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

by Milly Taiden

  Adrian’s arms squeezed tighter around me.

  “I think we should postpone tomorrow,” I said. I didn’t want to, but maybe it was too soon for Dan to meet Adrian formally after all.

  “I think you’re right.” Adrian turned around and coughed into his elbow.

  “Are you all right?” I asked, looking up.

  “Yeah, but that bug in my throat is really beginning to itch.”

  “Let’s go home then,” I said, secretly wishing that home was a place where we both lived together. The thought was so simple yet so complicated at the same time.

  Adrian drove, coughing more often. I didn’t like the sound wheezing from his lungs and prayed it wasn’t anything serious. This evening had been one of the best and worst of my life. As high as I’d been when Adrian had unexpectedly showed up at the fundraiser and bought that dance for me, preventing Amanda from stealing him, now I felt like a peasant scraping the pit of Shakespeare’s theater for bread crumbs. By tomorrow morning the entire town would be talking about me and Dan and probably Adrian as well. I could already hear the gossip about a love triangle gone wrong. But who the fuck cared? As long as my children weren’t affected—and hopefully the adults weren’t stupid enough to discuss this in front of their kids—then I would be fine. My true friends had stayed on my side before, and I knew they would this time as well.

  “I’ll have someone drop off your car tomorrow. The keys will be under the mat.” Adrian pulled into my driveway.

  “I’m sorry tonight couldn’t have gone better, and thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t even know how to express my gratitude. You always make me feel so special.”

  Adrian remained quiet, and he looked as if he was collecting his thoughts. “T, I need you to promise me something.”

  “All right.”

  His face was set, and I could tell he was choosing his words before he spoke. “That you’ll talk to Dan. Seriously. He needs professional help. I’m worried about you, Christa, and Jonathan. I know you’re a strong woman, but sometimes there aren’t enough muscles in the human body to deal with the kind of issues that Dan has.”

  “I feel like I’m his biggest issue. He just can’t let go, and so he turns to drinking. Not that I’m making excuses for him—I’m not. There’s no excuse. But I do promise that I’ll talk to him.”

  I’ll spell out the consequences of his actions across his forehead if I have to. I may even ink them for him.

  Adrian walked me to my door and kissed my forehead. “I don’t want you to get sick from me. I have a feeling I’ll be in bed most of the day tomorrow, but please call if you need anything.” He tightened his arms around me once more before going back to his car. As Adrian pulled away, I vowed to finally take action against the biggest demon I’d had to face in my life: my ex-husband’s drinking.

  CHAPTER 18

  On Sunday morning I left Christa and Jonathan with my mom, telling them I’d be back before church time, and with all the determination I’d built up overnight, I shifted my car into gear.

  Mulling over what I’d say to Dan, I’d barely slept that night. The stunt he’d pulled at the fundraiser was a wakeup call, and I’d pressed the snooze button too many times before.

  I banged on the front door, then rang the doorbell a few times, and then banged some more. I didn’t care whether Dan was sleeping or curing a hangover or tired from being an asshole. I’d wake him up even if I had to break in. Finally, a groggy “I’m coming!” came from the inside.

  I stood there with my arms across my chest, waiting until he opened the door.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Dan’s hair was messed up and his eyes half-open. He still wore his socks from the night before. The stench of his breath slammed into me and for a moment I regretted my decision to show up there that early in the morning. But if I didn’t do it now, while the fumes of my rage were spewing out my body, I was afraid I’d lose the courage to confront him.

  “Move five feet away from me and stay there.” I passed him and headed into the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and drank half of it before lowering my hand. He shuffled over to the sink and filled up a glass. I’d always hated when he drank tap water. He popped a pill with his gulps, which I assumed was for the massive headache he was experiencing.

  “What’s wrong with you?” he asked in an obnoxious tone, finally leaning against the counter, far away from me. Well, at least he knew I was serious. “Couldn’t you wait until later?”

  Obviously the alcohol had done more damage to his memory than I thought. I’d half expected he wouldn’t remember the night before, and that would make this conversation difficult. If I or someone else didn’t tell him what he’d done, Dan would never know the magnitude of his actions.

  “You’ve fucked up Dan, big time.” I spoke louder just to aggravate him, hoping that headache was sensitive to noise.

  He shut his eyes for a moment, his forehead scrunching up. The look of pain on his face was nothing less than if he’d stuck his head in a grinder.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m not about to go through what happened last night. You’ll get an earful at work and around town when people whisper about the asshole who punched an innocent man, pulled his ex-wife to the floor, and embarrassed the shit out of anyone who knew him.”

  His face drooped as he tried to swallow through his dried-up throat. I hoped it hurt.

  “If you even say a word while I’m talking, I will make sure you see as little of Christa and Jonathan as possible. I will make your life a living hell, and I’ll be the bitch I should have been the moment you cheated on me. I’m done with trying to be the good one for the benefit of everyone around me.”

  He finally sat down on a chair. His eyes were wide open now, so I knew I had his attention.

  “You’re not going to church with us today because you still have alcohol in your system, and I’m not about to be a cab for a drunk. I’m taking your car keys away until further notice. I don’t care how you commute. You have enough money to take a taxi for at least a month. I’m sure you spend more on drinks at expensive restaurants than a cab will cost you, so I’m doing you a favor. You will get professional help and go to AA. You will not sleep over at my house anymore, because I simply can’t stand looking at you. And I’m not going to feel guilty that I filed for divorce, because yesterday you reminded me exactly of who you are.”

  I couldn’t believe I’d just said that. My chest shook and my heart raced. The bone in my lower jaw ached because apparently I’d been grinding my teeth while I spoke.

  Dan touched his chin, surprised to find a cut there. A crust of blood had collected beyond the bandage, and I cringed at the memory of his open wound. Thank goodness it had dried out. It was only the fresh ones that made me woozy. The confusion in his eyes told me he had no clue what happened last night.

  “Can I speak?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Please tell me what I did. Everything. I remember the auction. Some guy dancing with you, and then it cuts off.”

  “You may as well have been drinking from a hose, Dan. That guy I was dancing with, you punched him on our way out, telling him that no one dances with ‘your wife.’ A crowd surrounded you while you wobbled and cursed. Your friends were desperately trying to steady you, but you wouldn’t listen. I had to step in to calm you down, but of course you insisted on a dance with me! You were gripping me like a pervert, sliding your hands over my ass, then you slipped and pulled me down with you. You hit your chin on a counter on the way down. Tyler and Iz drove you to the hospital where you got the stitches.”

  His mouth was fully open as if I’d just hit him with the biggest surprise. I guessed he didn’t remember the hospital either. I prayed he would recall that part, or at least the moment that needle was stuck in his skin, but he didn’t.

  “And then they drove you home,” I finished.

  Dan lowered his
head in his hands and ran his fingers through his messy hair. It took him a moment to get his words out. “I’m sorry, Mia. It’s probably not enough and never will be, but I’m truly sorry.”

  “I’m not your wife, Dan, but I am a friend who wants you to be well. I need you to be there for your kids, and to be a good example to them. Don’t you want to see them grow up? What do you think your children would think of you if they saw you that way? Or worse, behind bars! The rumors are enough for them to have a hard time at school. I’m sure other kids will hear their parents talk.”

  “I’ll do everything you asked.” He paused. “And I won’t promise because I know my promises mean shit, but I will try to be the man you need me to be.”

  Could I believe him? Did I really have a choice? Dan seemed sincere, but how did you have faith in a person who had broken your trust over and over again? I wanted to be able to count on him the way I used to. I needed him to be part of my life and our children’s lives. Didn’t he get it? I still loved him. I would always love him and care for him because he’d given me two of the most precious gifts in the world, for which I would be forever grateful. It might not be the kind of love he wanted, or the kind of love we used to have, but it was all I had left. If Dan continued on this downward spiral, I wasn’t sure whether I could hold on, because I was afraid that he’d drag me and our children down with him.

  “Please, Mia. One last chance.” He looked up with the most honest eyes I’d seen in a long time, glossed over and desperate.

  “Get more fluids in you, will you?” I headed toward the door. “And for your own sake, please take a shower.”

  “I will. Mia, I’m very sorry. I’ll call you during the week to help with Jonathan.”

  “You should concentrate on your work, so you’ll have enough money for your cab rides.”

  “You’re very funny. I have a couple of deals coming up that will set me up for a while.”

  I paused by the door to grab his car keys off the hook, and then turned back to Dan. My face twisted at the smell of his breath and he stepped back. “I need to ask you something. Are you giving deals to Amanda? Please be honest.”

  He took a deep breath in and released it away in another direction. His shoulders lowered, and from his defeated body language I knew my gut was right. “She asked me to give her this deal I’m working on up north. It’s been a tough year for her. She’s barely had enough closings to support her family.”

  Yeah, like I really cared about the home-wrecker. Probably as much as I cared about flying to Mars on the next mission. I was a true believer in paying your own way, and I knew she was just trying to take the easy road by stealing her coworkers’ clients. I’d heard enough about her over the years. She truly lived up the her bitchiness like a pro.

  “Anyways, I’m representing the seller. She wanted to stand in for the buyer. But my client wants me working on both. In fact, he insisted on it. I told her there was no way I could swing this one her way, even if she paid me for the referral and all. She wasn’t happy about it.”

  I bet she wasn’t, I thought. “She’s trouble, Dan. You should stay away from her. I can’t tell you who to date or be friends with, but this goes beyond what happened between you two. She’s just a bad woman. If you care about Christa and Jonathan, you won’t give her your deals and you’ll keep your distance. I’m not sure whether you remember, but you had a nice time with that blonde friend of hers. I think her name was Kayla, and she seemed very nice. It’s a shame they’re friends, but if you want my opinion as a woman, if you can stay away from Amanda so that she doesn’t cause trouble, that girl could be good for you.”

  “Thanks, Mia. But if half of what you told me about yesterday is true, I have a feeling any sane female who saw me at that party will stay clear of me.”

  “You’re not a bad man, Dan. It’s all in your hands. I want you to be happy, and I’ll try my best to help you, but the drinking has to stop. Now please do the world a favor and go take a shower.”

  He closed the door behind me, and for the first time in years I felt like I’d really gotten through to him. The question was whether he’d let my words evaporate through his skin the way the alcohol had this morning.

  CHAPTER 19

  It was one o’clock before I got the chance to call Adrian. Dan stayed clear of church that morning, and my mother kept asking about the details of last night’s fundraiser. I gave her the scoop before we went to church so that she could expect the pitying looks and heads turning our way. But my mother was a strong woman, and she didn’t give a shit about what others thought. She’d gone through too much in life herself to care about gossip others were trying to spread. Sometimes I wished I were stronger, like her.

  “Hello?” Adrian answered.

  “Hi, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “No, I’m up.” His sleepy voice told me otherwise. “Everything all right?” he asked.

  “You mean other than you making the headlines of this morning’s paper?”

  “What?” I heard him shuffle out of bed.

  “Well, what did you expect after donating a fortune in a small town? How are you feeling?”

  “It’s barely a fortune, and I’m still a bit under the weather.”

  “Are you well enough to come over?” I asked. “Maybe we can watch a movie with the kids?”

  “Hell, yeah!” Adrian’s voice shot up with excitement. “I just need to shower and change. What time were you thinking?”

  “Anytime you’re ready. Our home is always open to you.”

  I winked toward Jonathan, who was pretending not to listen to my conversation. His mouth was curved up as he pushed his thumbs on the game controller. It made my heart jump with joy. The iceberg I’d thought I’d have to climb over to introduce Christa and Jonathan to Adrian had turned out to be nothing more than an ice cube. If only Dan could cross over from the Antarctica he seemed stuck on down toward the warmer regions, maybe I could finally breathe in comfort.

  An hour later the doorbell rang.

  “He’s here!” Christa jumped off the couch and headed for the door. She welcomed Adrian as I was turning the corner, grabbed his hand, and pulled him through the hallway.

  “Hi.” I smiled at him, then turned to Christa as she nearly dragged Adrian by his arm. “What are you doing, Christa?”

  “Hulk needs to see the skateboard trick Jonathan tried from his game.”

  I stopped her before she ripped Adrian’s arm out, saying, “He will in a moment, sweetie. Let Adrian have some tea before we sit down to the movie.”

  Christa didn’t look too happy.

  “I promise I’ll see it,” Adrian added, which made my daughter finally plop down on the cushioned couch.

  Adrian pulled out a box of microwavable popcorn from a bag. “I didn’t have a chance to go to the store.”

  “You don’t need to get them anything, but thank you. This is sweet. We’ll nuke it for the movie.”

  “Everything okay after yesterday?”

  “Yes.” I lowered my voice. “I saw Dan this morning. Took away his car keys and had an overdue conversation.”

  “Sounds like you’re on a roll today.” He coughed into his sleeve. His eyes were heavy, and he looked like he’d been swimming in chlorine all day. If I were to bet, I was sure Adrian would rather have stayed at home and slept for the rest of the day. “Whatever you’re cooking, it smells delicious.”

  “I made chicken soup.” I winked back at him, the same way he always did to me.

  His brow rose by a fraction. The truth was I’d planned to make a homey dinner—which I swore cured my kids when they fell ill—the moment I decided to invite Adrian over. I took his hand and led him to the kitchen. It felt so natural I didn’t realize I was doing so, until I saw the kids and slowly let go.

  “Drink this. It’s tea with honey and lemon. It should soothe your throat.” I passed him the ready mug.

  “Thank you. It’s exactly what I needed.” Adrian took a sip before h
eading to the family room where Jonathan was resting his leg on the couch. “Does it still hurt?” Adrian asked my son.

  “No, just itches where I can’t scratch it. Here” Jonathan pointed to an empty spot on his green cast. “I saved that for you.”

  “Thanks. You know, I’ve never signed a cast before.”

  “Really?” Christa chimed in. “Last year I signed five of them.”

  Adrian looked at her from underneath his lashes. “Are you in circus school?”

  “No.” She laughed hysterically. We even got a good chuckle from Jonathan.

  “Well, what do you guys do to get all the breaks?” Adrian asked.

  Christa started counting on her fingers. “Paige was playing manhunt, slipped on gravel and broke her leg. Caitlyn fell off the monkey bars on her arm. Tori was chasing her brother up the stairs and tripped on the last one. She fell from the very top. Hmmm…” She paused. “I forget the rest, but there were five.”

  “Well, maybe your school is a secret circus school. I’ve seen you cartwheel in the back yard, Christa. I bet they’re training you, and you don’t even know it.”

  “I wish!” Christa sighed, but I could tell she was thinking about what Adrian said more deeply than she wanted to admit.

  Adrian twirled the sharpie between his fingers before leaning over to write. I peeked just as he finished.

  The key to falling is knowing how to get up—Hulk.

  “Cool. Thanks!” Jonathan read the message over and over again.

  “Is that how you broke your leg?” Adrian pointed to the paused replay Jonathan had prepared.

  “Yeah.” He pushed the button, lifting his chin higher. “Right there. I didn’t get enough height.”

  “Ouch.” Adrian’s nose scrunched upward. “Are you going to try again?”

  Jonathan’s gaze lowered to his cast before he smiled and looked back up at Adrian. “I think so.”

  “Good.” Adrian leaned back on the couch. Exhaustion seeped through his lazy moves and I felt guilty for inviting him over. I should have known he wouldn’t say no, no matter how tired he was.