Testing Waters Novels & Stories

Heartbroken. Betrayed. Determined to start over. When aspiring chef Evelyn Hayes discovers her fiancé in bed with her best friend, her world falls apart. Leaving behind her small-town life, she heads to New York City, vowing to focus on her dreams—and never let love get in the way again. But fate has other plans. Enter Damian Blackstone: a billionaire playboy with a ruthless reputation and a family determined to force him into a commitment he’s not ready for. His solution? A deal with Evelyn—pretend to be his girlfriend and help him get his mother off his back, and he’ll jumpstart her culinary career. What begins as a simple arrangement soon sparks undeniable chemistry, testing both their hearts and their limits. As the lines between pretense and passion blur, Evelyn fights to protect her heart, while Damian grapples with feelings he never expected. Will Evelyn and Damian find the courage to embrace the love they never saw coming? Or will their carefully constructed façade crumble under the weight of their growing feelings? The Chef and the Charmer is a slow-burn romance full of betrayal, humor, and the kind of sparks you can’t fake.

His tie hung loose, his eyes darker than sin. The scent of whiskey lingered on his breath as he leaned closer. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured, the words brushing against my skin like a dare. “You’re drunk,” I said, staring into those grey eyes as my heartbeat filled the silence. He smiled faintly, his gaze trailing from my hair until it fell on my lips. “Drunk,” he whispered, his thumb grazing my mouth as if testing how soft it was, “but not blind. You want this as much as I do.” ----- After her husband’s mysterious death, Mara Lawson becomes the center of a scandal threatening to destroy the powerful Lawson empire. Elias Lawson, her late husband’s twin, is everything she should resist—dangerous, magnetic, and forbidden. David Hale, her ex-lover, the man who walked away once and now wants forgiveness… and another chance. Between the man who broke her and the one who could ruin her, Mara is caught in a web of passion, guilt, and secrets that could shatter them all. Because in the Lawson world, love is never pure—it’s just another sin waiting to be punished.

Once a king, and once a slave, can his secrets save his mates? Talen has waited over a century for a mate, and the goddess is generous when she finally grants his wish – she gives him four. It does not take long for Talen to realize that his very long, long life has been spent in training for the arrival of these mates, as he will need every skill at his disposal to not only heal the rift between the Triquetra and Aislen, but to protect them through the coming trouble. The flood waters have brought to Havermouth many threats, and not just in the form of the face-eating former inhabitants of the original abandoned colony of the Havers family. When Rhett is infected by the zombie-making virus, Talen, Aislen, and the Triquetra seek the help of the mysterious warlock Leighton and his family, just as the town fills with black-clad, armed men who call themselves the National Emergency Service... But they aren’t there to help Havermouth recover from the storm. Will Talen’s wisdom and wealth of experience, help save his mates from the dangers of Havermouth? Trigger warnings for this book: this is a dark romance werewolf story containing dubious consent, violence, and assault.

Sometimes, God makes you find out about your husband’s dirty secrets, just so you can divorce him and move on with a better person. Perhaps, his uncle. Robert and I have been married for over two years and he’s never touched me due to being diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, a truth I never discovered until our honeymoon and I learnt to live with that, blinded by love for the man who made my heart flutter. Well, that changes when I walk in on him slamming deep into his secretary who’s on all fours in our room. Feeling betrayed, I divorced him and lost everything I worked hard for, to his deceitful hand. Then I met him. Anderson Waters, the man who’d help me get revenge on his rebellious nephew in exchange for one thing: “Of course, Robert’s a fuckwad. Everyone wants to repay him in his own coin.” Anderson chuckled lightly. “I can you do that for you if you sign this paper. Three years as my wife with respected boundaries, give it a thought till sundown. I’ll be back for an answer.”

Qykerth is brought to the reality of life when he finds his mother's body the day after his father leaves them under the excuse he will be out cultivating when his mother knows the truth. Qykerth blames himself for his father leaving because he was incapable of living up to his father's expectations as a cultivator and descendant. The loss of his mother brings unfathomable pain causing the power stored inside his body to explode, taking three lives with it, but a mysterious man finds Qykerth's body and grants him a second chance to live. Prince Queseon believes that his father's acts of keeping the humans out of the waters is ridiculous and ventures out into the world and meets a particular creature. As the two of them spend day after day together, both boys fall for the other but live with their unrequited love. Unable to take it any longer their fates connect, they separate and a child is born who faces obstacles a child should never face but with the help of his little fae friend, a new destiny is carved. |Side Stories| *|Lumiere & Licht | *|Daughter of Ice & Disciple of Wind| *|Sucked Into Darkness|

Maxine waters is a young girl of twenty one who works towards her dream of becoming a professional in photography but that was before she met Edward Hanks professionally known as Dan. Edward is a popular actor in the country and he contracted Maxine to be his fiancee because of some family issues. Both of them are cruel to each other and become worse enemies. Their relationship unraveled alot of deep secrets and mysteries that had been buried for years. What happens when fate changes all their plans and casts a natural and unbreakable spell on them ?? * * * * * * " So you believe true love exists" Edward smirked and i felt my blood boil. "Ofcourse it exists, money isn't always everything" I said calmly but deep down i felt like digging my hands into his face. "Money can buy everything" he said confidently and i started to laugh, I never knew rich people could be this dumb. "Money can't buy love or happiness or peace of mind, it can't buy me either" I said and walked out of the cafe with a mischievous smile.........

Alara's life shattered the day she was sold by the man she believed was her father, thrust into the powerful grasp of Ezra—the feared Alpha King with eyes of amber and a commanding presence that claimed her very soul. Haunted by betrayal and the mysteries surrounding her true lineage, Alara must navigate the treacherous waters of a bond she never asked for, yet cannot deny. Ezra, burdened by the loss of his first mate and years of bitter solitude, sees in Alara not just a mate but his destined redemption. Determined to protect his kingdom from the rising dark threats, he must confront his own heart as it dangerously entwines with the fierce and defiant woman brought into his life by fate. Together, they face intrigue, ancient prophecies, and hidden enemies who would see their burgeoning love destroyed before it can bloom. As the line between captor and lover blurs, Ezra and Alara must decide whether trust forged in the fires of adversity can heal their wounded hearts or if the shadows of the past will tear them apart forever. In a world where passion, power, and destiny collide, can love truly conquer all—even when it's sold to the Alpha King?

Can a contract marriage built on obsession and deceit turn into a love story? Luca Romano, the heir to the Romano group, is faced with a daunting task - he must get married in order to claim his inheritance. However, Luca suffers from a rare allergy to women's touch, leaving him in a bind. But then he meets Elena, a stranger he has a one night stand with at a bar. To his surprise, his allergy doesn't kick in when he's with her. So he proposes a contract marriage - he gets his company and can indulge in his obsession with Elena, while Elena, who is actually in disguise with a vendetta against the Romanos, can use the marriage to bring them down. As the two navigate the murky waters of their contract marriage, they begin to see beyond their own selfish desires and into the deep love they share. But with Elena's hidden agenda and the Romano family's dark secrets threatening to tear them apart, their love is put to the ultimate test. "Mr Romano's Obsession" is a gripping tale of passion, deception, and true love. With twists and turns at every corner, readers will be left on the edge of their seats until the very end.

* The fourth book in the Love and Other Sorcery Series - Book One, The Mage's Heart, Book Two, The Golden Dragon's Princess, Book Three, Akyran's Folly * Love's Sacrifice Will Make You Stronger Tarragon, the first-born child of Queen Diandreliera of Uyan Taesil and her dragon husband, Aurien, is the child of prophecy in every way. She is beautiful, talented, well-learned, and a master of the sword she was born to wield. She is also as magnificent a golden dragon as her father when in dragon-form. Daethie loves and adores her older sister and envies her for all that Tarragon is and Daethie isn't. Short, small, dark haired, and unable to shift into a dragon, Daethie is fondly known as "the runt of the dragon litter." Whilst her siblings excel at Prince Akyran and Princess Ecaeris' Monster Hunting training, Daethie is a disaster more likely to harm herself than any monster that she encounters. When Prince Akyran brings Aien, the son of a local warlock who is well known for his villainy, to the castle as his hostage, Aien singles out Daethie to befriend, and Daethie falls hard and fast for the enigmatic warlock's son. With the increasing danger of monsters roaming their land, Tarragon leads an expedition to locate the portal that is allowing the creatures to cross from their world, but it is a dangerous, testing journey and one that not all will complete alive. What sacrifice will be made for love and the rescue of their world?

I was pregnant. On my way to deliver documents to Tristan Goldberg, a flash flood struck. Desperate, I dialed his number, praying he’d answer. After a few rings, the call connected. But instead of Tristan, a woman’s voice answered. "Tristan, whose number is this? Do you want to answer it?" There was a brief pause, and then Tristan’s voice, cold and indifferent, cut through. "It’s just my maid. Ignore it. Hang up." And just like that, the call disconnected. Staring at the torrent rising around me, my pulse quickened. I texted him, begging for him to send a rescue team. Minutes passed as the waters climbed to my waist, churning and relentless. Then, a message from Tristan finally appeared. Tristan: [What kind of ridiculous story are you making up now?] Tristan: [Emily, do you think you're eighteen, playing these childish games? I want that document in my hands within thirty minutes, or we're getting divorced.] A surge of terror shot through me as I looked up, catching sight of a heavy branch snapping loose and crashing down. In an instant, everything went dark.