Free White-Hot Christmas by Serenity Woods

head before she could move away, he kissed her. He kept one hand in his pocket, and the other held his beer bottle—the only place they touched was their lips. Once he knew she wasn’t going to move, he made it a long, leisurely kiss, stroking her tongue with his, enjoying the taste of her. It did nothing to help the problem in his shorts, but at that moment he didn’t care.
    Behind them, someone whistled and then everyone cheered.
    Neon lifted his head, casting his family an amused glance before looking back at her. Her cheeks had flushed again, and she looked up at him, blinking a few times.
    “What was that for?” She sounded breathless. He looked up, and she followed his gaze, seeing the bunch of mistletoe nailed above the door.
    “Merry Christmas.” He lowered his shades and took a swig from his beer, walking back to his lounger. Stretching out, he watched her stare at him. He blew her a kiss. Slowly, her lips curled. She looked gorgeous standing there, blonde hair lifting in the summer breeze, and suddenly he was very aware he was interested in more than a one-night stand.

Chapter Six
    The evening grew long as the sun gradually set, and Jake’s mum brought out some citronella candles and lamps to keep the insects away, bathing the decking in a yellow glow. The warm, humid air made Merle’s hair stick to the back of her neck, and her skin was damp with perspiration.
    Neon had kept his distance since he’d kissed her, choosing a seat across the other side of the decking when the barbecue was ready and not approaching her, even when he walked inside to get another drink.
    Unfortunately, it didn’t help Merle at all. She was as acutely conscious of him as if they were attached by a piece of electric cable. Every time he moved, or said something, or laughed—which he did a lot—she felt as if a thousand volts had passed along the cable between them. Eventually she sat back in her chair, brooding as she listened to him relating anecdotes to the members of his family sitting around him, causing everyone to laugh frequently at his amusing tales. He was funny and smarter than she had given him credit for—he had to be or he wouldn’t have such a sharp wit and the ability to give such a quick retort.
    She drank steadily as the evening progressed, knowing she was getting tipsy but finding it the only way to cope with her increasing agitation as the night wore on. Why the hell wasn’t he just a meathead? Why did he have to be all suave and charming and funny? And why on earth had she slept with him? Now she couldn’t get the thought of him kissing her out of her head. And the way he had thrust so deep inside her… Oh dear God …the thought made her grow wet between her thighs and that was not good news when she wasn’t wearing any underwear.
    Jake now teased Neon about his work, and she remembered he’d been on shift that day. “No, no, Neon’s job is very important,” Jake protested to everyone around them. “I’m telling you, when the one fire in a gazillion years happens in this town, the phone call will wake him right up in his office and he’ll be raring to go.”
    Everyone laughed. Neon gave him a reproachful look, pointing a finger at him. “Now I’ll have you know there are cats around here that would still be stuck up trees if it wasn’t for me.”
    Something about his self-deprecating manner blew Merle’s mind. Lust swept through her like a tsunami, roaring through her veins. She was so hot for him she was going to supernova.
    At that moment he looked over at her as he sipped his beer, and electricity fired through her as sure as if he’d scuffed his feet on a carpet and touched his finger to her damp skin.
    Cursing, she got to her feet and went inside, carrying her wineglass. She shouldn’t drink any more, but she was desperate to stop the fire rushing through her veins and maybe, if she drank enough, she’d be too numb to feel anything.
    She poured herself some wine, smiling as the