Written by Jamie O’Neal, Lisa Drew, and Shaye Smith
Don’t know how you do it
Like there’s nothing to it
You just look my way
You come a little closer
I lose my composure
Don’t know what to say
I’m overwhelmed, you smile, I melt
And somewhere inside, oh baby, I
Chorus: Shiver, tremble, I never
No, I never once felt so much
It shakes me how you take me
Deeper than I’ve ever been
It’s to the core, under my skinI
Shiver
I love the way your whisper
Slowly, softly lingers
In my ear
You move a little lower
The world starts spinning slower
Then it disappears
Your lips so close, we kiss almost
Just barely touch, but that’s enough
To make me
(Repeat Chorus)
It shakes me
How you take me
Deeper than I’ve been
It’s to the core, under my skin I
Shiver
Shiver
(Repeat Chorus)
I shiver
Shiver
Blond tendrils curled about her neck. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple as she leaned her forehead against the wall. The hammer hanging heavily at her side. Her weary fingers loosening just so…
“Crane!”
She jerked her head upright. Blue eyes wide and startled. “What? What’s going on?”
The hammer hit the gym floor with a resounding thud.
And she winced as the black scowl on his face turned even darker, and his rich brown eyes glittered with barely controlled fury.
“That’s it! Go home before you ‘accidentally’ murder someone.”
She glared at him, and a lesser man would have withered from the daggers shot from her icy blue eyes. “Fine,” she huffed. “I don’t know how much more of your company I can stand, Supercop,” she spat. Adjusting the zizagging strap of her finger paint-splattered denim overalls on her shoulder.
“Ditto,” he retorted.
“Speaks the brilliant Officer Macho,” Sheridan jeered with a haughty toss of her blond head as she sauntered out of the Youth Center.
Luis’s jaw set in stone when Hank stopped Harmony’s own Royal Highness at the door. Hitting on her shamelessly. Like there was no tomorrow.
“What do you think, Buddy?” Hank grinned. Slapping Luis’s hand in a high-five. “How much longer ‘til she cracks and realizes the ole Hankster is just the stud to make her forget all about that jerk ex-fiance of hers?”
“Dream on,” Luis shook his head with a helpless grin. “I have to finish the books. Think you can handle things alone out here?”
“I don’t think, Luis. I know. Go on,” he waved him off. “The kids love me. Think you can handle things alone,” Luis heard him mutter under his breath. “Piece of cake.”
Luis fell back into the stiff plastic chair with a groan. Glancing at the door once more to make sure he had, in fact, closed it. And turned the lock. Only then did he pull the top drawer open. Fishing his hand around until he retrieved exactly what he was looking for.
The slides of Spain.
The beauty of the Costa Marbella would forever remind him of her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She stripped the straps of the overalls from her shoulders. Shoving them down her legs and kicking them from her bare feet.
The white tank beneath joined them on the tiled floor, and she crossed the bathroom in her simple lace lingerie. Twisting the shower knob until steaming hot water pounded against the porcelain of the tub.
She stretched the blue headband back on her index finger. Slinging it out the open bathroom door into her bedroom with a smile. Then wincing as she caught a glimpse of her messy blond curls in the reflection of the mirror above the sink. Blue paint. Everywhere.
The clasp on her bra gave way easily, and her panties joined the growing pile as she stepped into the shower. A blissful sigh escaping her lips.
Nothing like a heavenly hot shower to ease the ache in muscles not used to seeing the light of day, she thought with a small laugh.
She just stood under the spray for the longest time. Letting the pounding water knead the tension from her body.
When the first icy fingers pricked her skin, she grabbed the bottle of shampoo from the indented shelf. Squirting a generous amount into her palm and lathering it through her short blond curls.
The pink loofah gravitated toward the swirling water as she flung the shower curtain back and wrapped the white terrycloth robe hanging on a hook behind the door around her figure.
A quick, perfunctory brush through her hair and she wandered into the living room. Romance novel in hand.
She’d earned the escape, she reasoned as she curled up in the oversized sofa. Red toenails peeking out from the edges of the robe.
She opened the book to page 176, and soon lost herself in Samantha and Logan’s rocky road to love.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I can’t be with you, Logan,” Samantha declared. Her heart was broken and bleeding as she whispered the words with despair. “It would never work out,” she cried. Crystal tears slipping down her cheeks unchecked as Logan encircled her waist from behind. And whispered in her ear.
“How do you know until you try?” he asked with a quirk of his lips. His brown eyes shining hopefully.
Her blue eyes gazed into his, and she held him at arm’s length weakly as he pleaded his case.
“I used to think we were too different,” he murmured. Tracing her jawline gingerly with his fingertips. “That a girl like you…a girl who has everything…the whole world at her fingertips could not possibly want me. I was wrong about that, wasn’t I?” he smiled.
“You were,” she nodded.
“And you still want me. N’est pas?”
Her blue eyes widened at his use of words.
And the grin on his lips grew wider. “There’s a great many things still to learn about me, dear Samantha. Don’t you want that? The thrill of discovery?” His fingers played with the wispy blond curls escaping the bun at the nape of her slender neck.
“But what about our families?” she protested. “They’ll never accept us. They’ll never give us their blessing.”
He lay a calming finger to her frantic lips. “All that matters is what’s in YOUR heart,” he said. Placing his hand over her heart. “What’s in your heart, Samantha? No more secrets.”
“You,” she answered softly. “You, Logan. You’re in my heart.”
“Then we have all we need right here. Each other. Never forget that. Though others may try to persuade you differently. Never forget,” he uttered. Before leaning forward to taste her sweet lips.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Mmm,” Sheridan moaned in her sleep. “I won’t forget. Kiss me. Kiss me again.”
He smiled and reached a tender hand to stroke her damp curls from her face. Cupping her jaw in the palm of his hand as he brushed his lips against her fleetingly.
She nuzzled her cheek against his palm. Her mouth opening under the gentle persuasion of his tongue. Accepting him. Humming with pleasure as she met each possessive caress.
Her arms slipped around his neck. Tightening as his hand parted the sides of the thick material that engulfed her frame. His fingers splaying against the warm skin of her stomach as her hands tangled in the black hair at the base of his neck.
“Touch me,” she breathed against his lips as he gasped raggedly for air against her brow. “Please.”
The robe slipped from her shoulders. The gap in the middle widening as his hand slid up her ribcage to cup the fullness of her breast in his palm. His thumb circling her nipple in maddening strokes.
The book slipped from her lap. Hitting the hardwood floor with a deafening thud as she shifted in his arms. Straddling his lap.
Desire-filled blue eyes popped open.
Knocking the breath from him at the emotions flashing there.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered huskily. Capturing his lips with hers once more. And the dance started all over again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Soft candlelight flickered in the darkness.
Allowing him just enough light to see her as he touched her. Framed her beautiful face in both his hands and kissed her. Innocently at first. But with growing passion.
He broke the kiss. Panting for air. And held a finger to her lip to stop the protest he anticipated when he moved away.
She watched him curiously. A smile gracing her features as music filled the bedroom, and he returned to her side. Offering a single red rose.
“May I have this dance?”
Her hand fit in his perfectly, and she forgot all about the awkwardness she felt. Taking this leap. Being with him this way. “I must look a mess,” she broke the silence. “So attractive,” she rolled her eyes after a quick glance at the thick robe that still hung loosely on her shoulders.
“An extremely attractive mess,” he teased. Pulling her still closer, and she melted at the heat of his embrace. Tucking her blond head under his chin as they swayed to the music.
A woman’s voice caught her ear, and the words struck straight to her soul.
~~~ Don’t know how you do it
Like there’s nothing to it
You just look my way~~~
She was coming undone. Staring into the richness of his brown eyes. Moving with him. In unison.
~~~ You come a little closer
I lose my composure
Don’t know what to say~~~
His nose brushed against hers, and her eyes fluttered close as she felt his breath on her face. His hand at the small of her back. Urging her closer. ‘Til there was no distance between them.
Shiver, tremble, I never
His dark eyes gleamed with appreciation as they roamed her figure. She slid shaky hands under the cool cotton of his tee-shirt and pulled. Her breath stopping in her throat as his bronze skin was revealed to her. Hot to the touch. Rippling with strength. Her hands traveled across the rigid planes of his stomach. Stopping uncertainly at the waistband of his jeans. “Are you sure? With me?” she asked. Blue eyes darting away shyly. “Yes,” he said softly. Reassuring her with a sweet kiss that sent shivers of delight all the way to the tips of her red-painted toes. The zipper gave way beneath her fingers, and she cried out in surprise as he rolled over. Face to face.
“Let me make love to you,” he whispered. “Let me show you…” he hissed. Taking her earlobe between his teeth. “…how love feels.” His fingers traced the ridges of her spine. Dipping at her waist and meshing her upper body to his. Sending every nerve ending into overdrive as he gazed into her eyes. His hands everywhere at once. Tickling the sensitive skin behind her knee. Cupping her waist as he kissed the hollow of her throat. His tongue darting out to taste the skin there and making her gasp. “How does it feel?” he whispered. As he kissed along her collarbone to the tiny cluster of freckles that dusted her shoulder, and her back met the silk sheets once more.
~~~ You move a little lower
She arched into his touch as his lips lingered at her breast. Closing over the tight rosy bud there and suckling gently. His hands splaying on either side of her waist as he held her close. The tiny gasps escaping her lips, and the flush of her skin as her heart beat wildly in her chest doing funny things to his heart. Things he’d never felt before as he rested his head against her flat stomach. “Love you,” he mouthed silently against the warm silk of her skin. “Love you,” he thought as his lips descended still lower.
Shiver, tremble, I never
“Luis,” she pleaded. Delving her fingers into his black hair and pulling him back to her. His mouth hovering inches from her own. “Make love to me,” she murmured against his cheek as her lips trailed downwards. To his mouth. Outlining his lips with her tongue before it joined his in a dance a passion. Mimicking the languid movements of their lower bodies together. Her legs circled his waist. Her feet resting on the calves of his legs as she held him close to her heart.
His touch was burned into her memory as he lifted her from the bed and angled his mouth over hers. Kissing her wildly. Without restraint as her long legs draped across his lap, and he crushed her against him. Endearments spilling from his lips. Words of passion spoken between two lovers. And words that made her heart soar as she flew apart in his arms. Relinquishing control. “Te amo. I love you,” he kissed her sweaty brow. “Te amo.”
~~~ I shiver~~~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Hey, Sheridan,” Hank ambled up beside her with a silly grin. “How ‘bout me and you paint the town tonight? I know this really great jazz club. You’d love it.”
Her blue eyes met his across the room. Shining with happiness.
He pointed at the wristwatch adorning his arm.
“I’m sorry, Hank,” she said absently. Already moving away. Shortening the distance between them.
“I already have plans.”
“Oh,” Hank replied in a dejected voice. Not giving up. But following close on her heels. “What about tomorrow then?”
“Can’t,” Sheridan shot back over her shoulder as she stopped in front of him and threaded her smaller fingers through his larger ones.
“I’m afraid Ms. Crane’s booked, Hank,” Luis told his clueless friend as he grinned down at her.
“Tonight and the rest of my life,” Sheridan smiled back. With sparkling blue eyes.
“What about the afterlife?” Hank joked weakly as Sheridan stood on tiptoe to peck Luis’s lips softly. “Whoa! When did that happen? You guys have been holding out on me. Hello…I’m crushed here,” he waved a hand in front of their faces.
But they didn’t break the intense connection.
“I’ll just step outside. Better yet…I’ll go drive my car off a rocky cliff. Don’t worry about me. I’ll see myself out,” he groaned. Shutting his brown eyes against the sight of their lips meeting in a loving kiss.
“Te amo,” Sheridan whispered against Luis’s lips.
The Youth Center lights dimmed. And the door clicked shut.
But two people remained.
Two people in love.
~~~I’m overwhelmed, you smile, I melt
And somewhere inside, oh baby, I
No, I never once felt so much
It shakes me how you take me
Deeper than I’ve ever been
It’s to the core, under my skin I
Shiver~~~
~~~ I love the way your whisper
Slowly, softly lingers
In my ear~~~
The world starts spinning slower
Then it disappears~~~
~~~ Your lips so close, we kiss almost
Just barely touch, but that’s enough
To make me
No, I never once felt so much
It shakes me how you take me
Deeper than I’ve ever been
It’s to the core, under my skin I
Shiver~~~
~~~ It shakes me
How you take me
Deeper than I’ve been
It’s to the core, under my skin I
Shiver
Shiver~~~