Feel the Heat: A Contemporary Romance Anthology (6 page)

S
ix months later
…

L
UKE CROUCHED ON THE FLOOR
, waiting for his daughter to take a tentative step toward him. She’d been working her way up to it for almost a week, letting go of the furniture she used to help her cruise around but not quite ready to step out on her own.

“Come on, beautiful girl. Come to Daddy.”

Hailey had buzzed him a couple of minutes ago to let him know she’d taken a step, and he’d excused himself from a conference call to walk the short distance from his office to the child care center he and Claire had set up together. Colin cringed every time the door opened and the children’s voices carried through the office, but he was getting used to it. And the idea Luke had come up with in Hawaii worked beautifully for his family as well as his employees.

“Did she do it yet?” Claire’s hands rested on his shoulder and Bella’s grin split from ear to ear.

Instead of trying to work from home, his wife moved her offices next to Luke’s. It had required adjustments all around but it meant they could both be there for Bella and it gave them a flexibility that suited their family. He couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to come up with the idea.

“Not yet,” he said, glancing over his shoulder to meet his beautiful wife’s eyes. “But she’s going to, aren’t you, baby?” He held his hands out toward his daughter, trying to encourage her to walk to him.

She screwed up her little face almost as if she was weighing the risk versus benefit, and then she let go of the chair she was holding onto and took a step. Once she got going, the momentum carried her forward and she squealed in triumph as she fell into Luke’s arms. He scooped up his daughter and turned to face Claire.

“Look what you did! You big girl,” said his wife, unshed tears shining in her eyes.

Shifting the toddler to his hip, Luke pulled his wife into his arms and held them both—the women who owned him. He pressed a kiss to both of their heads, breathing in the familiar scent of home and holding everything he’d ever wanted.

T
HE END

D
ear Reader
,

I
hope you enjoyed
WANTED
.
Luke and Claire are one of my all-time favorite couples to write. I loved having a chance to revisit their story and find out what happens after the Happily Ever After.

If you want to read the beginning of their story from their passionate crashing into each other through the struggles threatening to pull them apart, you can find the complete story
HERE
in
WIRED, WANTON
, and
WON. WIRED
is available for free on most major retailers, and you can get the complete collection at a reduced price.

I’ve also recently finished my Southerland series. Who doesn’t love a hot Southern man? The series starts with Feel Like Home, and the books are all standalones connected by a family that falls hard for love. I’ve written a bonus Southerland novella with a little surprise. It’s on sale for $.99, but I’ll be happy to send it to you for free if you sign up for my
mailing list
. I’d love to hear from you at
[email protected]
and you can find me at
www.authorevelynadams.com

I don’t do newsletters so I won’t crowd your inbox. I only send announcements when I release a new book or find a particularly juicy sale. No spam and you’ll know right away about the next book. I don’t want you to miss a single story. By the time I’m finished, I love all the couples I write about. I hope you do, too!

M
any Blessings
!

Evelyn

"
H
oly shit
."

"Right?” I stood back and stared out the ceiling to floor window and shook my head in agreed amazement. “It’s unbelievable.”

Ashlynn and I had seen a bit of beach and ocean as we'd flown overhead, but now, with it just a few dozen yards away, the beauty of Monaco’s coast was breathtaking. I dropped my bag on the floor and threw my arms around my friend. "Thank you. I don't know what I did to deserve this, but thank you."

“Call it payback for all of those term papers you practically wrote for me.” She hugged me awkwardly and let out a chuckle before extricating herself from my grasp. The move, as always, made me just a little sad.

I was a hugger, but I could totally respect that Ashlynn wasn't big on touching. The problem was, I couldn't help but think that she would've been if things had gone differently for her. I remembered her from when we were kids, she'd been carefree and happy, and we’d walked around everywhere with our scrawny arms slung around each other. It was only after we'd started college--after Royce--that she'd turned into a whole other person.

A person who flinched when others moved too quickly. A person who couldn’t get out of bed in the morning or do her schoolwork because she was so mired in the pits of despair and a bone-deep depression. A person neither of us recognized.

The nauseous feeling that always accompanied thoughts of Royce washed over me and I pushed it away resolutely.

We were here now and everything was going to be all right. It was finally over. And Ashlynn had paid for my trip from her trust fund because she wanted us here on Spring Break together so we could close the chapter on that old life and have a fresh start on her new one.

Her strained smile was a solid indicator that it was going to take more than a stellar view of the Mediterranean for her to start that process.

"Stop thanking me. I wouldn't want to be here without you, Melis. And seriously, it's Peggy's money anyway and she's got plenty."

Peggy was Ashlynn's oft-married mother. Her last husband had left her a cool ten million and Peggy was nothing if not generous to her only daughter.

"Well, I already sent her my famous chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, so now I'm thanking you. But I promise, I'll stop now." I picked up the handle to my rolling suitcase and yanked on her arm. "Let's drop our stuff off, get our suits on and get on that beach. I hear a rum runner calling my name from here."

She nodded and tucked a lock of jet-black hair under her floppy sun hat. "Sounds like a plan to me."

We made our way to the elevators, and made an effort to keep the small talk going. Making plans for that night, wondering out loud if we might win at the casino.

"Supposedly there's a concert Saturday night at the main venue. Lots of buzz about that."

I didn't mention that there was also supposed to be a major boxing match that night as well. Fists flying was the last thing she needed to see right now. We had eight glorious days ahead of us, and I was determined to pack them full of fun and healing for my friend. By the time we were on our way back to New England and the dreary March weather, I wanted to hear her say she was "fine" just one time and really mean it.

Baby steps.

When we got down to the beach half an hour later, there were already dozens of other sun worshippers on the sugary white sand, but we found an open spot and staked our claim. We'd just moseyed over to the beach bar when a cute sandy-haired guy came jogging over to us in a pair of board shorts. A wide smile split his slightly sunburnt face.

"Hey! We're looking for two more for a volleyball game. What do you say?"

I shot a look at Ashlynn, sure she was going to put the kibosh on that, but she shocked me by nodding hesitantly. "Yeah...um, yeah, sure."

"I'm Lance," he said, sticking out a hand. We both introduced ourselves and shook before promising to come over as soon as we ordered.

We got our drinks--a frozen rum runner for me, and a pina colada for her--and then picked our way over to the volleyball area where about a dozen people milled around chatting.

"All right, we have enough for seven and seven," Lance said.

Ashlynn and I stayed on the same team along with three other girls who seemed friendly enough and two guys who both just seemed glad to be included. Perfect setting. No cocky assholes or douche-canoes making us wish we had worn bigger bathing suits.

The game started out as a laughing, screaming free-for-all. We collectively sucked, and knew it, but we were all also free from classes and school stress for a week and in paradise, so no one cared. Our team got stomped on and lost by eleven.

"Maybe you guys want to switch sides?" Lance called from across the net, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

"And maybe you're just scared we're on the comeback trail," Ash shot back with a laugh.

We got set and I served the ball. My serve actually went in bounds and we managed to get it over four times before someone on the other team dove for it and missed.

"See?" I crowed. "Watch yourselves, now."

I served the ball again and it came screaming back to me a second later. Just as I was about to lunge for it, a low male voice sounded from a few feet away.

"Melissa? Is that you?"

That low, gritty baritone set every nerve ending in my body into overdrive as a thousand and one feelings shot through me at once, each fighting for supremacy.

Pain. Need. Sadness.

Sheer, unadulterated joy.

And then pain again as the volleyball connected with my face, dead on.

I dropped to the sand, flat on my back and the breath left my lungs in a whoosh. I blinked unseeingly into the blinding sun as one thought raced through my mind on a continuous loop.

Either I was insane, or Robbie Stevens was here in Monaco.

Robbie Stevens, my high school sweetheart.

Robbie Stevens, my first.

Robbie Stevens, my
only
.

Robbie Stevens, who had broken my heart into a zillion little pieces before dousing it with gasoline and setting it on fire.

Please God, let me be insane.

* * *

I stared in shock at Melissa lying motionless on her back.

Jesus, that ball had hit her hard. I jogged over, pushing my way past her teammates as they crowded around her. I lowered myself to kneel next to her, fighting the urge to cut and run.

It had been a long time. Four years now. No way I couldn't get within a few feet of her and live to tell the tale. It would be fine. A surprise to run into her here, but no big deal. Just a bump in the road.

Then she opened her big, green eyes and stared right into mine. It was like being kicked in the gut by a mule and the words that had been on the tip of my tongue dissolved as I stared back at her.

I'd imagined her so many times, seen her in the faces of strangers, and had been wrong. But I knew her body better than I knew my own, and I hadn't been able to control my reaction when I'd seen her, even in profile.

Her long fall of auburn hair hadn't changed much since the last time I'd seen her. Even now, my fingers itched to dive into it. How many times had I held fistfuls of it in my hands while we made love?

Dozens.

Maybe hundreds.

She'd leaned out some, her stomach had lost the slight curve beneath her belly button, her profile was sharper. But there was no mistaking that stance. Shoulders thrown back, feet planted, wide open and ready for the world. I loved that about her. She was game for anything. If there was a cause, Melissa was first in line to fight for it. Needed a friend to do some shitty job like help you move, or help you with yard work? Melissa would show up in shorts with a rake in hand.

Now, as I stared down at her, memories rolled through my mind like an old movie projector.

Me and Melissa, in my beat up Mustang as I taught her how to drive.

Me and Melissa at Arnie's Burger Bar, seeing who could fit more fries in their mouth.

Melissa, beneath me, eyes wide with wonder as I slid deep inside her.

Now, though, those eyes were wide with shock instead of wonder as she struggled to sit up.

I reached out to help her, but she moved away.

"I got it," she said, wincing as she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger.

"Do you think you broke it?" I asked, wincing in sympathy along with her. Boxing was hard on the nose and I'd broken mine twice. She was looking at a pair of shiners by morning if she had, and that would definitely put a damper on her vacation.

She shook her head slowly but before she could answer, another girl dropped to her knees on the other side of Melissa.

"What the hell happened? Didn't you see the ball comi-" The girl made eye contact with me and I forced a tight smile.

"Hey, Ash."

Ashlynn's dark eyes narrowed into slits making me think of a Discovery Channel documentary I'd watched on pit vipers.

"What are you doing here, Rob?"

She said my name like she’d just tasted a piece of shit, but I kept my gaze impassive. Fact was, I didn't blame her. They'd grown up together. Shared birthday parties, near constant sleepovers, wearing each other’s clothes and finishing each other's sentences.

It was a given to pretty much everyone at our high school that if a guy was interested in either one of them, they'd have to get the approval of the other or it was dead in the water.

Even when Melissa and I had been together, she and Ashlynn had stayed close. Oftentimes, she was the third wheel on date nights and I'd considered her a friend.

A friend I'd lost the day I'd informed Melissa I'd cheated on her with a cheerleader from a neighboring high school.

Judging by the expression on Ash's face, she remembered that day as vividly as I did. Funny how four years seemed like such a long time at points and at other points?

It seemed like yesterday.

"Boxing," I said, finally. "I have a belt fight Saturday night here."

I willed myself not to look at Melissa when I said it. Even though she feared for my safety, she'd handled my sport like she did most things. By getting behind it with everything she had. One of the hardest parts about losing her, aside from trying to sleep without her curled around me, was looking around outside the ring and not seeing her there. Not hearing her kick-ass, two-fingered whistles or seeing her launch herself from her seat in excitement when I landed a good shot. There had been more than one time where I'd actually taken the time to seek her out just to see that reaction that had cost me a shot to the jaw.

Which was exactly why I had to get fuck out of the radius of her pull. She had as much control of me as the moon had over the tides, and I could already feel myself getting lost in her. What had she been doing? Was she going to graduate this year and go to med school?

Did she think about me even half as much as I thought about her?

"Yeah, well, we're here for the week for our last Spring Break. We're staying at the Oberon Resort, so do us both a favor and stay out of our way," Ashlynn snapped, taking Melissa's arm and helping her to her feet.

"Ash, it's fine. We're both adults, that was a long time ago," Melissa said, giving me a solemn nod. "It's a big island but I'm sure we can manage to be civil if we bump into each other again."

Ashlynn's jaw clenched but she nodded reluctantly and released Melissa’s arm before stepping back. "Yeah, well, that makes two of you," she muttered under her breath. "Take five, Meliss, until you see how you feel."

She picked up the ball and tossed it back into play, motioning for us to get off the sandy court.

Melissa ambled hesitantly over to the sideline and I trailed stupidly behind her. Part of me wanted to keep going when she stopped. Just keep my eyes forward and walk away until I was far enough to let out the string of curses that were rattling around in my head.

How was this even possible? I'd managed to avoid her for years living just a town away and now, halfway across the world, I run into her when I could afford it the least?

This fight was
the
fight. The one that was going to make me a household name. I needed to focus with everything I had, because my opponent was a straight-up badass. And the fight we were opening for was the fight of the year. A title bout between current champ Bash McDaniels and a veteran who was looking for a comeback, Frankie Mills. All eyes would be glued to the set on Saturday and yours truly was going to be on screen showing the world what I'd spent my life training to do. There was no point in getting all churned up over regret and past hurts that I stood zero chance of rectifying. Melissa hated me and she had every reason to.

I needed to do like Ashlynn said, get away, and stay away.

"Sorry about the nose thing. I shouldn't have called your name while you were playing. I was surprised, is all," I murmured.

"Not your fault, I'll be fine. Just a stinger." She shrugged, and gazed out into the ocean for a long moment before looking at me again. She made a point to keep her eyes locked on mine, but I could tell she was trying not to look down. I only knew because I was doing the same thing. I was like a starving man, desperate to take in every detail, from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. What had changed, what hadn't. Committing it to memory so I could update all my dreams--waking and sleeping.