Key West Heat

Alice Orr

Would She Be Consumed By the Heat of Passion?Strange forces drew Taylor Bissett toward her birthplace. And when she realized she'd lived on the tiny tropical island longer than she'd thought, she began to search for answers to the childhood questions that haunted her adult dreams.Strangers now inhabited her hometown–except for saloon owner Des Maxwell, who recognized her on sight. Despite the man's forbidding aura, Taylor was convinced he held the key to her past….But Taylor was beginning to remember Des, too–and he stirred feelings not only of protection but of danger….

Key West Heat

Alice Orr

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To my husband, Jonathan—

always my romantic hero

To my map artist—

Ed Vesneske, who is also my dear son

To my editor—

Julianne Moore, a true jewel

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Taylor Loyola Bissett—A woman drawn to the tropics and to the danger awaiting her there.

Des (Destiny) Maxwell—A dashing man who could be the greatest danger of all.

Winona Starling—A Key West psychologist who could be Taylor’s savior.

Jethro Starling—Winona’s very nervous son.

Armand Santos—Key West homicide detective.

April Jane Cooney—Proprietor of the Key Westian guesthouse.

Violetta Ramone—Who knows all about Caribbean cooking…and the past.

Early Rhinelander—Taylor’s confidant for as far back as she can remember.

Desiree Loyola & Paul Lawrence Bissett—Taylor’s late parents.

Pearl & Netta Bissett—Taylor’s late aunts.

Madame Leopold—A Key West psychic.

Contents

Prologue (#u585c01ec-4145-5ec5-8046-2acb00277dfc)

Chapter One (#uad83e3c8-d15d-5ea9-a2c9-5cbdb2482676)

Chapter Two (#u9559d6af-3a31-54c4-aabd-1a65179873b1)

Chapter Three (#u58769149-f82f-504a-a026-07b11879a2c7)

Chapter Four (#ue9ae2cab-12cf-50d3-9507-4096945a5a18)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue

Des smelled it before he saw it. He was not quite fourteen, but he knew right off what it was: the thing you smell a few blocks away or on the breeze and hope won’t come close enough to smart your eyes and chafe your throat. The heavy, old-wood scent of it was almost pleasant at first, like bonfires or leaves burning. But there weren’t that many falling leaves in Key West, except those ripped from branches by a blasting hurricane. And there was nothing pleasant about the way this made him feel. He held his breath, as if doing that could make the danger on the wind go away by magic, like when a little kid closes his eyes and thinks that makes him invisible. Pretty soon, Des had to breathe again, and the smoke smell was still there.

The wind was blowing hard. Tonight’s gale hadn’t been upgraded to hurricane from tropical storm yet, but Des guessed it was on the way there. He’d been feeling funny all day. That happens when there’s a wild drop on the barometer. He’d taken it in stride the way any real conch would, conchs being native Key Westers. He was even a little bit excited, like when a big adventure is about to hit and you don’t know how it’s going to turn out. He liked that in the movies, but he knew there was a big difference between the screen and life. In real life, adventures could mess you up bad. Still, the lurking storm and rising wind had his heart beating fast all day—till now.

What made his heart beat fast now was fear.

He knew where the smoke smell was coming from. For a moment, he did nothing, not because he was scared, even though he was. He just couldn’t believe what was happening. The worst time ever to have a fire is in a high wind. Everybody knows that. The flames blow up twice as fast in a storm, and there was no rain yet. And the smell of smoke was coming from the place he loved best in all the world.

Thinking that got Des started running. In the few seconds of his hesitation, fla