~ 2021 WATTY'S SHORTLIST ~ "I-well, I..." I hesitated with my response. I wanted to let go. To not worry about what would happen in the future. I'd always loved staring into fires. It hypnotized me with its beauty and danger. It was so tantalizing to look at, but one little touch could destroy. I knew the heat between Tyler and I was similar. It started off small but it had only grown in the weeks he'd been here. We'd fed it unintentionally, and it had gone from an ember to a crackling flame. Every nerve in my body wanted to reach out and touch it, even though I knew I'd get burned. *************************************************** Pia Callahan always lived a carefree life with no worries. Her only responsibilities were to attend her college classes (sometimes) and keep herself fed (on ramen). When tragedy strikes, Pia is all of the sudden thrown into a whirlwind of change. She has to grow up and take on more responsibility than she could ever imagine: the custody of her best friend's son. Pia may not believe she is the best person for the job, but she is determined to do it. She'll trade in frat parties for PTA meetings and beer-bongs for apple juice. But what happens when the ruggedly hot motocross athlete Tyler Westwood shows up in her small town? Tyler lives on the fast track, never caring too much about consequences. You can't when your job is to do backflips through the air. Sometimes, you just have to send it and hope for the best. From the second Tyler meets Pia, he knows he wants her. But she is determined to ignore their bubbling chemistry. She has priorities now and a summer fling isn't one of them. Will Pia be able to stay away from Tyler? Or will she decide to hit the throttle? ***************************************************

" W..what are you-" " Do you want me to show all those people who you belong to the easy way or the hard way?" He says deeply, a dark look in his eyes as he looks down at my lips then back to my eyes. I feel my heart start to beat insanely fast at his close presence, the smell of his expensive cologne intoxicating me, almost like he was trying to lure me into his lips. • Sofia Novikov, youngest daughter of the Russian Mafia leader was kept away from the public eye her whole life. Her sister Anastasia Novikov however was always in the spotlight. With her perfect figure and personality everyone adored her. She was the sunshine and could do anything you could think of, she was everything any girl wished to be. What happens when ruthless and cold hearted Italian Mafia leader Connor Agosti is to be arranged in a marriage with one of the Novikov sister?