Out of This World

“Not funny.”

“Sorry.” I was trying really hard to control myself, and fight the overwhelming urge to peek below his scar. You know, south of the border.

“Quick,” he said, obviously oblivious of my inner struggle. “What’s twelve times eight?”

“Um…” Ah, hell. “You know I suck at math.”

He sighed. “Two plus two, Rach. Try that one.”

I batted my eyes. “I’m too cute to have to do math.”

He just looked at me blandly.

And I sighed. “Honestly, I’m okay.” Well, maybe not quite honestly, but how could I explain what I didn’t understand myself? To prove I was good, however, I had to stand up, which took more effort that I’d imagined, and I promptly staggered around like a drunk.

“Damn it.” Kellan grabbed me, pulling me against the nice, warm, hard body I’d just discovered he had.

I mean, who knew?

“Kellan?”

“Yeah?”

My legs really were rubbery, so I wasn’t faking it when they gave way. Kellan’s arms tightened around me.

“Mmm,” I murmured.

He went still. “What was that?” he asked.

Crap. Had I just moaned out loud? What was wrong with me? “Nothing.”

“It was something.”

“No, you must be hearing things.”

“No, I-”

“I didn’t say anything!” I said a bit too defensively, but the cold had seeped into my wet clothes, and I shivered. “Nothing at all.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

I was trying to maintain here, but it wasn’t easy. In fact, wasn’t this why women were reputed to be from Pluto and men from Uranus? Or something like that? Not only did we speak different languages, we were different species all together.

Then I realized he was still holding me, and my body was acting without my brain’s permission, doing as I’d wanted earlier, pressing my face into his neck.

Oh, yeah, he smelled good and he knew how to give a good hug. I nestled in even closer.

Now a groan escaped him, and a little shiver ran through my body at the sound. He pulled me in tighter, against his warm chest, his fingers moving through my hair, massaging my scalp in a melting, mesmerizing way.

The guy had the gift of touch, there was no doubt. I just kept on burrowing, like the heat-seeking missile I’d become.

“Rach?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing?” His voice was sort of husky and tight at the same time. Sexy.

“Just…” Yeah, Rach, what are you doing? “Holding on.” I discovered I liked the feel of his skin against my lips when I talked, and as I thought this, that cute, erotic little sound escaped from him again. I don’t know why, but for some reason, it made me open my mouth and…okay, I bit him.

“Ouch!” He pushed me back, gripping my arms as he stared down into my face. “What the hell was that?”

“I don’t know.” I bit my lip. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”

He continued to hold me away from his body now, which was a shame, but it made me realize something. “Um, Kellan?” I stared at his shirt, at the smoke rising from it. “Don’t look now, but you’re smoking, too.”

He looked at himself. A line furrowed between his eyes as he took it in. “Not smoke. Steam. I’m just drying is all.”

“But-”

“I’m fine.” He shook his head. “It’s you who’s a little off.”

Yeah, go figure. I guess being struck by lightning did that to a person. I slapped at the smoke rising in little curls from his chest, his arms, his back, enjoying the contact a little too much. “Are you sure-”

“Stop,” he said, catching my hands in his. “You’re wet, and starting to shake.”

True enough. In fact, even my teeth had begun to rattle, hard enough that I worried the fillings would fall out.

“Let’s just get you back and warm you up.”

Actually, I had a much better thought about how to get warm, but if he’d gotten all prudish after just a bite to the neck, I could imagine what he’d say to my other, much more fun-sounding idea.

So I kept it to myself.

Darn it.

Besides, I did feel…off. And cold, so very damn cold, all the way to my bones.

And then there was that other little issue, of being able to see through things…

Kellan had turned away from me to look for the trail, and I couldn’t help myself.

I looked at his butt.

Bad eyes.

Great butt.

I had no idea what was up with me, but it was starting to get a little annoying.

I honestly felt as if my every nerve had been sensitized. I felt like I needed to be touched.

Right now, right here.

Kel looked over his shoulder and caught me staring.

Uh-oh. I tried to look away quickly, but there was no denying it. I’d been checking him out.

He frowned, as if trying to figure this out, as if the idea of me staring at his ass was so foreign, it couldn’t possibly be.

“Come on,” he said.

“Right.” I smiled as if everything was normal. As if I got hit by lightning every single day and then could see through people’s clothing, people whom I’d had no idea were hiding such an incredible body…“Coming.”

I just wished that were really true.

Chapter 5

Kellan’s view of things

Here’s the crazy thing: I’ve wanted to hold Rachel Wood in my arms for, oh, only my entire life.

No kidding.

Well, that’s not quite true. Half the time, I’ve wanted to strangle her.

But the other half of the time…

She entered kindergarten the same year as my sister. I’d sit outside during my second-grade recess and watch Rachel dance around on her tiptoes, like a little ballerina in high-top tennis shoes, and even way back then, something within me had fallen head over heels. Of course, that changed pretty quickly when she went on to torture me at every turn for the next two decades.

In fourth grade, she told her teacher that I called her a butthead (which I had) and got me sent home from school and my mouth washed out with soap. In seventh grade, right before my state championship baseball game, she sneaked into my locker and replaced my jock with her bra. Ever get stepped on by the catcher when you’re in a home run slide without your jock? Not a good time. In ninth grade, she told Cece