After months of therapy, Garrett Delko is still struggling to cope with his brother's suicide. The only time he finds peace is on the pitching mound and with a mysterious girl he's been obsessed with since the first week of college. One night, he sees her jumping off a bridge and it leads to an unexpected connection neither can deny. Garrett resolves to stay away, but as their paths intersect, he wonders if she's the answer he's looking for. Arianne Zhang is no one's magic remedy. She has her own troubles and doesn't need an adorable baseball player messing up her hard-earned anonymity. However, as they confide in each other, she begins falling for him. Then Arianne's secrets are exposed, and both must face tough choices. Can they find the strength to let go of their insecurities to help each other? Or will the colors of their past blind them to the truth?

First written as a Valentine's Day short-story for Nocturnal Book Reviews' 3rd Blogoversary in 2014. In December 2016, it became a serial available via Penny Reid's newsletter over the course of 2017. On November 7, 2017 a longer version, with additional scenes and expanded content, was published. Nobody Looks Good in Leather Pants is now Kissing Tolstoy, the first book in the Dear Professor series.

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.

People see what they want to see. A burly guy with tats and a permanent scowl is probably a criminal and an asshole, right? And I can't fault 'em, because in my case, they're right. My world revolves around righting the wrongs of my past. Atoning for my selfish stupidity. And it's enough. Until I meet Viv - a woman who sees right through me. She's not scared or intimidated. A woman like her is way too good for a man like me. But life as I knew it won't be enough anymore. I realize now that before I met her, I wasn't really living. Hell, I was barely breathing.

Khloe I have a bad habit of falling in love with assholes. Charles Davenport was nothing of the sort. And that's why we failed. It was his nice guy exterior that drove me away. Two years later, I need help and he's the one I find myself turning to. Except he's not a nice guy. He's not nice at all. A charming devil hidden beneath an expensive suit. His watchful gaze puts me on edge. The way he says my name sends shivers down my body. I can't get enough of his heady scent. And I crave his touch. He's the only one who can save me. A knight in shining Armani. More like dark knight full of secrets. Now, he's trapped me, bound us both in his lies. And I'm not sure he'll ever let me go.