Hello I am willing to make great book covers for people who needs some want more info check out the chapter enter now and thank you.

A young girl, dressed in decorative pink silks, glares at the unassuming black book in front of her. The girl is picking at strands of her long black hair in her annoyance and her pale hands are marked with traces of ink.
AGHHHHHHHHHH
This is BS!!!
I have tried everything I could think of but nothing is working!!! Shouldn't my MC halo have worked by now? Why was this so difficult?! (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
The night sky was slowly lightening and the beautiful girl, shoved the book under the blankets and lied down. Mentally and physically exhausted, the girl fell into a deep sleep the moment she closed her eyes. 
It's a shame that she was so content in her sleep because she missed the black cloud of smoke that emerged from the little book. Slowly the cloud formed shape, and after a moment the visage of a striking woman took shape. 
Unlike the undeveloped and sickly young girl, this woman seemed to be the embodiment of the perfect female form. She was long and muscular, her height almost 7ft. The woman's thick black hair fell down to the floor, but the mass seemed to writhe and quiver as if alive. While the young girl was lovely, she was nothing compared to the unearthly and demonic beauty this woman held. 
The woman was covered in green and white robes, that resembled an ancient Chinese style, that looked to have been tailored to accentuate her curves and feminine attributes. Her dress seemed to have been made of the most expensive materials and numerous precious minerals were embroidered into the fabric. The outfit could have made an Emporer drool and a Dragon green with envy of the tremendous wealth that must have gone into the ensemble. 
However, the robe was torn in several places and hung off the woman loosely. The skirt was so badly destroyed that one could easily see a pair of goat legs under the woman.  
Softly, the demonic beauty reached a cold hand out toward the girl and caressed her pale cheek. 
The woman's face showed no emotion, as she studied the girl with such intensity, that even in her sleep the girl shivered slightly. At this, the woman's eyes turned a deep shade of red and her body slowly began to transform back into the smoke. 
"I suppose, you'll do..." she said before completely disappeared back into the book. 
------------------------------
Another nightmare haunted me, last night. 
On top of my failure to get anything out of that stupid book, Adan was the one that woke me up. 
" RISE AND SHINE!!!!" he below and I slid even farther under the covers to avoid the irritating noise. 
But that guy apparently couldn't take the hint and started talking animatedly. He was excited to "finally go back home". It took me a second to catch up and then I remembered that today was the day that we would leave the mansion and travel elsewhere.  
This immediately perked me up, because not only do I enjoy the carriage rides immensely. It's also pretty clear that these boys were fairly wealthy. If our most recent accommodations were anything to go by, I had a pretty easy life ahead of me. (๑￫‿￩๑)
Ahhh, I'm so fortunate to have found four golden thighs to have grabbed on too ♡
I opened my eyes and under the covers, I saw the book I had haphazardly hidden last night. I quickly put the book back into my special ring. Before pushing off the covers, and starting the day.

-HIATUS-
- I'm putting this novel away for now. I think it was a fun idea and I think the MC is really wonderful. However, I am too inexperienced as a writer. I can not do this story justice at my current skill level. I am going to start another story that I actually have a plan for and is hopefully going to be written better. So if you liked the MC/storyline, feel free to check out my other work. 

- Thank you for all the love and support. You all mean the world to me

I Let Out A Tired Sigh. I quickly remove all of my clothes, down the remaining coffee in the mug and jump into the shower. I wash the frustration out of my hair and calm my body for a while. Once I'm sure all the warm water is done for, I dry myself and put on some fresh and crispy pair of pyjamas and comfortable baggy t-shirt and jump onto the couch. I open my silver laptop and as if all the weight is back again.

I've been trying to prepare the cover for my new chapbook, "Sea Full Of Stars" for the past three days now. I'm not a visual artist and hiring one costs too much and I'm too broke to spend bills on softwares. It's never easy being a writer. Writing itself can be such a lonely process, although it is my first home. But then I have to design a cover that is not only catchy, mysterious and unique but also conversely uninhibited. Great. I spend hours trying to find the right website that'll let me make one for free.

For a minute there, I sit back tired and almost defeated. What if books didn't have covers, I think to myself. I could've saved all this hassle and been sleeping on my lonely bed in peace. I'd be "Netflix and Chilling" on my phone. I'd probably have been writing something new.

But what about all the books I've read? I confess that I've also once trusted the image more than the not-so-convincing texts. The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald with it's original art work is a stunning masterpiece. The eyes, the blue and the glam packed in it's dressing is an unbelievable turn on for any reader. But then again it wasn't designed by Fitzgerald himself. It was illustrated by Francis Cugat, a little known artist back then. It was the Gatsby that made me realise that it is an art to cover the book with a cape.

The same cannot be said for all the other books in my collection. Interpreter Of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri or Pablo Neruda's Love don't have the most convincing covers. I bought those books for the rave reviews I'd heard of them.

I do know that Rupi Kaur illustrated her own books. I get up and bring out all the poetry books that I own and try to fathom the making of their book art. The simplicity in Rupi's artwork is really appealing, but on the other hand Atticus's books look way too fancy. But the one thing they had in common is that their book covers were exactly what their book title said.

I too want my cover to reflect the idea and spirit of my book. But I don't know anyone who can design a book cover. Or who understands or reads my book or my art. I don't have my Francis Cugat.

I turn back to my computer, reducing it's brightness first because outside it's turning dark and I don't want to turn the light on just yet. I make a mental conversation with myself that if it doesn't work this time, I'll just use a template by Kindle Direct Publishing.

This time I go to YouTube and type 'how to make a paperback book cover for free' and hit Enter. The first video is of a middle-aged white man on the thumbnail, his hair slightly brown and a straight face. I click on it. The video starts demonstrating the process of making an easy to go book cover on this website called Canva.

I've used this app on my phone before but I never knew it could be used for making a paperback dress. I go to the site and follow all the instructions. I choose the image very mindfully, edit it, use the right fonts and change the colors. I do the same with the back cover and add a piece of poetry there. Then I keep following the instructions and after failing countless times, I make the perfect book cover for my latest collection.

I wipe the tears of joy slipping down my cheeks. I know I haven't made the best or make-you-pick-the-book-up kind of cover, but I'm happy.

I realise that I'm more happy because I could finally do something that fits the rules of the modern mass publishing world. I did something that will make people want to give me a look.

If it was upto me, I'd have the cover completely black or yellow and only bare my name and the name of the book. But that's not the case. I just smile with the fact that I made something that reflects the imagery or mood of my book. And I know that even with the exhausting role my cover will play, it won't ever gain the respect it deserves.

I go to bed hungry and drift off.

In these short stories, through personal episodes, the author talks about the complex idea of book covers being more commercial rather than artistic in the perspective of a reader as well as a writer.

Several days came, and everything was the same. Suji was still dating CEO Seo, meeting up after work or have dinner together. But the time they spend together became even lesser. As Christmas break was already near, CEO Seo was getting busier organizing events and trying to secure enough investments from other big companies. 
Meanwhile, Suji was busy working with Kim Seungwoo, brainstorming and sharing ideas about the author's book cover. This time, they decided to meet up with the author at one in the afternoon. Kim Seungwoo has to finish all the sample book covers he made for the author to review.
"What was the name of the author again, Miss Li?" Seungwoo asked as his eyes were glued on his laptop, trying to figure out some editing stuff like photoshop. "Was it flower56?"
"Yes, that is correct," Suji answered as she took a chair and sat right next to Mister Kim. The two of them were in the editing team's room. She was monitoring how Seungwoo made the book covers for the author they had to work with.
"I bet my two wrists that the author is a girl," Seungwoo shared while navigating the photoshop software. 
"Why would you bet your two wrists?" Suji leaned in closer to the monitor and turned her head blankly, staring at Seungwoo. "There is a possibility that the author of this book is a man, Mister Kim."
"No, just by judging the author's pen name, which is flower56, and the way she wrote the synopsis of the story," Seungwoo explained as he turned his head to the right, meeting Suji's eyes. "I doubt that the writer is a man, Miss Li."
Their faces were just several inches close, but Suji tried to act cool and looked at the monitor again. "Are you actually stereotyping how males and females should write?"
"No, I did not mean that," Seungwoo replied as he looked on the monitor again, adding some finishing touches to the first book cover he made.
Suji was amazed about how aesthetic the first book cover Seungwoo made for the fictional Incubus Story; the male and female lead was there, hugging each other.
The male lead had horns on his head, wearing an expressionless face, solely explaining that the character was the incubus. The character sure looked very handsome, wearing a sophisticated black suit.
The female lead was your typical pretty and had long brown hair, wrapping her arms around the male lead's neck while wearing an all-black gothic dress. She had an alluring facial expression that showed how charming she was as an actress.
Seungwoo definitely nailed making this cover that Suji did not think about seeing the other book covers that he made.
"Mister Kim," Suji grinned as she felt very proud of the output Seungwoo has put in, "I think we do not need to see the other covers that you made. This is perfect."
"You think so?" Seungwoo smiled as he felt somewhat contented with Suji's praise. "I have to bring at least another one for comparison. Don't you agree with me?"
"I have not seen the other cover that you made, but I think this is perfect." Suji continued as he briefly glanced over Seungwoo and gave him a thumbs up. "I am sure that the other cover that you made is beautiful too!"
"Your praises are overly done, Miss Li," Seungwoo joked as he saved the file that he made and opened the next one. He only had to put the author's name on the other one. "I appreciate it, though." He glanced over to Suji's direction and smiled, his dimples now revealing themselves. "My hunch about the author being a woman is still the same, though."
"Do you really want to bet your two wrists, though?" Suji provoked as she grabbed her chair, purposely distancing herself from him when she realized they were sitting too close. "This is your only last chance to redeem what you just said."
"Miss Li, you are becoming too serious about this." Seungwoo's eyes darted on Suji as he spoke, "I did not mean anything about being gender-biased. But I wholeheartedly think that the writer is a woman. Have you met with the author before?"
Suji paused for a second and thought about what she should answer. She has edited the whole book, and she was confident that the author was a man.
Or that is what she thinks.
She could be correct or wrong.
She does not even know why it would matter. Does it really matter if the writer is a woman or not?
"Nope, not yet," Suji answered, shaking her head as a response. Somehow, she thought that the author is a man as she had read how the story develops, and it was certainly not made by a woman. "I don't know her name too, only her pen name. It will be my first time meeting the author with you later on."
"Should we make a bet then?" Seungwoo suggested out of nowhere, making eye contact with Suji. "I bet that the author is a woman, and as for you, Miss Li, you will bet that the author is a man. Call?"
"Should we bet our wrists?" Suji joked, laughing about how the situation reached this point. "I think my wrists are too important for me to bet them."
"Let's bet for dinner then," Seungwoo finally opened the second book cover file he was looking for for five minutes. He turned his head and smiled; Suji felt attacked by what he just did. "The one who loses will pay for dinner."
Seungwoo was still as handsome as ever. He had such a great smiling face that would attract women of all ages. He has a great personality too. But she knows she has to stop herself from falling for him again.
"Dinner?" Suji was obviously taken aback by what Seungwoo said. "Why would we have dinner together? Is it necessary?"
"I told you that I would try my best to charm you, right?" Seungwoo joked. "So, here it is!"
"Huh?" Suji blurted out; she eventually hid when other people from the office heard her grumbling.
"You just sounded like an old woman there," Seungwoo joked, laughing at Suji's sudden manly voice. "Grandma Suji is back! Halmeoni."
Suji pinched Seungwoo's right arm as she got slightly annoyed with him teasing her, "Stop it, Mister Kim."
"Ouch!"
Suji let go of Seungwoo's arm and frowned, "You are overreacting. It is not even that painful."
"But it is painful!" Seungwoo whined as he rubbed his right arm like a kid.
"Overreacting," Suji commented, rolling her eyes. "I don't really think I would like to have dinner with such a childish man,"
"Why are you suddenly attacking me?" Seungwoo opened the second book cover file, and contrary to what the first one showcased, this time, it was simple. It resembled those traditional book covers.
The cover only showed the woman's back, a big Times New Romans font for the title, and a contrasting black and blue for the dark atmosphere. It was a classic and elegant book cover that most people would prefer.
"But really, tell me why we should bet for dinner?" Suji crossed her arms.
"Because the author resides in Daegu City," Seungwoo simply replied while raising his brows. "I am sure that it will be a long drive and that we will have dinner in Daegu first before we ride a train back in Seoul."
"Call," Suji exclaimed. "Mister Kim, if you back out, then you are not a man anymore, haha! The loser buys galbi jjm! Daegu is famous for having braised beef short ribs!"
Seungwoo agreed. "Call. That would be a great dinner after a whole busy day at work. Riding a KTX would be fun."
"Why are we riding a train when you have a car?" Suji asked, confused about the reason why they will go by bullet train or KTX.
"I sold my car," Seungwoo shared with a poker face. 
"What?"
"I am just kidding." Seungwoo giggled, "I had it on the repair shop this morning, so I don't think we can go by car."
"Ooh, I see," Suji stared at how Seungwoo was handling the photoshop software. "It's been a long time since I have ridden a bullet train."
Seungwoo paused and stared at Suji, "I have not ridden even once."
"Not even once?"
Bobbing his head up and down, Seungwoo confirmed. "Yes, not even once."
Suji thought that it was possible for Seungwoo not to have ridden a train. He was born rich and did not really have to commute to reach other parts of South Korea. Suji even wondered if he saw Seungwoo riding a bus with her.
"Okay, it will be a great adventure for the two of us then," Suji muttered to herself.
"What did you say, Miss Li?"
"No, nothing at all." Suji smiled as she gestured Kim Seungwoo to go back and finish editing the book cover before lunch break arrives. 


"Is my fate already written according to the stars or do I create my own destiny?"

Li Suji only has one hundred days before she turns twenty-five, and that also means she only has one hundred days left to find her reincarnated prince. She has no clue about the said man aside from the fact that she'll find him working at the Seo Publishing Company, and that the reincarnated prince will also have the same birthmark as she has, the mermaid's tail binds them together as the fated couple. She managed to enter the company as a trainee editor on probation as she heard through connections. Chaos arrives when she got tied with two CEO's at the same time. Will she be able to break her curse and make the reincarnated prince fall in love with her in this current life?


+++


A scene suddenly came right through my eyes, as if it was directly right in front of me. This time, I was aware that I was not experiencing it firsthand though it still happened from my point of view. I was there, tending someone, probably a man. I was unbuttoning two buttons in his shirt because he was sweating too much. I was holding a wet towel in my hand and started to wipe his neck using it.

"It tickles, why are you wiping my body so lightly?" The man asked, it seemed like a very familiar voice but I couldn't pinpoint who. I wasn't looking at the man since I was so preoccupied with looking at his perfectly sculpted body. "You shouldn't be doing that, no-no, you should do it the hard way."

"H-huh??" The hard way?

"Yes, should I do it instead?" He sat up, unbuttoned his shirt, took my hand, and guided me to wipe his neck down to his chest, abdomen, navel until his pelvis, "You should do it like this, okay?"

As I was trying to hide the embarrassment of touching his body---I was touching the man's body with a towel, something caught my attention. Lower than his navel but the upper right side of his pelvis, I saw a mermaid's tail's fin. I scooted over, held the garter of his pants, and pulled it downwards.

Voila. It was the mermaid's tail. Perfectly the same as mine. He's the one that I am looking for. I don't doubt it. I am one hundred percent sure! He's the reincarnated prince that I am looking for, for so long.

The man grabbed my hand and made me look at his face. Sadly, I couldn't see who he was clearly. "What are you doing to a sick man's house, not to mention pulling his pants? Do you want to get yourself in trouble?"


Yes, that's right.


I'm already in trouble.


+++

This story focuses on the reality of the workplace setting (office romance), slice-of-life, rom-com with tiny bits of fantasy elements. The setting is in modern-day Korea, I am not a Korean native so there might be some things that are not 100% accurate nor does it reflect the society and the country alone.

The story focuses on character development and how the main characters grow in terms of love and life, has cliche and is a slow burn romance.

If you're not reading this in Webnovel or Ficool, chances are, the book is plagiarized. Please support the author by reading this book in the Webnovel platform.

Disclaimer!
My prices on Pat-reon had changed and a really low now :) 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I said goodbye to the kind clerk after leaving with eight brand new quills. It was best to return to the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour sooner than later. I took my back and made my way towards the main square.
I turned around towards the Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour when something particular caught my eye. I turned around and saw a purple turban and long purple robes swishing at his feet. Quirnes Quirrel with Lord Voldemort on the back of his head, he walked out of an alley and seemed to be headed towards the Junkshop  I sharpened my mental shields and put innocent memories that revealed not particular about me in the front.
It was the place where you could get particular items second hand. For curiosities sake I decided to follow and if he did not enter I would, to throw him off my back. I kept walking a steady pace and noticed that he did not keep up with his previous pace and slowed down. I acted like I did not notice and walked past him. I felt his stare behind me as my head started to feel like it was being bored through.
Not with ill intend but more with a particular interest, I ignored it and walked into the junk shop without a second glance.  Once I entered with my expensive clothes and perfect little appearance the eyes of the people in the store turned. I pretended to look around as I wanted to find something.
I heard the door open behind me and the odd feeling of a stare return. I ignore it and walk through the junk shop in need of finding something. I looked into the book section and pretended to look extremely pleased I turned towards the books and started reading the covers of the different books stacked on top of each other. I merely look at the covers pretending to look for a book. But as I actually looked at the books I found some interesting books to read which were not apart of my book collection. From a big stack of books, I used wandless magic to slightly lift the books on top of the book I wanted.
No one seemed to notice except for Quirrel who seemed to still be watching me. I pretended to look around quickly before pulling the book out and sliding the book in my arms. I turned around and pretended to be utterly shocked like a deer caught in headlights by Quirrel who was still staring at me. Quirrel also seemed slightly caught off guard by me looking at him.
I nodded in his direction and placed a single finger on my lips while I gave a small smirk. After all first appearances were important. I looked down at my book again, it was dusty but there seemed to be no real issues with the book itself. It was perfectly intact and only one knut.
the title had golden ink in the cover. "Majestic dark arts for the witty," It only went into a swallow depth on the real dark arts but the magic used in the book were now legal, and perfect for fighting in magic tournaments or dragons or duelling in general. I took the book to the counter and 'accidentally' bumped into Quirrel. I stumbled to the ground like he did while he let go of the thing he had gotten while I was busy admiring the book.

I was always interested in Pansy Parkinson, she was different. She seemed more like a lonely and misunderstood girl rather than a villainous one. Once I died because of my chronic illness I thought about pansy and how fortunate she was even as a villain. Then the next time I wake up I am in the body of a young child, a young child named Pansy Parkinson. 

Disclaimer! 
I saw people getting confused because of the synopsis, this is a story where the mc (girl) got reborn into Pansy Parkinson (Girl) also there are a lot of chapters ahead on my pa-tre-on be sure to support me of you can
 the link is in the first chapter :)

"THERE'S SO MANY people out and about town!" Alice gasped, turning her head to follow a little boy that was holding onto a candied apple that had rushed past her.

"Yes," Wyatt beamed, his eyes pressed closed due to his smile, crinkling at the corners. "It's always rather busy in the capital of Gladiolum." 

A day after the ball, Wyatt had suggested bringing Alice around the town square to soak in the sights. He personally had to do a little shopping and thought that it would be a wonderful chance for Alice to grow more familiar with the capital. She had been living with the Ragans for nearly two weeks and yet she had barely even stepped out of the mansion's walls. It was best for young ladies to enjoy their time around town with friends. Being constantly cooped up in the study room with Charlie wasn't exactly an ideal situation in Wyatt's opinion. Of course, not that Alice had ever complained.

Strolling through the cobbled streets, Wyatt pointed out some of his personal favorite shops along the way. They passed by boutiques selling beautiful ball gowns, stores selling sparkling jewels, and even quaint little cafes that wafted out the sugary sweet scent of freshly baked pastries. However, while Alice acted as though she was very interested in those, he could tell that was all it was. An act. She simply smiled and nodded to Wyatt's words, not once asking to step into any of those stores like he had expected. Yet again she had him colored surprised.

Just the thought brought a curving smile onto his lips. The girl that his family had chanced upon was most certainly different from the rest of the girls in the capital. She stood out in such a way that there wasn't any spare place for the others to shine. She was the lone star now, a happy and proud resident of the Ragan household. While still suspicious of her origins, Wyatt couldn't help but admit to himself that he was growing fond of Alice Clemente.

"Are you not interested in any of the shops I pointed out?" He prodded. "Those are all famous names here in the capital."

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed. Wyatt watched with his practiced smile as the girl's eyes widened delightfully, eyelashes fluttering like a pair of butterfly wings under the golden sunlight. Her lips parted just a little in surprise before she quickly gathered back her wits, shaking her head politely. "They are all wonderful shops. I just… I don't have any money to buy all those things. Looking through the store window is more than enough."

For years Wyatt had worn the same smile on his face. It was his perfectly crafted mask made to shield his true emotions from the rest of the nobles. No matter what he felt inside, a smile was always the answer to dealing with those that had to be schemed against. However, every time Alice spoke or made one of her silly little expressions, he found his smiles to turn true as day.

"Let us go into that one, then." Wyatt pointed to a little bookshop down the street, a corner store with a gleaming bronze sign. "There are some things I wish to purchase."

Alice nodded. "Alright," she said.

Although her expression remained as still as possible, Wyatt still caught the slight twitch of her lips. The sparkles in her eyes practically screamed of her excitement. She couldn't fool anyone. Even the blind could tell that she was particularly eager to enter the bookshop. 

The little bell that hung above the door rang when Wyatt entered the shop. Inside, there were no other customers, simply a store clerk that had a book in hand. A pair of round spectacles rested on his crooked nose bridge, his eyes scanning the words at an immense speed before he licked his finger and flipped to the next page. At the call of the bell, the clerk looked up from his book, squinting at the door before rising to his feet. The book was placed pages-down onto the counter, a smile upon his lips.

"Master Wyatt!" The old clerk greeted enthusiastically. "I was wondering when you'll be visiting next. The books you ordered two weeks back are finally here." 

"Greetings," Wyatt replied fairly. "And thank you so much for your help with those. It's nearly impossible to find them anywhere else."

The old man waved, his cheeks reddening just a little. "It's no problem. Let me go get them for you." Shuffling towards the back of the shop, the clerk disappeared behind a dividing curtain.

"Do you come here often?" Alice asked, looking around the small bookstore with great interest. At random, she pulled out one of the books from the shelves, her fingers tracing the title of the book on the cover, feeling the indented words on the hard leather.

'History of Gladiolum. Volume III,' it read. Alice had seen a similar history book in Charlie's study room before. Making a mental note to briefly read through the contents of the book, she slotted the book back to its original position.

"Hmm, I wonder." Tapping a finger to his chin, Wyatt looked deep in thought. "I guess I do visit this store a little more than the average folk. They sell writing supplies as well as books and I run out of the former a little too often. Besides, this store is the only one in the capital that can procure rare and often out-of-print."

Walking a little further into the shop, Alice glanced through the assortment of reading materials offered. They had both fiction and non-fiction books in the store, leaning closer to non-fiction books. Most books were new copies, their covers still brightly colored while others were much older and encased in glass covers. Those books seemed old and tattered but the words were still in dark black ink, most likely having been re-written over so that it wouldn't be lost to time. 

The one that had caught Alice's attention was a purple leather-bound book that was almost as thick as a dictionary. The title of this book was written in bright, glittery gold in thick block letters. A small sign that indicated the price of the old tome was placed beside the book. Alice's eyes widened at the number of zeros, her head reeling back a little in surprise. She still wasn't sure about how the currency worked in Gladiolum but with so many zeros, the book was bound to be expensive no matter the exchange rate.

'The Theory of Magic. Volume I,' the title wrote.

"Are you interested in that one? Ooh, that's a pricey one." Wyatt's voice was right by Alice's ear, causing her to jump a little, her ears tingling from his breath. Stepping away, she held both hands to her chest, staring wide-eyed at Wyatt who looked as amused as ever.

"Just looking," she answered before firing back a question of her own. "How much is that book? I don't really know how the currency works here."

"See that symbol over there?" Wyatt gestured to the symbol behind the number as he spoke. "That's the symbol for our currency, 'fleuron'. That's the larger of the two units that we have in our country's currency. The smaller unit is known as a 'flois'. Ten flois equates to one fleuron. To give you an example of its value, five flois can buy you a piece of stale bread at the end of the day in the capital's cheapest bakery, maybe? Books, on the other hand, are usually five to ten fleurons, if it's a common title that can be easily found."

Alice gulped. Judging by the examples Wyatt provided, the currency here in Gladiolum seemed similar to the system she was used to. A single fleuron held as much value as a dollar back home and a flois would be around ten cents. Her hands were starting to feel clammy as she stared hard at the price tag of The Theory of Magic. 

"And yet this book is…" she trailed off.

"Fifteen thousand fleurons," Wyatt finished the sentence for her chirpily.

Fifteen thousand dollars.

Taking another step back, Alice no longer dared to hover near the expensive article. If anything had happened to it, she wouldn't be able to pay the store back for the damages incurred. She had never seen a book as expensive or even half as pricey. 

"Why is this book so… so…"

"Ridiculously priced?" Wyatt supplied. When Alice nodded numbly, Wyatt chuckled. "This is an ancient tome about magic. There are only five copies of this book that was ever produced. But if you're really interested in this book, there's no need for you to fork out such a hefty amount just to read it. We have a copy of it back in the mansion's library."

Flabbergasted and speechless, Alice blinked dumbly at what Wyatt had so casually revealed. Although she long knew that the Ragan mansion was a sprawling estate with many different needlessly fanciful rooms, she hadn't even thought to think that it might house precious artifacts within its walls. 

In Gladiolum, it seemed as though the gap between its people was wider than the ocean. The rich lived in heaven while the poor couldn't even afford hell.

"Why don't you take a look around the bookshop and see if there's anything that catches your eye?" Wyatt offered. "If we don't already have the book back home, I don't mind making a few extra purchases. It's the least I can do for dragging you out here with me on such a warm afternoon."

Alice's heart skipped a beat. She braved a step closer, momentarily forgetting about the book in the glass display case. Cupping her hands together as if they were in prayer, Alice beamed.

"Really? Any book?"

Wyatt's smile didn't falter. "There's no budget, if that's what you're asking."

Alice wasted no time. Her feet went scurrying across the dark wooden boards of the store, quickly scouring the bookshelves in search of any title that might help her or catch her fancy. Her fingers ran down the spines, quickly pulling out a few covers that had caught her attention, some fiction and some not. She had a feeling that most, if not all, of the non-fiction books were already available in the Ragans' library but there was no harm in bringing the books over for Wyatt to look through. These books will become her survival guide in this foreign world.

As the store clerk returned to the front counter, Wyatt slowly made his way over. However, he was still gazing in Alice's way, watching silently and bemused as the girl darted from shelf to shelf, climbing ladders and bending low in search of more. There were already over seven books in her hands and she only ever added more to the collection.

"My," the old clerk exclaimed. "I've not seen anyone so frantic for a good title since you first came to my humble store years ago. The old ladies at the bakery next block over will go mad once they hear that the young Master Wyatt is no longer single."

The white-haired man chuckled. "She's just a curious little bird my brother picked up a while back."

The old man shrugged, unconvinced, but he didn't say a word more on that topic. With a heavy thump, he placed three thick books onto the counter, the covers in the three primary colors. The titles were all written in gold, large block letters.

"This set was a little trickier to find as compared to your other requests but there you go. Though, Master Wyatt, don't mind this old man prying but are you sure you want to dabble in this subject? There's always a price to pay when you go against the laws of science."

"I can pay whatever price the world throws at me," Wyatt casually remarked. Picking up one of the books carefully with a gloved hand, he examined the old cover, grinning with satisfaction. "Besides, I'm just completing my collection. With these, the set will now be complete. There's no need to worry, sir."

"Oh well," the old clerk sighed, pursing his lips. "If you're sure, youngin. Let me wrap these up for you."

Tottering away, the elderly went to retrieve a few sheets of brown wrapping paper and some strings to bundle up Wyatt's purchases while waiting for Alice. 

Partially leaning on the counter, Wyatt continued to observe Alice. She no longer had the strength to carry the books she had picked out. Instead, she placed most of them on an empty table by one side. The stack of books was almost taller than she was and yet she continued to hunt for more, her eyes practically dripping with avarice.

'How peculiar,' Wyatt thought to himself. 'She is unaffected by fanciful dresses or glittering jewels and yet dusty old books can bring her into a craze. What an odd woman. She is most certainly a woman before her time.'

“And what if you, too, are unable to help?” Alice threw the question back. “What if helping would risk everything?”

Spade didn’t miss a beat.

“You are everything.”

“Don’t say things that you don’t mean,” Alice chided. “You’ll leave a trail of broken hearts.”

“And would you believe me if I say that I have no intention of breaking yours?” Spade countered. “However, mine is yours to play with. Shatter it, fix it, do anything you desire. As long as it feels the warmth of your hand, I am content.”

***

Gifted a candle that was said to make wishes come true, Alice Clemente burned it to find herself awake in a different world. She had wished for a life of adventure away from the city and its routine. With her wish granted, she was no longer in the 21st century and was instead lost in the middle of the Kingdom of Gladiolum, a place reminiscent of the 1800s.

With luck, she soon gained connections to the rich and powerful of this new world— the nobility. However, how much of it was good and how much of it would eventually be detrimental? After all, mingling with royals not only meant extravagance and daily parties. It also meant warfare and death. 

Caught in the middle of the two princes and other nobles, Alice would soon have to face the battle between those two royal brothers― a fight for the throne.

She had wished for adventure, after all, and she received just as such.

Kept in the center of all this, would Alice be able to emerge from the rabbit hole unscathed? Or will the overwhelming troubles of love and war be too much for her to bear?


***

Image used in cover not mine.

At their hotel room, the next morning as the sun rises beautifully and its rays went through their windows, despite being covered by the curtains, Rico and his team woke up, yawning a bit, and went to the balcony to watch the sunrise.
    "Wow, another day, another beautiful sunrise," Rico thought in his mind. They then went out to the outskirts of the city to do some training, at the woods they did their daily training as a routine. It was an hour, but the strength of Rico's Pokémon had slightly improved: Riolu used Focus Blast more accurately, Litleo's Flamethrower was a bit stronger than before, Starly's Gust was getting stronger, and Piplup's Bubble Beam was getting more powerful than last time.
    7:10 a.m. Rico and his team went back to the hotel to eat breakfast with Maneki, Grey, and Mr. Fukui, along with their Pokémon. Their breakfast are Sweet Waffles, Pancakes, and Toasted bread with cheese and butter, along with coffee and hot chocolate. They were at a table for four, and their Pokémon are around them eating their special food. The atmosphere around them was calm and good.
     "This morning, we'll be going to Ylona's flower shop to have a look at her flowers and help out," Mr. Fukui announced to them, "and by 10 o'clock, we'll be resuming our tour at the Galenus kingdom ruins. But don't worry, that'll end by 12."
     "Oh, okay," Maneki commented.
     "That'll be shorter than yesterday," Rico added.
     "Yes, besides, the part will be explore is the symbols on the bridge carvings and their meanings of history," Mr. Fukui responded back. "And after that, nothing." Rico, Maneki, and Grey then get it now.
     "Alright, that makes sense at all," Grey commented. He and the others then resumed eating normally.
    Before 8:00 a.m., they and their Pokémon checked out and walk to the streets to Ylona's flower shop, which was located at the city's largest marketplace, 4 Pillars Galen Market. It took them a quarter of an hour to get there, including crossing the streets and traversing through bridges and footbridges, but they manage to get there after Ylona opened it for business. There they greeted Ylona with a good morning. Upon seeing them, Ylona, while arranging bouquet of flowers and sticking them with price tags, greeted them back. They then entered in and sat on a wooden bench. Ylona's flower shop, however, was quite decent than fancy. It is located at the middle of the building far away from the entrance where Rico and his group had entered. Outside of the shop, it's made of concrete and wood, concrete for the walls, while wood was retrofitted into the middle and center areas for a cultural and decent look. The sign is made of wooden planks painted with light green and the words of black and lavender paint. There's another standing sign in the front of the shop displaying bouquet discounts and offers to make flower-themed artworks and book covers. Inside the shop, there are wooden shelves for bouquets of flowers, flower pots made of plastic, terracotta, and ceramic, shears for cutting leaves and stems, and other accessories related to gardening. This covers both sides of the little shop. At the far end from the entrance, there's a cashier's desk where Ylona, or most of the time, her employee, takes over as a cashier, assisting customers with their needs. The front section of the shop is nicely painted with white paint and a few flower decorations in the walls. Behind the front section, there's a crafts room where Ylona usually, or including her daughter Theodora at other times, makes her beautiful artworks and book covers with art supplies. In addition to being a place for art, the room also acts as a private room for break times or meetings. All of this is painted with white paint and retrofitted with small wooden beams, except that the concrete also covers the shop's corners. Those beams acted more like a wide and closed windows where the back of the shop building is blocked, except only accessible by an alleyway located a few meters away. The crafts room is also accessible by a door and the windows can be  covered by curtains. All of this makes the shop both a functional and a pleasant place to go.
   And as the commotion was just calm and low, Ylona showed them a brochure of the city's Book Festival, and explained to them about its activities and contests.
    "Wow, that sounds fun," Rico delightfully commented, "I'm signing in!" Starly then responded with delight.
    "I'll find new ideas and themes," Maneki added in enthusiasm. His Chespin then responded with happiness.
    "Me too!" responded Theodora in excited enthusiasm. "I'll preferred sweet and patterned macarons to my designs." Her Palpitoad then responded with happiness. 
    Half an hour later, the group and their Pokémon helped out Ylona in her flower business after her only employee got sick and couldn't work for a day. Rico and his team are arranging the flowers and filing their vases and pots with clean water and fresh, fertilized dirt; Maneki, Theodora, and their Pokémon are assisting dozens of customers in their purchases and searches for the latest flowers like red roses and white tulips; and the most cooperative and friendship-filling of all, Mr. Fukui and Ylona, along with their Pokémon, are at the crafts room taking Ylona's clients' orders of decorating their canvases and most household items. Their clients often request flower and plant themes in their canvases and individual drinking glasses. Grey and his team, however, are out exploring the city for a while. Along the way, though, he had heard tales of a mysterious person named Blue Ninja, the one who saved them from the Vandals yesterday. Grey was really intrigued by it, wanting to see him in real life.
   By 9:39 a.m., Rico and his group left the shop to their resumed tour to the Galenus kingdom ruins at the seaport. There they ride on the same ferry, which had undergone serious maintenance before use, and they and the other tourists set sail for the tour. The tour was straight to the Galenus Bridge ruins, where the tour guide will resumed her explanation about the bridge's carved symbols and art. There by 10:20 a.m., once the ferry parked at a right distance, the tour guide stand on the platform and start explaining about the bridge's carved symbols and art one by one with enthusiasm and positive attitude. Most of the group and their Pokémon are listening to her attentively. Rico was listening to her while scribbling and sketching themes on his sketching book and journal with crayons, thin markers, and highlighters as his Pokémon pay attention to his creativity. Maneki is playing his smartphone games while Grey and his team are listening to the tour guide's sayings in curiosity. Everything is peaceful and good, with the Vandals in jail for their crimes.

This is the fiction story of an ordinary kid, who had humble beginnings, and aspire to become a strong Pokemon trainer. And along the way, he will meet new people, Pokémon, places, and even travel to other strange places where his true identity will slowly unfold, and new skills to acquire.

Though the events that transpired a few minutes ago was intense and nerve-racking, the harmonious aura came back when they reached the bookstore.
Dandan carefully measured her boss' mood while they were walking towards the entrance and it seems that her boss has cooled down. She thanked all the gods and deities in this world that everything is back to normal again.
Once they were inside, Dandan excused herself so she can quickly pick the necessary items that the employees from the office wanted. She left her boss hanging around the fiction books section.
The bookstore was really crowded today so once Secretary Dandan has to queue, it'll take long before she could pay the office supplies she picked.
Xiulan's mood was serene again and everything that happened a while ago were swept away once she's inside the store. Bookstores are her happy place and it immediately alleviated her mood. She went to young adult fiction section to check the newest and trendiest books.
Since its young adult, it's full of romance and magic genre. The titles were all new to her and the stories seems promising.
Her attention was caught by the romance books with very vulgar covers in it. She liked the stories but the covers were quite distasteful for her. She thought that books these days are not so discreet in hiding what's inside. She remembered the books twenty years ago would have plain cover designs and people wouldn't actually know the book is erotic unless they read it. But now, these provocative book covers are exposed to children.
While she criticize each of the books' cover, she took her time reading each of the synopsis at the back as well. She seems to be so engross in reading them that she was not aware that some aunties inside the bookstore were gossiping about her.
"Is that Mrs. Xing? She's so tiny..."
"It's my first time seeing her in person. She's very pretty but she lacks height. Her dress is so pretty though!"
"The contrast of Hongqi's ex-girlfriends vs Mrs. Xing are too big! I'm pretty sure Hongqi has a tall, beautiful, model side chick."
"I am going to bet a slut could snatch Xing Hongqi from this woman. She's pretty but there are far more beautiful and sexier women."
"Look at her height, OMG!"
"Wow! Her waist is so small… but her height… err…"
"Hmph! She's not that pretty like what the people says!"
"Gong Yuming is prettier."
"Betting that they'll divorce this year. She's not that pretty like her husband's exes."
The constant degrading hush from the bystanders managed to catch Xiulan's attention. "Are they really gossiping about me, in front of me? I can't believe this. Are people really this boisterous in shaming someone?"
She had enough of this. When will people stop this kind of attacks on her? She can't just stand here and let them slander her like this. She could ignore this if it was a hearsay but they are slandering her in person. For some reason, the constant mention of her height irritated her so badly. Never ever criticized a woman's height in front of them.
Xiulan put down the book she was holding and coldly gazed at the gossiping women. She walked towards them with her high heels clacking so loudly. She stopped in front of them and savagely scolded them. "You women have a lot of free time to gossip about me. Instead of talking about my marriage and height, all of you should check on your husbands. A young, tall, beautiful girl might be with them right now."
The women gawked at her, they were all surprised by her words. They all thought she's meek and wouldn't even try to approach them. But here she is, standing in front of them with her thousand dollars dress, shoes and clear skin. They were embarrassed but they wanted to rebut to save face and bully her back but she's not finished in her scolding yet.
"And my short height doesn't undermine the continuous contributions I made for this country. What about you people? Is your gossiping helped the country's economy?"  Xiulan's perfectly plucked eyebrows were all way up. With her tiny height but amazing confidence, she intimidated these godforsaken gossipers.
The women were mummed and don't know how to answer back. They were just middle class people and a rich, upper class woman scolding them made them afraid to say something.
"I didn't know that Mrs. Xing has a lot of free time to scold people." A woman with very long fake eyelashes emerged. With her voice, she might be the person who mentioned Gong Yuming's name.
Xiulan lazily looked at this woman who appeared like a random mushroom, provoking her.  "Yes I have a lot of free time. What about it?" Xiulan rebutted and her eyebrows were still arched. It gave her a snobby and intimidating look.
The annoying woman scoffed. "Don't be cocky just because you are rich and married to Xing Hongqi. He can leave you anytime."
"Ad-hominem. Why is my husband being mentioned in this? So what if he leaves me? Am I not allowed to scold people who are slandering me? Hmm?" Xiulan was in the mood to scold people so she would continue this until Dandan is finished with her shopping. Hell, who cares about image now?
"People with class don't argue with people in public." The woman fought back.
"And who said that? Was it written in a manual on how to be classy?" Xiulan won't let this woman slide.
"You might be rich but your attitude stinks." The woman provoked. Her arguments were out of place.
"Judgmental. How come you say my attitude stinks when we've been only exchanging questions? I can't believe I am not allowed to scold people who slandered me." Xiulan bewilderingly asked. She doesn't get this woman's anger. She only scolded the gossipers but this woman is diverting the topic to something else.
"Just wait and your careful pure image will be trashed soon." The woman was about to leave since she doesn't know what to say anymore.
"I wouldn't mind that. Be careful on not losing your job too." Xiulan scoffed before she left the gossiping women and went to Dandan, who's busy in responding to the group chat with her co-employees regarding what to buy in the bookstore.
The woman halted her movements and nervously looked at Xiulan's retreating back. "She won't know my name and report it to my boss, right?"
"Dandan, aren't you finished yet?" Xiulan smiled at Dandan. Her face didn't display any irritation or negativity. It seems that she enjoyed the argument she had a while ago.
"Boss, I'll be next soon. You can wait in the car so you can relax." Dandan quickly answered. She was confused for a moment why the people surrounding them were looking at her boss quite differently.
"Okay." Xiulan agreed but before she leaves the place, she picked a book that has caught her eye a while ago and gave it to Dandan. "Add this to your cart. I want to read it tonight."
Xiulan left and went to rest inside the car.
Dandan confusedly took the book and stared at it. The title was "The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera" with a dog doodle on the book cover. Dandan thought it was a harmless novel but when she read the synopsis at the back, she can't help but question if her boss' marriage is currently on the rocks.


Song Xiulan's parents doted on her so much that they would even find the best bachelor out there to be her husband.

They were eyeing Xing Hongqi, a very respectable man and the most powerful in S and T city. But he is also a notorious player and womanizer.

Xiulan's parents believed that their impeccable daughter can change a man like Hongqi. 

Xiulan was willing to follow whatever her parents planned for her. But marrying a womanizer seemed too extreme. 

Now that she met the man and people around her seem to worship him and talk about his dirty laundries like it was fine. 

Xiulan is now conflicted about whether she should obey her parents or this time follow her common sense that marrying a womanizer is not fine!

But she suddenly finds out a secret that hinders her from not marrying him.

Story and cover by redroui
https://ko-fi.com/redroui

Spencer's headlights flash over my large front window as he pulls into the driveway. I drop the curtain before the glare catches on my face. Frankie barks, probably startled by the first bit of movement I've done for the last hour.

"Yes, yes, your daddy is home." I step away from the large bay window I've used as a perch tonight. Frankie doesn't follow until I stop and slap my knee twice. "Well, come on. We can't let him know how crazy we are."

Hudson refused to leave until Spencer gave him the okay, and he called me ridiculous for spending our evening waiting for Spencer's return. But he was sitting here watching me watch a window, so which one of us is worse?

As a woman concerned about her guy going out to fight some unknown criminal element, I think I had every right to spend three hours staring out my front window, waiting for him to return.

It's perfectly normal in my opinion.

Expected even.

But I'm not sure how the big, strong, tough guy I was waiting up for would feel about it. Some men these days have a problem not being seen as macho. I've witnessed more than one new dad pass out while watching the delivery process, but no one will admit it. If they're not falling on the floor, then they turn into big, blubbering messes the first time they get to hold their newborn child. I've spent more time reassuring men it's okay to cry than I have comforting women post-delivery.

And while Spencer has shown me his romantic side more than once in the last few weeks, he also spent over six minutes struggling to open a pickle jar yesterday. He refused to use the specialized gripper I purchased for just that need. While fighting with it, he also had a lot of thoughts on whether or not he was the type of man who needed help opening a jar.

Since he's been in active combat as a SEAL, I don't see him as someone to pass out from a bit of blood. But the criers come in all shapes and sizes.

He's probably a crier.

A car door shuts, and I slap my leg two more times to get Frankie moving faster. "Let's go, let's go."

She runs and jumps on the bed at the same time I pull the covers over my lap, the box springs squeaking. I grab a book off my nightstand and open it to a random page. A receipt from the hardware store that I'd been using as a bookmark falls to the bed. I quickly stuff it between two pages in the back. It's been so long since I've been home and able to read I'll have to start this book over again, anyway.

The front door opens and closes quietly. Spencer's obviously trying to not wake me up. I made Hudson lie and say I was in bed.

I fluff the surrounding covers. They need to look the right amount of ruffled, not like I arranged them this way, even though that's exactly what I'm doing.

A shadow falls across the floor from my bedroom door. Frankie stands and growls, acting as the world's worst guard dog. Not only does she not recognize her owner, but she let him get this far into the house.

"Oh, you're back. Hudson said it would be late." I look up from my book and silently appraise Spencer without giving away what I'm doing. Years of work as a nurse help me give him a quick once-over. There are no open wounds or large bandages poking out of his clothes. He still has all his arms and legs and doesn't appear to be limping. He passes.

Spencer leans against the doorjamb. "It's after midnight. Were you waiting up for me?"

"Of course not. Frankie and I were doing some late-night reading."

Spencer smiles. "Is that so?"

"Yup." I close the book and set it on top of my lap.

"That's funny because I could've sworn I saw you and Frankie sitting in front of the window when I pulled up. Plus, the book you're reading is upside down."

"What? It is n..." Dammit, he's right. From the way the book is laying on my lap, it was definitely upside down. "Oh, all right. I was waiting up for you."

Spencer chuckles, walking a few feet into the room.

"You don't have to be so smug about it. Frankie was worried."

He sits on the edge of the bed, displacing all my nicely fluffed covers. "I've never had anyone wait up for me before. I kind of like it."

"Are you trying to tell me you never left your mother pacing the living room at night?"

Spencer shakes his head. "I was the last of five kids. By the time I got around to staying out late at night, she'd seen it all."

"Oh. Well, next time, I'll make sure to wait up."

Spencer smirks, the left side of his mouth freezing slightly higher than the other. "Yeah, you make sure and do that... Next time."

"Confidentiality aside, did you catch the guys Ridge was looking for?" I lean forward in the bed to get closer to him.

"We've been after Frank Zanetti, a suspected mobster out of New York, for months now. He uses crews of different guys, never getting his hands dirty. Ridge thinks we can link a few of them to the latest crime spike."

I'm pretty sure that's Spencer's watered-down way of referencing Kevin, the dead body. No way in hell am I going to ask him to confirm that, though. "Can you link them to Frank, too?"

He sighs. "Not sure yet. These guys are new. No one from his inner circle." Spencer crawls higher in the bed and lies on the side, not getting under the covers with his regular clothes on. "But we grabbed most of them, at least."

"What do you mean, ‘most of them'?"

He releases a breath against his lips. "Ridge's best estimates place this particular group at about fifteen members. Tonight, we rounded up nine. That should be enough to break up their ranks, but not enough that they won't come back at some point in time."

I shrug. I watch enough CSI to know there is always a bad guy waiting somewhere. "Did you get the guy who came to my door?"

Spencer smiles, but it's a weird one. Half his face is raised up in a happy expression, yet the other side is pinched in concentration. "Maybe."

Not an overly helpful answer, either.

He pulls out his wallet. "Is this the guy?" From an inside pocket, he produces a mini Polaroid picture.

I didn't think they still made that type of camera. Let alone film for it.

Spencer flaps the picture a few times and passes it over to me. The angle is weird, like the picture was taken while standing above. The lighting is darker, and the person sits slumped in a gray steel chair that matches the cinderblocks of the room. His hands hang down beside him, but not in a relaxed pose. The guy's head is slightly turned, but I'm a nurse and have seen enough domestic violence to figure out half of his face is swollen.

"I don't know. It's hard to tell from this angle. Why is he all beat-up?"

Spencer's face loses the half smile. "We forgot to take the picture before we started the process."

"What process?"

He pauses and his eyes circle the room, obviously debating how much to tell me. "The interrogation process."

"Interrogation? You can't beat up people in interrogations." Did he forget he's talking to a nurse? I help people, not let others beat them up.

"Joslin, these aren't two-bit criminals who tried to rob the 7-Eleven. The guy in the chair is Tony Mendez. ‘Hardened criminal' isn't a tough enough adjective to describe his lifestyle. Saying please isn't effective with this group."

He has good points, but it's not my nature to see someone in distress and not want to help them.

"Is Tony the guy who was at your door?"

I hold the picture closer to my face, turn my head to the right, turn my head to the left, then squint, closing one eye completely. "I don't know."

"You sure?"

I hand the picture back. "Sorry. The angle is different, and I didn't pay that much attention. I was freaked out. But the hair looks similar...maybe."

Spencer sighs, throwing the picture and his wallet on the empty nightstand. "‘Maybe' isn't good enough, so it looks like you're stuck with me for a few more days. At least until we can bust his group open."

The idea there are more guys like Tony Mendez around Pelican Bay isn't a settling one, but I find myself smiling anyway. A few more days with Spencer by my side isn't the worst thing that can happen to a girl. Hopefully, my boss at the hospital feels the same.

A moment of silence stretches between us, and I wait for Spencer to make his next move. I don't know what you do after a hard day of surveillance. Eat? Read a book? Go to sleep? Watch a movie?

"You know what else I've never had happen?" he asks, leaning back with his arms behind his head.

"What?"

"I've never come home from a long day at work and had a topless woman waiting up for me."

I openly laugh. "Is that so?"

"Yup. I wonder what that's like."

"Maybe next time, Big Guy."

"We could practice it now. To make sure it will work."

"You want to practice?" I lift the hem of the T-shirt I'd planned to sleep in, then stop. "Wait a minute. What about all the time you were in the military?"

Spencer has had a lot of years of coming home and should have had a beautiful girl waiting for him—that whole guy-in-a-uniform thing. Isn't that why most guys join the military in the first place?

He shakes his head. "Not even then. I spent my time in a SEAL team. We were mostly overseas, and when we were here, it was training, drills, and hanging with the guys. We weren't exactly relationship people," Spencer answers, using air quotes around the world relationship.

"All right, but if we're going to do this, we have to do it right."

Spencer's face lights up. "Whatever you say, babe. Tell me what to do."

He starts to unbutton his shirt until I shoo him away with a hand. "You have to walk out of the room then back again." Duh.

Not a second wasted on questioning my requirements, he jumps out of bed and saunters out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. I tear the shirt over my head and then slip out of my shorts under the covers.

There's a knock on the bedroom door, and I whip the clothes in the open closet right as Spencer opens it and peeks in.



A fun, humorous romantic suspense series from USA Today bestselling author, Megan Matthews!
Pelican Bay Security is full of hot former Navy SEALS, a small costal town in Maine (with a crime problem), and a group of Bakery Girls waiting to cause trouble. 

When I moved here to set up a new security company as a fugitive recovery specialist, I didn’t plan to find my next-door neighbor breaking into her aunt’s house. I also didn’t expect the random henchmen harassing her for diamonds she insists she doesn’t have.

Tabitha is running from an ex-boyfriend, and I desperately want to help. As a former Navy SEAL I have the skills to deal with almost any idiot willing to give his girlfriend a black eye. Her lies, drama, and ex-boyfriend catch up with her and it may not be something I can handle on my own. I just hope if things turn violent, we both come out alive.
#explicit #Suggested age 18+
Pelican Bay Security is created by Megan Matthews, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

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