nick joaquin short

First Book of the ' Second Chance séries ' Jasmine's life was tragically cut short by the man she had admired for years. After enduring years of suffering, he cruelly pushed her off a cliff, sending her into the arms of death. However, fate had other plans for her soul, as it encountered a gracious woman who offered her a second chance at life. In this new chapter, Jasmine is determined to take back everything that was stolen from her by Carl Lawson, the very man who had taken so much from her. But during her mission of vengeance, she finds comfort and affection in a man who never left her side. **** She tenderly asked, "Honey, you look tired, should I give you a massage?" Her smile radiates warmth and beauty as she stands before him in a captivating red lace nightgown. His gaze intensifies as he harbors suspicions about her true intentions. Is this woman looking for trouble? He knows that a mere touch from her could lead to a passionate encounter. Without a word, he draws her closer, capturing her luscious lips in a passionate kiss. Between their intertwined lips, he whispers, "Do my lips taste like honey, or should I savor you like an exquisite chocolate, that's scarcely found in the market?"

Hindi sinipot si Jheanne Estofa ng long-time-boyfriend niyang si Hugo Makatarungan sa araw mismo ng kanilang kasal. Pinagpalit siya nito sa bestfriend niyang si Jana Salvacion.  With her wedding dress, ruined makeup and bleeding heart, she left the Church to a shopping mall just to escape the pain for a while.     Until she banged this big man beggar on the sidewalk the night she decided to go home.  Ang pulubi ay matangkad, matikas ang pangangatawan at guwapo, ngunit walang kasing baho! Sa hindi malamang kadahilanan ay kinaladkad niya ang pulubi at dinala sa kanyang condo. Pinaliguan, pinakain at binigyan ng pangalan.  ‘Ubi’  is short for pulubi. And because she wanted to take revenge on his ex-boyfriend, she used the beggar as her fiancé—para ipamukha sa ex-boyfriend niyang si Hugo na kaya niya rin gawin ang ginawa nito sa kanya. But soon, Jheanne found herself in love with Ubi.  At kung kailan natutunan na niya itong mahalin ay saka naman ito biglang nawala. At nang muli silang magkita ay hindi na siya kilala ni Ubi.

Eve is a normal college girl who is forced to make a tough choice in order to stay in school. When a mysterious stranger gives her an offer she can’t refuse, her life is forever changed. Eve tries to navigate her new lifestyle working for a madam and suddenly having money and high end gifts thrown at her. She faces determined suitors who present a variety of challenges, but is true love just at an arm’s reach? Her life is rocked by an impossible proposal that leaves her questioning all she once knew. Just when all seems perfect and Eve is on top of the world, the past comes back to haunt her … leaving her future hanging in the balance. Will the love of her life accept her? Will she accept her love’s crazy billionaire lifestyle and secret plot against his family? Join Eve on this rollercoaster as she seeks out self acceptance, love and assists her lover with the revenge story of a lifetime. One day Eve is a naive, simple college girl, and within a few short months she is a billionaire’s wife and helping to bring down an empire.

"...If these feelings were not meant to be, why do they arise, especially when I'm naked? If these feelings were unnatural, why do they consume my thoughts, constantly drawing me towards him? How much longer can I keep these emotions bottled up in me? If this is truly how I feel, I must find a way to express myself when I am alone with him….” ************************************* Ava thought that the best way to help her best friend, Charlotte, after her boyfriend broke her heart publicly, was to persuade her to come along on a family vacation. However, before the vacation, Charlotte decided to go on a secret intimate blind date to help mend her broken heart. Little did she know that the person she was about to sleep with was none other than her best friend's dad. The blind date prevented the two strangers from seeing each other, and their eyes blindfolded during the process. Due to Charlotte's short encounter with an older man, she started developing love for Ava's dad. However, Charlotte came across a secret about Ava's family that Ava herself was unaware of. The secret could tire down Ava's family. Charlotte found herself torn between remaining loyal to her best friend or keeping the secret and continuing her forbidden relationship with Tyler. How would Tyler and Charlotte manage to keep their love hidden? Would Ava regret inviting Charlotte when she discovered the romance between her best friend and her own father? Would Tyler and Charlotte choose to pursue their love, even if their relationship was eventually exposed?

Follow Jake Swift and his team of elite ex-military personnel in this series of short stories. Book 1 Saving Erin. Deep in the treacherous ice-cold mountains, Erin is running from a monster when she stumbles upon Jake Swift and his highly trained security team. Will Jake, the handsome, rugged ex-military man, be the one to save her? Book 2 Tank. When a beautiful woman crashes into his life, will Tank be able to save her from the devil himself? Book 3 Laila. Laila has always been the strong, feisty one of the group, but when she finds herself captured, who will be the one to save her? Book 4 Madog. When Ruby turns up for work, what starts as a normal day ends in disaster. Will Madog and the Swift security team get to her in time? Book 5 Ben. He found her; she was broken. It takes a strong man to handle a broken woman, but it takes a stronger woman to come back from being broken.

Joaquin Antonio Jr., A young CEO, handsome, outlet of wealth, and a certified playboy, but a good son. For him, there is no need to take women seriously. There are many of them and they come to him voluntarily, because he has a lot of money. He has agreed to find a bride within two months in order to thwart his father's wanting for him to marry his childhood friend who is secretly in a relationship with his best friend, Patrick. Because of this, he offered marriage to a stranger woman who turned out to be the mother of his own daughter whom he had impregnated four years ago, Lara. But what about his father's reputation? The honorable name of their family that had long kept from being tarnished if the woman he chose to marry for his father would bring shame to their family because she is a scourge and a disgrace? Is he willing to lose everything and this time stand up against his father whom he has always followed for the only woman who truly loved him despite him hiding to her his true identity? Where does a romance that started with pure lies lead?

"We reject your rejection, Dirk!" Tricc growled, his voice dripping with determination. "You can't run away from us, Alpha or not. You are our Mate, and we won't accept your rejection!" Seth added, his words filled with unwavering conviction. Kurt tsked, stepping closer to Dirk, his gaze intense as he looked down at their whimpering mate. "Your body's heat and scent are driving me wild, and yet you dare to reject us when your pheromones clearly say otherwise." The air thickened with their Dominant pheromones, overwhelming Dirk to his very core. His limbs quivered, and each breath escaped him in short, desperate gasps. He was on the brink of losing his sanity. If they continued drenching him in their pheromones, he feared he would succumb before he had the chance to carry on with his plans. It was a miracle they still yearned for him so fiercely, considering all that he had done to hurt them all these years. ***** In a world where shifter prides reign and Alphas are revered, destiny throws a curveball that shatters all expectations. In "The Alphas' Pride Mate: The Pride Who Goes Into Heat," love, power, and tradition are pushed to their limits like never before. Seth, Kurt, and Tricc, the enigmatic triplets, had long awaited their destined Mates. But they never could have anticipated that Dirk, a fiercely independent Lion Pride member, would be the one meant for them. Confusion and anger consume the triplets as they grapple with this unconventional revelation. Dirk, a proud Lion Pride, is equally astounded. As a Pride, he believes his place is with an obedient Omega, not in the arms of commanding Alphas. Now faced with the unexpected reality of being Mated to three Alphas, Dirk is torn between fear and anger. Rejection is his only escape plan.

It was a case of running from frypan into fire when Mokunfayo bolted out of her supposed engagement party into the clutches of the bad kind of policemen. And when Mike -a drop dead gorgeous, but dangerous leader of an underground Mafia- comes to her rescue in the nick of time, sparks begin to fly. The problem was; it was supposed to be a one time meet up, getting stuck together was not supposed to be included in the messy mix. But there they were; a hurt, bitter, cold, calm and collected lawyer cohabiting in the same space with a hot, panty-dropping, rash, hardened criminal. It is right to assume that more than sparks would fly. Opposites, they say, attract and Mokun and Mike's case wasn't different. But with dark pasts, family secrets, pain and all the bitterness involved, would their attraction survive enough to bloom into something more beautiful? Follow the losses, pains and gains of both parties and the people around them.

Millie Jordan ends up in the hands of abductors and firmly believes Stefan Leach will be there to save her. Yet he doesn't show up, and she is sullied. After she's rescued, she drags her worn body to seek him out. There, she finds him celebrating his true love's birthday. Millie wakes up from her dream and turns to Stefan's good friend. "I heard you're short of a wife. Do you think I'm the right person for the job?" She and Pierce Atkinson get into a flash marriage. He wants someone to help him fend off his family's urging for him to marry, and she wants to get revenge on Stefan. The two clicked. During a banquet, Millie loses a game of truth and dare and chooses a dare—she needs to kiss any man who's present. She doesn't even spare Stefan a glance as she sits on Pierce's lap and kisses him deeply. She's gotten into a flash marriage, and Stefan, the scumbag, loses his mind at this.

Aksidente at hindi inaasahan na mangyayari ni Kristina na basta-basta niya lamang maibigay ang kaniyang iniingat-ingatang Dignidad at Kalinisan bilang isang babae sa binatang nakilala niya lamang ng isang gabe. In short Kristina got a One Night Stand to the man she just meet. Dahil sa kalasingan ng dalawa at pagkawala nito sa kani-kanilang matinong kalagayan at kaisipan ay nagawa nila ang isang bagay na kailanman ay hindi nila akalain na magaganap. Ngunit sa kabila ng askidendting kaganapan sa kanilang dalawa ay magiging kabuluhan pala ito kay Kristina, kahit pa minsan na siyang nagsisisi sa kaniyang nagawang pagkakamali kung bakit niya naibigay ang kaniyang sarili sa binatang hindi niya lubos na kilala. Tila basta na lamang siya nagkaroon ng kagustuhan at interest sa binata matapos ang mainit na kaganapan sa kanila nang gabing iyon. Na tila humantong pa na may namumuong pagmamahal sa kaniyang puso para sa binata sa isang iglap lamang. Ngunit magagawa ba ni Kristina na ipagpatuloy ang kaniyang pagkagusto sa binata kahit na iniwan lamang siya nito na parang isang bayarang babae, na matapos pakinabangan ay iwan at pababayaan na lang? Magagawa ba niyang mahalin ang binata kapag sila'y magkikitang muli matapos nawala na parang bula? This story contains mature content! So, please! Read at your own RISK!!!!