Kiss and Burn Read online

  Kiss and Burn

  Nikki Winter

  Copyright © 2014 by Author

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright.

  This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the authors’ imaginations and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

  Published by: Nikki Winter Publishing

  Cover Art: Bree Archer

  http://breearcher.com/

  Dedication

  Um, hello, hi. Sooo, this took place and I’m fairly certain I’m happy about it. I mean, I really have no choice. If I try to redo it all, I may find myself hurt by a certain London dweller with a very concise devotion to one by the name of Elijah Aaronson so there’s that. Ah, also, I have the best friends ever. They’re better than yours. No, no, don’t argue. Trust me, they are. We square? Cool. Great. Uh…enjoy and all that! –Nikki

  Note about eBooks

  eBooks are NOT transferable. Re-selling, sharing or giving away eBooks is a copyright infringement. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

  CAVEAT

  This work of erotica contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes, which are smoking hot. This book is intended only for adults, as it is defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.

  Copyright Acknowledgement

  · ABC network

  · Adele

  · Downtown Abbey

  · Hyde

  · Looney Tunes

  · Marc Jacobs

  · Pink Floyd

  · Polo

  · Queen

  · Rubik’s Cube

  Contents

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Epilogue

  One

  Night of the Charity Ball…

  “If you don’t get your spontaneous hips under control, Maikao’s going to break you off at the knees then bronze you before mounting you on a wall like Safari game.”

  Eli Aaronson took his eyes off his best friend and said best friend’s woman as they left the ballroom, slowly turning towards the sound of the low husky voice behind him. His brows winged as Carmen Sanchez came into view. He’d heard enough from Addison about her infamous friend’s struggle with filtering her words that he wasn’t the least bit surprised. “Trust me, sweetheart, my hips are anything but spontaneous. They move on command and they do so rather well.”

  Full lips curved up on one side, dark eyes dancing with amusement. “From where I was standing...it didn’t look like it. I was briefly questioning the need for a medic. Then I decided to wait and see if you’d come close to swallowing your tongue first.”

  The subtle scent of Japanese cherry blossoms greeted his nostrils as he took a step forward, and stared down at her. “Are you angling for a demonstration?” Eli had no issue with giving her one...a long one. He was used to this game by now—beautiful woman, nonchalant interest, cat and mouse.

  He’d make small talk, they’d probably dance, and he’d entice her; leading to her ass resting against his thighs as he listened to her call for God and every higher power that could sustain her while in his bed.

  She snorted and reached up to pat his shoulder. “Trust me, sweetheart,” Carmen’s voice held the faint note of mockery. “I’d break you and then leave your Mamá to mourn the shattered pieces.” She turned to walk away but Eli caught her hand and spun her back as the band started up with another song.

  “How about we test that theory?” He murmured near her ear as they moved in tandem on the dance floor. Eli knew he’d missed his chance to go to Comic Con for a good fucking reason and Carmen definitely seemed to be said good fucking reason.

  Lucky for him, Maikao had started acting like the ruler of all things twattish and pulled Addison away. He didn’t get those two. Why not just settle it in bed and be done with it? Everything he’d done tonight had been to purposely push Maikao into losing it. It had worked but the rest didn’t pan out. Playing cupid was frustrating as fuck.

  Yet, the gorgeous woman with the dark eyes and beautiful skin currently in his arms was more than worth the frustration. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be a total loss. Maybe tomorrow, he’d wake up with a bit of breakfast in bed before he convinced Carmen that he could make her see Olympus if he put his tongue in the right place.

  His lips curled as he spun her out then brought her back to his chest. “Tell me something, Ms. Sanchez, does it feel like I’m moving awkwardly to you?”

  Her chuckle made him grin right before she discreetly put her hand between their bodies and squeezed his cock hard enough that his throat constricted as though he were having an allergy attack.

  With a smile she murmured, “Let’s be clear. Just because this is attached to you now, doesn’t mean that if you piss me off it can’t become unattached, so you can stop subtly nudging it against me as though I’m going to drop to my knees right here. We’re dancing. Enjoy the experience while it lasts because I’m feeling just benevolent enough to allow you to bask my presence—that which brings many unimaginable joy.”

  She was so mean. He liked it, maybe a little too much. Instead of removing her hand, he simply placed his own on top of hers and made her palm stroke down the length of him until he heard the subtle hitch in her breathing. Sliding his other hand down the expanse of her spine, he played with backless cut of her gown that stopped just a few inches above the rise of her luscious ass, leaning in to whisper, “If you wanted to touch, all you had to do was ask.”

  Something flashed in her gaze. “I can’t tell you how much I believe that’s true.”

  Now what did that mean? Before he could ask, Maikao came barreling towards them, hands running through his hair and tugging.

  Eli pulled away from Carmen but was nowhere near done with her. He wanted her. He would have her. Preferably tonight.

  “What’d you do?” Eli questioned before Maikao could even open his mouth.

  His friend stuffed his hands into the pockets of his tux trousers. “I fucked up...royally.”

  “Mak? Is that lipstick on your face?” Carmen questioned, reaching up to swipe some of it off the other man’s cheek. The simple action made a wave of possessiveness rise in Eli that he didn’t want to examine. He just knew he didn’t want her touching another man...ever.

  He blinked. Where the fuck did that come from? Carmen didn’t belong to him. This was the first time he’d ever seen her in person and he, of course, wanted to see her naked but he shouldn’t really care who she did or didn’t touch.

  Maikao grimaced. “Yeah.”

  “Goddammit,” Carmen sighed. “Where is she?”

  “Gone.”

  Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. “And now it’s time for damage control.” With that, she pushed past the both of them.

  Eli tossed Maikao a look and followed behind her, deciding to deal with his friend later. Much…much later.
r />   “Carmen, wait.”

  She turned around as they reached the pavement outside.

  “I could give you a ride home,” he suggested.

  Carmen snorted. “Yes, you could.”

  Nodding, he reached in his pocket for his keys. “My truck is—”

  “I said you could,” she suddenly cut in. “I didn’t say I wanted you to. Besides, I drove.”

  He frowned.

  She stepped closer and patted his shoulder in that same, goddamn condescending way she’d done before. “Look, I’m sure you’re a wonderful guy and an amazing fuck but I’m going to politely decline your offer.”

  “Politely decline my offer?” Eli echoed incredulous. Was she serious?

  Shrugging, she backed away. “I’m just not interested.”

  “Not interested,” he repeated her once again.

  “I mean let’s be honest here,” Carmen continued as she retrieved her own keys from the clutch in her hand. “You’re not really my type.”

  “Not your type?” He glanced around, trying to figure out if at any minute Maikao and Addison would jump out of some hidden spot and admit they’d all been fucking with his head.

  “It was nice dancing with you though.” With a small finger wave, she strutted away in heels that he would’ve loved to see waving in the air as her legs trembled with her passion.

  Eli stood there for all of five seconds, trying to determine how he was going to fix his shattered ego. But then his feet began to move. They ate up the space between him and the woman in his sights without a moment’s hesitation.

  She turned, obviously hearing his approach and Eli watched her lips part. Before she could get a word out, he took her mouth. He nibbled at the full lower rim before sucking it as his hands burned a trail down her back and pulled her flush against him.

  When a moan stuttered from her throat he took the opportunity to thrust his tongue into her mouth, tangling it with hers. Then she was suddenly writhing against him, kissing him back just as fiercely, needy little whimpers escaping her, making his balls draw up tight. One of his palms connected with the flesh of her ass, squeezing as his hips pushed forward, desperately seeking the heat he knew rested at the apex of her thighs.

  Breathlessly, Eli pulled back and rained kissed down her jaw and throat. “I can fuck you so well that no one will ever be good enough. Come home with me.”

  The response he received? A slap that had his ears ringing in his head. He hadn’t been hit this hard since his Mama caught him digging up her rose bushes to make puddles in the garden.

  Eyes wide, he blinked down at Carmen. “What—”

  Her nails lightly dug into his face as she pulled him back in for another scorching meeting of mouths. She flicked her tongue against his, once, twice and then abruptly stopped. Lids low, she whispered. “Still not my type.” Moving past him, she strolled to a midnight black two-seater just a few feet away and pulled off.

  Eli ran a hand down his chest. Yeah…his ego was definitely shattered.

  Two

  Three months later…

  “I’m sorry. What did you just say?” Eli calmly asked the man sitting across from him. Honestly, he needed clarification because he wasn’t exactly sure he’d heard what he’d just heard. It just didn’t sound…right.

  Maikao Iona didn’t even look up from the baby advice book in his hands. “I said Carmen’s planning on exploring in Cancun,” he replied absently before opening said book wide and turning it around the show Eli the pictures it held.

  “My God!” Eli covered his face with his forearm. “What is that? Why is it secreting and why would you show it to me?!”

  “Because I refuse to suffer alone! I will not endure this walk of misery and horror on my own!”

  “You’re a horrible, horrible man and there’s a special place in Satan’s den of shame and iniquity for you.”

  Of course that didn’t seem to faze his best friend of twenty years in the slightest. Why would it? How many times had they had this precise conversation? How many times had he told Maikao that he hoped he caught his cock in a zipper every morning for the rest of his unnaturally born life?

  Twenty years was a long time to remain close to an individual but somehow, they’d managed. No matter how botched or strange their friendship got, the two had found themselves constantly there for one another. When someone saved your ass on more than one occasion while running into a burning building, you inevitably discovered you depended on them to remain behind you, always there to fall back on.

  It was interesting to see the transformation Maikao had made over the years. Eli could remember a time where the lieutenant fireman didn’t have to do more than flash what some would consider an appealing smile before he’d have panties thrown in his face within minutes. Now his friend was only interested in the panties of his significant other.

  Eli couldn’t exactly blame him, she wasn’t the type of woman you passed up for a few quick nights spent running from bed to bed. Fiercely loyal, incredibly beautiful and amazingly engaging, Addison McClain was the exact bait that was needed to hook a man who’d enjoyed his fair share of the female population. Maikao had fallen shamelessly and amusingly hard into love the moment he met her and Eli could tell the second he was introduced to her. It was funny how the right person could do that. Now in just a few weeks the couple would be exchanging vows on the beaches of Cancun.

  “No, my friend. That place is solely reserved for whomever thought these pictures were to be viewed by the public.”

  Eli rubbed his eyes, glared across the table at Maikao “I don’t get why you’re looking at...at...” He waved a hand towards the book. “That anyway. Addison’s not even pregnant yet. Unless you have something you want to tell me.”

  Maikao shook his head, the look on his face borderline hysterical. “No, you don’t understand. I will not be caught off guard. Addie wants babies. I want babies. I need to be prepared. I need to know what I’m facing!”

  “Still a little sore about passing out during Miss Selena’s graphic detailing of child birth, I see.”

  “I didn’t pass out!” His friend practically shouted, waving his arms through the air. “I had a momentary bout of dizziness.” He stopped and shuddered. “You don’t know the things I heard.” His eyes were wild. “You don’t know my story.”

  Eli wasn’t exactly feeling sympathetic at the moment, so his leaning over the table, snatching the book out of the other man’s hands and slapping him across the face with it… Totally called for in his mind.

  “Son of a bitch!” Maikao wrestled the book back. “What is wrong with you?!”

  “Focus dumbass! When you say exploring, what do you mean?!” He needed to understand why he’d spent so much time trying to solve the Rubik’s cube that was the restaurateur and chef, yet Carmen wouldn’t look twice at him.

  A wide grin suddenly split across Maikao’s face and he leaned back, eyeing Eli with obvious amusement. “And why, precisely, are you interested in this information?”

  Maikao knew exactly why but the bastard was trying to fuck with Eli. He wasn’t surprised. They spent the majority of their off time attempting to get under one another’s skin. Their friendship was one built on brutal honesty, underhanded pranks and quite a few phone calls to the police. Therefore, when Eli once again slapped him with that book… Yeah, it was still plausible.

  “Stop doing that!”

  “Stop being a twat face!”

  Rubbing his cheek, Maikao glared at him again. “I shouldn’t tell you shit. Carmen doesn’t like you. She especially hates the sight of your face.”

  Eli’s lip curled as he growled back, “I don’t need her to like my face, just my cock. Explain to me why she’d explore when I’m going. And why does she seem to think I’m the devil’s favorite whore?”

  “It’s quite possibly because you are the devil’s favorite whore, my friend.”

  “Bullshit,” Eli argued. “I haven’t slept with nearly as many women as you.” H
e sat back. “You used to be loose, Mak. I worried about your safety at times, worried that you didn’t value yourself enough to see that not every woman meant what she said when she told you she loved you. Sometimes they only wanted you for your body.”

  Maikao batted his lashes, falling into the joke. “Is that it or were you truly harboring an unrequited love for me that you couldn’t speak on? For fear of sabotaging our relationship?”

  “Well…”

  The other man gave a mock gasp, placed a hand to his chest and looked away. “All these years…all this time…I never knew how you felt, Elijah.”

  Reaching across the table, he took up his friend’s hand and patted it. “I’ve wanted to tell you so many times but I…I…”

  Maikao looked back to him. “You what?”

  Eli stared down at the table. “I knew that one day I’d wake up, see your face and…and…and I’d want to set my dick on fire.”

  They both burst into laughter.

  “Fuck you!” Maikao said, thrusting his hand away. “I’m a great goddamn catch. Ask my fiancée.”

  “Your fiancée is biased and sort of stuck with you, since you somehow convinced her it’s a good idea to carry your genetic impurities in the near future.”

  “You’re simply jealous.”

  “No,” Eli retorted. “I’m simply sexually frustrated and I have the inkling that said frustration won’t end until I know what the taste of Carmen’s—”

  “Not discussing this!” Maikao interrupted, slicing a hand through the air. “I am a soon to be married spud and being that I’d like to stay that way, I prefer to not be included on any sexual molestation you have planned for my spouse’s best friend.”

  “Molestation has a negative connotation to it,” Eli responded. “I like to think of it more so as a…fervent groping.”

  Maikao made a face of disgust. “That imagery…it offends mine eyes.”