Sometimes being outnumbered is a good thing--a very good thing! Harper When I signed up for an app that let me make some extra cash attending events with single men, I had no idea it would lead me to fall in love--four times! Scott is a caring organic farmer with muscles like no other. Damien is one of the richest men in the world who knows how to spoil me. Rafe is a famous quarterback who always hits me in the right spot. And then there's Tomas, my former professor turned Latin lover. It's scary dating four men, but they don't mind. In fact, they like how happy I am this way. Jack, however, my ex, is not exactly happy to find out my new situation. He'll stop at nothing to have me as his own--and share me with no one. When he goes too far, will my men be able to save me? If you love steamy reverse harem books, this new series from the author of Realm of the Chosen and Ember's Flames is perfect for you. Why choose if you don't have to?
Harper
"You should totally do it. My sister made loads of money. I think she paid off all her student loans!" McKenzy says, tapping the 'Apply' button on the screen insistently.
I look at https://atalooseend.com like it's a snake that's going to bite me. How did it come to this?!
"You're a poor, starving artist who doesn't sell enough pieces to cover the rent," she answers my unspoken question, her tone flat. "You have student loans so far up your ass you can taste the red ink! Trust me, this is your best option."
"But... what if they want sex?" I question, wondering if I have it in me to become an escort. I've never done anything like that before, though I'm certainly not a virgin.
McKenzy stabs her finger at the bold, red, 64-font words on the 'About' page. "'Dates are NOT required to or encouraged to provide sex or engage in sexual acts'. It's even in the legalese we read in the sample contract. Big and bold. In fact, if we go to the home page..." She reaches over my shoulder and maneuvers on my touchpad. "Ah, yes. See? They've practically got a neon sign with flares going off around it."
I have to admit, the website is making that point abundantly clear. "Still, dating for money? Isn't that a bit, you know, whorish?"
"Honey," she says, "you're at the end of your options. You're a beautiful, sophisticated, twenty-five-year-old starving artist. Shake that booty. Shake it now."
Then she hip-checks me out of the way of my own laptop and stabs my touchpad, lighting up the 'Apply' button.
"I'll just fill this out for you, if you're too nervous. Or proud." She winks at me. "You know, you're far too stuffy for a sexy woman your age. Live a little. Just give me your social security number and payment info when I ask for it, and you'll be all set."
I sit down on a plastic-and-metal chair creation of McKenzy's and try not to let out my internal scream. But she was right. If I'm going to stand on my own two feet and stop asking my parents for money, this is how it has to be.
"How's the 'rents?" she asks.
I swear she's a mind reader. "Pissed. They said if I ask for rent money one more time, they're moving me home, whether I want to go or not."
"Daaaaaamn." She fills out a few more fields.
I lean forward. "Just what the heck did you put in the 'interests' box?!"
"Big dicks." McKenzy rolls her eyes. "Relax. Art. Nature. Long walks on the beach. A good book. Partying-"
"I don't enjoy partying. I haven't done that since college," I object.
"Yeah, but they don't need to know that," she replies. "I mean, you're going to be a rent-a-woman. You're supposed to sound like you're a good time."
I groan. "McKenzy..."
"Relax. I've got this. You just go finish that painting you've been putting the 'finishing touches' on for a month." I can hear the condescension in her tone.
"You once wrestled with a coffee table design for the better part of a year," I protest.
"That was different. With the model, I can make more than one of its kind."
I see her type 'sexy and single' in another box and want to throttle her. Instead, I look away and respond to our conversation. "What do you think a lithograph print is?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's never the same as having the original," she mutters. "Okay, social security and payment info."
Thinking about my debts and knowing I've been utterly defeated, I sigh out the number. "And the email address for my payment method is michaelvernonfan33@gmail.com."
McKenzy swings her head around. "Are you still crushing on that guy?"
"I'm not! McKenzy, he's my favorite artist. I'm not crushing on him. I admire him and his work," I explain with failing patience.
"I get you. I get you. But I'll bet you'd pose naked for him and then roll around in the paint if you could." She giggles.
I rub my temples. "He's married."
"Well, shit. There goes a perfectly good fantasy," she laments.
"Are you done yet?"
McKenzy cracks her knuckles. "Aaaaand 'Submit.' Congratulations, you're a registered escort."
I throw a fuzzy decorative pillow at her. "Date. I'm a date!"
"I know. I'm just messing with you." She steps away from my laptop humming, proud of herself.
I feel sick to my stomach, nervously going over to see the profile she's made. "McKenzy, this isn't me!"
"Of course it's not you," she replies. "It's the you that you need to be to hook a man."
The profile picture in particular mortifies me. "I am not using a beach shot in a bikini as my picture!"
"You should actually add a lot more pictures," she muses. "They'll want to see you from every angle."
I consider shutting the whole thing down right then and there, but then my banking app pings my phone to tell me my balance has reached zero dollars.
"I'm changing the profile pic," I grumble. I look at my phone again and wince as the bank app continues with another push notification, letting me know something bounced. "And... maybe add a few more."
McKenzy claps me on the back. "That's the spirit!"
* * *
Two hours later, I've got what I think is a profile I can live with, sans bikini pics. I am just drying my hair after showering off flecks of paint, when my laptop dings. Curious, I look at my phone then realize I haven't downloaded the At a Loose End app. It has to be the app. Everything else is synced to my phone.
I cautiously flip my laptop open, almost afraid the website will suck me in and deposit me at the feet of some pervert. Taking several deep breaths, I remind myself that I get the final say on who I choose to "date."
My avatar in the upper right corner winks playfully at me, tempting me to look at the request.
I have no choice. It's this or move back to Otsego to live with my parents. There is no way I'm moving back home..
I click on my avatar, and the very helpful drop-down shows me I have one request–and a message. I think I can handle the message. Actually, accepting the request might require some huffing into a paper bag first.
ScottIAm: Hi.
'Hi'? That's all I get? I look at his avatar, an ear of corn, and see a green dot indicating he's online. I decide to respond. If I can feel him out, maybe I'll feel better about accepting the date.
ArtIsMyLife33: Hi. I'm Harper. This is actually my first time
Oh, right, let's start with that, Harper. Great start there. I shake my head at myself. At least I didn't embarrass myself right off the bat.
ArtIsMyLife33: Hi. I'm Harper. Are you interested in a date?
Would you like to chop me up into little bits in your van? Ugh. Get it together, girl!
ArtIsMyLife33: Hi. I'm Harper. I hear you need a date.
I bang my head on my screen, causing the touch screen to get mad and try to minimize everything. No, Harper, he's contacting you because he needs advice on how to make a casserole. I restore my Internet window.
ArtIsMyLife33: Hi. I'm Harper.
Enter.
Done.
...
Fuck.
ScottIAm: ...
ScottIAm: Hi, Harper. I'm Scott. Pleased to meet you.
What am I supposed to say to that? 'Pleased to meet you too'? I'm not exactly pleased. I'm desperate.
ArtIsMyLife33: Listen, I'm here for your wallet, you're here for my arm candy, let's just get this over w
I take a deep breath through my nose and let it slowly out of my mouth. I need to feel this guy out because, as much as I don't want to move back to Otsego, I want to end up being pulled from the Mississippi in pieces even less.
ScottIAm: This is kind of awkward, isn't it?
Yeah, no shit.
ArtIsMyLife33: Yeah, it kinda is.
ScottIAm: Your profile says I'd be your first date. You just started today? I'm not being creepy, I swear. I'm just curious about... you know... why.
Isn't that the million-dollar question. Actually, I'd happily settle for a couple of thousand to resuscitate my bank account. I can hear it panting from here.
ArtIsMyLife33: 25-year-old starving artist. No great mystery there, I guess.
ScottIAm: You're really an artist? That's cool. I'm an organic farmer. I don't know if you looked at my request yet, but I'm completely vetted, and I promise I've had all my shots, and I don't bite. What kind of art do you do? That's not in your profile, and I don't see any pictures.
ArtIsMyLife33: My friend made my profile. I was too chicken, to be completely honest with you. If we hit it off, I'd love to talk to you about my art. You would be my first date. I know it probably says in the request, but where do you need me to go and why?
ScottIAm: Cousin's wedding this Friday. I'm trying to keep my family off my back about marriage, so I need a stand-in girlfriend. Can I see some of your art? I'm really curious now.
I eye the expectant little chat bar with its seductive plus sign for adding photographs. What the hell? I'm an artist. I should be happy to exhibit my art wherever to whomever! I click the plus sign and attach a high-quality image of one of my paintings.
ScottIAm: That's beautiful. Have you sold it already?
I wish. I open the image and stare despondently at my colorful, abstract oil painting of a lake scene.
ArtIsMyLife33: No bites yet.
ScottIAm: I lied. Maybe I do bite.
I laugh.
ArtIsMyLife33: LOL, seriously, I don't expect you to buy my artwork in order to get me to be your stand-in girlfriend. But thanks for saying it's beautiful.
ScottIAm: Is this where I should drop the line, "But not as beautiful as you"?
I laugh harder. I am starting to like this guy.
ArtIsMyLife33: You want some crackers with that cheese?
ScottIAm: Lol. So, would you consider giving this a try? It's my first time too. I figure we can help each other through it.
My fingers hover over the keys. Then, I make a decision.
ArtIsMyLife33: Yeah. Let's give this a try.
ScottIAm: Great! So, I think you just accept my request or something, but do you know where you'd like to meet so I can pick you up? I don't want you to feel like I'm stalking your address.
With a snort, I give it some thought.
ArtIsMyLife33: Let's meet at the Hampden Co-Op. It's not far from where I live.
ScottIAm: Sounds great. Pick you up at 11:00 AM?
ArtIsMyLife33: Sounds great. But Scott, one thing. If you chop me up and throw me in the Mississippi, I am going to haunt you for all eternity.
ScottIAm: Lol! Same, Harper. Same.
Then Scott signs off, his green dot going a vacant white. I sit back in my chair, feeling stunned but also a bit relieved. It seems like my first date is actually going to be okay.
I pull up Scott's profile, just to double-check before I pull the trigger and Lord, have mercy. I do a double-take at his profile pic. How can a man that handsome have to buy a date to stand in at his cousin's wedding?! Chestnut brown hair, sky blue eyes, boyish grin, and the cutest dimples I've ever seen!
After giving it some thought, I decide that's probably exactly why he's hiring me. He doesn't want any weird set-ups by family members trying to marry him off. With me, there's no chance of any messy romantic entanglements.
No chance at all.
All fae have a One--One person who strengthens their magic and enriches their life. A perfect mate. So why can't I find mine? What is a fae princess to do when she can't find the prince she's meant to spend the rest of her life with? I have to find him now, for the sake of my kingdom. Evil forces are moving in, and the only way I can come into my full power is to find my perfect mate. If I don't, the magical barrier that protects us will crumble because my magic won't be strong enough to hold it. But... I feel this strange pull to not one, but four different men! What in the world is going on? Can I be mated to all four of these men and still save my kingdom, or will what seems to be an asset turn out to be our undoing? The One is the first in a new reverse harem series by the author of Realm of the Chosen and Ember's Flames.
Late at night, when I think I'm alone, I feel his breath on the side of my face, and I know--he's watching me. Ever since I moved into this ancient mansion to take care of my sick aunt, I've been experiencing strange things. When I discover she has a boarder, a mysterious, sexy artist who lives on the third floor, I think some of that is explained. The bumps in the night. The whispers from the shadows. But once Dalton and I are properly introduced, the strange occurrences don't stop. If anything, they are amplified. When I close my eyes at night, it's his face I see. It's his hands I feel. It's his lips I taste. The more I get to know him, the more I realize I don't know him at all. Dalton's not the kind of man that buys a woman flowers and makes her feel all warm and fuzzy. No, he's the kind of man your mama would tell you to run from. Cold. Dangerous. Complex. And now that he wants me, I learn he is more than that. Possessive. Controlling. Diabolical. I should leave this place before it's too late, but I know I can't. Whatever it is that's sunk it's fangs into him, it has me, too. He has me, too. For better or worse. 'Til death... Whispers of the Devil is a dark romance which some readers may find disturbing. Proceed with caution.
Indebted to the Mafia Blurb “Well, are you going to do it or not?” I keep my chin held high, but inside, I’m trembling. “Do what?’ the mafia king asks me, a smug look on his face. “What you paid for.” I bite my bottom lip, wondering if I can handle him. I am a virgin, after all. He snickers at me, and then, his mouth is on mine, and he’s taking every penny’s worth. *** Eleni I’d do anything to keep my family safe. When I find out a mobster is trying to kill everyone I love because of a debt, I sacrifice myself and end up on an auction block. When I find myself owned by Dante Cattaneo, I don’t know if I’ve been saved or sent straight to hell. Dante She’s gorgeous and scares as hell, even though she’s trying not to show it. My number one rule is to never let my weakness show, but from the moment I see her face, I know I have to have her. And if anyone finds out how I feel about her, I’m screwed. Dive into this steamy, dark, mafia romance now!
The morning after the Haze, I open my eyes expecting to see the love of my life, my fated mate. Instead, I see... HIM! "This can't be happening!" *** Would you rather live in a world where the impossible is possible or the possible is impossible? Blanca faces an uncertain future when she finds she's mated to the one man she never thought could be her mate. If Kieran is her mate, then her entire life is a lie. Since she's been abused her whole life, that might be a good thing. But this is... wrong on so many levels. Will Blanca find out the truth about her real identity--or be banished from her pack forever? If you like love with a twist, give this one a chance--don't quit too soon, or you'll never find out Blanca's secret!
"Kane stays unmoving, and I realize he’s barely breathing. I don’t think he needs oxygen to stay alive, so that’s not too surprising, but I can’t’ figure out why he is so still. His hand at my waist is so very close to my breastbone, the longing for him to slide it up only a few inches, to touch me in places no one ever has before, has a gasp leaving my lips. I have to bite down again to keep from moaning, and he hasn’t even kissed me yet." Emory I was born to be the Alpha of my pack, my father's first born daughter. But now... I am here, in the castle of our greatest enemy, the Vampire King. I should hate Kane Alexander, but the more time I spend with him, the more I long for him in ways I cannot understand. I am not here to be his lover, though. I am here to be his feeder, to satisfy his hunger, his thirst for blood. But even before his lips graze my skin the first time, I know I would give myself to him in every way imaginable if only he should ask. Kane I long to taste the wolf shifter, but not her blood, her body... her essence. I want her in every way imaginable. But I'm already betrothed to marry another blood-born vampire, and if I call that off, I have resigned my kingdom to yet another war. There has to be a way to keep Emory Moonraker as my feeder but not claim her in my bed. I just haven't figured it out yet, and every time I look into her jade eyes, I forget everything and everyone but her. But I have enemies, and every moment she spends here in my home, Castle Graystone, she's in danger. I can protect her, but at what cost? Am I willing to risk everything to make her mine? Or should I put my duty to my kingdom first? The Vampire King's Feeder is a romance with vampires and wolf shifters. It is for mature readers only.
Prince Rafe leans over me, holding himself up on one elbow as he gazes at my face. I feel his eyes wandering over every surface from my brow to my eyes, down my nose, to my lips and chin, and then returning to hold my gaze for a second. The small smile at the corner of his mouth makes me think he likes what he sees. His hand is cool when it brushes a loose curl from my cheek, but I don’t jerk away from him. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t understand why I’m here. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. It seems like a lot of powerful people want me—dead or alive. And yet, all I can think about right now is how badly I want this vampire’s hands on my body. *** I live in a desolate village on the edge of the Vampire King’s lands. This used to be wolf shifter territory, but now, we are just trying to survive. When I mess up and find myself in a culling, I know I’m dead. No wolf shifters ever survive these events. And after the stunt I pulled in the middle of the village, Prince Rafe probably wants me dead. Is it a good thing or a bad thing when a vampire looks at you like you’re a snack? Something tells me, once I reach the castle, I’ll be missing my miserable existence in the village. But then—it turns out I have no freaking idea who I even am, and when the royals start referring to me as Princess Ainslee, I realize my life is about to take a turn—for better or worse. From the author of The Alpha King’s Breeder, One Weekend with the Billionaire, and Shared by the Sexy Billionaire Twins.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Haisley Jefferson, daughter of the Alpha of The Ashen Crescent Pack, finds her life far from fulfilling. She yearns to meet her mate so she can finally escape the hellhole she once called home. Instead of meeting her mate and escaping, fate takes an unexpected turn on her 21st birthday. Rather than a mate, she's given a husband – Hades Stone, the future Alpha of The DuskBane Pack, and a man she has secretly loved for years. The only problem is he has his eyes set on Alice, her adopted sister. In the face of this dilemma, Haisley rejects the marriage, but destiny seems to have its own plans beyond her control. Haisley finds herself at a crossroads. While she wishes for her mate to rescue her, she's also entangled in a deep affection for Hades. A forced marriage to him was not her desire, but it seems destiny has other plans.
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
The Lloyds' family had only one son, Xavier. He was a billionaire businessman. He was dubbed the "contemporary Midas." They call it the Xavier touch since every firm he owns succeeds. All of his business rivals would do anything, if not everything, to see him lose his touch. His father demanded that she marry soon, or he would find him a wife. But he had no desire to marry. Eunice Dawson, an illegitimate kid, has been living with her father and his family since her mother died. She stated that she intended to lead a normal life. However, things are growing more difficult. Her stepmother and half-sister are not fond of her. Her boyfriend, whom she thought loved her, abandoned her in favor of Irene, her step-sister. Her father was never angry with Irene, instead telling her to just let things go. that her lover was more interested in Irene than in her. She felt lonely and heartbroken. What is Xavier's reason for not desiring a wife? What would happen if Eunice ran away from her father's home?