Naturally, Tim had misplaced his wallet after their trip; it took him a couple of minutes before he found it beneath a still-unpacked duffel bag. Fortunately, he did at least have the cash in it; like so many people, Tim relied mostly on his debit card these days and carried very little physical money anymore. Even in the tinier stories in the mountains, there had been virtually no need for cash, so most of the pre-vacati...

Later that evening, the couple was making their way to the bedroom for the night. April had been particularly flirty with him after coming inside from the back yard; Tim had a strong suspicion that sex was on the table for sure. While he was more than ready for that, he found feelings of guilt over how he had handled the Malik situation to be a real distraction. April hadn’t been happy at how Tim hadn’t interfered when Ma...

Aurelia Lombardi had always been captivating. In high school, everyone had been drawn to her, boys and girls alike. It wasn't just her beauty that caught the eye. But rather the way she seemed to light up a room without trying. Tonight was no different. Even in the bar's dim atmosphere, she was glowing, her presence magnetic, pulling gazes toward her. "It's so good to see you, Tom! I can't believe it's been three years!"...

The rising Christmas Eve sun glints off the razor blade as I ease it across my stubbled cheek, the bathroom mirror confirming I need more sleep. The Jones’ do like to talk and the treacherous conditions from the fresh snowfall meant they'd stayed over at the cottage. Wine had flowed. I rinse foam off the blade and as I run it up from my chin, the door flings open, startling me. The blade nicks. “Oww!” With one hand stemmi...

With Thanksgiving break looming, Nick was headed home. His roommate, Scott, was tagging along. Their other roommate, Nick’s girlfriend Katie, was across the country visiting her workaholic sister, who scheduled her bachelorette party to coincide with the holiday weekend. Scott missed his family, who lived on the other side of the country. His parents were saving for a trip to see him at the end of the semester, to help hi...

The yelling and jeering from the living room reached a fever pitch, and Tim Mason sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in response. “That’s bullshit!” came a young man’s voice in protest. “You’re just mashing random buttons, and you know it!” Other voices hooted in mocking derision. “Maybe don’t stand so close to the edge, genius!” came another young man’s voice in reply. Howling laughter echoed the comment. It was a S...

Glowering at Jackson, I spoke in an equally cold voice. "What are you doing here?" I noticed his jaw tighten. Clearly, he thought I'd be thrilled by his unexpected appearance at my job. He'd never showed up here before; hell, I was surprised he remembered where I worked. For a moment, he looked uncertain. Running a hand through his dark hair, he seemed to struggle for the right words. "I couldn't reach you," he finally bl...

I wasn't scheduled to work again until Monday afternoon, and though I wished I could see Arden sooner, I figured I'd spend my weekend studying. But on Saturday evening, as I settled onto the couch with my laptop and a cup of tea, I still held out hope that I'd hear from my boss. I knew he was at the store, working alongside another employee, and they'd be closing soon. It was a constant struggle to try to focus on my stud...

I readily lifted my arms so Arden could pull my dress over my head. His gaze grew hotter as it swept over my bare skin, lingering on the breast he'd already exposed. When I started to take off my bra, he grasped my wrist. "Let Daddy," he insisted. The sound of my rapid breathing filled the otherwise quiet room. Arden's fingers deftly worked to unclasp my bra, and the way he stripped me of the undergarment sent a shiver th...

That Friday evening in early spring, I should have been happy. I was a junior in college, with excellent grades and a large circle of friends. But as Arden and I closed up the bookstore at a little after nine, I couldn't hide my despondency. Though I'd been unfailingly pleasant and helpful to customers since I'd showed up for work earlier that afternoon, I knew my boss sensed something was wrong. Yet he waited until we we...