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Shopaholic and Sister (Shopaholic #4)(7) Author: Sophie Kinsella As Chandra walks off, he looks a little shell-shocked. Which actually, isn’t surprising. He probably didn’t even realize you could get yoga videos. He certainly didn’t seem to have heard of Geri Halliwell. A waiter appears and I order a beer for Luke, plus a mango and papaya cocktail, which in the menu is called Happy Juice. Well, that just about suits me. Here I am in the sunshine, on my honeymoon, about to have a surprise reunion with all the people I love. Everything’s perfect! I look up to see Luke approaching the table, holding his handheld computer. Is it my imagination, or is he walking faster and looking more animated than he has for months? “OK,” he says. “I’ve spoken to the office.” “Is everything all right?” “It certainly is.” He seems full of a suppressed energy. “It’s going very well. In fact, I want to set up a couple of meetings for the end of this week.” “That was quick!” I say in astonishment. Bl

Double Time (Sinners on Tour #5)(33) Author: Olivia Cunning Trey threw another slice of peach at his idiot brother. “I won’t be putting my snake in any dark tunnel. Unless it’s hers. I want this to work between us. I want a normal relationship. Last night was amazing. I want to keep that going.” “Trey, you can’t deny what you are. You need to find a woman who accepts that part of you as part of the package. You’ll never be happy if you give up men entirely. I know you won’t.” “Just butt out. Okay? Let me do this my way.” Dare sighed and reached for a pineapple. He hacked off the top with more force than necessary before grabbing some fancy gadget that trimmed it into a neat, hollow cylinder. “Just don’t chase her off, Trey. We need her for the tour.” “I’m not going to chase her off. I’m going to make her mine.” The doorbell rang. Trey’s heart thudded with excitement, and he stood up from the barstool. “I bet that’s Brian.” “Don’t wet yourself there, Trey.” “Shut up.” He hadn’t

Belonging to the Steer Brothers (Cape Falls #2)(21) Author: Sam Crescent “I’ll love you for the rest of my life. I always have and always will.” David laid a kiss on her lips and curved against her, holding her, joining both Paul and Anna in the land of dreams. Chapter Ten Anna woke early the next morning, stretching out the aches within her body. She moaned and encountered two very muscular and very warm male chests. She glanced up at the face of one man to see he was already awake, and she turned her head to see the other man was indeed awake. “Hey, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling this morning?” Paul asked. Anna made a blatant display of stretching and moaning but didn’t tell them where her pains were the most. In truth her aches and the slight pain were nothing compared to her need to be f**ked. She recognised the feeling and welcomed the rush between her legs when a hand walked up the inside of her thigh until fingers were massaging her clit. “That feels so good,” she c

Belonging to the Steer Brothers (Cape Falls #2)(18) Author: Sam Crescent Nothing like thinking she was a whore or a slut in this moment and ruining the mood. She wouldn’t be able to do this for any other man. This was David and Paul, and she’d loved them for the longest time. “Yes, I’ve always wanted you,” she admitted as the finger went from pressing against her to moving the panties out of the way. For the first time she had skin to skin contact on her pu**y. Not her own touch but the touch of the men she loved. She cried out.  The invading finger made direct contact on her swollen unused clit. “Easy, baby,” David muttered at her ear. His hands holding her with her back pressed to the front of his body, his arousal was hard to ignore as it pulsed at the base of her back where his c**k lay. “So hot and wet. She’s burning my fingers, David.” She heard the wonder in Paul’s voice, and pride went through her as he enjoyed her body. “Anna, honey, are you a virgin?” Paul asked her pul

The Other Side of Me(8) Author: Sidney Sheldon "Sorry," he said, "we're full up. Try us next year." "Next year will be too late." I stood there thinking. "Do you have a show business section?" "A show business section?" "Yes. Celebrities are always coming to Chicago to do shows here. Don't you have someone to interview them for the paper?" "No. We - " "Do you know who's in town right now, dying to be interviewed? Katharine Hepburn!" "We're not set up to - " "And Clifton Webb." "We've never had a - " "Walter Pidgeon." "I can talk to someone, but I'm afraid - " "George M. Cohan." He was getting interested. "Do you know these people?" I did not hear the question. "There's no time to lose. When their shows close, they're leaving." "All right. I'm going to take a chance on you,

To Touch a Sheikh (Pride of Zohayd #3)(13) Author: Olivia Gates He’d come to adopt her view of eternity. It felt as if they’d been there that long. And that was before she woke up. All tousled and creamy and recharged, the vibes she emanated even in her sleep ratcheting up, deluging him, making him forget the tumult raging outside. At least now she was fully dressed. He busied himself around the place, fixing shorted-out light sconces, filling and lighting the oil lamps that Maram said she preferred in the sitting/dining area, making an inventory of the pantry’s contents, tagging each. All through, she was in every cubic inch of air in this insulated, isolated, doorless cabin he’d built with solitude in mind. He was feeling as if it were she who’d taken him hostage. He’d just given up trying to work on his computer, gone to stretch out on the settee. He couldn’t concentrate on anything with her singing that medley of sappy songs between asking him about food items and spices she

Bound (Captured by the Billionaire #4)(3) Author: Julia Sykes After climbing two flights of stairs, Jake paused in front of a closed door crafted of darkly polished wood.  “I have something I want to show you, Mallory.  Something that I think you’ll like, if you give it a chance,” he said in a low, gravelly tone. “What is it?”  She asked suspiciously, the beginnings of nervousness stirring in her belly. “I take it that means you want me to show you?”  He asked, grinning. She rolled her eyes at him.  “Yes, I believe that was implied by my question.” He suddenly gripped her hair at the nape of her neck, jerking her head back roughly so that she was forced to look up into his eyes.  “What have I told you about rolling your eyes at me, sub?”  His voice was dangerous, his eyes that deep blue that told her his Dominant side was taking over. “Sorry,” she said, dropping her eyes. He tugged on her hair harder, sending tingles down her spine as he brought her wide-eyed gaze back to his h

Dirty Billionaire (The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy #1)(18) Author: Meghan March I lean against the plush leather of the limo delivering us back to Caesar’s Palace, unable to believe I actually went through with it. I’m officially Mrs. Holly Karas, and tonight is my wedding night—or maybe to be more accurate, my wedding morning, as it’s New Year’s Day in Nevada now too. I look at the man seated across from me. Creighton Karas. I just married a billionaire. Granted, the prenup I read on the jet during our flight made it very clear that those billions are largely to remain his, regardless of the outcome of our marriage. If things fall apart, I’ll have to refer to Section 39, subsections (a) to (zz), which list possible causes of the “dissolution” and the accompanying formula to calculate what I walk away from this union with. Nearly fifty pages, and I read the entire thing. I was screwed by one contract, and I wasn’t looking to get screwed by both this man and his contract. With my com

All the Bright Places(11) Author: Jennifer Niven “So not today,” I sing. “Because she smiled at me.” FINCH’S RULES FOR WANDERING 1.  There are no rules, because life is made up of too many rules as it is. 2.  But there are three “guidelines” (which sounds less rigid than “rules”): a)  No using our phones to get us there. We have to do this strictly old-school, which means learning to read actual maps. b)  We alternate choosing places to go, but we also have to be willing to go where the road takes us. This means the grand, the small, the bizarre, the poetic, the beautiful, the ugly, the surprising. Just like life. But absolutely, unconditionally, resolutely nothing ordinary. c)  At each site, we leave something, almost like an offering. It can be our own private game of geocaching (“the recreational activity of hunting for and finding a hidden object by means of GPS coordinates posted on a website”), only not a game, and just for us. The rules of geocaching say “take something,

Flyte (Septimus Heap #2)(17) Author: Angie Sage "When you were here on a night exercise, what did they teach you? I mean, what did you have to do?" whispered Nicko. "Well, er, once in the unarmed animal-combat exercise we had to dig a wolverine pit and spend the night waiting for a wolverine to drop in. It didn't thoughnot into our pit anyway. But we lost three boys in the pit near us. They put up a good fight but the wolverine won. It was an awful noise. Then sometimes on compass-reading exercises they tied a boy to a tree and we had to try and find him before he got eaten. Didn't always get there in time" "Ah," said Nicko with a shudder. "Shouldn't have asked. Thought they might have taught you some survival skills." "They did," said Septimus. "Keep out of the way of anything that runs faster than you and has more teeth than you. Watch out for the carnivorous trees 'cause you can never tell which ones they ar

Bought for Revenge, Bedded for Pleasure(33) Author: Emma Darcy Sally saw them. Her shoulders stiffened. Jack knew a jolt of shock was running through her. He shot a quick glance at Jane who looked gob-smacked by the action he’d forced. “Smile, damn you! This is Sally’s big number. It’s important to her.” She belatedly stretched her mouth into a smile. Jack beamed a wide grin. “Now clap your hands above your head to show you’re madly urging her on to do her best. And keep smiling.” He released her hand to do the same himself and felt an intense wave of relief when Jane copied the wild applause. Sally smiled. She was relaxing. He fiercely hoped she could put them out of her mind now, or at least know they were in harmony on one point—wanting her to perform well. “Sit down in front,” a man behind them bellowed. Deciding that nothing more could be done to fix the situation, Jack sat down. Jane slowly sank onto the seat beside him. “You do care,” she said, as though stunned by the f

Belonging to the Steer Brothers (Cape Falls #2)(15) Author: Sam Crescent She heard him take a deep breath to speak, and before he could say anything, she interrupted. “Please don’t lie to me. I’ve just lost a load of friends over this,” she said. Anna still had her back pressed against him. “They weren’t your friends,” he said. Thinking about it, Henry had been her only true friend throughout the whole of her growing up. “It doesn’t matter. Tonight will be filled with gossip, so the least you can do is tell me the truth.” Walking past people while they whispered had never bothered her. After her parents died, she’d lived with everything CapeFalls residents had to offer. The strange looks because she didn’t have anyone in the world along with living with two sexy, hot men. The moment she’d turned eighteen the sexy dreams involving all three had started. How she managed to act as a friend while at night her pu**y wept for the pleasure they could offer astounded her. She watched as

No Ordinary Billionaire (The Sinclairs #1)(11) Author: J.S. Scott But I’m lonely and alone. I think I might want what Grady and Emily have, but I don’t really understand it. She was content here in Amesport, and she had friends for the first time in her life. She was learning to talk about small things that were important to the people in the community instead of constantly trying to analyze major scientific debates. Surprisingly, she found talking to normal people incredibly fascinating and satisfying. Sometimes talking about emotions was a lot more interesting than scientific theories. It was certainly more educational, because she knew next to nothing about mental states except for loneliness and the sorrow she saw every day as a doctor. Right now her lack of understanding was frustrating because it made it even harder to quite get a fix on what was happening with the handsome Detective Sinclair. Somehow, she’d imagined that Dante Sinclair would share some similarities with Grad

Kiss of Death (The Morganville Vampires #8)(36) Author: Rachel Caine "How gentlemanly of you," Morley said, smiling. "I believe I already told you how I feel about gentlemen. But suit yourself." He hustled Claire and Eve out into the open room that was the police bullpen. Desks had been shoved around, papers littered the floor, and Deputy Tom was lying half hidden behind one of the chairs. Claire was glad she couldn't really see him. She hoped he was just... knocked out. Somehow, though, she really didn't think so. Shane followed behind Morley. Patience walked next to him, but she didn't try to touch him --which was probably smart, given the fiery look in Shane's eyes. His muscles were tight, his hands bunched into fists, and the only thing holding him back from punching Morley was the certain knowledge that it would be Claire and Eve who'd get hurt. Morley shoved open the glass outer door with a booted foot, and glanced up at the blazing sun.

Kiss of Death (The Morganville Vampires #8)(37) Author: Rachel Caine "Fantastic," Eve muttered sourly. "Waiting. My favorite. Next to skinny-dipping in acid and having vampires suck my blood. " "Sorry," Shane said to Claire. "For what?" "That you're sitting next to Little Miss Sunshine. It's not going to be a fun trip." He was right about that. It wasn't. 8 Eve mostly sat in silence, but she was just crackling with anger. Claire could feel it coming off her like static electricity. She wasn't cooling off anytime soon, either; Claire thought she was being angry to keep from being scared, which wasn't a bad choice. Being scared under these circumstances wasn't going to get them anywhere. It certainly hadn't helped Orange Cap and Angry Guy much, or the five other people Claire could spot who were bound and gagged, waiting for a vamp to get hungry. She saw it happen once, but in the medically approved way; Ja

Kiss of Death (The Morganville Vampires #8)(40) Author: Rachel Caine They were hampered by close quarters, but there were a lot of them. Jacob bounded up, gave Oliver a second's dark look, and then jumped up on top of the headrest of the seat next to him, crouching like a bird of prey. Patience did the same on Oliver's other side. "No," she said flatly, as the vampires started to move toward them. "Stay where you are." Michael reached them and snapped Claire's bonds first. It took him a precious few seconds, because the plastic was tougher than he'd thought, and he had to try not to hurt her. As soon as she was free, he leaned over Eve and pushed out the side window with one powerful punch. Metal bent and shrieked, glass shattered, and the whole window assembly fell out onto the road. Light streamed in, pure and white-hot, and hit him full in the face. Michael jerked back into the shadows with a choked cry. Claire had a blurred impression of burns,

Valentine (On Dublin Street #5.5)(14) Author: Samantha Young Ellie held her hand up cutting me off. “Liv, no one thinks you’re a bad mother okay. Calm down. It’s hard. We all know it is. You have to work at it. Make time. Why does the ball have to be in Nate’s court?” I sat back and processed that. Ellie was right. As a modern woman it was kind of shocking of me to place all of the romantic responsibility on Nate. “You’re right. It’s unfair to put the expectation on him. Perhaps I can get Nathan and Sylvie to look after the girls next weekend.” They were Nate’s parents and they’d helped us out before in the past. “Doesn’t hurt to ask.” “Olivia?” At the deep, somewhat familiar, male voice I looked up from my lunch to see a tall, good-looking guy standing over our table. I stared at him until his gorgeous light green eyes caused recognition to hit me. “Ben?” I pushed back my chair and stood up. “Benjamin Livingston?” “She remembers me.” He grinned at me before pulling me in for a

Kiss of Death (The Morganville Vampires #8)(39) Author: Rachel Caine "Jacob and I are outnumbered," Patience said softly. "I am sorry, but there is little we can do more than we are doing now. Forgive me." "There has to be something--" Claire bit her lip. Eve was paying attention now, and Shane, although Claire was trying to keep the whole conversation to a whisper. "Can't you maybe let us loose? We promise, we won't tell Morley." "Child, you have no idea what you're saying," Patience said, a little sadly. "He'll catch you, and then Morley will find out what he wants to find out. He has no reason not to rip this information from you, and it would be suspicious enough that I haven't drawn blood. He already thinks Jacob and I are too weak. You put us at risk, as well as yourselves." "So what's our choice?" Eve hissed, leaning over as far as she could. "Getting fanged to death? No, than

Beautiful Secret (Beautiful Bastard #4)(12) Author: Christina Lauren “Sometimes,” I admitted. “My oldest brother, Daniel, was the peacekeeper,” I told her. “Really, he kept us in line. I think it helped that there were more girls than boys; as a general rule our lot was pretty well-behaved. The brother just older than me, Max, was usually the one pulling pranks, and he got away with it because he was charming. At least that’s how he describes it. I was quiet, and studious. Rather boring, really.” She grew still for a moment, watching me, and then said, “Tell me more?” I leaned my head back against the seat, inhaling deeply, calming. It had been years since I’d so casually spoken with a woman other than Portia, a sibling, or the wife of a friend. Her interest was genuine and gave me a sense of confidence I hadn’t felt in a very long time. “Most of our adventures were taken on together. Forming a brass band. Deciding to write a picture book. Once we painted the side of our house wit

Oblivion (Lux #1.5)(13) Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Neither did I. Make nice with her. I swallowed a sigh as I gestured at the bucket with a lift of my elbow. “You looked as though you wanted to throw that again. I figured I’d do my good deed for the day and intervene before any innocent sponges lose their lives.” Lifting her arm, she used it to wipe strands of damp hair out of her face as she watched me. Tension radiated from her. Since she didn’t say anything, I walked over to the bucket and snatched the sponge, squeezing out the water. “You look like you got more of a bath than the car. I never thought washing a car would be so hard, but after watching you for the last fifteen minutes, I’m convinced it should be an Olympic sport.” “You were watching me?” Probably shouldn’t have admitted that. Oh well. I shrugged. “You could always take the car to the car wash. It would be a lot easier.” “Car washes are a waste of money.” “True.” I walked around the front of her car and k

The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon #3)(35) Author: Dan Brown . . . secret location UNDERGROUND where the . . . . . . somewhere in WASHINGTON, D.C., the coordinates . . . . . . uncovered an ANCIENT PORTAL that led . . . . . . warning the PYRAMID holds dangerous . . . . . . decipher this ENGRAVED SYMBOLON to unveil . . . I need to see the rest of the file, Katherine thought. She stared a moment longer and then flipped the plasma wall's power switch. Katherine always turned off this energy-intensive display so as not to waste the fuel cell's liquid hydrogen reserves. She watched as her keywords slowly faded, collapsing down into a tiny white dot, which hovered in the middle of the wall and then finally twinkled out. She turned and walked back toward her office. Dr. Abaddon would be arriving momentarily, and she wanted to make him feel welcome. CHAPTER 32 "Almost there," Anderson said, guiding Langdon and Sato down the seemingly endless corridor that ran the enti

Fixed on You (Fixed #1)(8) Author: Laurelin Paige He mistook my motion, seeming to think I was searching for further stability. “Alayna,” his voice flowed over me like liquid sex. “I’ve got you.” I’ve got you. Boy, did he. “Laynie, are you okay?” David peered at me over Hudson’s shoulder. Did he have to ask? Couldn’t he see that I was drowning in lust? “Yeah,” I managed. “I’m, um, new shoes.” Hudson glanced down at my strappy rhinestone embellished sandals. “They’re lovely.” His voice came out so deep it rumbled and my belly knotted with the sound. “Uh, thanks.” I was breathless. And embarrassed when I realized I was still in Hudson’s arms. I eased my grip and pushed myself into a standing position. “Sorry we kept you waiting.” Hudson’s hands lingered on me until I was steady. “I had a few things to discuss with David privately.” “No problem.” I still felt the burn of Hudson’s hands on my bare skin. For distraction, I dove into business discussions. “I have so many ideas I’d l

Surrender (Surrender #1)(8) Author: Melody Anne “I’ll be right back, Mom.” “Take your time, sweetie. I’ve been up for a while and these pain medications are making me tired. I think I’ll catch a little nap.” Ari walked from the room, a sense of dread filling her at the thought of her mother taking a nap... What if she didn't wake again for months? It would probably be months, maybe even years before she wouldn’t dread her mother going to sleep. She knew she couldn’t live life that way, but tell that to her irrational heart. Since she couldn’t do anything more, Ari trailed the doctor down the hallway and into a small conference room where several other men in suits were sitting around a table. This couldn’t be good. “Thank you for joining us, Ms. Harlow. We were pleased when your mother was admitted after waking from her coma. How are you feeling? We know that often this kind of tragedy can be harder for the loved-ones than the patients.” “I’m trying to take it one day at a t

Daddy by December (The Bad Boy Billionaires #7)(13) Author: Judy Angelo “I…do.”  He sighed and his face grew somber.  “And I also understand how immature and stupid I was, even though I was a graduating senior.  I just took everything your roommate said at face value.”  He gave a hiss fraught with frustration.  “I should have known, Meg, but when she told me what you’d said I was hurt and angry.  I guess not trying to find you was my way of hurting you back.  In the end we both suffered.” For a long while they stared at each other in silence, each reliving that night that had so changed their lives.  How differently it could have turned out if they hadn’t both been too angry and hurt to reach out and find each other. Then it all became too much for her.  “I…have to go.  Can you take me home, please?”  She shook her head and dropped her eyes, refusing to look at him.  She wasn’t ready for this revelation.  Her mind in turmoil, she wanted to get home where she could go off somewhere

With Me in Seattle Series Author: Kristen Proby Kristen Proby Come Away with Me (With Me in Seattle #1)     Being confronted on the beach by a sexy stranger wasn't part of Natalie Conner's plans for a peaceful morning taking photos. And why on earth would he think she's taking pictures of him, anyway? Who is he? One thing’s for sure, he’s hot, and incredibly romantic, feeding Natalie’s wounded soul.     Luke Williams just wants the world to give him a break, so seeing yet another camera aimed at his face has him ready to pounce on the beauty behind the lens. When he finds out she has no idea who he is, he's intrigued and more than a little tempted by her. Natalie has a body made for sex, a sassy mouth and Luke can’t get enough of her, but he’s not ready to tell her who he really his.     Natalie is a no nonsense girl who doesn’t do well with lies and secrets. What will happen to this new relationship when she discovers what Luke’s hiding? Fight with Me (With Me in

Temptation (Club X #1)(27) Author: K.M. Scott Obsessed. Obsession. Since Rachel, I’d worked hard to make sure I never became that again. A long line of women I kept around solely for the purpose of sex was supposed to help me avoid becoming this man again. I didn’t want to be this way. Who would? What man would want to become so focused on a woman when the ending was never in doubt? Rachel had taught me that lesson well. Devoting yourself to one woman—trusting your heart to her even when all the signs said you shouldn’t—was a mistake I never wanted to make again. Until Olivia, no woman had given me any reason to doubt I’d be able to keep that promise to myself. Each one came and went as I wished. If I enjoyed their company, they stayed around. If they became too clingy or began to act like they felt anything more than I did, I got away quickly. Women to sleep with were plentiful, the way it should be. They gave me what I wanted, and I did the same for them. No harm, no foul. I win

Kiss of Death (The Morganville Vampires #8)(34) Author: Rachel Caine "Speaking of that," Shane said, "we could be together and headed anywhere when we get out of this, you know. I'm just putting that on the table." He was talking about not going back; about leaving Morganville. She'd been contemplating it, and she knew he had, too. "I--I can't, Shane. My parents ..." He bent his head closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Do you really think they want you to be there? Risking your life, every day? Don't you think they want you out, and safe?" "I can't, Shane. I just can't. I'm sorry." Shane was silent a moment, then let out a long breath. "I bet I could convince you if I could get through these bars...." "You'd get arrested all over again." "Well, you're just that tempting. Jailbait." He kissed her fingers, which made her shiver all over; his lips lingered warm

Take Me (Take a Chance #4)(17) Author: Diane Alberts But with Morgan, all that restraint was gone. And he needed to come now or he might die. He thrust inside of her, pressing his thumb to her clit and deepening his strokes. She clung to him, calling his name like a litany. And he knew, right then, that this woman was not like other women. That this woman had the power to bring him to his knees…and leave him there for the rest of his life. And if that wasn’t a f**king red light, he didn’t know what was. She seemed to sense him pulling away. Sensed his panic. She grasped his head, yanking down until their lips met. Her tongue dueled with his and he forgot all his reservations and the reasons he should be running. He moved inside of her, groaning when her body clenched down on him. She climaxed again at the same time he did. And when he came back down to reality…he knew he was completely f**ked. His instinctual desire to flee from whatever the f**k was wrong with him struck, and h

Moonsong (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters #2) Author: L.J. Smith Chapter One Dear Diary, I'm so scared. My heart is pounding, my mouth is dry, and my hands are shaking. I've faced so much and survived: vampires, werewolves, phantoms. Things I never imagined were real. And now I'm terrified. Why? Simply because I'm leaving home. And I know that it's completely, insanely ridiculous. I'm barely leaving home, really. I'm going to college, only a few hours' drive from this darling house where I've lived since I was a baby. No, I'm not going to start crying again. I'll be sharing a room with Bonnie and Meredith, my two best friends in the whole world. In the same dorm, only a couple of floors away will be my beloved Stefan. My other best friend, Matt, will be just a short walk across campus. Even Damon will be in an apartment in the town nearby. Honestly, I couldn't stick any closer to home unless I never moved out of this house at a

Baby Bonanza(3) Author: Maureen Child “The sound system for the stage on the Calypso Deck has a hiccup or two, but the techs say they’ll have it fixed before showtime.” “Good.” Nick Falco sat back in his maroon leather chair and folded his hands atop his belly as he listened to his assistant, Teresa Hogan, rattle off her daily report. It was only late morning and together they’d already handled a half-dozen crises. “I don’t want any major issues,” he told her. “I know this is the shakedown cruise, but I don’t want our passengers feeling like they’re guinea pigs.” “They won’t. The ship’s looking good and you know it,” Teresa said with a confident smile. “We’ve got a few minor glitches, but nothing we can’t handle. If there were real trouble, we never would have left port last night.” “I know,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the white caps dancing across the surface of the ocean. “Just make sure we stay one step ahead of any of those glitches.” “Don’t I always?” “Yeah,” he

Until July (Until Her #1)(26) Author: Aurora Rose Reynolds “Gahhh, I hate tequila.” I laugh then pick up another shot. “Baby,” Wes laughs, taking the shot from my hand, lifting it to his mouth and shooting it back then wrapping a hand around the back of my neck and pulling my mouth to his. He presses his tongue into my mouth until I moaned down his throat. “Get a room,” Tuck says, pouring another shot. “Fuck off.” Wes smiles, kissing me again, this time below my ear. “So have you taken July to meet Mama Judy?” Tuck asks, sitting back in his chair and taking a pull from his beer. “Not yet, I was thinking this weekend,” Wes says, rubbing my shoulder. “Uh…what?” I wheeze out. “She has next weekend off, so I figured we could take a ride up to Nashville.” Holy shit. “Where is Z?” I ask, changing the subject before the conversation can turn to family and parents. “He and your girl were supposed to be on their way when you called.” I frown then pull out my phone and check the tim

Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6)(4) Author: Kristen Ashley Shaughnessy ran his men his way and word was, Shaughnessy took his job seriously but he was as laidback as they come otherwise. Even his officers didn’t wear uniforms. They wore jeans and tan shirts with their badges but that was as far as they got. Gibbons was mostly the same, his two detectives dressed as they wanted. Officers wore uniforms, however. Weatherspoon, who oversaw Chantelle, a town with more money, coming in top of the heap of the trinity it held with Gnaw Bone (second runner-up, a town that depended a great deal on tourist trade and took that seriously) and Carnal (not even close, it was a biker haven, mostly blue collar, definitely rougher). She was in full uniform. Her officers wore full uniforms. Her detectives wore suits or sports jackets and trousers. Her elite citizenry would expect nothing less. Deck’s eyes shifted to Kenton Douglas. That man was a wildcard. Recently voted sheriff, he came out of

We Were Liars(19) Author: E. Lockhart Mirren pushes an armchair across the floor. “I never liked the way my mother kept this place,” she explains. I help Gat and Johnny move the furniture around until Mirren is happy. We take down Bess’s landscape watercolors and roll up her rugs. We pillage the littles’ bedrooms for fun objects. When we are done, the great room is decorated with piggy banks and patchwork quilts, stacks of children’s books, a lamp shaped like an owl. Thick sparkling ribbons from the gift-wrap box crisscross the ceiling. “Won’t Bess be mad you’re redecorating?” I ask. “I promise you she’s not setting foot in Cuddledown for the rest of the summer. She’s been trying to get out of this place for years.” “What do you mean?” “Oh,” says Mirren lightly, “you know. Natter natter, least favorite daughter, natter natter, the kitchen is such crap. Why won’t Granddad remodel it? Et cetera.” “Did she ask him?” Johnny stares at me oddly. “You don’t remember?” “Her memory is

The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave #2)(13) Author: Rick Yancey “Don’t pretend,” I snapped. “I know you don’t believe me about Evan.” “I believe you. It’s his story that doesn’t make sense.” Then she walked out of the room. Just like that. Right in the middle, before anything was resolved. Who, besides every male person ever born, does that? A virtual existence doesn’t require a physical planet . . . Who was Evan Walker? Shifting my eyes from the highway to my baby brother and back again. Who were you, Evan Walker? I was an idiot for trusting him, but I was hurt and alone (alone as in thinking I was the last human being in the freaking universe) and majorly mind screwed because I had already killed one innocent person, and this person, this Evan Walker, didn’t end my life when he could have; he saved it. So when the bells went off, I ignored them. Plus it didn’t hurt (help?) that he was impossibly gorgeous and equally impossibly obsessed with making me feel like I mattered more to

Played by the Billionaire(3) Author: Alexia Adams “Well, I thought you might be having trouble so I’ve signed you up on one of those Internet dating sites. I’ve emailed you the details. There are some very nice men on there. I wrote down their names and sent that to you as well.” “You did what?” Several heads turned in her direction as her voice rose three octaves and ten decibel levels. “Bernice Anderson came to visit last night and said her daughter had trouble finding a husband as well. But after she signed up online she was married within three months.” The triumph in her mother’s voice was unmistakable. Lorelei shook her head. Bernice Anderson’s daughter, with her unibrow and fondness for doughnuts, would never be the poster child for any dating site. One more person stood between Lorelei and her coffee order. Please be quick, please be quick. “I’m not desperate.” “Querida, you’re also not getting any younger. Thirty is only a couple years away, and you know what they say a

Disastrous (Disastrous #1)(6) Author: E.L. Montes “Hey, you don’t have to take me home. I’m fine with taking a cab. Thanks anyway,” I said, slowly removing my arm from his grasp. He tightened his grip. “No, I’m taking you home. What kind of man would I be if I let you go home completely drunk in a vehicle where a cab driver could possibly take advantage of you?” Looking over his shoulder, he quickly eyed me up and down. “Especially in that dress,” he hissed while dragging me through the crowd. My stubbornness instantly kicked in. Who the hell does he think he’s talking to me in that tone? And what’s wrong with my dress?! I yanked my arm from his rough grip. “And what? Shall I get in the car with you, a stranger! What if you take advantage of me?” I yelled over the loud beat of Beyoncé’s voice singing Single Ladies. He shook his head and laughed then grabbed my arm again. This time it was tighter than before, and he practically dragged me to a side door with a sign that read EMPLOY

Up in Flames (Rosemary Beach #13)(20) Author: Abbi Glines “Please, please, fuck me! Fuck me harder!” I begged. “That’s it, baby. Cry for me. I like to hear you cry while I take this pussy.” I knew his talk shouldn’t turn me on and make me wild. I should be insulted and even scared. But I wasn’t. I wanted it so badly I was willing to beg for it whenever he told me to. The orgasms he could give me rocked me to my core and caused the world to explode. For that kind of beauty, I’d accept the darkness. Because to me, it was its own kind of beautiful. His hands squeezed my breasts, and he pinched my nipples as his hard thrusts continued. “Tight, magic pussy,” he muttered, as he slowed his rhythm. “Keep squeezing my cock with that pussy like that, and I’m going to beat your ass. Don’t fucking tease me, woman.” I tried not to squeeze, but the closer I got to an orgasm, the more I reacted. “I can’t,” I choked out, and a hard slap came down on my ass. “You do as I fucking say.” I closed

Sands of Time(27) Author: Sidney Sheldon She never reached Madrid. At the walled city of avila, the tour bus made a scheduled stop for refreshments and what the guide delicately referred to as a comfort station. "Alle raus vom bus," he called. Lucia stayed in her seat, watching the passengers rise and scramble for the front door of the bus. I'll be safer if I stay here. But the guide noticed her. "Out, fraulein," he said. "We have only fifteen minutes." Lucia hesitated, then reluctantly rose and moved toward the door. As she passed the guide, he said, "Warten sie bitte! You are not of this tour." Lucia gave him a warm smile. "No," she said. "You see, my car broke down in San Sebastian and it is very important that I get to Madrid, so I - " "Nein!" the guide bellowed. "This is not possible. This is a private tour." "I know," Lucia told him, "but you see, I need - " "Y

Brighter Than the Sun (The Lyndon Sisters #2) Author: Julia Quinn Chapter 1 Kent, England October 1817 Eleanor Lyndon was minding her own business when Charles Wycombe, Earl of Billington, fell— quite literally—into her life. She was walking along, whistling a happy tune and keeping her mind busy by trying to estimate the yearly profit of the East & West Sugar Company (of which she owned several shares) when to her great surprise, a man came crashing down from the sky and landed at, or to be more precise—on her feet. Further inspection revealed that the man in question had fallen not from the sky but from a large oak tree. Ellie, whose life had grown decidedly dull in the last year or so, would have almost preferred that he had fallen from the sky. It certainly would have been more exciting than from a mere tree. She pulled her left foot out from underneath the man's shoulder, hiked her skirts above her ankles to save them from the dirt, and crouched down. "Sir?&quo

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)(36) Author: Suzanne Collins I bite my lip because once he's said it, I'm afraid that's what I do want. For Peeta to live, even if it means Haymitch's death. No, I don't. He's dreadful, of course, but Haymitch is my family now. What did I come for? I think. What could I possibly want here? "I came for a drink," I say. Haymitch bursts out laughing and slams the bottle on the table before me. I run my sleeve across the top and take a couple gulps before I come up choking. It takes a few minutes to compose myself, and even then my eyes and nose are still streaming. But inside me, the liquor feels like fire and I like it. "Maybe it should be you," I say matter-of-factly as I pull up a chair. "You hate life, anyway." "Very true," says Haymitch. "And since last time I tried to keep you alive... seems like I'm obligated to save the boy this time." "That's another go

Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard #1)(42) Author: Christina Lauren His head blocked her face from my view, and my eyes narrowed when I noticed her hand reach up and grip his forearm. She laughed at something he’d said and he pulled away slightly, allowing me a better look. She was beautiful, with shoulder-length, straight dark hair. As I watched, she placed something in his hand and folded his fingers around it. A strange look crossed his face as he bent his head to examine the object in his palm. You have got to be kidding me. Did she—did she just give him her room key? I watched for a moment more, and then something inside me snapped as he continued to stare at the key as if he was considering pocketing it. The thought of him looking at someone else with the same intensity, the thought of him wanting someone else at all, made my stomach twist with anger. Before I could stop myself, I was moving across the room until I stood beside them. I placed my hand on his forearm, and h

Billionaire Unmasked ~ Jason (Billionaire's Obsession #6)(30) Author: J.S. Scott They’d rarely gotten out of bed in the last few days, and had left the house only once so he could take her out to dinner at the resort. The food had been excellent, but all Jason had been able to think about was the low-cut bodice of her sexy red dress, the amount of exposed skin that he wanted to explore with his hands and mouth. He had even skipped a chocolate dessert when Hope refused anything for her own dessert course, not able to get her back to the house and into bed fast enough for his liking. He scowled at the credit card Hope had left on the dresser of the bedroom, unused. She’d paid for everything herself on her shopping trip, a fact that both touched him and irritated him at the same time. He wanted to take care of her, give her whatever she wanted. Most women would have taken the card and charged until it was maxed out, which might have taken some time. His limits weren’t exactly avera

Personal (Jack Reacher #19)(24) Author: Lee Child ‘You can’t prove that.’ ‘I can,’ I said. ‘If it was Datsev aiming at Khenkin, then Bennett would have been killed. He was next in line. You can’t argue with the wind. It was right there. The flags went crazy, and then stopped just as fast. It was gusty all morning. Check it out.’ O’Day was quiet for a spell. Then he said, ‘Two shooters. Jesus.’ Then he said, ‘We have to give this theory to London and Moscow. If we’re all behind it, that is. Rick?’ Shoemaker paused a beat, and nodded. ‘I’m in,’ he said. ‘Joan?’ Scarangello said, ‘Better to think two if it’s really one, than one if it’s really two. We should err on the side of caution.’ O’Day didn’t ask Casey Nice. I said, ‘I’m going to London now.’ O’Day said, ‘Now?’ ‘I don’t mind about the picture in his bedroom. I don’t even mind that the little runt just took a shot at me. That’s an occupational hazard, for a cop. But he was careless and he missed. He shouldn’t have tried

The Client(12) Author: John Grisham He also needed to find the damned body of Boyd Boyette, or else there might be no conviction, no frontpage pictures, no interviews on CNN, no speedy ascent to Capitol Hill. He had convinced those around him that a guilty verdict was possible with no corpse, and this was true. But he didn't want to chance it. He wanted the body. Fink looked at Agent Trumann. "We think Clifford knew where the body is. Did you know that?" It was obvious Trumann did not know this. "What makes you think so?" Fink placed his reading material on the seat. "Ro-mey and I go way back. We were in law school together twenty years ago at Tulane. He was a little crazy back then, but very smart. About a week ago, he called me at home and said he wanted to talk about the Mul-danno case. He was drunk, thick-tongued, out of his head, and kept saying he couldn't go through with the trial, which was surprising given how much he loves these big cases.

Deception Point(6) Author: Dan Brown As the PaveHawk settled onto the runway beside the President's plane, Rachel now understood the references to Air Force One being the commander-in-chief's "portable home court advantage." The machine was an intimidating sight. When the President flew to other countries to meet heads of state, he often requested - for security purposes - that the meeting take place on the runway aboard his jet. Although some of the motives were security, certainly another incentive was to gain a negotiating edge through raw intimidation. A visit to Air Force One was far more intimidating than any trip to the White House. The six-foot-high letters along the fuselage trumpeted "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." A female English cabinet member had once accused President Nixon of "waving his manhood in her face" when he asked her to join him aboard Air Force One. Later the crew jokingly nicknamed the plane "Big Dick." "Ms

The Friend Zone (Game On #2)(14) Author: Kristen Callihan Drew cocks his head, his mouth twitching as if he’s fighting a smile. Annoying. “Uh, bud,” he says with a barely repressed chuckle. “That’s how I felt about Anna. From the very start.” I frown, gripping the ball tight in my hands. “Ivy and I are just friends, though.” His silence is deafening. And I resist the urge to shift my stance. “This relationship is important to me. Hell, she flat-out said she feels safe with me because we’re just friends. I’m not going to fuck up that trust by hitting on her.” I want to be better than that. For her. My oldest friend in the world looks at me like I’ve grown horns, then slowly blinks. “You’re not tucking the ball in fast enough when you catch on the right,” he says. “Take better control.” Asshole. But he’s right, so I can’t complain. “That’s it?” I ask him instead. “No more ribbing?” “Naw.” Drew spins the football on the tip of his finger before he palms it. “I was just curious.” R

Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6)(18) Author: Sara Shepard Then Officer Wilden popped onto the screen. “I wanted to believe the girls when they told me they saw Ian in the woods,” he said, looking contrite. “But even from the start, I wasn’t really sure. I had a terrible feeling this might be a ploy for our attention.” Aria’s mouth dropped open. What? And finally, the camera focused on a bearded man in thick glasses and a gray sweater. Dr. Henry Warren, Psychiatrist, Rosewood Hospital, the caption below him said. “Being the center of attention is an addictive feeling,” the doctor explained. “If the focus has been on someone for long enough, they begin to…crave it. Sometimes, people take any measure possible to keep all eyes on them, even if that means embellishing the truth. Making up false realities.” An anchor came on again, saying they’d have more on this story at the top of the hour. As the broadcast broke for a commercial, Aria placed her palms flat on the bench and took heapin

Sleeping with the Boss (Friends, Men, and Secrets #1)(11) Author: Sam Crescent “This is not fair,” she said. “You want me, Heather. I’m here. Yours for the taking.” He moved closer invading her space once again. She didn’t know how he stopped her from thinking. When he was near her ability to process thoughts diminished. “Only for a short time, Julian. I don’t want to be a quick f**k.” “Then we don’t be a quick f**k. We can be something else,” he said. He caught her face between his much larger hands. “What do you mean?” “I don’t want to lose you. I want to explore this.” “What? Fuck-buddies?” “No. I want you to be mine for as long as it takes.” She frowned, not understanding what he wanted. “I don’t get it. What were all those other women to you?” “A distraction.” “You want to date me?” “Yes, I’ll date you on your terms.” He kissed her lips ever so gently. “I don’t want to lose whatever this is.” “You’ve never had to come to a woman’s house before?” Julian shook his hea

Captivated (Club Destiny #4.5)(18) Author: Nicole Edwards However, it had come at Lucie’s expense, though she would never admit it to her mother. Instead, once her mother was back on her feet, Lucie had come to work at Club Destiny, hoping to make enough money to save for college. Then another turn of events – namely Kane – had altered her course yet again and here she was standing before him, almost six years later still employed as a bartender slash waitress and doing everything to raise her beautiful little girl who’d been her miracle in a particularly dark time. And still, she had let the dark cloud of her life take over. Until recently. Until that night when Kane finally came to her, finally insisted that they give in to whatever was still brewing between them. And now she felt like a different person. Feeling even more brazen than before, Lucie approached Kane. Placing her hand on his chest she successfully inserted herself between him and the floozy who was barely balancing

Skipping Christmas(7) Author: John Grisham A hospital stay on Hemlock, and the Frohmeyers arranged visitation and food and even lawn care. A death on Hemlock, and they organized flowers for the funeral and visits to the cemetery. A neighbor in need could call the Frohmeyers for anything. The Frostys had been Vic's idea, though he'd seen it in a suburb of Evanston and thus couldn't take full credit. The same Frosty on every Hemlock roof, an eight-foot Frosty with a goofy smile around a corncob pipe and a black top hat and thick rolls around the middle, all made to glow a brilliant white by a two-hundred-watt bulb screwed into a cavity somewhere near Frosty's colon. The Hemlock Frostys had made their debut six years earlier and were a smashing success-twenty-one houses on one side, twenty-one on the other, the street lined with two perfect rows of Frostys, forty feet up. A color photo with a cute story ran on the front page. Two television news crews had done Live! re

Obsidian (Lux #1)(33) Author: J. Lynn My eyes narrowed. I didn’t even want to know what he was referencing. There was nothing wrong with my jeans or my shirt. I looked like everyone else in the classroom, with the exception of kids who had their shirts tucked into their pants. I hadn’t seen a cowboy hat or teased bangs yet. These kids looked like the kids in Florida, just with less potential for skin cancer. Lesa and her friend had stopped talking, watching Daemon and me with openmouthed stares. I swore to God if Daemon said anything ignorant, I was going to lay him out in class. My splint was heavy enough to do damage. Leaning forward, his warm breath danced along my cheek when he spoke. “Less people will stare without the splint is all I’m saying.” I didn’t believe for one second that was all he was talking about. On top of that, with him this close to my face, everyone was staring. And we weren’t looking away from each other. We were stuck in the middle of an epic stare-down I

The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire #1) Author: Jennifer Probst Chapter One She needed a man. Preferably one with $150,000 to spare. Alexandria Maria McKenzie stared into the small homemade campfire in the middle of her living room floor and wondered if she had officially lost her mind. The piece of paper in her hand held all the qualities she dreamed her soul mate would possess. Loyalty. Intelligence. Humor. A strong sense of family and a love for animals. A healthy income. Most of her ingredients were already cooking. One hair from a male family member—her brother was still pissed. A mix of scented herbs—probably to give him a tender side. And the small stick for…well, she hoped that didn’t mean what she feared. With a deep breath, she threw the list into the silver bucket and watched it burn. She felt like an idiot for creating a love spell, but she had no options left and little to lose. As the owner of an eclectic bookstore in a trendy upstate New York college t

That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy #3)(33) Author: C.S. Lewis Then came a check. They had walked right into a hedge. They had come to the end of a field. They went a long way out of their course before they found a gate. It would not open, and as they came down on the far side, after climbing it, they went ankle-deep into water. Hitherto Jane had scarcely attempted to think of what might lie before them. As they went on, the real meaning of that scene in the kitchen began to dawn on her. He had told the men to bid goodbye to their wives. He had blessed them all. It was likely, then, that this-this stumbling walk on a wet night across a ploughed field- meant death. Jane was trying to see death in the new light of all she had heard since she left Edgestow. She had long ceased to feel any resentment at the Director's tendency, as it were, to dispose other-to give her, at one time or in one sense, to Mark, and in another to Maleldil; never in any sense to keep her for himself. But

A Wanted Man (Jack Reacher #17)(26) Author: Lee Child The fat man hovered nervously behind the reception counter and Reacher took a look at the bullet hole in his wall. It was directly above the office door, maybe nine inches left of centre, close to the ceiling, maybe an inch and a half below the crown moulding. It looked like the round had hit near a stud or a screw. The impact had blasted off a large shallow flake of plaster, about the size of a teacup saucer, and the flake had left a corresponding crater. The centre of the crater was drilled with the .22 hole, neat and precise, a little smaller than a pencil. Reacher backed off and stood where McQueen had stood. He turned sideways. He bent his knees and lowered himself five inches, to make himself McQueen's height. He raised his arm and straightened it and pointed his index finger at the hole. He closed one eye. He shook his head. It had been a bad miss, in his opinion. Because it would have missed even if he hadn't f

The Queen (The Selection 0.4)(16) Author: Kiera Cass I panicked. I just needed to get my bearings. The table. If I could find the table again, all I had to do was turn right. I flung my arms around, coughing from breathing too fast and inhaling the gas. I stumbled and ran into the table, which was not where I thought it should be. But I didn’t care—that was enough. I placed my palms on a plate, still covered in food, and ran my hands down the length of the table, knocking over glasses and tripping over chairs. I wasn’t going to make it. I couldn’t breathe, and I was so tired. “Amberly!” I pulled my head up, but I couldn’t see a thing. “Amberly!” I banged my hand on the table, coughing from the effort. I didn’t hear him again, and all I could see was smoke. I started banging the table again. Nothing. I tried once more, and in the middle of striking the table, my hand came down on another hand. We reached for each other, and he hurriedly dragged me away. “Come,” he managed, p

Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses #1)(10) Author: Ellen Schreiber "I'm not a stranger, babe. Aren't you too old to be trick-or- treating?" "Aren't you too old to be toilet-papering the town?" Trevor got out of the car and came over to me. He looked particularly sexy. Of course, I find all vampires sexy, even fake ones. "What are you supposed to be?" he asked. "I'm dressed up as a freak, can't you tell?" He was trying to be cool but was stepping on himself. I was the only girl that had said no to him. The only girl in town he could never have. I had always been a mystery because of the way I dressed and behaved, and now I was standing before him dressed as his perfect dream girl. "So you're visiting Amityville by yourself?" He stared up at the Mansion. "You're a wicked chick, aren't you?" He glanced down, sending chills through me--he was gorgeous in his Dracula cape. I said nothing. "

Needful Things(10) Author: Stephen King He produced a narrow black leather notebook from the pocket of the blue blazer he wore and gravely noted down each name she mentioned She looked down at her plate and saw that she had finished all of her cake. Her hands still hurt, but they felt better than they had when she arrived. She recalled that she had almost decided against coming by, because they were so miserable. Now she was glad she'd done it, anyway "I have to go," she said, looking at her watch. "Rosalie will think I died." They had eaten standing up. Now Gaunt stacked their plates neatly, put the forks on top, and replaced the top on the cake container. "I'll return this as soon as the cake is gone," he said "Is that all right?" "Perfectly." "You'll probably have it by mid-afternoon, then," he said gravely "You don't have to be that prompt," she said as Gaunt walked her to the door. "

Needful Things(9) Author: Stephen King "It must be difficult to run a sewing shop with that particular disability, Ms. Chalmers. How ever do you manage?" It was a question very few people put to her, and, with the exception of Alan, she couldn't remember anyone's ever asking her in such a straightforward way "I went right on sewing full-time as long as I could," she said "Grinned and bore it, I suppose you'd say. Now I have half a dozen girls working for me part-time, and I stick mostly to designing But I still have my good days." This was a lie, but she felt it did no harm, since she told it mostly for her own benefit "Well, I'm delighted that you came over. I'll tell you the truthI've got a bad case of stage fright." "Really? Why?" She was even less hasty about judging people than she was of judging places and events, and she was startled-even a little alarmed-at how rapidly and naturally she felt at ho

Perfection (Neighbor from Hell #2)(13) Author: R.L. Mathewson "Thanks." "I still say Zoe is nice and that you could do a lot worse," Jason said conversationally as he grabbed his tool belt. There was no way he was going to put up with the suggestion that he should settle on someone like Zoe so he did what he had to do. "You do know that Zoe's a Red Sox fan, right?" The look on Jason's face was priceless and he found himself still laughing about it an hour later when he pulled into his driveway. He parked next to Zoe's piece of shit car and headed for the door, running his hand through his now thankfully short hair. He glared at the freshly cleaned floor mat, pissed that woman had wrecked his hard work and was tempted to go back outside and stomp around in the dirt just so he could cover those freaky looking puppies again, but he was too damn tired at the moment to try. Tomorrow, he promised himself as he walked into his apartment and fro

Needful Things(12) Author: Stephen King He put his citation book on top of his briefcase and then bent over to get whatever it was he had knocked out of the glove compartment. He held it up so it caught the glow of the arc-sodium light and stared at it a long time, feeling the old dreadful ache of loss and sorrow steal into him. Polly's arthritis was in her hands; his, it seemed, was in his heart, and who could say which of them had gotten the worst of it? The can had belonged to Todd, of course-Todd, who would have undoubtedly lived in the Auburn Novelty Shop if he had been allowed. The boy had been entranced with the cheapjack arcana sold there: joy buzzers, sneezing powder, dribble glasses, soap that turned the user's hands the color of volcanic ash, plastic dog turds. This thing is still here. Nineteen months they've been dead, and it's still here. How in the hell did I miss i't? Christ. Alan turned the round can over in his hands, remembering how the boy

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson #8)(2) Author: Patricia Briggs He gave Mary Jo a look, and she dropped her eyes. “It’s okay,” I said to Adam, and tried to make it not a lie. “Really.” I bake when I’m stressed. If I had to make enough chocolate chip cookies to feed Richland while she was here, it would be okay because Adam needed me to be okay with it. If she tried anything, she would be sorry. Adam was mine. She had thrown him away, thrown Jesse away—and I had snatched them up. Finders keepers. Maybe she didn’t want them back. Maybe she just needed to be safe. My gut wasn’t convinced, but jealousy isn’t a logical emotion, and I had no reason to be jealous of Christy. “All right,” Adam said. “All right. You can come.” Then, his voice gentle, he asked, “Do you need money for plane tickets?” I went back to the dishes and tried not to hear the rest of the conversation. Tried not to hear the concern in Adam’s voice, the softness—and the satisfaction he got from taking care of her. Good