A stranger to her own existence, Kayla moves to a small town with the hope of finding comfort in a fresh start. But as she steps inside the unfamiliar classroom on the first day, standing in front of the class is a mysteriously familiar face, one that rouses memories of a time she believed had gone by. With past baggage catching up in the most intrusive ways, she stumbles upon unexpected comfort of friendship, unconditional love of found family, and a beautiful yet complicated bond between two hesitant souls. "This book was like a warm hug, and I might believe in love again." "I would give everything, especially my soul, to have the opportunity to read this book for the first time again." ────── CW: Substance abuse, harsh language, sexual content, mention of self-harm and suicide. ────── Started in January 2018. Re-published in November 2022. First draft finished in April 2023. ────── Copyright 2018 © Renee Steinberg All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, copied, translated, or republished in any form without the author's permission, except for brief quotations or reviews with proper credit.

The story of how a shy elementary teacher still exploring her sexuality becomes involved with two of her student's mother. - *Contains strong language, mention of alcohol abuse, and mature scenes solely for the purpose of the storyline I own all the rights to this story. This story is a work of fiction. All characters, names, businesses, events, and incidents are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. - *Originally had over 1 million reads *The story is completed but a rewrite is being considered in the future !! The original cover has been changed. Full credit goes to the owner of the photo (found on Pinterest)

After disappearing for the rest of her senior year, Nova is an enigma most people don't want to mess with. She thought she could come back to school and maintain a low profile, but her cursed reputation is making it harder than she imagined. She's now a second-year senior and old trouble is following her like a moth to a flame. Planning to move out of town after graduating to start a new life and heal from recent events, Nova is dedicating this year to staying on track, even if it means avoiding as much social interaction as possible and staying out of the way. With much more to lose on her final chance to get a diploma, a particular woman steps into her life and causes a sudden eruption of emotion in her heart, but there's nothing more complicated than dealing with feelings for someone you absolutely can't have while everyone is out to get you. [Finished October 15th, 2020]

Lilith Hawthrone is a 20 year old psychology student with a complicated heart and more issues than she likes to admit. She feels too much, thinks too hard, and often drowns in the weight of her own empathy. She's curious, emotionally intense, and carries unresolved wounds especially the kind only a mother can leave behind. Valentina Salvatore is a 30 year old CEO. She's mastered control in every aspect of her life, her sharp mind cutting through complexity to build an empire. Beneath the polished exterior, however, is a woman who loves obsessively but is careful with her love, not wanting to waste it on the wrong person. She's learned to guard her heart, waiting for someone worthy of the intensity she's capable of. Where Lilith is all feelings and chaos, Valentina is order, control, and calculated precision. They come from different worlds, with different rhythms, but what if that's exactly why they fit?

"Are you... lost?" Someone asked, her tone impatient. I stopped scanning the room to find the woman behind the voice. I blinked. She had the most luminous blue eyes I had ever seen. Even in the dim glow of the bar they glowed brightly, like her pupils were some type of smooth stone at the bottom of a clear blue ocean. Within her blue there flickered tiny speckles of silver, which gave her an icy, somewhat stony appeal. But it was her slight, lopsided smile that erased any signs of wanting to be alone. No wonder this bar was so popular. "Uh, no," I said, holding up the Help Wanted sign I had snagged from the front window. The woman's cool eyes flickered between the sign and me. She didn't say anything, only looked slightly thoughtful as slender fingers raked through her long blonde hair. "What can you do?" She finally asked, definitely not expecting me to be able to do much of anything at all. She'd be right. "Anything and everything," I answered-lied-instantly, hoping I didn't look too desperate, didn't sound too eager. To be perfectly honest, I hadn't worked a day in my life. My hands were used to weekly manicures not hard labor. But desperate times call for desperate measures. The blonde appeared thoughtful again. Those magnificent eyes gave me a once over, slow and steady. You could see the cogs turning in her head as she considered it. I decided to try and sound more convincing. "I have many skills," I added. Okay, so I stole that from Xena, but I was hoping it worked as well for me as it did for her. The blonde lifted a sculpted brow and the smile was, once again, back on her lips. She seemed amused. Maybe she was a Xena fan? "Alright... I'll start you off cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping the floors, doing the dishes..." Crap.

"If you wanted me to fuck you, all you had to do was ask," Tazmin said, her raspy voice lowered as she drew one of her hands up the inside of my thigh. I clenched my jaw, "I didn't," I gritted, even if we both knew it was a full-faced lie. Especially with me bent over her desk with my hands held behind my back. "Oh so this..." she trailed off, suddenly running her fingers along my damp underwear, "Is all for someone else?" I drew in a deep breath, feeling the needy ache between my legs grow as she caressed her fingers back and forth against my covered core. "Anyone else," I forced out tightly. ♤ There's a delicate balance between law and order. And Milena Azhari fought ruthlessly for that balance as a defense lawyer, who is on the brink of achieving her lifelong dream... Making partner at her law firm. But she quickly gets lured off track, dipping deeper into the criminal world she once assumed she understood, until it all crumbles away from the surface. Milena's number one priority was always her family, but that quickly lands her face-to-face with her demons and the corruption that binds them. How far is she willing to go for her family? More importantly... how far is she willing to blur the lines of everything she once fought so hard for?