Make It Hot (Kimani Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Gwyneth Bolton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
After a career-threatening injury, brooding firefighter Joel Hightower's only hope of regaining his cherished livelihood is a sassy spitfire named Samantha Dash. As the by-the-book physical therapist helps Joel get ever closer to achieving his professional goals, Samantha also ignites a sensual spark in him that he finds impossible to ignore!

Samantha is totally unprepared for the sizzling attraction that intensifies each time she is near "Tall, Dark and Surly" Hightower. As she helps Joel get better, their relationship goes way beyond patient and therapist. It flares into full-blown passion. But when it threatens to end her career, Samantha must decide if a future as the partner of a risk-taking hero is really worth fighting for.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Six months later

Joel Hightower entered the physical-therapy stage of his rehabilitation feeling less like his normal upbeat self.

Okay, make that nothing like his normal self.

After the two operations on his back, he had spent the bulk of the past five months in traction, and once the casts had come off, he'd had to get used to walking around with a cane for a little while, walking around feeling like half the man he used to be.

As far as he was concerned, he was allowed to be in a bad mood. His entire life had been snatched from under him, and he had to literally learn how to walk on his own two feet again.

The inside of the clinic looked as drab as the adjacent hospital had. Sure, the walls of the waiting room were a bright shade of Pepto pink, but everything else screamed stale and antiseptic. He really hoped the rest of the clinic wasn't the same color scheme. He couldn't take three months of constant puke pink.

He had to get his body back functioning properly so he could get a clean bill of health to return to his job. That was the most important thing. Getting back to work. Putting out fires. Until then, he felt as if he was on hold.

Too bad his physical therapist was keeping him waiting, too. He stood, freed himself from his brother Lawrence's helpful grasp and steadied himself on his cane as he walked over to the receptionist's desk for the second time in twenty minutes.

The short, perky woman had her shoulder-length hair pulled back in a ponytail and wore very little makeup on her almond-colored face. He glanced at the nameplate on her desk. Jenny Saunders.

"Ms. Saunders, I—" he started, only to be cut off with a honey-sweet smile.

"She's running a little behind. This isn't normally the case. She'll be right with you. Again, I apologize for the delay. We had a therapist call in sick today, and Samantha had to take on some of his patients."

The woman gave him another pleasant grin and a stare that seemed to suggest he go and sit down somewhere. He could tell Jenny Saunders was getting a little tired of him.

So what? He was tired of waiting.

His therapist's first-impression points were going down—way down.

"Why don't you just chill, man? Have a seat. Relax." His brother Lawrence was only a couple of years older than him. The way the narcotics detective was always telling Joel what to do, one would think Lawrence had him by decades.

Although all the Hightower men shared the same mahogany complexions, dashing good looks and athletic builds, he and Lawrence had often been mistaken for twins when they were growing up. He used to hate that.

He decided to ignore Lawrence for the moment.

"It's not like you walking up there every five minutes is going to make your therapist come any faster," Lawrence offered.

When he realized Joel was not going to respond, Lawrence shrugged and went back to flipping through the Vibe magazine he'd gotten from the humongous pile of reading materials on the coffee table.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I'm Samantha Dash, and you must be Mr. Hightower."

He turned to set eyes on a curvy chocolate goddess with flashing brown eyes, flawlessly smooth skin and jet-black hair. She wore her hair in one of those natural styles with twists, and it reached her shoulders. Then there was her smile… With a smile like hers she could probably get away with anything.

Anything but keep him waiting.

Forget how captivating she looked. "Do you always disregard your patients'time like this, or is it just me? Because if this is the way you conduct yourself, then maybe I should look into getting another therapist."

She tilted her head, and she took a step back, placing her hand on her hip. She glared at him for a full minute before saying a word.

Joel glanced at Lawrence for some moral support and saw his brother had buried his face in the magazine.

No problem. He didn't need backup for this. Right was right and wrong was wrong.

"Like I said, I apologize. We're down one therapist today, but that's not your problem. The gift of understanding isn't something everyone is born with. So, I'm sorry for giving you the opportunity to exhibit your extreme lack in that area. Now, if you'll just follow me, we can get you started." Her smile took on a decidedly false appearance, and gone was the warmth and kindness that seemed to exude from her just a few moments ago.

Oh, well.

That wasn't his problem. He was there for one reason and one reason only, to get his life back, and if this hand-on-hip, smart-mouth spitfire of a woman had to be checked from the door in order to ensure he got what he needed, then so be it.

Well, pictures certainly are deceiving. Samantha led Joel Hightower back into her office in the clinic. She had been a little nervous when she found out she was the therapist assigned to the hero firefighter. The fact that she had thought of him often over the past six months made her think she might be risking her usual professional distance with him as a patient.

Meeting the incorrigible, surly man in person let her know right away she had nothing to worry about. She didn't have to worry about being attracted to him. Hell, she didn't have to worry about even liking this man. He was nothing like the playful, mischievously sexy stud she had conjured up in her imagination.

That guy would probably always have a funny joke and a smile. That guy had sex appeal for days and would make a woman run hot, not with anger the way she was at the moment, but with passion.

That guy didn't exist and in his place was this jerk.

"First off, I'd like to tell you a little bit about what you'll be doing here for the next three months." She kept her tone even and flat as they sat in her office.

It was a small office with an even tinier window, but it was hers. At twenty-seven years old, she liked the fact she had worked hard and secured a position with excellent growth opportunities at such a high-profile clinic attached to a renowned hospital and medical center.

One day she would have a bigger office and even more patients, but for now, she made this one cozy with lots of earth tones and faux plants. She would have loved real plants, but her first efforts of using real greenery to beautify her space ended in carnage. It would have rivaled the destruction of the rain forests if she hadn't performed a self-intervention and embraced her lack of a green thumb.

During her first time meeting with a patient, she liked to give them a sense of what to expect. So she talked with them in her office for about twenty to thirty minutes depending on her first impression of the patient's personality and the injuries each had sustained. At the end of each session, she spoke with them to wrap things up.

"My job is to help improve the function and mobility in your back. To help you begin to walk more fluidly. I'm also here to help relieve the pain and teach you exercise and pain-management techniques. We'll run some general exercises today, testing your strength, balance, coordination, posture and muscle performance."

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

Oh. No. He. Didn't.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hightower, but am I boring you? Does the discussion of how I plan to help you with your back bother you?" She knew her tone was snappy, but she couldn't help it.

He sighed again. "I heard all of this from my doctor. I know what a physical therapist is supposed to do, so can we get to it and just do it?"

Oh. Yes. He. Did.

How could she have been so wrong about a person? This impatient, irritable man was nothing like she had imagined, nothing like the man she had dreamed of him being. She almost wished she had never met him. At least then she would still have her sweet version of him to think about.

She plastered on her most professional smile. "Fine. I can explain as we go along."

You surly sourpuss of a man!

Once she started working with him, things went somewhat smoothly. As long as they didn't try to have a conversation, they were fine.

After working with him on balance, coordination and trying to get him used to moving around without the cane, she decided to try another shot at small talk. They had three months of therapy to get through, after all. It would be nice if they could build at least a cordial working relationship.

Basketball!

What man didn't like to talk about sports? And the Nets and the Knicks were both having great seasons. As a Jersey guy, he was bound to be a fan of one of those teams.

Being a Chi-town girl, she personally liked the Bulls over all teams. She had been a fan since the days of Michael Jordan and she believed he was the greatest player to have ever played the game.

No one compared. No one.

And she included the Bulls in her prayers at least once a week—two or three times during the play-offs— in hopes the team would return to its former glory.

But she could squelch her fandom to reach out to a patient. She didn't hate the Nets or the Knicks. She could tolerate those teams and their fans. As long as he wasn't a Lakers fan or God forbid a Phoenix Suns fan, they could have a nice conversation.

"So, what do you think about the Nets?"

He shrugged. "I don't think about them. I'm not really a fan of the team."

"Oh, so you're a Knicks fan?"

"Knicks? No way. That's my brother Lawrence's favorite team. I can't stand them. They invent new ways to lose a game. Sorriest team in the league, well minus the Chicago Bulls, who haven't seen a good year since that highly overrated ball hog Jordan left." He laughed.

The hair stood up on the back of her neck and her lip twisted to the side.

Did he just call Jordan overrated and the Bulls sorry?

Her mind did a rewind as she replayed his blasphemous words in her mind. Sure, she'd wanted him to lighten up so they could connect, but…

"Actually, I'm a former Lakers fan. Now it's all about the Suns. Shaq Diesel will go down in history as the best to ever play the game." He flexed an arm muscle and nodded.

She could only assum...

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Kimani (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373860838
• ISBN-13: 978-0373860838
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #519,721 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect MATCH, August 24, 2008

By	Malaika Tamu "Sweet n' Sassy" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

WHEW...The heat is definitely on in the "Hightower Honors" series. The second installment is just as CAPTIVATING and heartwarming as the first. Joel Hightower is definitely a FORCE of NATURE. The story opens with Joel being seriously injured while fighting a fire. Samantha, a physical therapist, is instantly drawn to the injured firefighter and prays he makes it through his ordeal. Samantha is nervous and thrilled when she learns she'll be Joel's physical therapist; that is until she has her first session with him, she quickly discovers that although he's tall, dark and sexy-as-all-get-out, he's definitely NOT the playful, mischievous prankster she imagined, but a surly, EXTREMELY opinionated stud. And Joel has finally meet his match, because Samantha is not only beautiful, but she's also a sassy, VERY opinionated force to be reckoned with, and she gives him tit-for-tat. While their tempers flare and the sensual sparks fly, and they engage one another in witty and funny verbal debates, the flames of desire slowly flare to a FULL BLOWN mutual attraction that can not be contained. But will Samantha remain true to her promise to NEVER love a man with a dangerous job or will the intensity of Joel's love be too much for her to fight?!! Throughout this novel my heart went out to Sammie and all the DRAMA she had to endure with her mom. This installment has quite a few heart-wrenching and tender moments. And once again, the cast of characters is quite entertaining. And I can't wait to find out what's in store for Lawrence and Patrick.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragedy That Leads To Romance, September 2, 2008

By	Priscilla C. Johnson "bookmaniac" (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Rating: 4.5/5

In the second installment of Gwyneth Bolton's Hightower Honors Series, readers are introduced to Joel Hightower, in Make It Hot. Like the other male members of his family, Joel has made a career as a fire fighter. Not only is he an outstanding fire fighter, he is also a community activist, little league coach, and big brother. Tragedy struck when Joel was seriously injured and the entire city of Paterson, New Jersey waited to see if he would survive.

As he recovered from his injuries, Joel was scared that he would not be able to return to the career that he loved. Joel began physical therapy with Samantha Dash. Samantha is young, attractive and strictly work-oriented. Even though she was attracted to the handsome fire fighter, she refused to give in to the heat that was building within her every time he walked into a room.

Make It Hot will make you feel the heat between Joel and Samantha as their relationship goes from patient/client, friends to lovers. As their relationship developed, both characters were forced to make drastic decisions about their careers and about themselves. I enjoyed the first book and found this one to be twice as entertaining. This is a series that should not be passed over and I eagerly wait to read the next story.

Reviewed by: Priscilla C. Johnson
APOOO BookClub

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beating the Odds, May 3, 2009

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

"My, My, My!" was all I could say when I finished reading the second book in the Hightower Series by Gwyneth Bolton. Joel Hightower is one of four brothers whose reason for living is to protect and save the lives of others. As a firefighter no fire is too hot for Joel. But in the twinkling of an eye, life, as he knows it changes. Joel is hurt doing what he loves best and there is a chance he may not recover. The love and support of his family, as well as, his extended family of firemen and policemen keep his spirits up. But Joel's problems run deeper. Will he ever be able to fight another fire?

Physical Therapist Samantha Dash has issues of her own, but vows to do her job to the best of her ability. When she is assigned to Joel's case, she is determined to get this handsome Hightower brother up and moving. As she does her job, will Joel be faced with a hot fire of a different nature? The intensity and drama which plays throughout this story will have you praying for his full recovery, hoping Samantha will find her inner peace, and wanting to strangle Joel's meddling Aunt Sophie.

Gwyneth did a superior job blending determination, stubbornness, courage and love into a style that puts you in the center of the story. Each scene flowed as if it were running water. I enjoyed re-visiting the family members from Protect and Serve, the first book in the series, especially Jason and Penney. Aunt Sophie is a different story. MAKE IT HOT took me back to where my love for romance novels began; when we could count our African American authors on one hand. Keep writing these types of stories Gwyneth, and I'll keep reading.

Reviewed by Toni Bonita
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers