The Next Season (novella) by Rachael Johns Page A

wouldn’t let her break his heart again, because this time he knew the score from the start.
    But they should get a couple of things straight before they went at it again.
    He loosened his grip on her slightly and moved his head so he could meet her gaze. ‘I think you just blew my mind.’
    Her lips burst into a smile that made his heart warm. Miraculously he felt himself harden again. ‘Ditto.’
    He grinned back. ‘This fling idea of yours… I think I’m going to like it.’
    â€˜I’m glad.’ She pressed a quick kiss against the side of his neck and it was all he could do not to ravage her once more.
    â€˜Just one thing…’
    â€˜Uh huh?’ She bit her lip, waiting.
    â€˜I reckon we should keep a low profile. My family are all gung-ho about me moving on from Melissa and finding Miss Right, and if they got wind of us sleeping together again… Well, let’s just say things might get a little heavy. Neither of us need that kind of pressure.’
    â€˜Agreed. And I think illicit affairs are far more exciting than public ones anyway, don’t you?’
    He pulled her close again. ‘I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had one. But I’m looking forward to finding out.’
    In reply, she hooked her leg over his torso and then pushed upwards, rolling over until she was straddling his hips. He sucked in a breath, his erection flaring and zoning in on her like a homing missile.
    â€˜Well, hello down there,’ she said, reaching back while grinning seductively at him.
    He offered her a lazy smile and shrugged as if to say, What can I do? She seemed more than satisfied with this reply as she leaned down to meet his lips, her bare breasts pressing pleasurably against his skin.
    If she wanted to be ravaged again…who was he to refuse?
    Zoe lay sprawled across Shaun, grinning like a fool as she tried to catch her breath for the second time that night. Maybe they were crazy to indulge in a fling, illicit affair, few-nights stand—however she wanted to define it—but she wouldn’t regret what they’d just done. Never in her wildest fantasies could she have imagined the friction they’d just caused between the sheets. Her girly bits felt tender from their interaction with Shaun but already she was thinking about making love with him again.
    No . She chastised herself for thinking such a thought. This wasn’t love, this was just sex—fabulous sex between two consenting adults who had incredible chemistry but weren’t in the market for a relationship. Fun sex. Sex without strings. Sex without complications.
    That’s all.
    â€˜You hungry?’
    Shaun’s deep, sexy drawl broke Zoe’s delicious reverie and she lifted her head to gaze into his dark eyes. ‘Actually I’m famished.’
    â€˜Must be all the vigorous activity.’ He winked up at her and she felt the effects to the very depth of her bones.
    Still, she teased him. ‘Or it could just be that I was run off my feet all day and didn’t have a chance to eat.’
    He snorted, and pulled her back against him. ‘ Swept off your feet more like.’
    â€˜Get away with you.’ She pretended to be unimpressed by his corny words but inwardly she swooned. It would be all too easy to be swept off her feet by Shaun but she must keep her head. Extricating herself from his delicious grasp, she rolled to the edge of the bed, taking the sheet with her and wrapping it around her body. It was too late for modesty but she wasn’t confident enough to get dressed in front of him.
    â€˜What are you going to feed me?’ she asked as she stooped to gather her clothes.
    Still lying naked in bed and not at all abashed by the fact, Shaun said, ‘I do a mean beans on toast. And there’s probably some two minute noodles in the cupboard.’
    She screwed her face up at him. ‘Is that the best you can do?’ The truth was