"I can feel it," he said with his back still turned to me.

"What?"

"You eye-raping me," he chuckled and turned around.

"Don't you own a shirt?" I rolled my eyes at him, trying to keep my cool. "And why are you calling me out here for?"

Ryder smirked. He cleaned his hands with a towel and tossed it off somewhere. "To pick up where we left off," he said as he stalked towards me.

I didn't move away, I was too entranced. In one swift move, Ryder grabbed my face with both hands and he kissed me fiercely and passionately. Just the contact was enough to send shivers up and down my spine. I couldn’t hold back anymore, so I kissed him back, feverishly. He smiled and I smiled too, and he used this opportunity to slip his tongue inside.



***What happens when a girl falls in love with the one person she's not supposed to?***

"You and me, and never us: a complicated series of almost-interactions."

It's the summer before college and Kara is forced to spend the holidays with her new family. Little does she know, a lot can happen in one hot summer.

The moment Kara lays her eyes on Ryder, she knows she's a goner. She has never met anyone as sexy, fun, and liberating. But she's made a promise that she won't give herself away before marriage.

The moment Ryder lays his eyes on Kara, he knows his life wouldn't be the same again. He has never met a girl so pure and genuine. He's made it his life mission to be with her, for better or for worse.

"If God is love, you're my religion."

Sometimes we can't choose who we fall in love with. Kara and Ryder's love for one another is the kind of love that only comes once in a blue moon, but unfortunately, they can never be anything more than a brother and sister. 

All that love, yet it is barely anything at all...

Barely: A Stepbrother Story

Epilogue

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SIX MONTHS LATER
NEW YORK CITY
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
[ K A R A ]
"I still can't believe you're getting married to Ryder next week," mom said as she stomped to the kitchen with our dirty plates.
"You've known him how long exactly? Three months...

57: The Magic Carpet

Prologue

1: The Meet Cute

2: The Purity Ring

3: The Cotton Candy

4: The Odylic Force

5: The Burning Man

6: The Dark Knight

7: The Dream Catcher

8: The Morning Glory

9: The Crashing Tide

10: The Grand Gesture

11: The Hidden Treasure

12: The Silent Words

13: The Fire Works

14: The Ground Rule

15: The Chasing Cars

16: The Dare Devils

17: The Passing Fancy

18: The Redemption Song

19: The Special Guest

20: The Stolen Dance

21: The Purple Rain

22: The Young Blood

23: The Moon Honey

24: The Contingency Plan

25: The Electric Shock

26: The Secret Nights

27: The Family Affair

28: The Breaking Dawn

29: The Sweet Disposition

30: The Closing Time

31: The Heart Matters

32: The Changing Season

33: The Final Call

34: The Secret Admirer

35: The Yellow Light

36: The Breakfast Club

37: The Unfinished Story

38: The New Testament

39: The Escape Route

40: The Happy Camper

41: The Lost Stars

42: The Never Enough

43: The Unsung Hero

44: The Fallen Angel

45: The Ornate Cage

46: The Infinite Distance

47: The Wronged Rights

48: The Righted Wrongs

49: The Narrow Path

50: The Home Coming

51: The Memory Lane

52: The Forever Young

53: The Joshua Tree

54: The Savage Love

55: The Holy Hour

56: The Time Travel

58: The Promised Land

59: The Pura Vida

60: The Blue Moon

61: Gabe & Ava

62: Cole & Elle

63: Judah & Taya

64: Peter & Lacey

65: The Honey Moon

66: Letters To “K”