“Yeah, well,” I laugh, suddenly acutely uncomfortable. “Every microbiome is its own unique universe, so probably not, but…”
He frowns. “ A micro what?”
“Biome. It’s the, um…combined genetic material of the microbes living in our gut that aid in digestion and other metabolic activity. They’re a counterpart to our genetic material, but actually outnumber the genes in our own genome by about a hundred to one, so…”
Ryan’s lips turn down as he nods. “Wow.”
He sounds as unimpressed by my nerd vomit as his raccoon, who has flopped onto his back and is tugging at the hem of Ryan’s jeans as if to say, “Please can we ditch the geek, and go home and feast upon peen lollies together in manly silence?”
Ugh!
What am I even doing standing here talking to Ryan O’Dell? Who cares if we happen to see eye-to-eye on one stupid thing? Ryan and I have about as much in common as Space Vikings and vegan buffalo chicken wings, and I have a new exercise routine to keep up with. Every second spent chit-chatting with him is a second I’m not walking around the lake getting fit.
“So, anyway, have fun with your raccoon. And Van’s trash.” I stand up straighter. “I should get going.”
He’s still watching me with that intense gaze that keeps dropping to my shirt.
Or my lips?
I probably have a milk mustache or something. That’s my life since I came back to my hometown, one embarrassing interlude after another, interspersed with occasional explosions.
I turn to make my escape into the woods, where no one will care what I’m wearing or how sloppily I ate my cornflakes, when Ryan speaks again.
“Good to see you again, Cassie.”
Damn it. I might not be teenage Cassie anymore, and he’s definitely not teenage Ryan, but the way my body reacts to my name on his lips is exactly the same. He still has the power to make me melt on command.
Another reason to get out of here. Now.
I can’t let myself take a single step down the road to Crushville with this man. I refuse to set myself up for a refresher course in heartbreak.
So I just nod at him before I tromp back to the trailhead with my head held high.
“Being hot as a fire truck doesn’t make him worth wasting one second of your time,” I whisper to myself. “You’ve got better things to do than mess with Ryan O’Dell.”
Liar, my inner voice replies.
I need a new inner voice.
HOSED is out now.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author of over forty novels, USA Today Bestseller Lili Valente writes everything from steamy suspense to laugh-out-loud romantic comedies. A die-hard romantic and optimist at heart, she can’t resist a story where love wins big. Because love should always win.
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When she’s not writing, Lili enjoys adventuring with her two sons, climbing on rocks, swimming too far from shore, and asking “why” an incorrigible number of times per day. A former yoga teacher, actor, and dancer, she is also very bendy and good at pretending innocence when caught investigating off-limits places.
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You can currently find Lili in the mid-South, valiantly trying to resist the lure of all the places left to explore.
* * *
Find Lili at www.lilivalente.com
ALSO BY LILI VALENTE
The Hunter Brothers Series
(all Standalone):
THE BABY MAKER
THE TROUBLEMAKER
THE HEARTBREAKER
THE PANTY MELTER
* * *
Standalone Romances:
THE V CARD -co-written with Lauren Blakely
a USA Today Bestseller
* * *
FALLING FOR THE BOSS-co-written
with Sylvia Pierce
HOSED co-written with
Pippa Grant
* * *
Sexy, flirty, dirty romantic comedies!
MAGNIFICENT BASTARD-USA Today Bestseller
SPECTACULAR RASCAL
INCREDIBLE YOU
MEANT FOR YOU
Click here to learn more…
* * *
Sexy romantic comedies
featuring hot hockey players!
HOT AS PUCK
SEXY MOTHERPUCKER
PUCK-AHOLIC
PUCK ME BABY
PUCKED UP LOVE
PUCK BUDDIES
Click here to learn more…
* * *
The Master Me Series,
red HOT erotic Standalone novellas!
SNOWBOUND WITH THE BILLIONAIRE
SNOWED IN WITH THE BOSS
MASQUERADE WITH THE MASTER
Click here to learn more…
* * *
Bought by the Billionaire Series—
HOT novellas, must be read in order.
DARK DOMINATION
DEEP DOMINATION
DESPERATE DOMINATION
DIVINE DOMINATION
Click here to learn more…
* * *
Kidnapped by the Billionaire Series—
HOT novellas, must be read in order.
FILTHY WICKED LOVE
CRAZY BEAUTIFUL LOVE
ONE MORE SHAMELESS NIGHT
Click here to learn more…
* * *
HOT novellas, must be read in order.
CONTROLLING HER PLEASURE
COMMANDING HER TRUST
CLAIMING HER HEART
Under His Command Trilogy-USA Today Bestseller
Click here to learn more…
* * *
To the Bone Series—
Sexy Romantic Suspense, must be read in order.
A LOVE SO DANGEROUS
A LOVE SO DEADLY
A LOVE SO DEEP
TO THE BONE TRILOGY (All 3 Titles)
Click here to learn more…
* * *
Fight for You Series—
Emotional New Adult Romantic Suspense.
Read in order.
RUN WITH ME
FIGHT FOR YOU
Click here to learn more…
* * *
Lover’s Leap Series
A NAUGHTY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
THE BAD BOY’S TEMPTATION
Click here to learn more…
The Lonesome Point Series—
Sexy Cowboys written with Jessie Evans.
LEATHER AND LACE
SADDLES AND SIN
DIAMONDS AND DUST
12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS
GLITTER AND GRIT
SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF TRUE LOVE
CHAPS AND CHANCE
ROPES AND REVENGE
8 SECOND ANGEL
Click here to learn more…
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
THE PANTY MELTER
About the Book
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Tell Lili Your Favorite Part!
Sneak Peek
About the Author
Also by Lili Valente
Panty Melter