Free Burned Gasoline by Linda Kage, Isabell Lawless

in his pockets, jacket sitting tightly around his hunched up shoulders.
                  “You do look a bit cold. And tired. You want to go home and sleep, and we’ll see each other some other day?” She asked, still tilting her body against the open door, holding on to the door handle.
                  “You want me to go?” He asked quietly, looking straight up in her eyes, warm mist leaving his mouth, and sizzling out in the cold air.
                  “Nah, you drove all the way out here, and it’s late. I happen to have some left-over dinner if you’re hungry. Bacon and cheese quiche sounds okay to you?”
                  “Oh God, yes. I’m starving.” A small shiver went up his back, making him push his chin further down inside the top of his jacket.
                  “Alright. Come on in before you shake to death.” She said with a hint of a smile, backing into the small mudroom and opened the door wider to let him in.
                  Well inside he pulled up his hands from his pockets and rubbed them together creating some much needed warmth and blood circulation.
                  “You look nice.” He said and looked her over while she closed the door behind him. “And something smells terrific… what is it?”
                  “Peeled oranges and some chocolate. I’m indulging while drinking wine. Didn’t think you were coming over, so I made myself comfortable.”
                  Walking into the kitchen nook, she grabbed the quiche out of the fridge, cut a large piece, and placed it in the microwave to heat up while she took another sip of her wine from the table.
                  “You need a sweater or something? Your shoulders are all hunched up like a mean werewolf. Cold?” She asked, leaning her bottom against the table top watching him hang up his jacket and track her steps over to the table where she was standing.
                  “I’m a bit chilly, but it’s nothing a little wine and food can fix.” He said in a sinister way, and placed himself between her legs and grabbed the glass of light liquid from her hand and drank up the rest of her drink.
                  “Would you like some more?” She asked low and watched his throat move up and down in tune with his swallowing. Turning down his gaze into hers, he placed the glass next to her on the table top and leaned into her face; tracing his lips with hers until she opened them slightly allowing his tongue to slide inside to meet hers, but as quickly as it had touched hers, it was gone.
                  “More of what exactly? Something that can help me warm up from the chilled air outside? You can definitely warm me up.” He said, breathing right into her slightly open mouth.
                  Neither of them said anything for a few long seconds. “I feel there is something between us. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I know there’s something there. What do you think?”
                  “Yes.” She merely whispered.
                  Having him so close to her face was intimidating. He was so handsome it was frightening, and she’d never met a man more sure of himself without any hint of cockiness. He simply knew what he wanted and would take a shot at it. She should learn from that, she thought. However, his confidence made her terrified. Scared that he would just make a joke of her and leave her stranded, scared that he would toss her aside when he found someone hotter or younger who didn’t have a post-baby body with way too many soft parts, scared of what falling for him would do to her if he didn’t felt the same. After all, it wasn’t that long ago they’d met, but even that first time there had been something brewing in the air between them. And by the look of him right now, and the things he’d said, he must have