It had been a full day since their boat sank. It was a snorkeling excursion called "Reef Discovery" that she found before her solo vacation a few weeks prior, and read nothing but glowing reviews. The cruise was full of honeymooning couples, single girls celebrating a birthday, families, a few men who worked for the tour, and a beautiful, bearded captain, Jared. And now, they found themselves stranded on a deserted island...

Luke sat at a table near the dance floor, mesmerized, and watched Aurora sway to the music. She was absolutely magnificent, and not in the ‘heavily-made-up, girl-trying-to-attract-men,’ way. She embodied a dark, mysterious allure, knowing that men were watching her, caring not, and paying no mind to anyone around her. She was here, dancing in the bar, but she was a million miles away, lost to the music and lyrics. Surroun...

The moon hangs high in the velvet sky, its silvery glow spilling over the deserted outdoor bar like liquid gold. The warm night air shimmers with a quiet energy, as if the world itself pauses to witness the bond that now ties Tasha and Seth together. Their lives changed forever on that unforgettable evening, which erupted like a wild, uncontrollable flame and ended with their souls intertwined, making them inseparable. Th...

"You look amazing, Makayla." The woman in question blushed and sat in the chair pulled out for her. She had expected a compliment or two; hearing the man speak of her in such a way made her nervous. A soft chuckle left her mouth, and she quickly covered it up with a low cough. Her date didn't notice and moved to sit back down. They were in a restaurant that reminded the brunette of the 1950s. The glamour was overwhelming,...

Emma and Jake had been roommates for over a year, and their living situation had always been comfortable and platonic. They shared a two-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city, and their lives had fallen into an easy rhythm. Emma was a graphic designer, often burning the midnight oil on her projects, while Jake was a software developer with a similar workaholic streak. Their paths crossed frequently in the apartment,...

I’m Annie and I work at Nest Ventures. My email signature says Secretary to The Regional Director, though my official title is Executive Assistant to the Regional Director. This is pompous Americanism which I despise, as I’m just a humble Secretary. I joined Nest two years after its creation when there was already another EA/Secretary: Angela, though she was, and remains, in Seattle. Who I report to hasn’t changed, it’s j...

I was on the brink of turning thirty the first time I thought of Cyrus. the first time I knew I loved him, like really loved him, the way you would someone who you wanted to spend forever with. All he had to do was say my name, Rachel. I'd probably just melt. His warm, melting brown eyes staring back at me. Forever, if we could have forever. We'd be married with one kid or two or three kids. It wouldn't matter how many ch...

Chapter 15 Nora Nora leaned back on her elbows as she sat with her legs draped over the edge of Olivia’s bed. She had lost her underwear somewhere between climbing the stairs to the loft and being pushed down to the impossibly comfortable mattress. She squeezed her thighs together to quell the aching between them as she watched Olivia pull the leather straps up her long legs and secure the buckles around her hips. When Ol...

Chapter 11 Nora “Hi baby!” Nora squealed in a pitch at least an octave higher than her natural register as she walked through her front door on Tuesday evening, arms full of bags and keys dangling precariously from her fingers. Being the mother of a cat was so often a test, not only in patience, but in balance as well. Tony weaved through Nora’s legs in bouncing figure-eights as he meowed so loud she was positive her elde...