Woke Up To A Husband

> Ethan was a zero—a nobody in a struggling family, bullied and underestimated. But when he learned to "level up" his skills and mindset, everything changed. With the guidance of his savvy grandmother, a brilliant tech friend, an entrepreneurial aunt, and his sister's unwavering belief in him, Ethan set out to defy expectations. Together, they taught him the keys to financial literacy, coding, and business success. In a world that felt like a game, Ethan began to chart his own course toward wealth, success, and confidence. Through setbacks, betrayals, and hard lessons, Ethan would discover that the path to becoming a billionaire is not just about money—it's about mastering life itself. Level Up: From Zero to Billionaire is an inspiring story of personal growth, financial empowerment, and the life-changing power of mentorship. Follow Ethan as he tackles life’s greatest challenges in a journey full of heart, ambition, and the ultimate goal: financial freedom.

Kael Draven, the strongest human who fought against the Anthi-Org—a universal threat set on conquering the universe—was betrayed by one of his own when victory was almost within reach. He and his allies were known as the Exo Primevals, the first to wield an Exoskeleton suit known as Aegis Prime—a powerful piece of equipment created by the most advanced species to finally destroy the Anthi-Org and end the war. But with his teammate betrayal, Kael was sealed away in impenetrable ice, his people’s planets fell under enemy control, and the Anthi-Org rose to dominance. The Exo Primevals were forced to retreat, doing what they could to salvage what remained of their worlds. Countless lives were lost. Centuries passed, and Kael’s icy prison eventually shattered. The strongest human—or what used to be—woke up in a future he barely recognized. Learning that the Anthi-Org won, Kael is now driven by revenge. He vows to find the one who betrayed him and finish what he started. The war may be lost, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be reignited. --- Additional Tags: Cold blooded protagonist, Smut, S*x Scenes, Antihero, *sshole Protagonist and more, mainly for flexibility. What to expect: This novel is LitRPG. If you are a fan of Power Rangers/Kamen Rider, Warframe, and other Suit related novel/movies/shows then this is for you. Try to read for at least 20 chapters and see if this novel fits your taste. It's slow at first as the world and structure of the story is forming along the way.

"Now you see?" she shouted in a mix of annoyance and disappointment. "You can't outsmart Scrients! They're the most intelligent beings across the two realms." "You're right," I muttered, averting my gaze with a heavy sigh. "I made a mistake. I was too arrogant to think that a mere human like me could fool them." —BOOM!! "Heik! Wh-What was that?" "Hmm? I'm not sure. Maybe you should go and ask the most intelligent beings across the two realms. Oh wait, you can't. I killed them all.” ______ My name is Samael Kaizer Theosbane. On the last day of high school, I got into a fight with a kid I used to bully. It was a stupid, pointless scuffle, and in the middle of it, I tripped and hit my head on a rock. That’s when the memories came flooding in - the memories of another life, of a different world. Suddenly, everything made a twisted kind of sense. I realized two things. First, I was in a game I used to play in my past life. Second, I was a villain. A villain! Not the cool and mysterious kind, either. No, my destiny was to be manipulated and die a dog's death! I was the worst type of cliché: an ungrateful, privileged, insufferable young master. The sort you'd find in those poorly written fantasy stories. The kind everyone hates — a snobby brat from a powerful noble family who thinks he owns the world just because he was born with a silver spoon lodged in his mouth. You know the type. The one the hero beats to a pulp to prove his worth. Yeah, I was that guy. And the hero? The hero was the kid I’d been bullying all this time. The same one I got into a fight with. He was the supposed savior of this damned world. A world teetering on the edge of destruction, beset by wars, calamities, and a grim future that only I knew. And at the end of it all, the final antagonist of the game, the undefeatable boss… the Spirit King, was waiting. But could I even make it to the end? Could I conquer a game where defeat was the only certainty? A game that was now my reality! “Ah, fuck it.” I had no idea if I could, but I sure as hell was going to try. Extorting extras, manipulating main characters, twisting the story to my advantage, stealing the hero’s cheat items, killing villains before they could become threats - nothing was beneath me. Would the main characters be affected? Who cares! Would the story change? Even better! All I cared about was me—my survival, my life, my choices. “I will live this life with no regrets.” …But as I soon discovered, fate was not easily changed. And the price of altering one's destiny was steep.

[Congratulations! The system will guide you to find a handsome and kind husband in the apocalypse!] After being killed by the demon king, the demon queen had a second chance to live in the body of a woman in the apocalyptic world, Medeia Vega. Their planet has apparently been hit by cosmic radiation, causing living things to mutate and develop unique abilities. People with weak mental states couldn't keep their humanity and turned into monsters, while the survivors had to fight those monsters endlessly to stay alive. Her main mission in that world was to find a kind-hearted husband, but it just so happened that Medeia also built a safe haven for people. Would she be able to find the man of her dreams in the apocalypse? ———— [Before dating a kind hearted man, you should also have a pure heart!] "Fuck." [Foul language detected! Penalty minus 20 points!] "Damn you—" [Foul language detected! Penalty minus 30 points!] "You shitty system, how dare you keep reducing my point?! I hope you rot in hell, you bastard!" [Foul language detected! Bad curse detected! Penalty minus 100 points!!!] ——— NOTE: This is not HAREM story The story is set in a post-apocalypse mutated world, so there will be; - monsters - mutant abilities - action - romance - smut?? let's see~ ––— The cover is mine, please don't use it!

That guy was my friend's boyfriend. After they fought, he came home and said he wanted my opinion. What exactly made his girlfriend change? I, who didn't have a bad feeling at all, put him in the house. Then he killed me! That bastard stabbed me multiple times with a kitchen knife and killed me. Even though he knew tomorrow was my wedding day. How sad. A death that made me curse all efforts. But, what could I do? I thought I was dead. I did. Because at that moment I didn't feel any air in my lungs. Because everything went dark. I didn't know anything until I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful ceiling with crystal chandeliers. Are there hospitals like this? I'm sure that even if the apartment I lived in was sold, I wouldn't be able to buy that crystal chandelier! "She's alive! SHE'S ALIVE! LADY ELEONORA IS ALIVE!" I turned my head and saw an old woman running while screaming. I'm alive? Really? But who is Eleonora? I'm Cristy! I don't understand anything yet. Not a single thing. People started introducing themselves as my parents, future in-laws, and fiancé. But I knew that none of them were telling the truth! Their smiling faces were terrifying masks. My gut screamed at me to run away. And I knew that my gut never lied!

In an era where kingdoms rise and fall by the sword and the power of cultivation, King Li Yuan—feared as the “Crimson Dragon”—invades the Kingdom of Yue, determined to claim both land and power. But amidst the spoils of war, he finds something unexpected: Prince Rui, the last bloodline of Yue, rumored to possess a divine spiritual root that could make him the most powerful cultivator of his generation. Rather than executing Rui, Li Yuan makes a bold declaration: the prince will become his consort. Not just for love, but to bind Rui’s unparalleled cultivation potential to his own dynasty. Yet, Rui refuses to surrender—neither his heart nor his power. As he resists Li Yuan at every turn, their fates become entwined by an ancient prophecy, court conspiracies, and the dangerous path of dual cultivation. Enemies by birth, bound by destiny—will love bloom in the shadows of war and magic? Or will their ambitions and pride destroy them both?

Hunted for the Alchemical Book in her hand - Mu Ruyue wakes up in the body of a wastrel in Shenwu Continent - a martial arts dominated world. Her fiancé has jilted her in favor of her foster sister. Her father condones her abuse. Her younger sister wishes she was never born. And the whole country ridicules and insults her for being a first-rate wastrel. Wastrel? Not at all. With the Alchemical Book in her hand, what pills and elixirs can't she refine? Jilted? She'd rather marry the pure and innocent Ghost King, Ye Wuchen. ---- Mu Ruyue: Stop calling me Sister! Ye Wuchen: Can I call you Wife then? Mu Ruyue: Not that either! Ye Wuchen: (about to cry) Mu Ruyue: (sighs) Suit yourself. Ye Wuchen then leans forward and kisses the corners of her lips. Mu Ruyue: …Did a child just steal her first kiss? ---- Brother 1: Let her go! Brother 2: She is my mother, why should I let go of her! Brother 1: Don't ever think of robbing my mother! Mu Ruyue: Let me introduce you, Jing'er, this is your younger brother. Huang'er, this is your elder brother. Huang'er: Mother, this stupid boy bullied me. He's not my brother. Jing'er: Little guy, from now on, you must listen to me. Ye Wuchen: (How exactly do these two regard him? They dare fight over his wife in front of him...)

The Silver Python Cheongsam, an heirloom, inexplicably came to life one day...

After her parents passed away, all of her family's inheritance was taken away by her uncle. Daisy, who used to be a rich, young lady, fell on hard times and was forced to marry one of the family's bodyguards. Steven, who was the Wilson Family's best, treated her coldly and arrogantly all day long. Suddenly one day, she discovered that the heir to the Martinez Family looked exactly like her husband. Daisy asked,"Honey, are you brothers with him?" Steven replied without a change in his expression,"I have nothing to do with such a playboy. Look at me,wife, don't look at him. How can that pretty boy compare to your handsome husband?"

"Are you not scared it might be poisoned?" Abrielle's asked Cedric who drank the wine without hesitation. Cedric leaned closer to her with his head crooked on her neck, his warm intoxicating breath trickling on her skin. His hoarse voice came out lightly. "If the poison is given by my wife, I will drink it without hesitation. It will be an honour to die in your hands." Abrielle's mouth fell agape, stunned by his words. What was wrong with his head? Cedric then bit the tip of her ear to distract her from her thoughts. "Now I have done your bidding, dear wife; it is time you do mine. How about we get rid of this restriction on your body?" Abrielle's face flushed red. This sly scum. She could not wait to kill him. **** Being transmigrated to your favourite novel would be anyone's dream, well, except for Hazel. Hazel, a world-class writer, was transmigrated into her book, "The Dragons and the priestess." after she died in an unfortunate accident a day before her first date with her long-time crush. She was already cussing her luck until she was hit by a double tragedy. Hazel was now Abrielle, the Villainess of the novel, who was destined to die at her husband's hand, Prince Cedric. Struck with this tragedy, Abrielle attempted to escape the border before her wedding but failed miserably. Forced to marry the heartless first prince of Darconia in a marriage that could only be broken with death as the escape, Abrielle came up with another plan."A hundred ways to kill her husband." Abrielle, who finds herself in the middle of the messed up plot of her novel, tries to navigate this world by trying several methods to kill her husband because she refuses to die by her creation's hand. But why does, despite multiple attempts of trying to kill this heartless prince, he refuse to die and just keeps on bothering Abrielle? He should be interested in the female lead and not the villainess! Why don't you join this epic journey and see how Abrielle's and Cedric's story unfold? Would she be able to escape her fate? ***** Note: Abrielle's story starts from the pre-sequel of her actual book The Dragons and the priestess where she discovers how different this world is from her actual book. She tries to navigate the unknown from a disadvantaged stand as a weak talentless noble lady before the actual plot starts **** Please this is my first ever cupid quill entry please support

Cesare Traon Karl Erzet, the Imperial Commander-in-Chief. After three years of service in the war, he returned to propose to Eileen. Eileen struggled to believe that Cesare’s marriage proposal was sincere. After all, from the moment they met when she was ten, The affectionate man had always treated her like a child. “I don’t—I don’t want to marry Your Highness.” For so long, her love for him was unrequited. She did not wish for their marriage to be a transaction. Was it because of the long war? The man, who was normally cool and rational, had changed. His impulsive actions, his unbridled desire for her—they were all too unfamiliar. “This should only be done with someone you love!” “You can also do it with the person you plan to marry.” Eileen was intrigued by this change. And yet, the closer she became with Cesare… She discovered things that defied reason or logic. Eileen learned about her husband’s many evil deeds not long after. “I couldn’t even have your body, Eileen.” Everything he did was for her. He became the villain, only for his Eileen.

Given a second chance to relive her past life, Salmira Renee Cecily St Rose promised this time she will live a spectacular life. Her memory of dying alone in a small cold cabin, old, poor, betrayed and forgotten, made her think of a plan to avoid her fate. One, She needs money, lots and lots of it. Two, She wants a child, no husband. just a child. Three, A dog. She has always wanted one. It would be white and her name would be Kisses. Four, She needs a new home. To raise the child it would have to be a large cottage or a small state. Five, A new identity. She needs to fake her death, escape her family, and disappear into the countryside. Sierra could not wait. Nowadays, her mind was filled with daydreams of chasing her future offspring as they ran through the hills while a fluffy white cloud of a dog circles them. Ah, a life of bliss. She would finally have everything she ever wanted. At least that was everything, until one day she met Vincent Henry William St Louis. The 4rth Duke of Byrose. An event that never happened in her previous unmarried life. Oh, but he is handsome, a confirmed bachelor, Incredibly rude, appallingly sarcastic, and excitingly dangerous too. He is exactly the type of man she use to guiltily fantasize about as she lies awake in her bed at night. A real-life protagonist from those forbidden scandalous novels she kept hidden at the bottom of her trunk. As a lady, she should have run away from him, he is known to have already ruined several debutantes, instead what she did is add one more thing to her to-do list. Six, Aim for a steamy and passionate tryst with the Duke. Blackmail him into a dalliance and never ever give up. #comedy #romance #fantasy #historical #isekai

Lynn is both blessed and cursed, a man who walks the razor’s edge between mercy and cruelty. To some, he is a savior. To others, a monster. His choices are unfathomable—spare a murderer, slaughter the innocent, tear one family apart while leaving another untouched. "Must you kill the innocent villagers?" "Why did you save the murderer?" "Why my family and not theirs?" Desperation, fury, grief—people beg for answers, for justice, for fairness. But Lynn only chuckles, his gaze sharp and unyielding, amusement flickering beneath his words. "Why? Because I can. And because it’s interesting this way." He plays with fate as though it were a mere game, weaving chaos and order with the same indifferent hand. But even the most controlled game has unforeseen consequences. And when the world starts pushing back—when his choices come for him—will he still walk the tightrope unshaken? Or will he finally stumble?

My name is Ralph, you already know my life story. I'll bet you've met 7 other guys who share it. Bright ideals crushed by the weight of reality. As inevitable as it was cruel. And yet when that miserable life was meant to reach its end, I was given another chance. A chance to live again as the spoiled princess of a fantasy kingdom. If I'm honest, it felt a bit like the universe was playing a cruel joke on me. Still I had to persevere, or what, would I just waste my life again?

Keira Olsen found herself married without even knowing it! What's more, her husband-out-of-the-blue turned out to be the richest person in town! As an illegitimate daughter, she's been clawing and scrambling her way up, struggling to survive since childhood. She never expected to wed someone so powerful. When everyone thought she'd be quickly divorced, her husband shocked everyone by a declaration."My dear wife, can we not divorce?"

Book One: After Lilith's mysterious disappearance, Ivy must follow her mother's last instructions, leading her to a bizarre land with new and foreign people. Unbeknownst to her, the people of that land are aware of her eventual arrival. However, they are also wary as they've received a prophecy that Ivy could be the savior of their colony or the one who destroys it. Book Two: Still, Zoe is left feeling distracted and distant several months later. Hope is not lost as she receives surprising news that she may(if she plays her cards right) be able to see Ivy again. Book Three: ---------------------------- Next Up is that one dream we all had when we were kids. When we would leave home in search of adventure and all sorts of creatures in our imaginations ran wild in this world. ----------------------------- I will update this story every Monday and now Saturday with a new chapter. "I will be posting this story on RoyalRoad.com" as well as ScribbleHub

Min Hyun and his comrade's failed to defend against "God?" army at the 100th floor of the tower. After all the sacrifices, bloodshed and battles they went through, it was all gone to nothing. Then a system message appears to him, "A Great Entity has given you a second chances". This novel was greatly inspired by "Levelling Up With The Gods" One day, the authors(me) wake up and decided to make this novel, so don't expect too much from a half asses make novel. Still I'll be grateful for your support. English is not my main language, so this novel has alot of broken grammar. Enjoy :)

[Mature Content.] ** [COMPLETED.] ** Winter’s second marriage was nothing like the fairytale of her first. She spent the past two years being intimidated and abused by her evil mother-in-law, Camilla. She endured it all for the sake of her second husband, Sebastian. But she was finally pushed to her breaking point when she found out that Sebastian cheated on her and seized all of her assets accumulated from her previous marriage. Winter was left with nothing but a baby in her womb. - “You have taken everything from me, Sebastian Saenz. So I will take this baby with me to the grave. He doesn’t deserve to be born unloved by his scum father,” Winter said before she jumped from the balcony and plunged to her death. - She thought she’d end up in the afterlife with her first late husband. But she found herself back in the past, two years earlier when she had just finished her wedding reception with Sebastian Saenz. Thus, equipped with the knowledge of her misfortune that would happen two years from now on, she vowed to protect herself and everything that her first husband left for her from the hands of her greedy second husband and mother-in-law. But what would happen if Sebastian also returned back in time to beg for her forgiveness. Would she give him a second chance? Or would she destroy him just like how he destroyed her in their previous life? - “What should I do so you will forgive me, Winter?” Sebastian asked as he was on his knees. “You are the only one I have, so please…” Winter stood coldly, staring down at the man who ruined her in the previous life, “Then I will take everything from you, Sebastian. I want you to know the anguish I felt in my last moment.” ** All pictures are commissioned Contact me on Instagram: @foreverpupa ** Check out my other books! - Divorced My Scum Husband, Married His Evil Brother (Completed) - He Stole Me From My Deadbeat Husband (Completed) - She Becomes A Hot Sensation After A Scandalous Affair (Completed)

After five years, Ning Xi returned to the place that had pushed her away — home. With a sister who turned her parents against her and made her childhood sweetheart betray her, the odds seemed grey. However, five years abroad had changed her, and she came home to fulfil her childhood dream of becoming an actress. Despite her evil sister still out to get her, tables will be turned. One day, after falling into one of her sister's schemes, she saves an adorable kid and found herself staying at his house to help him come out of his shell. Slowly, his father Lu Tingxiao began falling for her. This was before they realised how their lives had been intertwined all this while without their knowledge.

Victoria a little girl of 7 years filled with innocence encounters harsh and disturbing moments after being kidnapped by terrorist while on a school trip and becomes an underworld queen after 20 years of handling harsh enviorment and bitter truth.

[R18+] I woke up in the body of a bully who stole people's girlfriends. Obviously, I wasn't comfortable with continuing to do that, but with my life on the line and a system that encourages such actions, I'm forced to play my role. However, I'm not some sort of twisted individual who only goes for girls who already have boyfriends like the original. And yet, these girls in relationships keep misunderstanding! "Hey... what are you doing in my house? No. I'm not going to beat up your childhood friend. Why are you undressing?" "What do you mean you broke up with your boyfriend because of me? I've not talked to him in a month. You're saying you broke up with him to protect him from me? What?" (FOR NEW READERS: The chapters labeled "(OG)" are the original chapters of the story. They are like rough drafts. The official chapters don't have them. They're the same story but also different. 50/50. Biggest difference is that the original had no system. You can read both if you want. Both will be updated although the (OG) will be less frequent and most of the time will only be updated when the main story catches up to them storywise.)

“Congratulations, you have been hired as the personal assistant…” “Really!” Grace exclaimed even before Jace Brandon, the CEO of Brandon Corporations could finish his statement. The growing sparkle in Grace’s eyes did not escape the keen sight of Jace. “To my son,” he completed. “Yes, I’m very much delighted to take up the position of the personal assistant to … your what?!” Grace’s eyes almost popped out of their socket as she completed “son?” listlessly. “You heard me right,” Jace replied coldly as he stared at Grace. “Is that not the same as being employed as your child’s nanny?” Grace asked doubtfully. “If you want to put it that way, yes.” Jace replied nonchalantly. “In other words…” Grace began. “You are officially my son’s nanny, if you accept the offer,” Jace Brandon completed. “If there is nothing else, this interview is officially over.” ********* Grace Fowler, who had always dreamt of becoming a top designer in the biggest designing firm in the country was blacklisted for exposing sensitive company information due to a set up by the ones she trusted the most— her boyfriend and her kid sister. Shattered and battered, she set out for greener pastures in an unknown land and ended up being hired as a nanny to the son of Jace Brandon, the wealthiest billionaire in San Francisco. But the scariest thing was when her job description was gradually amended to not only taking care of the five year old autistic son of the CEO but the widowed CEO himself. What does the future hold for her when suddenly, everything around her begins to change and her past comes calling again with the sudden appearance of her boss’s late wife. Will Grace be able to let go of her past and embrace the joy of fighting for the heart of the man her heart yearns for, or settle for happiness in the arms of Trent, her boss’s cousin, who literally adores the ground Grace walks on?

“When womaniser, 30-year-old office worker Lee Minho wakes up in the body of a 19th-century Korean maid, he must navigate a world of strict hierarchies, mysterious curses, and unexpected romance. Can he survive as a woman in a man’s world—or will he be trapped in this strange new life forever?”

I woke up, but something was wrong... I was in the body of the Final Boss of a Video Game I played!

Charlotte Bourbon, a 19-year-old widow, was happy in her life after she got married to the man of her dreams. However, because of a sudden illness, her husband died within a month, and Charlotte's life came to a sudden halt. ‘She became the curse for her husband that he died young.’ ‘She is the one, who killed her husband.’ ‘She should have died with her husband.’ Numerous such things Charlotte would hear from the people around her in the palace when she decided to take her life. However, was it that easy to die? Édouard Bourdillon was the eldest son of King Christian Bourdillon of the Kingdom of Escana. He decided to marry the widow of his late younger brother so that he could take over the Beromont territory which his brother possessed. But was this the only reason he wanted to marry Charlotte? ~~~~~~~~ "What are you doing?" Terrified Charlotte asked as she saw Édouard unbuttoning his shirt. "I am hot, so I am taking off the shirt," Édouard said and reached for the last button. "But it's cold weather," Charlotte said and knitted her brows. "Not here, Charlotte. Your mere presence around me makes me hot," Édouard said and took off the shirt. "Ahhh!" Charlotte quickly brought her hands in front of her eyes and covered them. From the gaps between her fingers, she peeked out of curiosity. A lump formed in her throat as she saw his perfectly carved body with a few scars on the chest and near the abdomen. Charlotte saw him approaching her and she tightly shut her eyes. A few seconds later, when she realized everything was so quiet, she opened her eyes again and found him before her. She promptly moved back and hit the wall behind her. She thought to leave the room when Édouard caged her petite body between his arms. "Are you going to—" "Yes. I want to be wild with you tonight, Little Cherry," Édouard said with a smirk, and the next second, he lifted her in his arms. ~~~~~ *Cover art is mine. Made by "HS AONARAN" available on FB* Follow me on Instagram: rayoflight_pcy

Tired of watching her friends' lives blossom while hers remained stubbornly ordinary, Juliet hatched a daring plan: a scandal with the seemingly untouchable president of the Cotex Group. He was perfection personified—until she decided to shatter that image. This wasn't about ambition; it was about escape. A desperate bid to break free from the monotony of her existence, to trade quiet desperation for explosive chaos. The risk? Insignificant compared to the suffocating predictability of her life. It was the perfect plan...until the president's carefully constructed façade crumbled, revealing a secret that would entangle Juliet in a web far more complex than she ever imagined.

Nora is shattered a month before her wedding when she uncovers her fiancé's deceitful affair. As she manages this betrayal, she discovers a deep ploy to hinder her from claiming her rightful inheritance. Devastated but determined, Nora takes a daring step to regain control of her life. Enter Demetri 'The Demon' to those who know him, a formidable man barely known to her, who offers her protection and support in return for a contract marriage to satisfy him. In a twist of fate, Nora marries Demetri to claim her inheritance and fight those who plotted against her. But as she battles her own family and Demetri's many rivals, will she be able to keep from falling for the man known to crush people beneath his booted heel. Excerpt: She had forgotten that the man was intimidating and directly challenged him. Rather than speaking, Demetri rose from his seat and approached her deliberately. Although it was a mere few steps, time seemed to stretch for Nora. When he was almost within touching distance, his hand gently landed on her knee, moving it sideways. His touch moved with a hint of a caress, and he stepped between her open legs. Nora sat there in frozen silence, her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. Catching her chin between his fingers, he tilted her face upwards and spoke unhurriedly," You are my wife." She nodded her head slowly in affirmation while his thumb slowly traced her lip. "I have given you time to gather your emotions." Another nod. Nora's nervousness made her lick her lips, acutely aware of his intense gaze fixed upon them. "Your reason for the marriage was to secure your inheritance and get away from under your mother's thumb." "Yes..." Nora whispered in confusion. Her confusion was not about his statement but about the bewildering sensations coursing through her. What was happening with her? "It's time for you to fulfil your end of the contract, yes?" He continued. "Yes," Nora whispered breathlessly. Why was she breathless? Had the oxygen level in the house dropped? Was the air suddenly thinning? Abruptly, his hand left her face, and she watched as he drew closer. It was then that Nora comprehended what was unfolding. All those tantalizing, heart-pounding kisses she had read about in novels were about to possibly become her reality. But the anticipated kiss didn't happen. Instead, he paused near her and commanded, "Kiss me."