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

by Milly Taiden

  The ambulance was already there, my Spitfire somewhere inside. I leapt out of the car before it had even stopped, running for the emergency room.

  “Where is she, the girl they just brought in?” I shouted, the people waiting for their turns cringed around me.

  A nurse approached, round body, sharp eyes. “Are you her husband?”

  “No, boyfriend. Is she okay? Where did they take her?”

  “They’ve already taken her into surgery, you’ll have to wait for the doctor for more information.”

  That was it? I had to wait?

  I paced down the long hallway back toward the front entrance where Reggie stood outside, his cell phone jammed in his ear.

  I went through the sliding doors, the air outside not helping any.

  Reggie lowered the phone. “They’ve taken Elise back to the institution; they won’t be letting her out this time.”

  “A bit fucking late for that, isn’t it?” I snarled.

  Reggie nodded, and slid onto a stone bench. “You want to call anyone? She got family?”

  I thought of Lily, and reached for Reggie’s phone. He handed it over without a question, my phone dropped somewhere along the way.

  I dialed through, my throat tightening, knowing I couldn’t avoid this.

  “Hello?” A man’s voice answered Lily’s phone. Jasper. What the hell was he doing back?

  “Jap, there’s been an accident. Bring Lily to the hospital.” I closed my eyes, put my hand over my face. “Jasmin’s been shot.”

  * * * * *

  The surgery didn’t take long, a few hours for the doctors to get all the fragments out of her body. Reggie tracked down the idiot who’d given Elise the live ammunition and fired him, made sure he wouldn’t be working in the business anytime soon. Apparently, the guy was trying to get in Elise’s good books and her panties.

  None of that made a difference. They hadn’t let us in to see Jasmin yet, wouldn’t give us a prognosis. Nothing. Lily sat in the corner, crying. Jasper glared at me every time I made a move as if to give her a hug. Comfort her.

  Finally, ignoring his glares, I went and crouched in front of her, put a hand on her knee. “Lily, you need something to eat. We both do.”

  “I can’t eat, not when I don’t even know if she’s going to . . . I wasn’t there for Ryan, I went home because I was tired and I needed to shower, and he died and I wasn’t even there.” She let out a sob, sitting there all by herself. I moved to sit beside her and put an arm over her shoulders, hugged her against my side.

  “She’s going to be okay, she is.”

  “I’m not moving from this spot until they tell us she’s going to be fine, that she’s pulling through.” Lily snuffled against my shirt, and then lifted her eyes to mine.

  I nodded, unable to say anything else, because we both knew there weren’t enough words.

  Jasmin had to make it.

  21

  Jasmin

  Ryan held my hand and I was so excited. To tell him about the music, how I’d heard my singing and his song on the actual radio. “It was the most amazing thing, Ryan, like everything we ever wanted all in a single song.”

  “Jazzy, do you know where you are?”

  “I’m with you, here. In this place.” I looked around, not recognizing it. Nice, it was nice and I felt good, safe here.

  His eyes were sad and I didn’t understand why, why he would be so sad when we were here, together?

  He took my hands, held them tightly, and I really looked at him. He was healthy and all his hair had grown back . . . but how was that possible?

  “Ryan, am I dead?”

  He dipped his head. “Yeah, Jazzy, you are.”

  22

  Jet

  “Her heart stopped?”

  Lily burst into tears, but the world around me went numb, fuzzed over in white noise, then dropped me to my knees. No . . . Jasmin couldn’t be dead, she just couldn’t be.

  This was some sort of nightmare, a dream that wouldn’t let me go.

  “Are you sure?” My voice was shaky, barely recognizable even to my own ears.

  The doctor gave a slow nod, his eyes full of sorrow. “We’re doing everything we can, but it doesn’t look good. You need to be prepared for the worst.”

  But how could I be prepared for losing Jasmin? There was nothing in this world that would ever ready me for that.

  I lowered my head to the cold, linoleum floor, and laced my fingers over the back of my neck.

  This wasn’t happening.

  I couldn’t lose her.

  23

  Jasmin

  “No! Ryan, I can’t be dead.” I grabbed his hand. “How do I get back? I can’t leave, not now.”

  His eyes, so like mine darkened, and his shoulders slumped.

  “I’m sorry, I can’t show you the way back. I couldn’t find it, and I tried, I tried to come back to you, to Lily. But there was no way for me, no path back to you two that I could follow.”

  I couldn’t stay here—wherever here was—I knew that it wasn’t my time, not yet. I wasn’t ready, I’d only just learned to live, how could I die? I couldn’t. That was the only answer. But that would mean I would have to leave Ryan.

  Choking on my tears, I pulled him into my arms, and he hugged me back. “I know, Jazzy, I know. Don’t cry, not for me. I’m OK now. I am. Go on, go live your life and don’t look back.”

  I stepped back from him, wiped my cheeks clean of the tears. “I love you, Ryan, I always will, but I have to go. I have to try.”

  He smiled, reached out and tipped my chin up. “I know. Dream big, baby girl. And don’t ever stop.”

  24

  Jet

  I stared down at her body; the doctors finally let us in to see her. She didn’t look like my Spitfire. Pale, her eyes closed, lashes dark against her skin. So fucking pale. Lily grabbed Jasmin’s hands and clutched at her fingers. “Wake up, Jasmin, please wake up.”

  Jasper tugged at her, pulled her out of the room. The monitors flickered, the heartbeat was there now, but they, the doctors, weren’t sure if Jasmin would wake up. Ever.

  I took her hand, held it between mine. “Spitfire, this isn’t your time. You’ve got to fight. I know you’re afraid, Spitfire. I know it. Just, believe me, you can’t go, not yet.”

  I bowed my head, tried to find the words of a prayer I’d heard once so long ago. But they escaped me, fled my desperation.

  The doctor’s words hovered in the air between us, like living things. Fractured bullet, multiple internal lacerations, too much blood loss. They told us she was lucky to pull through the surgery, that when her heart stopped, they struggled to get it going again. But they had and she was still alive.

  “Spitfire, Jasmin. Wake up.” I shook her arm, limp in my hands.

  The monitors continued to beep a steady drone. I laid my hand on the bed, pressed my cheek into the palm of her hand.

  Grief like I’d never felt before crushed me, left me on my knees, begging a God I wasn’t sure existed to let me keep her for a little while. Just a little while. That or take me instead, trade our lives.

  Doctors came and went, nurses whispered on the other side of the curtain. Visiting hours closed, Lily and Jasper had to leave, though Lily flipped out, screaming that she wouldn’t go. Something Jasper whispered in her ear calmed her and he’d gotten her out of the hospital.

  I stayed. Just didn’t move when they asked me to go. Ignored them, held her hand, kissed her fingers.

  Told her I loved her.

  None of it worked.

  She wasn’t coming back.

  Jasmin had left me.

  25

  Jasmin

  Moments come and go; some sear your heart closed forever. Others crack it wide open, leave you raw and exposed, hurting and wanting things you might not ever have.

  This was not one of those moments.

  Jet’s voice called to me, whispered my name, called me his Spitfire, and I ran toward him. I couldn�
��t see him, couldn’t feel him, but I knew he was there, waiting on me to find my way back to him. He was where I belonged, at his side. No matter the risks, no matter the cost, wherever Jet was, that was where my heart beat with life. How had it taken me so long to realize it? Maybe I’d known all along, maybe that was why I’d been so afraid.

  But that fear was gone now. Determination filled me. I would not go without a fight.

  I ran, and ran ‘til I thought there was nowhere left. Darkness surrounded me and I fought the pull of it, fought the soft sweet seduction of the quiet and all it offered.

  Not yet, this was not my time.

  The first thing I truly heard was the beeping of a machine. Steady, rhythmic, irritating as hell if I had to listen to it for long. My eyelids fluttered giving me a glimpse of a sterile white ceiling, the edge of a curtain rod, rings holding a taupe colored material.

  Elise. The gun. I’d been shot. I frowned, lifted one hand and touched my chest, feeling for the wound I knew was there somewhere.

  I found it, just below my right breast, tender, sore. Tubes ran from my nose and throat, and the minute I thought about not being able to breathe, I started to panic.

  Fear nothing.

  I slowed my breath, relaxed my muscles. Looked around the small space. Jet was slumped in a chair beside me, his hands resting on the bed just a few inches from me.

  I didn’t know how long I had been here, how long he’d stayed with me. I found the call button and hit it. A nurse stepped through the curtain, saw me, her eyes going wide. I lifted a finger to my lips, and then pointed at Jet. She smiled, gave me a wink and stepped over to the bed.

  “Want me to take some of these tubes out?” she whispered. I gave her a nod and a thumbs up. Jet slept through it all.

  Tubes out, I leaned back in the bed, exhausted. I licked my lips, breathing gratefully on my own. “Jet.” My voice cracked on his name. He didn’t move. I curled my fingers around his, squeezed them and tried again. “Jet.”

  He let out a groan, head slowly coming up. “I’m not leaving.”

  “I should hope not.”

  He blinked once, a big exaggerated blink, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It hadn’t been that bad, had it?

  I recalled seeing Ryan, my brother telling me I was dead. Maybe it had been that bad.

  “Hey.”

  Jet stumbled to his feet, leaned over the railing, and put his forehead to mine. “Spitfire. Oh my God, baby, they said you weren’t going to wake up.” His words sounded strangled, as if he couldn’t get them out right. “You died on the table. Your heart stopped.”

  “I know. But it wasn’t mine to give away.” I touched his face. “You had it all along.”

  He kissed me lightly, as if afraid I would break. “I love you, Spitfire.”

  “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere,” I said, staring up into his gold-flecked eyes, knowing that no matter what happened, that was the truth.

  “I love you, forever.” I put a hand over his heart, felt it flutter under my fingers, knew his heart beat for mine, as mine did for his.

  “I promise.”

  * * * * *

  While you wait for the continuation of the Risk Series, FREE FALL LOVE (Summer 2015) check out S.J.’s tear jerker of a romance with a twist you won’t see coming!

  One piece of advice

  . . .get your tissues out!

  OF THE HEART

  (Contemporary Romance)

  See OF THE HEART at

  Amazon

  About S.J. Mayer

  S.J. Mayer hates writing blurbs about herself. Really, truly. They always sound silly to her. But since she has sold over 600,000 copies of her books worldwide, she supposes she should at least attempt the blurb. A passion for words has had her writing anything from urban fantasy, young adult fantasy, post-apocalyptic romance, contemporary romance and anything else that catches her fancy.

  Besides telling stories, she is kept busy with a husband and a gorgeous little boy and their 100 acre farm.

  To learn more about S.J. and her other books, check out the links below.

  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

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  RUSH

  by Violet Vaughn

  RUSH

  by Violet Vaughn

  RUSH © Violet Vaughn 2014

  Zero to sixty in one second…

  Olympic hopeful Gretchen Nickelson doesn’t do love. Men exist for sex and a good time. Snowboarding is her main priority and a clingy boyfriend will only get between her and a spot on the Olympic team.

  Dark and dangerous Derrick Hamilton is all for the physical approach. His carefully guarded heart likes it hard and fast. Meeting an adrenaline junkie like Gretchen suits his sexual needs just fine.

  But when a steamy relationship races out of control toward love, tragedy is inevitable, and hearts aren’t the only collateral. Their accidental love threatens Gretchen’s chance for gold. Can they survive the destruction that changes everything?

  CHAPTER 1

  Heaviness against my shoulder forces me awake. Great. The old man next to me thinks I’m his pillow. He’s taking the “Fly the Friendly Skies” thing a little too seriously. I hunch up, hoping he’ll take the hint. He doesn’t even flinch, so I reach over and push his arm. The second I touch his skin, I know something is wrong. Tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He’s cold, and I get the odd sensation of having the life sucked out of me.

  I push harder to get him off me as panic makes my heart beat faster. I shove with enough force he lands against the wall of the plane with a thud and slumps into it. Oh yeah, something’s not right about this guy.

  “Oh, my God.” I try to jump up out of my seat, but the seat belt keeps me in place. I fumble with the buckle until it flicks open and clunks against the armrest. Scrambling into the aisle I bump into some guy and fall. Strong fingers grip my arm as he pulls me up. “I. Oh, God.” I raise my voice. “I need some help here.” Further words escape me as I flap my hands and then point at the old man.

  “Hi, I’m Derrick. I’m a paramedic. What’s going on?”

  “That guy, he’s—” He’s what? But I don’t have to say anything because the paramedic is in my seat. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I’m not sure I’m ever going to forget touching that man. I drag my hands over the rough denim of my jeans as if I can scrape the ickiness off.

  The vibration of stomping makes me turn my head to a woman with a neck full of fake pearls and a pinched mouth. The stewardess says, “Miss, this is a full flight, and you’re going to have to sit down until we land. Quickly. We’re already on the downward descent.”

  The dark-haired medical guy glances up at me. “Would you like to sit in my seat?”

  I feel myself nod like a bobblehead. “Uh-huh.” His brown eyes are kind, and it’s then I notice he’s totally hot. Like model-from-a-Ralph-Lauren-ad hot.

  I stare numbly at his luscious lips as he says, “4C.” The pla
ne suddenly pitches to the side, making me fall against the guy, and he steadies me before the stewardess pushes me forward.

  People are rubbernecking to see what I was freaking about, but the stewardess keeps me moving until I get to first class and find the seat. I plop down in the oversized chair and shudder.

  “So, did something happen in the bathroom? Where’s Derrick?” A cool, elegant hand touches my arm.

  The girl next to me has her straight brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail. She’s model beautiful too. I wonder if they’re famous. In a whisper I say, “I think the old guy next to me died while I was asleep.”

  Her eyes get wide. “Oh, my God. Are you okay?”

  Me? I’m sitting in first class while Derrick is in the back row next to a corpse, and she’s worried about me? “Yeah, but I feel bad for Derrick.” I turn to look back at him, but too many heads are in the way for me to see what’s happening.

  The girl says, “Oh, don’t worry about him. Medicine is his life.”

  While we approach the ground I think how someone just lost their grandfather, their father, or even their husband. I swallow to pop my ears, and a sense of grief settles over me.

  As we taxi to the gate the pilot speaks to us. “Ladies and gentlemen, when we land please remain in your seats. We’ve had an unfortunate incident, and the airport fire department will be boarding.”