Free Matters of the Blood by Maria Lima Page A

a centerfold, the kind where the model is posing in a pool of water, hair slicked back and clothes clinging to every muscle. He passed the towel over his hair and squeezed the ends.
    I looked away, trying to maintain some semblance of control. I wrapped the towel around me and climbed into the car.
    "Are you cold?” he asked, climbing in on the passenger's side, his voice once again full of the rich warmth.
    "Not really,” I answered, fumbling with the keys. It wasn't cold that made me shiver. I'd covered myself because I didn't want him to see how he was affecting me. At this point, idiot child was rapidly becoming slut puppy—and I was not happy with the whole idea.
    "Let me start the car and see if I can get back on the road or we may never get out of here. It's all over mud."
    As I put the Rover back into gear and inched until I felt gravel beneath the wheels, Mother Nature pulled another nasty trick. A boom of thunder heralded another downpour, this one stronger than before. I stopped the car and threw it in neutral, then turned off the motor and fastened the parking brake. It was impossible to see more than three feet in front of the hood. I wasn't going to try to drive anywhere again until it let up. The dash lights offered some illumination, so I left them on after turning off the headlights. I wasn't too worried about other traffic. From the looks of this road, not even the guests traveled it very often.
    "It looks like we're going to have to wait this out.” I said. “Hope you don't have any major plans.” As I said that, a little ping of memory registered in my tired brain. Shit. Bea .
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CHAPTER SIX
    I dialed her mobile, not sure where she'd be. She answered on the second ring.
    " Hola, chica, what's shaking?” I could hear the sound of music in the background.
    "Hey, girl, there's been a slight alteration in plans."
    "What's up, Keira?"
    "Well, I'm sort of stuck.” I didn't quite know how to tell her what was happening. I didn't really want to get into all the gory and not-so-gory details until I could sort everything out. “Are you at my house yet?"
    "Yep, just got here. I'm starting to fix some nachos."
    "Great, but I'm going to be a little while yet.” I glanced over at Adam, who, to his credit, was trying to pretend he wasn't listening to my conversation. I could see his head turned toward the front of the car.
    "I'm giving someone a ride to the Wild Moon,” I explained. “But the rain's coming down too hard and I can't see to drive. We're going to wait it out for a little while."
    "Cool beans,” she answered, mumbling over her chewing. “Who's the lucky passenger?"
    "His name is Adam Walker. He was stranded out by the funeral home.” I glanced over. He was still staring off into the dark.
    I could hear Bea's gasp even over the rain pounding on the Rover. “No way, really? Adam Walker?"
    "What do you mean?” I turned my head away from Adam and lowered my voice. He probably could hear me anyway, but I could at least pretend my conversation was private.
    "Woo hoo, m'hija; you are so way lucky!” I could hear the grin in her voice. I started to flush again.
    "What did you just say?” I wasn't sure if I'd heard her right.
    "He's the owner of the ranch. Mm-mm, gorgeous and rich—two strikes for, I'd say."
    I was startled. “You know him?"
    "Sure,” she said. “Well, not really know him. But I've seen him.” She crunched in my ear. A nacho.
    "I had to pick something up at the deli the other night after I closed and when I went in, there was this guapo over at the counter. Boris introduced me. Whew!"
    She paused and I could hear a cork pop. Damn. She'd even opened the wine.
    "Anyway, m'hija, he was something else. When he looked at me, I couldn't even remember my own name. Those eyes."
    "Bea, uh, thanks. I'll get there as soon as I can."
    Well, at least I knew I wasn't the only one who was affected by Adam. If I didn't hang up, I knew she'd go on to wax poetic about