It can also be an exchange, a betrayal, an assault, a promise, a hope...or it could be a goodbye. The intimacy of a kiss cannot be denied. Whether shared, stolen or simply dreamed of, its recipient will be affected. Thirty-one stories by authors from around the world will tease your imagination as you anticipate ‘The Kiss’ in each weird or wonderful tale. This cross-genre anthology contains stories by Kate Aaron, Saxon Andrew, Jacques Antoine, Alison Blake, E. B. Boggs, Shirley Bourget, Ben Cassidy, Jason Deas, Sharon Delarose, Meghan Ciana Doidge, Suzy Stewart Dubot, Corrie Fischer, Brandon Hale, Traci Tyne Hilton, Colleen Hoover, Mona Ingram, J. L. Jarvis, Elizabeth Jasper, Anna J. McIntyre, Jess Mountifield, C. A. Newsome, S. Patrick O'Connell, Suzie O'Connell, Jeanette Raleigh, J. R. C. Salter, Molly Snow, Holli Marie Spaulding, Cleve Sylcox, Robert Thomas, Chris Ward and George Wier. 130,000 words

    Meet the brothers, Samuel and Adam in books One and Two of the series, boxed together here. A complete set. In Hiding Out, Book One of The Davenport Agency: Samuel Davenport runs his family's New York based advertising agency. His brother, Adam, runs from responsibility and anything remotely boring. And his temp, Haley, runs so she'll never be caught and hurt again. She moved to the city New Year's Day to hide and recover, to build a new life far from her past. In an effort to lie low, Haley never expects to be more than a temp. What begins for Sam as an excuse to get to know her better, ends up being an opportunity for advancement and excitement for Haley. When Sam tries to uncover all of Haley's mysteries, he exposes her hiding place, endangers her life, and threatens to destroy any chance of them ever having a future together. In Finally Found, Book Two of The Davenport Agency: Where one story ends, often another begins. For some reason, Adam Davenport can’t see past the ending. The hit and run has forced him to slow down and stop running from the pain of losing his parents. He has tried to hide behind meaningless, superficial relationships and even more shallow friendships, but the time has come to face his loneliness. Now he is finally ready to start being a family with his brother Sam. However, Sam and Haley, who was once Sam’s personal assistant, are too busy basking in their newfound love. Though breaking the rules for the first time ever has changed Sam’s life for the better, Adam has always broken the rules, strayed from responsibility, and done as little as he could get away with. One of the main reasons that he refused to believe that Cammie was more than friend material was because she was impervious to his charms. She was so driven and determined to make her new catering company a success that she couldn’t see past her own dreams. Suddenly, Adam found himself behaving in ways he never imagined. He was working to impress a woman, but more than that, he was working to help make her dreams come true. He soon realizes that there are times in life when giving is more important than taking and when helping someone else is more important than what that person can do to reciprocate. He also learns there are times that the biggest risk is to stop hiding from emotions and to start allowing love to finally be found.

    She was supposed to be there on her honeymoon, but she's alone.Two things are making Laura feel better: ice cream, and the young man who serves it to her, Shawn.Shawn is trying to forget someone, an ex-girlfriend, only she won't let him.Laura and Shawn bond over their relationship problems and discover that when they're together, they seem to have no problems at all. Except for his ex, of course.

    **Whatever might help him forget his past and numb the pain, James has tried it all: booze, car races, fights, and then some. Especially women. College offers plenty of opportunities for everything. . . Especially when you have a trust fund to spend.Serena spirals deeper and deeper into a hurricane of pain. But no matter how far she falls, there’s no redemption from the overwhelming guilt. Two souls consumed by their pasts fight to learn how to survive. But all hope seems to be lost. Until they meet each other.

    burned. 2 romances. 2 impossible loves. Book 1 - Hooked on the Game by C.M. Owens Everyone has secrets that define them, a past that has shaped them, and a game they play - whether they know it or not. Despite the fact they live next door to each other, Kade and Raya have never made an effort to speak, until a wild party, four frat boys, and... a bulldozer. Sterling Shore was supposed to be a new start for eighteen-year-old Raya Capperton. Everything was working out perfectly until her two roommates were expelled for a prank, leaving Raya with the house she couldn't afford on her own. Fate intervenes before she has the chance to find a new home, but she struggles to decide if it's divine luck or the devil's cruel sense of humor. Twenty-one-year-old Kade Colton has his life planned out, and everything he does is an elaborate game to aid him with his future endeavors. Coming from money has made Kade's life easy, but he wants to build his own name - his own future. The thing he doesn't realize... when you only put forth superficial effort, you only acquire superficial friends. Raya is torn between being amused or disturbed by Kade and his philosophy, but the drive behind his determination isn't what Raya expected. Little by little, her hatred fades and is replaced by emotions she never would have believed she could have for the rich jerk she desperately doesn't want to care about. Too bad you can't force yourself not to care. The problem is... Kade's shiny name can't be tarnished, and Raya has a jaded tie she can't cut loose. Nothing about them can work, nothing about them makes sense, but nothing can seem to stop them from trying. *Not suitable for anyone under the age of eighteen **No cliffhanger **New Adult Contemporary Romance **Descriptive sex **Language Book 2 - My Despicable Ex (Part 1) By Sierra Rose She thinks he’s despicable. He wants her back…with a vengeance. Ashly Roberts and Jake Connors are barely twenty when they decide to take the proverbial plunge and walk down the aisle to exchange vows in front of the dearly beloved. Basking in bridal bliss, Ashly feels she is living the perfect fairytale, until she’s faced with a runaway groom, dumped at the altar by bad-boy fiancé, Jake Connors. Five years later, Jake steps back into her life… He realizes that being a no-show for their nuptials was the worst mistake of his life. A little older and more mature, he is ready to fight for Ashly’s love once again. When Ashly sees him, she can’t deny the attraction she feels, but her hormones are overruled by the horror of what he did to her in the past. Nevertheless, Jake’s most potent weapon, those dazzling baby blues, ignites a spark in Ashly, no matter how angry she wants to be. She cannot deny the spark, and she only hopes the inferno it ignites will not consume her heart again.

    When she discovers the drunken vows she exchanged with the groom during a wild Las Vegas trip eight years previously mean they're legally married, her future plans ricochet out of control.Gavin Maguire's life is low on drama, high on stability, and free of pets. But Gavin hadn't reckoned on Fiona blasting back into his life and crashing his wedding. In the space of twenty-four hours, he loses a fiancée and a job, and gains a wife and a puppy. Can he salvage his bland-but-stable life? More importantly, can he resist losing his heart to Fiona all over again?

    It doesn't take long before her boss, the charming and sharp businessman Patrick Collins, deceives her into being part of his plan to land the biggest account of his life. However, he never expected that he would fall for her. Suddenly, he finds himself trapped between a ruthless billionaire client, who has her own eyes set on Patrick, and his deep affection for the beautiful Chloe.What follows is a sensual and passionate journey of self-discovery, as Chloe faces the harsh reality of jealousy, love and money in the big city. Stimulating, amusing and highly arousing, Deceived is a romance that will excite and titillate your senses.

    She would like nothing better than to engage in a 'friends with benefits' relationship with Jules. The hotter and more erotic the friendship the better. Jules was the most handsome man she had ever seen. The past ten years sat well on him. He was taller, more muscular and fit and he carried himself with a confident, casually elegant swagger. He was all male and she itched to get her hands on every part of him."What's in it for me?" she asked boldly.He raised his eyebrows in surprise. She had definitely changed from the quiet, tongue-tied child of ten years ago. She had grown into a beautiful young woman who was daring enough to ask for what she wanted...just his type of woman. "I think I can make it worth your while. Are you interested?" he murmured.Jaime knew exactly what he intended. Here was the opportunity she longed for. Was she courageous enough to take it?

    Ten years have passed but neither has really moved on from their passionate teenage affair or the heartbreak that followed. What starts out as business quickly moves into the bedroom and they discover the sparks between them burn brighter than ever. This reunion can be their second chance, if Trevor can accept everything about Lissa, including her daughter. *This title has been previously published as Kismet**]Dear Readers:Welcome to Carly Classics, books I wrote earlier in my career that have been modernized for your reading enjoyment. These stories hold a very special place in my heart and I'm thrilled to be able to share them with you now.All the best,Carly

    He knew it was Chloe but what he couldn’t figure out was why. He’d grown up next door to her, had teased her relentlessly. And she’d hated him for it. Memories from last night of the curves she’d grown into had his mouth going dry. He’d had no words with which to tease, all he could do was moan.Had Chloe actually had sex with a man she’d hated for a decade? A full percussion section was banging in Chloe’s head as the memories came to her in pieces—martinis, dancing, his hands, his hardness. God, he’d been solid male muscle. This can’t be happening. Hadn’t she made a commitment to herself to settle the score with Caleb if given the chance? Instead, she was right back where she was all those years ago, panting after him in all of his unobtainable glory.Will their obvious sexual attraction be enough to cut through years of hate?

    Or rather, she did. She'd spent the first few years of her life being shifted from one foster home to another, never really finding that special place to make her feel home. When she finds a small envelope on the ground on a side street in Boston, and opens it, her heart plummets. She recognizes the description of the contents and knows what it will mean to the little girl if the promise of this gift is not fulfilled. But when the CEO of Holden Industries, Derek Holden, accuses her of stealing the money inside the envelope, she's determined to go the distance and not only fulfill the gift herself, but to prove to the dashingly handsome millionaire that there is more to life than just money. The day his family lost their fortune and his world fell apart, Derek Holden swore he'd make his family fortune back. All good things in life came with sacrifice and hard work and he wasn't afraid of it. He'd built a financial empire all on his own and didn't need the simple conventions of life...until he met Allison Jones. The incredibly sweet designer with beautiful hair flowing down her back was much more than he'd originally thought when he'd accused her of stealing the money from the envelope he'd given the courier earlier that day. He'd intended the money to be a small donation to a local charity event. But he soon learned that a bank account full of money was no match for a heart full of love...and there was only one special woman who could teach him. Please look for other books in the FATE WITH A HELPING HAND series: All I Want for Christmas is You The Marriage Contract The Knight and Maggie's Baby The Gift The Gift is a contemporary romance short story prequel to THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT.

    When fate give Tess Graham a second chance at finding happiness after an abusive relationship, will it come unknowingly at the expense of the handsome cowboy she’s hired to do a few repairs on the farmhouse she’s renting? Gabe Russell knows the perky city girl isn’t going to last long living the country life, but he doesn’t expect that while he’s helping make her dreams a reality, that he’ll finding himself wanting more than getting his house back.

    Life consists of work at the coffee shop, chatting online with friends, and trying her best to uphold the morals she was taught in Catholic school. Her step-sister Ethel is the complete opposite. When Ethel guilts Sarah into sneaking into a party under the guise of being strippers, Sarah's entire world turns upside down. Everything she thought she knew about herself is changing, and she doesn't know how to stop it. What was supposed to be a night of trespassing and fun quickly turns into an unexpected love affair with a handsome stranger. Tristan Locke is perfect. Too perfect. And Sarah's about to learn that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Between Two Billionaires is the first part of a three part novella serial.

    Kim Vogel’s life is easy. She has a great family, a world class education in what she loves to do, friends who support her no matter what and she couldn’t ask for anything more. Sure, she has to work hard, but that’s fine by her. Best friend, Vi, thinks she’s missing out in the relationship department but Kim begs to differ, keeping to herself and remaining a virgin all through college. With graduation day just around the corner, she’s excited for what the future holds. And she’s anxiously awaiting the arrival of her parents to show them the life she’s created with their distant support. But a life changing call from her mom leaves her in limbo, unable to figure out how to go on, or how to help them when they’ve given her so much. Jackson Morgan believes his life is perfect. His little sister, Liv, is one of his best friends, he owns his own company which comfortably provides for him everything he wants and plenty he doesn’t. Liv encourages him to settle down and create the perfect family like she has, but he’s riding the wave of success and is happier with relationships that last no more than three dates. His conversation with Liv works its way into his personal life and decides to take a risk there, rather than just in his professional life. So when his path crosses with Kim’s at this turning point for both of them, neither of them see what’s coming or what it can mean for their futures. But each holds the key to the other’s happiness, if only they can see past their own insecurities and fears. == > Please note that this story ends on a cliffhanger and parts 2-5 will be released two weeks apart.

    Now she’s just looking to have some fun…During her marriage, she and her husband tried for several years to have a baby, she got pregnant three times and miscarried all three. Her husband couldn’t bear to give up his dream of having a family so they grew apart and eventually divorced. Gia feels like a total failure since she couldn’t carry a child. But now, it’s time to move on. She just wants to have a little fun. She needs to have a little fun. Secretly hoping of a wild sexual encounter with someone who craves to devour her inch by inch, she and a group of her closest friends set out to have a wild weekend at a rock festival which they look forward to every year. This is what she wants and what she needs, but is she really ready for this?Ethan has been working too hard for the past ten years to have a serious relationship, but he’s always fantasized about one woman…Ethan’s put his heart and soul into this venue and this year it looks like he might finally make a profit. Each year it hosts a rock festival and every year he looks for one person, the same person, the problem is he doesn’t know anything about her, he doesn’t even know her name. Finally he meet’s her and she’s everything he always hoped for, except for one thing…she seems to be looking for a wild sexual encounter. This causes a bit of a dilemma since all he really wants is to get to know who this mystery woman is. He needs to know who she is. While trying to fulfill her every desire he gives her the most carnal sexual experience of her life, hoping she will open up to him and give him a chance to discover who she truly is.