Mariah Jade Grey is 21 years old, freshly graduated, and trying to figure out what comes next. She's stylish, sarcastic, and guarded- always has been. After losing more than she ever talks about, she's learned not to get too close. Love doesn't stay. People don't stay. So she keeps herself safe: with ambition, independence, and the quiet ache of something missing. Kyra Reyes is 30 years old, the kind of woman with a camera in one hand and someone new on her arm- easy, unattached, free. Nothing ever sticks: not the girls she leaves tangled in her sheets, not the art that never quite feels finished, not the whispers about her being a player. But when it comes to Mariah, everything sticks. Every glance. Every laugh. Every moment that isn't supposed to mean anything, but somehow means everything. As their best friends build new lives and the city around them quiets down, Mariah and Kyra find themselves circling each other, drawn together by late nights, unspoken truths, and the weight of everything they won't say out loud. It's there in the way Kyra looks at her. It's there in the way Mariah never quite lets her go. And when the silence finally breaks, it changes everything. What they have isn't just friendship. But it isn't love. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Almost. But is almost ever enough?

Stephanie Walker is eighteen, moving across the country from Los Angeles to New York to begin her dream: law school at NYU. A new city, a new home, new friends, new everything. She's excited, but sleepless nights, old wounds, and quiet struggles follow her everywhere. She wants to live like any other college student, to blend in, to feel normal, but life hasn't been simple, and surviving on her own is harder than she expected. Every late night, every study session, every solitary drive home reminds her that life doesn't come with easy answers. Some nights, she leans on quiet habits she'd never tell anyone about, just to make it to morning. Elena Shay is thirty-two, NYU's Dean and a respected law professor. Her life is built on control, precision, and endless responsibility. At work, she's commanding, elegant, untouchable. Outside it, she's soft, warm, and human, but never careless. Elena doesn't date casually; she doesn't waste time or energy on anything that isn't worth it. She's deliberate, certain, and careful... Until Stephanie. Stephanie isn't just another student. She's sharp, captivating, and unafraid to be herself in a way that draws Elena in deeper than it should. Suddenly, the carefully maintained line between professional and personal life begins to blur. The rules, the expectations, the life Elena's worked so hard to control all scream that nothing between them can ever happen. And yet, the pull becomes impossible to ignore. As their worlds collide, Stephanie discovers a side of life she's never dared to touch: warmth, comfort, attention, and desire from someone who sees her fully, not as a girl with a "rough" childhood, but as a woman. Together, Elena and Stephanie fall into chaos, vulnerability, and longing they didn't know they were missing. Every glance, every touch, and every moment carries risk. Risk of exposure, of judgment, of everything crashing down, all shaped by the choices resting in their hands.

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.

In her senior year, Eve finds herself on a collision course with trouble and darkness from the very first day. Amidst this turmoil, she becomes captivated by a teacher who is her polar opposite. Driven by curiosity, Eve embarks on a quest to understand this enigmatic figure, leading to an unexpected and profound connection. As she delves deeper, Eve must confront the question: Will her curiosity and budding affection bring her fulfillment or heartache?

Ewa finds herself stepping into the unknown, navigating a world that feels entirely foreign to her. Yet, as she slowly finds her footing, she begins to realize that this unexpected opportunity is far more than just an academic challenge. It introduces her to people who will reshape her perspective, push her beyond her limits, and ultimately turn her entire life upside down in ways she never could have imagined.

Seraphina Esposito is a mafia queen.. cold, ruthless, untouchable. At twenty-five she rules an empire built on fear, wielding power like a blade and believing feelings to be nothing but weakness. Love, family, softness.. those are luxuries she's burned out of herself. Or so she thought. Then comes Elowen Morgan. Beautiful. Too emotionally intelligent. Kindhearted. Too pure for a world like hers... and yet, impossible to ignore. With honey-brown eyes that see too much and a quiet defiance behind her smile, she unsettles everything Seraphina thought she knew. Seraphina doesn't do love. But desire? Obsession? The urge to claim what should never have been hers? That, she can't seem to resist. What happens when a woman who feels nothing meets the one person she can't stop feeling?

Feared. Admired. Untouchable. Celine Ashbourne carries secrets that could shatter the life she's fought to control and the one person she should avoid is the only one who truly sees her. At Nevermore Academy, desire is a dangerous thing. When trust falters and boundaries blur, temptation becomes impossible to resist. ⚝ WLW ⚝ OC x Isadora Capri ⚝ Forbidden love • Angst • Slow burn • Vampire fantasy

Drew is just trying to survive life let alone high school. Her two best friend are her entire world and she loves to dance. There's a new English teacher in town and Drew's path is not as straight forward as she thought it would be to graduation. *smut and other mature content!* Excerpt: "You look beautiful today" I paused "uh..... not that you don't look beautiful everyday. Uh... I." Why was I nervous! I, Drew Line, never get nervous around girls. She started laughing at me. "Drew chill." She smiled. "What can I do for you?" She asked standing from her desk. I checked out her body. God I wanted to touch her. I need too. Suddenly my confidence came back. I walked slowly towards her. "I just wondered if you'd like to give me extra lessons." I said about 3 steps away still getting closer. "Drew your grades are great. Why do you need....." My lips closed around hers so quickly she was stunned. She kissed me back for a moment then broke the kiss. I stepped back and she looked at me with a questioning look again. Date started : Oct 28 2022 Completed: Jan 23 2023 Disclaimer : poorly written hopefully I'll rewrite this one day.

Talia Kingston is an 18 year old senior in her high school. She's top of her class and captain of her basketball team. When she's introduced to a stunning new teacher who immediately gives her detention upon first meeting, how will their unconventional story unfold with exes, jealousy, and the fear of getting caught on their unlikely affair? "Because I dreamt about doing the most extraordinary things to you and most of them involved me having you bent over your desk." I hear her suck in a breath and then she looks at me. "Talia." I smirk. "But I have to go now so I'll see you in class, Ms. Romano."

Yeah not that one... Devin, a 21 year old repeated offender, is given two options after her last offense. Prison or therapy. With a painful and traumatic past following her dreams, she finds opening up to be the hardest thing she's ever had to do. But when court appointed to therapy as a "second chance", she finds herself falling hard and fast for her no nonsense taking therapist who just wants to help her. With trauma, pain, and an untreated bipolar disorder fighting her everyday, how will she battle the hurt and the need to just love within her...and will it be her downfall?