"Not here, precious. Not like this." His other hand wrapped around my neck and he pressed his forehead against mine. "I will have you beneath me. In a bed. Where I can adore you properly." His statement was a promise. A sensual threat that had me itching to make it come to pass. But I had to get to work. And he was right. A fast fuck in the bubble room would not nearly be enough for what I wanted with Hudson. No, needed. Hudson was far from what I wanted. But I'd gone beyond that now. I had to have him, bad for me though he may be. *** Stalking and restraining orders are a thing of Alayna Wither's past. With her MBA newly in hand, she has her future figured out --move up at the nightclub she works at and stay away from any guy who might trigger her obsessive love disorder. A perfect plan. But what Alayna didn't figure on is Hudson Pierce, the new owner of the nightclub. He's smart, rich, and gorgeous --the kind of guy Alayna knows to stay away from if she wants to keep her past tendencies in check. Except, Hudson's fixed his sights on her. He wants her in his bed and makes no secret of it. Avoiding him isn't an option after he offers a business proposition she can't turn down and she's drawn further into his universe, unable to resist his gravitational pull. When she learns Hudson has a dark history of his own, she realizes too late that she's fallen for the worst man she could possibly get involved with. Or maybe their less than ideal pasts give them an opportunity to heal each other and finally find the love their lives have been missing.
FIXED ON YOU
I FELT ALIVE.
The alternating flashes of dark and soft lights, the throbbing pulse from
an Ellie Goulding club mix, the movement of sweaty bodies dancing,
grinding, enjoying each other-The Sky Launch Nightclub got into my
blood and turned me on in a way that I hadn't let anyone or anything else do
in quite some time. When I was there-working the bar, assisting the wait
staff, attending to the DJs-I felt more free than at any other time of my
day. The club held magic.
And, for me, healing.
For all its vibrancy and life, the club was a safe haven for me. It was a
place I could attach myself without worry of going overboard. No one was
going to sue me for focusing too hard or long on my job. But rumor was
The Sky Launch, which had been up for sale for quite some time, was about
to be sold. A new owner could change everything.
"Laynie." Sasha, the waitress working the upper floor, pulled me from
my thoughts and back to my job. "I need a vodka tonic, a White Russian,
and two Butterballs."
"Got it." I pulled the vodka from the shelf behind me.
"I can't believe how busy we are for a Thursday," she said as I worked
on her order.
"It's the summer crowd. Give it a week, and the place will explode." I
couldn't wait. Summer at the club was a total blast.
"That's when things around here get fun." David Lindt, the general
manager of the club, joined our conversation, a sparkle showing in his eyes
as the bright white light that lit the bar illuminated his face.
"Real fun." I gave David a wide smile and winked while I placed the
drinks on Sasha's tray, my stomach tensing with a flicker of desire.
He answered my wink with one of his own, stirring the flicker in my
belly to a low flame.
David wasn't the love of my life-not even the love of the moment-
but his shared passion for the club sparked something in me. My interest in
learning more and moving up from bartending had seemed to interest him
as well. More than one late night of showing me the ropes had ended in
heavy make-out sessions. Though I hadn't been instantly attracted to him,
his small stature, curly blonde hair and blue eyes had grown on me. Also,
his keen business sense and exceptional management style were qualities I
required in a man. And, truthfully, the lack of effect he had on my emotions
provided half the draw. We had decent chemistry, but he didn't have me
freaking out all over him like I had over other guys. He was safe and solid
and that was my definition of the perfect man.
I rang up Sasha's order while David filled shot glasses-Todd's order, I
suspected, another waiter standing next to Sasha. David rarely stepped
behind the bar anymore, but we were short-staffed for the night and I
welcomed his help. Especially with the way we were picking up. A regular
and his friends had leaned against the bar waiting for my attention, and out
of the corner of my eye, I saw a suit taking a spot at the far end of the
counter.
I handed Sasha her ticket, but David stopped her before she could take
off. "Hold on. While there's at least a few of us here, I think we should toast
to Laynie." He passed around the shots he'd been filling. Tequila-my
liquor of choice.
I peered at him suspiciously. While it wasn't unusual to have a shot or
two while working a shift, it was always kept on the down-low, never in
front of our manager and certainly not at his encouragement.
"No worries," David said, bumping my shoulder with his. "It's a special
occasion."
With a shrug, I smiled and took the shot he offered me. "You're the
boss."
"We're too busy for a proper toast, so let's just say this is to Laynie.
We're proud of you, girl."
I blushed and clinked glasses as everyone around, including the regular
customer and his friends, shouted out "hear, hear" and "cheers."
"Woo hoo!" I screamed my own excitement. I'd worked hard to get my
degree. I was proud of myself too. I slammed the shot back, enjoying the
burn as it lined my throat and spread through my veins. "Goddamn, that's
nice!"
Aware that the crowd was getting antsy, Sasha took off with her order
while David filled Todd's. I turned my attention first to the regular, a guy
whose name deserted me. He leaned in to give me a hug, which I returned. I
might not remember him, but I knew how to earn my tips.
"Four of whatever's on tap," he said, raising his voice over the music
which seemed to have gotten louder in the last few minutes. "Where's
Liesl?"
I handed him his first two mugs and began work on the next two. "Since
she's covering all my shifts next week she has tonight off." That's right-
this was the guy that usually flirted with Liesl, another bartender.
"That's cool. So what are you doing on your vacation?" With Liesl not
around, Regular turned his charm on me. His eyes travelled to my breasts
that were admittedly hard to miss. Especially with my low-cut neckline. I
had some nice girls, who could blame me for showing them off?
"Absolutely nothing." I hoped my delivery sounded like I was looking
forward to my vacation. Truth was I'd taken the time off so I could go home
and spend time with my older brother. But only that morning, Brian had
called the trip off, saying that he was too swamped with work. He wouldn't
even be able to make it to my graduation.
I swallowed the emotions that threatened to show on my face. On top of
being disappointed, I was terrified. Me with nothing to occupy my time was
not an attractive me. I'd almost told David several times to go ahead and
put me on the schedule, but every time I started, I felt like a total loser.
Maybe a week off would be good for me. I could handle it. Right?
Now wasn't the time to fret about the week to come. I finished the
transaction with Regular and slid down the bar to take care of the suit at the
end of the counter.
"Now what can I get...you...?" My words trailed off as my eyes met
the suit's, the air leaving my lungs, suddenly sucked out by the sight that
met me. The man...he was...gorgeous.
Incredibly gorgeous.
I couldn't look away, his appearance magnetizing. Which meant he was
exactly the type of man I should avoid.
After the numerous heartaches that had dotted my past, I'd discovered
that I could divide the men I was attracted to into two categories. The first
category could be described as fuck and forget. These were the men that got
me going in the bedroom, but were easy to leave behind if necessary. It was
the only group I bothered with anymore.
Our lips stayed locked as we grinded and humped, a tight ball of tension growing deep in my belly. I’d never been so intimate with someone during a first kiss let alone the first night we’d met. Never felt so close to orgasm with all of my clothes still on. Never been on the verge of begging for sex from a near stranger—The sound of a throat clearing brought me tumbling out of ecstasy. Dylan broke his mouth from mine and peered around me. “Yes?” The driver. Oh my God, I’d forgotten about our driver. **** British ad exec Dylan Locke isn't looking for love. He isn't looking for fate. He's definitely not looking for Audrey Lind. She's pretty, far too young, and overly romantic--in short, exhausting. But when the girl, young enough to be his daughter, literally lands in his lap and asks for his expertise, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested. But Audrey isn't looking for love either--she's looking for lessons, and she's certain Dylan knows everything she needs to learn. If he agrees to play the teacher can he keep his heart? Of course he can. Then again, he might be lying.
Are You Sure You Want To Delete This Contact? He hesitated. Maybe he was overreacting. Just because his parents hadn’t worked out… “Christ, Brad, divorced?” Stu said into the phone. Until now, Stu hadn’t said much and his sudden outburst drew Micah’s attention. “I knew that chick was just after your money.” Stu paused. “Look, I’m real sorry to hear that. I’ll get Pam to spin it to the press however you want me to. It’s funny, I was just saying to another client that relationships in Hollywood are tough.” Stu gave a knowing wink and Micah’s mind was made up. He looked back at his phone. Are You Sure You Want To Delete This Contact? Micah pushed Yes. And Maddie from the party was erased from his phone. Erased from his life. *** On the night of her graduation from film school, straight-laced Maddie Bauers fell completely out of character for an oh-my-god make-out session with a perfect stranger. Complete with the big O. Seven years later, that romantic interlude is still fresh in her mind. That stranger is now a rich and famous actor. And she’s one very distracted camera assistant working on his latest production. She might consider another tryst…if he even remembers her.
He’ll get what he wants—even if I’m already taken. Holt Sebastian is royalty in our world. As CEO of the Sebastian News Corp, he’s the man with all the power. The man who decides if I’ll always just be a local television anchor or if I’ll be the rising star of my own show. I make it my mission to be noticed. Make him see my potential. But soon, it's clear he's the one in charge. His possessiveness is brutal. His eyes own everything they touch. I feel his gaze on me when he's in the room. The heat of them as they rake down my body, taking me in, marking me as his. He doesn’t just want me on the screen—he wants me in his bed. And Holt Sebastian gets what he wants. No one will stop him, no one will get in his way. No one can protect me from his desire. Not even the man who promised nothing would come between us and his ambition—my husband.
“He’s never going to go for you,” a voice came out of the dark in front of me. “Not while you’re a virgin.” I squinted, and when I looked closer, I saw there was another bedroom at the end of the hall with the door wide open, and though I couldn’t quite make out the figure, I could see there was someone sitting in an armchair, smoking a cigarette. Or a cigar maybe. I took a step forward. Surely he wasn’t talking to me, but there didn’t seem to be anyone else around. “Excuse me?” “Weston never goes for virgins. It’s one of his rules.” Heat rushed up my neck and flooded my cheeks. “Uh…” “You’re offended.” **** When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me. I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn't stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, of parties and s*x and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me. He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world. And then what it was like to lose it. Ten years later, I’ve found my way back. Back to their world. Back to him. This time, I’m ready. I've been down this road before, and I know all the dirty, filthy ways Donovan will try and wreck me. But it’s hard to resist. Especially when I know how much I’ll like it.
I hated how he said my name, like he had all the power because he knew that bit of information about me. Hated it and loved it. I also hated how his eyes drew up my body, long and slow. Sensually touching my every curve, my every angle. Hated and loved it. Hated that I loved it. I sat on the chair that was still behind me, not trusting my legs to keep me steady for much longer. “What exactly is this deal you have? And who are you?” “I,” he paused, “am JC.” I’d never heard of him. “JC…?” “Just JC.” He said it like it answered everything. Two short syllables to put me in my place. “As in Jesus Christ?” JC chuckled as well, his expression brash and sexy. “I’ve been called that. But usually only when my face is pressed between a woman’s thighs.” Ew. Also, hot. —— The only reward Gwen Anders got from her rough childhood was a thick skin and hard heart. She’s content with her daily grind managing a top NYC nightclub—Eighty-Eighth Floor. So hers isn’t a happily ever after. She doesn’t believe in those anyway. Then she meets J.C. The rich, smooth talking playboy is the sexiest thing that Gwen has ever encountered, but she’s not interested in a night-in-shining latex. But when a family tragedy pushes her to the brink, it’s J.C. who’s there to teach her a new method of survival, one based on following primal urges and desires. His no-strings-attached lessons require her to abandon her constant need for control. Her carefully built walls are obliterated. Gwen discovers there’s a beautiful world outside her prison. Freedom is exhilarating—and terrifying. When she starts to feel something for J.C., she fears for her heart. Especially as she realizes that he has secrets of his own. Secrets that don't want to set him free.
“I don’t need your money.” She stuck out her chin. Insistent. “I do fine.” “‘Fine,’ but you’re getting kicked out of your hotel room—” “Fine doesn’t mean I can spare the money for an impromptu trip to NYC and a fancy hotel room. Regular people don’t have gobs of cash lying around.” The comment about regular people hit me in the gut. Because I’d always been the regular one, and she’d never been anything close to “regular.” But I understood what she was saying. She wasn’t desperate. She could take care of herself. She just couldn’t take care of this, and to make matters worse, the reason she’d splurged on this was because she’d put all of her hope in me saying I’d help her out, and I refused. ___ We were supposed to run away after graduation. When she didn’t show at our meeting place, I got brave and went after her. It was a mistake. I left bloodied and bruised. I had no choice but to walk away. Years passed. I traveled, settled halfway around the world, made enough money that I didn’t have to look back. But I never got over her. Then, out of the blue, she calls. And, what she asks for, the favor that she wants? I never thought I'd be willing to take a life. But the truth is, and always has been: I'd do anything for her.
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
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?"
"I stood at the edge of my heart and watched him choose her. In the end, I was not the one he needed. I was simply the one he settled for." - Noelle ~~~~~~~ I thought I was the one he loved. But a few days before our wedding, I saw him in a way I never had before. His eyes softened as he spoke to her. His first love, and the very woman who had left him in pieces. Heartbreak was something I knew too well. And as I watched the love he still held for her in his eyes, I realized what I had to do. I couldn't marry a man who wasn't truly mine. With no means to cancel the wedding and lacking the courage to confront him, I made a desperate choice to leave. I painfully gave his first love my treasured engagement ring thinking it was for the best and the only way to free myself. But when he saw that ring on her finger, the fragile world I had tried to escape began to shatter. His obsession to find me and bring me back ignited a dangerous game of cat and mouse.