THE GYNECOLOGIST WRITTEN BY SUNNY JOHN :::::::::::::: :::::::::::::: Prologue "Are you insinuating that I am FAT?" My icy blue eyes narrow at Curtis as he mumbles a ridiculous speculation. A soft chuckle escapes out of his mouth which I really find annoying, sometimes. He brushes his nails against his cheek to top it off-one of his habits that makes me want to shoot a poor little chicken in rage. Don't get me wrong... I love chickens and other feathery little bits. They're noisy creatures who just want to live in peace. It's just that, this guy over here can get on my nerves sometimes. I am pretty much self-actualized that I am nowhere chubby. "You've been missing your periods, Sweetheart. What else could it be?" he responds ignorantly. He is perpetually concentrating on his iPhone X's big screen for about ten minutes now as if I do not exist. I take a peek at it and my eyes widen when I notice that he is actually watching porn. Hardcore porn. I try my best to avoid allowing my eyes to dart over the screen. Having a glimpse of it makes me want to puke. He doesn't even give me the courtesy of at least tilting his mobile away from my line of vision. The perks of having a naughty best friend... "Can you just at least, pause that filthy video for a few seconds and listen to me?" "Oh, Lily. Relax, will you? Whatever happens, whether you're pregnant or not, always remember that behind those clouds..." he mumbles, still not looking at me. I anticipate on whatever words of wisdom he will throw at me, even though I know it will be pointless. ".
THE GYNECOLOGIST
WRITTEN BY SUNNY JOHN
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CHAPTER 1
"Are you insinuating that I am FAT?"
My icy blue eyes narrow at Curtis as he mumbles a ridiculous speculation. A soft chuckle escapes out of his mouth which I really find annoying, sometimes. He brushes his nails against his cheek to top it off-one of his habits that makes me want to shoot a poor little chicken in rage.
Don't get me wrong... I love chickens and other feathery little bits. They're noisy creatures who just want to live in peace. It's just that, this guy over here can get on my nerves sometimes. I am pretty much self-actualized that I am nowhere chubby.
"You've been missing your periods, Sweetheart. What else could it be?" he responds ignorantly. He is perpetually concentrating on his iPhone X's big screen for about ten minutes now as if I do not exist.
I take a peek at it and my eyes widen when I notice that he is actually watching porn.
Hardcore porn. I try my best to avoid allowing my eyes to dart over the screen. Having a glimpse of it makes me want to puke. He doesn't even give me the courtesy of at least tilting his mobile away from my line of vision.
The perks of having a naughty best friend...
"Can you just at least, pause that filthy video for a few seconds and listen to me?"
"Oh, Lily. Relax, will you? Whatever happens, whether you're pregnant or not, always remember that behind those clouds..." he mumbles, still not looking at me. I anticipate on whatever words of wisdom he will throw at me, even though I know it will be pointless.
"...is an airplane."
My eyes automatically roll the moment he finishes his sentence. I dismiss his lame joke if you could consider it as a joke. There's no way I'm pregnant. His guess is nonsense. I'm a virgin, and I'm no Virgin Mary.
He leans back against the wooden chair of the university food court and finally unglues his eyes from the blonde pornstar's shaking fake boobs and fixes them at me. There are only about five students, including us, who are still here at this hour.
"Oh please. I know what you're thinking. Spare me." As a struggling psychology major, and knowing him for almost three years now, I surely know what he is thinking right now. He's probably imagining me doing something...inappropriate, like you know, doing it with some random guy at the janitor's closet or anywhere, leading to his implausible theory that I'm pregnant.
Please. I haven't even sexually touched myself down there ever since I was born.
You mean, masturbated?
Thick and curious eyebrows are now scrutinizing me.
"Wait a minute...Are you hiding something from me?"
"Shut up, Curt." I snap at him.
"Oh yeah?" Naughtiness is written all over his face as he smirks at me. I roll my eyes again in full irritation. Yes, it's a habit I cannot control, especially when I'm around him.
"I want to go home," I utter after a long sigh as I pull on his arm with my frustration spreading all over the place.
I finally have his attention. He reaches for my hand and stares at me tenderly.
"Kidding aside, I'm getting worried about you, Lily."
I stare at him blankly, without blinking. Curtis Jackson, also known as, "Curt", is my best friend. I love him, but only as a friend – the closest and most trusted one. Now that Katie, my best friend since grade school, died because of complications from asthma, I don't think I can survive this college life without him. He is precious to me as I am to him. He didn't directly tell me that he likes me, but he is always giving off pretty obvious hints, and I don't want to delve into that corner of our friendship. Since Katie's death, I have almost been a living zombie. I had never thought that going to college would be all that stressful; it would just be a slightly different version of high school. However, being in college has its own downsides. There's a lot more homework, classes are longer, and the work is more intense. The worst part is, everything's back to zero.
Katie and I are supposed to be in college together, and we were, for a time far too brief. But right before the start of the fall semester of our sophomore year, she suddenly and unexpectedly left this world, and me.
When I learned of Katie's death, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach, hard. I had been abandoned like a wet little kitten put out into the streets for the first time. We had gone to school together all through grade and high school, always having similar interests and never a cross word between us. We had even both decided to take up psychology together. One day, if the time came when we both had families of our own, we dreamt of living next door to each other.
"I'm always here for you, Lily. You put that in your mind." Curtis grabs my hand and gently caresses my skin with this thumb. A languid smile forms on my lips, appreciating his affection.
"It's getting late already. You better go home. I'll walk with you." he suggests.
"It's okay, Curt. I want to be alone tonight, actually." I give him a polite smile. Usually, he'll walk me home after our last class, but this time, I need some time alone to think and be dramatic as I can to myself.
Curtis became Katie's and my friend in junior high when we all were partners in a laboratory class. Despite our opposite personalities, I felt comfortable with him right away. Well, maybe that's because we're both hermits. So now that Katie is gone, he's the only one I have now.
Looking back to those days, my chest feels empty. I don't think I will ever be able to say that I have moved on from her passing. Screw that wonderful angel– she chose the right timing to escape from my noisy mouth and immaturity. I haven't even adjusted to college yet, and then here goes some health problem.
Curtis also took up the same major, and we almost have the same class schedules. I'm not sure if he did it on purpose, but nonetheless, I take it as an advantage for me as well. I literally don't think I could make it through a day without him.
He told me a while ago that he has been noticing my behavior lately–troubled and seemed to be always in pain. At that moment, I wasn't able to suppress myself from telling him everything. I finally exploded after those months of being dormant.
Somehow, it feels liberating. Unless you're an extreme introvert, it is just impossible to keep everything to yourself.
The thing is, my period hasn't arrived yet. And if I had just had any kind of vaginal penetration from a man, I would be certain I was pregnant. It has been two months and about three weeks or so since my last period, and these occasional painful cramps which go with all my mood swings and alienated feelings during classes make me want to go somewhere where I could sleep forever. I can't even move properly because my lower abdomen feels so bloated almost all the time, and I am not exaggerating.
But I can't be pregnant. I-am-a- virgin . And when I say that word, it means everything, in every way – my lips, my hands, and of course, my innocent holes . And there were no drunken nights where I may have been roofied or blacked out either.
I have never even had a boyfriend. A lot of people think I'm seeing Curtis, but regardless of what they think, he's just my friend. He's actually like a brother to me, and even my family loves him and treats him as a part of our family as well. He is in fact always welcome to barge into our house, which is just a few meters away from outside the campus, whenever he wants to. Just to be clear, I'm not a lesbian. It's just that, I'm the hopeless romantic type. I want some guy who will sweep me off my feet, like literally. Then he will catch me as I fall into his arms. Then our eyes will meet and there will be that force, that powerful force, a connection, some electricity and other romantic wordings that will then lead us to get to know each other more. And then we will fall in love. Get married in a church with beautiful nuptial photos. Adopt a couple of cute dogs and a cat. Have beautiful kids. And live happily ever after.
You're talking about a fairytale, Honey. Wake up.
I really believe that upon being born into this world, someone has already been planned and destined for us – that someone who will leave us breathless and make our heart beat faster than we knew possible.
I definitely do not want someone who will flirt with me just like he does with all the other girls, tell me all the same things, and then wreck my precious virginity on our first date. Some boys at school are just like that and I don't know why I don't find them appealing. Maybe because I want someone who is more mature? A man who can take care of me...forever.
Okay, enough with the daydreaming. You've still got some problems, Darling.
I shake my head and smile bitterly as I concentrate on walking. Am I losing my mind ? Is there any possibility that I am pregnant?
I don't want to tell my mom about this because for sure, she'll drag my sweet little butt to a doctor and they will invade my veins and suck all my blood up. I really hate doctors, hospitals, and needles, specifically. I hate them with a passion.
But what if I'm dying?
Yes, you are, Lily, and you'll die a virgin. Double time, Habibti!
Does my subconscious suddenly know Arabic? Wow, my brain really is messed up.
Or maybe because you watched an Arabic film last night?
What am I thinking? Maybe I'm just overreacting. Or maybe it's just the lingering effects of Curt's porn.
But you didn't watch.
Okay, fine. I just took a little peek. I couldn't help it, because the actor had this really huge, um, you know, and it looks...scary.
But I admit there were moments in my life that I have wondered how it would feel like to have sex...
I mean, it just randomly crossed my mind, maybe about once, or twice, or whatever, and there's a part of me that is kind of making a big deal out of the fact that I belong to the minority of girls my age who are still virgins.
Okay, enough. I'm blushing whenever I thought about this.
My thoughts consume me as I trudge along the darkened street outside the school campus. Our simple bungalow house is located along the main street, just a few blocks away from our department hall.
The moon is in all its glory as I look up at the dark velvety sky. I close my eyes as I re-adjust my backpack and let the moonlight flood my pale skin. My long, dirty blonde hair is now a mess, all tangled with the stresses of the day and the cold breeze of air now brushing it backward.
I close my eyes and imagine myself being on an island where everything's at peace. Katie is there, my mom is there, everyone is there, and we all are having a good time...
I smile as I feel the breeze kissing my skin. It feels so rejuvenating and-
A loud, long honk pierces the silent night. I squint at the sight of the headlights of a gray Lexus sportscar that are glaring at me. Trying to quickly assess the situation, I cup my mouth upon the realization that I'm actually in the middle of the road blocking the fancy car's way. As I scurry for the sidewalk, a man emerges from the car. Despite my embarrassment, I cannot help but glance over my shoulder in curiosity as he approaches me. He's wearing a black undershirt that hugs his toned upper body, and his well-worn rugged jeans cling to his thighs as if they were made just for him. I notice what appears to be full sleeve rose tattoos on his muscled arm and another one I cannot make out in the dark peeking from the left side of his...nice-looking chest.
Oh my... He looks like he just jumped off the cover of a GQ magazine.
Suddenly, the cold night air feels so humid. My eyes trail up to his face as I get a better view of him. Sweet sister of a frog, I have never seen someone this attractive before. His facial features are so perfectly manly they appear to have been carved out by a master sculptor. And no, I'm not exaggerating. My pupils had to have dilated even more as I realize that, holy shit, he indeed is a modern day Adonis. Dark stubble marks his jawline, which is so defined and sharp that I may slice my finger upon touching it.
Just like in the movies, my world stops as I continue to gawk at him.
Is he even freaking real?
Everything in the background blurs away as he walks, his black boots lifting effortlessly as if he's the king of the underworld.
My eyes curiously linger on his noticeable crotch bulge. It's unusually bigger than those of most guys I have seen-not that I often check them out but, whatever. It's like there's something massive underneath...
I pull my eyes back to his face in an instant when I feel something down on me twitched.
He rakes a hand through his dark tousled hair and pierces me with the sexiest eyes I have ever seen that are literally gleaming in the night. I catch myself nibbling my bottom lip as I drink in the sight of him.
He walks closer and closer towards me, leaving only a few inches between us before he stops. I can now tell that he's well over six feet. My heart is racing inside my chest, and all I can do is stand there like a statue – wide-eyed, mouth slightly open, and totally looking like a complete idiot.
I gasp and hold my breath as he leans his head down next to my ear. In the most sensual and masculine voice I have ever heard, he whispers,
"Get the fuck out of my way."
My whole body suddenly aches at his warm breath on my skin.
"Huh?" I breathe out.
He straightens up and looks down at me with his brilliant, mysterious, and mesmerizing green eyes. His handsome face scrunches down into a displeased look before opening his mouth once again.
"Are you planning to die?"
That deep and irritated voice lodges in my ear. For a second, I am only hearing the magical sounds of the crickets around us. What is happening? Have I been bewitched?
"Uhh..." The ability to form words seems to have escaped me. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I had been blowing my horn for at least a full minute, but you were just there standing, eyes closed, and arms wide open in the air, leaving me no choice but to get the hell out of my goddamn car and approach you. Are you on drugs or something?"
His voice now sounds muffled, probably from my heart beating like a freaking drum, coursing blood through my ears...and the rest of my body.
Imagine an irritated Ian Somelhalder, Matt Bomer or some other celebrity with a sexy bad boy look... Wait, did he just ask me if I was on drugs?
"What? Drugs? What drugs?"
He rolls his eyes and sighs in frustration. I probably should feel angry that he's just insulted me, but, why did I find that gesture hot?
"Just move, okay?"
He then turns his sexy back on me with yet more demonstration of his manly finesse, totally ignoring my question.
His crankiness is oddly making him more appealing. I am left there standing with my mouth open. My eyes suddenly have minds of their own, attaching themselves to his sexy butt as it sways back to his car. He starts his engine, signaling me to move the hell out of his precious way.
Is this your first time seeing a man, Lily?
I scold myself inwardly. My chest is heaving. There is something about his irritability that is somehow...I can't find the exact word to describe it, but definitely not irritating.
I am prepared to go on with my life, never to see him again, when his beautiful head pops out from the car's window. With his neck extended, he catches my eye.
"Watch where you're going next time, Kitten." A sexy wink follows.
Kitten...
For some reason, I feel myself warming up and something between my legs starts to get kind of.. wet
*****To be continued*****
Natalie Chambers didn't know about her father's gang, that is until he sold her. What Natalie didn't know is that he sold her to, one of the most dangerous gang leaders around. Carter Grayson.
Walking into my office in the early hours of Monday 5th January 2020 was this young man. Dark, tall, strongly built and handsome. But one quick look at him, I noticed he was very troubled. He looked very shaken and nervous. I smiled politely, offering him a chair. good morning sir"I greeted, wondering what was troubling such a strong dude this early in the day. "I guess you are Knot of scribbles?. The guy I always read his stories online? he asked, forcing out a smile. I nodded, smiling back. "yes sir, but you can call me Godwin" i replied quickly. He breathed deeply and shrugged. "well I'm here to tell you a story. I'm here to pour out my heart so that you can write it down and share it out to the world. I want people to read my story and probably learn from it. This is a story of love, hopes and betrayal. his is a story that most unmarried guys and girls out there, especially in Zambia can relate to. It's a story of my relationship with a young lady called SANDRAH. A girl that sent me crashing down with love" he said with such a strong spirit, his eyes turning dark red as he cleared his throat to start one of the passionate stories I have ever heard. My name is David Sikaonga. A native of Namwanga , Zambia. I'm thirty three years old and also the first son in a family of three boys and a girl. Now here is my story.. On 30th December 2013, my younger sister got married to the love of her life. It was a very happy and festive day for every member of my family and it equally was the day I made up my mind to do everything necessary to get married, since God in his infinite mercy was blessing me tremendously.
~ANNABEL~ (✨The mermaid✨) 🥀🥀Synopsis 🥀🥀 Once upon a time, the mermaids and the mermens thought they are the only creatures in the world. They believed that the whole world is surrounded by a dark sea. The sea is dark because trees clustered around that side of the ocean and the sun is not able to shine through so it is called the DARK SEA. The mermaids refers to it as the DARK KINGDOM. They lived happily in the water and the one day.......... ********* Christabel is an orphan who I struggling to take care of herself.. What course will her life take when she finds out that she has a twin sister and her twin is a mermaid........ *********** Xavier and George are explorers.. The world best explorers.. They found out about the dark side of the ocean. What happens when Xavier falls in love with a mermaid......... What happens when George turns his back on Xavier and join hands with the president to capture and exploit the mermaids..... What happens when Annabel is forced to leave the sea and go to earth in order to save her kingdom...... And what happens when christabel is mistaken for Annabel......... Tbc
there are thirty-three stories in this compilation" synonyms: collection, selection, anthology, treasury, compendium, album, corpus, miscellany, pot-pourri, miscellanea, garland, ana, collectanea, analects, florilegium
INTRODUCTION There’s always that guy… the one who always understands. Yes, the one who just knows the right things to say and when to say them; the one who fits into last minute plans without complaining? The one who will listen to you speak your heart out when you are troubled. The one who will watch the sunset with you and won’t mind breaking the night with you when you can’t sleep. The guy who always picks his phone, the guy who is never too busy for you, the guy who will show up even when he knows you are calling only because you got disappointed. The one who is selfless with his money? The guy who won’t mind sacrificing his important activities just to accommodate you. The guy who laughs at all your silly jokes, the guy who doesn’t mind you being clumsy or grumpy. Always understanding. The one whose answer is usually “no problem...” the guy who is everything but the one. He is just not the one. As a matter of fact he is nothing like the one. You don't like him, you don't fancy him, he doesn't tickle anything in you.. He is just not the one! Thandiwe is the name, the age isn’t the problem. I presume, unless you just haven’t identified him, there is always that guy. That guy in this case is Henry.. but he isn’t the one.. the one is Ndaweni.. the most handsome guy I have ever come cross. Accountant by profession, tall, perfectly built and absolutely amazing. So amazing he actually makes it obvious. Many are the times I feel like I’m pushing for this relationship to work. I know many of you will say I should leave but naaa.. you just don’t leave like that. Guys are hard to find these days you know. Guys that you actually like, very rare. But why do they grow big-headed? It always starts out so well up until they know you like them. Suddenly the relationship is a pain... you literally have to hold it together and you feel like a nag. Yes they come around once in a while but that’s just to boost their ego. The moment you seem to play the silent treatment they come back with their tails folded and as we are so loving, we tend to fall in love and lay down our hearts again before they trip once again. Anyone know what I’m talking about? Great let me tell you about my life then.
THE KISS {That changed everything âś“} *A sequel to MARIANA* SYNOPSIS; MARIANA DOMINGUEZ the eldest and the only daughter of the multi billionaire family suddenly had to deal with her parents constant pestering for her to get a boyfriend. And just when she thought she has had enough, she had to deal with her school's most baddest boy's cockiness. What happens when she finally fell in love but her family suddenly became against it? What could be the problem? And what happens when the good girl Mariana suddenly turn bad? What could make her do that? Was it THE KISS that changed everything? Let find all the answers in this new thrill! Stay tuned and you won't regret it! Extract from the book.... "I don't want you with him Mariana!" Paula warned fiercely. "But why mum?" "Because he's the son of our enemy from the past." "What! Are you for real mum? How can you involve me in your past life? I wasn't even born when it all began! No mom, leave us out of it if only you want what happened to you and Dad to occur again!" She said angrily and walked out. "Come back here Mariana. How dare you walk out on me?" She shouted but she was already gone. Paula paced about the room in worry. She thought of telling Pablo before things get out of hand. "Hi mum." Marion greeted and removed his backpack. "You know what mum?" "What is it?" "A girl told me that I was cute today at school." He said happily. Paula's eyes narrowed on him. "And what's so special about that? I've said that so many times to you?" "Yes you've told me countless times before but yours doesn't give me the sparks and get butterflies to erupt in my stomach so that makes it more special!" He grinned at his mum. Paula's jaw was almost dropping to the floor. "What?" She blink so many times unable to believe her ears. "What's happening to my children? On the other hand is Mariana and now this little boy too?" .......
She was hurt. She was bullied and made fun of. And the only hope that kept her going was finding her mate. She has always been weak. Weak to the world. Why? Because she was a lantern. She didn't have a wolf. That's what everyone thought about her. When she found her mate, he wanted her to be his slut and not a wife. She might be an omega, but it doesn't mean she will take disloyalty and betrayal lightly. So she did something that no one in history ever did. She rejected an Alpha. "I, Alexis Clark, reject Brandon Sterling, the alpha of Black mist pack, and consider myself a free soul until I decide so."; Were her last words before she left that torturous place and became a rogue. A rogue that everyone was fearing and finding. Why? Because she was the rogue that has become one of the biggest problems of almost all the packs in the country. She was Alexis Clark. A rogue that rejected an Alpha, stealth food, kill other rogues, and more than that was living with humans and studying with them. What will happen when her case is given to the world's most dangerous alpha, Sebastian Sinclair, who has taken it upon himself to punish this rogue. The one who hated rogues and omega to a level that was beyond understanding. Why? Because his mate was an omega, who betrayed him with a rogue before dying. How will Alexis tackle this alpha, in whose College she was studying and living under hiding for almost a year? What will Sebastian do when he finds out the new girl he had been talking to is none other than the rogue omega that he had decided to kill? "To love you with all my might was my only wish, but you were the only one who gave me endless suffering. So today, I promise myself to not fall for anyone."; A simple saying that both Alexis and Sebastian had vowed upon. Will they be able to find their love amidst all these problems?
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
She escorted her husband to be crowned as the Emperor, but the day he took power became the day all her family members were slain brutally. She was reborn five years ago when her parents were healthy and alive, and she was unmarried. Above all, nothing started yet. Ye Muxi swore to take her revenge to eliminate all the regrets she committed in her previous life. Carrying the memories she collected for these five years, a weak Miss, who always got bullied, had transformed attractively. She protected her younger brother and stamped on the scum cheater. She took every step seriously and always took action first.  However, how did she accidentally enthrall this scheming and handsome Royal Master? She killed people, and he set the fire. She poisoned someone, and he killed others.  If she was willing to love only one person in the world, then he would spoil her all her life and stay with her forever. … … A couple, both invincible, held hands together. He would be loyal to her until he died.Â
When he woke up early in the morning, the woman he had a crush on lay beside him, but she was afraid. "President Miller, rest assured, I will not entangle you. I'll pretend nothing happened last night!" He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "So, aren't you going to be responsible for me?" Emma Wood was shocked, "What ?!" Did she hear it right? After the night, she bore a baby and had to marry him. She asked, "It's all your benefit, what can I get?" The man looked at her and slowly said, "As long as you want, as long as I have."
Renea was trying the wedding dress, when suddenly the man rushed in the dressing room and held her neck tightly... “Bitch! Are you still trying to pretend innocent!” Jasper said as he tightened his grip on her neck and choked her harder. Then he used his other hand and took out the phone from his suit pocket and played the video of two people having sex in front of Renea… However, what was even more shocking, was that the woman in the video was, Renea Morris, however, the man in the video was not Jasper. Renea struggled to take a phone away from Jasper’s hand and tried to explain, “Jasper, it was not what you think… I… I can…” Jasper looked at Renea with his eyes full of disgust, as he said, “Let’s call of the wedding. I can’t marry a woman like you.” After saying that Jasper walked out of the shop Renea chase after Jasper... But then she sees Jasper passionately kissing her sister Kailey. And she hears everything, that her sleeping with strange men was all a plan of the vipers of the last two days, and that their goal was to get out of this stupid marriage. Even her adopted parents were also involved in this matter... They all do this with her because of the inheritance left by her grandfather... Renea heart was filled with anger and she wanted to expose their true colors to the public... However before she could do anything, Kailey had pushed her in front of the car and she got killed... However, when Renea open her eyes, she found herself sitting in the car with Kailey... She realized that she was reborn and went at the time when everything started... Renea looked at the people who had hurt her in her previous life and her lips curled up in a cold smile... She was back... However, this time... she was back for revenge...
The kiss grew more passionate as he felt her warm supple body pressing against his chest. He couldn't believe how soft she was. He was gentler this time, making love to her with a slow, languorous pace, pausing now and then to check the expression on her face. Kira was. transported. She no longer felt the fabric of the sheets underneath her. One moment, she was floating in the air, cuddled by cotton candy clouds. The next, she'd become one with a dinghy, bobbing up and down with the undulating waves. His scent enveloped her. He was on top of her, using his arms to support his weight and avoid crushing her. She snuggled up closer to him, safe and snug, cocooned in his warmth. Kira had always marvelled at Austyn's stamina, but he outdid himself tonight. In the midst of overwhelming rapture, Kira still had the presence of mind to broach the subject she'd been meaning to bring up. 'My dad's medical bills.' Austyn paused. He frowned as he looked into those beseeching eyes. 'It'll be taken care of by the end of business day tomorrow,' he said with a bit of an edge in his voice. Kira breathed out. ****** She is a 21-year-old college student who dreams of becoming a journalist. He is the heir of the McCarthy family and president of a business empire. She is bright-eyed and vivacious, a glass-half-full kind of gal. When life throws her a curveball, she knocks it out of the park. He is the archetypal alpha male, aggressive and domineering. Endowed with both brains and brawn, he steamrolls over his enemies and rules his company with an iron fist. The two would never have crossed paths if not for a cruel twist of fate. Kira's world was turned upside down when her father was hospitalised after a car accident. The medical bills were astronomical. Austyn McCarthy offered her a way out. The price: becoming his contract wife. At night, he consummated their marriage but called out another woman's name. Who was she? Why did Austyn marry Kira if he was in love with someone else? Kira was his lawful wife, but she had no right to ask these questions. Then one day, the woman showed up in front of her.