirting line for men. “... admiring your beauty.” Nailed it!

“Use that line on all the ladies?” Kian frowned and shook his head.

“Actually, I usually don’t need to use lines on women.” He shrugged his shoulders while Emily rolled her eyes at his lack of modesty. He didn’t say it in a cocky like manner, but it still annoyed her. 

“Real ladies’ man I see,” she said sarcastically. 

“You don’t find me attractive?” Emily nearly choked on his boldness. 

“What?” 

“I’m just curious. Do you find me attractive?” 

“You’re very attractive,” she admitted wishing her mouth had a filter. The words had flown out of her mouth. 

He nodded his head and let out a breath. A breath that sounded like a sigh of relief. 

“I find you very attractive too.” The combination between his husky voice and the words stirred something inside her. “You’re very beautiful, Emily.” Again, his words pulled at her. 

“Thank you,” she stated trying to keep her voice at a steady tone. Her nerves were working their way up and a heat working its way down between her thighs.

“Just being honest.” He gave her another Colgate smile. “But I’m sure you hear it all the time.” Emily couldn’t help but laugh. Most of her time was spent working at the vet clinic, and at home writing. That left very little time for social interaction with the opposite sex. 

“Not quite.” 

“That’s disappointing to hear. You truly deserve to hear it every day.” Damn this man is sexy.

“What about you? Do you hear compliments every day?” He shrugged. Of course, he hears compliments every day. Emily could only imagine how many women hit on him a day and the countless trails of drool throughout the town. The man was a panty dropper.

“Ah. Women throwing themselves at you left and right, eh,” she chuckled. He laughed and shook his head. 

“You really think I’m that good looking?” Lie, Emily. Lie.

“Definitely.” Ugh. Now wasn’t the time for her to flirt. She needed to find Selma and get the hell out of dodge.

“I appreciate the compliment. But I’m just average looking.” Emily snorted.

“Whatever,” she replied laughing. He gave her a wink which only made her laugh more. “You obviously don’t own a mirror.” It was his turn to laugh.

“If you keep giving me compliments my head is going to turn into a hot-air balloon.”  

“Wouldn’t want that.” Her voice came out sultry. A little too sultry. Kian didn’t seem to mind one bit. He was back to staring at her with dreamy eyes. 

“I really wish you were staying in town longer.”

“Me too,” she breathed without missing a beat. Kian took a step towards her. Their bodies were now touching. His arms wrapped around her waist casually. As though he had held her a thousand times. They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed a lifetime. Then Kian leaned down and kissed her ever so softly. 

Fireworks went off in her mind. She had never had a kiss make her toes tingle before. That’s what Kian’s kiss did to her. 

Without thought, her lips parted welcoming a deeper kiss from him. A deeper kiss is what he gave her. He pulled her closer to his body. Her breasts now pressed against his firm body. She stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

Kian held Emily tightly against him with one arm. With his free hand, he held the side of her face gently. Her body felt like it was turning into putty from their passionate kiss. Never in her lifetime had a kiss knocked her off of her feet. 

“So. Beautiful. So. Perfect,” he breathed while they continued to kiss. There was a heat building up between her thighs. Strangers or not she wanted more from him. A lot more. 

“Kian,” she purred. He moaned and pulled her closer to his body as close as physically possible. The bulge in his pants pressed against her and his moans against her mouth told her Kian was enjoying the kiss just as much as she was. 

“So. So. Perfect,” he breathed grabbing her ass. He moaned and nipped at her lip. Then he turned his lips, tongue, and nips to her neck. Emily whimpered at the sensual touches. “Wish you were staying a few more days.” As though someone had hit the brakes, reality slapped Emily in the face. Selma!

She yanked back away from Kian nearly tripping over her own feet. “It was a pleasure to meet you,” she panted still feeling the passion from their kiss. “Have a good night.”

Before he could reply, Emily took off towards the diner. She felt horrible for forgetting all about Selma and hoped that the woman was still in one piece.