Free Of Eternal Life by Micah Persell

something — a hormone or chemical — that could cause dependency. Pheromones were powerful, but she’d never heard of someone becoming addicted to them, despite what cologne commercials claimed.
    Was Eli addicted to her, too?
    The shower shut off and a moment later, he emerged from the steamy bathroom. The scent of clean man wafted to her, and she clenched her fists against the urge to scratch her neck.
    His damp hair dripped onto the shoulders of his t-shirt, and the material of his clothes clung to the moisture on his body. She nearly groaned at the mouthwatering sight, but she remembered to look at his face, to check for any sort of sign he was being affected similarly.
    The damn man looked cool as a cucumber.
    Not fair .
    “You ready?” When she nodded, Eli moved to the bedside table and pulled the drawer open. He made a small victorious sound, and then pulled the Gideon Bible from the drawer and closed it.
    She looked at him, but he ignored the obvious question in her eyes. He collected the bags containing their breakfast and led the way out of the motel room. He marched to the truck he’d stolen yesterday — she was still miffed about that — went to the driver’s side, and opened the door for her.
    “You’re driving,” he said.
    Her mouth worked like a fish. “Me?”
    “Yup. I plan to lie down in the seat. Anyone looking will only see a woman, by herself.” He smiled at her. “Go ahead. Fawn over my genius.”
    He looked so adorable with his wet, spiky hair and wide grin. Abilene moved her hand to her mouth, covering her smile. It just so happened that Abilene had no problem with this plan. She loved to drive.
    “Works for me,” she told him as she slipped past him and into the driver’s seat.
    He handed her the seatbelt, a look of mock-sorrow on his face. “Your fawning needs some serious work, darlin’.”
    He shut her door. Her eyes devoured his broad shoulders and flat stomach as he walked around the hood of the car to his side. He tossed open the door, hopped in, and slid across the bench seat quicker than her eyes could follow. Without any warning, he pulled her to him with a hand to her nape and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. His tongue plunged into her mouth, probing every inch in a few breathless seconds.
    Just as always happened when Eli touched her, heat flashed through her entire body. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but focus on where their lips met. She was about to beg him for more when he pulled away.
    “No eye-raping without consequences, darlin’.” His breath was coming in short bursts, and Abilene could tell by the look in his eyes that the kiss had gotten away from him. He pulled himself away.
    Abilene jumped when Eli stretched his body out on the seat and placed his head in her lap. Her stomach dropped, and then coiled in desire. Parts of her body that she usually wasn’t aware of were ordering her to pick up where the kiss left off. Her hands clenched the steering wheel. The itch became nearly unbearable.
    “What are you doing?” she squealed.
    He opened the Bible he’d taken from the motel room. “Research.”
    Research? She watched as he flipped through the Bible, stopped at a place toward the beginning, and began to read. She watched him for several moments before he tilted his head back to look up in her eyes.
    “What’s the hold up?”
    “Um, nothing?” Her voice squeaked as she twisted the key. The engine turned over, and she pulled out of the motel parking lot and headed toward the freeway.
    His piercing gaze stayed on her for a few more moments, his eyes telling her that he knew she was avoiding something, but then he turned back to his “research,” and she focused on the road.
    She rolled her head on her neck, straining not to scratch one of the many places that prickled with awareness due to Eli’s close proximity.
    Oh, lord .
    It was going to be a long day.

Chapter Nine
    Eli shut the Bible and rested it on his