The Sleep Experiment

Twenty-two stories. Twenty-two chances to lose yourself. From storm-stranded islands to tattoo parlors after dark, this collection takes you places you’ve never been with people you’ll never forget. A marine cartographer discovers that the most thrilling territory to explore isn’t on any map. A pastry chef learns that the sweetest pleasure comes with a sting. A mafia fixer breaks his one unbreakable rule. A firefighter finds heat that has nothing to do with flames. These aren’t your typical romance stories. Here, a museum archivist rediscovers her wild side. An insomniac musician becomes a sleep researcher’s favorite subject. Twin vocal coaches teach an opera singer to find her voice again. A tattoo artist and a widow bond over grief and ink. Each tale is different: different bodies, different desires, different ways of coming undone. Some encounters are tender. Others are raw. A few will make you blush in public. All of them will leave you breathless. Whether it’s the tension of waiting, the trust required to surrender, or the electricity of a first touch, each story explores what happens when two people finally give in to what they’ve been craving. Diverse. Bold. Unapologetically sensual. Your next obsession starts here.

During spring break, my family's housekeeper's son, Ethan Shaw, steals my black card and takes the entire class on a luxury trip to Norkin. He books out an entire fireworks show to impress my girlfriend, Claire Sanders. Then, he treats everyone to first-class tickets for the cruise while basking in the spotlight. But when I discover he's using my card and confront him, he teams up with my girlfriend to twist the story. They accuse me of being jealous of him. Cornered on the deck, I'm about to pull out my phone to prove it when Ethan suddenly shoves me over the railing. I'm left hanging by one desperate hand. His voice is ice-cold. "Lucas is just picking a fight because he's after my money. I can't sleep soundly with him around." On Ethan's signal, his lackey crushes my fingers one by one until my grip fails. I fall into the open sea, ending as food for the fish. When I open my eyes, I find myself back on the day Ethan is booking the fireworks show. Watching him revel in the spotlight, I take out my phone and call the bank to cancel the card. This time, I want to see just how he plays the lavish big shot.

‼️ MATURE: 18+ EXPLICIT SCENES. "I want you on your hands and knees doctor" the alphas voice rumbled as Myra's breath hitched, her core heats with a touch that ignited her feral need for him. "Say it..." he calls with a whisper to her ears earning a shudder to her blood. but she wanted this man. Craved him like nothing she ever felt as she whimpers in his arms. "I am yours." ******* Myra Emerson is a small-town veterinarian doctor who never backs down from the challenge, until she comes in contact with a wounded wolf, and in the process of nursing the wild beast back to health was bitten by him. This cursed bite turned her once small world upside down, changing her life forever. Now Myra has to navigate her new life as a supernatural. He is a brooding prince of darkness. A shifter from another realm. And now, she is bound to the marked claim and sired to his bond. Myra wants her old, simple life back, and to achieve that, she must trust this mysterious male to cure her curse. Which was all too challenging because to trust the prince of darkness was to sleep in a lion’s den and expect to wake up whole. And in the midst of all these, secrets are emerging… Hard ones that threatens everything she knows, and seeks to plunge her even deeper into this mysterious world. And into the arms of the powerful, strange prince.

"So you took advantage of a drunk woman? Why did you sleep with me if you knew so well that I was drunk?" She attempted to defend herself, but the man just gave her a glare and showed no sign of regret, as he kept on with what he was doing.  "Answer me!!!" She yelled.   "Hey, I do not know who the fuck you are and I do not care either, but you better get out of my room right now because my fiance is coming to see me this morning." Furious, his face burning, he got up and headed for the wardrobe, scrawling through the clothes that were hanging up. Nia was shocked by what had happened; she felt her heart start to race as a sharp pain radiated around her stomach. "You want to get rid of me just like that, after sleeping with me." Nia spoke as she tried not to cry while keeping a still gaze on the man in front of her. Nia Reigns lost everything after she had a one night stand with a stranger on her birthday, she was intoxicated, making her unaware of what she was doing. Five years later, she comes back with a set of twins. Determined to start over from the top, she gets a new job, and her twins father was her CEO. Would he recognize her? What will happen if he finds out about the kids? Let's take a ride.

Avalin is a 22 year old who has never had sex and can not begin to know we’re to start. She has never wanted to have sex and has been content with that. Avalin works at a lingerie store and has seen the rich and famous and those scrounging for enough to buy one bra. On this particular Wednesday a women walks in with her daughter and needed two sets of lingerie. “Honey it doesn’t matter if you like the lingerie what matters is that he likes it.” The mother said. “But mom, I don’t even know Mr. Kenway.” “Shut up Eveline, you will get him to sleep with you and get pregnant. Then we can live the lives we want.” The mother said well paying the bill and turning to walk out. This was not the first time Avalin has heard of someone buying lingerie to get there daughter to try and trap Mr.Kenway. Avalin reached for the phone to call the Kenway residence. “Kenway residence.” Avalin has called multiple times to give information so that Mr.Kenway didn’t get trapped. However this was the first time she’s heard this voice. It is more gruff and sullen than the cranky man who usually answers the phone. “Eveline Perry, will try to trap Mr.Kenway on Friday. She will drug his drink at Sky Bar after his dinner meeting.” “How do you know about my dinner meeting?” Mr.Kenway said. Avalin hung up the phone as quick as possible.

Opening my eyes in an unfamiliar place with unknown faces surrounding me, everything started there. I have to start from the beginning again, because I am no longer Ayla Navarez and the world I am currently in, was completely different from the world of my past life. Rumi Penelope Lee. The cannon fodder of this world inside the novel I read as Ayla, in the past. The character who only have her beautiful face as the only ' plus ' point in the novel, and the one who died instead of the female lead of the said novel. She fell inlove with the male lead and created troubles on the way. Because she started loving the male lead, her pitiful life led to met her end. Death. Because she's stupid. Literally, stupid. A fool in everything. Love, studies, and all. The only thing she knew of, was to eat and sleep, then love the male lead while creating troubles the next day. Even if she's rich and beautiful, her halo as a cannon fodder won't be able to win against the halo of the heroine. That's why I've decided. Let's ruin the plot. Because who cares about following it, when I, Ayla Navarez, who became Rumi Penelope Lee overnight, would die in the end without even reaching the end of the story? Inside this cliché novel, let's continue living without falling inlove, shall we?

I bought red lingerie for a boy who didn't want me. Found him in bed with my best friend instead. I ran straight into Cain Russo. My enemy. The boy who humiliated me at fourteen and never lost a second of sleep over it. One night of rage and bad decisions later, we had a secret I planned to bury. Then our parents got married and he moved into the room next door. Now he watches me across the dinner table like he's already won something. Because he's had a taste and he hasn't forgotten it. So he made me a bet. Three orgasms. Ten minutes. If he wins, two weeks of me. Anywhere. Anytime. No exceptions. If I win, my freedom. I should have walked away. I didn't. He doesn't want my heart. That would be too simple. He wants to take me apart completely. And god help me, I'm starting to want that too. Stepbrother. Enemy. Obsession. Warning: This book is explicit. We’re talking filthy, enemies-who-hate-each-other-but-can’t-stop touching, wall-slamming, hair-pulling, name-screaming explicit. If you blush easy, this isn’t for you. If you don’t — buckle up, because Cain Russo has zero restraint and even less patience. 18+ only. You’ve been warned.

"Get up, I'm hungry. Cook for me NOW!" The authoritative tone jolted me awake, not giving me a moment to freshen up or even change. We don't sleep side by side; he stays in the master bedroom while I occupy the guest room. He can't stand being near me. It hurts deeply when those words come from him, but it's a recurring pattern. I hurriedly made my way downstairs, still tying the robe around me. In the kitchen, I began preparing his breakfast. You see, I'm his secret wife. No one knows except our parents and a few friends. Since we got married, not a day goes by without him reminding me that he doesn't love me. Not a day goes by without him hurting me. But that's alright because, as I've mentioned, I love him so much that I'm willing to do anything just to earn his love in return. A single tear escaped and fell onto the clove of garlic I was chopping. I quickly wiped it away. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Manang watching me. I took a deep breath to regain my composure before turning to her with a forced smile. "I'm sorry; I got emotional over garlic." I lied.

Nagtaksil sa akin ang taong pinili kong mahalin—ang aking asawa—at ang matalik kong kaibigan. Sinasabi ng lahat, ngunit nagbulag-bulagan ako. Pinili kong manahimik at maniwala sa kasinungalingan. Ang katigasan ng ulo kong iyon ang naging kapalit ng aking buhay. At sa huli, inangkin nila ang lahat ng aking pinaghirapan at iniwan. Ngunit hindi doon nagtapos ang aking kwento. Binigyan ako ng tadhana ng panibagong buhay—isang pagkakataong wala na ang dating saya, ngunit puno ng iisang layunin: paghihiganti. Sa bagong buhay na ito, mas pinili kong lapitan ang kanyang pinsan—isang ruthless businessman. Mas pinili kong danasin kung ano man ang bago kong kapalaran sa kamay ng kanyang pinsan na iniiwasan niyang maging katunggali sa anumang bagay. "What are you doing with my condoms?" "Bakit ka nandito? Akala ko ba ayaw mong makisama sa akin sa iisang kwarto? Saka pwede ba, magdamit ka!" “It’s my room, so I can do whatever I want. I’ll sleep without clothes, I’ll walk around however I like… and if you happen to look at my body, I won’t stop you. After all…I'm your husband.”

Ysa is one of the hottest secretaries in town, but she is also a certified NBSB. She has already achieved her dreams: having a good life, providing what she wants, and working on her dream company. But still, there's something missing in her life. Love life. Pero hindi siya naniniwala na ito nga ang kukumpleto sa kanya lalo na, hindi maganda ang impresyon niya tungkol sa pag-ibig. To prove to her aunt that she doesn't need someone romantically in her life, Ysa accepts her challenge to date someone. And like what she already expected, it's a failure. May nobya na ang ka-date niya at tanging one night stand lang ang habol nito. Mas tumibay ang paniniwala ni Ysa na walang matinong tao pagdating sa pag-ibig. Or even love itself. Love can ruin someone. Kaya hindi niya kailangan ang pag-ibig sa kanyang buhay. Pero paano kung makakatagpo siya ng isang lalaking taliwas sa iba? A man who is different from others in just one look. A man who seems unable to do cheating. A man with one word, despite his playful aura. And a gorgeous man who she tries to sleep with one drunk, hot night. Mababali kaya nito ang paniniwala niya? O ito ang magiging dahilan para mangyari ang kinatatakutan niya?