Red Hot

by Ann B. Harrison

  They lay together and relaxed before Rhian took charge and pulled him toward the shower. He stood under the warm jets and let her soap his hair, massaging his scalp slowly and sensuously.

  “You can wash my hair anytime. That was so damned good.” He ran his face under the water and shook his head. Turning to her, he cupped her face in his hands before giving her a hard wet kiss.

  Rhian stepped from the shower and reached for a towel. She passed it to Red and he wrapped it around his hips. He would have loved to crawl back into bed with her but he had to go to work and he knew she had a full day. He dressed quickly before he could change his mind.

  Red pulled a cream-colored envelope from a pocket in his jacket. He handed it to Rhian with a smile before her kissed her goodbye.

  Passing May in the driveway, he nodded politely and climbed on to his motorbike. Rhian waved as he rode down the street.

  * * * *

  “Well, I guess you made up then?” May stood beside her, the question hanging between them.

  “I guess we did at that. Coffee?” Rhian walked inside clutching the envelope to her chest and went to the kitchen to pour two cups. She ran her finger over the beautifully written name on the front. Ms Rhian Gallagher She slid her finger under the flap and pulled out the invitation. Opening the card she read Mr. Carrick Douglas requests the pleasure of Ms Rhian Gallagher as his partner on Valentine’s Day at St Regis Hotel at 7p.m.She propped it up on her bench, the warmth running through her veins.

  A romantic date, it was going to be so much fun.

  It had been ages since she’d dressed up and she just knew Red would look drop dead gorgeous in a suit. Pouring the coffees, she hummed to herself, returned to the office, and handed one over to May.

  Rhian ran her gaze down the appointments for the day and thanked the Fates it was Friday. She had talked Red into coming to the cottage for the weekend. They could take a ride down the coast to Carmel and have lunch or just wander the shops stopping for a coffee if they wanted to. Or they could stay in bed all weekend. It would be great to be able to get away from work.

  It would also be a good time to learn more about each other. So far their only dates had been filled with sex or aggravation more than anything else. Not that there was anything wrong with the sex side of things in Rhian’s mind but she wanted to get to know the man she intended to marry. Perhaps it would be a good idea if she broached the subject of what she was soon.

  But then again, maybe it was too early. She didn't want to scare him off.

  “So, you sorted it out alright then, I gather?” May was persistent.

  “Yes, May, we did. Just a misunderstanding with an old flame who can't let go. I just took it the wrong way.” Rhian leaned on the edge of the desk and looked at her friend of many years.

  “Does he know yet, Rhian, or are you hiding it still?”

  “Don't push me. You know I'll tell him soon enough. Just give me a chance, it's all I ask.”

  “Look what happened last time. You didn't let on what you were until he proposed and when you did the poor man ran away screaming. I thought you promised you would sort it out earlier next time.” May shook her head and reached for Rhian's hand. “Look you know I love you and I'm just looking out for your best interests. I don't want to be the one bringing you chicken soup when Red does the same as the last one, for God's sake.”

  “I know and you're a dear, honestly you are May. I will tell him, soon, I promise. We're going to spend the weekend at the cottage so it might be a good time to let him in on my little secret, I'm thinking.” Rhian smiled over the edge of her coffee cup. “I’m meeting him up there so he can take his bike. I’ve asked for a trip up the coast to Carmel on the back. I’m thinking if we can get into something he loves like cruising on his bike, it will be easier for me to say something. “

  “Good idea. Now you go and get ready because your first patient is walking up the path now.” May put on her receptionist’s welcoming face as the door opened.

  * * * *

  Rhian held on tight to the leather-clad body in front of her. The wind caught her loose hair and whipped it down the back of her neck. The drone of the bike was cut down by the helmet she was wearing but the throb of the big Ducati motor pulsed through her thighs, giving her a sexual thrill she hadn’t anticipated.

  Red weaved the bike left and right as he took the curves of the winding road. Rhian leaned with him, her chest pressed into his back. She marveled at the feeling of freedom sitting on the back of a motorbike compared to sitting in her car. She almost felt invincible and could understand Red’s love for this machine.

  He slowed as he came to the small town of Carmel. Cruising down the streets with the holiday traffic he looked out for a parking lot and indicated when he found one. Rhian dismounted first and he helped her take off her helmet, undoing the chin-strap for her. She shook her hair free and ran her fingers through it. Taking a hair tie from her wrist, she pulled it up on the top of her head into a messy knot.

  Red took their helmets and placed them on the seat before putting on his glasses. Rhian wondered how long it would be before he noticed any difference. She was getting anxious to see if her spell had worked.

  He took her hand and together they walked the streets looking at the shops and peering in the windows taking their time to mingle with tourists and locals.

  “Oh, look at that.” Rhian had her face to the window of an art gallery and her gaze was fixed on a red frog climbing the glass display shelf. It was crafted from bronze and glazed in vivid red with black splotches down its back. The frog was positioned as if it was climbing the shelf it was displayed on. Its back leg was stretched out to full length as it climbed and its gold tipped toes grasped the shelf. “Frogs are one of my favorite creatures. They are so beautiful.” She gazed at it for another few seconds and then continued down the street.

  They walked hand in hand until they came across a small courtyard set with tables and umbrellas. Pots of brightly colored geraniums lined the edges and Red looked at her, inclining his head toward the coffee shop, eyebrows raised.

  “Yeah, why not, a coffee would be great right now.”

  They sat at a table in the corner next to a large archway covered in jasmine.

  Rhian closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “Oh I so love that smell. Does it not sing to you Red, the perfume of some flowers? I want to close my eyes and drift away to some faraway land where things are pretty and perfect all the time.”

  “Sounds like you believe in the impossible, Rhian.” He grinned at her, and her insides turned both warm and fuzzy but a feeling of dread settled above the warmth.

  “Sorry, it’s just the way I am, Red. I always wish for peace and happiness for everyone. I was brought up to believe all things are possible if you wish for them hard enough.”

  “It is nice to dream but you are talking to a scientist here. If I can't prove it the conventional way, I can't believe it.”

  “Didn't you ever dream as a kid you wanted to be Superman or something? I used to read comic books and wish I had some of those powers. Flying through the night sky and rescuing those in need.”

  “Fantasy, pure and simple, you know it is.”

  “But didn't you ever play pirates or make sandcastles at the beach and pretend you were Robinson Crusoe just waiting to be rescued? Or Peter Pan and Tinkerbell?”

  “Actually, yes but if you tell anyone I’ll deny it.” He grinned at her and took hold of her fingers with both of his hands. Looking down at them he continued. “I didn’t dare let my father know but I always wanted to be Iron Man.” He squeezed her fingers and laughed. Her heart clenched at the sad expression momentarily flitting across his face.

  “And what is so wrong with that? I think it’s lovely to lose yourself in fantasy now and then, especially when you are a child. Adulthood and all of its responsibilities comes along far too soon.”

  “Yes, but to let children think all their troubles will be erased by a fictional superhero
is just plain wrong.” He shrugged his shoulders and rolled her fingertips between his fingers. “Didn’t you get upset when you found out Santa Claus was just a story someone had made up?”

  “Yes, of course. What child doesn’t? But you have to understand, Red, magic and fantasy have a role to play. They make children feel brave and adventurous, give them wings to dream. My parents encouraged us to believe and I thank them for it.”

  “Fantasy maybe, but magic, definitely not. Don’t even try and tell me you believe in witches and dragons, Rhian. That is pure fiction, fit only for fairgrounds.”

  “You don’t believe at all then?”

  “No, no and no. I have science running through my genes. Sure I read books but I always understood the difference between fantasy and reality. My parents didn't lie to me. I grew up knowing magic and fairies existed but only between the pages of a book.”

  She leaned over and took his hand in hers. “I'm Irish, Red. I believe in all of those things, it's how we're brought up, you understand.”

  “And that's fine but don't ask me to change my beliefs. I am what I am. You won't sway me, Rhian. Now how about coffee?”

  “That would be wonderful, thank you.”

  They passed a lovely morning, walking and window gazing. Rhian brought a pear shaped crystal to hang from her window before they headed back to Red’s bike.

  She clung to his back on the ride home. The sun shone down on them, warming their bodies. Closing her eyes, she floated with the rhythm of the bike. She held on tight, leaning when he did, undulating from side to side. His scent filled her senses and she snuggled closer, her crotch pressed into his butt. The heat raced through her groin and she sighed, wishing they were somewhere else.

  Wriggling her fingers, Rhian slid her hand under the edge of his leather jacket until she met with his skin. He tensed and then she felt the power of the bike between her legs as he increased speed. Happy to wait until she got him home, she tucked her fingers down inside the waistband of his pants and dreamed about peeling them from his body.

  As soon as he killed the power, she pulled her helmet off and dropped it on the seat of the bike, before grasping the lapels of his leather jacket. Rhian pushed him backward in the garden, her mouth on his until his legs met the edge of the day bed. She unzipped his jacket and peeled it from his arms. Next came the T-shirt to land on top of the discarded jacket.

  Red held his hands up when she reached for his fly. “Slow down. Give me a chance to breathe.”

  “Why? Just lay back and take it, big boy.” Rhian grinned at him and stripped off her clothes standing before him in the sunlight, gloriously naked. “Your turn.” She unzipped his pants and peeled them from his legs, tugging his boots off while she was at it.

  “Condom, Rhian?”

  She laughed and grabbed her jeans from the grass rummaging in the back pocket. She held one up and wiggled her eyebrows at him.

  “Prepared, I like that.”

  “Well, you never know when you are going to need one and I wasn’t sure if we would find a secluded spot on the way home.” She pushed him back on the day bed and sheathed him. Seconds later she was riding him hard and fast.

  “Remind me to take you on the bike more often,” gasped Red as he recovered after she collapsed against him. He lay back exhausted and panting. “It usually has the opposite effect on me.”

  “Why on earth is that?”

  “When I can’t get sex, riding my bike always seemed to be the answer.” He turned his head and looked into her eyes. “I don’t think I will ever look at it the same way again.”

  * * * *

  They lay in the sun dosing and touching until the rumbling in her stomach made her go in search of food. Sitting naked in the garden they nibbled and talked, learning more about each other.

  Red opted for a lazy afternoon while Rhian wandered around her garden. Knowing it needed some attention she pulled weeds and watered dry patches. She deadheaded her flowers and scattered seeds to germinate on their own, all the time keeping her eyes on the hunk relaxing naked on the mussed up daybed.

  She asked him question after question wanting to learn more about his childhood. She decided he’d missed out on so many of the things she’d taken for granted and felt sorry for what he’d not experienced. Even though she had started the conversation that would nicely lead into what she was, now was not the right time to tell him. It would have to wait.

  With a heavy heart Rhian packed her car the next morning for the trip back to town. They had both had a fabulous weekend. They’d stayed up late talking and slept in, snuggled together on Sunday morning.

  Red held her close before she got into her car. Nero sat on the front seat and the fawn was in his travel case in the back. He brushed the hair from her face and wiped at the frown on her forehead. “We can catch up during the week. Why don't you come over to my place one night?”

  “Are you sure you want to risk that again?”

  “Don't let her worry you. It's you I want to be with, not her and I've told her that.” He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I won't be taken by surprise if she comes back, promise.”

  “Okay, I’ll have my bitch shoes on next time then. So when am I going to meet Jake? We could do a dinner or something. I can make a casserole and bring it over. What do you think?”

  “I can ask him. He doesn't go out much but he'll come over to my place. What night suits you best?”

  “How about Tuesday night? I usually do surgery all day on Thursdays so I don't like to do too much the night before. Steady hand and all that you know.” She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist not wanting to let him go.

  “Done and don't worry about dinner. My housekeeper cooks for me every night anyway and she will be terribly offended if I tell her not to.”

  “Really, you have a housekeeper?”

  “My parents had a housekeeper. I can't let her go, she has no one else. My mother hired her before I was born. You'll like her, when you finally get to meet her.”

  “You are such a sweet man, Red. Tuesday it is then. Just a thought, let me know if you want me to bring someone to even out the numbers. May is always up for a meal out. She doesn't get out much either.”

  Red roared with laughter. “He will kill me but why not? He never goes near girls unless they are asking him to fix their car or something. His last girlfriend left him because he practically lives at his workshop.”

  She locked lips with him, drinking in enough of the taste of the man to last her until Tuesday night. She got into her car and backed out of the driveway. Red waited until she had turned around and was on the road before he mounted his bike and followed her. All the way back to the city he rode behind her, and she felt safe and protected.

  As she pulled into her driveway, Red tooted and continued on to his place. Rhian unloaded the car and took the animals inside. May was either going to kill her tomorrow when she found out Rhian hadn't told Red or she would thank her for the dinner date. Never mind, maybe the idea of the date would calm her down and give Rhian more time to come up with a plan.

  Chapter 9

  Rhian heated up a bowl of soup for dinner and had an early night, snuggled up with Nero at her feet and a good sexy book. This hot romance story was bound to have a good ending but could she say the same about her and Red? She was trying, by the Fates she was. It couldn't be all her fault if they were toying with her and laying obstacles in the way, could it?

  She had enough bad endings to write home about. When he had fallen at her feet, so to speak, she had known he was for her. What she didn't know was how hard they would make her work for him. The only hurdle she had to cross now was letting him in on her little secret.

  Okay, it was a big secret.

  Probably not something he was going to like to hear either by the sound of things. He was an intellectual scientist who had been brought up thinking magic only existed in fairytale books. How would he react when he found out the truth about her?

/>   She threw off the blankets and slid out of bed. Walking over to the window, she gazed at the city lights below. It all seemed so natural to her. She was brought up with it. It didn’t faze May either but she had known about Rhian’s abilities since they were small girls at school. To throw this at Red was going to create some ripples, she knew that. Holding onto the curtain with one hand, Rhian let her forehead touch the cool glass of the window.

  “How am I going to do this, Mother? You must have a plan for me with this man or you wouldn’t have thrown him in my path. I just wish you would tell me how to do this.”

  Sighing, Rhian walked back to bed. She patted Nero on the head, rubbed his ears and climbed between the blankets. Sinking back into the pillows she turned off the lights with a flick of her fingers.

  * * * *

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” May stood with her hands on her hips and glared at Rhian. “You promised you would tell him, you promised.” She stormed away and stomped her feet before turning back to face her. “How can you stand there and calmly tell me it will be alright? We both know that it won't. We've been down this track before. He's a scientist, for God's sake, who doesn't believe in magic. How can you say it will be alright?”

  “I just need more time. More time for him to get to know me and then I can ease into it gently. You know, maybe a hint here and there.” Rhian cowered under the onslaught of the verbal abuse from her friend.

  “Oh really? A hint like what, Rhian? What are you going to do? Casually let him see your magic?”

  Rhian hung her head and sighed. This was not going the way she had envisaged it at all. May was supposed to be her best friend and with her in whatever she planned. That was how besties were supposed to work, in Rhian’s mind anyway.

  “I thought maybe just a little touch here and there. You know light a candle in the background. Or turn off the light switch. Little stuff until he gets used to it. Then I can show him something really good and exciting.”