Impulse: Southern Arcana, Book 5 by Moira Rogers Page A

last night.” She might not have gone for the sexy clothing, but digging up the family recipe Julio’s sister had given her the previous fall might have been equally shameless. “John lets me play in the kitchen when it’s slow.”
    “Empanadas, huh?” Julio flashed her a knowing look as he climbed behind the wheel. “I can’t drive if I’m in a food coma. You’re angling to get your feet on these hot little pedals, aren’t you?”
    Sera settled into the passenger seat. “Maybe. I’d look good driving a convertible.” But not as good as him. His plain white T-shirt hugged his body, flexing with the muscles of his arms and shoulders until she wondered if he was trying to show off.
    “Jackson, unfortunately, would murder me if I let you drive it.”
    That stung. “Hey, I’m a good driver. And he’s married to the New Orleans record holder for most speeding tickets in a year.”
    “Yeah, and he won’t let Mackenzie drive it, either.” Julio patted the dash. “I had to find a suitable replacement and promise I’d buy it if anything happened to his baby.”
    “Fine, fine.” Sera angled her body so she could admire him—subtly. Maybe. “So where are we going?”
    “Don’t know. Do you want to head east or west?”
    She might as well flip a coin. Either sounded perfect, as long as it got her away. “Whichever, so long as we can get lost on tiny back roads. I want the real road-trip experience here.”
    “Stay clear of I-10. Got it.” He turned the key and revved the engine with a grin. “East, I think. We can drive all the way around Florida if you want.”
    “Sounds perfect.” It would take a week or two, if they went slow. A week away from work, from overprotective alpha shifters and well-meaning friends, few of whom had taken this trip in stride.
    Lily she might forgive. Lily’s tense sigh had undoubtedly been at the idea of trying to break the news to Sera’s father. Her boss, on the other hand, had granted her request for time off with a shake of his head and a muttered, Lord help you, girl.
    That had pricked her pride. It would be nice if someone thought Julio was the one in need of help. Someone other than Kat, anyway, who had replied to Sera’s voicemail with a texted apology for being out of cellular contact and a stern command to be gentle with Julio.
    Anna’s advice had been more direct. Fuckin’ A. Ride it like you stole it.
    Everyone in New Orleans seemed convinced she was embarking on the world’s most epic booty-call road trip with a man she hadn’t even managed to kiss yet, and Sera couldn’t tell if it was a reflection of their respective reputations, or if her frustrated tension was just that damn obvious.
    Julio seemed oblivious to it. “Want to pick the music?”
    “Sure.” Leaning forward, she switched on the radio and twisted the old-fashioned FM dial, skimming past static on her way to 95.7. It took a little fiddling before Eric Clapton spilled out of the speakers, long enough for her to come to a decision.
    Sitting back, she glanced at Julio. “You know everyone thinks we’re headed to the nearest motel to fuck ourselves stupid for the next week, right?”
    He threw back his head with a laugh. “My fault, sweetheart. People think I can’t keep my pants on.”
    “Who says I can?” Sera twisted on the seat and grinned at him. “That’s the awesome part about the twenty-first century. Girls get to love sex too.”
    “I’m pretty sure they always have.”
    “Well, obviously. When they got to have said sex, which wasn’t exactly freely, historically speaking.”
    “A damn crying shame, if you ask me.”
    She studied him for a moment, indulging herself for all the time she’d spent fighting not to look at him. The white shirt set off his coloring, all beautiful shades of bronze with chocolate eyes and jet-black hair.
    It made her self-conscious, imagining her too-pale freckled body pressed against him. She had curvy hips and breasts big enough to turn any