"You just have no idea." His voice was thick with restraint. "W-what," I breathed. His gaze flicked to my lips as his thumb stroked again. The calloused pad against my soft flesh sent goosebumps down my arms. His once warm eyes were dark as they lifted and bared into my soul. "What you do to... men." His husky whisper weakened my knees. I almost fell but his other hand settled on my hip, pulling me closer to him. "What you do to me," he added on a breath. The hand on my jaw shifted. His fingers left trails of tingles as he slipped them back slowly, under my earlobe and into my curls. *************************************************** As a young girl, Charlotte Avery's favourite pass time was daydreaming about her Prince Charming: Archer Johnson. She never stopped to consider that Archer was her brother's best friend.. Or that he always appeared severely creeped out by her attention. On her 16th birthday, Charlotte received a harsh reality check. Realizing just how embarrassing she had been acting, she swore to never make a fool of herself in front of Archer again. The problem? She is about to head to college and unfortunately it's the same school where Archer is currently the star quarterback. Follow Charlotte during her first year at USC as she juggles new experiences, social anxiety, family drama back home, and avoiding Archer. These are the unintended consequences of an embarrassing childhood crush. *************************************************** Top Ranks: #1 - Hot #1 - Collegeromance #1 - Brothersbestfriend #1 - Football #1 - Brooding #1 - Slowburn #1 - Quarterback #1 - Athlete #2 - Newadult #2 - Player #5 - Badboy #73 - Romance ***************************************************

BOOK TWO OF THE BLACK SERIES *CANNOT be read as a stand-alone* -- "I mean, let's face it, Hayden," Casey said with a humourless laugh, looking away from me and out at the city of white lights, "you don't want me. You want the thought that you managed to get with me - all of your friends are expecting it, my friends and family are expecting it to happen... it's not long before you wanting me changes and you see how messed up I really am." My eyes narrowed and I turned to face her, grabbing her by the jaw so I was staring into her dark eyes. Casey's breath hitched in her throat and she chewed on her lip, tears gathered in her eyes as our eyes met. "I don't give a flying fuck about what they want to hear or what they expect to happen between us, Casey," I told her, wiping a stray tear away. I smiled when she sniffled. "Stop thinking so much about what other people do and don't expect, alright? I damn well know how insane your family is but I also know how much better you are from them, and it's the good in you that makes me fall deeper with every date we go on." When I cupped her cheek with one hand, Casey's alarmed eyes relaxed and she slowly leaned into my touch, sighing quietly. I pressed my forehead to hers, smiling softly when she tried moving forward for our lips to meet. I pulled away last second, rubbing her bottom lip with my thumb. lol "I'm all yours, baby," I whispered, finally pressing our lips together.

At the age of twenty, Liam Dupont has too much on his plate. After the death of his parents, he becomes the guardian of his little brother and moves to Paris, determined to start over. His days follow the same pattern - work, gym, home... Until he meets Sky. Sky Sullivan is hiding lots of secrets behind the cheerful facade of a nineteen-year-old girl. After transferring to a university in the capital of France and renting an apartment she can't afford to pay for, Sky finds herself in desperate need of a roommate. Liam closed himself off to feelings. Sky has issues of her own. When Liam moves in with Sky, the friendship they form morphs into something much stronger and deeper. Surrendering to the undeniable chemistry between them has never seemed so easy. Giving their love a chance has never been so hard. Content warning: this story contains on-page depiction of sexual assault, violence and mention of DV that can be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised

~ 2021 WATTY'S SHORTLIST ~ "I-well, I..." I hesitated with my response. I wanted to let go. To not worry about what would happen in the future. I'd always loved staring into fires. It hypnotized me with its beauty and danger. It was so tantalizing to look at, but one little touch could destroy. I knew the heat between Tyler and I was similar. It started off small but it had only grown in the weeks he'd been here. We'd fed it unintentionally, and it had gone from an ember to a crackling flame. Every nerve in my body wanted to reach out and touch it, even though I knew I'd get burned. *************************************************** Pia Callahan always lived a carefree life with no worries. Her only responsibilities were to attend her college classes (sometimes) and keep herself fed (on ramen). When tragedy strikes, Pia is all of the sudden thrown into a whirlwind of change. She has to grow up and take on more responsibility than she could ever imagine: the custody of her best friend's son. Pia may not believe she is the best person for the job, but she is determined to do it. She'll trade in frat parties for PTA meetings and beer-bongs for apple juice. But what happens when the ruggedly hot motocross athlete Tyler Westwood shows up in her small town? Tyler lives on the fast track, never caring too much about consequences. You can't when your job is to do backflips through the air. Sometimes, you just have to send it and hope for the best. From the second Tyler meets Pia, he knows he wants her. But she is determined to ignore their bubbling chemistry. She has priorities now and a summer fling isn't one of them. Will Pia be able to stay away from Tyler? Or will she decide to hit the throttle? ***************************************************

BOOK THREE OF THE BLACK SERIES *this book CANNOT be read as a stand-alone* -- "Get the hell off of me, Lucian," I snapped angrily, smacking the palm of my hands on his muscular back as he carried me out of the club. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" It wasn't until he carried me upstairs and into a VIP room that he set me on my feet. I wobbled from the combination of my heels and the alcohol finally reaching my brain. It didn't stop me from glaring at him, but he just stared back, his eyes blank. As always. He's never been a talker, unlike me. What the hell was he even doing here? "You can't just walk on the dance floor and throw me over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes," I snapped, trying to get passed him. "I'm not a kid anymore, Lucian, okay? I'm not yours to protect - I never have been!" Hearing those words must have triggered him because he snapped. Lucian roughly grabbed me by the waist and pushed me against the cold wall, his body pressed right against mine. My eyes widened in shock and I met his blazing glare, feeling his hand creep up to my hair and twist it in his knuckles. I tried to force the lump down my throat but felt the confidence leave my body. "I can do damn well as I please when I see my woman dancing with a man who would want nothing more than to take her back to his place," he growled out, tilting my head up by my hair. Our lips were almost touching. I suddenly can't breathe. "You're mine, Mia," he spoke, this time his words low and raspy. "You always have been - never fucking forget that."

Rebelling against your parents is only a phase, right? Right? - 100k 1.8.20

When the bold, cocky bad boy Brian O'Brien returns to his hometown, he discovers that some things changed in his absence. Brian has a new neighbor-a shy, smart girl Leah, who seems to hate his guts since the moment she sees him from her bedroom window. Intrigued by the girl who is unlike anyone he's ever met, he calls her Kitten and tries to discover who she really is. Her claws only come out with him, but how many layers are there to the good girl with a perfect boyfriend and a strict mother? Small towns make it hard to avoid a person. As Brian and Leah spend more time together, a series of events set something much bigger in motion-something that will forever change them both. Brian loves the wind in his hair and the rumble of his bike's engine. Leah is sheltered in her little world. What would happen if he showed her that there is more to life than what she has seen? What if she starts to realize how much she's been missing? Content warning: this story contains mentions of depression and suicide that can be upsetting to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

After his meteoric rise to superstardom, Jim O'Brien is no longer a small-town boy who plays in bars and dreams of success. His handsome face is plastered on the covers of celebrity gossip magazines, and his voice alone is enough to make girls swoon. Jim's life changes, and so do the challenges he faces while trying to stay true to himself. Everyone knows who Jim O'Brien is, but do they really know him? *** Ava couldn't care less about gossip. She has too many books to read and too many book boyfriends to fall for. Back in her hometown after a gap year Ava spent out of the country, she needs to decide what to do next. Meeting Jim wasn't on her agenda, but Ava soon discovers that some of the best things in life are often unplanned. Even though their lives couldn't be more different, Jim and Ava are drawn to each other. After all, some people are like pieces of a puzzle- they just fit. Beautifully.

Ava knows who Jimmy O'Brien is - her first love and soulmate. Forced to spend time apart, Ava and Jim deal with their trust issues and insecurities. When the lovers finally reunite and resolve to fight for each other, their fragile happiness is put to the test once more. This time, by their past, the secrets they didn't know existed, and the demands of Jim's successful career. He's her strength; she's his weakness. Together, they are two pieces of a puzzle that fit beautifully; two lovers whose souls match perfectly. The world threatens to break them. The only thing left to do is protect their love at all costs. Content warning: this book contains mentions of a miscarriage that can be upsetting to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Revenge. I'm familiar with it. You have to be when you're the firstborn son of a notorious mafia leader. Death and vengeance have been the very foundations of my life. So who in their fucking mind would be stupid enough to cross me? My brother and I have been wrongfully convicted of a crime we didn't commit. We know who is behind this. We bid our time behind bars, planned and prepared for the day we got out. Now we're free and hungry for redemption. I know what must be done. I know whose blood will be spilled. But before I go after him, I'll go after his daughter. I never said I play fair. *Book one in the Marino Brothers Duet. Rated 18+ due to explicit language, sex, and violence.*