When aspiring writer Nella has a wild night, her hook-up with the sexy and tattooed Baz turns into a wild goose chase when she realizes she lent her only handwritten copy of her first novel to him - and it's gone missing. ****** Grad student Nella has always been overly cautious, but after meeting the charismatic tattoo artist Baz, she can't resist hopping into bed with him for a night of passion. The next morning, she's shocked to remember she loaned him the manuscript of her first novel, forcing them to reconnect so she can get it back. There's just one problem: Baz tells her the manuscript has gone missing. Forced to team up with Baz to investigate who took it, she soon finds herself catching feels instead of culprits. Can Nella trust the mysterious Baz, who remains guarded about his past? Will they be able to recover what was lost, and turn their tension into something more? Or is she living in a fantasy just as magical as her manuscript? 2021 Wattys Winner--Romance Content warning: This story contains mature sexual content and themes of alcohol abuse and emotionally manipulative relationships.

Veronica Cruz has been through hell and back. After disconnecting with the world two years ago to be at the side of her dying mother, she's left alone, unemployed, overweight, and feeling a decade older than her twenty-eight years. When her best friend coaxes her into joining the local gym to ditch her depression and rejuvenate her life, she meets Noah. Assigned to help Veronica lose weight, Noah is everything she expected a young trainer to be-perfectly chiseled, supportive and motivating. Add to that, he's incredibly sexy. He's everything she's ever looked for in a man. What she least expected was for him to fall for her, but he has. There's just one glaring problem: Noah is eight years younger. Noah Quintanilla has his eye on a boxing title-someday. Down for a few months with an injury, his maintenance-boy pay at 5th Street Gym won't cut it. He's finally given the opportunity to train. The catch? His trainee is an out-of-shape woman with a free week pass. Taking on the challenge, Noah stumbles into one of the closest friendships he's ever known, and before he knows it, he's in love. But Veronica's not having it-the age difference is too much. Their platonic relationship means having to watch her date other men-something that would make him crazy. Believing he's the man for her, Noah sets out to prove that age is but an illusion, and there's more to him than just a number. Adult Contemporary - The story you are about to read is intended for mature readers due to its sexual content and language. It may not be appropriate for all audiences. Please read at your own discretion. This is not an extended sample like all my others. This will be uploaded in it's a entirety a few chapters a day.