Intimacy Without Commitment

"Marry me and I'll give you a million dollars." "What?! But you're so...so..." "Devastatingly handsome? Smoulderingly sexy?" "NO! Obscenely obnoxious!" *** This was how Daniel Winters, the CEO of Winters Architecture proposed to Jane McKay, a down on her luck single mother. She desperately needed money to gain custody of her child and he was in frantic search for a wife and a baby to retain his inheritance. And so, these two unlikely souls struck up an agreement - a one year contract marriage that would supposedly benefit them both. But one year is a long time, and according to Murphy's law 'anything that can happen will happen.' So the question is, will Daniel and Jane be able to stand each other for 365 days without going for each other’s throat? Will Daniel's family find out about his greatest lie? Will the baby of Jane's father come back for his flesh and blood? And most importantly, will this unlikely marriage blossom into something more?

"There should be rules if we are even going to do this," he said without looking at me. "I have always lived by the rules." He slid a file towards me. "This is the contract. The rules are stated there." I opened the file and glanced through it. "You can take it home and study them; give me feedback tomorrow evening. But I will read out the rules for you now because they start now, and in case your brain can't comprehend them, then I can explain." Anger seethed through me, and I almost threw the file back at him, but when I thought about the money involved and how it would benefit little Sophie, I bit my lower lip to push back the anger. He continued. "Rule number one; don't you fall in love with me." His eyes flipped up to me. "Crystal clear," I said. "That would never happen." Ellen never had fun in college. One night she decided to have fun with her friends and slept with a handsome stranger who disappeared before she woke up. A month later, she found out she was pregnant and searched everywhere for him, but to no avail. Five years later, she moved to a new city and met the same man she never thought she would ever see again. He didn't remember anything about her, and he was now a cold, arrogant man who needed a wife, and she needed money. They agreed to contract marriage with strict rules, one of them being never to fall in love with each other. They were sure they wouldn't break the rule, but as sparks grew between them and became too much, they found themselves trying hard to keep to the rules. Who will break rule number one between them?

**Sometimes, you don't get to choose your own destiny.** Maya Anderson is the first werewolf in living memory born to human parents. Kicked out of her home when she was sixteen, she's been on the run for nearly five years, trying her best to avoid other werewolves as much as possible. That is, until she stumbles into Edric Payne's territory, the Alpha of one of the biggest packs in the country, Mountain Fire. At twenty-five, Edric still hasn't found his mate, and their pack's been without a Luna for more than a year. Without a Luna, his pack is in danger of dying off, but because The Moon Goddess promised him he'd find his mate after he becomes Alpha, he's less worried about it than his father, Joshua, the previous Alpha of Mountain Fire. When Edric captures Maya, and claims her as his mate, she has no idea what he's talking about. She knows nothing about being a werewolf. In fact, she hates everything about them and herself, and she doesn't plan on sticking around to become some kind of Luna for a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters. However, a series of bizarre events compel her to stay with the pack. The moment they meet, Maya and Edric's destinies become inextricably intertwined, and they quickly learn that everything they thought they knew about their lives have been a lie. **

I thought I had it all. I thought I’d finally cracked the code. I thought my mom was wrong when she said all men are the same-that all men are scum and will leave you without notice. Well, the saying “Mama knows best…” I learned it the hard way. Because indeed, Mama knows best. I should’ve listened when she warned me. I should’ve been more cautious. After two years of marriage, Nate decided he didn’t want me anymore, and I don’t even deserve to know why. That night, he took everything from me. He turned everyone against me. And just when I thought life was going back to normal, when I was finally picking up the broken pieces, he comes knocking. “I’m sorry, Elara. I want you back. Please, come back to me,” Nate pleads. “I will do whatever you want me to do.”

"On Monday we divorce," said Darwis Dawson without hesitation in his cold and low voice. "Aside from the compensation written in the divorce agreement, you can ask for whatever you want." "Why so suddenly?" My voice is lower than usual. Darwis answered briefly, "Kayra has returned." I know who Kayra is. After a moment of silence, I agreed, "Okay." * Darwis was Kate's first love for 24 years. Before that, he was the perfect husband in her eyes. The man was always patient, and gentle and almost never made her worry. Although it was difficult for Kate to accept when Kate found out that Darwis liked another woman. Kate still files for divorce from Darwis so that Darwis can look for the woman he loves. Kate chose to comply. However, the Dervish disagreed.

Lydia McKenzie used to be just like any other normal, seventeen year high school girl, fretting over what to wear for school, struggling to get good grades and dealing with boy trouble, until one day, a dangerous incident at school and a severe brain injury, made her turn off her emotions completely. Three years later, she’s a complete robot who works with utmost efficiency without showing any emotions. But things start to change when she arrives at Rosewater University for higher studies. David Lyric Donovan is the quintessential bad boy of Rosewater. Be it getting into useless fights, getting arrested for beating someone to an inch of their life or any other crimes around campus, and not to mention going through girls like a person goes through their clothes, he’s done it all. He’s also a professional street fighter. Girls want to ‘fix’ him and guys want to be him. But nothing bothers him as much as the presence of the new girl, Lydia. She’s upfront and outspoken and she does not have the patience to deal with his , and moreover, she gets under his skin without even a slight change in her expression. Who is she and what’s in her past? He’s just as fascinated with her as he is annoyed. Can romance bloom between such a mismatched pair? And will Lydia ever let herself feel again, after what she’d endured?

I have been through three marriages initiated by my stepmom in order to pay off my late father’s debt. This time around, I was betrothed to a disabled man, Shawn. According to my stepmom, Shawn was a useless cripple from an average-earning family so she signed me off to him without thinking twice, ignoring my tears and pleas. But guess what? I was surprised to see Shawn rise to his feet to do his manly duties to me on our wedding night. He was also the owner of the biggest group of companies in the country. Could he be the man of my dreams?

"Why do you always look at me like that?" she whispered. "Because you're unlike anyone I've ever known," Damien replied, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. "Your presence is like a thorn in my side." Eira scoffed. “You're nothing but trouble, Damien. A brooding vampire with an ego the size of a castle. But you need me. Without me, you’ll be dead.” “I hate that," he admitted. She smirked. "Hate that you need me? So, what is it, Damien? A weakness you'd rather keep in the shadows?" Damien leaned in, his face dangerously close to hers, his gaze dropping to her lips. Eira's breath caught, her shock palpable. "I might need you, Eira, but I don’t want you," he said, his eyes betraying a desire he refused to acknowledge. "Remember that." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her thoughts in turmoil and her lips tingling with the ghost of an almost-kiss. *** The Silverstone Pack is out for blood, determined to avenge their alpha's brutal murder. All eyes are on Damien, the prime suspect, who now lives in the shadows, focused on survival. His only goal is to stay one step ahead and keep himself well-fed. But everything changes when he encounters a girl who is mysteriously immune to his powers. In her, he finds a glimmer of hope he thought long lost. Eira, heartbroken from a recent breakup, unexpectedly crosses paths with Damien. Her confrontation with him quickly turns into a nightmare when she is taken captive. Damien, desperate and cornered, offers her a chilling deal: help him save himself, or face unimaginable suffering. With little choice, Eira agrees, setting off a chain of events that will forever change the course of her life.

"I, Emma Wilfred, reject you, Darrell Blackwood, as my fated mate.” My voice wavered as fresh tears streamed down my cheeks. “May our bond be severed.” He stepped forward. “We shouldn't do this, Emma.” “Then you’re free not to accept the rejection,” I interrupted coldly. “If you’re ready to give up everything and fight for our love,” I said, part of me hoping, desperately praying that he would really choose us. But in the end, Darrell chose power over our love. “I accept the rejection......" ******************** She gave her heart to her mate.....and he shattered it days before their union. All Emma ever wanted was to love her fated mate, devote herself to him, and one day bear his pups. But just two days before their marking ceremony, he handed her a wedding invitation; to another woman, all for power. Broken, humiliated and unwanted, Emma left her pack behind and vanished without a trace. Six years later, she's no longer the naive girl who believed in fairy tales. Now as a fierce and successful lawyer, Emma lives by one rule: Never to trust a man. But her life becomes in danger when the rogue Alpha is now ready to make her pay for ruining his perfect life. She thought that would be the end.....until she was rescued by Darrell Blackwood. As fate pulls their paths again, Darrell is drawn to Emma in ways he can't explain. But when he discovered her five-year-old daughter with eyes hauntingly like his own, everything changes. Now Darrell wants answers. Emma wants distance And the past? It's not done with either of them.

Warning. This book will contain scenes of Violence , Betrayal, and intimate scenes between a woman with more than one male at a time. With that said, Welcome to the Black Alder Series. This book will be written in three parts surrounding the lives of Elena, Kayla, and Arabella. Three women victims by their circumstances. Each of them has a destiny to face and they are all entwined with eachother in one way or another. Each possess a special ability. With that ability, they will seek to change their fates and become strong leaders for their families. Enemies lurk around every corner, wanting to claim the women for their very own, but these women are not going down without a fight. Read on to see how this all unfolds. Be prepared, it's a tunnel of emotions your about to go through. See you on the other side. Part one, Luna Rising, will center around Elena. Part two, Broken Chains, will center around Kayla. Part three, Midnight Sky, will center around Arabella.