Intrigue; something or someone who arouses curiosity or interest or fascination. Intrigue; making secret plans to do something illicit. Enigma; a person or thing that is mysterious and difficult to understand. A mystery; a paradox; a puzzle. Enchanted, to fill with great delight or charm. Three best friends; three smoldering love stories. Follow Grace, Kendra and Tatiana as they experience love, lust and everything in between with three hot, badass men of their dreams.
Intrigued
Synopsis:
Intrigue; something or someone who arouses curiosity or interest or fascination. For Grace Summers, Daniel Romano is the personification of that verb. A perfect stranger to have a perfectly wild one-night stand with, but he's definitely not the kind she wants in her life on a day-to-day basis. She has enough trouble as is, she doesn't need a rich playboy who can't take no for an answer.
Intrigue; making secret plans to do something illicit. Oh, he has plans alright, and some of them can get him behind bars. Once Daniel has had a taste of the sensual beauty, he knows that once wasn't enough. And the plans he has for her....But God forbid, the stubborn woman is Hell bent on keeping him from getting under her skin and her tight fitting corporate skirts. But, Daniel isn't a quitter. And the prim and proper Miss. Summers needs a few lessons in the bedroom on how to loosen up.
Chapter 1:
Grace
The pounding music blasting from the inbuilt speakers gave me a headache. It pulsed through my veins, vibrated in my blood stream and slammed straight to my heart until it beat with the same intensity, a merciless tattoo against my ribs.
But who was I to complain? It is, after all, the reason why I'm inside Hell Hole, not the literal one, but my favorite bar to hang out on Friday night's with my girlfriends....one of whom.... is nowhere to be found. Ah! There's Ken, slender blonde with killer legs and an extremely short black dress, on the dance floor, devouring the face of a guy in an orange jacket. A very Orange jacket. Trust Kendra Millar to have other-worldly tastes.
My other girlfriend, Ty, short for Tatiana, sat next me on a barstool, sipping from a glass of Bloody Mary-trust her to add veggies into a cocktail-bobbing her head to the music while singing out the lyrics and texting her boyfriend of two years, Connor, all at the same time. Multitasking at its finest.
I was doing the same too, minus the texting the boyfriend part, since I don't have one. But somehow, the 'it's-freaking-Friday' excitement had gone out like a light bulb in my head. As always, Ty notices.
"What's with the sulky face?" She demands. Tatiana may be a bit shy around strangers, but she's popular for her bossiness among her friends. And we try our best to obey her because...Hell hath no fury as a Tatiana scorned. But we all love her, so it's okay.
My first instinctive thought was to lie, but Ty's my best friend and she deserves the truth. "I think I'm getting fired." I told her what has had me in a nervous bundle this entire time.
The Bosses of our company had trusted me with a rather complicated case, which I had delivered before the deadline, with maximum accuracy. But in doing so, I'd ignored the projects I'd already had on hand and now, I'm on a deadline with a ton of work to do and no time to ponder. And to top it all off, Vincent, my senior, would love to see me kicked out onto the streets and take credit for all my work, so he's done the good deed of 'reminding' our bosses that my initial job came first. "My head's so full right now," I told Ty. "I know what I have to write but I cannot fathom where to start!"
"You know what," Ty leaned in schematically, her auburn hair sliding over nude shoulders, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I have the perfect solution for your little problem."
"Really? What?" I leaned my head towards her to have a better hearing of her magical remedy.
"Sex."
"Sex?"
"Why, yes! What else?" She leaned back, grin stretching from ear to ear, leaving me dumbfounded.
"How on Earth is sex going to help me with my problems?" I toned down my volume when the bartender passed me another bottle of ice-cold beer.
"Honey, there's nothing like a mind-blowing orgasm to clear your head of all thoughts...instantly!" She snapped her fingers with a flourish, like that explained everything.
"Really?" I raised a dark eyebrow at her. "Even if I do believe in that ridiculous notion of yours, where am I going to find a partner for this 'mind-blowing orgasm' to clear my head? Last I checked it takes two to tango...unless, of course, we're taking a trip to the sex shop."
"Oh no, silly! With the hottie over there, of course!" She shamelessly pointed a finger in the direction behind my head, like whoever she was pointing to was the most obvious of choices. I didn't follow her lead.
"And why is he the rightful candidate?" I took a wild guess in thinking that the hottie she'd so boldly pointed at in her drunkenness was a guy. The last thing I need is an invitation from the same sex.
But Ty's voice was coherent when she said, "Because he's been giving you an once-over since you got here."
"And how do you know that?" I raised an eyebrow, taking a sip from my beer.
"Because I've been giving him an once-over."
I nearly spat out my drink. Coughing, I dabbed a napkin on my chin and tried to make rational sense of what Ty was telling me. "So, you mean, you were giving this guy an once-over, who's giving me an once-over. Remind me, why exactly are you setting me up with him again?"
Ty blinked. "You're drunk. And I have a boyfriend."
Shit! I really am drunk. Which really wasn't all that staggering once I realized I'd already had three bubblegum vodka shots and was currently on my second bottle of Anheuser Busch O'Doul's Amber NA.
Taking the opportunity of a distracted Ty, who was now smiling goofily at her cell phone, I risked a glance at the direction where she'd pointed not a minute ago, hoping that maybe, by some unforeseen miracle, she was hallucinating and there wasn't actually anyone in that direction, but instead, I met eyes of endless blue, visible from even this large a distance, placed in a face that evoked wicked thought of dark rooms and ruffled bed sheets and seductive plump lips that dried up my throat. The attraction was instant and, I blame it on the alcohol, made me want to take up the offer clearly visible in his eyes.
He stood on a far corner, between the private booths and the dance floor. Black hair spilled over his forehead, his jaw clouded by a five o' clock shadow. He wore a full sleeved shirt in the darkest of blues that almost seemed black in the dim disco lights, a glass of whiskey held in one hand while the other was tucked into the pockets of charcoal dress pants. From what I could tell, his skin had an olive tint to it, but it just might be the flashing lights.
"Hey there crazy frienemies!" Ken came bounding up to our stool at that instant, her cock-screw curls in tangled disarray that didn't leave much to the imagination on what she's been up to and lipstick smudged all in the wrong places. Leaning over, she ordered the bartender for another round of shots and, once delivered, placed three suspiciously green glasses in front of us.
"What on Earth is this monstrosity?" Ty scrunched up her nose.
"Something called celebration." Ken answered with a back flip of her hair.
"And what are we celebrating?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.
"Why, me hooking up of course!" A contagious grin.
It's not that Ken was a slut, but she really loved sex and took it as it came. She wasn't really the relationships type though. People she'd previously dated claim to find her too adventurous, too bold, too aggressive, too free-spirited and bit too of everything.
"Great!" Ty exclaimed, giving me a sideways glance. "So is Grace."
"You are!" Ken gasped, placing her hand over her heart. "My little girl is all grown up!" She pretended to wipe fake tears from her eyes.
"Hey! I said no such thing!" My complaint fell on deaf ears as Ty was already pointing at the guy with the bluest eyes.
"Hmmmm." Ken made a moaning sound as she too gave the guy an once-over. "I approve." And for some ridiculous reasons, I wanted to dunk her head into the shot glasses. The guy was looking at me, for God's sake!
"To hook-ups it is then!" Ken picked up a shot glass and waited for us to do the same. I must be really drunk if I'm even agreeing on a toast to myself getting hooked tonight. Oh well, it's Friday night, might as well, I shrugged.
Tipping back my glass, I let the familiar burn of the alcohol run down my throat...and gagged. "Gods! This is horrible!"
"Monstrous!" Ken seconded.
"I liked it!"
We both looked at Ty in horror.
"You know what," Ty chirped in. "I think it's time to hit the dance floor."
Agreeing, we all got out of our seats and headed towards the mass of sweaty swaying bodies.
Ken blended in instantly. Swaying her hips to music and moving her head from side to side as her curls flew in every direction. It wasn't long before the guy....let's call him Orange shall we? Yes, that sounds much better than calling him 'the guy she'll be hooking up with tonight'. So, as I was saying, it wasn't long before Orange was right behind her, grinding his junk into her hips, giving us an unwanted trailer of what was to come.
Ty and I both gave a synchronized shudder and moved to a less crowded spot and began to sway awkwardly, both more deplorable than the other at dancing. Before long, we too were dancing the night away, making weird alien like gestures and doubling over.
See, who needs sex when you have crazy friends to clear your mind, I thought to myself.
"Bella Signora," a heavy Italian ascent whispered into my ears, sending shivers down my spine. "May I have a dance?"
Forget friends, I'll take sex over friends anytime if the guy has such an ascent.
Turning around, I looked up...and up...into the devilishly delicious face that had me mesmerized. He was even more gorgeous up close and personal. My throat suddenly felt blocked with some unknown object.
Because it was him. The guy with the endless blue eyes.
My hook-up for tonight.
Kai Hunter is H University’s biggest player and heartbreaker. Known for his good looks and for being one of the brightest students on campus, he is one of the most eligible bachelors that everyone wants to ‘tame’. However, everything changes when freshman Night Winters becomes his new dorm mate. Kai is instantly attracted to the hot, young freshman who he had caught having a one-night stand at a bar and hasn’t been able to get out of his mind ever since. Night is openly gay, but Kai has been into girls his whole life…or so he thought. Can he let go of his pride and accept Night for who he is? Or will Night forever be forced to be just his dirty little secret, under the sheets, inside the closed doors to their dorm? However, Night is hiding secrets that can break the fragile foundation of their relationship at any time, and if Kai waits any longer…he just might end up losing the only person precious to him.
Kimhan, Kim, needs to produce an heir in order to rule over the empire that his father built from scratch, but since he can’t change what’s in his heart, he will need to change ways to produce an heir. So the only option left is to ask his best friend, Kanya, to become his surrogate. She’s the only one who had always understood him and accepted him for who he was. However, when Kanya’s younger brother Kit decides to follow her to the mafia household for her protection, Kim is instantly drawn to the boy at first sight. From the moment both of them laid eyes on each other, it’s the beginning of their endgame. But being a part of the criminal world is full of dangers. Is Kim willing to let Kit enter his world despite the fear that he could lose his life at any moment? Or will he let go of the only ray of light he has left in his dark, dark world.
After running away from home seven years ago to escape a loveless arranged marriage, Karina Wilder has finally mastered up the courage to be back in her small town of Ruthwell in Washington DC. She’s ready for a second chance with her parents and the people who used to be her friends back in High School and most of all, she’s ready to tell her parents that she’s about to become a bride. But the small town hasn’t changed as much in the past seven years and no one seems to have forgotten her betrayal or seem anywhere near ready to forgive her for her past mistakes. Everywhere she goes, she’s met with hostility and anger and it’s thinning out her chances of redemption ever second. Now, how does she tell her parents and her friends that not only has she moved on in her life, further than anyone had ever anticipated, but she’s happy and successful in what she does? Most of all, how does she tell everyone that she isn’t marrying a man, but the woman of her dreams?
Mikalya Carnell, a woman born into a cursed pack where women are nothing but birthing machines. The first female alpha in the world. But to become the Alpha, she had to commit a crime that haunts her an eternity later. Now she a lone wolf, a rogue that has no place but the one she made on her own and she’s happy being left alone. But an Alpha can’t stay alone forever without forming a pack and inevitably, she begins drawing wolves to her. Abhay Raichand is a photographer who meets this mysterious woman in the deserts of Rajasthan, who looks like a foreigner and is instantly drawn to her. But whenever he is around her, he feel the chill of the mountains and a reoccurring dream of his impending death. However, despite the sense of danger, he cannot help but continue to fall in love with her. Will Mikalya finally settle down and let Abhay into her life? And will Abhay be able to convince her that she was chosen as the Alpha for a reason?
Miaka Von Speltsper, the myth, the legend and the daughter of two Gods. Miaka, the Demon King and the head of the Dark Council is the most powerful demon ever known to mankind, but she has a secret. She’s a hybrid. And the world she lives in has hunted down and eliminated every single hybrid in all the dimensions. But now…someone knows her secret, someone who has the power to destroy her. However, the world is changing and one of those changes is Kaleb Takeshi, the man with extraordinary eyes who has stolen Miaka’s heart with just one glance. But there is something about Kaleb that Miaka can sense but can’t describe. And not only is he human, he’s an enemy who has decided to give his loyalty to her. In this world of lies, deceit and betrayal; can Miaka trust her heart or will she have to choose century’s old traditions to stay alive? Because if she dies, it will truly be the end of the world.
No one can escape the Moon Goddesses wrath…and Clay and Flora had been no exception. Torn apart and their memories completely erased, Clay and Flora are now living separate lives, completely unaware of each other. But things have changed drastically. Clay is no longer the Alpha apparent to the ReedStone pack, but a Rogue Alpha, while Flora is at Lindersay, working as a healer and a worshipper of the Moon Goddess. But even though fate isn’t on their side, destiny has tied them together forever as they meet once again, but this time as enemies. Will Clay and Flora be able to go back to the way they were and fall in love all over again? Or will the power of the Moon Goddess prevail over their undying love?
To exact revenge on her treacherous fiancé, Yvonne enticed Clayton into a liaison that promised advantages for both. Yet, when Yvonne spotted a woman resembling her at Clayton’s side, she recognized she was nothing more than a substitute. Discovering Clayton’s upcoming wedding, she departed with a generous severance sum. “Clayton, this is truly the end,” she declared resolutely. On the very day Yvonne was set to marry someone else, Clayton showed up, desperation clear in his eyes as he dropped to his knees. “Yvonne, please, don’t go through with it. Don’t marry him.”
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
Dear readers, this book has resumed daily updates. It took Sabrina three whole years to realize that her husband, Tyrone didn't have a heart. He was the coldest and most indifferent man she had ever met. He never smiled at her, let alone treated her like his wife. To make matters worse, the return of the woman he had eyes for brought Sabrina nothing but divorce papers. Sabrina's heart broke. Hoping that there was still a chance for them to work on their marriage, she asked, "Quick question,Tyrone. Would you still divorce me if I told you that I was pregnant?" "Absolutely!" he responded. Realizing that she didn't mean shit to him, Sabrina decided to let go. She signed the divorce agreement while lying on her sickbed with a broken heart. Surprisingly, that wasn't the end for the couple. It was as if scales fell off Tyrone's eyes after she signed the divorce agreement. The once so heartless man groveled at her bedside and pleaded, "Sabrina, I made a big mistake. Please don't divorce me. I promise to change." Sabrina smiled weakly, not knowing what to do...
"Ms. Crawford, it’s time for you to divorce Mr. Larsen and come home. You're the only heiress the Master's waiting for.” ~•~ For the sake of love, Amara accepted the arranged marriage with Tobias William Larsen. She did everything to gain her husband’s heart but when his old love returned, she realized that all her effort was all for naught. Tobias demanded a divorce on the night of their wedding anniversary, even at the price of threatening her. Heartbroken, she finally dropped all her illusions about him and returned home to be the heiress. The next time she met Tobias, they were no longer couples but opponents. "Mr. Larsen, should I remind you again? We've divorced." "Amara, that's the stupidest mistake I've ever made. Please come back to me."
He, handsome and powerful, enjoyed his fame of a renowned billionaire! She, cunning and unconventional, accidentally got involved with him! "I took your pants by mistake! I am so sorry but trust me this is just a misunderstanding. And… I may have to go." She gracefully escaped through the window, leaving the enraged CEO tied to the bed. "At any cost, capture the pants-stealing woman! I'll personally punish her!" Furious, he ordered a city-wide search. When caught, she was dancing with a male model! The CEO angrily pressed her against the wall, sincerity on his face, "Darling, I can do better than the model." And then, unexpectedly... News went crazy about what happened on that dancing night!
The kiss grew more passionate as he felt her warm supple body pressing against his chest. He couldn't believe how soft she was. He was gentler this time, making love to her with a slow, languorous pace, pausing now and then to check the expression on her face. Kira was. transported. She no longer felt the fabric of the sheets underneath her. One moment, she was floating in the air, cuddled by cotton candy clouds. The next, she'd become one with a dinghy, bobbing up and down with the undulating waves. His scent enveloped her. He was on top of her, using his arms to support his weight and avoid crushing her. She snuggled up closer to him, safe and snug, cocooned in his warmth. Kira had always marvelled at Austyn's stamina, but he outdid himself tonight. In the midst of overwhelming rapture, Kira still had the presence of mind to broach the subject she'd been meaning to bring up. 'My dad's medical bills.' Austyn paused. He frowned as he looked into those beseeching eyes. 'It'll be taken care of by the end of business day tomorrow,' he said with a bit of an edge in his voice. Kira breathed out. ****** She is a 21-year-old college student who dreams of becoming a journalist. He is the heir of the McCarthy family and president of a business empire. She is bright-eyed and vivacious, a glass-half-full kind of gal. When life throws her a curveball, she knocks it out of the park. He is the archetypal alpha male, aggressive and domineering. Endowed with both brains and brawn, he steamrolls over his enemies and rules his company with an iron fist. The two would never have crossed paths if not for a cruel twist of fate. Kira's world was turned upside down when her father was hospitalised after a car accident. The medical bills were astronomical. Austyn McCarthy offered her a way out. The price: becoming his contract wife. At night, he consummated their marriage but called out another woman's name. Who was she? Why did Austyn marry Kira if he was in love with someone else? Kira was his lawful wife, but she had no right to ask these questions. Then one day, the woman showed up in front of her.