Red Hot Lovers: 18 Contemporary Romance Books of Love, Passion, and Sexy Heroes by Your Favorite Top-Selling Authors

by Milly Taiden

  And met.

  *

  Steam rose up from her body. We stood in Maggie’s outdoor shower on the deck with hot water pouring over us. Cool air against my back contrasted with the heat between our bodies when I lifted her hips and thrust into her. Our bodies joined together and my head rested on her shoulder while her good hand tangled into my hair, scratching my scalp. The pressure of her fingers distracted me, helping me last longer for her. After last night, I wasn’t sure how I could stand, let alone have sex.

  Not just have sex. Make love. Making love—heart, body and soul.

  I lifted my head and shifted her higher. I wanted her to feel good. It’s all I wanted at that moment. If I could consume her, meld our bodies into one, I would have done it.

  I chased her orgasm with my own. After, I pulled away from her body, a slight tremor ran down my spine when hot water and cold air hit my skin. With a gentle kiss to her lips, I turned and dunked my head under the water.

  Her plastic covered arm wrapped around my waist and she leaned her head against my chest, her other hand pressed against my heart. A happy sigh escaped with her breath.

  I enveloped her with my arms and rested my head on hers. Content.

  Early morning gray light brightened as we stood entwined and the water cooled. I reached over to the hooks to grab her robe and the towels while she turned off the water. Cold air slammed into us and she shivered.

  “I’m freezing.” She hopped from foot to foot with her arms wrapped close to her chest.

  I smiled at her standing, or hopping there, naked and wet.

  I cocooned Diane into the robe and loosely wrapped a towel around her head. She looked ridiculous, like a turbaned marshmallow. She was beautiful.

  The other towel I wrapped around my waist before we ran for the door and the warmth inside.

  I made a note to myself to install an outdoor shower over at my house before summer. Maybe next weekend. I didn’t think Maggie would approve of Diane and I using hers once she returned.

  *

  We sprawled naked on my couch later that afternoon. So much for not having the stamina for more. Sunlight created large squares of light on the floor, but we weren’t tempted to venture outside. Somehow we went from watching one of Diane’s favorite terrible action movies to having sex with her straddling me.

  Not that I complained. I hoped the hot sex would chase away the crying karma of the couch. I loved my comfortable couch.

  All weekend, I showed her with my body what my mouth couldn’t say. Half a dozen times when we were naked I felt the words slip toward my lips, but even I knew better than to say them for the first time when I wasn’t wearing pants.

  Diane stood and stretched, then dove behind the chair, hitting her cast on the floor with a loud bump when she rolled flat on her stomach.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I didn’t move from my spot on the couch, but leaned down so I could see her head on the floor near my feet.

  “Cover yourself!” she shouted at me, pulling the throw blanket off the chair and tossing it over my lap.

  “Why do I need to cover myself? Nobody’s here except us and Babe. Trust me, Babe’s seen you naked before. And doesn’t care.”

  “People are climbing up the stairs of your deck. People who look like they are going to come knock—”

  A knock at the glass door to the deck interrupted her and I turned to see who it was. A couple in jeans and fleeces stood on the deck. The strawberry-blonde hair was familiar and so was her dark haired companion.

  “Oh, that’s Maggie and Gil,” I said, giving Maggie a wave.

  “I just want to die,” Diane moaned from the floor and attempted to bury her head under the chair.

  “You do know your ass and bare legs stick out beyond the chair, right? Pretty sure they can see them through the window.”

  “You’re not helping. Where are my clothes?”

  “Too late for clothes. Here, have the blanket.” I swept the blanket off my lap and in the same movement covered my crotch with a pillow. “They know we’re in here. We might as well say hello.”

  “Can I die first?” She somehow managed to wrap the blanket around herself before struggling to sit up with one arm holding the blanket to her chest.

  “No, you can’t die. At least not this minute. Or for a very long time. Now, sit up in the chair and turn, smile, and wave.” I stood and held the cushion against my middle, creating a small bit of decency.

  I waved the arm not hiding my junk and Maggie waved back before stilling her hand. She covered her eyes before quickly stepping away from the window. When she stepped back, she bumped into Gil and turned her face toward his chest. I laughed and almost dropped the pillow.

  “Looks like Maggie’s figured out they didn’t come at the best time. Although, if they arrived about five minutes ago, they would have seen the whole shebang.” If we couldn’t laugh at the situation, well, we’d lost our humor.

  Diane grumbled about first impressions and being a common hussy while locating her clothes on the floor.

  “No one thinks you’re a hussy, common or not. They didn’t see anything. Plus, this is my house and if I want to make love to the woman I love on the couch in the middle of the day, then I will.” I followed this up with a strong nod.

  She stood there speechless, holding her arms out with her clothes loosely piled on top.

  I gave her a weird look before patting her ass. “Get dressed and we’ll go outside and say hi.”

  She didn’t move.

  “Hello?” I waved my hand in front of her face. “You were worried about how things looked and yet you’re standing here in a blanket with all the world to see.”

  “You said you loved me.”

  I blinked at her and ran my speech back through my head. Not a hussy. My house. Making love … to the woman I love. She was right. I had said it.

  A slow, sexy smile spread across her face. The blanket slipped a little, exposing her breast to me. Thankfully her back was to the window. Maggie and Gil had moved away from the door and stood facing the water, giving us some privacy.

  With the pillow still covering myself, I tugged the blanket up and over Diane’s breast. “I guess I did.”

  “You did. No take backs.”

  “Are you surprised?”

  “No, not at all. I’ve known for a while.”

  “You have?” I quirked my eyebrow and tried to appear serious.

  “You love me.”

  “I do.” I inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled it to calm my heart. “I love you.”

  Her clothes fell to the floor. A smile split her face and she grinned up at me like a crazy woman with disheveled hair, naked under a blanket with a lime green cast hand covering her heart. She was a glorious mess. My glorious mess.

  “I love you, John.” On her tiptoes she could barely reach my mouth with her lips, so I bent forward, sweeping her into my arms. The cushion fell to the ground and I pushed myself against her warmth.

  She kissed me back and the blanket slipped again. When I felt her breast against the skin of my chest I moaned into her mouth and felt myself harden against her.

  My moan broke her out of the kiss. “Um, are they still out on the deck?”

  I peeked over her head. “Yep.”

  “What’s wrong with me? I’m thinking about throwing you down on the coffee table right now and my landlord is standing outside.”

  “I can send her away.”

  She shook her head. “No, no we’re going to get dressed and be presentable. We can do this. They can’t stay forever, right?”

  “I liked your first idea with the coffee table much better. They’ll be living next door to us all summer. We can be proper neighbors then.” I kissed her again, but she didn’t open her mouth to me. “Okay, okay. I give up. Let’s make a run for it down the hall.” I turned and ran ass-naked down the hall to the laundry room. Diane shuffled behind me in the blanket.

  Once we dressed, I kissed her ag
ain and said, “I love you.” Because the block between my heart and my mouth was finally gone.

  ***

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  In the history of awkward meetings, introducing Diane to Maggie and Gil wouldn’t have made the top ten. But it definitely ranked in the top twenty.

  Diane’s blush covered not only her cheeks. From her hairline down to her cleavage visible beneath her hoodie, her skin turned pink. I pressed the back of my hand to her neck where I felt the heat from the blood racing in her pulse. To calm her, I grabbed her good hand and held it when we wandered outside, squeezing her fingers in reassurance.

  Babe bounded past me to greet Maggie’s dog Biscuit on the lawn. The two barked and jumped all over each in greeting.

  Maggie turned around when she saw Babe and smiled at us. “Sorry to, um, barge up here uninvited. Well, I called both your and Diane’s phones yesterday and this morning on the drive up from Portland. And left voicemails.” She laughed. “But seeing what can’t be unseen just now, I’m guessing you two haven’t checked your missed calls.”

  Diane and I looked at each other. I shrugged. Hadn’t occurred to me to look at my phone all weekend. Probably should’ve done that.

  Maggie continued, ignoring my shrug, “Hi, I’m Maggie. And you must be Diane. Please be Diane.” She blushed.

  Diane released my hand and extended hers to Maggie. “Hi, Diane Watson.”

  “Oh, please, I’ve practically seen you naked. No need for formalities. Hugs are in order.” Maggie hugged her tight.

  “I’m … I can’t believe … I have no words,” Diane said, grimacing through the hug.

  “Don’t worry about it. Honestly. I’m glad you’re okay and John’s taking care of you after the accident.” She blushed again. “I didn’t mean in a sexual way. Um, Gil? Want to give a girl a hand here?”

  I eyed Gil who’d been observing this from his position at the railing.

  “Nah, you’re doing fine.” He walked over and kissed the top of Maggie’s head. “Hi, John.” He shook my hand, but didn’t try to squeeze off my fingers like the first time we met last summer.

  “Hi. Gil, this is my girlfriend, Diane. Diane, Gil.” My mouth twitched with a smile when I said the word girlfriend. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Diane smile at the word.

  Maggie studied us and grinned. “Quinn said you were beautiful, and for once he didn’t exaggerate. It’s so nice to meet John’s girlfriend. Finally.”

  I ignored her teasing. “What brings you up to the island? Thought you were coming back in a few weeks.”

  “We are. That’s the plan. Unless you need more time, Diane?”

  “She can always stay with me.” The words rushed out before my brain caught up. All three faces turned and stared at me. “I mean, if you need her to leave before she finds a place. Not forever. Not yet.”

  Great. Gil stared and Diane gaped at me, her jaw hovering near the ground.

  Maggie gave me a wink and smiled. “You’re full of surprises,” she said. “Who are you and what have you done with John Day?”

  I grumbled about nosy neighbors under my breath.

  Gil changed the subject for me. “Maggie explained all this in the voicemails, but we decided we’d take Bessie down to Portland now that the weather’s nice.”

  “And I wanted to make sure you’re okay after the accident. I wasn’t sure if things were settled between you and John or if you had anyone looking after you.” Maggie looked at Diane.

  Diane smiled at her. “Thanks. John’s been great after the accident. I’m in good hands.”

  I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to my side.

  “Well, we don’t want to interrupt any more than we have,” Gil said. “Have you considered getting curtains?”

  I laughed and glanced at Maggie, then back at Gil. “Have you?”

  Maggie swatted at my shoulder. “You’ve never had to see my naked ass running around in the middle of my living room.”

  Busted. She had turned around again. Let her look, she had her chance. I raised my eyebrow at her and cocked my head.

  “Okay, okay. New beach neighbors’ rule. No peeping in windows or coming over unannounced.”

  “Where’s the fun in that? I’ve got nothing to hide,” I said with a big smile.

  “We’re not turning this into some island version of a nudist colony or swingers’ beach,” Maggie said.

  “Who said anything about swinging?” Gil bristled and gawped at Maggie.

  I leaned over and whispered into Diane’s ear, “See? I told you we had nothing to worry about. She’s as crazy as we are. Probably more so.”

  “I heard that,” Maggie said. “I’m not crazy.”

  “Honey, you were talking about nudists and swingers. In front of your tenant, who happens to be John’s girlfriend, whom you’ve never met before.”

  Maggie hung her head. “Hi, my name is Maggie and I suffer from word vomit.”

  Diane smiled. “I think we’ll get along perfectly.”

  “Let’s leave on a high note.” Gil grabbed Maggie’s hand and tugged her toward the stairs.

  “Probably a good idea,” Maggie said.

  Maggie said something about Quinn and chatting on the phone soon about logistics and return dates, but I lost myself in Diane’s scent while she stood beside me. It had been a big afternoon besides the surprise visit.

  Big words.

  Promises of the future.

  A calm settled over me. Everything was different now.

  I waved at Maggie and Gil when they left, but I’d zoned out on the last of the conversation.

  “That went well. Ended better than expected, don’t you think?” I turned our bodies and strolled back toward the door.

  “Sure. I’m happy it wasn’t my naked ass Maggie and Gil saw.”

  “No one sees your naked ass except me.”

  “Same goes for you. Maggie today was the last exception. No nudists and no swinging.” She frowned before shaking her head.

  “Classic Maggie. She’s this amazing writer, but when she gets nervous, she can’t stop herself.”

  “She acts fond of you. Should I be worried?”

  “Did you see how she looks at Gil? And how he looks at her?” I stroked her hair.

  “I did. They love each other.”

  “Nothing to worry about, then.”

  “It’s the same way you look at me, you know.”

  I loved the confidence in her voice. “I know.”

  *

  Maggie called from the ferry to tell us she’d run into Dave on her way down the beach. His brother and family canceled their summer rental, leaving him with an empty place about four houses down the beach from mine—a perfect location for Diane.

  Monday after work we walked down the road to see the house. After counting the steps between our houses, Diane made her mind up before we entered she’d take it. For a beach rental it was decently furnished, but she insisted Dave take away the mounted deer head above the brick fireplace. He offered to replace it with a ram’s head, missing the point all taxidermy was a no for her.

  A summer rental would give her enough time to find a permanent place. With her divorce settlement, she said she could afford to buy a place. We hadn’t talked about how much money she was getting from the asshole, but she’d hinted it was a lot. She deserved every penny.

  Now she had a place for the summer, Diane told me she’d be going back to New York for a week. At first I hated the idea. I worried the charm of hikes and fishing couldn’t hold up to the lifestyle of the city.

  The insecurities I wouldn’t admit to out loud stirred again. She’d return home and decide she’d rather be there than stuck on an island with me.

  “Why do you have to go back? Don’t you have friends who can ship your stuff?” My voice whined and I cringed. I sounded like a girl.

  We sat on the couch in my house again, fully clothed this time. At least for now. Depended how this conversation went.


  “Are you pouting? Big, bad boy John Day?” She poked me in the ribs.

  “I’m not pouting.” I crossed my arms to protect my chest from her poking fingers.

  “You are. It’s adorable. And annoying. As only you can be.”

  “I’m not annoying. I don’t want you to leave. I’m greedy.”

  “Is that all it is?” She ducked her head down to see my eyes.

  “What else would it be?” I grumbled at her.

  “Maybe something to do with your bad mood all week. You haven’t been this shut down since the camping trip.”

  “I’m not shut down.”

  “Sure. I promise I’m coming back.”

  “You can’t promise that.”

  “My return ticket would say different.”

  “Tickets can be changed.”

  “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?”

  “John.” Her voice softened and she tucked herself against my side.

  “Fine.” I exhaled through my mouth, then reached my arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. “I don’t want you to go back and decide you belong there.”

  Her hand picked up mine and played with my fingers before she laced our hands together.

  “When I arrived here in January, I didn’t know I’d stay. I planned to be here for a few months. Everything I own, all my clothes and stuff, is in storage back there. I need to look through it and decide what comes back with me. I won’t even see Kip.”

  I grumbled some more, but inside felt better knowing she wouldn’t see the asshole. “At least you’ll be spared.”

  “Lauren’s letting me stay with her. I’ll be spending my days at the storage facility sorting boxes. Not glamorous or exciting.”

  “Can’t Lauren do it for you?”

  “No. This is everything from college and after. An entire life squeezed into boxes and bags. Depressing, isn’t it?”

  “I could come with you,” I said.

  “You could, but you’d hate it. You know that.”