Exotic Short Reads

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

"Rolling my eyes, I turn to see an extremely handsome man with short, styled, black hair staring back at me. His eyes are so dark brown that it appears that they are black. Even though I usually don't like men with a beard and mustache, he looks so hot with it, that I would melt in his hands if he touched me. This man oozes sex from every pore of his body. So much so, that when he accidently brushes my cheek with his hand, goosebumps instantly form on my arms. When I continue to stare at him, I notice that he glances down at my dress and just stares. Realizing why, I try to fold my arms across my chest, but he is standing so close, I can’t move without touching him." Dani as her family calls her lovingly, has always been the quiet mousy type.  She lives her life through books, while everyone else lives their lives to the fullest.  Always watching the world around her, she never quite is able to command the attention of anyone except for her friends and family.  When she finds out that she has to get a job to survive, she goes to the city and ends up working under Mr. knight.  Getting more than she bargains for, in the end is she naughty or nice?

Jackeline Moon (Jack for short) was born with a fate that would change the whole world. At a young age, she experienced the cruelty of the world and matured more quickly than anyone around her age. To hide and seek the truth about herself and to get revenge for her family, she built her prestige and gained immense power whilst disguised as a man. She was now a strong female wolf with no need of another’s protection. But that was until she meets Alice, an unforeseen surprise, a mate that she never thought she’ll have. What sparks would arise between them or would they reject one another. As the story between the 2 builds up, an unforeseen darkness approaches them.

Maddie's world come to a halt when her father kicks her out of the house. She is a couple bucks short from renting a house. And she can't afford to get a room at a motel. She is out of options. Until Drew, heir to the multibillion McBride Foods, proposes marriage to her. It is to be in name only. No feelings attached. That is, until Drew starts slaying dragons for her. The dragons might have sprung up from his world, but still...

Arianna Reynolds, second year med school student of King's University attracts the hottest player to ever exsist in the city of London, Damon King, who practices his internal training for cardiology. She was betwichingly gorgeous, and alluringly innocent. A perfect angel with good grades and a little devil who loves chaos. Damon King, the most arrogant badboy and the most cruel heartbreaker. His world toppled when she entered all in her glory as his junior. She excited him, and challenged him when she acted blind to his charms. His excitement turned to anger when she punched him. He was evrything she hated in a guy. Nonetheless, she found him slowly changing for her. Her brown orbs always seemed to tempt his heart with whirlpool of exotic emotions and he was sucked into it when ever she locked his gaze with him. ------------- "You are mine Ria," he yelled slamming her onto the nearby locker. "No," she deadpanned with annoyance. "I love you," he confessed nearning her petite figure, invading her personal space. Her breath clogged for a second as she was stunned with his confession. Her eyes hardened again when she said," No, you wanna play with me." Pushing him back lightly she looked away. "I need you Ria, trust me. It's no sick game of mine. I am had over heels for you. Please, just give me a chance," he begged her with moist eyes, closing the distance again. Her stance grew guarded as the cruel heart breaker was confessing with vehement emotions stirring in his eyes. "Prove that your intentions are true," she said pushing him back from her personal space. Leaving him drown in her thoughts, she walked away from him. "You are mine Ria. I will prove myself worthy of your love. You belong only to me," he promised to himself watching her retreating figure.

Si Clover ay isang babae na hindi nalalayo ang estado ng buhay sa iba. Gaya ng mga kabataan ngayon ay nahilig din ito sa social media, partikular sa Facebook site. Kabilang din ito sa mga taong naging sikat sa social media dahil halos araw-araw ay humahakot ito ng daang-daang likes. Marami na rin ang sumubok na ligawan siya sa kanyang Facebook account, ngunit palagi niya itong nire-reject. Para sa kanya ang mga lalaking nakilala lang dito ay hindi pwedeng seryosohin, puro landi-landi lang.Pero tila parang nag-iba ang ihip ng hangin at timpla ng kape ng makilala niya si Percy na parang may extended brain orb sa ulo, in short, abnormal, at palaging nanggugulo.Habang tumatagal ang communication nilang dalawa, ang akalang landi lang ay tila ba nag-iba.Is it possible to fall in love in social media?Kung sakali man, may kasiguraduhan kayang magtatagal ang relasyong binuo nila?

It's a short story. Pallavi Sharma, An undesirable child of her parents. Her life is full of ignorance and pain. Always dream for a happy family. But, Due to constant taunt and humiliation from her parents she decided to end her life. Raghav Malhotra, A 29 year old handsome guy. For whom his family is everything, specially his sister. He don't want to get married due to his insecurity that a girl will take him away from his parents. His family will break down. Two different personality with their own insecurities. What will happen when both of them will be introduced for Arrange Marrige?? Will they fit for each other?? Will they able to love each other??

Slowly his hands glide up from my hips, up my back to the base of my hairline tilting my head down so that our foreheads touch. His eyes are closed and his breath is just as ragged at mine. “What on earth was that?” I ask “The best damn kiss of my life. Worth waiting almost 3 years to kiss you like that” My cheeks flush red at the comment. We have kissed a handful of times over the years. Usually instigated in a moment of weakness by Dimetrius but never anything like that. That kiss was dripping with desire from both sides. It definitely wasn’t one sided, I could feel what that kiss did to him through the hard length pressing against the inside of my thigh through his pants. I figured, why not throw it all at the wind and take a chance. I maintain eye contact with him as I slowly run my hands down the front of his chest, his eyes don’t leave mine as he sits dangerously still. I bring my hands back up his body again as I wrap my arms around the back of his neck. I adjust myself on his lap, so that now im sitting directly on top of his hard length and lean down to kiss him stopping just short with a smirk on my face. “Amelia” he says my name almost like a warning. That if I push him too far he is scared that he wont be able to stop. Once those flood gates are open, will either of us be strong enough to close them. I’m risking everything in this moment. I’m risking any future with Abran, and I’m risking my friendship with my best friend I am currently straddling. Fuck it

Vine had always been a "by the book" kinda of girl. Chasing her dreams, minding her busy and ready to handle just about anything, until she meets the ravishing billionaire Nate Ross. She's called to plan his wedding but his exotic smiles and boyish charms proves to be too much for Vine to handle and will make her fall for him (literally), breaking every moral code she had sworn to stand by. As the wedding planner, Vine goes on the forbidden path of loving the groom but will the bride fold for her or will this become a tug of war?

A story about a wounded heart that is not so desperate to find love * * * Miss Ann liverbert doesn't want a prince charming... After leaving her short country life in shame, all miss Ann wants is not to be noticed and when she meets the dashing duke of westonhigh, she's even more determined to reload her arsenal of defense, as those grey eyes of his always manage to make her melt in her shoes, and worse of all shatter every defensive wall... Lord Richard Arnold is the catch of the season and the darling of every ambitious mama's eyes, but he is just as determined to escape them...when he meets the petite miss Ann and her lovely smiles, he can't help but pursue his interest... But he knows behind those lovely smiles she has been hurt badly and Richard will do everything to heal her... SCARS...