Susan is back for day two of our scorching side dishes and sizzlin’ snippets! It’s Cooking with Heat…summer-style.

Carrot-Pineapple Jell-o Salad

This is a salad (though more like a dessert!) that we used to fight over as kids.  I made it again a few weeks ago, and it was as good as I remembered.  Luckily, none of my brothers were around to swipe mine!

2 – 3oz boxes orange jell-o

1 – 16oz can crushed pineapple (sweetened or unsweetened), drain and reserve juice

1 ¾ cups shredded carrots

Make jell-o according to package directions, using the reserved pineapple juice in place of part of the water.

Place in fridge and let it set until the consistency of pudding (1-2 hours maybe?).  At this point, add in the pineapple and shredded carrots and stir well.

Place back in fridge to finish setting.

Time to heat things up with an excerpt from Misplaced Princess. If I’ve learned anything through my collaboration with Lexxie Couper, it’s that it’s DAMN HOT in Oz in the summer!

“Damn. Storm coming.”

She turned, surprised to see Hunter standing so close behind her. A quick look showed that he’d folded up the blanket and put it and the food back in the pack.

She was sorry to leave. “I guess we should head back.”

He nodded, looking up. “Not sure we’re going to beat it. Think we’re about to get pissed on from a great height.”

As if he’d dared the gods, rain began to fall. Unlike the storms at home, this one skipped the drizzle and got straight to the good part.

Sheets of water fell, soaking her in an instant. The quick, unexpected change caught her unaware and her mouth fell open.

Hunter wiped his eyes. Grinning, he shook his head and shrugged. “Looks like a belly washer.”

Annie had never found pleasure in rain. In New York, the skies would go dark and gray for days on end, never producing more than a few measly icy-cold drops at a time. This rain felt different. It cooled her overheated skin, washing away the sweat, the grime, the smell of the horse. It was like bathing in a beautiful waterfall.

She lifted her arms and spun around. “It’s incredible!”

Hunter watched her with humor in his eyes. “It’s just rain, you bloody crazy Yank.”

“Maybe. But it feels so good.”

Hunter’s laughter died as his eyes drifted over her body hungrily. She glanced down and suddenly understood why men loved wet t-shirt contests so much. Her white shirt was sheer and it clung to her body, revealing every curve she possessed.

Her nipples were dark and erect. She wanted to blame it on the sudden chill, but she knew it had more to do with arousal.

Hunter had removed his hat and his hair was slick, wet. He pushed it away from his face.

She lowered her arms as both of them continued to stare at each other.

Then they moved at the same time.

Annie didn’t have time to consider her actions when Hunter’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. She gripped his face, forcing his lips to hers.

Hunter’s kiss was hot and deep, passionate. Annie turned her head, trying to get more of him. They’d curbed one hunger with food. Now they were satisfying a different kind of starvation.

She ran her hands over his shoulders, dragging her fingers along his muscular arms. Hunter lifted his palms to her breasts, encapsulating her flesh with his large hands. He squeezed them and she moaned into his mouth.

The storm continued to pound down, but the force of the rain only drove their needs higher. Annie reached around Hunter and grasped his ass, her fingers digging into his jeans, pushing his erection against her stomach.

She longed to feel him inside her. Hunter pinched her nipples, the sharp, pleasurable pain sending shards of arousal to her pussy. She pulled away from the kiss slightly and gasped, but Hunter drew her back, refusing to free her lips.

Water dripped from their clothing. Annie gripped his soaked jeans tighter. She needed more than this. Tugging at the hem of his t-shirt, she untucked it and slipped her hands beneath. Bare, smooth skin met her fingertips. Hunter hissed when her chilled hands stroked his nipples, but he didn’t break the union of their lips.

His tongue tangled with hers, then he nipped her lower lip. She returned the sensual attack. Hunter’s fingers twisted in her hair. He tightened his hold, pulling the tresses until she thought she’d explode. So fucking good. So hot.

She’d spent a lifetime dreaming of a kiss like this, never finding a man who wanted her with a mindless, uncontrollable passion that could match hers. Annie dragged her nails along Hunter’s chest, desperate to mark him, to scratch this moment permanently into his skin, his memory.

Misplaced Princess is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Sony, All Romance Ebooks and Barnes and Noble.