On a Wednesday afternoon, I ask Trevor Bentley to marry me. He might be the most arrogant, obnoxious man I know, but I need him to be my husband for a year. There are reasons. He's not going to be a real husband. Just part-time...I'm not going to give him my heart. I know what I'm doing, and I'm too smart to fall for my husband. I hope.

After growing up with an unstable father, Kate has always prided herself on her organized and well-planned life. She's secure now with a good job and an impressive boyfriend. And with Aaron, her best friend since high school. Aaron might be smart, funny, and sexy, but he has never been anything more than a friend. Kate will never risk her stable world and her closest relationship by turning the friendship into romance. But then everything changes in only one night....

After too many bad decisions in romance, Emma is going on a man-fast. For the next six months, she’s fasting from men. And that includes her brother’s best friend, Noah Hart, who has just returned to their hometown. She doesn’t want Noah anyway. He might be even hotter than he was before, but he’s not a nice guy anymore. He’s made a fortune by acting ruthless in business, and the last thing he’s looking for is small-town domestic life.

After years of dreaming, Jessica is finally getting married, but the marriage isn't exactly what she thought. Daniel is her best friend, and she's known him all her life, but he's never gotten over losing his wife two years ago. His dream is to become the pastor of the church in their hometown, but the small-town congregation keeps balking over calling an unmarried minister. Since Daniel needs a wife and Jessica wants a husband and family, she proposes an arrangement that benefits both of them.

First time. Second chance. Third life. My first time was with him - one hot weekend with a handsome stranger. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, but he keeps asking me to meet him all over the world, and I keep saying yes. I don't know anything about him except his first name. That's the way he likes it. He's too old for me, and he's hiding secrets, but I'm not going to be able to keep my heart out of it for long.

For years, Deanna's eccentric grandmother has been trying to marry her off to a rich man, and she's finally managed to do it. Deanna has spent her life trying to take care of those she loves, and a six-month marriage should be a simple enough way to keep their historic Savannah house from falling down around their heads. Sexy, obnoxious Mitchell Graves needs a wife to finalize a business deal, and he snaps up Deanna as the most expedient option. Because she's quiet, he thinks she'll be easy enough.

As the daughter of a Hollywood mogul, introverted Claire Kenyon has often been thrown into the limelight, despite her best efforts to live a quiet life. When her father receives a threat aimed at her, he surrounds her with security, and one of her bodyguards is sexy Michael Lyle, who offers Claire very close protection.

Raney wants to enjoy being a bridesmaid at her friend's wedding, but the best man, Justin Woodward, keeps putting a damper on her mood. He's brilliant and kind of geeky - not at all the kind of guy she's used to - but she's always been nice to him, so she can't figure out why he acts so cool and obnoxious with her. It shouldn't matter what he feels about her, but she can't stop thinking about him. So her mission for the weekend is to get Justin to like her. Her attempts don't seem to work at all.

Three years into a five-year marriage of convenience, Jenn finds herself wanting something she never thought she'd want from her laid-back, ex-military husband. Sex - as a much-needed release of tension from her high-stress job. But weekly sex with Nick, despite their careful parameters, is likely to get messy eventually.

Ever since her former roommates deserted her, Meg has had to share an apartment with a lazy, obnoxious ass. He won't pick up after himself, and he refuses to get a good job. Plus, he doesn't always wear enough clothes - which is really a problem, because he's hot. Maybe he's occasionally funny. And every now and then he can be sweet. But mostly he's just annoying. It doesn't matter how much he's starting to flirt with her - Meg is going to resist. She's way too smart to fall for a guy who never takes anything seriously.

When Rachel arrives back in her hometown for the Christmas holiday, she doesn't expect to be stranded alone in an ice storm with David Harris. David is her brother's best friend, and she's known him all her life. She lost her virginity to him. And he's the one man she can never forgive. Despite all of the reasons she knows not to trust him, she finds herself falling for him again as they try to keep warm in the storm.

We meet every other Wednesday night in a downtown hotel. No dates. No commitments. No hearts or flowers. Just his body and mine. Maybe I’m his second best. He’s definitely mine. But second best has never felt so good.

The only woman I want is the one I can never have. Harper. My best friend’s sister. I’ve wanted her since I was eighteen, but she’s always been off-limits. Now I’m home after years in the Marines, and nothing has changed - except everything has. Her brother is dead, and she’s on a hopeless quest for answers about his death. And I want her just as much as ever. Someone is trying to kill her now, and she won’t let me keep her safe.

Virginity. Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half a brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theater professor....

Life is smooth sailing until these new roomies find themselves stuck between a rock and a very hard place. Because lusting after the one person you shouldn't ever mess around with - your new roommate - is like cardinal rule number one. Get ready for four complete friends-to-lovers rom-com standalones: The Room Mate, The Play Mate, The House Mate, and The Soul Mate.

Donya Stewart's chest filled with the soft beating wings of butterflies when she first met Emmet Grayne's green eyes at the ripe age of five. Unable to identify the tugging pressure within her when in his presence, Donya moved through the first several years of her life addled by her feelings for the boy who was her best friend's brother and very much like her own sibling. But one cool autumn night in her mystifying teenage years, Emmet erases any ideas Donya has of him being anything like a sibling.

Virginity. Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half a brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theater professor....

Olivia Bishop is no fun. That's what her ex-husband said. And that's what her smart bob and glasses imply. So with her trademark determination, Olivia sets out to remake her life. She's going to spend time with her girlfriends and not throw it all away for some man. But when an outing with her book club leads her to a brewery taproom, the dark-haired beauty realizes that trouble - in the form of sexy Jamie Donovan - may be too tempting to avoid.

It was meant to be a one-night stand. One night of passion. Scorching-hot. Then Beth Cantrell and Eric Donovan were supposed to go their separate ways. That’s the only reason he lied about his name, telling her he was really his wild younger brother. Hiding his identity as the conservative Donovan. The "good" one.

It's bad enough Jade Frost's boyfriend dragged her to a boring poker game. It's even worse that he actually threw her into the betting pot during an intense round - and lost. Talk about the perfect excuse for Jade to make him her ex-boyfriend. Now she supposedly belongs to the ultrarich, extremely gorgeous Shep Prescott. He could have anything he wants, yet he seems to be in hot pursuit of her. No matter how rude, how snarky, how impossible she acts, it doesn't stop him.

Temporary. That's the word I'd use to describe my life right now. I'm temporarily working double shifts - at least until I can break free. I'm temporarily raising my little brother - since apparently our actual mother doesn't give a crap about either of us. And I always end up as nothing but the temporary girlfriend - the flavor of the week for every guy who's heard the rumor that I give it up so easily.

Nora O'Brien chased a dream from Indiana to Scotland, so sure it was the right thing to do. Three years later she was left in her adopted country with nothing to her name but guilt and regret. Until Aidan Lennox entered her life. Older, worldlier, a music producer and composer, the sexy Scot should never have made sense for Nora. But somehow in each other they found the light they were looking for, the laughter and the passion - the strength to play on despite their past losses.

When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate - and platonic. Six years later, they're still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland's trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker's boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben's no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can't seem to get the hang of casual sex - until she tries it with him.

As one of the big names at his family's gym, Legends, MMA star Rory Kavanagh is used to being in the spotlight - until a gruesome leg injury knocks him out of the cage. Rory is left feeling sidelined in more ways than one, battling the inner demons that come with losing the one shot at his dreams. Then Clare walks into his life and gives him a new dream: winning her heart. There aren't many new faces in Woodlawn these days, but this tough, beautiful stranger makes Rory want to get his life back into fighting shape.

Forget all those other roommate romances you might have listened to. Heather and Chris don’t hate each other...very much. And they don’t have sex all the time...at least not at first. Chris doesn’t go around shirtless, flexing his muscles and driving Heather wild...too often. And he doesn’t get jealous and possessive every time she goes out with another man...well, maybe occasionally. But they definitely don’t fall in love...right away.

A long time ago, in a small town I've tried to forget...I married the charismatic all-American king of high school. He was sexy and charming. I was shy and infatuated. We were both 18. Of course we did not live happily ever after. We did the opposite. You thought that was the end? So did I. Seven years later and without warning, Branson Hickey is back in my life. Many things have changed and a few things haven't. I still want him. I still can't stand him. I still think about him all the time, even after everything we did to each other.

Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford magazine for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures that he's got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes and write circles around them, too. Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys.

Bryna feels his eyes on her. Hot, seductive, enticing. He's at least 10 years older than her 17 years, and he knows exactly what he's doing to her with that look. Walking away would be the smart thing to do...but she can't. Not that first night when he takes her home and claims her body. Not when he shows up in her life again with expensive gifts to win her trust. Not even when she's falling for him, and everything else is falling apart....

Three novellas from Alexa Riley: Stay Close: A former Russian mafia soldier is hired to protect a friend’s daughter, but he knows he’ll do more than keep her safe - he’ll make her his. Forever. Hold Tight: A hotshot consultant hired to streamline Osbourne Corp. meets his match in Pandora Justice. Don’t Go: CEO Henry Osbourne has only ever desired one woman - the one who got away. She ran from a boy, but a man of power and persuasion now stands in his place.

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, dating's the last thing on her mind. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B. Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at 20 turned his life upside down - and brought him heartache he can't risk again.