Olandria Carthen has always been protected by the people who love her most. Raised by her father, grandfather, and older brothers after losing her mother at six years old, she's spent her entire life surrounded by family, structure, and expectations. Moving to Jacksonville for a new job is supposed to be simple. A fresh start. A chance to finally figure out who she is outside of being someone's little sister. Then there's Nic Vansteenberghe. Her brother Omari's best friend is guarded, emotionally unavailable, and dealing with heartbreak he refuses to talk about. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore the connection growing between them. Because some lines were never meant to be crossed. And some people become impossible to walk away from.

there are people you meet, and there are people your life seems to have been quietly moving toward.

In which a black debutant falls for the rebel surfer She was born into silk gloves, pressed manners, and a last name that opened every locked door in the country. Olandria Carthen came from old money, the kind built from black excellence; she was raised to smile softly, speak less, and never-ever-step outside the lines drawn for her. Her life was crystal chandeliers, charity galas, and expectations heavy enough to drown in. Perfect. Polished. Untouchable. At least, that's what everyone thought. He was born into money too-but Nicolas vansteenberghe never cared for any of it. A surfer boy with reckless laughter, sunburnt skin, and a habit of running from anything that tried to own him. The kind of boy who chooses saltwater over silver spoons, chaos over control, and freedom over legacy. They weren't supposed to meet. And they definitely weren't supposed to understand each other. But the Outer Banks has a way of pulling opposites into the same tide. She's reserved, careful, and taught that love is something you calculate-not fall into. He's loud, fearless, and lives like every wave might be his last. One follows every rule she was given. The other breaks every rule just to feel alive. And somehow... they keep finding each other in the space between their worlds. Because in a place where status divides everything and the ocean keeps secrets, love might be the most dangerous rebellion of all.

Six years later, they're not the same people anymore. Nic is no longer the reckless college boy. He's built something real-expanding his father's business into a thriving empire in Los Angeles, working with elite athletes and shaping careers. Focused. Disciplined. Untouchable. Olandria is exactly where she always dreamed she'd be. New York shaped her, but now she's ready for more. Her designs have a name, her vision has weight... and her next move is Los Angeles. When they reunite at a mutual friend's wedding, everything feels the same and completely different. The chemistry is still there. Stronger. Heavier. Harder to ignore. The history between them hasn't faded it's settled. This time, distance isn't an excuse. This time, they're in the same city. Same orbit. Same space. Same unfinished story. But six years changes people. Priorities. Fears. Expectations. And the question they avoided back then? They don't get to avoid it anymore. Are they still a bad match... Or is this finally their rematch?

Olandria is in a complicated relationship with her partner. She battles with the struggle of loving someone through their pain, without getting comfort through hers. She meets a guy, Nic, who is free in every way she desires to be. However, the complication of what is brewing poses a problem for everyone involved.

This book is what happens when too many ideas demand attention at the same time. It is a collection born from the late-night places where stories happen before they make sense. Short works with long feelings, scenes that arrived at 2am when sleep didn't, moments that didn't fit anywhere else but refused to be thrown away... A little chaotic, a little tender, pulled straight from the mayhem folder of my overactive mind. These stories may not have roads to follow (some barely have names), but together they make a map of my inner world. Enjoy!

A one night stand that turns into something else

~ Three years later ~ A shared past. A complicated present. And a connection that refuses to fade.

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AU: After Casa Amor leaves them both single, Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe get locked in a private hotel room for two days - no phones, no cameras, no escape. She thought it would be harmless. He had already decided she was his. What happens in that room doesn't stay in that room. By the time they walk back into the villa, Ola is completely ruined for anyone else... and Nic is done pretending. No more hiding. No more Taylor. No more games. From villa chaos and jealous exes to public votes, villa splits, and the real world waiting outside the gates - this is the story of the couple America never saw coming and the possessive love that started with one locked door. Raw. Obsessive. Addictive. And once Nic sets his mind on forever... there's no going back. MATURE | Interracial Romance | Possessive MMC | Strong Black FMC | Love Island USA | Hotel to Real Life | He Falls First & Hardest