NSFW content: please note that our ‘hot toddies’ series contains explicit language and (very) adult situations.

Here in Australia, the weather is getting colder. We’re dragging out the blankets and brewing up the cocoa, but it’s not doing the job. We need something hot.

Luckily, Escape artists have come to the rescue. They’ve provided some of the most scorching scenes from their books for us to enjoy. As the cold winds blow outside, we’ll be heating up with some ‘hot toddies’.

Winter is coming. And so our are heroes and heroines.

From Out of Time by Shona Husk

Mike was partially lying down, his face dangerously close to her bust.

This had the potential to go bad … but so far it felt more like he was happy to go along with what she wanted. On one hand that was good, on the other it left her wondering if she was what he really wanted. Then he looked at her and she got even more confused.

In the glow from the TV she knew he was half watching her. His hand was on her leg, thumb brushing her skin. If she moved away she’d end up rolling onto the floor, and if she moved closer she’d end up rolling under him. That seemed like a much better option.

Ava moved a little and angled her body towards him. His hand slid up her thigh, then he pulled her closer so she was lying against him. TV show forgotten, he kissed her. Softly at first, as if he was expecting her to change her mind.

His beard tickled her skin, but she loved the rough feel of it. The softness of his lips and the cold of the metal. She ran her tongue over the ring then gave it a tug with her teeth. He’d liked that last time. He hadn’t admitted or denied having more.

Since his shirt was undone she was pretty sure his nipples weren’t pierced. She’d have noticed that. She smoothed her hand over his chest to double-check, pausing to brush his nipple.

Nothing. Which left lower …

He smiled against her lips as if he knew exactly what she was doing. She let her hand drift down his belly. Her heartbeat quickened. He didn’t stop her when she reached the waistband of his shorts; her fingers accidentally brushed his erection. She almost jerked her hand away. She hadn’t expected him to be hard.

The kisses deepened, stealing her breath and leaving her wanting more. His hand slid over her ribs, the tips of his fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

Yes. She needed to feel his touch.

He moved, nuzzling her neck, his leg partially over hers as his hand slid under her singlet. The hard length of his shaft pressed along her thigh, tempting her to go further. But if she went further, at what point would he expect more and not want to accept no?

She must have flinched or given some clue about her thoughts away because he paused.

‘You still trying to guess?’ His fingertips glided over her skin.

That was a good excuse and she’d go with that for the moment. She really didn’t want to have the I’m a virgin conversation. She knew what happened and had been partially naked with a guy. She’d had oral sex, but that had always been her line. She pushed down the memories of her ex not being happy about that.

This was different. Mike was different.

‘Yeah.’ Had he really pierced his penis? If he had, she wanted to see.

‘I’ll let you in on a secret.’ He moved closer, his lips brushing her ear. ‘I don’t have another piercing.’

‘Really?’ So she’d been wondering about it for no reason?

‘I was never going to put an extra hole in my dick, but chicks seem to like the idea.’

She had. And she’d been curious. Most girls probably had their hands in his pants before realising. How many girls? She glanced at him and he took another kiss.

He almost seemed content to lie with her on the sofa.

She wanted to go back to how it had been. Where she was relaxed and happy to feel his hands all over her.

While he didn’t pull away, she felt the distance widen. Should she say something? Ask something?

‘Do a lot of chicks,’ she used his words, ‘like the idea?’

She felt his sigh against her neck and shivered.

‘I fell off the rails last year. It was surprisingly easy to do.’ His hand had stopped moving. ‘I like this.’ He plucked at her singlet. ‘Whatever this is.’

She didn’t know exactly what this was either. She wasn’t ready to put a name on it. He was about to go away and by his own admission he knew how to misbehave.

‘I like it too …’ She should say something, that she didn’t want to rush … anything.

‘Good.’ He kissed her again. ‘You can check about the dick ring if you don’t believe me.’

That was a less than subtle offer. ‘And if I do believe you?’

He shrugged. ‘Another time.’

He’d given her the invitation but wasn’t expecting her to use it. She slid her hand lower even though she did believe him. ‘And how do you know I don’t have a piercing?’

He lifted her singlet and took a peek. His hands had already been everywhere. He didn’t need look. ‘Nothing in your belly button or nipples—I’d have found them already. I doubt you have your clit pierced.’

‘Do I look too boring?’

‘You aren’t boring. If you were boring you’d be watching TV instead of trying to slide your hand into my pants by stealth.’

Damn it. ‘Too obvious?’

He undid the button and the fly of his shorts for an answer. ‘Better?’

He wasn’t wearing any underwear. The head of his shaft was just visible. Her mouth dried as all moisture was redirected to her knickers. She’d put on nice ones, just in case, and now she was glad she had.

Her fingers grazed the hot smooth head. Touching him made her want more. It was pheromones and lust, chemicals. She knew that, but it didn’t stop her from wanting. While she knew the theory and knew what an orgasm felt like, she wanted to put the two together.

While the desire was there, she couldn’t.

She stroked his length, sure that he was bigger than her ex, not sure if she could untangle herself from this without ruining what was happening between them.

His hand was between her legs, under the cuff of her shorts, brushing the lace of her knickers. She swallowed, wanting him to do more than just tease.

No doubt he felt the same way.

She didn’t want to lead him on. ‘Mike.’

His head snapped up as if she’d pinched him. ‘Yeah?’

Instead of lust there was a wariness in his eyes. In the soft glow they were almost black, not brown.

Now she wished she hadn’t said anything. Too late now. His fingers were dangerously close to breaching her panty defence. She rolled her hips and eased her legs a fraction further apart. He took the offer, his fingertip sliding along the edge, but he was still watching her.

‘I didn’t come here to jump into your bed.’ With her fingers still wrapped around his shaft, that statement didn’t quite ring true.

‘Good thing we aren’t in bed.’ He smiled.

The fabulous New Adult series from Shona Husk continues: he wants to shut out the world; she wants to invite it in…