Only Human
Torrid Tarot (The Star)
Awards
- Fallen Angel Reviews Recommended Read
Workaholic Elaine Llewellyn’s enforced vacation leaves her at far too loose an end for her peace of mind. With all that time on her hands, memories and longings she’s been repressing threaten to break free. Her solution? Distract herself by playing tourist on a just-busy-enough road trip through Maine.
A storm and a blocked road send her to an unscheduled stop at Damon Thorne’s private retreat. Instead of the B&B she’s expecting, the man who’s world famous for his surreal paintings of psychic visions has been expecting her and all of her careful plans are washed away with the rain.
Trapped in the house while the storm rages outside, Damon sets out to break through Elaine’s barriers, physical, mental and emotional. When the storm ends, she’ll have to make a choice: go back to the life of denial she’s been living, or come to terms with her own psychic gifts, her passionate nature, and the second chance at love she’s been offered.
Now available in ebook at Ellora’s Cave
“Darkly delicious…Only Human is a must read.” Joyfully Reviewed
WOW! Only Human is an intriguing page-turner that you won’t be able to put down. It is a dark and edgy tale with some very stimulating, sexual and arousing content. Ms. Teglia, I just have to say, way to go! You really got creative writing this book. Congrats on another winner of a story. - Nicole Austin
The gothic undertones caught me from the first page and I kept reading until I’d read the final word. A touch of the paranormal, mixed with intrigue, mystery, and passion, makes this book a fantastic read. - NJ Walters
“Only Human takes a rather deep look at character in the context of psychological repression, and does it winningly. Few readers will be able to walk away from Charlene Teglia’s newest without fond memories lingering in the mind.” TwoLips Reviews
“ONLY HUMAN allows readers to imagine that their ‘special someone’ is out there just waiting for their paths to cross. Elaine is a character that many women will be able to relate to - it’s so much easier to bury yourself in work or some other vice to avoid dealing with painful issues. Damon is the perfect alpha male. There’s no doubt that he is dominate and is more than willing to provide everything Elaine needs, but he isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t try to control her.” Romance Junkies
“The characters of Elaine and Damon are the focus of this short, intense story and they really grabbed my attention…I was hooked by the paranormal elements, sensuality, emotional development, and both characters. I really enjoyed Only Human. I will be looking for more stories by Charlene Teglia.” JERR
“I loved Only Human! This story was a delightful spin on the psychic sub-genre. The characters were well-developed and three-dimensional. The sex was so sizzling, I had to turn the temperature down on the A/C! I was mesmerized by Thorne’s intuition, peeling away Elaine’s defenses one layer at a time and by the time the story was concluded, I wanted Thorne all for my own. Only Human was just an all-around delicious read. Ms. Teglia, I can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with next!” Fallen Angel Reviews
“Only Human was a completely engaging story that touched me on a deeply emotional level. Immediately, I was pulled into the lives of these characters and found myself enriched for the experience…The sex was truly the icing on the cake as it was steamy, erotic and served to satisfy the heroine’s physical and emotional needs. Ms. Teglia has always been one of my favorite authors and Only Human reinforced why I so love her work.” The Romance Studio
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By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to exit this page.
Copyright CHARLENE TEGLIA, 2007.
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave, Inc.
Elaine retreated to her room before she lost her mind completely and asked her host if he wanted to join her. She’d heard him say it was early for bed and flashed on another image, this time both of them naked. Him on top of her. Inside her.
It had been so long. She didn’t want a lover, but a stranger, a night of uncomplicated sex, that much, maybe she could have.
She wanted to feel the solid weight of him over her, the heat and hardness of him inside her. She didn’t have to guess what kind of sex partner he would be. He wouldn’t be the gentle, undemanding kind. Not inconsiderate, but if she got naked with him she knew how she could expect to be taken.
Hard. Fast. Repeatedly.
Elaine finished her tea while she paced the room, wavering. She could do it. She could satisfy her body’s craving with this man, safe in the knowledge that she’d never see him again. She could go on with her vacation, then back to her life. And she should remember to buy herself a vibrator or something so she didn’t let the pressure build up to this point again, where she was seriously contemplating a one-night stand with a total stranger.
She’d never gone off the Pill. It had seemed easier to just keep filling the prescription instead of having to make the decision to do something different.
That made the idea seem even easier to contemplate. She really could do it, give herself permission to have a night of lust without any fear that it would lead to unwanted consequences, emotionally or physically.
And maybe satisfying her sexual needs would help her keep a lid on the rest of Pandora’s box.
That factor decided Elaine. She didn’t want everything she’d buried to break free and overwhelm her. Sex she could handle. The rest…no. Unthinkable. Unbearable. Sex was far safer.
Besides, she couldn’t believe a man who fed her tea and sandwiches because the storm had blocked off any other hope of dinner and brought her a flashlight so she didn’t stub her toes in the dark would be a poor choice to sleep with. That, and every vibe he gave off practically screamed virile male.
Virile, but not the type to overstep the line or put her in a position she’d be uncomfortable in. He’d done nothing to make her feel threatened. He’d been careful to put her at ease. The way he’d looked at her and his attentive manner indicated interest, but he was clearly leaving it up to her to decide if she wanted to approach him.
How exactly to go about approaching him stymied her. She was out of practice in more ways than one.
Elaine started running various lines through her head before she realized how ridiculous she was being. He was a man. What was the saying? Women needed a reason to have sex. Men just needed a place. If she walked up to him and kissed him, or maybe just starting taking her clothes off, he’d probably take care of the rest.
Determined, she set the empty mug on top of the dresser and went back downstairs.
She found him in the kitchen, tidying up.
He looked up when she walked through the doorway. “Did you need something?”
Yes. She needed something. She just didn’t know how to ask for it.
Elaine started to answer him and then hesitated. Was she so out of practice that she’d misread his signals? What if he wasn’t interested at all? What if the idea of a guest making a pass offended him?
Only one way to find out. She took a deep breath and looked directly into his eyes. “Yes. I need something.”
Hoping she wasn’t making a complete idiot of herself, she pulled her shirt off and let it fall to the floor.
He didn’t look shocked or offended. He just looked, his expression turning intent. “Take off the bra.”
Elaine complied, her hands fumbling with the front clasp. Her fingers seemed to tangle in the straps, but she eventually managed to get the bra off. Then it joined her shirt on the floor. Her hands went to the button at the waistband of her pants next, but he stopped her.
“No. Let me.” He walked towards her and hooked his fingers into her waistband, using it to draw her closer to him, until her naked breasts touched the soft fabric of his shirt. He undid the button, unzipped her and let her pants slide down her hips to pool around her ankles. He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her free of the material, leaving her wearing nothing but a pair of panties.
Elaine glanced down and realized she was wearing plain white. Well, too late to try for the seductive look now. She’d have to hope he didn’t care.
He caught her look and asked, “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure. I just, well, didn’t expect. Um. That is, I didn’t plan. I mean, white.” She waved in the direction of her underwear. “I think it should probably be black lace.”
“If the color bothers you, we can get rid of them.” He slid his fingers under the waistband at each hip and tugged downwards. Her panties rolled down her hips and he bent his knees, balancing in front of her to pull them all the way down.