Brighton Walsh

Our first kiss was a lie. Our second was a mistake. And the night we spent tangled up in each other? Hot as hell but a complete disaster. Because now Sutton Sinclair-the sharp-tongued troublemaker who left claw marks down my back and a dent in my self-control-is living in my backyard cottage with her teenage daughter. And I'm her goddamn landlord. I like things quiet. Controlled. She's neither. Sutton's chaos wrapped in sunshine, a temptation in scrubs I can't seem to stay away from. When her ex shows up acting like Sutton's still his to lose, I claim her on instinct. The kiss? Hot. The fallout? Immediate. Now my family-and the entire town-thinks we're a couple. Fake dating Sutton wasn't in my playbook, but if being a pro-footballer turned high school coach has taught me anything, it's how to pivot. All I have to do is keep my hands to myself. Then her cottage floods. Now we're sharing a roof...and a bed. The line between real and fake is blurring faster than I can redo the guest house. This is supposed to be temporary. But Sutton doesn't just crash into my life-she rewrites it. She's in my home, moaning my name, breaking every rule I've ever lived by. And I'm starting to want something permanent with the woman who's already got one foot out the door.

Our first kiss was a lie. Our second was a mistake. And the night we spent tangled up in each other? Hot as hell but a complete disaster. Because now Sutton Sinclair-the sharp-tongued troublemaker who left claw marks down my back and a dent in my self-control-is living in my backyard cottage with her teenage daughter. And I'm her goddamn landlord. I like things quiet. Controlled. She's neither. Sutton's chaos wrapped in sunshine, a temptation in scrubs I can't seem to stay away from. When her ex shows up acting like Sutton's still his to lose, I claim her on instinct. The kiss? Hot. The fallout? Immediate. Now my family-and the entire town-thinks we're a couple. Fake dating Sutton wasn't in my playbook, but if being a pro-footballer turned high school coach has taught me anything, it's how to pivot. All I have to do is keep my hands to myself. Then her cottage floods. Now we're sharing a roof...and a bed. The line between real and fake is blurring faster than I can redo the guest house. This is supposed to be temporary. But Sutton doesn't just crash into my life-she rewrites it. She's in my home, moaning my name, breaking every rule I've ever lived by. And I'm starting to want something permanent with the woman who's already got one foot out the door.

Coming home to find out my ex is my new roommate is a nightmare...especially when I've been pretending to hate her for years. Harper Davidson has been ingrained on my heart since we were kids, and now she's tattooed on my skin. But she'll never know about either. Not when she's better off thinking we're enemies. Having her in my space every day and sharing a wall with her every night is a challenge I never saw coming. A challenge I'm not sure I'm up to. Especially when our daytime games turn into nighttime dares, pushing each other to the breaking point until our neighbors know exactly who's making her scream. As lines blur and feelings deepen, we begin teetering on the edge of something more. And it's becoming harder to pretend that this is nothing-that she is nothing. Because this second chance is starting to feel like a last chance. It's always been her for me, but I'm broken beyond repair and don't know how to be the man she needs. These demons in my closet are never silent, and I'll do anything to keep them from dragging her down with me. Even if that means letting her go again.

Coming home to find out my ex is my new roommate is a nightmare...especially when I've been pretending to hate her for years. Harper Davidson has been ingrained on my heart since we were kids, and now she's tattooed on my skin. But she'll never know about either. Not when she's better off thinking we're enemies. Having her in my space every day and sharing a wall with her every night is a challenge I never saw coming. A challenge I'm not sure I'm up to. Especially when our daytime games turn into nighttime dares, pushing each other to the breaking point until our neighbors know exactly who's making her scream. As lines blur and feelings deepen, we begin teetering on the edge of something more. And it's becoming harder to pretend that this is nothing-that she is nothing. Because this second chance is starting to feel like a last chance. It's always been her for me, but I'm broken beyond repair and don't know how to be the man she needs. These demons in my closet are never silent, and I'll do anything to keep them from dragging her down with me. Even if that means letting her go again.

Turns out the gorgeous stranger I had a one-night stand with is not only my sister's best friend but also my new employee.Worse? I shared a whole lot more with Avery than one mind-blowing night.I told her my deepest, darkest secret. Despite my constant worry that she'll let the truth slip to my family, I can't stay away from her. And when we're tossed together for an out of town trip and forced to share a room with only one bed, the chemistry between us finally explodes...again.I have no problem making her see stars-or breaking the bed. The trouble is, the longer our secret relationship goes on, the more I want to keep her. But she's eight years my junior, the sunshine to my grump, and I know her free spirit wants more than the small town of Starlight Cove can offer. I know no one could ever give her more pleasure than I will, but I refuse to hold her back.Even if that means letting her go when her three month contract is up.

Turns out the gorgeous stranger I had a one-night stand with is not only my sister's best friend but also my new employee.Worse? I shared a whole lot more with Avery than one mind-blowing night.I told her my deepest, darkest secret. Despite my constant worry that she'll let the truth slip to my family, I can't stay away from her. And when we're tossed together for an out of town trip and forced to share a room with only one bed, the chemistry between us finally explodes...again.I have no problem making her see stars-or breaking the bed. The trouble is, the longer our secret relationship goes on, the more I want to keep her. But she's eight years my junior, the sunshine to my grump, and I know her free spirit wants more than the small town of Starlight Cove can offer. I know no one could ever give her more pleasure than I will, but I refuse to hold her back.Even if that means letting her go when her three month contract is up.

From award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh comes the complete Reluctant Hearts series plus bonus story featuring strong-willed heroines and the heroes who fall head over heels for them. This collection includes trope favorites such as opposites attract, friends to lovers, single mom, best friend's little sister, next door neighbor, and enemies to lovers. Dive into these five steamy reads Caged in WinterWinter Jacobson doesn't have room in her life for a man. She's fought hard to get as far away as possible from the rubble she was born in to, and she's so close she can taste it. She doesn't have time for distractions, certainly not when they come in the form of a 6'4" wannabe Prince Charming. Tessa Ever AfterNo one's off-limits for this playboy...except his best friend's little sister. Jason's the very definition of trouble, but Tessa can't get him out of her mind...or her bed. And every day she spends by his side only serves to keep her from the one thing she wants more than anything-a happily ever after. Mine for Tonight (a bonus story)Paige Bennett thought all she had in store for the night was some girl time with her besties, but when they bail early-on her and on the evening-she catches a ride home with the one guy she knows she shouldn't want. And if that isn't bad enough, she invites him in for a whole different kind of ride. Paige in ProgressPaige doesn't want or need a Happily Ever After, but after the best one-night stand she's ever had becomes her new neighbor, things get complicated. Adam, her best friend's surrogate brother, moves in across the hall, and what was supposed to be a single night of fun turns into an every-night stand she can't forget. Our Love UnhingedWhen her knight in shining armor pops the question, Winter says yes. Of course she does. But two years isn't long in the grand scheme of things, and certainly not enough time to erase the memories of the past. Sometimes, even the greatest love can't silence fears.

Quinn Cartwright sees me as nothing more than her rival...her enemy. But I've been obsessed with her since we were teenagers. She's gorgeous and brilliant with a tongue sharp enough to cut glass...and she has no idea I love it as much as I do. So when she needs someone to put a ring on it because of her a-hole boss, I marry her without hesitation. We draw up a contract on a napkin. This marriage might be fake, but no one in our small town has to know. She may never see me as anything more than a playboy, but sleeping in the same bed together night after night makes me want to put my skills to use and prove just how good this fake marriage can be...

Quinn Cartwright sees me as nothing more than her rival...her enemy. But I've been obsessed with her since we were teenagers. She's gorgeous and brilliant with a tongue sharp enough to cut glass...and she has no idea I love it as much as I do. So when she needs someone to put a ring on it because of her a-hole boss, I marry her without hesitation. We draw up a contract on a napkin. This marriage might be fake, but no one in our small town has to know. She may never see me as anything more than a playboy, but sleeping in the same bed together night after night makes me want to put my skills to use and prove just how good this fake marriage can be...

I've slapped my cuffs on Luna Lancaster too many times to count and not a single one was for fun. As the sheriff of Starlight Cove, I shouldn't crave her, but I do. She's chaos, mayhem, and sunshine wrapped up in too-tight yoga pants. The lawbreaker might have the town enamored with her free spirit, but she's a thorn in my side, even if she is the sexiest woman I've ever seen. I want her out of my town and out of my head. Trouble is, she's made it perfectly clear she's not going anywhere. And her spree of minor infractions-who runs a yoga class without a license?-is hitting dangerously close to home. Her latest protest has her chained to a tree on the boundary of my family's resort. The last thing we need is bad press ruining the short tourism season when the resort is already one bad month away from bankruptcy. I'll do whatever it takes to save Starlight Cove. Even if that means handcuffing Luna to my bed.