#booklovers never go to bed alone

[superstarfighter]

In case it wasn't obvious yet, I am obsessed. Just finished Stardust and finished books 2 and 3 of Sandman yesterday. Next up: Neverwhere.

Although, maybe, just maybe, I should start studying for the upcoming exams. Maybe.

[cocktailsfairytales]

════. • RELEASE TOUR •. ════

Finding You, Finding Me

By AJ Love

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216006374/

𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕..

✩ High school romance

✩ First love

✩ Nerdy girl

✩ Football star

✩ Old demons

✩ Determined foes

.

#OneClick here on Amazon

http://mybook.to/FYFM

US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8R8WF1W/

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D8R8WF1W/

CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0D8R8WF1W/

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0D8R8WF1W/

Blurb:

Freya Matthews was used to being let down and left out, but when she’s ditched on her birthday and crawls into bed alone, she never could have known that her entire life was about to be turned on its head.

Her short seventeen years on Earth had been dull for so long, Freya had already resigned herself to living a quiet, boring, and oh so lonely life. That is until she catches the attention of Dylan Cassidy.

Dylan knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go out and get it. Being the town’s local football star and the object of every teenage girl’s fantasy isn’t enough for him anymore; not when he crosses paths with a cute, nerdy girl who exudes innocence and mystery.

But life is never easy. With a dark cloud hanging over Freya’s head, threatening what little happiness she’s managed to find for herself, will Dylan be able to lead her into the light? Or will old demons and determined foes tear her down for good?

For more information on AJ Love and her books:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/AJ-Love/author/B079T5BHZM/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AJLove.and.DBreeze

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/antisocial_annie91/

X https://x.com/MotherOfWords91

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1191409.A_J_Love

BookBub www.bookbub.com/authors/aj-love

Hosted by DS Book Promotions

#BookTour #availablenow #findingyoufindingme #YA #footballstar #nerdygirl #YoungAdultRomance #HighschoolRomance #newadultromance #FirstLove #Standalone #bookloversunite #bookrecs #booklovers #fyp #romancereaders

#AJLove #dsbookpromotions

@AJLove.and.DBreeze @DS Book Promotions

[mysteriouslytransparentwombat]

Hey, Have you entered Jade lee's giveaway to win Win a Booklovers bag and signed book from Cheryl Bolen! yet? If you refer friends you get more chances to win :) https://wn.nr/TnSTHCx

[deep-time-studying]

14 JAN 2018 ::: Sundaze. I’ll spend the day reading and sipping tea. Charging my batteries for the next weeks that will hopefully not be too demanding but this challenging. Have a good day!

[nespavanje-blog]

"(...)Manchmal liest man ein Buch erneut und findet es besser, als man es in Erinnerung hatte, besser als erhofft: Alles was man daran liebte, ist nach wie vor da, und man entdeckt noch viel mehr, was einem gefällt, weil man inzwischen mehr weiß, mehr Erfahrung gesammelt und mehr gelernt hat. Und - wie es auf der Rückseite vieler Schitzumschläge heißt - wenn man auf ein solches Buch stößt, ist das ein Grund zu Feiern." "(...)Sometimes you return to a book and find that it's better than you remembered, better than you had hoped: all the things you had loved were still there, but you find that it's even more packed with things that you appreciate. It's deeper, cleaner, wiser. The book got better because you know more, have expierence more, encountered more. And when you meet one of those books, it's cause, as they used to say on the back of the book jackets, for celebrations."

[thepremedthatwrites]

Fakes

summary: You and your friends decide to sneak into a club, expecting a night filled with fun.  What you aren’t expecting is to run into your best friend’s older brother who knows you aren’t supposed to be there.

This was just a small blurb I wrote today cause school is stressful and I needed to do something to take my mind off of it.  Also, to everyone who has sent a request, do not worry, I am working on them slowly but surely!  I’ll have more time in December after finals to write so I’m hoping to be able to post more then.  Thank you to everyone who is still waiting for their request for being so patient!

warning: slight smut

part 2

The warm summer air had started to cool down as Alice, Sierra and I walked down the sidewalk.  Despite it being almost midnight, cars filled the streets as people pushed past each other.  It truly was the city that never slept.  “Are you sure this is going to work?” I questioned as we neared the building.  I toyed with my clutch that held the fake ID Alice had been able to get us.  

“Just act confident and there won’t be any problem,” Alice replied, giving both Sierra and I a wink as we approached the bouncer.  She showed him her fake.  He took a quick glance, barely even looking at it, before allowing her in.  I was next.  I pulled out my ID.  The bouncer looked at the card in my hand before looking at my face.  I subconsciously pulled on the hem of the red dress I was wearing, nervous he would see right through my lie.  Instead, he opened the door for me.  

The room was dark, the only source of light being the flashing LEDs.  Loud club music filled the room.  I felt Sierra join my side, Alice grinning widely.  “I told you it would work.”

“It’s a shame Susan couldn’t join us,” Sierra added.

“I’m sure she’s enjoying herself quite a bit with James,” I said, causing the other two to chuckle.  Susan had started seeing James two months ago and they were almost inseparable.  It sometimes felt as though I had two roommates instead of one.  

Alice, Sierra and I spent the night dancing and drinking.  It must have been at least a few hours into the night when I returned to the bar.  As I waited for the bartender to make my drink, I watched Alice and Sierra dance.  I chuckled softly as Sierra spun Alice around.  I turned back around to grab my drink when I heard someone sit down on the barstool next to me.  I turned to see a mildly attractive guy ordering a drink.  “You sure know how to hold your liquor,” the man said, turning to me.  I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion causing him to elaborate.  “I’ve seen you return to this bar more times than a booklover to a bookstore.”

“So you’ve been stalking me?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.  He let out a chuckle.

“Of course not.  I’m just observant.”

“Which is a great trait for a stalker to have,” I pointed out.

“Or an admirer.”  I smiled at this, running a hand through my (h/c) hair.  “What’s your name?”

“(Y/n)?” I heard a familiar voice say.  I felt dread start to build as the familiar British accent reached my ears.  Fuck.  

“Hey Peter,” I replied, turning to face the blond boy.  I flashed a nervous smile.  The guy I had been talking to seemed to notice my nervousness.

“I’ll, uh, leave you two alone,” the man said, grabbing his drink before leaving.  Peter’s face wore a frown, his eyebrows furrowed as he made his way closer to me.

“What exactly are you doing here?” he asked, his voice that of a parent chastising their child.  I looked down at my feet, just as said child would once they realized they had been caught.

“I just wanted to have some fun,” I mumbled.  

“So you illegally enter a club?”  I stood in silence, Peter grabbing my hand.  “I’m taking you home now.  Susan isn’t here, is she?”

“No,” I said as we left the building, the cool night air feeling nice after being in the warm and crowded club.  Peter called over a cab, opening the door before gesturing for me to climb in.  

“There’s a reason why you have to be 21 in order to get in,” Peter started, his arms crossed as he looked at me.  The frown hadn’t left his face.  “What were you thinking?”

“That’s the thing,  I wasn’t exactly thinking at all.”  Peter let out an exasperated sigh.

“For the love of God (y/n).  Can’t you use that pretty little mind of yours at least once?”  The cab had stopped.  I climbed out of the vehicle to see we were at Peter’s apartment.

“Why are you so mad anyways?” I asked as we stood outside his door.  

“Because you’re underage (y/n)!” he said, this time much louder than before.  I crossed my arms as he unlocked the door, swinging the door open as we walked into the apartment.

“That wasn’t a problem two weeks ago when we were taking shots together,” I said, letting out a huff as I sat down on the couch.  

“That was different.”  Peter’s voice was lower now as he sat down next to me, taking off his shoes.

“Why?  Because I wasn’t flirting with someone else?”  

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“I think you know exactly what that’s supposed to mean Peter Pevensie.”  Our faces were only centimeters apart now.  I felt my face warm though I wasn’t sure whether it was due to the fact that I was quite tipsy or because of the now intimate situation Peter and I were in.  I licked my lips, impatiently waiting for Peter’s next move.  Peter seemed to notice this, his eyes flickering to my lips momentarily.  I took this as an opportunity, closing the small gap between us and pressing my lips against his.

Peter let out a soft sigh, his hands traveling to my face.  The kiss that had started out soft and modest soon intensified.  I moved so that I was straddling his lap, grinding down on his crotch.  I let out a small moan as I felt his cock start to harden underneath me.  His hands moved to my ass, squeezing harshly and causing me to jump.  Peter started to get up from the couch, his hands holding me up.  I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hands resting on the back of his head entangled with his blond hair.  

He kicked the door to his bedroom wide open, making his way to his bed.  I felt my back hit something soft as he started to climb on top of me.  “Peter,” I gasped as his lips claimed any bare skin he could find.  He pulled away, his blue eyes looking into my (e/c) ones.  Instead of finding lust in his blue irises like I had expected, I saw guilt.  He started to climb off of me causing me to groan.  “What are you doing?”

“You’re drunk (y/n),” Peter said.

“I’m only a bit tipsy,” I argued.  Peter turned to look at me.  

“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he muttered, completely ignoring my previous comment.  “I’ll sleep on the couch, you can have the bed.”  I let out an annoyed sigh, realizing he wasn’t going to change his mind.

“At least cuddle with me,” I requested, doing my best attempt at puppy-dog eyes.  

“If sober-you wakes up in my arms, you’ll hate me.”

“I promise I won’t hate you in the morning,” I said.  “Please, it’s so cold and you’re so warm...”  I reached out a hand, interlocking my fingers with his and slowly pulling him closer to the bed.

“Fine,” he sighed, climbing into bed with me.  I clapped my hands in excitement before shuffling closer to Peter.  Peter wrapped the blankets tightly around us as I laid my head on his chest.  I let out a content hum as I closed my eyes, Peter wrapping his arms around me as I slowly fell asleep to the rhythmic beating of his heart.

[fallloverfanfiction]

Our story

So I started to write this story, it’s my first jump into writing fanfiction. I hope you like it. 

So, our story isn’t one you hear very often, it isn’t one I heard before I experienced it myself. But it’s a story of love and comfort. A story I love to tell, because to be honest it is the best thing that has happened to me. But let’s start at the beginning…..

“Are you watching that movie again?” 

I turned the tv off and turned to Kim, she was my best friend and we lived together, I knew she was just worried about me, I get that she didn’t mean it to come off so offensive. But it felt like I had to defend myself, like I had to explain that I just love watching this movie, that I loved knowing what was going to happen, that I wouldn’t be surprised by the outcome of the movie. 

“Yeah, it’s my comfort movie, I don’t have to think while watching this.” I tell her. She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind and maybe I did, because who in their right mind would watch Civil War every day, sometimes even twice on one day if I didn’t have anything else to do. She knew why I watched it, because I was very vocal of my love for the Winter Soldier, just like this movie was my comfort movie, the character was my comfort character. The fact that the actor portraying him was hot did help of course. But there was just something about the broken man that I loved, I didn’t want to save him, I knew I never could. Experiences in the past with former boyfriends already showed me that. But I just loved him, how he could show his emotions around Steve but when he fights that just gets me excited. And to be completely honest the metal arm just made me feel in some kind of way. 

Me and Kim talked about our weird kinks a couple of nights ago while watching another movie. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember and we share a lot of interests. Like me she also likes Marvel, reading, supernatural and we even like the same music. We would be the perfect couple, but she doesn’t like girls that way and has a boyfriend. We’ve been living together since college and it just worked so we decided to search for a better apartment as soon as we both got a job and continued to live together. When I wasn’t watching my favorite movies on repeat I worked at a bookstore. Maybe not the job my parents had wanted me to have, but I was happy there. I got to work with books, read the newest titles when they came out and meet other booklovers. For me it was the best job I could wish for. 

“What should we eat tonight?” Kim asked. 

I hadn’t really thought about eating, so I walked to the fridge to see what we had. I started to collect some ingredients to make a salad with some chicken. But Kim put everything away again and turned to me. 

“I have a better idea, we’re going out tonight. You’ve been stuck in this apartment since your vacation started. You need to go out.” 

I sighed, I was perfectly fine, I didn’t need to go out every night, I got enough interaction at work. But I knew this was a battle I wouldn’t win. So I walked to my bedroom and changed into something other than sweatpants and a hoodie. When I walked into our living area, Kim was on her phone. She looked up and gave me a thumbs up indicating that she was ready to go. Before I left our apartment I stuffed a book in my bag. If there is one thing I always take with me it’s a book. You never knew when you might have an opportunity to read. 

“Can we stop by the bookstore quickly? My favorite author has a new book out and I really want to read it during my vacation.”

Kim agreed and we went on our way, in the bookstore she headed to her favorite section and I went to mine. I picked up a new copy of a romance book of my favorite author and went to look for her. While I walked through the bookstore I thought I saw a glimpse of a familiar face. I scolded myself, that’s what you get for watching movies on repeat, you’re getting delusional and seeing the characters in real life. She found Kim, who also found a new book and together they walked to the check out. We talked and I soon forgot about the figure I thought I saw, so we decided to go to a little diner and order our favorites from the menu. This was something I found very hard in the beginning, because one of the things me and Kim didn’t have in common was our body size. Where she was tall and slim, I was small and fat. Most of the time I didn’t care about that, I was perfectly fine with how I looked. But it took some time getting there. In high school I was really insecure and every time I went out to eat with friends I would order a salad and water, just so they wouldn’t think I was eating unhealthy. But Kim figured me out really fast and if you ever needed I girl to hype you up, to make sure you felt really good about yourself, she was the one that would get the job done. 

So we made an agreement that every time we would eat together we would order what we want and not what society wants us to eat. While we were waiting for our food, I looked around the diner. We came here often and we actually knew most of the people here. which was kind of special when you consider we live in a city. But somehow this little diner was a local thing, we didn’ t see many tourists here. So when I saw someone sitting alone at the back of the diner, he or she immediately stood out. The person was sitting with their back to us and wore a black hoodie and watching that person I got a strange feeling. Kim talked to me but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. I was so focused on the person I couldn’t see but felt familiar.

“Hey are you listening to me?” Kim snapped her fingers in front of me. I felt my cheeks burning and admitted that I wasn’t.

“I’m sorry I was distracted, don’t look immediately, but there’s a strange person sitting at a table behind you, somehow it feels like I know this person.” 

Kim turned to look and I pretended to eat, but when she turned back she gave me a strange look. 

“I don’t know how sleep deprived you are, but there’s no one sitting at a table behind us.” She gave me a concerned look. I watched the table where I could have sworn I saw someone and saw she was right. There was no one there. I tried to laugh it off and tell her I really needed to sleep more and read less and the rest of our meal we talked about our day. 

When we got home, I still felt kind of weird about the whole situation in the diner. Kim suggested we watch a movie together but I wanted to go to bed and read. I waved my new book at her and although she was a little disappointed she waved me off with a warning not te read all night. I promised her I wouldn’t and got ready for bed. The book really couldn’t hold my attention and I picked up my tablet and headphones to watch a movie. I must have fallen asleep while watching because I woke up with my headphones on an the credits on the movie rolling over my screen. 

I put away my tablet and headphones and went back to sleep. I dreamed about the stranger sitting at the diner. In my dream the person stood up and walked towards me, but I couldn’t see the face hiding under a baseball cap. The person leaned over to me and whispered: 

“Don’t worry I’m here, I got you.” That voice was a voice I would recognize anywhere. The voice belonging to my comfort character, the voice of the one person I wish was real: Bucky. I woke up feeling a little sad that it was just a dream and thinking I just projected my fantasy about Bucky on the stranger. I got out of bed and drank a glass of water. When I returned to my bed I couldn’t fall asleep and decided to read until the sun came up. 

I got out of bed just as Kim went to work. We said our goodbyes and I installed myself on the couch with my book. My mind went back to the dream I had and how amazing would it be if Bucky really was the stranger in the diner, watching over me. I must have fallen asleep again on the couch because I woke up to a knock on my door. It took me a moment to realize the knock was real and not just part of my dream, I got up and walked to the door. Normally I would look through the little peephole just to see who is on the other side. But I was still a little sleepy and just opened the door and closed it immediately, this wasn’t real, I was still dreaming. I pinched myself and it hurt, so not a dream then? There was another knock on the door, I took a deep breath and opened the door again. And there he was, the man I dreamed about, fantasized about, standing before me. 

“Hello doll, I finally found you.” 

[superstarfighter]

February 9, 2023 :: Look what came in the mail today.

I was afraid the edition of Earthsea might have pretty small print (which I don't enjoy too much), but I am positively surprised it has just the right size for my liking. And its's overall even more beautiful than I expected. Overall: 10/10, would recommend.

The second book was more or less bought for another literature class I'll take next semester. It is termed "Transhumanism in childrens and youth literature" and the course description mentioned we'd be reading (non-german, primary) texts by a few authors, one of which was Le Guin. I figured this might be the one they meant and even if it wasn't, it tickled my fancy enough to hit buy.

[bjsbookblog]

⁣ 💜 #TheDare 💜 #Excerpt 💜⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐄 by @ellekennedy33 will be out June 16th - here's a little snippet!⁣ ⁣ 💜⁣ ⁣ “Thank you,” she breathes the moment we’re alone.⁣ “No problem. Mind if I make myself comfortable?”⁣ “Um, yeah. I mean, no. I don’t mind. Sit if you want. Or—wow, okay, you’re lying down.”⁣ I grin at her visible nervousness. It’s cute. While I stretch out my six-foot-two frame amid the stuffed animals and decorative pillows on the bed, she remains the startled rabbit plastered against the door and breathing heavily.⁣ “Gotta be honest,” I tell her, entwining my hands behind my head, “I’ve never seen a girl so unhappy to be locked in a bedroom with me.”⁣ This has the desired effect of loosening her shoulders and even eliciting a shy smile. “I have no doubt.”⁣ “I’m Conor, by the way.”⁣ She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I know.”⁣ “What’s the eyeroll for?” I ask, playing wounded.⁣ “No, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. Just, I know who you are. You’re, like, campus famous.”⁣ The more I watch her, hands braced at her sides against the door, one knee bent, dirty-blonde hair a little messy and draped over one shoulder, I can’t help picturing myself holding her arms above her head while I explore her body with my mouth. She’s got very kissable skin.⁣ “Taylor Marsh,” she blurts out, and I realize I don’t know how long we were silent until then.⁣ I scoot to the far side of the bed and put a pillow beside me as a divider. “Come on. If we’re going to be in here awhile, let’s at least make friends.”⁣ Taylor laughs out a breath and with it she releases a bit more tension. She’s got a nice smile. Bright, warm. It takes a bit more coaxing, however, to get her on the bed.⁣ “This isn’t like a move,” she tells me, lining up stuffed animal guards to patrol the pillow wall between us. “I’m not some sort of weirdo who tricks men into getting in bed with her and then mauls them.”⁣ “Sure.” I nod with mock seriousness. “But a little mauling would be okay.”⁣ ⁣ 💜⁣ ⁣ #PreOrderNow ❥❥❥ 𝐋𝐢𝐍𝐊 𝐢𝐍 𝐁𝐢𝐎⁣ ⁣ 📚 🌟 📚 💜 📚 🌟 📚⁣ ⁣ #BookLove #BooksOfInstagram #ReadingAddict #BookWorm #Bücher #Lesen #Bookish #Books #Words #Bibliophile #Bookshelf #Bookstagramm #Reading https://www.instagram.com/p/CBVZhUihq1w/?igshid=xkp134i9hssz

[curiosityboughtthebook]

Fortune cookie from yesterday! 🍪 I've never had one that made much sense, but this one certainly does: Book lovers never go to bed alone. Do you read in bed? 🛌 #bookstagramfeature #bookstagrammar #bookstagram #fortunecookie #grogu #babyyoda #fortune #bookloversnevergotobedalone #booklovers #wisequotes #lunchdate #bookishthoughts #bookthings #readerthings https://www.instagram.com/p/CWKI4merYUw/?utm_medium=tumblr

[maxrev]

Sorry...it’s long. Again. These two smh. 

Day 5 - Memories

Kaidan kept the memory close to his heart, cherished it like nothing else. He’d brought it out so many times, it was like a favorite book. One whose pages were worn with the printed words inside it smudged, spine bent and creased, the cover’s edges tattered and fraying. Yet, you still continued to read it, fixing it up every so often because you couldn’t bear to part with it.

He’d been back in Vancouver with a rare weekend off, had decided to get off base for awhile. His parents owned a condo overlooking English Bay, just on the outskirts of town. It was there he went to get away, to unwind, just be himself instead of his parent’s only son or an Alliance soldier. A rare opportunity. If he’d only known then what that truly meant.

Exhausted from the latest deployment and the usual crack-of-dawn early morning routine, Kaidan slept in Saturday morning. Taking a rare moment to indulge himself, he stayed cocooned under the thick down quilt, eyes closed against the sunlight trying to steal its way between the curtains.

The air in the room was cool, the temperature having dipped overnight. Because of his biotics and always feeling too hot, he loved when the air turned cooler as he felt more comfortable in his own skin. But right now, he was warm and cozy against the chill in the air.

Finally deciding that if he didn’t get up, he’d lay in bed all day, Kaidan swung his body out from under the covers, stretching his upper body towards the ceiling to work out the kinks. The Alliance beds were hard and this bed was not. His body wasn’t used to this luxury anymore.

Walking to the window and parting the curtains, wincing against the sunlight, he saw that already clouds were moving in on the horizon, though still a good bit away. In Vancouver, grey clouds were as common and usually meant rain of some degree was on its way. That likely meant a migraine would be in his near future, how bad he wouldn’t know until it hit him.

For now though, the sky was blue and the clouds were large, white and fluffy. He’d take advantage of it.

Rubbing a hand through his mussed curls, a cup of coffee was first on his agenda. Everything else could wait. While it brewed, he fixed himself some food. Coffee pot chiming that it was done, he stirred a couple packets of sugar in the hot liquid, grabbed his plate of eggs, bacon and toast and went to enjoy breakfast on the balcony with a view of the English Bay.

He could get used to this. Maybe someday, when his career in the Alliance was done. In the meantime, he knew he had it to come back to when time permitted. Someplace quiet with a beautiful view. There was the orchard as well but here he could spend a little time alone and just recharge.

Checking the weather app on his phone, he dressed in a pair of jeans, old leather boots, a long sleeved T and his Alliance hoodie. Downtown was brimming with bookstores, museums, cafes and restaurants with every type of food imaginable. Having no specific plan, he’d just see where his feet took him and enjoy the day for what it was.

Getting close to the holidays, downtown was busy. People rushed by him in a hurry to get that one specific present or run errands before work pulled them away again. In contrast, Kaidan walked leisurely, hands in his pockets, enjoying himself. It was louder and more crowded than he generally liked but just the chance to get away for awhile made it more bearable.

A sign up ahead advertised books for sale, new and secondhand. He loved to read, though lately just never had enough time. An occasional brief opportunity presented itself while on deployment but with little room to spare, books were read on his omni-tool. The smell of the pages of a real book, the feel of it in his hands...well, nothing could compare to that.

Bells overhead signaled his arrival but no one greeted him. Murmured voices could be heard in the back, so Kaidan figured the owner was likely busy with a customer. The store was quaint, tiny, bookshelves covered in books of all kinds, top to bottom - overloaded actually. It was a booklover’s paradise. Comfy chairs, knitted colorful throws, soft pillows decorated reading nooks for those who wished to partake of a good book in a comfortable setting.

A soft meow had him glancing down. A large Maine Coon wrapped itself around his legs, purring loudly. Squatting down, Kaidan ran his hand over the soft fur, coming back to scratch the cat behind the ears. The purr intensified and he could feel it vibrate against his fingers.

“Whisky, stop bothering the customers.” The words were spoken with exasperation laced by an obvious love.

Looking up, Kaidan’s eyes met those of who must be the owner. “It’s okay. I like animals. He’s a beautiful cat. I love his name, too.”

Eyes sparkling with humor, the woman smiled, “He is beautiful and of course, he knows it, which makes him insufferable. He got into a shot of my whisky when he was a kitten. Hence, the name.” Ignoring Whisky’s answering meow, her head tilted in question, “Anything in particular you’re looking for?”

“No, not really. Just thought I’d browse, see what catches my eye.”

“Okay, then. Enjoy your search. I’ll be here...or somewhere...if you have questions.” With her customer pitch out of the way, she took off again.

Breathing in the scent of all these books mingled with the pleasant smell of fragrant incense, Kaidan wandered down the aisles. He wasn’t even sure if he’d buy anything but he felt at peace here, calm and unhurried. It was a nice change. A few other customers moved out of the way as he passed, a shared look and smile, a few nodding when they saw his jacket. One women reached out and shook his hand, whispering, “Thank you for your service.” He was never quite sure what to do with that, usually just nodding in response. It was just his job, nothing more.

As his eyes traveled over a bookcase, he spotted a title he was familiar with, though hadn’t read yet. It was among many by the same title but the condition of one particular caught his interest. The book was older, hardback, and in excellent condition. He had to open it up and look inside. Reaching for it, he was distracted by a noise and turned away. His hand met resistance and Kaidan looked back to see two hands on the spine of the same book, one of them his.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who was interested in The Count of Monte Cristo.

A deep, husky voice spoke, breath ghosting across his ear, making him shiver. Turning, his breath caught as he encountered intense, vivid blue eyes crinkled at the corners. Not even realizing what he was doing, his eyes traveled lower as the man continued to talk, watching full lips move with every word. They tipped up in a smile. “Anyone home?”

Startled back to himself, Kaidan could feel a blush creeping up his neck, turning his face red. Caught in the act of staring, he wasn’t sure what to say. “I...uh, yeah. Sorry.”

His hand dropped loosely to his side. Disappointment etched his features as the book made its way into the other man’s hands. He tried, but didn’t quite succeed, in keeping the sigh from slipping between his lips. Those brilliant blue eyes looked back at his, “You really wanted this book, huh? I have to admit, it’s not every day I find someone who’s interested in the same book I am. In fact, most of the people I’m around don’t bother to read at all, unless it’s manuals. Apparently, you do.”

“I love to read. I just rarely have the time.”

Blue eyes studied the Alliance hoodie, eyebrows raising in surprise. “Alliance soldier, huh? Yeah, any downtime is rare.”

Kaidan smiled, “It is. I do manage to fit in an occasional few minutes here and there. Space is also limited on deployment, so I read mostly on my omni-tool. I much prefer holding the real thing.”

They talked for awhile, discussing their preferences of books, the pros and cons of digital versus real. Kaidan couldn’t remember when he’d connected with someone so quickly or when he’d felt so at ease. His awkwardness was well known among the soldiers he worked alongside.

“Well, I really need to get going. It was nice talking to you, Kaidan.”

“You too, John. Nice to find someone who enjoys books as much as I do.” Glancing at the book in John’s hand, Kaidan smiled. At least it would have a good home. “Enjoy your book.”

The other man slung his leather jacket, red stripes on the sleeves, across his shoulder and turned to go. Kaidan admired his well built body, black T hugging well defined muscles. Just in case, he willed his eyes to stay topside. Didn’t want to get caught staring again. Good thing too, as John turned slightly back, calling over his shoulder, “I will.” Eyes straying to the Alliance emblem, he added, “Good luck out there.” And then he was gone.

Browsing for a little while longer, Kaidan couldn’t find anything else that really caught his interest. Besides, it was about time for lunch. At least, that’s what his stomach was telling him as it growled quietly. Turning to leave, he smiled at the owner, telling her, “Wonderful store. When I’m back in town, I’ll visit again.”

“Would love to have you back! By the way, that man that you were talking to earlier? He left something here for you.”

Kaidan’s brow furrowed in confusion as she set a paper bag on the counter. Reaching inside, he pulled out a familiar book. A brilliant smile lit up his face. The Count of Monte Cristo. A random stranger, someone he’d never see again, had just given him the best gift he’d ever received.

To chance encounters in a book store.  Enjoy the book, Kaidan.  Maybe someday we’ll meet again and you can tell me how it was. -- John

[reemafterdark]

In the quiet of the hotel room, Keon sat back down on the edge of the bed, alone and lonely. As soon as the door slammed and she was gone, time stopped for him completely. He grudgingly accepted that he would have to go back to living a half-life until he saw her again. If he never saw her again, then he’d be forced to painfully accept that reality. There were times when years would go by without them speaking and if anyone asked either one of them why, they couldn’t give a clear, definitive reason. The tragedy was that, whether or not he could bring himself to finally express to her how agonizingly he missed her whenever they were apart, his truth was that he believed he would never love another woman the same way he had always loved her. That was something he admitted to himself but a secret feeling he might have to keep until they put him in his grave. - excerpt from Chapter 1 - "Naked" Copyright © 2020 Keith Kareem Williams All rights reserved. ISBN: 9798614869090 #IBeenABestsellerInTheseStreets #Author #FullTimeDad #WriteOrDieLifestyle #SelfPublishedSavage #booklovers #readers #SelfEmployed #iReallyDoThis #Creative #Filmmaker  #Screenwriter #wordsmith #Explorepage #NewRelease https://www.instagram.com/p/B9j-wUEjOvI/?igshid=yttiy1hkoheb

[mugbarista]

DAM! (Daily Amazing Mug!) We’ll be posting a different amazing mug every day! Check daily for the new DAM! - Today’s amazing mug is from Barnes & Noble Booksellers and features this quote: “Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone” - Serving up vintage, hard to find, and retired mugs! Please click the link in my bio to visit mugbarista.com where you can see all of the mugs shown above and thousands more! - ALL ORDERS SHIP FOR FREE VIA PRIORITY MAIL WITHIN THE USA!!! - Visit Mug Barista’s eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/mugbarista - #mug #mugs #coffeemug #coffeemugs #coffeemugoftheday #mugoftheday #mugsofinstagram #dailyamazingmug #muglife #coffeemugcollection #mugobsession #muglover #mugaddict #ilovemugs #barnesandnoble #book #bookstagram #books #bookworm #reading #read #booklover #instabook #bibliophile #booknerd #bookish #bookaddict #bookaholic #reader #booklove (at Henderson, Nevada) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxe9uX-h0TY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16nzodwcs9ac1

[highqueenofelfhame]

when we were kids, seven.

warning: this chapter contains scenes of sexual content only suitable for viewers 18+. viewer discretion is advised. enjoy. 

ROWAN

“Please call me,” her voice had sounded so broken and desperate in the last one, but somehow almost hopeful in a way that twisted the knife in his gut even harder. He had signed her papers, Rowan just didn’t know why she kept calling. It was like having it rubbed in his face, that he’d lost her. The only thing in the world he’d sworn to the gods, he had done it so effortlessly. Without even trying, really. And now she just wouldn’t leave him alone. 

There had never been a single second of any day over the last eight years, nine months, and 26 days that he stopped loving her. Even through all the heartbreak, even through how godsdamned painful it had been when he came home to everything gone, he loved her through all of it. He loved her when he watched her first role, her second, and her third. He loved her while watching her romance with her agent blossom in the tabloids. Rowan loved her still when her engagement got out and she showed up at his house being a complete bitch about the divorce. For every second that he had known her since he was three years old, he loved her. And thinking that it was about time to let go was absolutely destroying him in ways he never knew. 

So hearing her voice so broken in the newest voicemail was like being skinned alive. She was hurting somehow and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. It wasn’t his job anymore. Aelin had someone new. Aelin made her choice and now he would have to learn to deal with it. 

But that didn’t make it easy. 

The front door knob jiggling, the lock clicking, and the door being thrown open interrupted his thoughts completely. The spitfire herself came storming in, barely giving him half a glance as she headed to the second bedroom that housed her belongings.

“What,” he said dryly, “are you doing?”

“A grand gesture. Turns out that you and I are still hitched,” she called over her shoulder, rummaging around in that bedroom. His eyes fell closed, the memory of signing the papers vivid in his mind. He’d just about had a nightmare every damn night since he signed them… which meant the mistake had been on her end. 

When he finally forced his body into motion, finally made himself enter that room, she was half zipped up in the wedding dress she’d worn when they were younger. Despite eight years it fit her like a glove, ivory satin and lace clinging to her figure to where it pooled at the floor. One of the inch-wide straps was hanging off her shoulder, her chest rising and falling heavily as she appraised him over her shoulder.

“You kept telling me to go home? Well, here I am.” She was gesturing behind her back, silently telling him to zip her up and he stepped forward, fingertips toying with the zipper before finally pulling it down.

“And why would you want to be married to me anyway?” He said slowly, turning over those words she’d said twenty years ago with her hands on her hips and her eyes as wild as her heart. 

Aelin looked at him, every bit as wild as she had been back then and took his face in her hands despite the satin straps limiting her range of motion as they fell down her arms. She looked into his heart and soul and reached up on her toes so that their lips were barely brushing in a whisper of a kiss as she said, “So I can kiss you anytime I want.”

And then they were kissing, and he felt like for the first time in eight years he was awake, he was alive. Everything suddenly made sense, all the puzzle pieces had fallen into place and gods above he could breathe. 

Rowan carried her to his bed and gently set her down then sat back on his knees to take her in. He reached out and  traced her swollen lips as her wide crystal clear eyes looked back up at him. There was something so sensual and sexy about her laying there, the straps of the dress half down her arms, bra fully exposed and satin crinkled from him laying her down. He kissed her again, unable to resist that perfect, full mouth that he wanted desperately to coax sinful sounds from. 

Sitting back, his hands ran up her legs under the dress until his fingers found the lace of her panties and tugged them down, disposing of them behind him on the floor. Aelin’s teeth ran over her bottom lip, and he wasted no time in pushing the dress up to bunch it around her hips. Despite how bad he wanted her completely bare and open before him, Aelin in the dress she had married him in years later was flooding him with desire he hadn’t known since he last had her. She had barely been a woman then, though, and he barely a man. And now when he pulled his shirt over his head it was evident in the way her eyes blew wide with desire that she was thinking something similar. 

She reached out and ran her fingers over his stomach, tracing the lines of his abdomen with cool fingertips until she hooked one finger under the waistband of his jeans. But Rowan hadn’t even started with her yet, so he shook his head and settled between her legs with a kiss to her stomach. 

A kiss that meant so much more than lips pressed against skin, and her fingers gently caressing his cheek told him she understood. 

Rowan continued his descent, not stopping until his lips were wrapped around the most sensitive parts of her and her fingers were in his hair, her voice begging him not to stop. And he didn’t stop, not until she was coming completely undone and doing her best to push him away but he didn’t relent until she was shaking and too sensitive to be touched anywhere below her waist. Then, and only then, did he sit up and pull that dress off of her, did he throw away the flimsy material covering her breasts, did he finally stand at the foot of the bed and remove the rest of his own clothing. 

“Beautiful,” he breathed, running a hand from her neck down her stomach, running both hands down her thighs. “Every single inch of you,” and he claimed her mouth with his, lingering and slow kisses that told her that he had every intention of taking his time with her. Rowan was in no hurry. He hadn’t had his love for almost nine years and was determined to make the most of every single second. 

When he settled between her hips and nudged at her entrance, the feeling alone of just her was almost too much to handle. The heady scent of sex combined with what only could be described as Aelin had him so high that if you had asked him, he would have told you he didn’t know why people did drugs. Not when this existed, when he had this to tumble into every night. He’d swear he didn’t even need to taste alcohol or the finest desserts ever again. She would do. Everything in her face told him it was exactly the same for her, she was just as high as he was. 

And then he was sliding into her and both of them were gasping, her nails digging harshly into his back in a way that felt almost too good. It was an effort to go slow, to drag it out the way he wanted but he was determined, and the longer he thrust in and out of her the more intimate the moment became until the intimacy was a palpable, crackling thing. 

Their cheeks were wet and he wasn’t sure when either of them had started crying, but they were. And as they barreled over the edge together, twice, it was too much. Emotionally it was too much, physically he felt more tired than he’d felt in years and that included all the sleepless nights he’d spent staring at her damn photo like it would bring her back. 

Rowan looked over at her then, shifted onto his side to reach out and brush her sweat coated hair from her forehead. He’d somehow never had a choice when it came to Aelin, it was always her. But choice or no choice, he would have still chosen her anyway. Looking at her now, he knew she felt the same. 

“I love you,” she said, her voice thick. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes as she rolled to face him, to kiss him fully. “I’m sorry it took me so long to come home.” But he shook his head and kissed her fingertips before he sat up fully and reached for his shirt which he handed over to her. 

“I want to show you something.” 

@starseternalnighttriumphant @musicmaam @city-of-fae @kandasboi @the-regal-warrior @empire-of-wildfire @tangledraysofsunshine  @lorcansalvaterree @valarian-trash @hey-its-grey​ @sleeping-and-books​ @thephilosophyofblank​ @breezyfreezey @westofmoon​ @tonystarksbish​ @mariamuses​ @thereaderandfangirl​ @silvermindedwarrior @rosesandglass​ @xxhopelesspeachesxx​ @maraadyyer @flowerspringsea​ @the-bookloving-girl​ @vartineh @mis-lil-red @but-she-was-aelin-galathynius​ @dreamcatchersimss​ @chemicha​ @vi0let-femmes​ @ttakeitbacknoww​ @dressedindustandshadows @lowhangingtreebranches @bamchickawowow​

@damnthisjam

[roxannesmolen]

Book lovers never⠀ go to bed alone.⠀ ⠀ #quotes #quotestoliveby #quoteoftheday #lifequotes #instadaily #instaquote #readingrocks #booklovers

[brushdance]

Book lovers never go to bed alone. - Anonymous . . . #qotd #quoteoftheday #brushdance #mindfulliving #mindfuldays #mindfulness #wordsofwisdom #books #agoodbook #booklovers #reading #ilovetoread #readabook #expandyourmind #neverlonely http://ift.tt/2tjHwim