Small Pleasures Book Novels & Stories

I pushed the thought away, distracted by the warmth of his body as he moved into the living room. I retreated to the kitchen, the silence from the living room was a canvas waiting to be painted. I made his coffee, the steam curling up like a question mark. I slowly brought it to him, my hands trembling slightly. He reached out to take the cup, but his fingers brushed against mine, lingering just a second and too long. The touch was electric, a spark that connected us in a way words couldn't. A smile touched his lips, and the warmth of his gaze sent a flush rushing to my cheeks.

Pearl looked at the book Frank held out to her. It was the Bukowski book Rhys had been looking though. She smiled and placed it in the bag with the other books and thanked Frank. She headed to her car, still smiling from the interaction and how amazing her day was turning out to be. She continued with her errands, grabbing a quick late lunch and stopping for a few things she needed.

“Oh do shut up Mansour. Etag is life. Let us go, I can literally hear the food calling me. Ami,come eat me.” The three other people in her room shook their heads and continued chuckling as they followed her down to the kitchen. True enough, Doris have set the table and a very delicious aroma was coming from one of the covered dishes. Ami followed the smell and uncovered the dish. She almost spooned some into her mouth when the housekeeper clucked. “Sheesh, Ami, grace before meals, remember?” “You always know how to ruin my momentum Rain. Rain the Drain, bleh!” Ami stuck her tongue at him before she bowed her head for the prayer. After praying, Rain playfully whacked her backside causing Ami

He gestured to the book on their small table. Since her arrival, they delivered new books more frequently and even were considerate to her preferences. The second common room had almost turned into a library consisting of mostly romance and fantasy novels. However, despite the bi-weekly deliveries, there was nothing to do in prison besides read, finding Daisy finishing books extremely quickly. Dave would often surprise her with new trending books or secondhand ones that his youngest daughter had already read and grown bored of. She was an avid reader as well apparently. Wasting no time, she stretched her arm to reach the book, having no desire to leave her comfortable position. "It's a Gordo

The world had returned to small humiliations and silly victories, and it was intoxicating. By mid-afternoon we drifted toward the quieter side of the shopping street, where smaller shops clustered — a bookshop with a bell that sang when the door opened, a tiny florist, and then the one that made my steps slow without my permission: a baby boutique. It sat between a bakery and a tailor, its window dressed in soft pastels and tiny hangers holding impossibly small clothes. A knitted blanket draped like a secret across the display, and mobile animals swayed slowly as if asleep.

Not of the penthouse—I couldn’t do that—but of my own head. I started cleaning. It was a stupid impulse. But scrubbing the counters, organizing the spices, folding the towels—it gave me something to do. It gave me control. By noon, the penthouse was spotless. It still felt cold. It still felt empty. But at least it was clean. I sat on the couch, exhausted. I picked up a book from the shelf. It was a first edition of *Pride and Prejudice*. Damian’s copy. I opened it. Inside the cover, there was an inscription.

Of course, she didn’t. She walked down to a small café with wrought iron tables outside, nestled between flower pots and an old stone wall. She sat down, ordered a coffee and a slice of pastry, then pulled out the book she had just bought. When the cup was placed in front of her, she closed her eyes briefly—like even the smallest joys in life could be felt if she just paused long enough. And then… someone interrupted. A man, tall, handsome, giving the energy of a professor. Clean-cut in a casual way. He walked up with a half-smile, hand scratching the back of his neck. She looked up—and blushed.

But it was just because of this little one. Just because of the little one, I repeated, convincing myself we were eating for the baby. I walked over to the tray. My hands were shaking as I picked up the heavy porcelain plate. As I lifted it, I felt something beneath it. Something hard and flat. I frowned and looked down. Tucked into the space under the plate was a small, thin book. My heart skipped a beat. I set the plate down and grabbed the book. Inside the cover, a note was tucked away. The handwriting was messy and familiar.

The room felt like a sanctuary, a place where I could begin to heal and find solace amidst the chaos that had consumed my life. Rico smiled warmly, his eyes filled with genuine joy at my response. "I'm glad you like it, Royal. You deserve a peaceful place to call your own after everything you've been through." As I explored the room, my gaze fell upon a small bookshelf nestled against one of the walls. It was adorned with various titles, a treasure trove of stories waiting to be discovered. I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing and nostalgia, my love for books resurfacing at that moment.

Befriending Mabel seemed a very good idea at first but as Devlin found out, it was harder than it looked. Although he continued giving her flowers and chocolates, she still seemed wary of him. On the day of their promised date, he gave her the book she wanted longingly. She was hesitant at first but when Devlin reminded her that it might not be available again as it was a bestseller, she accepted it graciously by giving him a peck on the cheek which made Devlin’s day. As it was still summer and too hot outside, he took her to the new Al Reem Mall. As they sat in a glass paned balcony overlooking the sea, he asked her what was bothering him for a long time.