Hero Adrift
by Trixie Stilletto
ISBN: 1-59279-472-6 (Electronic)
Cover by Trace Edward Zaber
Copyright ©2006
Short Contemporary Erotica
(Graphic Sexual Content/Language)

Available From Amber Quill Press

Elementary school teacher Abby Smithton desperately needs a hero… When one of her students jumps into the Niagara River, Abby jumps in to help him and they both need rescuing. The hunky Coast Guardsman, Oliver Robinson, who saves them both is more than just her physical hero he's also her emotional one. But what's a girl to do when the hero of her heart doesn't want any part of the job?

IHer words ended on a cough as the wind whipped what felt like a gallon of water into her open mouth, down her windpipe and into her lungs.

Abby heard shouts behind her and knew there were others coming to help. But she also saw the panic in Billy's eyes as she got closer to him. Although the life jacket was keeping his head above water, she could tell he was quickly losing the ability to stay afloat. She finally reached him and wrapped him in her arms. "I'm here, darling. I'm here. Put your arms around my neck, okay?"

Billy nodded. She could see the tinge of blue around his lips from the cold and exhaustion and heard the rasp as he gasped for breath. Billy was an asthmatic and she knew he was having an attack.

At that moment one rescuer reached them.

"Hurry," she said to the man. "He's having an asthmatic attack."

Their rescuer nodded and took Billy from her arms, then turned and swam to the back of the Coast Guard boat, which seemed closer than it had been before. There were a man and woman wearing Coast Guard uniforms and one of them was already readying emergency equipment. She opened her mouth to repeat her warning about Billy's asthma when the rescuer beat her to it.

"He's got asthma according to his mother," the swimmer said as he handed Billy up into the outstretched arms of a seaman leaning over the rescue boat. "I didn't see any evidence of any head trauma but I didn't check closely."

"His name is Billy," Abby called. She was paddling behind the rescuer thinking that it had looked so easy when he'd reached the boat with Billy. For her, it seemed as if the boat was getting further away rather than closer. She was appalled at how much her strength had been sapped by the experience. Perhaps she should be actually going to the gym instead of just paying for the membership. "I'm not his mother. I'm his teacher. Please hurry," she added.

A strong hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her the rest of the way through the water. Her muscles felt like they weighed a ton. Okay, she was definitely going to have to lay off the ice cream and hit the gym. Starting tomorrow. She looked at the puckered skin on her fingers. Check that, she'd hit the gym the day after because it was going to take at least forty-eight hours to thaw out. Wanting to at least do something for herself, Abby tried to reach up and grasp the rail with her free hand but her hands were so cold she couldn't feel the metal and the material of her pants seemed to be wrapped around her legs like manacles hampering her movements even more.

"Come on lady, upsy daisy," her rescuer said. His voice seemed right behind her ear and his breath sent a fresh wave of shivers down her back. He seemed so warm and solid behind her it was a temptation to rest back against him and let him handle everything.

The water really was colder than she expected. Had she read somewhere that hypothermia could cause delirium?

Then she felt his hand cup her bottom and knew cold could affect someone's mind because suddenly all she could think about was having that strong hand touch nothing but her flesh.

Before she could do much more than wonder at the thoughts rushing through her, she was shoved out of the water and over the rail onto the deck.

To Read An Explicit Excerpt Click Here.

Amber Quill Press

"The chemistry between the two of them is combustible and immediate. Trixie Stilletto has mixed emotions and danger into a wonderful story that is a pleasure to read and worth spending the time doing so. 4 Angels!" Jessica, Fallen Angels Reviews

"This is a great short story. Ms. Stilletto has done it again. I've yet to be disappointed in a book from her. There are hot love scenes and believable characters. In my book they are both heroes." 5 Magical Wands, Astraea, Enchanted Ramblings.