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

by Milly Taiden

  She followed him through huge halls with modernistic exhibits, past gathering crowds of visitors, until she thought he was just as lost as she was.

  He stopped at a huge door and poked his head inside. His grin widened. “He’s in here. Poor guy. He says he’s waiting for someone. For Olivia, in fact. I don’t suppose your name is Olivia?”

  Her mouth fell open. She stumbled inside and froze.

  Because there was a painting depicting a girl lying in a field, reaching toward a distant house. And sitting in front of it was a familiar figure, a young man, his dark hair tousled. He was hunched over, looking defeated. He was fingering something at his throat and her hand flew to her own chest where her chain hung, her pendant gone, returned to the sea.

  She stepped closer, her heart booming. “Kai?”

  He gasped and shot to his feet, whirling toward her. “Liv!”

  Oh god, it was him, his dark eyes lighting up, his mouth curling into a smile. He laughed and launched himself at her, caught her in his arms and lifted her. He spun her around, and she saw tears in his eyes.

  When he put her down, she hugged him close, hiding her face against his strong shoulder.

  “I called the hotel last night,” she whispered. “Panos said you were gone. I had no idea what he meant. I was going to go back to find you.”

  “You were?” His voice was choked. “Liv, I wanted to talk to you, see if you were okay, but I didn’t know how to find you.”

  “You didn’t get my note?”

  “What note?”

  She shook her head, not willing to let go of him for one second. It didn’t matter. “I thought I’d never see you again. You vanished and I couldn’t find you to explain, I looked and looked...” Her vision was going blurry. Oh god, she wasn’t going to start bawling now, was she?

  “Panos told me what you said. That you’d broken up with your boyfriend before meeting me. Panos didn’t believe you, but I remembered the ring you threw into the sea, and the story you told me. I believe you.”

  She willed her tears not to fall. “You came here every day,” she breathed.

  “I was hoping you’d remember.” He pulled back to look at her face, his eyes uncertain. “I didn’t know how else to find you. You’re not listed in the online phone directory and googling your name didn’t bring up anything useful, either.”

  “I know.” She’d come looking for a sign and she’d found him waiting. She just couldn’t believe it. “It’s so good to see you. I’m happy.” There weren’t words to describe how she felt, in fact. Awed. Dazed. Dizzy with joy. “So happy.”

  He smiled that faint smile of his. His shoulders relaxed. “I thought I might scare you by doing this, coming here... I don’t seem like a stalker, do I? I realize we barely know each other.”

  “I know you,” she whispered. She wasn’t scared at all, which was scary all by itself, and wasn’t that ironic? “And you know me better than anyone else.” Body and soul.

  “I had to talk to you,” he said. “See if you hadn’t changed your mind.”

  A translucent gem glittered at his throat, caught on a silver chain. A mermaid scale. She lifted a hand to it, her mind a whirlwind. “About?”

  He swallowed hard, his eyes closing when she touched the pendant. “Us.”

  “Does that mean you’re staying?” Hope made her throat tight.

  He nodded. “I’ve applied at a college here. It looks like they’ll accept me. My uncle’s friends may have pulled some strings.”

  She lowered her hand and clutched his arms, not knowing what to say. “That’s amazing, god, I...” She shook her head, her lips trembling. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

  “Not a dream,” he said, gazing at her under lowered lashes. “No, this is real.”

  “And the sea?”

  “The sea...” He caressed her face and the blue streak in his eyes lit up. “There’s sea everywhere. But you’re here, only here, and I want to be with you.”

  ***

  Boreal and John Grey

  (Sexy fantasy romance)

  Dangerous Shades, magical portals, sexy elves and a spunky heroine.

  Read the complete First Season of the series Boreal and John Grey, books 1-5 (The Encounter, The Gate, The Dragon, The Dream and The Truth) at a special price with an Author's Note at the end.

  Centuries ago, they nearly conquered humankind. But their Gate to our world closed, leaving them out. Now the elves have found a way back.

  Ella Benson, agent of the Paranormal Bureau, fights the Shades when they cross into our world, keeping everyone safe. But increasingly dangerous creatures are slipping into her city, her work partner has just gone missing, and a mysterious – and, quite frankly, hot — guy saves her life. His name is Finn and, as it turns out, he’s a natural when it comes to fighting the Shades.

  When the Gates between the worlds start opening and the elves make a comeback, Ella needs a new, temporary partner. Enlisting the mysterious Finn is a no-brainer, until she realizes he is guarding dangerous secrets of his own.

  Together with Finn, and the fate of the world on her shoulders, what’s Ella to do but grab her weapons and figure it all out, one way or another.

  Find BOREAL AND JOHN GREY here.

  About Chrystalla Thoma

  I write about sexy, angsty boys and spunky girls in fantasy and science-fiction worlds. My fantasy romance Boreal and John Grey is an ongoing series featuring Ella, a paranormal investigator, and her seriously hot elf partner.

  Website | Mailing list | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu | Goodreads

  Table of Contents

  Their Second Chance by Milly Taiden

  Forever Sheltered by Deanna Roy

  Kiss of Memory by V. M. Black

  The Cowgirl Ropes A Billionaire by Cora Seton

  What a Girl Wants (Rock Stars in Disguise: Rhiannon) by Blair Babylon

  Beyond Love and Hate by Zoe York

  Ripped by Olivia Rigal

  Ready to Fall by Daisy Prescott

  My First, My Last by Lacey Silks

  Azure by Chrystalla Thoma

  Wicked Little Sins by Holly Hood

  The Royal Elite: Ahsan by Danielle Bourdon

  All for Hope by Olivia Hardin

  High Risk Love by S.J. Mayer

  Rush by Violet Vaughn

  First Taste by Mira Bailee

  The Perfect Someday by Beverly Preston

  St. Charles at Dusk by Sarah M. Cradit

  Want to know when the next Red Hot Boxed Set comes out?

  CLICK HERE

  To join the Red Hot Mailing List!

  WICKED LITTLE SINS

  by Holly Hood

  Wicked Little Sins

  by Holly Hood

  Wicked Little Sins © Holly Hood 2015

  Everyone sins.

  But some sins are wicked.

  Everly, Charley ,Quinn and Ethan are siblings. And they were a happy family before their mother’s murder.

  Everly is a musician, Charley, a big time publisher, Quinn is still struggling to find herself while working a waitressing job. And Ethan, the baby of the family is in college hating every minute of it.

  The one person that understood them was their mother. But when a shocking revelation makes their mother looks less than perfect her skeletons come out to get them. And there might not be anything they can do about it.

  Sometimes falling in love can be deadly.

  For Anne,

  Enjoy this one from way up there! Love you forever!!

  Charley

  “I will be on the first flight out, Dad,” Charley reassured her father. She balanced the phone on her shoulder the best she could, stuffing her clothes into her suitcase.

  Her father was lost, no longer having a woman in the home. His wife had recently died and he needed his children. Charley was trying her best to rush back to Ohio to help him feel better.

  It pained her to know she had to go home. She left five years ago and never looked back. Even t
hough she was a city girl from birth, New York City was where this city girl was meant to be.

  Charley had excelled in school and made her move to New York as soon as she was able. She loved her job and was the youngest editor at Empire Publishing Company. Living in New York had afforded her the ability to dabble in fashion and music. Little luxuries such as painting her toenails, soaking in a hot bubble bath, or coming home to the same man every night didn’t fit her plans at the moment. She was living the dream and loved every minute of her fast-paced life.

  “I’ll see you around seven, Dad,” she said.

  It was almost time to go. With one more survey of her condo, she was all set. She checked her watch one last time, and gave herself a good stare down in her antique mirror. Her long and perfectly groomed hair spilled over her shoulders. Perfect described Charley in a nutshell—perfect and simple, she thought, a serious expression on her beautiful face.

  Charley didn’t realize just how alluring and wholesome she looked. Nor did she understand the hoots and hollers she often received from men as she walked down the streets, or the way men stumbled for words when they tried to speak to her. It made her uneasy at times. She thought of herself as nothing exceptional, just a small-town girl living in the big city. She had despised her large breasts and long legs since her preteen years. She’s even tried to not bring attention to her lovely full lips. A lot of people saw her as the epitome of a wholesome beauty, but Charley found their stares rude and she hated feeling like a piece of meat.

  Charley squinted her brown eyes and slipped on her sunglasses as she made her way to the elevator. The sun was doing its best to hold on, but, the clouds were beginning to roll in. Rain was evident on the horizon and ready to fall down on all the new Yorkers hustling about to and fro.

  New York was chaotic with its throng of traffic, blowing horns and a cacophony of sound. Charley wasn’t bothered by it. She found it actually eased her mind, putting her in a state of peace.

  Charley gave a quick wave by the curb, stopping two taxis in an instant. She pulled her suitcase quickly behind her, making a beeline for the trunk. She was not one who ever admitted she needed or asked for help. The Taxi driver took a hint, getting back inside the cab as he observed Charley in all her self-sufficiency.

  Sighing, she nestled herself into the seat of the airport-bound taxi, her mind on going home. She hadn’t been back in years and she feared it was going to invoke past anxieties. She’d made it her goal a long time ago to leave the stress at the door. As a result, she was a much happier person. Stress could simply eat at your mind, body, and soul.

  “Business or pleasure?” the cab driver asked, looking at her in the rear-view mirror. He waited patiently for her reply.

  “Business,” Charley spoke up, looking back to the window.

  It had been three days since her mother’s brutal murder. Charley never imagined she wouldn’t be seeing her mother again, nor could she have dreamed she’d be part of such an unbearable crime. The knowledge was numbing and she didn’t know how to deal with the emotions it invoked. She simply didn’t know how to deal with the loss, but had made a silent deal with herself to stay strong—for her dad especially.

  Quinn

  Quinn tugged at the young man’s arm draped across her waist. She carefully grabbed her clothes one piece at a time moving very carefully to not make a sound. Crawling on all fours, she made her way off the large bed. It was time to leave, and she hated goodbyes.

  Just as her feet touched the floor, he arose from what seemed a slumber, giving a quick smack to her rear. He let out a pleased chuckle, pulling her back down.

  “Jordan, I thought you were asleep,” she said.

  Jordan studied Quinn carefully. Turning on his side to face her, he caressed her hair as he gazed into her dark eyes.

  “You were going to leave again without a goodbye,” he pointed out.

  Quinn denied that he was right, sitting up in the bed. She was uninhibited and the idea of being nude in front of Jordan didn’t faze her in the least.

  She knew she needed to leave and the longer she lingered, the harder it would be to go. Her sister, Charley, was nearing their hometown and was bound to be calling again to check in. Charley was the perfect sister with the perfect career and she never screwed up. For as long as Quinn remembered, all she had ever wanted to do was become an actress. No one believed in her dream, but she knew she was destined for Hollywood. In the meantime, however, her waitressing gig supported her.

  “I would have said goodbye,” she assured Jordan. She slipped on her fancy underwear and pulled her t-shirt over her head. She knew Jordan saw right through her, but she didn’t care. She had other more important things on her mind, like getting back home for her mother’s funeral. The thought ate at her. She had considered shutting off her phone to try and avoid further anxiety.

  “Quinn, you’re a great girl. But damn it, you’re twenty-one years old. It’s time to grow up. Can we just admit we have something together?” Jordan asked.

  He was annoyed with this stubborn girl. He wanted commitment from Quinn, but she hadn’t been willing to commit. It’s not like she was interested in seeing other men—she didn’t want to see anyone. Funny thing was, Jordan wasn’t the type to see a girl exclusively. But there was an underlying something that had drawn him in. She had a killer smile and was fun to be with, but other times she seemed so lost. He wanted to be a part of her everything.

  Quinn ignored him and grabbed her purse as she headed out of Jordan’s apartment. She didn’t want to tell him her mother was dead and that her life was falling apart around her. She didn’t want him seeing past her façade of having it all together, leaving herself vulnerable and wide open to his judgment.

  She ran as fast as she could down the staircase, avoiding the elevators altogether. After she had hit the main floor, she was out the door and once again on the streets of Los Angeles. She remembered when she’d first arrived in LA—she’d been nervous and scared. But, now she was in her glory. This is where you came to follow your dreams, and she was no different than any other dream seeker.

  Finding her little red sports car in the apartment’s parking garage, she unlocked the doors, as her cell phone rang in her pocket. She knew it was Charley calling to make sure she was heading home.

  “I’m on my way to the airport right now,” she said right away.

  Quinn played with her hair while she looked in the visor mirror, listening to Charley freak out about her procrastination and how slow she was to get going on anything. Quinn was sure if Charley put the amount of effort into dating as she did into nagging her like she always did, she’d surely be married with no less than five kids by now. Older sister or not, Charley was a royal pain in the rear.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow…love you,” Quinn said as she disconnected the call and tossed the phone on the seat. She sped out of the parking garage, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic.

  Their mother, Sandy, was a great woman and she and Quinn had been extremely close. She was always the life of the party and the best at everything she did, and she’d raised her children to be the same. And even if they didn’t always live up to her expectations, she loved them anyway. Quinn would miss calling her every night, telling her about the day she’d had and sharing her hopes and dreams, no matter how ridiculous. .

  Now, she was going home to say goodbye, and she was afraid she wasn’t going to know how. No matter what, though, she’d sworn to keep herself composed.

  They might have to let their mother go, but her beauty, that each of her children held a piece of, would remain.

  Quinn had her big goofy smile and her nearly-red lips. They all had her dark brown eyes. Quinn had her dark auburn hair and the same pale skin tone. When she smiled in a certain way, she even had her mother’s dimples.

  Everly

  The crowd cheered as Everly bellowed out the final words of her song. She took a bow, looking to the right at the band. She was in her glory on stage, singi
ng her heart out.

  “And I would like to dedicate this next song to my mother, Sandy.” Everly said. Her voice wavered as she began to sing into the dark crowd. Tears began trickling down her porcelain skin. In a panic, she froze, her heart hammering in her ears. The band continued playing while she stood as still and taut as a beautiful sculpture.

  A man with dark hair and a beard leaped from his seat in the audience. He quickly made his way to the stage and rushed to Everly as she was about to lose it—yet again this week. He knew every audience was different, but not everyone understood the absolute panic that could overtake her with only a moment’s notice and how desperately she’d worked to overcome the fear.

  “Thank you, and good-night,” he said. The microphone squealed as he snagged it from her hands. There was little shame that he still wore the dance attire for his act.

  “Vinnie, get her off stage!” The guitarist yelled, trying his best to keep up with the band. He, too, was protecting Everly.

  Everly returned to reality, pushing past the curtains. She was a little upset that Vince had intervened, she would have come out of it eventually.

  “I could have got through it,” she said, dabbing her eyes with a balled up tissue.

  “I know sweetheart,” Vince appeased. He knew she wouldn’t have. She’d cried herself to sleep every night since her mother’s passing. He wished he could fix it, and take all her pain away.

  To be honest, he was upset with the timing of Sandy’s death. Their wedding was right around the corner, and he knew this loss was going to be a lousy way to start their marriage. He knew Everly wouldn’t be satisfied with being just his fiancée forever. She knew what she wanted in life and she knew how to go about getting it. She was self-made and dedicated to her career in music. She’d worked hard to get where she was at. If you were lucky, she’d allow you to join the journey with her.