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

by Milly Taiden

  “I know, Mrs. Lovett…er, Jane, but I’m not ready for dating. It’s really nice of you. I will see you Thursday,” he said.

  “I hate to see you going home alone every night,” Mrs. Lovett said.

  Janelle was approaching Vinnie with a sympathetic smile on her face and Mrs. Lovett continued to flirt with him. She watched intently as Vinnie tried his best to discourage her.

  “I like being alone, it’s good for the soul sometimes. That’s what my mom always said,” he said. How did Mr. Lovett handle having her as a wife?

  “You will have to come over for dinner sometime. I make the best enchiladas. And I do make fabulous Italian dishes. You like Italian right?” she asked, clamping her red nails down on his bicep.

  “Yeah, I like Italian food. I think Janelle might need to ask me something. You have a good night, Mrs. Lovett,” Vinnie said, sending her toward her husband. Vinnie shot a quick glare in her direction, resisting the urge to flip him the bird.

  “She really likes you,” Janelle said, laughing at Vinnie’s horrified expression as he made his way back to her.

  “Yeah, no kidding. Did you need to talk to me about something?” he asked, grabbing up the towels and empty water bottles from around the studio. Janelle followed behind him, the two of them showcased in all the mirrors lining the walls of the studio.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t sure if I got the last part of the Tango down. I’ve been practicing at home for weeks; I just can’t seem to get it,” she said.

  Vinnie nodded and locked the doors, flipping the open sign to closed. He wondered if Janelle was honestly concerned about the dance or if her concerns were more directed toward him.

  “Show me what you’ve got and I will see what I can help you with,” he said, leaning up against the railing. He crossed his arms, a smile creeping across his face.

  Janelle made her way to the center of the floor. She took her position, sliding her leg slowly from in front of her to behind, gliding her hips in half circles, her hands extending perfectly. She stamped her dainty foot in front of her, sending an echo through the studio.

  “It’s almost art. Do you mind if I show you one thing?” he asked, coming to stand in front of her. She shook her head indicating she didn’t mind. She watched his eyes and how intently they focused on the task at hand. She loved how he bit down on his lip or the way a small bit of his tongue peeked out of his mouth every time she moved her hips. Holding her hands tightly, he moved forward as her feet followed suit going back in perfect timing. He kicked, then turned his foot and slid it up her leg in total character with the dance.

  “Lift me,” she suddenly said.

  “What?” he laughed.

  “Lift me, like you showed us in the video,” she insisted. Vinnie sighed, knowing where this was probably headed. He grabbed hold of her tiny waist and brought her above his head, her smile growing brighter. She came down as practiced, slipping right between his legs.

  “Very good, Janelle. Why do I get the feeling you already perfected this one?” he asked, helping her back up.

  “Well, of course, I did. You’re an amazing teacher,” she said, playing it off.

  “Brad’s a lucky man. You’re going to make one beautiful bride,” he said, paying her a much-deserved compliment.

  “Thank you. Your girlfriend is stupid for letting go of a guy like you,” she said back.

  Vinnie couldn’t figure out if she was flirting or just being nice.

  “Too bad she doesn’t think so,” he said, nodding his head.

  “I’m serious. You seem like a really great guy. Brad says I talk about you too much sometimes,” she said, acting naïve. Vinnie took two steps closer, waiting to see her reaction. She held her ground keeping her eyes locked on his.

  “Do you think you talk about me too much?” he asked her. She just nodded, and stepped forward with their bodies barely inches apart from the other. Vinnie didn’t want to be the one to come between a couple about to get married. He was certain she was coming on to him, so he waited patiently for her to lift her head up to look at him.

  “Why do you think that is?” he asked.

  Janelle raised her head. A simple lift on her tiptoes and she would be level with his mouth. She could just go for it; he told himself he wouldn’t do it first. Her eyes searched his looking for confirmation to move forward.

  “I took this class because my friend from work was raving about the hot guy that instructed her dance class. And I wondered what he would be like,” she explained. Her lips moved in the most enticing ways when she talked, and he could swear they were calling to him.

  “When Brad and I got here the first day all I remember was being blown away at how gorgeous you were—the jet black hair, your dimples, and your dark-brown eyes. You’re the most assertive and aggressive man I have ever seen. I love your voice and the way your words sound when they come out. And, your body is amazing. I melt every time I see your hips move and I can only think about what you can do with those hips in the bedroom. You nag at my thoughts constantly, so yeah I think about you too much,” she said, blushing.

  “I’m flattered. Honestly, I am. You’re sweet and adorable. And you seem like a really great person. I never would have thought you would say this to me.” Vinnie stumbled, at a loss for more words.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said this. I’ve got to go,” she said, turning away.

  “No! I mean it’s nice that you did. I just don’t know what you want me to do,” he explained, not wanting to scare her off.

  “I want you to kiss me. I want to know what it feels like to kiss your lips,” she said, with her back to him. He closed his eyes, knowing full well he wasn’t going to deny her. He couldn’t imagine not satisfying his desires for her either.

  “Janelle, come here,” he said. She turned to face him.

  “I want to make sure this is what you want me to do, because I think you’re a sweet girl and I don’t want to mess things up for you,” he said, waiting for her response.

  She lifted her face and closed her eyes. He moved in, taking her face in his hands as their lips met. She seemed to explode with emotion and her hands held tight to his neck.

  Vinnie finally closed his eyes, letting himself enjoy the moment. He ran his hand through her curly hair, so soft and amazing to the touch. Their lips barely broke apart as the kiss continued. She ran her hands down his chest, pulling him closer, her mouth leaving his long enough to kiss down his neck.. Vinnie nearly died knowing what this was leading to, other parts of him pleading with him to just let go.

  “You’re a beautiful girl,” he whispered in her ear. He kissed her cheek and his body throbbed for her, wanting to keep going. She slipped her hands down to his waist, trailing against his bellybutton, moving further down. His heart sped up, knowing what she was going for.

  “Janelle, I don’t want to be doing anything to ruin your upcoming wedding,” he said one last time. She leaned in allowing him access to her mouth, his hands sliding around to the back of her neck while the other worked the front, tugging at the zipper on her jacket.

  “If we were married this wouldn’t even be a thought. Men sleep with strippers at their bachelor parties all the time, right?” she asked him, as if that made anything right.

  “Oh, all the time,” he agreed, lifting her up. She instantly wrapped her legs around his waist as he hurried to the back of the studio, where they’d be in private.

  Dad

  Gray, the family dog, barked continually from the living room. Every couple minutes she nudged Ned with her wet nose. When Ned made no movement, she continued barking.

  Ned lay sprawled out facedown on the living room floor, without the slightest movement of his body, surrounded by the sound of man’s best friend calling out into the night, and the front door open, allowing the crisp winter air into Ned’s home.

  Quinn

  Quinn didn’t put too much effort into filling the ketchup bottles at work. She was absorbed in her thoughts of Jordan.
He had asked her to move in with him. She knew she loved him, but she liked her freedom to come and go as she wanted.

  She wasn’t sure what this meant for the two of them. He seemed to be closing in on finality, while she tried to steer clear of it.

  “Order up!” her boss bellowed. He banged his big meaty hand on the counter, startling her into motion.

  Quinn took the tray, holding it tightly against her hip, the two sodas shaking with her every move. She was disgusted anymore by fried foods; it made her sick to her stomach. She figured that’s what happens when you work in the food business. It helped her keep thin, though, and that pleased her.

  “Here you go,” she said softly. She wasn’t one to take real notice of the customers who made their way to the diner. At least once a week her boss told her she was the worst waitress that ever lived. He was a disgusting, short and portly man with just a fringe of hair around his shiny bald head. He barely came to her shoulders and he reminded her of a penguin wobbling to and fro. He was so short only his hands appeared over the counter when he called to his staff.

  Quinn loved the days he stayed home and Larry was in charge. Larry had a thing for her and he let her hang out in the kitchen and paint her nails when he was on duty.

  “Harper!” her boss howled from somewhere back in the kitchen. She turned on her heels quickly to see what he wanted.

  “Yeah, Dennis?” she asked, pushing the greasy door open to look at him.

  “I want you to take this trash out. It’s piling up. If you’re here to just lollygag around, you can be on your way!” he shouted, as he dragged the trash toward her.

  Quinn bit her tongue and pulled her white tennis shoes back in time, the garbage leaking out of the bag and onto the floor. That was the last thing she wanted her feet drenched in at the moment.

  She tucked her order pad in the pocket of her black apron, shoving her pen behind her ear. Doing her best to ignore his looks at her rear end in her short shorts, she heaved the two bags through the back door.

  “That grimy bastard,” she said once the door thudded shut. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took a moment to answer it, knowing it would probably be her only chance to get some free time. Odds were he wasn’t planning on giving her a break today at all.

  “Hey Ethan, what’s going on?” she said, tripping to the giant dumpster at the back of the diner, dragging the overstuffed garbage along with her.

  “Finally, one of my sisters picks up the phone,” he said.

  “Yeah, well I can’t talk long, I’m at work. How are you?” she asked. She missed him. The few days back home hadn’t been enough time.

  “I’m good, hiking with Neal and Austin. Hey, did Mom have any boxes or anything with a key?” he inquired.

  “What kind of key?” she asked, nearly dropping her phone as she tossed the first bag of trash overboard.

  “Small gold key, red twist tie on the end,” Ethan replied.

  “Jordan and I went to the gym by Dad’s while we were there. You know how he is about fitness. I think I remember red twist ties on the ends of the keys for the lockers,” she said, pleased to have been helpful to her little brother.

  “Thanks, Quinn,” he said, hanging up on her. Well, that was quick, she thought, as she stared at the phone.

  “What would mom have a locker key for?” she asked herself as she headed back inside.

  ***

  Charley woke up swaddled in her rose colored bedding, Adrian’s strong arms holding onto her. His soft snore the only sound breaking the silence. The warmth of his body next to hers made her not want to leave her bed. She stroked his arms, trying to wiggle free from his hold. Their night together had been one of her dreams. Their time for intimacy had come and it felt so right.

  She finally broke free of his hold and sat on the edge of the bed, naked, staring at the most handsome and capable man she’d ever met. Adrian was talented and wise, thoughtful, and so genuine.

  “Good morning. Do you always stare at your houseguests while they sleep?” he asked, his eyes full of life as he took her in.

  “No, just you,” she said. She leaned her face close to his and could feel his breath against her cheek. Staring into his eyes, she noticed the small hints of gold in them for the first time. She also hadn’t noticed the tiny scar just above his top lip. She lifted her head slightly, accepting his lips in a kiss. He ran his hand through her hair, stopping to hold her head in place while he softly kissed her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Adrian said. He placed his hands behind his head, leaned back, taking her all in. She didn’t wear a stitch of makeup, just a natural beauty. Her face glowed as she smiled back at him.

  “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “Where did you get that scar on your arm? I’ve never seen it before.” She touched his bicep to get a better look.

  Adrian sat up quickly, his nerves shattering yet another perfect moment. He flashed back to the night he’d killed Charley’s mom. He’d sat in a black van parked right next to her car in the parking garage. It had taken hours for her to emerge. He’d nearly fallen asleep waiting for her. He heard the sound of her heels clicking on the pavement and looked up to see her make her way to her car. He’d watched and waited, his hands nearly breaking the steering wheel as she approached. His stomach was in knots and his palms were sweaty and shaking. She got to her car and fumbled with her keys. He quickly pulled his baseball cap down to cover his face and tugged at his black hooded sweatshirt and pulled it up as he jumped out of the van.

  “Who are you?” Sandy asked, the look of sheer terror spreading across her face—her blue eyes wide with fear and her face white as a ghost. He towered over her small frame. Losing control in the moment, he grabbed her by the throat. She thrashed and screamed, her shoes flying off her feet. She managed to peel his jacket half off, clawing at his arms as he repeatedly hit her in the face. All he remembered was the complete feeling of rage toward the person who had been the cause of his mother’s breakdown. She had ruined his mother’s life and she was paying for it now. She stopped moving and he quickly dropped her to the ground as her head fell to the side, her long, brown hair spilling over her face. He would never forgive himself for what he did next. He picked up a concrete parking stone, raised it above his head then he slammed it into her face in a fit of violent rage. He flinched when he saw her unrecognizable face as he kicked the heavy stone off her, leaving her there for someone to find later. The scar on his arm would be a permanent reminder of what he’d done to that woman, whom he now realized looked a lot like Charley.

  “That’s just from roughhousing when I was a kid. I had a bunch of crazy brothers and cousins,” he said, searching for his shirt, as if that would cover himself from the truth.

  “I am going to make breakfast,” she said, pulling on her robe.

  “Okay, sounds good,” Adrian said. Charley seeing that scar on his arm had triggered the memory of what he’d done and he was completely guilt ridden.

  “Although it’s more like afternoon,” she said, as she set her phone beside his.

  “What?” Adrian asked, his stomach dropping to his feet.

  “Yeah, it’s almost one,” Charley said, nonchalantly leaving the room.

  Adrian plopped back down on the bed and grabbed his phone from the nightstand.

  “Eight missed calls, holy shit!” he grumbled to himself.

  Charley spritely cruised around the kitchen, sipping on vanilla-flavored coffee and humming a cheery tune. Banging away on pots and pans, she was determined to make a great feast for the two of them. As it all started to come together, the doorbell rang. She set down her knife and headed to the front door.

  “Package for a Ms. Charley Harper,” the UPS man said, as he handed over the medium-sized box. Charley smiled and accepted the package.

  “One minute and I’ll get you a tip,” she offered. He waved her goodbye, refusing the tip. Giving a shrug, she bumped her door shut bringing the box to the kitche
n.

  “What was all the noise?” Adrian asked, appearing behind her in the kitchen. He moved closer wrapping his arms around her waist, peering over her to the mystery package. Charley held tightly to her coffee mug eyeing the box.

  “I have a package. It doesn’t say who it’s from,” she said, as she sipped her coffee and turned the package over in her hand looking for a return address.

  “Hmm, I wouldn’t open it then. Could be a bomb,” he offered. Charley laughed, patting his arms to release her.

  “Well, at least you’re here if I blow up,” she said as she proceeded to pop the tape.

  “A jewelry box,” Adrian said out loud, admiring the dark wood and glass doors. He watched as Charley pulled out a long silver locket adorned with a diamond encrusted heart.

  “It’s beautiful,” she gushed, as she fingered the bauble. Adrian nodded in agreement as he lifted the heart into his palm. Popping the locket open, he focused to hold back his shock.

  “What is that? Some kind of computer chip?” she asked, picking at a small object trapped inside her locket.

  “No, don’t do that. Whoever sent this to you probably didn’t want you breaking it,” he said, quickly closing it back up.

  Charley scoured the box finding a small paper. She became visibly upset as she read the note.

  “It’s from my mom’s office. It says they were instructed to send these out if anything ever happened to her.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched the necklace to her chest.

  Everly and Vinnie

  “All right, stop!” Mages said. He tossed his drumsticks to the ground.