A woman who dares…

When firefighter Lana Dempsey finally tackles fellow firefighter Sean O’Neill in the…showers, it’s a five-alarm blaze. She and Sean stripped of their uniforms—it’s what Lana’s always wanted. Having a crush on Sean since forever, she’s never been brave enough to do anything about it. Until the bet she makes with her girlfriends gives her the courage to finally squelch that burning desire for Sean!

And the man who won’t say no…

Sean O’Neill is the man behind the woman. Always attracted to Lana but never wanting to jeopardize their special friendship, he’s never crossed the line…until now. An emotional twist knocks down their defenses and a steamy trip to the shower room sets them on the sexiest journey of their lives—the flames of which they’re not sure they’ll ever escape. Or want to.

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“Don’t you want to touch me, Lana?”

Sean stood in front of her in the dim light of the fire station. Her heart jumped at the hot, sexy rasp of his voice-a voice fashioned for shadows and whispers.

He was dressed in just his uniform pants, the suspender straps tight against the hard muscles of his smooth, bare chest.

“Ah Lana, I think about you, dream about you, want you. . . .”

His face was in partial darkness. The lower half tantalizing, the full, sensuous lips, the strong jaw, and the smooth column of his throat bathed in shadows that pooled in the hollow of his throat like dark, sweet chocolate.

Then he stepped into the full light and her breath caught. The gray eyes that regarded her were as deep and subtle and dangerous as smoke from a wildfire. His wheat colored hair framed a face that was drop-dead gorgeous- stuff dreams were made for.

Lana could feel the blood roaring in her ears. Sean O’Neil, pal, buddy. She swallowed. Coworker. Not smart, Dempsey. Not smart at all.

She shouldn’t lust after him like this because she worked with him. But the bet she’d made with her daring girlfriends changed all that. One night with Sean would be worth the risk.

The savage need in him called out to her. The intensity about him frightened her even as it drew her. Erotic danger. She backed up, away from the smooth stalking grace of him.

She didn’t answer, but every muscle throbbed in her at the seductive lights in his beautiful eyes.

“Do you want to touch me?” he asked with an odd desperation in his voice. Desperation and hope.

Lana had one glimpse of his gray eyes before his head descended.

It was a hot kiss, filled with hunger and need. It was pure and simple. He wanted her and she wanted him.

His fingers tangled in her hair, cupping her head.

The kiss continued, scalding and consuming, seeming to suck her will from her. His tongue encountered no resistance as it swept with fervent insistence into the softness of her mouth.

His voice stole softly through the silence, his breath mingling with hers. “The taste of your mouth is so sweet,” he said.

“I want you,” she whispered fiercely. “From the first time I laid eyes on you, I’ve wanted you,” she finished raggedly. Her eyes caressed his face, his throat, then moved back up to his burning eyes.

His scent enslaved her; the brush of his fingers against her throat was like little licks of flame against her already aroused body. She shivered as she ran the backs of her fingers against his taut skin.

“I want to make love to you,” she whispered, her mouth going to the moist, heated steel muscles of his chest, pressing her lips to his salty, musky flesh.

She kissed the exposed skin, trailing her fingertips along hard muscle.

When her tongue came out and licked his flat nipple, he moaned softly on an indrawn breath. She swallowed as excitement coursed through her. With a movement meant to savor, she couldn’t help doing it again. This time gently, sucking the hard nub.

Breathing hard, his whole body jerked, his head falling back, his eyes closing in sensual rapture that made Lana feel as if she where gripped in a tight, flaming fist.

Her breathing quickened at the powerful hardness of his sculptured body. She allowed herself a little bit of satisfaction when he pulled her tightly to his body. As his hot mouth slammed into hers, his kiss demanded, overpowered, and possessed her until the need for him was a starving ache in her bones.

The lights came on, but Lana couldn’t stop kissing him. The sirens blared, the voice over the loudspeaker announced a fire in progress and still she couldn’t let him go.

“Come on, Dempsey, up and at’em.”

Lana opened her eyes to find Sean close, but it wasn’t in an amorous embrace. He was shaking her shoulder to wake her. Firefighters were jumping out of bed, running for the stairs and the bays where the fire engines waited.

From the book: Yours To Seduce
By: Karen Anders
Imprint and Series: Harlequin Blaze
Publication Date: 11/03
ISBN: 0-373-791157-1
Copyright ©: 2003
By Karen Alarie

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The edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S. A.
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