"Why do you want me?" "You want to know why I want you?" He exhales, like he's been holding this in for weeks. "I want you because I don't date for fun. I don't do temporary. I want you because when I think about marriage, your face is the only one there. I want you because if I ever have kids, I want them to have you as their mother. I want you because you're the love of my life." A beat. "And I want you because everything in me settles when you're with me."

He's the shy one. She's the quiet one. A late night grocery run turns into a awkward moment. And a stare that says, "Relax. I got you."

Malika Danai is pressure. Friendly, social, and loved by all, Malika thrives in college and is often seen as a mirage - seemingly real and attainable but disappears when approached. She's a party girl to the core. Loves to drink, flirt, and explore with her best friends, Ayana and Isabella. Her beauty is undeniable. With curly black hair cascading over her shoulders and golden-brown skin that glows no matter where she's at, Malika's presence is impossible to ignore. Her dark brown eyes often sparks with mischief, and her full two-toned lips often curves into teasing grins that hints at secrets she rarely shares. Malika excels at a lot of things but she was never the study type. She prayed the night before exams and hoped that her grades would at least give her a passing score and somehow, that always worked. Until now... Her grades are barely holding on- good enough to pass, but not good enough for a sorority like the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA). She wants to join. No she needs to. It's the only way she can prove to her mother that she's worth it. And she'll do whatever it takes. Even if it means casting her pride aside to get help from the boy who loathes her existence. Meanwhile... Theo Sinclair is a weapon. An academic weapon that nobody can beat. Coming from an old money family where the expectations and bars are set high, Theo surpasses them all and is often pushed towards greatness by his family. Yet he has a big flaw: boredom. Because of his uncaring attitude towards everything and everyone around him, Theo is often alone. Deliberately avoiding attention and validation from peers; he thrives in the silence and rhythm of his own scheduled routines. He has only one rule; 'Never let myself feel things I can't control.' To him, parties are ratchet and vile. An enigma vastly contrasting his reverence for solitude, silence, and carefully ordered thoughts. So when he's pushed into an unwanted arrangement, he resents the intrusion because slowly, his rule...

Sugar's addicting. So is she. Graham Davis has two addictions: Hockey-and Gracie Daniels. (Not that he knows it yet.) At St. Brown University, Gracie Daniels is the golden girl. Blonde ponytail, perfect smile, always saying yes. So when she's asked to manage PR for the hockey team, she agrees-hoping to help thaw their notoriously icy captain. But Graham Davis doesn't melt. He's distant, guarded, and doesn't need help from a pink-sweater-wearing perfectionist... until he starts noticing things he shouldn't. Skipped meals. Covered bruises. Flinches too small to be accidental. Gracie is sweet, bright, and hiding more than anyone knows. And Graham can't stop looking.

Four years ago, Juliette Bennett walked away from Mason Brooks, the golden boy of college hockey and the only person she ever truly let in, and never looked back. She rebuilt her life in silence, burying heartbreak under long nights, hospital shifts, and the one secret she swore would never see the light again: her daughter, Maisey. Mason Brooks has spent years becoming everything he was supposed to be, star forward, team leader, the future of professional hockey, without knowing the biggest piece of his life was already missing. When fate drags Juliette back into his world, the past doesn't stay buried for long. Old sparks don't just flicker, they ignite. And the truth doesn't just hurt... it changes everything. Now there's a four-year-old girl with Mason's eyes, a love that never really died, and a history built on a misunderstanding neither of them knew they were living in. Juliette wants to protect the life she fought so hard to build. Mason refuses to walk away from the one thing he never knew he had. And when a daughter becomes the center of everything between them, one question remains- Do you forgive the past... or does it destroy the future you never got to live?

There's this silence between us that stretches longer than it should, and it wraps around my chest like a weighted blanket. My throat tightens. I stare at him like I'm trying to memorise the face of someone who shouldn't exist. A dream made real. My lips part before I can stop myself. "Were you sent by my dad to take care of me?" The question hangs in the air, trembling like the last leaf in autumn. Aiden's gaze softens. His lips tug into the gentlest smile I've ever seen. It's the kind of smile that could mend broken wings. "No" he whispers. "I volunteered." The words hit harder than I expect. Like a punch wrapped in silk. I gasp, air leaves me in a rush I can't reclaim. But before I can fully process what he's just said, he takes a step closer. His fingers ghost over my cheek, brushing away a tear I didn't realise had fallen. And then-he kisses me painfully slow. His hand cups the back of my neck, anchoring me to a moment I never want to end. And just when I think it's over, he pulls away just enough to look at me. His thumb traces the damp trail of tears down my cheek. He doesn't say anything. He just leans in again, and kisses them away. One by one. My tears. My pain. My silence. All kissed away by a boy who didn't come to save me because someone sent him. He came because he chose to.

(Book 2 of the Mafia standalone series) Matteo Rossi x Aria Bianchi "Matteo-" The word dies in my throat as he reaches across the console, one arm wrapping around my waist, and before I can process what's happening, he lifts me effortlessly and pulls me onto his lap. My breath catches and I stare at him, stunned. His face is inches from mine. Close enough that I can see the faint scar near his eyebrow. Close enough to feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of his shirt. "Matteo-" I start again, but it comes out softer this time. He kisses me. It's not gentle, it's not hesitant.... it's desperate. I freeze for half a second, my mind blanking completely and then something inside me snaps. I kiss him back harder, aggressive in a way that surprises even me. His lips are rough on mine, aggressive and insistent. He kisses me like he's starving for it. My hands fist in his shirt, anchoring myself to him as he devours my mouth. His tongue slides against mine and I moan into him. The sound is swallowed by his kiss, muffled by his lips.

(Book 1 of the Mafia standalone series) Jeremy Romano x Rose Callahan "Do you need anything?" I ask, turning to Jeremy even though my voice trembles. Jeremy throws his head back against the cushions and smiles. "Keep speaking," he says, eyes half-lidded but glowing. I blink. "What do you want me to say?" "I'm so happy I was shot" he murmurs, grinning up at the ceiling like a lunatic. My mouth drops open. "If I'd known hearing that gorgeous voice would require a few bullets" he adds, "I would've taken them sooner. Happily." Heat crawls up my neck. "Keep talking, or I'll pass out" he threatens lightly, waving a limp hand in my direction. I roll my eyes, but I can't help smiling. "Jeremy Romano, don't pass out on me." His eyes fly open as if someone electrocuted him. "Say that again" he says, suddenly wide awake. "Don't pass out on me?" I repeat cautiously. "No" he breathes. "The two words before that." I frown. "Jeremy Romano?" His reaction is immediate, his smile brightens until it practically lights the whole room. "Say it again" he whispers. "Jeremy Romano." He lets out a dreamy groan. "I'll die a happy man." I slap his arm. Harder than I should've. He winces and I instantly panic. "I'm so sorry!" "Kiss it. I'll feel better," he says, smirking.

You thought you knew Jax Miller. Elias's loyal best friend. The easy-smiling golden retriever of The Inkwell. But behind that grin, the ex-Navy SEAL is hiding a war-torn soul and the trauma of a battle he cannot outrun. Jax returns to Oakhaven searching for peace, only to collide with Matilda "Tilly", the shy childhood best friend who pushed him away fifteen years ago. Tilly is back in town, working at The Heath Bakery and trying to rebuild her life after fleeing a cheating ex-fiancé who has now become a relentless stalker. Jax's protective instincts, fuelled by pain he refuses to face, snap into focus the second he sees her again. To keep Tilly safe, he suggests a fake relationship. A visible shield against the man terrorising her. But as the line between their protective lie and the feelings they buried years ago begins to blur, Jax is forced to confront the truth he has spent years hiding. And Tilly must decide whether she can trust the only man who once let her go. Find out what happens when the heart of a protector is finally put to the test. Fake Dating. Second Chance. Protective Ex-SEAL. The Protector is a friends-to-lovers romance featuring a protective ex-SEAL and a shy bakery worker caught in a fake relationship while a dangerous stalker threatens the life they are trying to build together. *** They are set in the same universe with the same characters; however, their stories are a bit different. In the first book, you don't know Tilly, but in this book, she comes in when Charlotte is nearly a year old. When I was writing Wildflower, I had no intention of making a second book, but after a while, inspiration struck, and I didn't want to touch Wildflower, but Jax and Tilly's story worked well in this time frame and i realised i have free will and can actually do whatever I want, so they techinaly work well as 2 standalones just set in the same town. CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE AND NEEDS EDITING

He built a fortress around his heart. She brought a wrecking ball and a secret. Elias Thorne is a mystery in Oakhaven, A solitary figure and the owner of a successful tattoo franchise, his wealth is as carefully guarded as his silence. He is the quiet grump the whole town wants to decipher, but no one ever gets close. Elias likes his life neat, organized, and utterly empty of anything that could remind him of love and loss. Then June Hayes arrives. Burnt out from the new york art scene and pregnant via a donor, June is determined to create a peaceful, new life for herself and her baby. To the locals, she's just a sweet, new artist. They have no idea she's also viral sensation with over a million followers who sells her work to the A-list. June sees Elias's grumpy exterior and smiles. She needs a friend, and she has decided the broody, ball cap wearing man (no seriously I never see him without a hat on - June) across the street is it. She invades his quiet space showing up at the inkwell every Tuesday and spending the day, sharing her music, and poking at his meticulous order. Elias fights it all, clenching his jaw and pulling his cap low to hide the truth: he fell for the Wildflower the minute she crashed into his life. As June begins posting subtle, faceless photos of him, their reluctant friendship turns into an online viral romance that threatens to expose both of their secrets. How do you guard a heart that already belongs to a Wildflower, a baby, and a life you swore you'd never have? And what happens when the most careful grump in Oakhaven blurts out, "That's my wife," just to stay by her side? Tropes: - Grumpy x Sunshine - He Falls First - Protective - Pregnancy - Small Town - Forced Friends - Friends to lovers - Secret Identity CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE AND NEEDS EDITING