A familiar stranger. A forgotten past. A love that defies timelines.
Soren
For as long as I can remember, something’s been missing from my life. When I meet Lyall Eriksson, I realize it was never something I was missing but someone. Lyall is sweet and gorgeous, and our connection is instantaneous. Like we’ve known each other for years.
Because we have. Lyall insists that we had a life together… in the Viking Age.
Oh, yeah, and he’s a Viking werewolf.
My whole life has been a lie, constructed to protect the secrets of the paranormal world. Learning the truth could cost Lyall everything, and I could be forced to forget him, us, all over again.
Despite the risks, Lyall’s determined to remind me of the truth: I’m his mate, and nothing, not even time itself, will come between us again.
Devotion of a Wolf is the third book in the Viking Wolves series, featuring amnesia, second chances, and a hard-won happy-ever-after. This installment can be read as a standalone, but the series is best enjoyed sequentially.
CJ Ravenna loves to tell stories where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. Her books often feature an explosion or two, possessive and protective werewolves who adore their mates, steamy and swoony romance, and of course a happy ending.
When a vicious assassin is banished from the only life he’s ever known, he starts over only to be tempted by the goddaughter he hasn’t seen in almost twenty years.
Hades
Vindictive, malicious, some would even say sadistic…
I couldn’t argue with any of those assessments. We are who we are. I’m a vengeful assassin who will stop at nothing to make those who wronged me pay. And I’m thirsty for revenge.
Eighteen years ago, I took the fall for a man who was like a brother to me. I even vowed to protect his daughter by becoming her godfather— and then he betrayed me.
Two decades later, his daughter, now a stunning woman, strolls into my life, having no idea who I am or what I’m capable of. Capri takes an unhealthy interest in me, the older and dangerous man, and I don’t do anything to discourage her. I welcome her obsession because it suits me.
When her infatuation with me grows stronger, I prove just how vindictive, malicious, and sadistic I really am. Is she the opportunity I need to enact my revenge against her father or is she the reason I finally let this vendetta go?
USA Today Bestselling author Ella Jade writes dark mafia romances with dominating mob bosses, the strong women who challenge them, and suspenseful twists that keep her readers turning the pages.
When she isn’t reading or writing sexy, angsty, and intense words, she indulges in a well-crafted martini and binge watches episodes of Dallas, Falcon Crest, and Dynasty, where she learned at an early age how to spin an old-school cliffhanger. She also enjoys spoiling her two chihuahua writing companions.
Alpha Hero/Emotional Scars/ One True LoveRelease Date: March 9, 2026
Cover Design: Artscandare
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Cover Model: Jonny James
There’s nothing quite like going home.
Breathing in that fresh Montana air with the woman I love at my side is something only the luckiest of men ever get to experience.
And I’m one of them.
After surviving a deadly virus, false imprisonment, watching the woman I love nearly die, and a dishonorable discharge, things are finally looking up.
I got the one thing I wanted—to return to Murky Falls Ranch and take over with my brothers.
But things are never what they appear. The ranch is no longer a ranch. I pulled my brother out of a fire set by a man who hates our family, and there are several new additions to the family I was not expecting.
I thought the worst was over, but now I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever know how forever feels.
My stomach churned as we approached Parker’s family ranch, and it wasn’t just because I suspected I was pregnant.“Do you see that third peak to the right?” Parker pointed out the windshield. “That’s where the edge of my family’s ranch is. Murky Falls is over there. That’s where our ranch name came from.”
I nodded, trying to take it all in while also fighting the urge to leap out of the SUV and run back home. What was I thinking, agreeing to move here when I hadn’t even met anyone in his family first?
Mountains painted the midnight landscape as far as the eye could see. It should have been beautiful and welcoming, but an odd sense of impending doom told me this wouldn’t be the wonderful welcome he thought it would be.
“Blake,” Parker said, shooting me a curious glance. “Are you okay?”
“Of course,” I grinned, attempting to keep the fear and urge to puke from showing on my face.
“Then why do you look like I just told you we’re getting married?”
The smirk on his face eased the tension in my body just a little. “Well, we did come out here with the intent of starting over.”
“Just not getting married right away. Trust me, I haven’t called your family for a shotgun wedding.”
My head snapped so fast toward the passenger window at his words that I nearly pulled a muscle in my neck. If only he knew how close we were to using that phrase.
“Here we are,” he announced, stopping at the open gates of the ranch.
An emblem of Murky Falls Ranch greeted us on either side of the entrance, sealing my fate. There was no turning back now.
“It’s been years since I was home,” he murmured. “It’ll be good to see everyone.”
In order to do that, we’d have to actually drive forward, but I wasn’t exactly yelling at him to get moving. The delay was the only thing holding me together at the moment.
But just as I thought that, he pulled through the gates toward my doom.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazon Review – Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart by Giulia Lagomarsino “Some of her best writing…Holy cow, this book! I was immediately immersed in Murky Falls! I could not put this book down. Im excited to read the rest of the series!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazon Review from C. Luna – “Real Good Man by Giulia Lagomarsino is the kind of small-town romance that sneaks past your defenses with humor, heart, and a slow-burn love you didn’t see coming—but end up rooting for with your whole chest.”
I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
A thousand years of existence, and I’ve felt nothing.
No spark. No hunger beyond blood. No purpose outside protecting my brothers in the Eternal Sins MC.
A club of monsters pretending we’re just bikers—dragons, lycans, necromancers, warlocks, shifters, and more. Creatures bound together by secrecy and survival. We’ve built something here—a fortress, a family, forged from beings the world would burn if it ever learned the truth.
Then she walks into my bar.
Sloane doesn’t belong in my world. She’s human, fragile, and carrying a weight in her eyes that tells me she’s already survived too much. I should keep my distance, let her live her life untouched by monsters like me.
Instead, my Bloodfire stirs for the first time in centuries.
Wanting her is reckless. Claiming her would be unforgivable. And yet every instinct I have tells me she’s already bound to this world, whether she knows it or not.
When violence comes for her, everything changes. Lines are crossed, laws are broken, and ancient powers take notice.
I’ve spilled blood for my club. I’ve buried enemies without regret. But protecting Sloane means defying forces that don’t forgive, and won’t forget.
Because loving her may cost me my brothers, my freedom…
And the woman she still is.
But protecting Sloane might mean losing her to the monster she’s becoming.
From USA Today Bestselling Authors K E Osborn and Kathleen Kelly comes Bloodfire Rising.
Immortal bikers. Supernatural bonds. Dark romance that defies death. Where monsters find family, ancient vampires discover what it means to feel, and one woman’s awakening power threatens to destroy or save them all.
With a flair for all things creative, USA Today Bestselling Author K E Osborn, is drawn to the written word. Exciting worlds and characters flow through her veins, coming to life on the page as she laughs, cries, and becomes enveloped in the storyline right along with you. She’s entirely at home when writing sassy heroines and alpha males that rise from the ashes of their pasts.
K E Osborn comforts herself with tea and Netflix, after all, who doesn’t love a good binge?
Kathleen Kelly, a USA Today Best-Selling Author and an International Best-Selling Author, is known for her fast-paced, spicy romance novels. Kathleen writes MC, Paranormal, Sports, and Band of Brothers Romance.
When she’s not writing, she’s collecting handbags (they always fit!) and planning her next international trip.
Kathleen can be spotted in local cafes, blending in with the regulars while plotting her next tale of passion and intrigue. She finds inspiration in the quirky characters around her, both real and fictional.
Living in Toowoomba, Queensland, with her childhood sweetheart, SL, rescue sweetheart Freya, and Eir, the soon-to-be gigantic Maine Coon who thinks she’s the main character, Kathleen values kindness, loyalty, and good stories.
If you have any questions about her novels or would like to ask Kathleen a question, she can be contacted via e-mail: HERE, or she can be found on Facebook. Kathleen welcomes messages from readers who share her love for stories that leave hearts racing and cheeks blushing.
Genre/Tropes: Mafia Romance; Forbidden Romance; Enemies-to-Lovers; Age Gap of 13 years; Touch Her and Die; Revenge/Redemption; Found Family; Strong Heroine; Slow Burn; Virgin FMC; Angsty; Penpal
Release Date: February 23, 2026
He stole my brother. So, I stole his freedom…
There’s a villain in all of us.
I just never realized that until the worst day of my life.
It started with a sandwich from a stranger—an act of kindness that was nothing more than a veneer to hide the devil behind the mask.
Renzo Iannelli took everything from me that day. My family. My life. My future.
I wasn’t even a blip on his radar when he made me an orphan—left alone to be bruised and abused in foster care—all for the sake of his revenge.
Well, he got his. Now, I’m going to get mine.
No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to sacrifice, I will make him rue the day he destroyed my life.
But the world is never black and white, and there are far more heartless monsters closing in around me.
So what happens when the devil I know becomes the only person I can trust?
He was my downfall.
I never expected him to also be my redemption.
**This book spans over eight years and is divided into three parts: then, letters, and now. During the “then” portion of this book, the main female character, Ainsley, is a minor. As a disclaimer, there is absolutely no romantic interaction during that portion of the book. However, this section is crucial to the development of their romance later on.
Addy Anders writes romance meant to tug hard on your heartstrings and never let go. Her books deliver deliciously possessive anti-heroes, strong heroines, a touch of angst to set you on edge, and a cocktail of spice. Addy loves to travel, preferably outside of major cities. When she’s not writing or out in the wilderness, she can be found with her kindle and a very large cup of tea surrounded by her very supportive husband, two kiddos, and two fur babies.
I’ve lived my whole life in a golden cage, the captive daughter of a powerful mafia don. When my father arranges my marriage to Vincenzo Vici, a cold-blooded assassin from a rival family, it’s a death sentence. For both of us. Because my father uses our engagement to slaughter the Vicis and take their territory.
But he makes a grave error. He doesn’t kill the most dangerous Vici of all: Vincenzo himself.
I’ve never met my intended fiancé, so when I stumble upon a handsome, bloodied stranger being tortured in a laundromat in the middle of the night, I follow my instincts and save his life.
Big mistake. The man I saved is Vincenzo Vici, and when he discovers I’m the woman who led his family to slaughter, I realize there are circles of hell my father never showed me.
Vincenzo should kill me. He wants to kill me. Instead, he decides to make me pay in a different way—by holding me to our arranged marriage and exacting his revenge on me.
But Vincenzo isn’t the monster I expected. His ruthless kisses light up my soul. His darkness is a dangerous addiction. And when my father hands me poison and orders me to finish what he started, I’m caught between two impossible choices: loyalty to my own blood, or devotion to the darkness that sets me free.
Author’s note: Cruel Savior is a standalone MF arranged marriage mafia romance with a virgin heroine and a possessive and obsessed alphahole. There is no cheating and no other women. The story is dark, dirty, and delicious, so please read at your discretion.
Lilith Vincent is a steamy romance author who believes in living on the wild side! Whether it’s reverse harem or M/F romance, mafia men and bad boys with tattoos are her weakness, and the heroines who bring them to their knees.
Genre/Tropes: Mafia Romance; Forbidden Romance; Enemies-to-Lovers; Age Gap of 13 years; Touch Her and Die; Revenge/Redemption; Found Family; Strong Heroine; Slow Burn; Virgin FMC; Angsty; Penpal
Release Date: February 23, 2026
He stole my brother. So, I stole his freedom…
There’s a villain in all of us.
I just never realized that until the worst day of my life.
It started with a sandwich from a stranger—an act of kindness that was nothing more than a veneer to hide the devil behind the mask.
Renzo Iannelli took everything from me that day. My family. My life. My future.
I wasn’t even a blip on his radar when he made me an orphan—left alone to be bruised and abused in foster care—all for the sake of his revenge.
Well, he got his. Now, I’m going to get mine.
No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to sacrifice, I will make him rue the day he destroyed my life.
But the world is never black and white, and there are far more heartless monsters closing in around me.
So what happens when the devil I know becomes the only person I can trust?
He was my downfall.
I never expected him to also be my redemption.
**This book spans over eight years and is divided into three parts: then, letters, and now. During the “then” portion of this book, the main female character, Ainsley, is a minor. As a disclaimer, there is absolutely no romantic interaction during that portion of the book. However, this section is crucial to the development of their romance later on.
The first time I met Renzo Iannelli was the day Noah died.
I hadn’t known Noah was dead at the time. All I knew was that my brother was missing. He didn’t come home, didn’t go to his second job of the day, and didn’t answer his phone or check in on social media.
Renzo Iannelli—though I didn’t know it was him—approached me, slouched as I was against a corridor wall at the busy police station with my arms wrapped tight around my growling stomach.
“Are you lost, piccola?”
Such a simple question. Almost kind, delivered in a bass, nearly apathetic voice that seemed to mute the surrounding conversations and the nonstop ringing phones. It was so rich and deep that it reminded me of creamy chocolate on a hot day. Dreamy, but the man himself…he made my teenage brain fire in all directions. I didn’t even realize guys like that existed outside of movies.
He had to be in his mid-twenties, towering over me by a good head and a half, every inch of his face defined and strong. His jaw was all hard angles with prominent cheekbones. Thick eyebrows framed cold emerald eyes, gleaming with different shades of green. Man, I wished mine were that color instead of wet dirt.
His suit looked crisper and finer than the ones my dad used to wear, giving him that over-the-top refined image, broken only by the tattoos covering his hands, from his knuckles to the tips of his sleeves. A few also crawled up his neck over his dress shirt collar. A gaudy gold ring decorated one of his hands, with diamonds encrusted around the band, and a large but delicate pendant hung from a thick gold chain around his neck. Whoever this guy was, his look practically screamed, “Wealthy and perilous, pay attention.”
“You shouldn’t wander off in a place like this.” He spoke without even glancing at me.
I eyed both ends of the corridor. Neither wait line had moved up. “Doesn’t look so dangerous.”
“Danger always lurks where you least expect it.”
As if to emphasize the dangers of starvation, my stomach picked that moment to growl as comically loud as a cartoon character’s burp. I squeezed my stomach, my face flaming, eyes wide and glued to the grout lines between the tile at my feet.
“Eat.” My good-looking stranger held out a sandwich in front of me.
Steak, cheese, cooked onions, peppers—the smells made my mouth water. Plus, I recognized the logo on the wrapper. I loved that Italian deli place. Mom and Dad used to take me there every Friday after school. Noah and I kept up the tradition but only once a month. I licked my lips, hesitating. Taking food from a random stranger always seemed like the start of a really bad kidnapping story. But…we were in a police station. It’s not like he could do much of anything to me here, with all these cops, right?
“Why?”
“If you starve, it’ll be your choice, not mine.”
Excerpt 2:
I thought he hadn’t seen me. I hoped he hadn’t. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing, but he had, and now Boyan was exposed to him too.
“Cool car.” Boyan’s little voice trilled with excitement and awe as he squirmed out of my hold. His head peeked through the shotgun window. “Whoa. Anzy, it’s blue. Blue like Sally. Mister, that’s a girl’s car.”
I sucked my chuckle back in where it belonged and pinched my lips together. Still, a grimaced smile crept up my face from the shock on Renzo Iannelli’s.
“It’s not,” the outraged mafia man stated.
“Yes, it is.”
“Is not.”
“Is.
“Not.”
“Is.”
“Are you seriously arguing with a five-year-old right now?” I ridiculed.
“I win.” Boyan tossed his little arms in the air. The sleeves of his size seven shirt on his five-year-old frame slipped down to his shoulders, exposing the wrinkled, scarred skin on his left shoulder and bicep.
Iannelli cleared his throat, his fist wrestling the steering wheel. “Get in the damn car.”
“Language,” I snapped back, mockingly covering Boyan’s ears before he wiggled away. Honestly, the little chipmunk probably knew more curse words than polite vocabulary at this point.
Renzo Iannelli’s jaw clenched, and the veins along his neck popped out. Totally worth it. Jerkwad. His eyes death-glared at me, a silent dare to continue defying him. I almost did. Pissing him off gave me the same high as a slice of black forest cake—so freaking delicious—but I wanted a car ride more.
Addy Anders writes romance meant to tug hard on your heartstrings and never let go. Her books deliver deliciously possessive anti-heroes, strong heroines, a touch of angst to set you on edge, and a cocktail of spice. Addy loves to travel, preferably outside of major cities. When she’s not writing or out in the wilderness, she can be found with her kindle and a very large cup of tea surrounded by her very supportive husband, two kiddos, and two fur babies.
Rowan Harper, a relentless reporter with everything to lose, sets her sights on the Beckett clan, only to find her biggest story complicated by Clive Beckett, the self-sacrificing shifter she never meant to fall for. As prophecy unfolds and a traitor emerges, Making Her Mine blends fated mates, magic, meddling gods, and irresistible chemistry into a battle where love may be the most dangerous force of all. Pre-order this grumpy sunshine romance with a protective hero and a who-did-this-to-you trope from Bree Westland.
Title: Making Her Mine
Author: Bree Westland
Release Date: 02/26/2026
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Page Count: 359 pages
Tropes: Grumpy Sunshine, Meddling Gods, Who Did This To You, Dislike to Love, Protective Hero, Touch Her and Die, Grief and Healing, Fated Mates, Found Family, Telepathic Characters.
Blurb
Clive Beckett played as hard as he worked. Yet the truth of the matter, that he was slowly circling the drain, would soon be apparent to everyone.
He had his family fooled. His passion was saving lives. But his carefully built facade was disintegrating, piece by piece. Sacrifices needed to be made. And as usual Clive was all in, putting himself on the line one too many times.
Nothing excited Rowan Harper more than chasing a lead. She’s failed at everything though, except exploiting the truth. And with her personal life in shambles, she snags an exclusive contract. A tell-all story, centering on the famous Beckett siblings. Once the story breaks, she’ll be set for life, despite a high personal price. But a most unattainable, mountain of a man stands in her way.
When Clive finds himself dragged into yet another scheme to unravel the rogue fae’s hold on the clan, he can’t say no and comes face to face with his very human limitations. The pretty little reporter brightens his drab days, getting under his skin, complicating matters. But painful facts come to light, throwing everything Rowan has worked so hard for into question.
New battle lines are drawn and unforeseen allies called upon as the fight with the fae twists and escalates, aligning with prophecy. And a traitor hides in their midst. Danger lurking among the most vulnerable of them.
*Readers can expect healthy doses of hot shifters, naughty language, and intimate time with a fated mate, all wrapped up in a happily ever after. Can be read as a standalone romance but best enjoyed in the order written.
Hi, I’m Bree! Paranormal romance writer and lover of all things fantasy. I write steamy shifter romances with growly alpha men and the strong women who love them. Most days you can find me tucked away in my office, lost in the worlds and characters I create, listening while they tell me their stories.
When not writing, you can catch me curled up with a hot cup of tea and my ever-growing TBR pile. I call home the sunny beaches of Jacksonville, Florida, but I love traveling as long as I can take my laptop with me!
Tropes: Small Town; Second Chance; Secret Baby; Blue Collar; Past Abuse (FC); High School Sweethearts; First Everything; She Runs
Release Date: February 16, 2026
In fisherman tales, there’s always talk about the one that got away… This is that story.
When they were in high school, Brock and Courtney felt they were destined to be together. They’d had their future all mapped out. Until a week before graduation, when two pink lines changed everything, diverting the course of the life they’d planned.
Young and scared, Courtney made the impossible decision to keep it a secret and leave their hometown, never planning to return, and breaking both their hearts in the process.
And for years, her plan works. Until her abusive father dies, leaving her mother rudderless in her newfound freedom. Returning home with her secret daughter is the only answer. But what will happen when she comes face-to-face with the past she’s tried so hard to forget but couldn’t?
Thirteen years after the only woman Brock has ever loved ran from the small Alaskan island they’d called home, he learns she’s back—with a preteen daughter. Too many emotions and unanswered questions hang heavy between them. And when the answers are brought to light, the chasm between them widens further. Will it be possible for them to reconcile for their daughter’s sake?
Benny Reed came back to Waypoint to rebuild a baseball team, not to fall for Quinn Logan, the hometown girl turned global pop sensation who once wrote songs about him. Keeping their distance should be easy, but unresolved history, explosive chemistry, and nonstop attention from everyone make it nearly impossible. Readers who love missed connections and return-to-hometown romances will fall head over heels for Lineups and Lyrics by Tina Gallagher, a steamy, small-town sports romance.
Benny Reed has a plan. Quinn Logan isn’t part of it.
Managing an MLB team means building something from the ground up, and that challenge is exactly what drew him back to Waypoint. He knows the game. He knows the job. And he knows one rule that’s always served him well: baseball and his personal life don’t mix.
Then he meets Quinn Logan.
She’s Waypoint born and raised.
She’s also a retired pop star with a name the world recognizes.
He doesn’t remember the quiet girl from high school.
She remembers him—and the crush that inspired her first songs.
Getting close is risky.
The town is watching.
The media won’t stay quiet.
And some connections don’t care about timing.
Lineups & Lyrics is a steamy small-town sports romance about missed connections and unexpected love.
Benny and I stepped into the elevator and the doors slid shut. The car moved maybe two feet before a dull clang sounded and the motion stopped dead. A single, half-hearted ding followed—less “arriving at your floor” and more “I tried my best.”
I stared at the panel like it might offer an explanation.
Benny pressed one button, then another.
The lights flickered, then dimmed into a steady glow.
He hit the red emergency call button. A few seconds later, the speaker crackled to life.
“Building security,” a tinny voice said. “Are you stuck in an elevator?”
“Sure looks that way,” Benny said.
“All right. Maintenance will be there within the hour.”
The speaker clicked off, leaving only the hum of the fan.
Benny looked at me and exhaled a slow breath through his nose. “Guess we’re not going anywhere for a bit.”
“Guess not.”
“Might as well get comfortable,” he said.
He pushed off the wall and sank to the floor, one leg stretched out, forearm resting on his bent knee.
I hesitated for a second, then slid down the opposite wall. The space between us felt smaller sitting like this, our legs only a couple of feet apart.
“I like Dane and Marin,” I said.
“Yeah, I think they’ll work out well.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m glad Dane recommended her. She’s not someone I would’ve normally looked at.”
“Because she’s a woman?” I asked, feigning a gasp.
“Partly,” he admitted, a half-smile tugging at his mouth. “But mostly because her résumé isn’t what I’d usually go for. Most of her experience is in travel ball and D3 college—not exactly the traditional path to the majors.”
“Then why’d you hire her?”
“Because I trust Dane. And after talking to her, I believe him when he says she’s the best.”
“She comes across calm and collected,” I said. “Like nothing shakes her.”
“That was true until you walked in.”
“She was sweet.”
Silence stretched for a beat before he spoke again.
“I take it that happens a lot.”
“More than I ever knew how to handle,” I admitted. “And it still feels strange. Underneath all of it, I’m just me.”
“You ever miss it? The stage, the spotlight?”
“Sometimes,” I said honestly. “I loved my fans and performing for them. I loved the feeling of a song connecting with a stadium full of people. The way a show can feel like everyone’s heartbeat syncing.” I scratched lightly at my wrist, searching for the right words. “But the noise, the scrutiny, the feeling that every breath had to be on display wore me down, and I needed a break.”
“Everyone thinks they want the spotlight until they realize how hot it gets.” His eyes met mine. “Still…walking away takes guts.”
“Or weak knees.” His brow lifted, amused. “I’m serious,” I said, smiling despite myself. “Those final tour workouts nearly killed me. Dancing in heels under stage lights at forty? That’s an Olympic sport.”
He laughed quietly, the sound low and easy. For a moment, it felt lighter between us, like the conversation had traded its weight for something simpler.
“You know, sitting here, it’s hard to picture you as the same person who used to be on all those magazine covers.”
“That girl had a whole team behind her,” I said with a small laugh. “The lighting, the styling, the editing—none of it ever felt like me. I just look more like myself now.”
“Looks good on you,” he said. “The real version.”
The words landed softly but lingered. His gaze held, not sharp, just…intent. Curious. Like he was trying to see all the parts of me I kept tucked away.
“Thanks,” I managed, though my voice came out thinner than I meant it to.
“You make it easy to forget you used to fill stadiums,” he said.
“Good. I just want to be plain old Quinn.”
His mouth curved, slow and sure.
“There’s nothing plain about you, Quinn.”
My heart did an unhelpful fluttery thing, and I tried to steady my breath. He didn’t look away, and I didn’t want him to.
“Benny—” I started, but whatever I meant to say vanished the second his knee brushed mine. Funny how something so insignificant could change the temperature of a room. Or, in this case, an elevator.
He leaned in, close enough that I could catch the warmth of his skin and the faint, clean scent of his cologne. His gaze flicked to my mouth, then back to my eyes, and for a beat the world felt balanced on that breath between maybe and almost.
“Quinn,” he said, my name coming out rough, like gravel and hesitation all at once.
The sound of it was enough to undo me a little. I shifted forward just a fraction, and for a heartbeat, the world went perfectly still. Then the elevator jolted hard. A metallic thunk echoed through the car as the lights flickered back to full brightness.
The jolt sent me off balance, and I caught myself against the wall. Benny blinked, then let out a short laugh.
“Perfect timing,” he said.
“Yeah.” My voice came out breathier than I wanted. “Impeccable.”
Wait until I tell Erin the elevator cockblocked me out of kissing Benny Reed.
About Tina Gallagher
Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.
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