I tried hard not to fall for the bad guy.

My new roommate, Blake, is a jerk—an unemployed artist with a chip on his shoulder. I can’t stand him unless his hands are on me. He makes me desperate for him, and everything he makes me feel.

And then there’s my new boss, Pierce–successful, charming, and extremely good-looking. He goes after what he wants, but what does he see in me?

I try to stay away, but I end up in the arms of exactly who I was hiding from. And when I find out what’s being hidden from me, my heart twists in ways it never should.

I thought I knew him.

I didn’t.

The way he kissed me.

The way his hands traveled every inch of my skin.

I thought it meant something, but as it turns out, it was all lies unspoken.

Lisa De Jong is a wife, mother and full-time number cruncher who lives in the Midwest. Her writing journey involved insane amounts of coffee and many nights of very little sleep but she wouldn’t change a thing. She also enjoys reading, football and music.

 

Book Two in The Alabama Summer series.

Luke Evans is a heartbreaker.

I didn’t want to give mine to him. Not when he kept me out.

He gave me enough, just enough to make me fall in love with him. I say this to convince myself. But I know the truth.

I would’ve fallen in love with him at a distance.

Handing my heart over to Luke was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I was naive when I wished for more, when I hoped he wanted the same things I did.

I try to hate him. I try to forget him.

But it’s not that easy.

Love is a ruthless bitch, and I’m her latest victim.

Tessa Kelly is a man-eater.

When she sets her sights on you, she doesn’t just consume your heart, she goes for your soul.

What we had was perfect, real, and all I would ever want.

But she destroyed it.

She destroyed us.

I try to hate her. I try to forget her.

But it’s not that easy.

Love is for people who have hope, and I have none.

Prologue

Two months ago

No.

No.

No.

Jesus. Fuck, no.

There are absolutely zero good-looking men at this thing. Besides Reed, who disappeared an hour ago with some giggly brunette, and the man I refuse to acknowledge. Weddings are supposed to be a breeding ground for nameless hook-ups, and I’m shit out of luck at this one. So instead of getting drilled in a concealed corner somewhere, my dress bunched around my waist as a stranger becomes familiar with my sounds, I’m having to find other ways to pass the time.

Eat cake.

Hit up the open bar.

Eat more cake.

Dance with Nolan.

Get cake with Nolan.

Steal Mia away from Ben.

Watch Mia get carried off by Ben.

And now this.

Sitting at an empty table, watching as Ben, Mia, and Nolan all slow dance together. Nolan’s in between them, rubbing Mia’s growing baby bump, while Ben can’t seem to keep his eyes off his new wife. I’m crazy happy for them, but right now, I can’t watch them share another perfect family moment in front of me. I need a break from this. Just a few minutes to get some air.

I step out of the tent and head across the lawn toward the Estate House. I’m walking aimlessly, not having any destination in mind. I just need to get away from all the love for a second. Love is great when you’re with someone. It’s better when it’s reciprocated. But it fucking sucks when that shit is one-sided.

And that’s the only way I’ve known it.

I walk down the side of the building and turn right to go around the back. As soon as I round the corner, I see him.

He’s leaning against the building behind some shrubs, head back, eyes closed, lips slightly parted. His sandy-brown hair is cut shorter than normal, almost buzzed completely, and it does really annoying things to his face. Like show it off more. Those ridiculously gorgeous features of his are on display for my eyes right now, and I don’t have to avert my gaze because he doesn’t know I’m watching. He has no idea I’m staring at his sharp, angular cheekbones, the fullness of his mouth, or the bump at the bridge of his nose that I see as this perfect imperfection.

God, I fucking love that bump.

His face tenses as his arms move to the front of his body, and I let my eyes roam to the reason for this change.

The blonde I recognize from the wedding is on her knees with his cock lodged in her mouth, deep throating it until she gags. His hands are in her hair, encouraging her, pulling her closer until she practically swallows him whole. I lift my eyes to that face I was just secretly admiring seconds ago. It’s no longer tempting me to keep my presence unknown. Because there’s no way in hell I’m going to let this shit happen right now.

Fuck him, and his face.

I step in front of the bush and make a fist, clearing my throat into it. Luke’s eyes shoot open and he grabs the blonde’s head, sliding her off his cock. She releases it with a pop and a grunt of disappointment. Apparently, she isn’t finished. But she looks pretty fucking finished to me.

Luke tucks himself away quickly. “What the fuck, Tessa? What are you doing?”

I look from him to the blonde. “Oh, sweetie. You might want to go disinfect. He’s got the herp.”

Slutty blonde parts her lips as if she’s waiting for another cock. She stands and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, glaring in Luke’s direction. “Oh my God. Are you serious? You have herpes?”

Luke’s wide eyes train on mine. “What? No I don’t!”

“He’s really sweet about it though,” I say, looking sympathetically at the blonde. “He pays for my Valtrex every month.” I turn my eyes to Luke, letting out a swooning sigh. “So romantic.”

Blonde shoves against Luke’s chest. “You’re disgusting.”

“I don’t have fucking herpes!” Luke adamantly vows as he tightens his belt.

I watch, basking in my victory as blonde trudges through the grass, getting her heel caught in the process. She stumbles a bit, glares at Luke over her shoulder, and disappears around the corner.

“I can’t fucking believe you just did that,” Luke says, prompting me to whip my head around to look at him. He buttons his suit jacket up and steps closer. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

You.

What happened between us.

 And the fact that you’ve obviously moved on without any difficulty.

I close the gap and he freezes, his hand flattening against his jacket. My gaze flicks from his crotch to his face, and I mask all the hurt of seeing this asshole with another woman behind the fakest smile I’ve ever worn.

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me. You, on the other hand, might want to go to the clinic. If you didn’t have an STD before that whore touched you, I’m sure you have one now.”

I turn and storm away before he can give me a comeback. But more importantly, before he can see the smile fading from my lips.

 

J Daniels was born and raised in Maryland.

After putting her kids to bed, she escapes into her cheeky world where some of her characters kiss, and some of them do a lot more than kiss.

She is an avid reader and enjoys everything from unconventional romance to fantasy novels.

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Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive… until Evan’s twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable – the love of his life, Ryley Clarke – engaged to his brother, Nate.  With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell and two Parakeets.

During the day Heidi is behind a desk talking about Land Use. At night, she’s writing one of the many stories planned for release or sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.

Monica and Alex Waters have spent that last few months working to repair a broken marriage and rekindle their passion. Just as they start finding their spark, Quinn Matthews and his escalating career resurfaces, but this time Alex makes the decision to let Monica go.

The devastation of losing her high school sweetheart, her home, and even her dog twists Monica down a destructive path that alienates her from her closest friends and lands her in the one place she was trying to avoid… Quinn’s couch. Despite her efforts to resist jumping into his arms again, the spark between them reignites and sweeps her away on a whirlwind holiday. She finds that falling in love with Quinn’s family and lifestyle is as easy as falling for his ocean colored eyes. The problem is that it’s all too easy, and when she sees that Quinn’s reinvented life has completely shifted towards her dreams, she starts to question whether he’s too good to be true.

Quinn has a secret that was never meant to be, but will Monica be able to trust another man who’s lied? And now that Quinn’s got his happily ever after in sight, he’s not about to let her go or share her with another man.

The outdoor style shopping mall is bustling with tourist and local art lovers. Rows of art galleries surround the courtyard where a stage welcomes a local reggae band. Monica settles into a groove and starts dancing with the crowd. Alex tries to hang in for a couple of songs before he starts feeling claustrophobic and looks to the galleries and shops around them.

“Go ahead,” she says with a loving smile. “I’ll meet you down there… after one more song.”

He gives her a little kiss on the cheek and glides his hand across her behind before making his way out of the crowd. His attention is pulled by various pieces in gallery windows along the way. There’s a large glass sea turtle in shades of green and gold followed by a painting of an autumn forest with heavy texture. He stands daydreaming for a minute until he’s distracted by a reflection passing in the glass. It’s so brief he’s sure it’s his imagination. He barely catches a glimpse down the mall as the backside of the man disappears into another gallery.

Alex follows the ghost, dodging through happy couples and pushy salespeople trying to get his attention. Before he can see inside the gallery, a painting that’s prominently displayed on a front wall stops him. A cold washes over as he stands there staring at it. He slowly moves inside, mesmerized by the familiar vibrant paint strokes until he sees a few people gathered in the back. A man talking to two smiling women stills himself as Alex’s eyes freeze on the back of his shaved head. No words were needed as the tropical air takes a chill. Even the women sense a showdown, and step back to give Quinn room.

Quinn turns. What do I say? Fuck! I thought that was him. I hoped it wasn’t. Quinn moves very slowly towards Alex. Is he gonna hit me? I do deserve it. Might as well get it over with. “Hey.” Quinn pauses near the center of the room waiting.

Alex swallows hard, his nostrils flaring and fist clenched. His jaw flexes as his breathing grows heavier, but the emotions just start to turn to mush. His eyes fill as thoughts of his new friend’s betrayal wash over and the painting draws his eyes again.

“I’m sorry Alex,” Quinn says quietly.

Monica nearly passes the gallery on her way to see their friends when Alex’s shirt first catches her eye. She halts and shifts backwards until she sees the painting and stops. It’s a female figure bent forward reaching for her toes. The abstract form of her body in swirls of orange and reds is cradled by a man swathed in blues and purple. Oh my God! That’s me. That’s us, stretching. It can’t be. He’s…

She struggles for air as the tears swell, and she can already feel him. As she stands there, not crossing the threshold, the two men watch her. When her eyes finally land on Quinn, electricity fills the room. She can only see him and the deep tan that backdrops the pale oceany eyes reaching for her. A warm drop gently slides down her cheekbone as her breathing syncs with his. His lips move slightly hinting at words that he can’t find, and she struggles not to run into his arms.

Alex’s discomfort is audible as he clears his clogged throat to rattle her attention to his worried eyes. She steps in and touches his hand briefly. “I’ll be outside,” she says, turning without another glance at Quinn.

Her feet move quick as her thoughts try to keep up. What are they doing? Alex is gonna hit him. I can’t believe he’s here. What are the odds? Did he know we’d be here? No. Maybe he moved here. That painting was him and I together. Would Alex know that? It’s pretty abstract. Fuck! This can’t be happening. Before she knows it, she’s at the other end of the mall near the parking lot. She settles on a bench to wait for the world to stop crumbling around her.

I’m a designer, author, wife and dog-lover living in the South Pasadena area of California. I got my BFA in Film Production from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, but my love of a good story came way before college. I remember writing my first full story in fifth grade on a typewriter. I cut and pasted it into a book, complete with cardboard cover and taped binding. Things have changed a lot since then. With the magnificent digital age I can produce books and give them to the world without a sticky mess.

In college numerous instructors and peers praised my dialogue pushed me to hone my storytelling skills. Of course the need to cut and paste was still there, so I went into the world of Production Design and Art Direction for films and television. It gave me the ability to connect design to storytelling in a way that no other career can. The past 18 years have spun a unique perspective on visually emotional tales of relationships and the thread that ties all things together. Now I’m shifting focus on the driving force that brought me here… stories. I hope that I can share a unique perspective on life, love and the pursuit in all of the above.

Faithless Part One (Faithless #1)

She’s a stripper. He’s a preacher. Her name’s Faith, and he’s been faithless since the day she went away.

Faith Richards knows she’ll never be able to outrun her demons, but she’s not looking for absolution. She’s looking for release. When she’s forced to return home by circumstances she’d rather not discuss, she runs straight to Noah. The only boy that could ever make her feel alive. The only boy who ever truly broke her heart. The only boy who could possibly save her from herself.

But Noah isn’t a boy anymore…

Noah Parker is a man torn, fighting to understand his place in this world after his latest run-in with tragedy. Everyone he’s ever loved has left him, either on a greyhound bus or a casket. He no longer believes the words he preaches and his life hangs in the balance of honesty. Reuniting with Faith might be the only thing that can save him, but based on their tumultuous history, it’s more than likely it’ll destroy him.

Faithless is the story of two broken people searching for the impossible: a love strong enough to put the pieces of their broken hearts back together. Their romance is forbidden. Their love is undeniable. Their lives hang in the balance. And when their world begins to burn to the ground, they’ll be faced with one impossible decision: can they live with who they’ve become?

Faithless Part Two (Faithless #2)

Faithless Part Three (Faithless #3)

A song begins, and it only takes a few strokes of her guitar before I realize what she’s playing—my favorite song since I was a child. The woman in the back belts out Wild Horses with the power of a Kelly Clarkson clone. The way she twists with the melody is haunting, a complete display of emotional battery. With her words, she beats the fuck out of my fragile soul, leaving wounds and bruises so dark, so blue, that anyone can see.

Noah sees. He sees right through me and the space between us shatters. Our walls come down and he stares into my eyes. I catch a glimpse of who we used to be before the world set out on its campaign to destroy us.

His palm grazes over my shoulder before landing on my back. “Come dance with me.”

I don’t say anything, but respond by sliding off my stool and landing on my feet. I let him take the lead as he slowly draws me out to the center of the dance floor. The floor is vacant with nothing standing between us and the songbird—and she soars to new heights, further damaging my fragile emotional state.

Noah takes my left hand into his right and wraps his left hand around my hip. We begin to circle each other, our feet directing where we go. “I’ve missed you, Faith.”

I want to lie to him and say that I don’t feel the same way because things are a whole lot easier that way. But I can’t lie, not right now. Not when he’s holding me like this. “I missed you, too.”

“I’m sorry for earlier.” He runs his face over his shoulder. “I know I can come off bitter and angry.”

“You think?” I ask deadpan.

“I know.”

I lean my head against his shoulder, and it’s a much-needed rest. I could fall asleep like this, all the while my feet continuing to dance in a circle. “Do you ever wish we could go back and change things?”

“Every second of every day.”

I let out a light chuckle that is muffled against the fabric of his shirt. “Our past defines us, Noah. Everyone says it shouldn’t,” I say somberly, “but it does, and I’m running on empty here…”

I grew up on a farm in Ohio, but that’s not very interesting, is it? When I’m not writing you can find me doing one of two things; getting lost on highways or getting lost in the lives of fictional characters. If my heart had two feet, one foot would be in romance and the other solidly in geekdom. I hope you’ll all follow me on my journey through this carnival they call life.I promise there will be a happy ending.