Elena stifled a smile, but he already saw her mouth start to curve upwards and he grinned at her. She ignored him. "I'm serious, Chandler." His smile was instantaneous. "Noted." She licked her lips. Her eyes were wide and nervous, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "And you can't kiss me." Chandler tilted his head to the side and studied her. Pushing away from the car, he took a step closer to her. She held her ground, lifting her chin at his approach. "What if you ask me to kiss you?" he said quietly. "Then can I?" Elena exhaled shakily. "I won't do that." "No?" Carefully, he touched his thumb to the curve of her chin. She shook her head, and his hand fell away. "Maybe you won't," he told her. "But hear me right now, love, I'd love it if you asked me for a kiss."
"Here you go," the landlord said as he stretched his hands towards Elena, "The keys to your new apartment. Welcome to the building,"
Elena Davis smiled as she reached out to take the keys, "Thank you," she said and watched as the elderly man walked out, closing the front door behind him. She looked around her new apartment and smiled happily. This is a start of something new. The beginning of a new phase in her life. It filled her with happiness, anxiety and fear all at the same time that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but what she did know was that she was going to do everything in her power to make things work out for good... She had to. After failing the first time, she didn't really have a choice, did she?
Elena Davis had graduated from the university three years ago and had begun the journey of starting her own catering business. Unfortunately, she had failed and had to close down. Elena had been distraught, but a few months ago, her twin sister Emily had suggested that she start over. She'd told her that it was not uncommon for most business owners to fail in the beginning, and she just had to be consistent. She'd come up with the idea of moving to a new environment too, and then pointed out that if Elena moved to Vacaville, where Emily also lived with her husband, she'd be able to help her start over, so Elena had agreed without much hesitation. It wasn't like she had reason to stay.
She pulled out her phone to call and sister, and smiled happily when Emily picked up, "It's done," she said with excitement in her voice, "The apartment is officially mine and I just got the keys from the landlord,"
"Well, congratulations. Aren't you glad I talked you into it." Emily replied, "But you didn't have to rush to get a place so early. You could have continued to stay with Daniel and I. There's enough room and it would have been fun,"
"I know," Elena replied, "But I have furniture and a lot of stuff from my old apartment so I just wanted everything to be done with once and for all. Besides, you told me you and Daniel are trying for a baby and I didn't want to..... interrupt the 'process' in any way. Don't want to be in the middle of all the.... You know..."
Emily laughed loudly." Fine. I get it. As long as you are here, it doesn't matter. All I know is that my sister and I get to live in the same city again and that's something I've wanted for a while now. You should come home soon. Daniel and I are going out tonight for some drinks. You should come with us... I can introduce you to some friends from work.... And oh, Elijah is coming too. Bet you'd be happy to see him."
Elena frowned," And why would I be?"
There was an awkward pause before Emily said, "Never mind. Don't be late,"
Emily hung up and Elena stood for a while, staring at the wall. Elijah.... She had completely forgotten about him. Elijah Kendrick was Emily's best friend when they were in the university, and Elena had had a huge crush on him.. She'd never had the guts to tell him or anyone else how she felt about him. Not even her sister. There had been no point, because Elijah had never looked her way. Not even once.
After graduation, everyone had separated to pursue their careers, and slowly she'd forgotten about Elijah. Until now. Her heart fluttered a little bit as she thought about seeing him again. How much had he changed? Would he notice her?...See her differently.. after all this time?
Elena was an over thinker, and by the time they were finally heading for the bar that evening, she was a little nervous. The club doors after they passed security were opened wide, and lots of men and women filtered in and out, mingling in groups and chatting and laughing loudly. Some sat at the bar, drinking. Some were on the dance floor... Couples in each other's arms, dancing, talking and smiling at each other.
Emily's husband, Daniel led the way and Elena clung to her sister, holding hands as they filtered their way into the club. Elena felt a bit out of place since it'd been a long time since she went clubbing, but Emily noticed and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Relax," Emily told her, "You're here to have fun, remember?"
Elena shrugged and followed them to a table where two beautiful ladies were already seated. When they joined the table one of the girls snorted. "Where the hell have you two been? You're thirty minutes late," The girl said. She had blond curly hair and a pretty face, while the other girl, a brunette nodded in agreement while she stared at Elena.
"I'm sorry, okay," Emily apologized, "I had to convince the princess here," she glanced at Elena, "That her outfit was really fine after we wasted fifteen minutes searching for the right one. You guys, meet my sister and the first love of my life... Elena,"
Both girls smiled at her while Elena smiled back shyly. "It's nice to meet you," the blond girl said, "I'm Lexi and this is Charlotte. Wow, Emily has told us so much about you. We've seen pictures before but damn, you two do look like. If you wore the same clothes and styled your hair the same way, I'm pretty sure I'd have difficulty differentiating the both of you,"
"What is it like looking at someone and seeing your own face?" Charlotte asked, "Must be weird... Like looking into a mirror,"
"Well, it's definitely not weird for me," Elena replied, "I know we look alike, but I do see some.... Differences between us. I guess other people might not see them... At least not at first, but after a while, they do,"
A waiter arrived with a menu and Elena went through it. She didn't want to get drunk, but she wanted enough alcohol to get a little 'buzz'. Daniel would be driving them home, so she didn't have to worry about that. She finally settled for a Long Island iced tea. Emily ordered the same thing while Daniel ordered for beer.
Caroline broke off as Nicholas took another step forward, until they were now once again standing so close they were almost touching. She gave a determined shake of her head. "Mr Connelly," "Nick," he corrected, "Nicholas" "Nick," he repeated, Caroline was a bit frustrated, "Nick," she bit out, "if you're trying to intimidate me then I think I should warn you-" "Warn me of what...?" Nicholas murmured throatily, even as he raised one of his hands to cup the warmth of her cheek, before moving the soft pad of his thumb over the softness of her lips, feeling the warmth of her breath against his fingers as he parted those lips in preparation for his kiss. His own arousal intensified at the feel of that sensual warmth against his skin. His shaft was hard and pulsing, demanding. Caroline's eyes were wide, deep amber pools as she stared up at him. "I should warn you-" "Yes...?" Nicholas prompted softly, holding that wide and startled gaze with his own as his head began to lower towards hers. She breathed softly. "I really should warn you-" "Warn me later, hmm?" he dismissed gruffly, before finally claiming those full and pouting lips with his own.
"We'd like you to come with us to the station immediately," Vanessa's heart began to beat faster, "I don't understand," she said, "What for?" "Mrs Spencer, you're wanted as a prime suspect in the murder of your husband, Mr Christopher Wesley. You need to come with us to the station for questioning. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. I suggest you don't try to resist. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?" Vanessa's jaw dropped. Christopher was dead! It was impossible to believe. She'd just spoken to him that afternoon. It had to be a mistake. She nodded, "I.... I.... I need to call my lawyer," she said, when she finally found her tongue," "Ma'am, you can do that at the station. Turn around, please," ------------ Politician and governorship candidate, Christopher Wesley is dead ; shot in the head right in his own house. The killer is unknown, but the police have a suspect -his estranged wife, Vanessa Spencer Detective Alaric Harper and his partner are placed in charge of this case and at first Alaric is certain that Vanessa had killed her husband. Her motive? He's not sure of. Could it be spite? Maybe the money? Or maybe she just got tired of him delaying their divorce? He's determined to find out and he's sure that he will, but one thing he never expected - falling for her.....
"Why did you leave the party in such a hurry earlier?" Ignoring her sarcasm, Kaleb changed the subject. He just had to ask! The audacity he had! Sasha smirked. "Did you want to enjoy seeing the girl you just kissed a few minutes ago making a friendly chat with your girlfriend?" she snapped, her wound reopened. "Oh, so you left because of Claire?" Again, Kaleb's voice was mocking. "No, I left because of me," Sasha recoiled, and it was her stupidity sending him a text. "And what about you and Samson? I see the way he looked at you at the party. He seems to really like you and the both of you seem really familiar with each other. What do I make out of that?" Kaleb sounded different, odd even. —---------- When Kaleb Luthor decides to move back to the town he grew up in, Sasha Sullivan is bombarded with a lot of emotions. This is a guy she has had a crush on for as long as she can remember, and this is her chance to make him see her more than just his sister's best friend. But as she gets closer to Kaleb, Sasha realizes that he's a totally different guy from the one she has built up in her head, but she still can't let him go. A one night stand was all she needed… But she isn't prepared for the consequences that one night could bring…. And what an affair with Kaleb Luthor would do to her friendship with her best friend, Tilly Luthor.
The last thing Scott McCall expected to see in his hotel room one night is a beautiful waitress. A woman so desperate for a job at his company that she would do anything to get his attention…like sneak into his hotel room to talk to him. Despite his growing attraction for this woman, Scott McCall throws logic out the door and hires her anyway. Vivian Sanchez is excited. She got a job at a successful company, despite all the mistakes and bad decisions she made… and she couldn't believe it. Everything was falling into place and It was all happening like a fairytale. She vows to give this new job her best, but there's just one problem. …. Her boss Being crazily attracted to Scott McCall was a situation Vivian didn't quite anticipate when she asked for this job, and she doesn't quite know how to handle it. The long awkward gazes, subtle flirting and tension between them is enough to make anyone crazy. An affair with the boss could ruin her, but what is life without risks?....
Nina felt Julian's grip on her hand tighten and the cool metal slide over her finger, Nina regretted having agreed to come. She tried to look down, wondering what Julian had done to her finger, but he kept his hand over hers. Awkward didn’t begin to cover it. She felt as if she’d just entered a minefield. “Mom. Dad. I would like you to meet—” His entire body tensed and he gripped her hand almost painfully. It was like he was sending her a silent message. “I’d like you to meet my fiancée, Nina Taylor.” Nina froze. There was a horrible buzz in her ears, and she stared in horror at Julian. She hadn’t heard him right. What kind of idiotic thing had he just done? She wasn’t sure who was more stunned. Her or his family. Abby looked shocked. Loveth looked as if she just swallowed a lemon. Sam looked annoyed, while Julian's father simply frowned. ---------------------- Nina Taylor relocates to New York and reunites with Abby Martin, her best friend from high school, despite the fact that her father disagrees with her decision. But Nina is tired of letting her father dictate every aspect of her life, especially now that he has arranged for her to marry Christopher Anderson, so she is convinced that she has made the right decision by leaving. Soon Nina finds herself in the same situation with Julian Martin.... Will she walk away this time? She only has to pretend to be Julian's fiance for a while though.... She could do that. What could possibly go wrong?
"You are one stubborn lady, you know that?." His raspy tone sounded close to her ear, sending gooseflesh up her arms. And her emotions must have been closer to the surface than she'd wanted to admit, because she could feel the sting of tears behind her lids. Not wanting David to know how he affected her, she hid her face in his shoulder and tried a laugh. It sounded a little wobbly, but it was the best she could produce. "You hardly know me, David. And you already made it clear to me that you don't want to…i understand" He rocked her from side to side, and she could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke. "Well, you are making it difficult for me to stick to that" Bonnie squeezed herself closer, loving the solid feel of his chest against her cheek, the strength of his arms around her. She couldn't recall ever feeling so safe. "It wouldn't be so bad if you let yourself. Forget about whatever reason brought us together. Let go, and live in the moment" David groaned, and then his hand was beneath her chin, tilting her face up. Bonnie smiled, thinking he had a few more questions for her, when his mouth closed over hers and she couldn't think at all. —---------- Bonnie Rimmer is in danger, and David Stewart knows that it's all his fault. He had made more than a few enemies over the years, but a creepy stalker kidnapping the woman he was meant to protect is an entirely different matter. All of this could have been avoided if he had kept to one rule: don’t protect anyone you want to screw. Don't get emotionally involved with your client. But with Bonnie, he’s caught between his job and his increasingly hard libido. The woman is way out of his league, but David wants nothing more than to take the hot volcano of a woman in his hand. To make her writhe in pleasure, until she’s at his complete mercy. She needs protection. He needs satisfaction. And the moment the line is crossed, all hell will break loose…
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!