The Black Alcove Series

JUST ONE KISS
I don’t make a habit of slapping men after I kiss them, I swear. It only happened that one time. With him. Honestly, he was a summer crush gone bad and a part of me thought I'd never see him again, and yet … today, seven years later, he’s about to become my boss. 
 
*shakes head*
 
Did I mention that we can’t stand each other AND that he’s renting the house across the street from me? No. Well, there you go. I think it goes without saying that balancing my work life and my final semester of college is going to go super swell. 
 
*sigh* 
 
It’s fine. I can handle this. So what if he looks like Mr. July in a fireman's calendar … everything is going to be fine.
 
Afterall, it’s not like I'm still crushing on him … am I? 

JUST ONE NIGHT
Running away doesn’t help. Trust me, I would know. I tried it last year and yeah, nope, everything I was trying to get away from was waiting for me when I got back. 

*lets out a breath*

Girl boss goals have been my entire life and now that I'm about to open my own bar, that goal is closer than ever. 

And yet, the guy, THE GUY, is about to be hundreds of miles away from me after I move. 

*groans*

This would happen this way, you know? We finally had it right. The feelings, the timing, the … kissing. Everything was just perfect. Till it wasn’t.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Boo! No, no it doesn't. It makes the heart hurt. More specifically, it makes mine hurt. 

*curls up on bed*

Maybe … 

*wipes away tears*

We weren’t meant to be. 
  

JUST ONE TOUCH
 
“Hi, I’m Alexis, your sister.”
 
Ew, no. Scratch that.
 
“Hey yo …”
 
*palms forehead*
 
Oh god, I'm losing it. 
 
For months, my confidence has been high on how I was going to approach the brother I'd been separated from as a child. The plan I'd made was smooth. 
 
Do you know what wasn’t in those plans? Falling for my brother's best friend.
 
*closes eyes and counts to ten*
 
Do you know what else I didn't plan for? Not telling said best friend who I am. Nope, I settled with the mysterious new girl next door. 
 
I played the floor is lava with his kid once. Yep, my brother's best friend/the hottie across the hall is a single dad and do you know what’s worse than dancing around fake hot coals with a kid? It’s wondering who’s going to find out who I am first. The guy I'm fooling around with or my brother. In the end, I think I’m going to get burned either way.
 

JUST ONE MOMENT
 
My mug shot didn’t turn out as great as I thought it would. I probably should have smiled. Maybe I would have if I had actually committed the crime. 
 
Instead, I’m the walking billboard of someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 
 
The only bonus of being accused of vandalism is that the owner's mom has taken pity on me and thanks to her I will now have a place to sleep tonight, and well, all the nights until the bookstore that was destroyed is back up and running. 
 
Living in a bookstore sounds like a dream, and it would be, if the owner's son wasn’t such a jerk. All things considered, I’m a nice person, but this guy *rolls eyes* is the absolute worst and working with him day after day is going to be my biggest challenge yet. 
 
Or, okay, my biggest struggle might actually be ignoring how attracted I am to him. I mean come on, he is a broody college guy with a smoking body who thinks I'm a criminal. It doesn't exactly scream that I should fall for him, right? 
 
And yet … I really didn’t think life could get more complicated than it has been to this point. 
 
Wish me luck. 
 

JUST ONE SPARK
 
I just wanted no-strings-attached sex to celebrate my new job. It was a simple plan that should have gone with zero consequences. 

This means the guy doesn’t end up as my new coworker, he doesn't end up as my new employer's son, and he sure as heck doesn’t end up as someone who I have to compete with to keep my job. 

To be honest, it could have all been worth it had we actually done the deed. But no, now I’m left assigned to the office next to his with memories of his hands on my body and his perfect smell and the way he wears a suit and … clearly no time to focus on my actual work.

I have a short window to prove that I’m the best for this job, so I need to keep my head down and on task.

However, I am curious as to why the son of the company has to compete for this job to begin with. I’m also intrigued as to why this man was so desperate to have me one night and now, the idea of touching me makes him flinch. 

Oh well, no guy is worth the distraction. This job is mine. 
 

JUST ONE LOVE
 
Fake date my best friend. Ha. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life.
 
Solid plan right there, especially considering he isn’t really my friend anymore thanks to his role in ruining my reputation. 
 
There was a time in my life where the old me would have swooned at the thought and agreed without question, but the new me needs … what? I have no idea. I’m still looking. 
 
All I know is that once upon a time I needed someone to give me a chance. I needed someone to help me and he was the only one there. So, now it’s my turn to return the favor. 
 
Help him, forget about him, and move on. It’s the first plan I’ve had in months when it comes to bettering my life.
 
But that’s the thing, right? Nothing ever goes to plan. Add in a few steamy moments, some touching, and the way his hand feels in mine and I can guarantee that nothing about this scheme of ours is going to end happily.
 
Afterall, this is my life and happily ever after has never been part of my future.