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

by Milly Taiden

  “He won’t buy it.”

  “No, he won’t. You’ve left bloody footprints all over the lobby.” The doors opened and he stepped out, tugging her along. “We’ll think something up.”

  She let him open her door and run her a warm bath. She sat on the edge of the tub, still bundled in the blanket, and observed him move about, his wet shirt molded to his muscled chest, his bare feet leaving muddy imprints on the bathroom tiles as he found her a towel and placed it on the floor by the tub.

  “Why don’t you have a laser surgery for your eyes?” He knelt and lifted her injured foot, examining it. “To correct the nearsightedness.”

  “Habit,” she rasped, her voice still hoarse from coughing. “I’m used to contact lenses. I fall into habits easily.” Like Justin.

  He nodded, grabbed a glass, filled it with water and washed her foot, prodding and poking until she flinched. “The gash is not too deep. I don’t think you need a doctor.” He kept one of the hand towels against the wound, pressed tight. “Bleeding’s almost stopped, but I’ll send someone with Band-Aids. Don’t let dirt and sand get into it.”

  She looked down at his dark head. “Thanks.”

  “Will you be all right? Should I stay?” His eyes flicked between her and the door as he stood and wiped his hands on his wet shorts. He licked his lips.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “I hate to leave you like this.” He sighed. “But I need to change and go back to work, and Panos is organizing this huge beach party for the guests tonight. I wish I could take the day off.”

  She leaned over to turn off the water. “Then go. I’ll bathe and rest a little.” She smiled. “Will you be at this party?”

  He nodded, his hand gripping the washing basin. “I have to. I’ll be working.”

  She stood, testing her balance. Good enough. “I may see you there.” She eyed his white-knuckled grip on the porcelain. “And you? Are you okay?”

  “I’m...” He shook his head. Then he stepped back, turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

  *

  The warm bath felt good. Heat seeped into her chilled flesh. Her fingers were wrinkly. Her foot hurt and she didn’t want to see the gash. She’d check it out herself later.

  Whispers crowded her mind — almost died, almost drowned, holy shit that was close — and she focused on her body lying heavy in the tub. Images flashed before her eyes — the swirl of foam under the water, Kai’s worried dark eyes, his bowed head — and her heart raced.

  Enough. She got out of the tub and wrapped herself in the towel. She felt exhausted. Every bone and muscle hurt. She dumped herself on the bed, and on second thought threw off the towel and burrowed under the covers. She only needed to rest her eyes for a couple minutes.

  A knock on the door roused her. She blinked, her head heavy. Outside the balcony door, the sky was dark. Dammit, what time was it? Her watch told her it was seven in the evening. Crap.

  “Coming!” Pulling on underwear and a blouse, she went to open, wincing when her wounded sole hit the floor. Kirsten stood outside, holding up a bag. “We got you some sweets from the market.” She frowned. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Come on in.” She wandered back into the room. “Hang on, I need to put on my lenses.” Thank god she’d bought two pairs.

  “Someone left a medic-kit outside,” Kirsten said. “Do you need it?”

  Olivia blinked in the mirror, seeing for the first time clearly her tired face, her red eyes, a scratch on her cheek. Her pendant, that had miraculously survived the sea’s wrath, had turned a pale blue.

  How odd.

  “Liv?”

  “Sorry. Yes, can you please bring the medic-kit inside? I stepped on something and cut myself. Kai said he’d send me Band-Aids.”

  “Kai, huh? Let me see.”

  Olivia went to sit on the bed and let Kirsten apply antiseptic to the cut on her heel and bandage it.

  “It’s waterproof but you should be careful with the sand,” Kirsten muttered. “How the hell did this happen?”

  “I must have stepped on glass or something.” Olivia curled her toes on the tiles and tugged her blouse down. “Where’s Markus?”

  “Knocked out. He really can’t stand too much heat. He’s such a polar bear. His kind might go extinct with the global warming.”

  “Put him in a fridge and feed him ice-cream.” Olivia chuckled. She felt so much better. Euphoric. She was alive. She wanted to celebrate that. “There’s a beach party, I hear.”

  “Is there?” Kirsten grinned. “Fantastic. I’ll go wake up my bear and join you.”

  “Shit, I don’t know what to wear.” Olivia stood and hopped to her suitcase, permanently open on the second bed. She stepped more firmly on her foot and found it didn’t hurt so much. After her fight with Justin, she’d thrown into her bag whatever summer clothes she’d seen and hadn’t cared if she’d look pretty and sexy in them.

  Damn, she wanted to look sexy for Kai. She hesitated, holding up a skirt. Her feelings were a mess. After what they’d shared, after meeting underwater, where her life had clashed with death, she felt like she’d known him for years instead of days. A profound connection, deep like the sea. But she also wanted him, wanted to know his body, his taste, wanted his hands, his lips on her. She wanted to know him, to find out where he came from and where he was going.

  It scared her. It excited her. It made her want to hurl.

  “Special night tonight?” Kirsten arched a pale brow at her and came to look at the clothes strewn on the bed. “Anything I should know about?” When Olivia didn’t answer, she sat on the bed. She sighed. “You’re in love, aren’t you?”

  Olivia froze, a dress in one hand, a blouse in the other. “No, of course not.” She dropped the dress and held up the blouse, not really seeing it. “Falling in love takes time.”

  “I thought love was like a stroke of lightning.”

  “That’s just in books.”

  “I don’t know.” Kirsten fished a lace bra out of the suitcase. “I fell for Markus within five minutes.”

  “That’s lust, girl.”

  “Is it?” Kirsten tossed her the bra. “You should wear this one.”

  Olivia caught it and shook her head. It was white with fine straps. “And on top of this?”

  “This.” Kirsten pulled out a white off-the-shoulder blouse with ‘Shakespeare rocks’ emblazoned on the front.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. And this.” Black shorts. “You’ve got great legs. Show them.”

  “You think?”

  “It’s an objective opinion.” Kirsten didn’t seem to notice anything contradictory in what she’d said.

  Olivia pulled out a pair of ballerinas and frowned. She couldn’t wear sandals or she’d get sand in the wound, and these were her only closed shoes apart from her hiking boots. “All set, then.”

  “I could do your hair.”

  Olivia smiled widely and sat next to Kirsten, catching her hand. “You’re so nice.” If only you knew I nearly died today...

  “You want Kai. Go get him.”

  Too bad it wasn’t that simple. “I don’t know what to do. We’re so different. He says he doesn’t read.” Although she had her doubts about that. “And he dropped out of college. He hasn’t told me a word about his past, and I feel there is something there bothering him, like a thorn under the skin. And then there’s this business of the mermaids.”

  “You don’t believe all that.”

  She opened her mouth to say she didn’t, and caught herself. The sea had been alive, as if it had a mind of its own, angry and malicious. Had it been the sea or its creatures that had gone after her after she taunted them?

  “Liv? Don’t tell me you do.” Kirsten’s brows arched.

  “No, not really.” Shit. She pulled her hand away. “What I mean is that we’re from two different worlds. And he lives here.”

  “Liv, listen.” Kirsten smoothed her hands over her long sk
irt. “I’m not an expert in love or anything, and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, so this is just my opinion. Love isn’t something you find every day. Finding someone that makes you laugh and cry and fret and smile, someone who can make you happy, is rare. Like, really rare. It can happen a couple of times, or only once in your life, or even never. Are you happy with Kai?”

  “Jesus. You make it sound like I should grab him and not let go, and I barely know him.” She scrunched up the blouse in her hands. “He lives here, Kirsten.” In case she’d forgotten. “And we’re too different.”

  “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove,” Kirsten said. “It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.”

  “Why are you quoting Shakespeare now?” Olivia unfolded her blouse, stared down at it.

  “Maybe you’re not as different as you think. And you seem unable to stay away from him, different or not. So I ask again: does he make you happy?”

  “He makes me sad,” Olivia said. “Because he’s so sad sometimes. And I want to make him happy, because he tries to make me happy.”

  Kirsten wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes shiny. “Ach,” she muttered, smiling. “Yeah, see, that’s exactly what I thought.”

  *

  Whatever Kirsten thought she saw, Olivia wasn’t in love with Kai. That wasn’t like her at all. She was collected, methodical, organized. Logical. She knew long-distance relationships didn’t work out.

  And why was she thinking of relationships? Nothing was going on with Kai. They’d kissed, sure. He’d saved her life. She’d promised his cousin to make him laugh.

  That was all.

  And now she was going to a beach party where he would be working and may or may not have time to talk to her. This wasn’t a date or anything. Falling for him was the worst idea ever.

  No clue then why she took so long twisting this way and that in front of the mirror, checking how her clothes looked, painting her eyelids blue and dabbing on lip-gloss. She tried on all the earrings she’d brought along until she decided on long, white ones made of metal filigree, and then spent an embarrassing amount of time pulling up her hair and then undoing her work, until she decided to leave it down.

  Jesus Christ. Why was she so nervous?

  At some point Kirsten had knocked on the door, telling her they were heading down and would meet her at the bar, and she now stared at her reflection, seeing blue mermaids and froth.

  Just go.

  She went down and lurked, hidden behind the wall, until Panos went out for a cigarette, not wanting to talk to him after their last discussion. She slipped through the lobby and hurried down to the beach. Salty breeze blew from the sea, bearing the sound of upbeat music and laughter and loud voices.

  Smiling, she pushed through the bodies that jumped and writhed looking for a head of wild dark hair.

  An unfamiliar, petite woman was behind the bar, preparing a cocktail in a shaker. Her long brown hair was tied in a tall ponytail and it bounced as she nodded to the music.

  Olivia ducked under an arm and sidled between two dancers to lean on the bar. “Hi, have you seen Kai around?”

  “Kai is taking a man to the clinic.”

  “Why, what happened to him?”

  The woman shrugged. “Drank too much, passed out, hit his head.” She tilted her head to the side. “Who’s asking?”

  “Just a friend.” Olivia swallowed hard.

  “You must be the girl Matt told me about.” A smile broke over the woman’s tanned face. “I’m Rita, Matt’s fiancée.”

  “Hey, nice to meet you. Matt has told me about you, too.”

  Rita seemed to relax. She poured the cocktail and passed it to a customer, then put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “You’re Olivia. Matt said you were interested in the mermaids. He said you don’t believe in them.”

  “Um.” Olivia shoved her hands in the pockets of her shorts. “Yeah. Not sure, anyway.”

  “Not sure you believe?”

  Olivia nodded.

  Rita laughed. “That’s almost like saying you just need a nudge and you’ll believe it.” She spoke quietly and confidently, her English colored with a slight British accent and lots of Greek sing-song. “And that,” she nodded at Olivia’s pendant, “is a mermaid scale. Haven’t seen many in my life.”

  “What does this mean?”

  “It’s a gift to be used wisely.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes discreetly. “I looked for Professor Skein, but he isn’t in.”

  “You’re serious about this.” Rita’s eyes narrowed. “Wait, is this because of Kai? You’re digging up his past, aren’t you?”

  Wait a minute... Olivia folded her arms on the bar. “What about his past? Are you saying his past’s connected to this mermaid business? To why people think he’s different?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. But Kai should be the one to tell you about it, not me, so...” Rita shrugged again, grabbing the shaker. “He should be back soon. I’ll make you a Rita Special cocktail. It’s on the house.”

  *

  Kirsten and Markus arrived, grabbed her and made sure she danced a few songs with them before a slow piece started and they wrapped themselves around each other.

  Olivia returned to her stool and Rita’s Special — a mixture of bitter lemon, Raki, lime and other, mysterious ingredients. It was sour and sweet and fuzzy and undid the knots in her chest she hadn’t realized she still carried from the morning’s accident.

  But Kai didn’t come.

  Rita threw her sidelong glances as she prepared drinks and mixed shots. “Something must have kept him,” she said, giving Olivia a smile.

  “It’s getting really late. Maybe after the clinic he just went to bed.”

  “Kai? I doubt it and I know my little cousin. I don’t think he’s coming back here, though. His job is done for today, but he likes sitting by the sea.”

  Of course he did. “You mean, like, now?” Was that a hint?

  Rita grinned. “I think he got the impression you weren’t coming to the party after all.”

  Olivia hopped off the stool. Damn the woman. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

  “Listen, you look like a sweet girl.” Rita chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I love my cousin. He’s been through bad times. I don’t want to see him get more hurt.”

  Olivia paused. “What makes you think I’ll hurt him?”

  “What makes you think you won’t?”

  Olivia had no answer to that, so she just shook her head. “I’ll go look for him.” She chugged down the rest of the cocktail for courage and set out toward the beach.

  On the way she was intercepted by Kirsten and Markus who said they were heading to their room any minute now. They set a time for breakfast and she hurried down the beach, toward the pier.

  She saw his dark silhouette from afar. He crouched on the edge, over the waves. The sea was silent and flat. The stillness brought a lump of fear in her throat. It had been that way in the morning, before it had dragged her into its depths.

  Quietly she walked on the cement blocks of the pier. He was leaning forward, over the mirror of the water, the moonlight catching on his hair.

  “Kai?” she whispered.

  His back stiffened. He stood up and turned around. Barefoot, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt open at the neck, he was so handsome her heart ached.

  His mouth curled in a smile. “Liv. I thought you weren’t coming tonight.”

  She lifted her shoulders and grimaced. “I fell asleep.”

  “Are you all right?” In two strides, he was right in front of her, his hands clasping her waist.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” His face was just inches from hers, his dark lashes sweeping his cheekbones as he looked down at her. His wide shoulders blocked the moon. She cupped his cool cheeks and he turned his face into her hand, brushing his lips against her palm, making her shiver.

 
; Her heart was racing. She traced his jaw with her fingertips, down his throat to the collar of his open shirt. The thin cotton was wet. “Don’t you have a dry shirt?”

  “In my hut.”

  “Right. I forgot you’re a hut man.”

  He smiled faintly. “That’s me.” Taking a step back, he shrugged off his shirt and shivered. “Better?”

  Was he kidding her? It was pure hell. He stood there like a classical statue, the moonlight silvering his form, his hair hiding his eyes, and her mind was a blank. Say something, dammit. “I, um. I could go find a dry shirt—”

  “You’re so beautiful.” He stroked a strand of hair out of her face, tucked it behind her ear, let his hand wander down her neck, skin on skin. His fingers were warming against her, and he shifted closer, his scent of pine and salt filling the world. “Why haven’t you run away yet?” he whispered.

  “Should I?”

  “Everyone does.” His chest was a solid wall. She pressed her hands on his six-pack, slid them over his ribs to his strong back.

  “I don’t want to run.”

  A breath ghosted from his lips. His eyes closing, he brushed his mouth over hers. He was like satin, and cotton candy, and like a naked flame, all the sensations washing over her, through her.

  Her fingers dug into the hard muscles of his back and she looked into his eyes, her lips throbbing, her body singing. “More.”

  “Oh god, Liv...” His fingers slipped in her hair, cradling her head, and he tasted her slowly, an open-mouthed kiss that stole her breath.

  Time spiraled into an eddy, sucking her in. His other hand shifted to the small of her back, anchoring her, pressing her against his arousal. He tasted better than she remembered, burnt sugar and cream. He was bending her backward, leaning over her, his arm around her the only thing keeping her from falling.

  He drew back. “Liv,” he breathed against her lips. “Come with me tonight.”

  “Yes.”

  He straightened, pulling her up with him, locking both arms around her. He had the most beautiful smile on his face. “Oh god, say it again.”