I woke with Haven on top of me. Again.The night before, we’d watched the rest of the game on my laptop together. Or rather, I watched it. Haven fell asleep, only to miss seeing her boyfriend—sorry, ex-boyfriend—throw two more interceptions.We still won, though, thanks to the kicker, defense, and a running back who scored the only offensive touchdown. I nudged her and said her name to let her know the game was over, but she didn’t wake, so I just shut the laptop and then scooted down in order to lie next to her. And sometime throughout the night, she ended up on top of me.This made two out of the four nights she’d lived here that she’d slept on me. We were beginning to make a habit of it. I hoped it became a regular occurrence.Shit. Wait. No, I wasn’t supposed to want that, was I? She was Nicholl’s girl. Ex-girl. Whatever. I should think of her as used-up leftovers. Except that was frankly impossible. She was way too intriguing for that, and I liked waking up with her on top of
I retreated to the living room, where I paced for about five minutes, listening to her in the kitchen, running the water and clanging pots around, and not because I was obsessively, compulsively worried she would put the pans away in the wrong cabinet.I felt exposed now. She had exposed me. But what the hell had I been thinking to admit to her how responsible I felt for her? That sounded creepy even to my ears.I didn’t want to be creepy. I just… I wanted her to stop questioning my motives and stripping me emotionally bare. I’d worked damn hard these past few years to close myself off and not let any of my thoughts or stupid feelings show. Why did she need to crack me open? And why the hell was I letting her? I didn’t want to be open, anymore. I wanted—Fuck.I didn’t even want to admit what I really wanted.When a knock fell on my apartment door, I stopped flipping out and running my hand through my hair to scowl at it.This time, I wasn’t even expecting it to be for me. I stro
You know what I never got? I never understood how someone could just keep going after they fucked up so badly that not only they knew what they’d done wrong but the entire freaking universe they lived in knew it, too.Like now, for instance. I didn’t want to be here, exposing my stupidity to these four amazing women I’d grown up admiring and wishing I could be like. I didn’t want them to see how awful I was at picking guys. Heck, I wanted to call it quits on this whole being alive business altogether. Because I failed at living.Like hard-core failure.That’s honestly how it felt at the moment, that nothing I’d ever tried in my entire life had been worth the effort. I had to be the most clueless idiot on the planet for not realizing what Topher had been doing throughout our entire relationship.I glanced around the kitchen, realizing all my cousins knew exactly how lame I was too.It made me feel gross, embarrassed, ashamed. Stupid.Because, seriously, how could I not know? All t
I think I hated my cousins.It was funny how just a few hours could change things. I’d been so certain that revenge sex was not for me. But the damn seed Bentley, Bella, Lucy, and Teagan had planted in my head had taken root. I thought and deliberated and decided, hell, why not give it a try?I was going to seduce my roommate.Oh Lord. My heart began to thump like crazy and my nerves felt like live wires. I was going to seduce my roommate.After everyone left a little after noon, I retreated to my room and tried to do homework, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Wick and the conversation I’d had with the girls.By evening, I had sobered up enough to realize the plan was crazy and I still wanted to try it, anyway. So, I took a shower, prepped myself, and finally went on the prowl, looking for my prey.I found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table with his back to me as he typed on his laptop.“Hey, there you are,” I murmured, pitching my voice low and sexy. God, at least I hop
Issue 4 of “Hopeless Henry”By Alice BennetTaken from the University Gazette“Her name’s Avery.”Jumping when those words rang out behind me, I turned slowly, recognizing the voice.Reuben smirked as he shrugged. “Just thought you’d like to know.”I glared at him. And the bastard had the nerve to laugh.“What?” he taunted. “Hey, I can’t help it if the girl wanted me instead of you.”Anger bubbled. My fists clenched at my sides. And for a moment, the only thing I could see was him across that bar, pulling my dream girl into his arms and kissing her.And now he knew her name. Avery. Fuck. Her name was Avery. I hadn’t even been able to learn her name for myself.Red fringed my vision.“Get the fuck away from me,” I growled, flashing my teeth.Reuben had the gall to act offended. “Whoa, whoa.” He lifted his hands and backed away, but that glint in his eyes—that pompous, I-got-the-best-of-you gleam—kept me seething and frothing. “You need to chill. So the girl wanted me, not yo
My cousins had really gotten me to thinking. Not about the rebound sex with Wick, but the closure I needed with Topher.Even though my checkup at the health center on Friday had been, you know, no fun at all, I had felt a certain relief after it, a weight lifted from my shoulders. I think it was because I’d been proactive and actually gone out and done something in response to my breakup.So, wanting to do more and clean my slate completely so I could move on, I decided to visit my ex that night and return everything that belonged to him, along with things he’d given me over the years that he may or may not want back.I paced the front room of my new apartment until Wick came home, opening the door and pausing when he saw me hovering.“You’re home,” I announced the obvious. “Great. So practice is over, then?”He frowned suspiciously. “Uh huh.”“Cool,” I answered. This meant Topher would be out of practice too and probably also headed home. “And you don’t appear to have any more c
I’d barely fallen asleep when someone touched my shoulder. With a gasp, I woke, jumping half out of my skin.And then, realizing only one person could logically be nudging me awake, I shot upright into a sitting position and blinked into the dark room—my brain muzzy and still half out of it—until she finally came into focus.“Haven? What’s—”“Shh.” She pressed her fingers to my mouth. “Don’t say a word. This isn’t real. Okay? Just… Please. Don’t make it real. I need this. I just need…”She clutched my covers and ripped them away before climbing on top of me and straddling my waist, where she sat down directly on my dick.Holy shit!“But—”I have no idea what I wanted to say but about; there was absolutely nothing she’d done so far that I objected to.She must’ve thought I did, though. Her hand slapped against my chest as she pushed me back down onto the mattress. “I’m serious. One word and I’m gone. You want me to leave, then talk. You want me to stay, then shut up. This isn’t
I woke up on top of Wick.“Not again,” I groaned, even as I burrowed deeper against him because he was really warm and comfortable.After I had returned to his room last night with full pajama pants on, underwear, and a thick cotton shirt, we’d stayed up late watching Night Court. And in the midst of coming to adore the characters—Harry T. Stone, Bull, Mac, Roz, Christine, and even Dan—I fell asleep with my head on Wick’s shoulder, only to end up on top of all of him by morning.This was becoming a routine. Seriously, Wick was going to kick me out if I kept falling asleep on him like this.Or maybe not.Freezing when I started to crawl off him, only to realize he had some serious morning wood going on, I zipped my gaze to his face, worried that I’d awoken him by moving so much.But he slept on, his mouth partially open and face tipped to the side away from me.Hurrying off him, I started to cover him with the blankets when I accidentally skimmed my gaze over his lap area and my
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.Now she lives with her hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can’t
I definitely gotta start my list of thanks to my three: Kurt, Lydia, and Sadie. Whenever I disconnect from everyone, you guys always pull me back to reality. Thanks for being my very own life raft. I love you guys to the moon and back.To Holly: Kurt says you’re our service cat. No matter how bad of a day we might have, you’re there to remind us the world doesn’t revolve around us. It revolves around you, fur baby, and your needs still have to be met no matter what. Thanks for keeping us humble.To my most dependable beta readers ever: Shi Ann, Alaina, and Amanda. I’m still bracing for that day when you decide you’ve read too many of my stories and don’t want anymore, but I haven’t reached your limit yet. So thank you so much for sticking with me this long and giving me your invaluable feedback.To Summer at the Red Pen Revolution: You’re more than I deserve. Thank you for being so nice and helpful with all your editing awesomeness. Love you hard.Then to Shelley at 2 Book Lovers R
To figure out where everyone fits into the Forbidden Men world, feel free to check out their timeline, family tree, and book order at these links!Timeline:https://lindakage.com/fmtimeline.pdfFamily Tree:https://lindakage.com/fmtree.jpgBook Order:https://www.lindakage.com/fm.html
“Bad Liar” Selena Gomez – 3:34“Barracuda” Heart – 4:21“Bills” LunchMoney Lewis – 3:24“Brass Monkey” Beasty Boys – 2:38“Break Stuff” Limp Bizkit 2:46“Candy Shop” 50 Cent – 3:29“Don't Take the Girl” Tim McGraw 4:10“Funkytown” Lips, Inc. – 3:59“Good Feeling” Flo Rida – 4:08“Heathens” Twenty-one Pilots – 3:15“I Cross my Heart” George Strait – 3:31“I Will Survive” Gloria Gaynor – 3:18“It’s the End of the World” R.E.M. – 4:06“Jump Around” House of Pain – 3:34“Kokomo” The Beach Boys – 3:35“Loser” Beck – 3:55“Old Town Road” Lil Nas X – 1:53“One Way or Another” Blondie – 3:27“Party Rock Anthem” LMFAO – 4:22“Respect” Aretha Franklin 2:27“(Rock) Superstar” Cypress Hill – 4:36“Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” Big & Rich - 3:20“Shotgun” George Ezra – 3:21“Tangled Up in You” Staind – 4:35“These Boots Were Made for Walkin’” Nancy Sinatra – 2:45“Thrift Shop” Macklemore – 3:55“Thunder” Imagine Dragons – 3:07“Unsteady” X Ambassadors – 3:13“We Didn
2 cups sugar1 stick margarine1/3 cup milk1 heaping tablespoon cocoaOn the stovetop, bring ingredients to a boil, stirring continuously. Then boil for one minute.Add:1/2 cup peanut butter1 teaspoon vanillaA pinch of salt and3 cups oatmeal oatsOnce all ingredients are mixed together, drop huge tablespoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool...or, you know, eat them hot and gooey!
I woke in the middle of the night to a hand nudging my shoulder and Haven’s voice in my ear.“Wick. Honey, get up. The baby’s coming.”My eyes sprang open wide. “What?”She was already flipping on the nightlight and sliding out of bed to bustle around the room, opening drawers to pull out underwear and clothes. When she flopped a suitcase onto the mattress by my feet and began to stuff it with both our things, I sat up watching her from blurry, blinking eyes.“If we leave now,” she said, unsettling Bingley, who’d been curled up asleep in her pillowed bed on the floor as Haven tugged a jacket out from under the cat, “I think we can make it to the hospital by four.”“Hospital? Four?” I glanced toward the nightstand where the clock told me it was barely two in the morning.“Yeah. I definitely don’t want to be on the road when the baby arrives.”Finally awake enough to think a bit clearer, I shook my head. “But what baby?”Pausing abruptly to send me a harassed glance, Haven cried,
“Hey, look,” Wick announced proudly as he appeared in the opening of the hallway that led into the front room where I was kicked back on the couch, browsing through Netflix and searching for something new to watch. “I was finally able to pop the centers out without breaking the outer chocolate rings.”He held up two Reese’s cups to his eyes so he could peer at me through the holes where the peanut butter centers usually went.“Hey, yay! Good job.” I began to clap, only to narrow my eyes when he moved close enough for me to see the cups better as he sat on the couch next to me. “Wait. You cut them out with a knife, didn’t you?”He laughed, dropping the Reese’s from his eyes and confessed, “Yeah. But it was the only way I could do it without breaking the outer ring.”“God, you’re adorable,” I answered, shaking my head and grabbing the front of his shirt so I could pull him in for a kiss.He met my mouth eagerly, tasting like chocolate and peanut butter, which had me humming in delig
Final Issue of “Hopeless Henry”By Alice BennetTaken from the University GazetteSenior year came at last. Thank God. I was so ready to get out of this college and away from certain memories. Certain people.I would always have a soft part for the marching band and the friends I’d made there. I had a feeling I’d remain in most of their lives long after graduation. But other parts, I couldn’t wait to escape.Just a few months to go, and it’d all be over.I was looking forward to starting fresh. I could make myself a clean slate. I could leave behind all the things that haunted me and hopefully find a job in my dream career, then meet someone I clicked with and build a life with her.I wouldn’t have to see Avery or Reuben or any of his bothersome friends ever again. It would be nice.Meanwhile, I was hanging on and making sure I got through as I remained focused on graduation.After being assigned a partner—Elliot—in my orchestration class, I agreed to meet with him at his dorm
“HayHay,” Wick whispered, his voice broken and full of pain and misery. He started to stand, but I held up a hand.“No, don’t get up. I think… I think I’ll just come down there with you.” And I sank to my knees right where I’d been standing in the doorway. Bingley wiggled in my arms. I let her down, and once she hit the floor, she bounded over to Wick, who picked her up and cuddled her gratefully.Gripping the tops of my thighs, I rocked back and forth and I watched the kitten comfort the man.“So,” I started, swallowing hard before glancing around the room and settling my gaze back on him. “You liked me three years ago? When we were freshmen?”“I…” Pain slashed across his features before he gulped and nodded. “I shared a class with you. The first time I saw you across the room, I thought you were pretty. So I told some of my friends on the team about it.”From the expression on his face, I knew he was downplaying it. Big-time.“Why?” I croaked, wiping wetness from my cheeks. “Wh