2018 Wattys Longlisted. A little spicy. A little sweet. A lot of passion. Kate Crawford has always known what she wanted out of life. She's had a plan for every step of the way, determined to be successful and make a name for herself in journalism. She's always been sure of herself and confident in her decisions - that is, until she met Jesse Reese, a man who keeps her on her toes and will stop at nothing to have her in his bed. Kate sees no harm in having a little fun, and indulges in a spicy sex life with Jesse. It's just the distraction she needs from the stress of trying to earn a big promotion. But then Alex Stephens captures Kate's attention, giving her a taste of something sweeter. Since she's technically not in a relationship with Jesse, Kate decides to enjoy Alex's company, too. Both men give her something that the other cannot, but sooner or later, she's going to have to choose between them. EXCERPT: "So what made you say yes?" he asked, pulling me out of my sexy daydreams. "Pardon?" I almost choked on a piece of rice. An amused expression played across his face and even that turned me on. "When I asked you for coffee and then dinner," he clarified. "What made you say yes?" The fact that you're so hot and I want you to take me to your bed right now. "I... well..." I cleared my throat, starting to feel flushed and took a long sip of wine. "You seemed nice." Really? That's all I could come up with? "Nice?" he smirked with a chuckle, tapping his fingers on the table. "You must have me mistaken, sweetheart." Oh, that voice. 2017 Evergreen Books. All rights reserved. Warning: This novel contains graphic sexual encounters and strong language. Reader discretion advised.

MATURE CONTENT When it came to her job she loved it. Getting wined and dined by rich businessmen who needed a companion, as well as gaining a hefty amount of money in return for her time. She had one rule, no sexual contact with clients. She'll soon come to realize that this rule will be harder than originally thought upon meeting her new client; the brooding dom that wanted nothing more than to tie her up and bend her to his will. * "I am an escort, not a prostitute!" She smacked his hand away from where it was placed on her upper thigh. He smirked, he loved the way her eyes widened and her mouth parted every time he grazed her skin. He enjoyed teasing her, to see how far he could tempt her before she gave in. So far, she had been the most unwilling woman he had met, making him want her even more. "I know what you are, gattina." His voice was low as he watched the blood rush to her cheeks. "I do not fuck my clients!" She flustered as she snatched her handbag from the side of her chair with trembling hands before abruptly standing, giving him another view of her tight body. "My time with you ended an hour ago, you're here by your own will. And, I am not paying you," he stated calmly as she stilled. A blush rising along her cheeks. He knew one way or another he'd make her his new sub, and he would cherish the ground she walked on.

"Never underestimate the power of a decent vocabulary." • • • Imagine if you could hear everything your neighbor did on the other side of the wall. Cook - clean - masturbate? Detective Russell Crane quickly deducts that the wall in his new apartment is surprisingly thin. And that his female neighbor has a fondness of vibrators. How much would you listen to? And more importantly; How would you react if you heard your neighbor moan your name after having just met her once?

"You want me to be a genius or do you want me to fuck you?" • • • The Alexandrettia is the finest school in the state, known for producing the smartest, and most talented kids in America. 21 year old keen painter Mia Hanson managed to get a spot. She worked her whole life to get inside, to see the hallowed halls her biggest idols once walked through. But those very same halls gets vandalized one wild night, and the person responsible gets sentenced to do community service, working as a janitor to clean up his mess. With his brooding eyes, filthy mouth and body covered up in ink, Eli the type of guy you run away from; The type who only lives for the trouble; The type you just know packs a brain the size of a peanut. But when one of Fermat's biggest unsolved mathematical problems gets solved by an unknown source, rumors start as to who and where this genius might be... Well: Three guesses who?

"Guns and sex... that's what you are." • • • Rya Wilkins is a top trained agent, working under the orders of the president of USA. Her job involves brutal interrogations, dangerous undercover CIA work, and killing people who pose a threat to their nation. - And a threat like that just so happens to come in the form of a lethal and dangerously handsome Italian agent, who managed to break into the CIA and steal confidential information. It is now Rya's job to retrieve that information and stop the goddamn mischievous, sexy, son of a-I'm-going-to-make-your-body-explode-in-more-ways-than-one agent and bring him into custody. But there's a thin line between hatred and love - and that line turns out to be Rya's thong.

"You saw how quickly I got into your laptop, sweetcheeks. Imagine how quickly I could get into your panties." • • • You think you know it all? Think again. We go back in time. Back to all the things you missed. Back before it all happened. Back before a boy became a man, and before man recognized his genius. Nothing is hidden anymore... - Ceynius knows ALL your secrets. And you're about to learn his.

"I could nibble at your nose... or at your ear... or at your lips... or..." • • • It's December, and Jack Frost has just come to town. Literally. Summer is one of those people who hates winter. Not just because she was named after the opposite season, but because she hated the cold with a burning passion. But when a stunning man with silver hair, frosty blue eyes and a jovial charm walks into her coffee shop, ordering an iced caramel macchiato with extra ice, she suddenly finds it hard to hate the cold. Especially when (despite his constant cold hands) he always seems to burn her with his touch. Something seems off about him, and Summer is not mistaken. Jack Frost is known for bringing on the cold, but Summer is about to learn that he sure as hell knows how to turn on the heat, too.

"Come to sit on my lap again?" • • • It's that time of the year again, and people are all waiting for Santa to come by with their presents. Hazel is living a humdrum life in her small hometown, doing nothing in particular when a certain Santa Claus asks her if she wants to sit on his lap. Brown eyes, chocolate hair and abs carved like stone, Nick is nothing like the traditional Santa you know, yet he still straps on the beard and red suit. In town for just the season, Hazel slowly discovers there's more to Nick Saint than what meets the eye. Peeling back one layer at a time (like a Christmas present) she uncovers what truly lies beneath that red suit of his and finds herself in shock at the result. As the saying goes... Santa smirks because he knows where all the naughty girls live... And he was smirking at Hazel.

"I could tutor you, but I don't think you'd be able to concentrate." • • • When Cassandra Berry gets offered a shitload of money and a place at any college of her choice, just to con a man and getting pregnant with a said man, the answer seems pretty straight forward; Yes. - But Harry Xavier Devon is no mere fool. With two millennium prizes on his back and renowned around the world as the next Newton within mathematics, Harry easily sees through his brother's ploy to have a woman seduce him and get her pregnant when he himself can't have children. His brother in desperate need of an heir for his business empire, but Harry has no intentions of playing the scapegoat. Flipping the play against his brother, he pays Cassandra double the money to continue lying to his brother that they *are* having sex. He thinks he's gotten his revenge when it suddenly appears he's gotten more than he bargained for. Cassandra is no shy woman, or as previously thought, just a money-grabbing whore. Stuck in the same house together for a whole summer could prove to teach the mathematician that some things can *never* be calculated... - Especially when dealing with a (horny) woman.

*This is a FREE book with PAID exclusive chapters* [The Dad I'd Like to F*ck] "You should be careful," Devin said calmly, bending over to scoop Rory into his arms. "This bathtub can get incredibly slippery." "So I noticed," she said dryly. Mortified, she noticed how erect her nipples were. They stabbed the air like tiny knives of arousal and she was positive that Devin had noticed. "I think I can walk now," she said quickly. To her relief, he set her on the ground and reached for her towel. "This is the second time I'm rescuing you," he said, in that quiet way Rory was beginning to recognise as his annoyed tone. "Let's not make it a habit." Rory tightened the towel around herself, wincing from the motion. "I slipped in the tub. Hardly a rescue." A dirty look crossed his face. "I haven't had sex in two years, Rory. Consider yourself rescued..." He turned to leave "...from me." She was speechless. For starters, this had been the longest conversation she'd ever had with Devin Shaw and, secondly, she was positive that he wasn't as crazy as he let everyone believe he was...