Young Adult Novels

Sealed With Love She was hopeful that her life would change. There would be a new start after she graduated from high school. She was ready to fly in the sky, and rise towards her dream. Little did she know that her life would turn upside down on returning home. The biggest life-changing event was waiting for her. She was hardly aware that the bracelet she had been wearing since her birth was a token. The token of her marriage to a man she had never met. She could do nothing but follow the arrangement, for life wasn't willing to spare her. Her helplessness left her no choice. Finally, she decided to give up everything and run away! And again, destiny made fun of her. Unexpected and unknowingly, he stepped into her life again. What was in store for her in the future and where was life leading her? *************** In S City, Z Country... It was mid-June, and the tall mulberry tree was in bloom once more. Fiona Ji looked up and down at the trees. With a sigh, she went on her way, thinking that she ought to be on her way to school. The high school auditorium was jam packed with people. It was graduation day, and all the students and parents waited excitedly for the opening ceremony to begin. It was another year, and another set of fresh graduates. The students had just finished their college entrance examinations, and were about to set off to a new milestone in their lives. Backstage, Fiona Ji was waiting behind the curtain to deliver her speech. Fiona was undoubtedly beautiful. Her smooth, black hair fell elegantly on her shoulders. It made her fair skin stand out even more, which had a faint, pinkish glow. Fiona's eyes wer...

P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2) Book Online Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren't. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean's feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that's part of what makes it so amazing. *************** 1 KITTY'S BEEN A LITTLE COMPLAINER all morning, and I suspect both Margot and Daddy are suffering from New Year's Eve hangovers. And me? I've got hearts in my eyes and a letter that's burning a hole in my coat pocket. As we're putting on our shoes, Kitty's still trying to weasel her way out of wearing a hanbok to Aunt Carrie and Uncle Victor's. "Look at the sleeves! They're three-quarter length on me!" Unconvincingly Daddy says, "They're supposed to be that way." Kitty points to me and Margot. "Then why do theirs fit?" she demands. Our grandma bought the hanboks for us the last time she was in Korea. Margot's hanbok has a yellow jacket and apple-green skirt. Mine is hot pink with an ivory-white jacket and a long hot-pink bow with flowers embroidered down the front. The skirt is voluminous, full like a bell, and it falls all the way to the floor. Unlike Kitty's, which hits right at her ankles. "It's not our fault you grow like a weed," I say, fussing with my bow. The bow is the hardest thing to get right. I had to watch a YouTube video multiple times to figure it out, and it still looks lopsided and sad. "My skirt's too short too," she grumps, lifting the bottom. The real truth is, Kitty hates wearing a hanbok because you have to walk delicately in it and hold the skirt closed with one hand or the whole thing comes open. "All of the other cousins will be wearing them, and it will make Grandma happy," Daddy says, rubbing his temples. "Case closed." In the car Kitty keeps saying "I hate New Year's Day," and it puts everyone but me in a sour mood. Margot is already in a semi-sour mood because she had to wake up at the crack of dawn to get home from her friend's cabin in time. There's also the matter of that maybe hangover. Nothing could sour my mood, though, because I'm not even in this car. I'm somewhere else entirely, thinking about my letter to Peter, wondering if it was heartfelt enough, and how and when I'm going to give it to him, and what he'll say, and what it will mean. Should I drop it in his mailbox? Leave it in his locker? When I see him again, will he smile at me, make a joke of it to lighten the mood? Or will he pretend he never saw it, to spare us both? I think that would be worse. I have to keep reminding myself that, despite everything, Peter is kind and he is easygoing and he won't be cruel no matter what. Of tha

A Husband's Regret (Unwanted #2) Book Online Tall and thin, twenty-eight-year-old Bronwyn Palmer has become positively gaunt, a ghost of her former self. That self was?and still is?the wife of a rich, handsome executive with an ocean-view house and his own security staff. It was in that house, two years ago, that Bryce Palmer learned Bronwyn was pregnant with their first child. But Bryce's rage over his impending fatherhood touched off a chain reaction of emotional and physical traumas that wounded them both. For Bronwyn, it meant fleeing the perfect marriage to start over with nothing but a precocious daughter named Kayla to care for. For Bryce, it meant a tortuous two years spent blaming his wife for deserting him, and living with the pain of not knowing his child. Now a chance encounter has brought Bronwyn back into Bryce's life, both bearing scars?and neither knowing the whole truth of that fateful night that drove them apart. *************** PROLOGUE CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA What do you mean, you're pregnant? What about your studies? We were going to wait, Bronwyn, remember? Just tell me you're joking?" Bronwyn felt her husband's furious words strike her like boulders. She stared up into his livid face and didn't recognize the man standing in front of her. He was shocked, that was all. He was thrown by her news. Her words would sink in soon enough and he'd go back to being the man she adored, the wonderful man to whom she had entrusted her heart. She just needed to give him time to get over his shock. The more she tried to rationalize his inexplicable reaction to what should have been joyous news, the more the insidious little voice in the back of her mind kept telling her that she was lying to herself. This was a side of Bryce that she had never seen before - one that he had never allowed her to see - and she was terrified of what that said about their two-year marriage. "I know that it's sooner than we'd planned," she said softly, trying to maintain an even tone of voice. "But this is the reality of our situation now, and it can't be changed. We're having a baby . . . a baby, Bryce. Don't you get how wonderful that is?" "I can't believe you did this. I can't believe you would stoop to this," he gritted out bitterly. "This was supposed to be a joint decision. I'm not ready for this, Bronwyn. I don't want a kid, damn it!" "But it's our baby. We made it together," she protested, trying and failing to keep the pain and confusion from her voice. She tried to find a glimmer of her kind and loving Bryce beneath the mask of anger and frustration that he was displaying, but he wasn't there. She wondered if he had ever been there. "Get the hell out," he said before turning to face her. Bronwyn tried not to flinch when she saw his face. There was nothing there - no anger, no regret, just a blank mask. She didn't know this man at all. "Go now." She sobbed, whirled from the room, and did as he had commanded. She fled. CHAPTER ONE TWO YEARS LATER She

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) Book Online To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. *************** 1 JOSH IS MARGOT'S BOYFRIEND, BUT I guess you could say my whole family is a little in love with him. It's hard to say who most of all. Before he was Margot's boyfriend, he was just Josh. He was always there. I say always, but I guess that's not true. He moved next door five years ago but it feels like always. My dad loves Josh because he's a boy and my dad is surrounded by girls. I mean it: all day long he is surrounded by females. My dad is an ob-gyn, and he also happens to be the father of three daughters, so it's like girls, girls, girls all day. He also likes Josh because Josh likes comics and he'll go fishing with him. My dad tried to take us fishing once, and I cried when my shoes got mud on them, and Margot cried when her book got wet, and Kitty cried because Kitty was still practically a baby. Kitty loves Josh because he'll play cards with her and not get bored. Or at least pretend to not get bored. They make deals with each other - if I win this next hand, you have to make me a toasted crunchy-peanut-butter-sandwich, no crusts. That's Kitty. Inevitably there won't be crunchy peanut butter and Josh will say too bad, pick something else. But then Kitty will wear him down and he'll run out and buy some, because that's Josh. If I had to say why Margot loves him, I think maybe I would say it's because we all do. We are in the living room, Kitty is pasting pictures of dogs to a giant piece of cardboard. There's paper and scraps all around her. Humming to herself, she says, "When Daddy asks me what I want for Christmas, I am just going to say, ‘Pick any one of these breeds and we'll be good.'?" Margot and Josh are on the couch; I'm lying on the floor, watching TV. Josh popped a big bowl of popcorn, and I devote myself to it, handfuls and handfuls of it. A commercial comes on for perfume: a girl is running around the streets of Paris in an orchid-colored halter dress that is thin as tissue paper. What I wouldn't give to be that girl in that tissue-paper dress running around Paris in springtime! I sit up so suddenly I choke on a kernel of popcorn. Between coughs I say, "Margot, let's meet in Paris for my spring break!" I'm already picturing myself twirling with a pistachio macaron in one hand and a raspberry one in the other. Margot's eyes light up. "Do you think D

Mystery Man (Dream Man #1) Book Online Night time is the right time... Gwendolyn Kidd has met the man of her dreams. He's hot, he's sexy, and what started as a no-names-exchanged night of passion has blossomed into a year and a half-long pleasure fest. Sure, it's a little strange that he only appears in her bed at night, but Gwen is so sure he's the one, she just can't turn him away... Hawk Delgado knows more about Gwen than she could ever imagine. She's gorgeous, headstrong, and skittish about relationships. But Hawk is facing his own demons, demons that keep him from connecting with anyone. Yet when Gwen is drawn into Denver's lethal underground scene, Hawk's protective nature comes out full force. The problem is, when Gwen gets a dose of Hawk's Alpha attitude in the daylight, she's not so sure he's the one anymore... *************** Prologue Mystery Man I felt the covers slide down my body then a hand light on the small of my back. It was so warm it was hot, like the blood that ran through its veins went faster than the blood of any average man. If this was true, it wouldn't surprise me. I opened my eyes and it was dark. It was always dark when he visited me. I had a moment like every moment I had when he showed. A moment of sanity. A moment where my mind said to close my eyes and open my mouth and tell him to go away. But if I did, I knew he would. He wouldn't say a word. As silently as he came, he'd leave. And he'd never come back. But this was the right thing to do. The smart thing to do. The sane thing to do. And I was thinking of doing it, honest to God, I was. I thought about doing it every time. Then I felt his weight hit the bed, his body stretching out beside mine, he turned me into him, I opened my mouth to speak and before I could do the sane thing, his mouth was on mine. And for the next two hours, I didn't think at all. But I felt. I felt a lot. And all of it was good. It was still dark when his shadow moved in the room.

Accidental Pregnancy Elena Harrington was the one woman who Harry Reynolds couldn't get out of his mind. She was the first and last person he thought of everyday. The one woman who he was scared about losing. So imagine his delight and surprise to discover that she was pregnant. Elena couldn't believe that the man she had given her heart to was him, her CEO. Confused and hurt, she didn't want to have anything to do with him. But the baby was his and she couldn't keep him from them, keep their progress from him. Even so, she resolved to not let him take any more of her. Harry had set about a hard task for himself. Realising how he had shattered her trust, he set about to win her back as well as take care of their baby. With unsolicited advice from his family and friends as well as a return of a family member, he had his work cut out for him. Will he be successful? Will Elena let him back into her heart? Accidental Series #1 Accidental Roommate (new version) #2 Accidental Babies (completed) #3 Accidental Pregnancy (completed) *************** Finding out that she was pregnant didn't scare Elena Harrington. She rejoiced at the news, happy about the growth in her family. On the other hand, being fired did. And that was what was happening right in front of her eyes. Reading the letter again, hoping she was misreading or misinterpreting, she couldn't help the words that came out of her. "What? You can't do that,"she said incredulously. Looking up at the head of her team, Jessica Reed, her mind grappled to understand what was going on. She looked at the piece of paper in her hand, unseeing. This couldn't be happening. Spying movement from her desk, she let out a small shriek and grabbed the hands of her colleagues who were clearing her desk. She tried to stop them but Jessica's hands on her shoulders pulled her away. "Stop. This must be a misunderstanding. I can't be let go just like that. There are laws and rules." "Elena, please understand. As much as I'd like to help you, I've checked with the relevant departments. All the proper channels have been traversed and everything has been approved. There's nothing else that can be done. So please allow Sheila and Priscilla to do as they're instructed." Looking at her desk while everything was packed, Elena felt so helpless. Why was this happening? Why had this been sprung up on her? Her eyes becoming dry, she blinked and looked at Jessica again only to avert her eyes. She couldn't stand the pity in her eyes. A sudden rush of tears hung on the precipice of her eyes when she felt the familiar churning, the loss of moisture in her mouth as her body prepared to expel everything in her stomach. Her arms immediately pressed against her stomach, Jessica let her go. She knew what was happening. Everyone in the office knew. Dropping into a chair, she hurriedly bent at her waist, her face pressing aga...

Living With The Anderson Boys Winter Monroe had planned out her last year at Cambree High. She would blend into the crowd, continuing to pass her subjects and stay away from trouble. Of course, all of that goes down the drain when Winter's mom drops the news that her daughter will be staying at her mom's friends place while her mom goes to Africa. Expecting nothing major, Winter was ready to continue her last year at high school, doing nothing except for what a good girl should be doing at high school. But what happens when she realises that the place that she will be staying for a year will be with four boys who basically rule Cambree High? When your staying with the four bad boys, you know that your life will be turned upside down in a second and thats exactly what Winter wasn't prepared for. Can Winter keep up with the four boys but also stay out of trouble or will the boys lead the trouble towards the good girl? *************** [ thank you noctuaries for the beautiful cover, this chapter is dedicated to you ] Winter's P.O.V I walk towards my locker and immediately frown when I see the one and only Gemma Hill standing against it, smirking at me like I am a pathetic excuse of a girl. I ignore her and start to fiddle with my locker, opening it and starting to take my books out for my first class. I close my locker and as I turn around, I notice that Gemma has disappeared. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion but inside my head, I am fist bumping the air. Is this the day Gemma Hill is done with the dare? Is she finally out of my life? I smile and spin around to walk to my first class but stop in my tracks when I see Gemma's group of friends standing behind the captain of the cheerleading squad, aka, Gemma. <p class='p_sj'...

Until You (Fall Away #1.5) Book Online ***This novel contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+. Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or so numb that you actually felt high? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between. Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don't care about anything or anyone. Except Tatum. I love her so much that I hate her. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn't trust her or anyone else. So I hurt her. I pushed her away. But I still need her. The sight of her centers me, and I can pool all of my anger into her. Engaging her, challenging her, bullying her...they are my food, my air, and the last part of me that feels anything human. But she left. She went to France for a year, and came back a different girl. Now, when I push, she pushes back. *************** Prologue My name is Jared. My name is Jared. My name is Jared. I kept repeating it over and over again, trying to get my heart to stop beating so fast. I wanted to go and meet our new neighbors, but I was nervous. There was a kid living next door now - probably ten years old like me - and I'd smiled when I saw that she wore baseballs caps and Chucks. Other girls in my neighborhood didn't dress like that, and she was pretty, too. I leaned on my windowsill, checking out the house next door, alive with music and light. No one had lived there for a long time, and even before then it was just old people. A big tree stood between our houses, but I could still see through the green leaves. "Hey, sweetie." I turned my head to see my mom leaning on my bedroom doorframe. She was smiling, but her eyes were teary, and her clothes were wrinkly. She was sick again. She got sick whenever she drank the bottle drinks. "I saw that we have new neighbors," she continued. "Did you meet them?" "No." I shook my head, looking back out the window, wishing she'd go away. "They have a girl. No boys." "And you can't be friends with a girl?" Her voice cracked, and I heard her swallow. I knew what was coming, and my stomach tightened. "No, I can't."

Royal's Substitute Bride: Fall Into Love Trap Emily ended up being a replacement for Shirley, who was supposed to be engaged with James, a member of the royal family. However, Shirley ran off somewhere and Emily was kidnapped to play her part. That was how Emily entered the world of nobility and prestigious families. She thought she could make the most of this opportunity and just have a good time. The last thing she wanted was to lose her first kiss on her first day of school. In a fit of rage, she greeted her royal fiance, James, with a hard slap on his face. The entire school broke into gossip because of the commotion they made, But this was merely a prelude to their story. *************** In September, the autumn air was fresh as white clouds hovered the blue skies. The early morning sunshine sprinkled on the hurried pedestrians as if the sun was trying to greet them. At this time, the red light was still glowing, so everyone was held up on both sidewalks. Suddenly, a loud scream burst from the crowd. "Emily, from now on, you will be a freshman in senior high school. You can do this! Let's go!" Everyone glanced at the source of the voice with contempt. A slim young girl in a white school uniform had a schoolbag strapped to her back. She clenched her fists, stimulating all the positive energy she could carry. 'Oh my God! This is embarrassing.' Realizing that she had attracted the attention of everyone on the street, Emily Jia...

Forever Black (Forever #1) Book Online When Ellery moved to New York with her boyfriend, she thought they’d live happily ever after in their small New York apartment. She never thought he’d pack his bags and leave because he “needed space.” With her newfound single status and fear of being alone, Ellery buries herself in her artwork and paintings until one night she helps a mysterious intoxicated stranger get home safely. Little did she know the mysterious stranger is none other than CEO and millionaire Connor Black. After finding Ellery in his kitchen the next morning and assuming she broke his #1 rule about sleepovers, he becomes intrigued, not only by her stubbornness and defiance, but by her kindness. Connor Black, emotionally dead and damaged, that stemmed from a personal tragedy, made a vow to never love or fall in love with a woman, until Ellery Lane walked into his life by accident. After she opens up and shows him her world, Connor starts to feel emotions and feelings he never knew existed. Despite the rumors and warnings regarding Connor Black and his use and misuse of women, Ellery finds herself being drawn into his world. Ellery knows they can never be together because she is harboring a deep secret that could destroy Connor emotionally forever. Join Connor and Ellery as they embark on a journey of courage, love and strength. Will it be enough to save them? *************** Chapter 1 I stood in the doorway of the bedroom while Kyle packed his bags. "I just need some space," he said as he threw his clothes haphazardly into his large Nike bag. "Does this have anything to do with that whore you met at Zoe's the other night?" "Elle, come on, I told you nothing happened." I rolled my eyes at him, "You tell me a lot of things Kyle." He threw the last of his clothes in his Nike bag and turned around to face me, "We both knew we were heading for this, things have been rocky for a while now, and you know why." "Rocky for you because you are searching for something that does not exist." He let out a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry Elle I just can't do this anymore." I followed him to the small space we call the living room as he dropped his bag on the floor. He reached in his jean pocket and threw some money on the table, "This is for the next couple of months so you can pay the rent." He kissed me on my forehead and headed for the door. I crossed my arms and stared at him, "I don't want your money; I want you to stay. Please Kyle; don't give up on us." I was now the most pathetic person in the world, begging my douchebag boyfriend to stay; not because I thought I was in love with him, but because I was afraid of being alone, and being alone was something that was all too familiar to me. He picked up his bag from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, "Take care Elle," and just like that he walked out. I stood in the middle of the living room and looked at the closed door as tears escaped my eyes. Kyle and I have been together since sophomore year

Accidental Roommate *Complete* After experiencing heartbreak and betrayal, Sharon Ashwood runs to New York, trying to get as far from it as possible. However, instead of the solitude she wanted, she soon found herself getting a new roommate in the form of her brother-in-law's best friend, Cameron Ballard. Giant's injured quarterback, Cameron Ballard, had planned to stay for a few days in his friend's apartment while he tried to get the paparazzis off his back. But, upon meeting Sharon, he becomes involved with getting her set up in New York and begins to fall for her. Join these two injured souls navigate through life and heal each other. Accidental Series #1 Accidental Roommate (new version) #2 Accidental Babies (completed) #3 Accidental Pregnancy (ongoing) *************** The LaGuardia Airport was bustling with people and luggage. People shouting, in happiness and anger. The wheels of the luggage and trolleys rolling could be heard, adding to the cacophony. All of which made Sharon Ashwood's head ache even more. With it being three in the afternoon, there was even more people, arriving and leaving. Having just gotten off a connecting flight from Atlanta, she was exhausted and yearned to get off her feet for the next twenty-four hours. But first, she had to find her family. Standing on her toes, she tried to find the familiar faces of her sister, Amelia Ashwood Garnet, or her brother-in-law, Scott Garnet. Being 5'4", she was not able to see over the crowd. And the constant bumps and shoves were not helping. She glared at the back of a man she was certain had deliberately bumped into her. She was standing near the wall, away from the crowd. Why were so many people bumping into her? Grumbling under her breath, she finally admitted defeat. They're not there. Disappointed and frustrated, she began to roll her suitcase to the taxi stand. Her lips began to tug down as she reflected that this was just the thing that would happen to her. Being forgotten. Being rejected. Her eyes welled up at the reminder. Refusing to give into her tears, she joined the long queue at the taxi stand. She blinked the tears back into submission and decided to take her phone out. This was going to be a long wait and she did not want to be left to the mercy of her own thoughts. She'd decided that she had to distract herself and a mindless game was the way to do so. However, the black screen of her phone put an end to that idea. Trying to switch it on while cursing under her breath, she had to accept that her phone was out of juice. Her level of horrified and despair were at odds with the situ...

Accidental Babies [Announcement: As per the author's request, this book will be taken down on April 28th, 2019.] Jason Halloway had a hard time finding a nanny for his recently acquired 9 month old twins, Daphne and Tanner.They hated all of their previous nannies and drove them away.However, maybe they didn't need his help to find their nanny? Maybe they could find her all on their own. April Saunders couldn't believe picking up two wandering babies would bring her face-to-face with Jason Halloway, the business magnate of Chicago.He was the hardest to reach man in the city and he was personally giving her a job.As a nanny. She was less thrilled with the prospect. Not because she thought it was a lowly position but because she had no skills or idea on how to take care of toddlers. However, Jason was unmoving and she took the position. With April trying her best to nurture the twins and Jason wanting to be in every part of the twins' life, how will their relationship go?Will it be 'familiarity breeds contempt'?Or will it be 'love conquers all'? Accidental Series #1 Accidental Roommate (new version) #2 Accidental Babies (completed) #3 Accidental Pregnancy (ongoing) *************** Jason Halloway leaned back into his chair, stretching slightly. He was happy that he managed to accomplish and clear his workload for the day. Clearly, his decision to leave the twins in his assistant's hands was a sound one. They hadn't bothered or called for him at any point of the day, aside from the first hour but that had been expected as they were in a new environment. Yes, it was a good day. Now, he just had to bring them home, hopefully have an uneventful bath and dinner and they'd fall asleep without any fuss. 'Janice, please ready the twins. I'll be going off in 10 minutes, 'he said into the intercom as he packed. Silence greeted him. He frowned. Janice, his assistant, was always prompt in acknowledging him. 'Janice?' 'Ah, Mr Halloway, 'she finally said but her voice was extremely strained. 'A few more minutes please. I have to-um- change them.' 'Alright. Do you need any help with them? They can be quite a handful, 'he offered. He was shocked to hear her sputter. He knew he had a reputation for being cold and stern but they were his children and he'd learned that he liked being a hands on father, soo different from his own parents. 'N-no need for that, sir. I, um, have to go now. I'll bring them to you in a minute, 'she said hurriedly and disconnected. A sense of foreboding started in his chest but he waited. Janice had assured him that she would be able to take care of them. He could trust her. She hadn't proven him wrong in the past. Surely his children were in good hands. - ---@@@@----- It had been 30 minutes and his patience was starting to fray. Actually, it had frayed within 10 minutes and now, he was ready to snap. He was second-guessing his assistant. Even if the twins were being difficult, it shoul...

Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3) Book Online Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there’s still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad’s wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she’ll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends. Life couldn’t be more perfect! At least, that’s what Lara Jean thinks . . . until she gets some unexpected news. Now the girl who dreads change must rethink all her plans—but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to? *************** I LIKE TO WATCH PETER when he doesn’t know I’m looking. I like to admire the straight line of his jaw, the curve of his cheekbone. There’s an openness to his face, an innocence—a certain kind of niceness. It’s the niceness that touches my heart the most. It’s Friday night at Gabe Rivera’s house after the lacrosse game. Our school won, so everyone is in very fine spirits, Peter most of all, because he scored the winning shot. He’s across the room playing poker with some of the guys from his team; he is sitting with his chair tipped back, his back against the wall. His hair is still wet from showering after the game. I’m on the couch with my friends Lucas Krapf and Pammy Subkoff, and they’re flipping through the latest issue of Teen Vogue, debating whether or not Pammy should get bangs. “What do you think, Lara Jean?” Pammy asks, running her fingers through her carrot-colored hair. Pammy is a new friend—I’ve gotten to know her because she dates Peter’s good friend Darrell. She has a face like a doll, round as a cake pan, and freckles dust her face and shoulders like sprinkles. “Um, I think bangs are a very big commitment and not to be decided on a whim. Depending on how fast your hair grows, you could be growing them out for a year or more. But if you’re serious, I think you should wait till fall, because it’ll be summer before you know it, and bangs in the summer can be sort of sticky and sweaty and annoying. . . .” My eyes drift back to Peter, and he looks up and sees me looking at him, and raises his eyebrows questioningly. I just smile and shake my head. “So don’t get bangs?” My phone buzzes in my purse. It’s Peter. Do you want to go? No. Then why were you staring at me? Because I felt like it. Lucas is reading over my shoulder. I push him away, and he shakes his head and says, “Are you guys really texting each other when you’re only twenty feet away?” Pammy crinkles up her nose and says, “So adorable.” I’m about to answer them when I look up and see Peter sweeping across the room toward me with purpose. “Time to get my girl home,” he says. “What time is it?” I say. “Is it that late already?” Peter’s hoisting me off the couch and helping me into my jacket. Then he pulls me by the hand and leads me through Gabe’s living room. Lookin

Stuck With Mr. Popular It took everything in me not to kiss him back. His lips moved against mine in a perfect rhythm. "Soaf-Soaf please listen to me" He said while his blue eyes were gazing into mine. His breath fanned my face. We both were panting. My heart was thudding hard against my chest. "I-I have to go." I said shocked after what had just happened now. Fucking shit. Somehow I got myself out of his grip and took the file which fell on the floor when he pinned my hands on the wall and ran out of the classroom. I heard him mumbling a few curse words as I rushed to the door. "Soaf...Soaf" His voice faded as I ran out of the classroom. What has just happened? What the hell is wrong with him? He kissed me. Raymond Reynolds-The most popular boy of our school just kissed me. Why would he kiss me? No one even talks to me in at school. He didn't even know my name two weeks ago. Suddenly an image of light brown pair of eyes glaring at me pops up in my mind. Ellen Whitmore. She's going make my life a living hell. ************ Sophie Esinberg is your typical nerd with glasses, books clutched in her arms and face down while walking down the school hallway. She wasn't like this earlier. She used to be outspoken and confident. Then what changed her? Sophie faced a hell lot of bullying and had no one who could stand up for her. After her childhood best friend Daniel left her she accepted her life as a loner. Not until one day she is forced into a project with School's Famous Bad boy, also known as Mr. Popular- Raymond Reynolds. Everything comes crashing down when she finds that she is falling for cocky , super hot and irresistible Mr. Popular. But she knows she's a nobody in his world. She is incompetent. Will she fight against her instincts and let him break her heart? *************** Oh shoot I was late for school. Last night I was completing my chemistry project and so I slept late, around 3:00 a.m. I changed my clothes as fast as I could and rushed out of my home. Mom probably went on a walk otherwise she would have woke me up. Which means Lavy is still asleep. Lavy is younger than me by two years. Dad left us five years after Lavy was born, I don't know any legit reason behind their divorce but every time I ask mom she just shrugs it off by, "Things weren't working between us." and I never inquest any further. Dad never really comes around, not even to check how we are putting up without him. Initially it hurts, more to mom than us but with time we have grown accustomed to it. Growing up Lavy always use to question "Why always mom takes us to the Zoo and not dad?" It became so intricate for us to answer her. I went downstairs to Lavy's room to wake her up. After approximately fifteen minutes we were running four blocks down towards our school. I could feel sweat droplets rolling down between the valley on my bust. First period and I am already stinking. Taking a few deep breaths to counter my pants I entered the classroom. I knew I

Dreaming Of You Ivy Luo is ordinary and optimistic. She drops out of school, works hard, and raises the child for her sister. She goes to a job interview at a grand hotel, but she feels uncomfortable as if having been drugged. Then she runs into a room wanting to calm down herself with water, where she meets this handsome and rich man Edgar. Attracted by his handsome appearance, she takes the initiative and has a one-night stand with him. Later, she finds that he is considerate to her and she loves him back. When his ex-girlfriend comes back, he refuses her resolutely, because he finds that he has fallen in love with Ivy Luo. Would the couple be happy together? *************** Ivy Luo wore a simple white cotton dress with her long curly hair. It was simple and elegant. She wore light make-up, with a white handbag in her hand and a pair of black high-heeled shoes, which made her look like a fairy. Although she was not the most beautiful appearance, she had exquisite facial features and was outstanding, which made people feel so good. She was not stunning, but she was attractive. Just one of the very few women who had a unique temperament and breathtaking beauty. The man sitting across from Ivy Luo was shocked. He didn't expect that the woman would introduce such a beautiful woman to him! Casting an indifferent glance at the man in front of her who didn't care much about his clothes, Ivy Luo got more and more indignant. In fact, she came here for a blind date with her good friend Celine Zhao, but when she arrived at the appoin...

Forever And Always Twenty year old Viola's life seems to have bloomed into happiness as she proposes to her fiance at her birthday party. However, the man she thinks is in love with her turns out to be an extremely cruel husband, who takes control of her life after tying the knot. Expelled from the school, and humiliated by her in-laws, Viola supposedly gets a fresh start as she runs away with her son. But it all comes tumbling down once more when her husband comes back to wreak havoc on her life once more. *************** Viola Qi looked at herself in the mirror, her hands lying flat on the edge of the sink. The mirror had a thick, golden frame, which easily fitted along with the overall look of the deluxe presidential suite. "Come on, Viola Qi. You can do this. This is the big break you've been wishing for ever since you became a journalist. Just believe in yourself." Her fingers tapped nervously on the bathroom counter as she gave herself some pep talk. Although there wasn't an ounce of makeup on her face, Viola Qi was undoubtedly a beautiful woman. Seconds later, she heard the door to the suite open with a faint click, and the sounds of footsteps on the marble floor. At that moment, Viola Qi was so nervous that her heart almost jumped out of her throat. Carefully, she opened the bathroom door ever so slightly to take a peek at ...

Promise Me (Diamond in the Rough 2) Read Free *************** 1 Raelynn “Rae, stop!” I growled at him. “For the love of fuck, you’ll let me go. Even if it kills me.” My phone stumbled out of my hand as I bit down into Michael’s arm. But he released me. And I threw myself toward the edge of the bridge again. I felt him rushing for me, desperate to pull me back as I gazed over the twenty-foot drop. Sirens finally sounded in the distance. I flashed my light down there, catching yet another glimpse of where Clint was. After slipping away from Michael’s attempt to block me against the metal railing, I rushed for the tree line. “Rae, are you thick-headed? You’re going to get yourself killed!” “I’m not leaving him down there by himself, Michael! Get over it or go home if you don’t like it. I’ll have an officer take me home.” I tripped over tree roots I couldn't see and forced myself to slow down. It was a very long drop to the river. A drop that would easily put me in Clint’s position if I wasn’t careful. But I knew he was alive. He had to be alive. Because no God in this universe was as cruel as that. I refused to believe that. “I’m coming for you, Clint. Just hang on.” Sirens wailed at they rushed up the road. It felt like they were an eternity away. I heard the sirens, but I didn’t see their headlights. And I wondered how much longer until they actually got here. I pointed the flashlight on my camera down toward the ground. I heard Michael cursing my existence as I grabbed on to trees. They inched me down, centimeter by centimeter, until I slipped. “Rae!” “Shit!” I tumbled into a tree that caught me and I almost lost my phone. I lay against the tree, catching it as the steep ravine turned into damn-near the straightest drop I’d ever seen. Vines hung from the trees, dangling above the ground. And while I considered taking the chance, none of them dropped all the way to the river’s bank. Where Clint was sprawled out. I groaned. “Come on, Rae. Think.” “Rae! Can you hear me?” Michael’s voice echoed off the trees and I rolled my eyes. “Unfortunately!” “Quit being a smartass and stay there. If you move and that tree gives—” “Didn’t I tell you to go home if you couldn't stop ordering me around?” “Maybe I give too much of a shit to let my best friend kill herself over—” The sirens swallowed his voice and I was thankful for it. Because I was damn near ready to toss him over the bridge’s railing. I placed my phone inside my bra, with the flashlight facing outward. With the angle I was sitting at, it meant I had a clear shot of what the downslope had for me to cling to. Some rocks. A bunch of massive tree roots. If I was careful, I could still get down there. So I shimmied down the tree and hung on tight. “Damn it, Rae!” I blocked out Michael’s yelling as the sirens grew closer. “Don’t make me come down there after you!” I rolled my eyes as I slipped over the edge, placing my foot on the first rock. “Rae, Allison is going to kill you!”

Illusions of Fate Read Free I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him. *************** One Dear Mama, I am most certainly not dead. Thank you for your tender concern. I will try to write more often so you don’t have to worry so between letters. (Because a week’s silence surely means I have fallen prey to a wasting illness or been murdered in these boring, gray streets.) School is going well. I am excelling in all of my classes. (Apparently, some things never change, and girls are not challenged in Albion in the same way they weren’t on Melei.) My professors are all intelligent and kind. (Kind of horrible.) None stand out. (I refuse to mention him by name, no matter how many obviously “subtle” questions you ask.) The other students are also quite focused on their schooling, and none of us has much time for socializing. Boys and girls attend separate classes as well, so no, I have not met many interesting young men. (I am neither courting nor being courted. Please stop hoping.) Tell Aunt Li’ne thank you for the mittens. They are very much appreciated in this cold, damp climate I am so unused to. And please tell the sun hello and I miss her very much! I also miss you, of course. (I do. Very much.) All my love, Jessamin Reading over the letter to my mother, I am so absorbed in my head with adding the true statements to my written words that I fail to pay attention to the street. I cannot decide which shocks me more—nearly being run over by the horse-drawn cart, or the fluid stream of cursing in my native tongue that is being directed at me. I look up, cheeks burning, and meet a pair of black eyes that, combined with the familiarity of the language, hit me with a longing for Melei so deep and painful I can scarcely draw a breath. The man pauses, obviously surprised to see how dark of skin and eyes I am in spite of my school uniform. And so I take the opportunity to insult his manhood, his lineage, and his horse in a single, well-crafted turn of phrase I haven’t used since my friend Kelen taught it to me when I was fourteen. He smiles. I smile back. Brushing his hand through the air in another gesture so achingly familiar it brings tears to my eyes, he clicks his tongue and the cart moves on, our near-collision forgotten. He’s made me crave heat. The sun’s anemic rays pull more warmth from me than they offer. I hate Albion, the whole gray country. I hate Avebury, a city just as

The Wayward Sister (The Wayward Sons 5) Read Free On the outside it looked like Sierra Falco was keeping it together. On the inside she was totally falling apart. That's why she took off, leaving the boys, her coffee shop and her little town of Lee Vines behind. Six months later she's back, preparing to deal with her past and face her future, which includes three handsome park rangers; Adrian, Holden, and Smith. These three men are determined to help Sierra break down the walls she's building to survive while tearing down her inhibitions as her relationship develops with them. Can this Wayward Sister find her true loves the same way the Sons found theirs? The Wayward Sister is a follow-up novel to the Best Selling Wayward Sons series. *************** Prologue Walking away was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. No. That’s not true. Burying my parents at the age of eighteen, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. What followed--raising Dexter, taking in the boys, becoming a foster parent, building the Wayward Sun--all of that was done in a fog. A well-intentioned, exhausted, running-on-empty fog. Carry on, amirite? But where does that leave me? Twenty-three, burned out, and running away from home. God, my life is a mess. For a minute I thought theirs was too, and I couldn’t deal, but I saw that the boys would be okay, that Dexter would be okay, that they had Starlee and her mom and Mrs. Nye; I knew I needed to go. I just needed a break. So, I left. And I hate myself for it. It’s six months later and I’m sitting in the back of the high school auditorium, the same auditorium I graduated from five years ago, and watch them stride across the stage. Dexter with his shoulders back, pride written on his face. Jake, the one I wasn’t sure would make it, clutching his diploma tighter than a football. Charlie and George, smart, silly, broken, and ultimately rebuilt. My heart swells, seeing them accomplish this goal. This small goal that was so hard to achieve. I wipe a tear from my eye as the principal makes it official and they fall into each others' arms. I should be there. For Dexter, at the very least. For my mom and dad. But my legs feel like lead, and my is heart heavy. I need more time to get my shit together. To find my way back home. I glance down at my tattoo, the one we all share, knowing my family needs me, but right now I need something else. I just have to figure out exactly what. 1 Sierra I hear the car coming down the dirt road long before I see it. I step out on the front porch and shade my eyes from the early summer sun. The truck comes to a stop behind my Jeep and Katie steps out, blonde hair twisted into two knots on the top of her head. She’s wearing a cut off Def Leppard shirt that shows off her belly ring and she waves when she sees me. “I think I got everything you need,” she calls, heading to the steps, holding a bag in her hand. When she gets to the top, I take the bag and pull her into a hug with the other. “Thank

Every girl who had taken the test has died.Now it's Kate's turn.It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.If she fails... PROLOGUE "How did it happen this time?" Henry tensed at the sound of her voice, and he tore his eyes away from the lifeless body on the bed long enough to look at her. Diana stood in the doorway, his best friend, his confidante, his family in every way except by blood, but even her presence didn't help rein in his temper. "Drowned," said Henry, turning back to the body. "I found her floating in the river early this morning." He didn't hear Diana move toward him, but he felt her hand on his shoulder. "And we still don't know?" "No." His voice was sharper than he'd intended, and he forced himself to soften it. "No witnesses, no footprints, no traces of anything to indicate she didn't jump in the river because she wanted to." "Maybe she did," said Diana. "Maybe she panicked. Or maybe it was an accident." "Or maybe somebody did this to her." He broke away, pacing the room in an attempt to get as far from the body as possible. "Eleven girls in eighty years. Don't tell me this was an accident." She sighed and brushed her fingertips across the girl's white cheek. "We were so close with this one, weren't we?" "Bethany," snapped Henry. "Her name was Bethany, and she was twenty-three years old. Now because of me, she'll never see twenty-four."

Did I Mention I Love You? (DIMILY 1) Read Free When sixteen-year-old Eden Munro agrees to spend the summer with her estranged father in the beachfront city of Santa Monica, California, she has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. Eden's parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she's about to meet three new step-brothers. The eldest of the three is Tyler Bruce, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Complete polar opposites, Eden quickly finds herself thrust into a world full of new experiences as Tyler's group of friends take her under their wing. But the one thing she just can't understand is Tyler, and the more she presses to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn't – her step-brother.Throw in Tyler's clingy girlfriend and a guy who has his eyes set on Eden, and there's secrets, lies and a whole lot of drama. But how can Eden keep her feelings under control? And can she ever work out the truth about Tyler? Did I Mention I Love You is the first book in the phenomenal DIMILY trilogy, following the lives of Eden Munro and Tyler Bruce as they try to find their way in an increasingly confusing world. *************** Chapter 1 If movies and books have taught me anything, it’s that Los Angeles is the greatest city with the greatest people and the greatest beaches. And so, like every girl to ever walk this earth, I dreamed of visiting this Golden State. I wanted to run along the sand of Venice Beach, to press my hands on my favorite celebrities’ stars on the Walk of Fame, to one day stand behind the Hollywood Sign and look out over the beautiful city. That and all the other lame tourist must-dos. With one earphone in, my attention half on the music humming into my ear and half on the conveyor belt rotating in front of me, I try my hardest to find a spot clear enough for me to grab my luggage. While the people around me shove and chat loudly with their partners, yelling that their luggage just went past and the other yelling back that it wasn’t actually their luggage, I roll my eyes and focus on the khaki suitcase nearing me. I can tell it’s mine by the lyrics scrawled along its side, so I grab the handle and yank it off as quickly as I can. “Over here!” a familiar voice calls. My father’s astoundingly deep voice is half drowned out by my music, but no matter how loud the volume, I would probably still hear him from a mile away. His voice is too irritatingly painful to ignore. When Mom first broke the news to me that Dad had asked me to spend the summer with him, we both found ourselves in a fit of laughter at the sheer insanity of it all. “You don’t have to go anywhere near him,” Mom reminded me daily. Three years of hearing nothing and suddenly he wanted me to spend the entire summer with him? All he had to do was maybe start calling me once in a while, ask me how I was doing, gradually ease h

Moonlight on Nightingale Way (On Dublin Street 6) Read Free Logan from Echoes of Scotland Street is back with his own smoldering story, as the New York Times bestselling On Dublin Street series returns…Logan spent two years paying for the mistakes he made. Now, he’s ready to start over. He has a great apartment, a good job, and plenty of women to distract him from his past. And one woman who is driving him to distraction…Grace escaped her manipulative family by moving to a new city. Her new life, made to suit her own needs, is almost perfect. All she needs to do is find her Mr. Right—or at least figure out a way to ignore her irresistible yet annoying womanizer of a neighbor.Grace is determined to have nothing to do with Logan until a life-changing surprise slowly begins turning the wild heartbreaker into exactly the kind of strong, stable man she’s been searching for. Only just when she begins to give into his charms, her own messy past threatens to derail everything they’ve worked to build…Last book in the Series *************** CHAPTER 1 I stared at the bright pink thong draped across the hand railing on the landing I shared with the new neighbor I had yet to meet. My first semi-introduction to him was last night when my work was ground to a halt by the high-pitched squealing coming from next door. My neighbor’s girlfriend was loud during sex. Very, very loud. Although frustrating, there was nothing I could do but wait for it to end. It took so long (I had to give them points for stamina), it was time for me to go to sleep and I’d gotten hardly any editing done. Now the squealer’s thong was drip-drying on my handrail. Aghast at the thought of my clean and well-maintained stairwell suddenly turning into the set for Shameless, I could do nothing but stare at the offending item in horror. The sound of my neighbor’s door opening jerked my attention from the thong to his door. Stepping out of the doorway, phone to his ear, was an exceptionally tall man. My eyes roamed over the broad shoulders and muscular biceps and stopped on the black tattoo that took up a good part of his right forearm. It looked Celtic in design and appeared to be a sword with a semicircle arching over it and connecting on either side of the hilt. “Talk to Dad,” the man murmured, drawing my gaze from his tattoo to his face. “Whatever you decide, I’m on board.” His dark hair was close-shaven, and he was sporting heavy scruff that only made his rugged features that much more so. His large build and the scruff were too much in my opinion. I preferred my men leaner, clean-cut, and far less intimidating. Suddenly I found myself trapped in his gaze as he looked up and spotted me. I froze, flustered by the heat that suffused my cheeks under his perusal. He had the most extraordinary eyes I’d ever seen. They were clear and light. Beautiful, unusual violet eyes rimmed with black lashes. Those eyes softened his looks somewhat. I found myself released from his gaze as he dragged it down m

Frigid (Frigid 1) Read Free *************** Chapter 1 Sydney I was in love with my best friend. And it could be worse, I guessed. I could have been in love with a male stripper or a drug addict. Kyler Quinn was neither of those things. Although he could easily be passed off as a male stripper with those jaw-dropping good looks and messy brown hair, and he was as addictive as any drug out there. I saw him before he even knew I was here. There was no way anyone could miss Kyler, not even in the packed Dry Docks, where everyone from the University was out celebrating the start of winter break. People flocked to him, especially the girls. Always the girls. I didn’t want to say that Kyler looked like a god, because sculptures of Greek and Roman gods typically didn’t fall on the attractive side of things. And they were all really small down there. I doubted he was hurting in that department, since there was an endless train of women who came back for seconds and thirds. But he was beautiful in a purely masculine way. A nose with a slight hook in it offset broad cheekbones, defined jaw, and wide expressive lips. He’d broken his nose in a fight freshman year I still felt bad for that nose. And when he smiled? Aw man, the boy had the deepest dimples ever. His eyes were a warm brown, the color of a rich coffee bean that darkened whenever he was feeling froggy, and I bet he was feeling all kinds of froggy right now. Right in the middle of the bar, I stopped and leaned my head back. Exhaling loudly, I really wanted to punch myself in the face. Not only was Kyler completely off-limits due to the fact that we’d been inseparable since the day he pushed me off the merry-go-round and told me I had cooties for trying to hold his hand. I’d retaliated by holding him down and forcing him to eat a mud pie the following day. People had a hard time understanding how we were so close. Even I couldn’t figure it out. We went together like a lion and a gazelle. Actually, we went together like a lion and a gimpy gazelle that had no chance of outrunning the predator. I was the gimpy gazelle. As I made it closer to the table he and our friend Tanner occupied, a blonde with legs longer than I was tall plopped down in Kyler’s lap. His arms went around the girl’s impossibly narrow waist, and a stupid, totally inexcusable sharp pain sliced through my stomach. Yeah, Kyler might not be a stripper, an addict, or a terrorist, but he was a player. Veering back toward the bar at the last minute, I almost plowed straight into someone’s back. I rolled my eyes. Giving myself a concussion would be perfect. Multicolored Christmas lights dangled from the edge of the bar and I thought that was kind of hazardous with all the drunks spilling their drinks. I found an empty stool at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice me. And it was easy to notice me. I looked like I was sixteen, so they usually checked my ID right away. The bartender appeared, asked for the standard, and I ordered the

Dark Reunion (The Vampire Diaries 4) Read Free LOVE CAN KILLElena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he's determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all - whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy.Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle?Collected here in one edition are the third and fourth volumes of The Vampire Diaries, a riveting conclusion to the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them. *************** Chapter One "Things can be just like they were before," said Caroline warmly, reaching out to squeeze Bonnie's hand. But it wasn't true. Nothing could ever be the way it had been before Elena died. Nothing. And Bonnie had serious misgivings about this party Caroline was trying to set up. A vague nagging in the pit of her stomach told her that for some reason it was a very, very bad idea. "Meredith's birthday is already over," she pointed out. "It was last Saturday." "But she didn't have a party, not a real party like this one. We've got all night; my parents won't be back until Sunday morning. Come on, Bonnie-just think how surprised she'll be." Oh, she'll be surprised, all right, thought Bonnie. So surprised she just might kill me afterward. "Look, Caroline, the reason Meredith didn't have a big party is that she still doesn't feel much like celebrating. It seems-disrespectful, somehow-" "But that's wrong. Elena would want us to have a good time, you know she would. She loved parties. And she'd hate to see us sitting around and crying over her six months after she's gone." Caroline leaned forward, her normally feline green eyes earnest and compelling. There was no artifice in them now, none of Caroline's usual nasty manipulation. Bonnie could tell she really meant it. "I want us to be friends again the way we used to be," Caroline said. "We always used to celebrate our birthdays together, just the four of us, remember? And remember how the guys would always try to crash our parties? I wonder if they'll try this year." Bonnie felt control of the situation slipping away from her. This is a bad idea, this is a very bad idea, she thought. But Caroline was going on, looking dreamy and almost romantic as she talked about the good old days. Bonnie didn't have the heart to tell her that the good old days were as dead as disco. "But there aren't even four of us anymore. Three doesn't make much of a party," she protested feebly when she could get a word in. "I'm going to invite Sue Carson, too. Meredith gets along with her, doesn't she?" Bonnie had to admit Meredith did; everyone got along with Sue. But even so, Caroline had to understand that things couldn't be the way they had been before. You couldn't just substitute Sue Carson for Elena and say, There, everything is fixed now. Bu

Dirty Players (Dirty Players 1) Read Free *************** Chapter One Zoe I stormed down the hall of the Southern Eagles training complex, feeling irritation clawing at my mind. My annoyance was held at bay, for now, only because things had gone as I’d expected. I was so preoccupied, I bumped into someone. He caught me as I stumbled, and I wanted to apologize, until I lifted my head and saw that smirking face. I froze, staring at him in surprise. “Hey, Zoe.” I gaped. “Howard! What the hell are you doing here?” Glancing around, I grabbed his arm and tugged him out of the way. My first instinct was to hide him. If he got caught here with me, he would be in some serious trouble. He just smirked. “I came to show my dedication for the sport, of course, Zoe. That, and I missed you, so I wanted to come see you.” “Did it have to be here of all places, though?” I hissed. He laughed. “Maybe I wanted to see how you look while you work.” If that was what he came here for, he was going to be sorely disappointed. I didn’t have any work today, so I’d planned to stop by somewhere to eat and go home for some alone time to get over my bad mood. Then Howard just casually walked in and shocked me out of it. “You should try and think of your situation a bit more. You do realize what could happen to you if you get caught, right?” He’d been letting me pull him behind me, but then his body suddenly went still, and I was jerked to a stop. With a hungry growl, he tugged me closer, whirling me around and kissing me before I had time to complain. I froze for a second, before pressing my hands to his chest. I wanted to push him away, but he bit down on my lip, causing me to gasp, and his tongue swept into my mouth. He kissed me, until I forgot what I’d been thinking before, pulling away only when we both needed to breathe, resting his forehead against mine. “Do you remember what I said, about why I came here?” He murmured, lips brushing against mine with every word. I shuddered, a moan escaping my throat as I dug my nails into his biceps. There was something he’d said, what was it again? “Dedication?” I blurted. He chuckled. “Exactly, Zoe. My dedication. Should I show you?” Somehow, I didn’t think he was talking about football. He released me, and I was so startled I blinked my eyes open, then wondered when I’d let them close. Howard wasn’t done yet, though. He grabbed my hand and tugged me behind him, headed for the locker rooms. “Howard?” If he heard me, he didn’t indicate it. As soon as the door closed behind us, I found myself pressed up against it, and a hard, male body plastered to my front. Soft lips slanted over mine, and I tried to resist for a second, because there was something important, I was supposed to remember. I couldn’t remember, though, because I was too busy melting into the hot kiss with a moan, parting my lips for the tongue that licked at the seam of my mouth. The kiss was slow and languid, almost lazy, but it quickly grew heated. We shouldn’t be doin

Until November (Until #1) Book Online Until November (Until #1) November is looking forward to getting to know her father and the safety of a small town. After leaving the Big Apple and her bad memories for Tennessee, November starts working for her dad at his strip club doing the books. The one time she's allowed there during club hours she runs into Asher Mayson. He's perfect until he opens his mouth and makes assumptions. November wants nothing to do with Asher but too bad for November, fate has other plans. Asher Mayson has never had a problem getting a woman, that is until November. Now all he can think about is making November his and keeping her safe. Warning 18+ sexual content and a strong Alpha Male. *************** Chapter 1 Walking into the lobby of the hotel, the warm air hits me in the face. It's October and I can already tell that winter is going to be rough. The lady behind the counter looks up from her computer with a look of shock on her face. I can't blame her. I look like I feel which is crap. "Oh, honey are you okay?" she asks. I hate that question. "I'm fine." I try to smile. "I need a room. Something that's dog friendly, if you have it." "Of course," she says, looking back down at her computer and typing. "How many nights?" "Just one." I lean on the counter, feeling the exhaustion of the last few days catching up to me. "Room 312 is dog friendly. You just take the elevator to the third floor and take a right. It will be seventy for the night and a fifty dollar deposit for the dog." I hand over my card. Waiting for her to finish checking us in, I look down at my new companion. I can't believe that he saved my life. From what I can remember, I was attacked and he came out of nowhere, jumping on the guy attacking me. The cops said that if it wasn't for him, I probably would have been killed or in a coma. Instead, I just had a concussion, two broken ribs and a sprained wrist. Beast was the first thing I saw when I woke up in that alley with the smell of garbage and urine all around me. I thought I was dead until I heard whining and felt a warm, wet tongue move across my face. I opened my eyes to see a huge face looking down on me like some kind of doggie angel. He stayed at my side while I gathered my strength to get up. He never, even when I stumbled into the apartment to call the police. He was my own personal guardian through every moment. "Here you go, honey," she says, handing me the room card. "The elevator is right down that hall." She points to the left. "Thanks," I mumble, ready to get into bed. "I know that it's none of my business," she says and I stop to look at her. "I hope that you were able to get in a few licks before you left his ass." "It's not what it looks like." I smile and shake my head. "Mmm humm, honey. If you say so."

A Lifetime Love Their first encounter was nothing like the ones you would see in the movies-- an unexpected turn of events or a casual glimpse across a busy coffee shop. Wendy met Sam for the first time in a hospital... Wendy wasn't one of those girls who believed in love at first sight, but when she locked eyes with Sam, she realized how wrong she had been all along. She fell for him at that very moment. She decided to follow her heart, and that stubbornness led to her bloody trek through nursing school. Yet, it seemed like fate wasn't in her favor. Sam never took her seriously, and Wendy was stuck in an infinite loop of unrequited love. Where would her romance take her? How would their story end? *************** "Dr. Sam, have you really forgotten me?" It was the 281st time that Wendy Li had asked Sam Lu this question ever since she became an intern at the First Hospital. Sam Lu knitted his eyebrows together. "Miss Wendy, I really couldn't remember you." "How could you?" Wendy Li scowled, crossing her arms against her chest. "Why are you so forgetful?" Their first encounter was not as romantic as the ones in the movies. It wasn't an unexpected turn of events or a casual glimpse in a coffee shop. No. They actually met in a hospital... Three years ago... "Wendy, wait for me, okay? I'll get out of work soon!" After graduation, Wendy Li traveled to City A to visit her cousin, Sherry Qiu, who worked as a nurse in the First Hospital. <p class='p_...

Anxious to leave her destructive past behind, Amelia Caldwell moves to Willowberg, excited for a fresh start. Once there, she discovers that her birthmark is more than it seems. She has been marked by a vampire’s soul. Not only does she hold his soul, but Amelia is also his soulmate.After almost a century of searching for his soulmate, Mitchell Lang fears the worst—he is going to lose Amelia to another man. His heart takes over, and his impulsive decision to take away her free will and to intensify their bond quickly turns her growing love into hate.When they become trapped in the emotional rollercoaster of their souls' bond, open conflict erupts. Amelia has no intentions of belonging to anyone, not even her soulmate, and Mitchell refuses to let her go.While she frantically searches for a way to escape his grasp, Amelia unlocks the painful memories of her past and uncovers a powerful secret. But before she has a chance to explore her newfound edge, she finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly game of revenge and is forced to realize that YOU CANNOT RUN FROM DESTINY. PROLOGUE Salem, Massachusetts, 1692 Racing through the dense woodland, a heavy cloud of smoke billowed upwards, cresting above the herbaceous border and confirming his soundless fears. Still miles away, he could already smell the pungent curdling of her blood as it began to boil, and the vile stench of searing flesh. Undeniably, the firestorm was spreading, and he struggled to drive out the image of the flames reaching up her body. He cursed his heightened senses, wishing he could block out the ruthless chanting, "Burn the Witch!" The unyielding voices only helped his psyche run wild, and the graphic image of her tied to a post and set ablaze etched itself in his vision. Her fear consumed him, rupturing their bond like a sudden cloudburst, and his body threatened to surrender to the inevitable fate marked for his soul. Regardless, the chain around his heart yanked him forwards. You need to save her, he told himself over and over, battling his body's attempts to give up and abandon the rescue. He pushed on, raw adrenaline propelling him forward. But even with the unparalleled velocity and power of a vampire, his limbs would not move fast enough. The smoke cloud rose mercilessly, thick and black and punctuated by the sparks of glowing embers as he broke into the clearing at Salem Commons. A mob of several hundred onlookers cheered for her execution. He watched in horror as they tossed books, chairs, and brush onto the fire that was licking up her dress. Their eyes met, and the look of pure hatred that contorted her face was agonizing. His knees buckled, and he plunged to the ground. He focused all of his energy on pulling her spirit to him but it was futile: no matter what he tried, she would not let him ease her pain. The congregation's savage chanting became deafening. The flames licked at her cheeks, and her long, curly locks were set ablaze, melting and sparking, but she did