Connelly's Flame Read Free

car. Restoring cars was her passion. She
    was good at it, as the shop next to her would suggest, but it was this car that she worked on in her free time.
    Little by little, savoring the experience, for it relaxed her immensely.
    So, with a grin, she lifted out the dismantled engine and began to clean parts again, laying them out
    to dry after she was done. James Blunt played through her garage as she worked. When her watch beeped she

    8
    CONNELLY’S FLAME
    Aliyah Burke

    stood up, degreased her hands, and unzipped the coveralls, draping them across one worktable, and tuned off
    the radio before going back into the warm house.
    Her house was small, a two-bedroom, one-bath home. It worked for her but with the extra guest she
    was going to be sleeping on the couch. Which was fine, she had done it before.
    Pulling the casserole out of the oven, she placed it on the hot pad on the countertop. The smell filled
    her kitchen as she walked to the cupboards and got down some dishes. As she turned around, she froze.
    Leaning in her doorway stood the man she had picked up along side the road.
    He stood there like he owned the place. His body was dressed in his jeans that she had left folded
    beside the bed. No shirt and she could see the defined abs that disappeared below the waistband of those blue
    jeans. Her eyes traveled over the anchor tattoo that sat on his left pec. Suddenly the rebel flag didn’t give her
    shivers; well, it did, but not like it usually did.
    He oozed sex as he leaned there watching her with those intense gray eyes. Eyes that roamed over
    her body again as if he owned her and the property rights to her. Up and down, slowly, his gaze moved.
    Burning her, branding her. It was as if he was learning her most private thoughts just from a look.
    “I’m sorry I scared you earlier,” he said in a deep voice.
    “How are you feeling?” Dezarae asked him, ignoring the trembles his voice hand delivered her body.
    “Good.” He took a step towards her but stopped as she shrank back. A sad expression filled his
    handsome face. “I won’t hurt you.”

    It was hard for him to explain how her recoil from him felt. It hurt but it was more than that. This
    feeling of wanting to make her feel safe and protected felt familiar to him. But she said they didn’t know
    each other.
    Still, the fact that her beautiful sepia face would fill with apprehension at his forward motion crushed
    him. He didn’t want that expression anywhere near her face. So he stayed in the doorway. But his eyes never
    left her; he willed her to believe him.
    How could she when he didn’t even know who he was or what he was? A groan of frustration left
    him as he realized this situation was bordering on hopeless.

    Hearing the groan, Dezarae took a step towards him immediately concerned for his wellbeing. “Are
    you okay?” She walked up to him and realized just how much bigger than her he was. He stood about six feet
    four inches and all of it was well-muscled.
    The man managed to contain the next groan that was about to slip out because of his body’s reaction
    to her nearness. He didn’t understand it. “Fine. I’m fine.”
    “Do you feel well enough to eat something?” she asked as she retreated back to the cupboard and
    took down another set of dishes.
    “I think so.” His gaze wandered over her butt as it was exposed from her reaching to the top shelf.
    Regardless of the circumstances that brought him here, his body obviously wasn’t broken as far as sexual
    reactions. She was making him feel some very intense sensations. And, considering his lack of memory, if
    there was a woman out there who made him feel something more intense it would kill him.
    “Well, it isn’t fancy but it will stick to your ribs. I hope you don’t mind chicken casserole.”
    “Not at all.” He kept staring at her, hoping she would turn and meet his gaze, but she steadfastly
    avoided his eyes. After she set the table, she turned and began to prepare a