Excerpt from "Zombie Jack" Click on cover to buy

What time was it? Could he call? He looked at the clock on the wall. Almost eight. Mr. Ling-Li was surely awake. He was just reaching for the phone when the bedroom door opened, and Brianna walked in. She wore a pair of flannel drawstring pants and a man’s shirt. On her feet were fluffy, pink slippers with satin bows. She gave him a crooked grin and headed toward the kitchen. “I need coffee.” She puttered around in the kitchen, heating water in the microwave and then adding instant coffee. She came back into the living room and sat down next to him on the couch. “How was your audition?”

“Oh, great. Dee says I’m a natural.” Jack settled back on the sofa and crossed one leg over the other. “I’m doing two shows. One ends in the full monty,” he added, looking at Brianna from the corner of his eye.

She gulped her coffee and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “That’s great,” she said finally, after clearing her throat. “So, how do you feel this morning?” Her eyes seemed to stray to his crotch a lot.

“Fine. How is your job?” He folded his hands over his lap.

“It was all right. Boring. Just the way I like it.” Brianna put her hand on his thigh, blushed, and pulled away. “Sorry.”

“About what?” Jack didn’t remember much about going out with Brianna. That bothered him somehow. He wondered if they’d ever had sex, and the thought made his cheeks start to burn.

“You’re blushing.”

“So are you.”

She put her hands to her face. “It’s nothing. I always blush.”

“Maybe I do too.” The burning feeling spread from his cheeks to his chest, then down to his crotch where it made him suddenly and uncomfortably stiff. Now he was the one shifting in his seat. “I, uh, like your slippers.” He searched for a safe topic.

“I got them at the five and dime.” She stuck her foot in the air and wiggled it. The satin bow flopped sideways.

“Nice.” Jack wasn’t looking at her foot; he was looking at her leg. She had a nice leg. He turned his gaze away. She put her foot down and sipped her coffee. The silence grew between them.

Brianna broke it first. “I was just wondering…” She bit her lip, her voice trailing away.

“What?”

“Well, if you’d give me a private show. You know, practice. I could be your audience.” Brianna spoke fast.

“You can come to the club today during rehearsal.”

“I can’t, I have to work. What about now? Can I get a sneak peek at your show?”

He wondered if he should be shocked. “Right now?”

“Please?” She batted her eyelashes. “I can help you get over your stage fright.”

He hadn’t thought of stage fright. All right. She asked for it. “Do you want music?”

Brianna set her coffee on the table and grinned. “Hold on, let me switch on the radio.”

Music filled the room. He looked around. Something about this was familiar. A faint memory came back and nudged him. He’d already taken his clothes off for Brianna in this room. He closed his eyes and tried to remember more, but nothing else came to him. How strange. Jack faced Brianna, and unbuttoning his shirt, bared his chest. Her mouth dropped open, and she reached up and traced his scar. “Oh, my,” she whispered.

“It’s actually faded a bit since yesterday.” Jack looked down at the Y-shaped scar on his chest and belly.

“Does it hurt?”

“Oh, no. It doesn’t, honest.” He wanted to stand there and feel her light fingertips on his chest, but she gave him a crooked grin. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

He backed away from her, unbuttoning his cuffs. He pulled his shirt off. He must be good at this. Brianna looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes widened as he unbuttoned his pants and pulled the zipper down. Slowly.

Brianna started to unbutton her own shirt. Jack missed a step as her hand slipped inside her shirt. His palm suddenly tickled, and he realized he wanted to slide his hand under her shirt and cup her breast. His cock hardened even more.

He started to pull his jeans down over his hips and hesitated.

Brianna uttered a frustrated groan. “Don’t stop now!”

A rush of heat enveloped him, rising from his toes and burning his cheeks. He suddenly found it hard to breathe. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Jack put his hand on his chest. “I feel strange.”

“So do I.” Brianna unbuttoned her shirt all the way down. “It’s a good strange, though.”

“Tell me something. Did we ever make love?” Jack had to know.

A startled look crossed her face, while crimson rushed into her cheeks. “You don’t remember?”

“I don’t remember ever making love,” he said slowly.

“Oh.” Brianna got up and stood in front of him. “Sort of like you’re a virgin.” Her shirt fell open, revealing her breasts. They were round, soft-looking, and had apricot-tipped nipples that darkened and hardened into points as he stared at them.

His new life was getting interesting in ways he hadn’t thought of. The breathless, burning sensation hadn’t left him. If anything, it was getting stronger. His cock was pushing against his pants, and his eyelids felt oddly heavy. He locked his gaze on Brianna’s and pushed his pants lower on his hips. Cool air caressed his body. Closing his eyes, he put his hands out, blindly feeling for her.

Brianna caught his hands and pulled him to her. The shock of her hot skin against his cool skin made him cry out.

“Hush,” she said. He kissed her and ran his hands over her naked body. When had she slipped out of her shirt and pants?