Each story was specifically written for this anthology.The goal of the Cocktales Anthology is to raise funds to fight against obstruction of creative expression. Specifically, what we believe are obstruction attempts through the trademarking of common (single) words for titicular use in books / or as a book series (eBooks, print, and audio).*ALL* net profits will be donated to:1) Authors already impacted by creative-obstruction (10%), and2) Romance Writers of America (RWA) (90%) as a general donation intended for their Advocacy Fund.Disclaimer: This anthology is not being conducted on behalf of RWA, nor does RWA endorse this anthology or effort. They have, however, graciously agreed to accept the funds.Authors with material included (as they appear in the anthology):Nana Malone, USA Today Bestselling author – ForewordDylan Allen – 'Cocked and Loaded'Jana Aston, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Double Cocked'Whitney Barbetti – 'Cocksure Grin'Author Sawyer Bennett, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'A Wicked, Cocky Plan'K.f. Breene, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Magical Cock and Bull'Ruth Clampett, Amazon top 20 Bestselling Author – 'Don’t Get Cocky'L.H. Cosway, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Illusionist Seeks Neanderthal'Mariah Dietz – 'Landmines'Amy Daws, Amazon Top 25 Bestselling author – 'Cock and Balls'BB Easton, Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author – 'Cocky BB: Two Boys, One Prom.'Jaymin Eve, USA Today Bestselling author – 'The Cockier the Dragon, the Harder They Fall'Emma Hart, NYT and USA Today Bestselling author – 'Tricky Bond'Staci Hart, Amazon Top 10 Bestselling author – 'Cockamamie'Jessica Hawkins, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cocky Couture'Julie Johnson Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author – 'Culinary Cock-Up'Karpov Kinrade, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Crimson Cocktail'Adriana Locke, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Swag'Lex Martin, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Love & Hate at the Stallion Station'Aly Martinez, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Going Down'Katyi McGee - USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cocksure Co-Star'Corinne Michaels, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cockblocked'Liv Morris, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Getting It Up'Red Phoenix, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Her Cocky Russian'Daisy Prescott, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Confessions of a Cockblocked Wingman'Jessica Prince – ‘A Cocky Corruption Engagement’Meghan Quinn, Amazon Top 20 Bestselling Author – 'Fight or Flight'CD Reiss, NYT and USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cocky Capo'Penny Reid, WSJ and USA Today Bestselling author – 'Beard and Hen'Julie Richman, USA Today Bestselling author – 'The Color of Love'Aleatha Romig, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Aligned'Kennedy Ryan, Top 40 Amazon Bestselling author – 'All'Kylie Scott, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Short Story with Mal and Anne from The Stage Dive Series'Sierra Simone, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Until the Cock Crows'Tara Sivec, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Chocolate and Cockup'Kate Stewart, Amazon Top 30 Bestselling author – 'The Golden Sombrero'Leia Stone, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cocky Alpha'Karla Sorensen – 'Tristan & Anna: A Bachelors of the Ridge short story'Rachel Van Dyken, NYT, WSJ, USA Today Bestselling author – 'Cocky Mafia'April White, Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author – 'Code of Conduct'

    In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. Now, when their lives intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and do they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart? Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

    I followed it, begrudgingly, because it’s what was expected. And then one day, everything changed. I woke up. Different. Independent. Free from all the rules that had surrounded me. Only I have no idea how I got to where I am. I have no memory of graduating college. No memory of Adam, the boyfriend I live with. He loves me. And I love him. At least that’s what everyone says. Except when my memories return to me as dreams, I see a different man than the one everyone claims is perfect for me. He terrifies me. He makes my heart race and he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. I have no idea if I want to welcome the emotional roller-coaster that his piercing brown eyes and messy black hair puts me on every time I get a glimpse of him, or if I want to run back to the safe shelter of the scripted life-plan that used to be mine.

    No bullshit charm. No excuses. Consider it a public service, letting women know the truth about what guys are really thinking and teaching guys how to get what they want.Yes, we were checking that girl out.No, you don't want to meet her parents. And no, ladies, we don’t care what shoes you wear - as long as they’re up around our neck by the end of the night.Life was simple, until fate brought me back together with Jessie.My best friend's younger sister, who I just happened to have the hottest one night stand of my life with four years ago.Who calls me at 3 AM to get bailed out of jail.Who I can’t keep my hands off of.And who can never find out who I really am.She’s off-limits, but I don't care. And when I need a fake girlfriend to help me out of a jam at work, she’s the only one who can help. Now I’m stuck sharing a hotel room with her for the weekend.A long, sexy weekend.This is your Bad Boy, signing off.

    Sivec is now available in one, huge book bundle! Four Navy SEALS risk their lives to save the women who have gotten under their skin and worked their way into their hearts. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but now you don't have to! The four suspenseful, sexy Playing With Fire novels in this bundle include: A BEAUTIFUL LIE BECAUSE OF YOU WORN ME DOWN CLOSER TO THE EDGE BONUS MATERIAL **Never before seen bonus material included in this bundle: Four deleted scenes plus an extended short story!

    Kenner, the first in an all new series of fast-paced, provocative novels centering around the ambitious, wealthy, and powerful men who work in the glamorous and exciting world of the Stark International conglomerate … and the sexy and passionate women who bring them to their knees.Photographer Wyatt Royce’s career is on the verge of exploding. All he needs is one perfect model to be the centerpiece of his sexy, controversial show. Find her, and Wyatt is sure to have a winner.Then Kelsey Draper walks in. Stunning. Vibrant. And far too fragile for a project like this. Wyatt should know—after all, he remembers only too well why their relationship ended all those years ago.Determined to break free from her good girl persona, Kelsey wants spice. Adventure. And she’s certain that Wyatt is just the man to help.But when Wyatt agrees to give her the job only if he has complete control—on camera and in his bed—Kelsey can’t help but wonder if she’s in too deep. Because how can a good girl like her ever be enough for a man like Wyatt?

    “I love you, Evie. I look into the future, and the only thing I see clearly is you. Marry me.”What’s an eighteen-year-old girl who was madly in love with her nineteen-year-old boyfriend say? Of course, I said yes.Twenty-four hours later, I married Adam Gunner at a Vegas chapel to the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Not the best omen. I get that now.Then, exactly one week later, I left him. I walked out, leaving behind my wedding ring, annulment papers, and my heart, and he never knew why. I haven’t seen him since. Not in ten long years.Now, he’s here, standing before me. Looking at me with nothing but hurt and hatred in his eyes, he wants answers. Answers I can’t give.

    Unfortunately, one of the firm’s partners has been pressuring her for a date. She has no interest in sleeping her way up the corporate ladder, but he won’t take no for an answer, and he’s following her. His Lexus is in the parking lot of her uncle’s gym when she steps outside. In a split-second decision, she plasters herself to the sexy man leaning casually against the wall outside the gym. Rafe Wesson is stunned by one look at the woman so totally out of place at the gym. His plan is to casually run into her outside and ask her out. And then she catches him off-guard with a kiss that rocks his world. Katy isn’t Rafe’s type. She’s far too innocent. But two dates don’t dampen his desire. Rafe has personal rules against sleeping with a woman before she is fully informed about his preferences. However, Katy is persistent. She wants him, but he fears he’ll lose her when she finds out about his lifestyle. Rafe tries to step away from her, but he can’t ignore the unknown threat that haunts her, and time is running out. Someone wants Katy dead. And Rafe wants Katy...very much alive.

    He's dangerous... He's right next door. I gave up everything to save my sister from a monster, and now I’m lying low in this rundown apartment so I can stay out of danger. Hiding from everyone.Except for the guy in apartment 1A.He’s rude. Silent. Muscled, mysterious, and hot as hell. I don’t know if he likes me or hates me, but the more time I spend with him, the less it matters.I want him.And for the first time in my life I'm going to go after what I want.She doesn’t belong in my world.From the second 1B moves in, I know she’s keeping secrets. She doesn’t belong here, much less with a street fighter like me.But that doesn’t stop me from craving her. Her softness and sweetness. She’s a drug, and suddenly I’m addicted.I know someone is going to try and hurt her and I can’t let that happen. But unless I push her away and get her out of my world, that someone could be me…

    She had no choice but to move forward and give her son the best life she could. Which meant moving back home. Except there was one problem.Home was where Reed would be...The man who once held her heart, then shattered it into a million pieces. Grieving the loss of Rhetts dad, and learning to forgive those who have betrayed her, Kori was battling it all.But will she ever have the strength to forgive Reed?

    (Rated R) Cate Forbes , a dedicated college student with a carefully plotted future, doesn’t know the first thing about love. When she accepts a blind date with a rumored tasty piece of eye candy, she thinks she can get by with a night of fun. Cate’s plans quickly unravel when she gets one look at the sexy… Drew McKnight. The relentless hockey-playing medical resident knows what he wants— a career in Oncology and Cate. Although he’s heard the gorgeous brunette is a little relationship skittish, a single night out isn’t what he has in mind. Determined to have her — in every way possible— he shows her just what a future with him would hold. Only life has other plans. The unthinkable happens and everything begins to shatter. Both in too deep, they will have to fight the cruel and hang onto the beautiful.

    Now, with her life finally back on track, Clea’s about to marry a wonderful man and leave town for a promising career in New York. The last thing she expects is Nick’s return and the intense feelings he stirs within her.Sent to prison for a murder he didn’t commit, Nick Lombard comes home to the tiny town of Port Bliss to attend his mother’s funeral, but he doesn’t count on running into Clea. Seeing her reminds him of everything he’s tried to forget, and everything he longs to remember. When Nick learns Clea is about to marry the man who sent Nick to prison, he knows he must stay and fight for the family he was forced to leave behind.Against all odds, Nick and Clea must find their way back to the summer they were young lovers on the beach in Port Bliss, realizing that together their love is strong, strong enough to survive anything, even the web of lies that separated them ten years ago.

    They have kept in touch over the years and now, in their early thirties, their lives are drawing them back to Summer Lake and to each other. Book 1: Love Like You've Never Been Hurt Emma Douglas came to Summer Lake as an orphan twenty three years ago. After losing her parents so young and later suffering a disastrous marriage, she believes that love only ever leads to pain and loss. When she meets Jack Benson, the business partner of her childhood friend Pete, she sees everything she used to long for in a man; tall, dark, and drop dead gorgeous! Despite their undeniable attraction, Emma is too scared to risk her heart, especially on a man so much like her ex - sexy, smart, funny, successful and no doubt the same kind of cheat! When events lead them both to Summer Lake for the summer, will Jack be able to persuade her that he's nothing like her ex in all the ways that really matter? That the love she used to dream of isn't a little girl's fantasy, but a reality they can share if she can get past her fear and learn to trust? Book 2: Work Like You Don't Need the Money Holly Hayes is a realist, if nothing else. She's going to be Maid of Honor at her best friend, Emma's wedding in Summer Lake. Pete Hemming, self made millionaire, powerful CEO, all around good guy, is going to be the Best Man. If they're going to be able to get through their official duties, there's one thing they'll need to deal with first. Sex! He may be out of her league socially and financially, but one thing is clear. He wants her. She wants him. What's the harm in one night of passion? It's inevitable they're going to end up naked together. So it's best to get it out of the way early, right? So they can get on with organizing the wedding. Pete Hemming is a man with a plan. He's lived his life by the plan, built his business by it. The plan doesn't allow for a woman in his life, only in his bed. Trouble is, once he gets Holly into his bed, he can't get her out of his mind. But he can't let her into his life, can he? Book 3: Dance Like Nobody's Watching Missy Malone has had a great summer, watching her friends meet wonderful guys and fall in love. She even has a wonderful guy in her own life. Trouble is, he's only in her life to mentor her son, Scot. She just has to stop daydreaming that he could be as good for her as he is for Scot. What would he ever see in her anyway? She's a broke single mom who talks too much, while he's a quiet, shy, tech genius. And besides...he has a girlfriend! On paper, Dan Benson has a great life in San Jose. His software development company, his penthouse apartment, his car, and his girlfriend are all supposed to make him feel happy and successful. None of them do. Until he started visiting Summer Lake, he'd always been more comfortable around computers than people. These days he's comfortable hanging out with his brother, Jack, and his friends. He feels successful when he's helping Scot. Most of all, he's happier than he's ever been, when he can spend time with Missy. Will the attraction between them be enough to overcome the differences and obstacles that stand in their way? This book is intended for readers 18+

    Three years ago, she walked out of my life. No explanation. Just gone. With the biggest fight of my career only weeks away, she walked back in. I'll do anything to protect her. Destroy anyone who tries to hurt her. When it comes to Mac, there isn't a line I won't cross. I've loved her my entire life, and now that's she's back I won't let her go. She refuses to speak about the past, or the secrets I know she's hiding. I know she's planning on running again. But when you love someone, you stay and fight. Even if you're fighting blind.

    It isn't supposed to leave you bleeding. Kona pushed, Keira pulled, and in their wake, they left behind destruction. She sacrificed everything for him. It wasn't enough. But the wounds of the past can never be completely forgotten and still the flame remains, slumbers between the pleasure of yesterday and the thought of what might have been. Now, sixteen years later, Keira returns home to bury the mother who betrayed her, just as Kona tries to hold onto what remains of his NFL career with the New Orleans Steamers. Across the crowded bustle of a busy French Market, their paths collide, conjuring forgotten memories of a consuming touch, skin on skin, and the still smoldering fire that begs to be rekindled. When Kona realizes the trifecta of betrayal—his, Keira's and those lies told to keep them apart—his life is irrevocably changed and he once again takes Keira down with him into the fire that threatens to ignite them both.