Turning up the Heat

by Erika Wilde

  Carly made a sound of disgust. “Being the tightwad that we always knew she was, she’s made it perfectly clear that she isn’t going to spend a penny on this station and repairs if she doesn’t have to. Not with Marvin cold in his grave and her sitting on only a quarter of the inheritance she believed he was worth.”

  Unable to help herself, Kerri smirked, remembering Virginia’s childish tirade after Marvin’s will had been read and she’d realized he’d frittered away a good amount of his money. She’d been appalled to discover that the most valuable thing she now owned was a run-down radio station that was barely making ends meet and turned over a very small profit.

  “I miss the old geezer,” Kerri said with a sigh.

  “Yeah, we all do,” Carly agreed with a hint of sadness, then screened another caller for Kerri’s show.

  Reaching for her water bottle, Kerri took a drink of the lukewarm liquid that wet her parched throat but didn’t quench her thirst. “Damn, but it’s hot in here,” she muttered, wishing she had more time to get a cup of ice from the machine down the hall.

  “Well, prepare yourself, sweetie. The temperature is about to rise.” Carly waggled her brows lasciviously. “Hottie alert on line three.”

  Kerri glanced at the clock on the wall to check the time, and knew immediately who her good friend was referring to. “You have no idea whether Ian is a hottie or not.”

  “How can he not be with that deep, orgasmic voice that makes a woman’s pulse pound?” From the other side of the thick glass that separated them, Carly feigned a rapturous shiver that made her whole body shimmy. “And I’m not just talking about the pulse in my wrist!”

  Kerri rolled her eyes, but couldn’t deny that her nightly caller had that same effect on her, too. But it wasn’t only his bedroom voice that made her nerves tingle and her body crave a dozen shameless kinds of desire. It was his effortless way of making her feel as though she was the sole focus of his attention, that their sensual debates were just a prelude to something more forbidden and satisfying.

  A ridiculous thought, considering she had no intention of ever meeting him in person. It wasn’t that she considered him an overzealous fan, but she didn’t want to spoil the rare chemistry and connection that sizzled between them on the air. He was a delicious, exciting fantasy, one she shared with her listeners. She’d learned years ago that it was safer to indulge in sexy daydreams and erotic night fantasies than to get involved with some men. Her fantasies usually surpassed anything reality could offer. Case in point was the self-centered jerk she’d recently dated who’d inspired tonight’s topic.

  “You and I both know that a voice can be very deceiving,” she told Carly, having met a few of her regular listeners at public relations events. “And a guy with a voice as incredible as Ian’s has to have been shortchanged in the looks department. He can’t possibly have it all.”

  “You’re probably right,” Carly agreed with a quick, flashing grin. “But it’s a nice fantasy, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shatter the illusion in my mind.”

  Kerri swiped the back of her hand across her warm, damp forehead and quirked a brow her friend’s way. “Hey, you’ve got your own real-life hottie, so don’t be fantasizing about my callers.”

  Carly batted her lashes in return, her expression all too knowing. “My, aren’t we a tad possessive about Mr. Sexy Voice.”

  “I’m just looking out for Dan’s welfare.” Dan was the station’s manager, a real gentlemanly prince among men, and Carly’s main squeeze. The two of them had been skirting their attraction for months and finally hooked up when Kerri had asked Dan to join them for a Sunday evening out at a popular nightclub. Carly and Dan had danced the evening away and had been seeing each other exclusively ever since.

  A carefree shrug lifted Carly’s shoulder. “Well, if Dan doesn’t want me lusting after other sexy male voices, he needs to put out the goods, if you get my drift.”

  Kerri slipped her headset on, her fingers inches away from pressing the button that would put her back on the air. “You haven’t slept together yet?” She couldn’t contain her surprise.

  “No. He said he didn’t want to go too fast, and wanted to take things slow and easy. He’s got way more control than I do,” she said in obvious frustration, which was quickly replaced with an unraveling, fanciful sigh. “On the other hand, the foreplay has been incredible and I’m most definitely more relaxed these days, if you know what I mean.”

  Light laughter bubbled out of Kerri. Oh, yeah, she knew exactly what Carly was alluding to—orgasms aplenty, no doubt in varied and innovative ways. “I’m truly envious.” Kerri had been the recipient of too many unmemorable wham-bam-thank-you-ma’ams in her sexual past. While she had nothing against quickie sex, she’d often wished she could find a man with slow hands instead of quick gropes that left her wanting. One of those rare breed of males who appreciated the gradual build-up of a hot seduction.

  Someone like Ian…

  She rejected the tantalizing thought as quickly as it formed, content with him being a safe, undemanding fantasy. She had her own personal illusions she didn’t want to shatter. “Enjoy Dan’s attention and all that sexual tension leading up to the big night, and be glad that you don’t have to rely on battery-operated devices to take the edge off of your physical needs.”

  “Point taken, but just for the record, I’ve decided to turn the tables on lover boy until he’s begging me for release for a change.” Carly pressed a few buttons on her console and held up her hand, fingers splayed, for Kerri to see. “Five seconds to airtime and Mr. Sexy Voice. Like everyone else who’s been listening to your show for the past few weeks, I’m dying to hear his take on tonight’s topic.”

  Kerri was equally curious to discover what turned Ian on about a woman, and silently admitted she’d been anticipating his call and the fun, playful, sensually charged repartee that usually ensued from their conversation. Her heart beat a little faster as she watched Carly count down the seconds on her fingers until her fisted hand indicated Kerri’s cue to begin her show.

  “This is Kerri McCree and you’re listening to Heat Waves on WTLK,” she announced into her microphone as the last bit of jazz faded into the background. “We’ve heard some fascinating comments on what men find irresistible about women. I know tonight’s discussion has certainly enlightened me, but there’s more to come so let’s get back to business. If you listen to Heat Waves on a regular basis, then you already know my next caller, who’s become something of a special guest on my show.”

  She pressed the button for line three, putting her fantasy man on the air. “Hello, Ian. How are you tonight?”

  “Hot,” he said huskily.

  She laughed as he echoed her current sentiment while she sat in her warm, stuffy booth. “Aren’t we all? Is it the heat wave that has you so hot, or something else?” she dared.

  “The heat and humidity started it, but I’m in an air-conditioned room so I can’t say that my rise in temperature is all weather-related.”

  She didn’t miss the insinuation behind his words, or the frisson of immediate awareness that shot through her. “Sounds like maybe a cold shower might be in order.”

  “Umm, already tried that.” A mischievous note laced his low, mellow baritone. “It was only a temporary relief.”

  Oh, he was very bad. And very, very good. “I’m glad the heat didn’t keep you from calling. Inquiring minds want to know…what’s the first thing that you notice about a woman, and what holds your attention beyond that first glance?”

  “Intelligence and a sense of humor gets my initial attention,” he said thoughtfully. “I’ve discovered lately that laughter is a great tension-reliever.”

  “So is good sex.” As soon as the words left Kerri’s mouth and traveled miles across the airwaves, she dropped her head into her hands and shook it—hard. She wouldn’t know good sex if it snuck up behind her and bit her on the butt, not that her listening audience needed to know that. And she hadn’t slep
t with a guy in so long she could almost requalify as a virgin. Amazing the flaws and inexperience she could conceal being sequestered away in a private booth with only a microphone to link her to the outside world.

  “I like the way you think.” She heard a lazy grin in his voice, felt the vibrations curl through her belly. “Hey, we might have just discovered the ultimate relaxation technique. Can you imagine what laughter and sex together could do for a person’s stress level?”

  All she could imagine at the moment was sex with him and subduing her own spiraling need and deep ache, and knew she had a long, restless night ahead of her. “How about we save that topic for another show?”

  “Fair enough. Let’s see…” he continued, his voice a low rumble of sound that found and touched all those secret places within her. “I’m also attracted to a woman’s mouth. Soft, glossy lips made for long, slow, deep kisses, and sexy smiles that make me feel like I’m the only one she desires…”

  Unconsciously, her straight teeth tugged on her bottom lip, and she tasted the remnants of the pale-pink, cotton-candy-flavored gloss she wore. Sweet. Slick. Silky. Liquid heat settled low as her mind conjured images of him nibbling off the sugared taste, his tongue sliding across her parted lips, then delving into the heated depths of her mouth in an all-consuming, electrifying kiss. To her mortification, a small noise, much like a moan, escaped her throat before she could stop it.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Her face flushed to the tips of her ears. One glance at Carly in the booth next to hers and her friend’s comical expression and she knew that way too many people had been privy to that very telltale sound.

  “Hot night, dry throat.” The excuse was a paltry one, but served its purpose, and she followed it up with a long gulp of her water.

  “I also like silky, thick hair,” he continued, leaving her embarrassing slip behind, thank goodness. “There’s something incredibly erotic about having a woman’s hair wrapped around my hands and being able to hold her where I want her.”

  More images flooded her brain. Of him coaxing her down the length of his body until her lips brushed silken steel and he urged her strokes to a slow, seductive rhythm. Of being pinned beneath a hard, muscular body, the fingers tangling in her hair holding her head back as he ravished her neck and gradually moved lower to take the straining tip of her breast into the heated depths of his mouth…

  A shudder coursed through Kerri and her too sensitive nipples tightened and rasped against her tank top. She swallowed in an attempt to regulate her breathing, which had become quick and shallow.

  “But it’s chemistry that will keep me coming back night after night,” he added, pulling her from her indulgent musings.

  Was that why he called in night after night? Did he feel the sizzle between them, too? The thought was a heady, thrilling one. “Chemistry is always a good reason to keep things going, but how do you keep the initial spark from fizzling?”

  “Being spontaneous helps. Not knowing what to expect, yet going with the flow and enjoying whatever happens will keep things between a couple fresh and exciting. Do you like spontaneity, Kerri?”

  His too-easy shift in topic startled her and made her skin prickle with renewed awareness. “I wouldn’t be a talk-show host if I didn’t,” she replied smoothly, and quickly turned the questioning back to him, before he had a chance to put her in the spotlight. “Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of things, Ian. What is it about a woman that keeps you happy in the bedroom?”

  While he thought about his answer, her gaze shifted to the phone lines. Only one line blinked, which was amazing in itself since the station had been inundated with calls before Ian’s appearance. She’d noticed a nightly decline in calls when she was on the air with Ian, as if the city of Chicago was just as riveted by this man as she was.

  “I like a woman who’s comfortable enough with her body and sensuality that she’s willing to try new and different things.”

  Kerri’s lashes fluttered closed, another huge mistake on her part, she realized as a silhouette of a naked couple making love out in the open in carnal, wanton ways flashed behind her eyelids. She quickly snapped her eyes back open before she got caught up in the fantasy, and wondered how far Ian was willing to go to try a little spice and variety. “Are you an exhibitionist, Ian?”

  He chuckled. “I don’t think so. I think it would be fun and a bit forbidden having sex in risky places and being a little adventurous, but actually getting caught isn’t something that excites me.”

  Catching a movement from Carly’s studio, Kerri glanced that way and found her friend fanning herself with her hand and mouthing the words hot stuff. She smiled, shook her head and turned back to her microphone and Ian. “What else turns you on?”

  “A woman who isn’t afraid to tell me what she likes and what feels good.” He paused for a moment. “I like being a part of a woman’s pleasure, and it really turns me on when I hear that she’s enjoying herself and what I’m doing to her.”

  Kerri shifted in her seat and crossed one leg over the other. The insides of her thighs were damp from the heat, or maybe something else she refused to think about. “So, you like a vocal lover?”

  “Soft moans are nice, so is an occasional ‘that feels good’ or other sexy talk. It lets me know that I’m doing something right and my partner is having a good time, too.”

  Kerri sifted through her own previous sexual encounters, trying to remember if she was a moaner, or not. She couldn’t recall any memorable experiences and was doubtful that she’d been on the receiving end of anything worthwhile or rapturous enough to moan about.

  “So, Kerri, what catches your eye with a man?”

  The bold turnabout startled her, but she managed to hold tight to her composure. “That wasn’t tonight’s question.”

  “Turnabout is fair play.” His lazy tone was teasing, but underscored with a private challenge Kerri recognized. “I’m sure your listeners are just as curious as I am to hear what catches your interest with a man.”

  As was Carly, judging by her friend’s wide-eyed, attentive stare through the glass partition. While Kerri hadn’t anticipated being on the receiving end of tonight’s question, Ian had effectively and brazenly cornered her. To maintain her integrity with her listeners who trusted her with their secrets, she knew she ought to share hers in return.

  “I’m attracted to a man’s eyes,” she said, her voice lowering to a husky pitch. “Not necessarily the color, but the way he looks at me, like I’m the only woman in the room, even if there are a dozen other women around. It makes me feel feminine and sexy and very, very confident.”

  “And confidence is very good,” he murmured, echoing a previous caller’s preference.

  “It has its advantages, and keeps a man guessing.” Absently, she touched the erratic pulse at the base of her throat and found her skin moist and hot to the touch. Desire sharpened her senses, making her crave a more masculine caress.

  “What turns you on, Kerri?”

  “A slow seduction,” she said, feeling hypnotized by their conversation, as if she were speaking to him alone. “I like a man who’ll take the time to learn what sends me over the edge. Mentally and physically.”

  “Which, in my estimation, equates to mind sex and foreplay, and lots of it.” Humor deepened his voice. “You like fun sex.”

  It’s what she imagined she liked. “As opposed to serious sex?” A grin quirked the corner of her mouth.

  “You want to have a good time in the bedroom,” he clarified. “And like me, you’re open to diversity and new experiences.”

  Bingo. Which left the field wide open for her since her sexual encounters were so limited.

  He knew her too well, without really knowing her at all. It was as though he’d spent the past month learning everything about her…intimate details he’d coaxed from her while seducing her imagination with provocative, arousing banter.

  She was aroused now—hot and aching and wishing for r
elease from all the tension stringing her nerves tight.

  Her computer screen flashed the countdown to a commercial break, saving her from having to find a witty comeback when her mind was completely numb and free of any clever rejoinders.

  She inhaled deeply and released it slowly and quietly. “As always, Ian, your opinion on tonight’s topic has been duly noted by many. This is Kerri McCree and thank you for keeping the dial tuned to WTLK,” she said to her listeners. “I’ll be back with more of your calls right after these messages.”

  The phone lines lit up again, putting Carly to work screening calls for the next segment. Off the air, Kerri said to her fantasy man, “Thanks for calling, Ian.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  The word pleasure held a dozen different connotations, each one an erotic promise that filled her with an intense longing.

  “Same time tomorrow night?” he asked.

  She grinned to herself, hating to end their brief time together when she knew she’d be going home in a few hours to a very quiet, empty apartment—with her battery-operated device as company instead of a flesh-and-blood male.

  Instead of Ian.

  “Yeah, same time tomorrow night,” she agreed, already looking forward to the call.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Last night’s show was great.”

  The shy, quiet voice grabbed Kerri’s attention. Smiling, she glanced up from braiding Tori’s hair and met the other woman’s gaze in the mirror in front of them. Unable to help herself, Kerri inwardly winced at the painful-looking bruise coloring the left side of Tori’s cheek and the cut splitting her bottom lip. And those were only the injuries that were visible. No doubt, Tori’s heart and soul were just as broken.

  Tori Williams was a battered wife, and one of the many women who sought refuge at the Camenson Women’s Shelter three blocks from the radio station. Kerri had been visiting the shelter for the past eight months, volunteering her time a few days a week in whatever capacity her help was needed. Emotional support and a listening ear seemed to be the biggest necessity. So was just being a friend to the women who craved the kind of understanding only another female could offer.