The Reluctant Traveler Review Novels & Stories

he peered at me curiously, waiting for an answer. I peered at him and smiled. I equally asked myself the same question before tipping the girls of my plan to ensure our identity is will hidden. Seeing the way Lucas treats Becca lovingly with respect, I knew I could trust him. Although Jeremy played around with women unlike Lucas who was reserved, but he never treated any of the ladies with prejudice and I respected him for that. "You'd wish," Maya sneered, muttering incoherent words under her breath. "You and your brother Lucas are both different and I'm sure you guys would support our movement. You're not like the other scumbags out there that treats ladies as trash which is why I can trust

The best she could hope for was he would tire quickly of her passive resistance and let her go. The train was underway in a few minutes. At first, the motion was strange, and she grasped the metal bar below the window. Soon enough, she became accustomed to the swaying motion, which induced a state of involuntary relaxation. Her tranquility deepened when Tiernan got up to leave the car. As the minutes passed without his return, she let her body sag, feeling free of tension for the first time since he’d made his despotic announcement earlier in the morning. Lulled by the train, she ended up dozing off, unused to spending half the night in such physical pursuits. * * *

© 2026 Aridah. All rights reserved. This work is protected by copyright. No part of this story may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without permission from the author. Author’s Note ✨ Welcome to The Reluctant Daddy CEO. This is a slow-burn romance built on tension, vulnerability, and growth. It’s not just about love. It's about healing, responsibility, and the choices we make when life doesn’t go as planned. Thank you for giving this story a chance. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“I’m terrible company on long drives.” That startled a laugh out of her, breathless and grateful. “I believe that.” “I overplan.” “Deeply shocking.” “I also dislike roadside coffee.” “You dislike everything that isn’t made in a kitchen with territorial funding.” “Reasonable standards are not a character flaw.” “They are when traveling.” A faint smile appeared, and the tension eased enough for both of them to breathe again. But the question remained between them. Would you go? Yes. Elara looked at the map again, at the thin dark line leading west.

I want the man who‍ risked his life to save mine to li‍e next to me and promise that the world isn’t go‌ing to‍ swallow m‍e whole and the realization of my needs terrifies even me. In ju‍st a few da‌ys, Damia⁠n has shifted something‌ inside me he’s pr⁠o‌ven h⁠im‌self in ways I never expe‌c⁠ted which is honorable in a life that seems bui‍lt on dishonor and t⁠hat ma‌kes me af‌raid. Afra⁠id tha‍t I’ll be th⁠e fool w‌ho starts believing in some‌thing that isn’t rea‍l, “I w⁠ant to visit Matthew tomorrow,” I‍ blu⁠rt out suddenly⁠.

A struggling woman with nothing to her name, nothing to offer, yet she thought she could walk into Adrian’s life and demand something from him? Pathetic. Adrian didn’t do relationships. He didn’t do love. He was cold. Controlled. Unshakable. And yet… Something about the way he looked at her in the security footage just for a split second made my stomach twist. I clenched my jaw. I had no intention of letting anyone take Adrian from me. Not a random girl. Not a baby. Not fate. “Ms. Russo,” the flight attendant approached with a polite smile. “We’ll be landing in twenty minutes.”

" I didn't want to call his name right now. She looked far from convinced, but nodded. "Fine. Call me if you need anything." She gave me a small hug, and walked to her room. I pulled off my heels for the rest of the journey up the stairs, almost going into my former bedroom, before realizing it was no longer mine, and stumbling my way to Luca's. The bed had never looked so inviting before like it did the moment I stepped inside, but I needed a hot shower. I felt sick. I quickly discarded my clothes, then hopped into the shower. It was set almost scalding hot, but I welcomed it. The water burned and cascaded down my skin, feeling more like a massage than anything.

What are we going to do then? The occupants of the room all looked at one another, Mrs Sanders laughed out first the other’s followed suit, suddenly feeling refreshed, she tilted her head, and smiled genuinely at Polly for the very first time in her life “ I have always given my daughter whatever she desired in life. And she doesn’t take no for an answer, No matter how reluctant he is, no matter how much he likes the title of being the Reluctant Groom he can’t be reluctant forever.” She said with a beam on her face