Novels by Esswrites

"What did you just say?" I asked, my fingers nervously tracing the collar of my dress as a sudden wave of heat rushed up my neck."I asked if you wanted to be my real girlfriend," Ethan repeated, his dark eyes piercing directly into mine, refusing to let me look away."Come on, Ethan, that’s impossible," I told him, trying to ground myself in reality. "Is this because of the kisses? Because we can totally stop. Besides, it only happened in the heat of the moment. I mean, friends kiss all the time under pressure, but I really can't open my heart right now. It's still healing."The second the words left my mouth, Ethan burst into a deep, hearty laugh, throwing his head back and clutching his stomach."You seriously need to see your face right now," he managed to say through his laughter. "I was just playing with you, Kattie. I know you don't like me enough to actually date me."As much as a massive wave of relief washed over me, a tiny, girly part of my heart secretly wished he had mean

​"Your girl?" Cole retorted, finally letting go of my wrist as he stepped back. A bitter, disbelieving laugh slipped from his lips. "What is really going on here, Vance? Are you seriously going to let her involve you in her games? Katherine loves me. She’s just using you to get over me." ​Ethan chuckled, but the sound was completely devoid of humor. It was dark, mocking, and dangerous. ​"Love? I think you’ve got it completely backward, mate," Ethan said, his voice dropping into a deadly, quiet register. "You're the one who is still pathetically hung up on my girl. Is that why you kept losing your balance on the rink? Listen to me carefully, Saltzman,don't you ever come close to her again. She's mine, and I don't like sharing what belongs to me. So you better stay the hell away, or else I’ll make you deeply regret ever stepping foot into this gala." ​Ethan stared him down, his dark eyes ablaze with a fierce, protective anger. Cole actually shook slightly under his gaze. ​Sensing

My heart took a violent,plunge into my stomach as the heavy knocks echoed from the front door. Janice gave me a dramatic, wide eyed look, silently mouthing, “He’s here.” I took one final, grounding breath, smoothing down the luxurious fabric of the dress before walking out of my room. As I made my way down the staircase, my parents and Janice trailed closely behind me, practically radiating nervous excitement. When my dad pulled the front door open, the breath completely left my lungs. Ethan Vance stood on our porch, looking so devastatingly handsome it should have been illegal. He was wearing a custom tailored black tuxedo that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, his dark hair expertly styled. For a fraction of a second, his composure completely faltered. His intense eyes locked onto me, sweeping down my length, and his jaw subtly tightened. He was completely breathless. But within a heartbeat, the smooth playboy persona slid right back into place, and he flashed a brilliant

I slowly untied the silk ribbon and lifted the lid of the massive box. Resting inside was a breathtaking dinner dress, paired with a matching designer purse and a pair of elegant heels. Tucked into the folds of the fabric was another note. “It’s for a gala this evening, love. Please be my date. And before you even think about saying no, Cole will be there alongside your school’s hockey team. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss that. I’ll pick you up at seven. Ethan, your sweet boy.” I practically rolled my eyes at his parting words, but as I lifted the dress to examine it, my breath caught. It was exactly my style. More shocking, though, was the label,it was my exact dress size, and the shoes were a fit for my feet. How on earth did he find out? I picked up my phone and speed dialed Janice. It rang for a few seconds before she finally picked up, sounding completely breathless. "Hey, girl," she gasped into the line. I rolled my eyes, instantly knowing what she had been up to.

"Go ahead, I'm listening," I told him, crossing my arms over the table. "What are the rules?" "Well..." he started, pausing briefly as the waitress returned with our order. She laid the plates down with a bright smile, and Ethan caught her eye, flashing her a quick, effortless wink. The girl immediately giggled, her cheeks flushing crimson before she walked away. The second she was out of earshot, Janice executed a perfect, exaggerated mimic of the waitress's high pitched giggle. We all burst into light laughter, the tension in the room instantly melting away. Ethan cleared his throat, his expression transitioning into something far more serious. He leaned forward, bracing his forearms against the table as his intense gaze locked onto mine. "Back to business. Look, I’m really delighted that you decided to give me a chance," he said, his tone entirely sincere. "I didn't want to bind you to a strict legal contract. I believe that if you truly wanted to say no, you would have,even t

​"Well, I'm just trying to pay back your kindness towards me," I told him, keeping my eyes locked on my reflection in the mirror, trying to steady myself.​"I'm flattered," Ethan’s smooth baritone hummed through the speaker. "So, what's your decision, love? Are you going to help me out or not?"​"I guess it's quite obvious from the first statement I made," I countered, crossing my arms.​"Feisty. I like it," he said, a loud, rich laugh vibrating down the line. "But I want to hear you say it."​"Why should I say it?" I asked, a sudden wave of heat rushing to my cheeks. Why was a silly phone call making me feel so suddenly shy?​"Come on," he chuckled, his tone teasing but laced with that effortless authority he always carried.​I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll be your fake girlfriend."​"Yes! I knew you were going to accept my proposal. Actually, I was just sitting here waiting for your call," he said smoothly. "Besides, I knew you'd want to pay me back for my kindness."​Before I cou