Short Game

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone? Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

For over a month, he's been counting down, anticipating the promise circled in red Sharpie on their calendar. In a marriage that's evolved from vanilla beginnings into something far more complex, Ben has learned to serve, to watch, and most painfully, to wait. Dana enjoys her freedom, her rotating cast of impressive lovers, and—most of all—her husband's unwavering devotion through it all. She rewards his patience just once a year, on his birthday, with the ultimate gift: herself. But first, she makes him earn it. When Dana's favorite lover arrives unexpectedly on Ben's special night, ...

This fast-paced collection of novellas and short stories from leading Russian LitRPG authors sheds new light on their signature worlds. You're in Game! features works by Vasily Mahanenko, Andrei Livadny, Alexey Osadchuk, Michael Atamanov, Pavel Kornev, and Andrew Novak. Expect your favorite heroes to play second fiddle to an array of new main characters, once-minor plot lines to lead you in unexpected directions, and familiar story events to take surprising new turns.

In football, the momentum of a game can shift at the slightest moment. One misstep, fumble, or error can change the entire complexity of a game. The difference between winning and losing can be as small as an inch. In reality, life is not that much different than football. One wrong decision can send a person’s life spinning out of control. One bad move be the difference between a happy ending or a life of disappointments and sorrow. Justin thought he had conquered the game of life. He not only had a beautiful girlfriend, but was set to inherit a large trust worth a fortune. He seemed to ...

When we inject more power than we can control, we introduce a degree of leverage, but, when it creeps in near the end, that is just before impact, it may produce no appreciable damage, provided the stroke has started as a swing and this action has been maintained almost up to the instant of impact. Furthermore, whatever of leverage is introduced in the brief instant just preceding impact is restricted to pure hand and wrist action, and does not involve conflicting actions between body movement and arm movement, which are bound to follow the introduction of leverage in starting the stroke. ...

After a fight with my boyfriend Mark, I still need to leave to speak at a conference. When I see my idol Dr. Eric Young, I can't help but forget about Mark and only have eyes for Dr. Young. He is just a little bit older than me, but he is incredibly good-looking in his tailored suit. Fit and dark and just a little mysterious. I never thought I would get close to him, but when he ends up in my hotel room by accident finding me in a rather compromising position I can not resist his charm or his offer to give me a hand and more. Much, much more.

“Everything you think you know about what’s happening in this story gets turned upside down… What seems like a supernatural ‘vampire’ romp with a comic edge flips into a dazzling concept piece about the nature of reality… But if you’re after a formulaic vampire story, this might not be for you.” In a desolate wasteland of ruined cities and rusted droids, Ethan and his team hunt the last remnants of vampiric terror. Or do they? In this post-apocalyptic world, the lines between truth and illusion blur, leaving one question chillingly unanswered: Are you sure you know what's ...

Understand the vibrant world of the Hindi language with this engaging audiobook collection designed specifically for language learners! Whether you're a beginner or at an intermediate level, this carefully curated compilation brings together a variety of fun and educational audio resources to enhance your Hindi skills. Inside, you'll discover a mix of short stories read aloud in simple yet captivating Hindi, allowing you to build vocabulary and grasp sentence structures naturally through listening. Each story is followed by key words and a full English translation to reinforce learning.

When the President of the United States is caught with his pants down while playing a virtual reality game in the White House, his cabinet is thrown into complete disarray. With the State of the Union address only hours away, Parker Smalls, White House Chief of Staff, scrambles to have the president freed. Nona Norak, the game’s main adversary, has other plans. She’s an avatar created to be unbeatable, leaving Parker Smalls with one question. How does he free the president from a VR avatar that can’t be stopped? An Amazon one-hour read.

Author’s note: Drinking Games contains three sweet and sinful novellas, filled with all the best parts of a romance. No triggers or cliffhangers and guaranteed happily ever afters. Suck: This mob boss always gets what he wants - even if she belongs to someone else. Reece Diavolo. They call him The Devil behind his back, and when the vicious mobster sees the bride at his cousin’s wedding he decides there won’t be a marriage after all that day…because now she belongs to him. Macy Shaw. They call her The Mouse to her face, and when the goodest of good girls learns her blackmailing ...

On the island of Avalon, everyone has magical abilities. Except Selena Pearce. As if being the only nonmagical person on the island isn’t bad enough, her parents happen to be the king and queen of Avalon - and the most magical people alive. She’s never felt like she fit in on Avalon, but that all changes when she leaves the island and meets Julian - a mesmerizing, mysterious human.

Intergalactic civilization emerges from its war-torn ruins for the first time in generations to explore the galaxy, in this stunning new anthology from the bestselling world of Twilight Imperium.

She was supposed to be collateral damage in his game of power and lust. Forced into an exclusive night club by her father’s gambling debt. Captivated by Alexander, the ruthless and seductive mafia boss who owns it. Desired by him beyond reason, but desperate for escape. Hunted by him after fleeing from his clutches. Shocked by his secret that could shatter everything. Will Alexander risk exposing his dark truth to claim what’s his? Or will he lose his obsession forever to his enemies?

I'm in trouble. My dad owes Dr. Ashworth a lot of money but he can not pay it back. When Dr. Ashworth meets me, he offers me the option to work off my fathers' dept. But what I must do is scary and humiliating. I have no choice but to submit to a very intimate exam and medical treatment trial to keep my father out of trouble. When the medication I was administered leaves me needy and unable to take care of it myself. Dr. Ashworth and 3 of his associates help me out. How many of them do I need to take on before I am finally satisfied?

The flyer catches my eye. The words “Earn Easy Money – take part in Medical Study", stare at me. I feel a tiny little bit of hope. I know it won't be pleasant and most likely humiliating, but I need the money. Sitting here on this cold synthetic material of the gynecological chair, I feel entirely exposed in the short paper gown. I’m just waiting for the doctors to arrive. The room is chilly, and my slender form shivers a bit. But even though I’m excited about the money, the thought of being examined by two strangers keeps my nerves on edge. The money is extremely generous, I'm ...

Nothing is as it appears when Nightshade, a deadly samurai assassin, accepts a seemingly easy contract on his brother. Who can he trust when he is betrayed by his employer? A Samurai Cyberpunk Saga.

The Most Dangerous Game, a short story written by Richard Edward Connell in 1924, is a thrilling tale that explores themes of survival, morality, and the nature of human cruelty. Set against the backdrop of a remote island, the story combines suspense, adventure, and a touch of philosophical inquiry, making it one of the most widely anthologized short stories in American literature.

The one that got away is back in Frosty Crest. There are just two problems: he believes I’m my identical sister… and he has no idea we have a son.Six years ago, my sister Winnie bribed me to attend an event in her place. Sebastian was just passing through town before moving overseas. We only shared one night together, but he’s seared into my memory like a cattle brand. And not just because our son has his eyes. Now that he’s here, I have a chance to set things right. Will he let me? Playing Games on the Mountain is a short & steamy, single mom, secret baby, mistaken identity, small-...

In a world of criminals, thugs, con artists, cheats, and swindlers, there must be a man to stand against the powers of darkness and corruption. A man not afraid to walk the mean streets—whether they be those of 1930s Los Angeles, an ancient fantasy realm, or some far-flung planet of a future star empire. He is a man who knows that a “good man” is not always a “nice guy”. But when the chips are down, he understands that a hero does the right thing, even if it means losing everything.

It is my first night at the new job and I wake up in the middle of the night, not being able to go back to sleep I decide to find my way downstairs to the kitchen but soon get distracted by noises and an open door. I can't help myself but peek into the room and I'm amazed and turned on by what I see. A movie of a woman restrained and being examined and enjoying the rough humiliating treatment. Before I can even think about leaving, Lord Ashmore catches me at the door. He notices my excitement and lets me take a look at his special room. I want what I saw. I want Lord Ashmore to be the one ...