Masked Men

My boyfriend was perfect, up until he wasn't. When Mr. Vanilla found out about my deepest, darkest fantasies, he spread them all over campus and shamed me in the worst way possible. I dropped out of college and moved to a small town, where I have just inherited a house from my long-lost grandmother. I'm determined to get my life back on track and leave my old life behind. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be chased by a masked man through a haunted house on my first night in town. Or that he would make good on his promise to bring a friend next time.

I planned to arrive early at our remote lakeside cabin for a solo week of much-needed rest and relaxation before Thanksgiving. That was until my brother called and told me his best friends, my childhood crushes, would be there early too. I convinced myself it was fine. Besides, that was four years ago, and after they ghosted me, I got over them.

When my uncle offered me his apartment for the week, I planned to drown my sorrows in alcohol and seasonal music, wallowing in peace. What I didn't expect was for three men in Santa suits and glow masks to show up unannounced. Apparently, my best friend took it upon herself to sign me up for a fantasy-fulfillment website. I just hadn't realized she actually booked an experience for me.

Love is my favorite thing in the world. The grand gestures, the butterflies, the happily ever after. I live for it all. The problem? My love life is a total disaster. No one ever measures up to my three best friends—Storm, Zayne, and Julius. They're perfect in every way...except for the tiny detail that they don't see me as anything more than a friend.

All I wanted was to add a little excitement to my love life, maybe take a risk and step out of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, my bright idea to tie myself to a chair for my now ex-boyfriend went horribly wrong, and I got a little stuck. Humiliated, I had no choice but to call my stepbrother, Micah, for help, and because the universe has a twisted sense of humor, he brought his two best friends, Jace and Zac, along for the ride.

The View4U competition was supposed to be fun. A way to help someone live out their fantasy, with no strings or feelings. But then I started to want more from him. I crave it. Crave him. I didn’t expect to fall for the man who offered me a place to stay. Or the broody one who keeps pushing me away even as his eyes plead for me not to go. Then there’s the one who started it all, who makes me feel seen in a way I’ve never been before.

Sometimes the universe gives you exactly what you ask for. Even when you’re too scared to say it out loud. I came to Copper Creek to start over. What I didn’t expect was three masked cowboys to show up on horseback, turning my darkest fantasies into reality. They chased me like I’d asked them to and left me wanting more. I didn’t know who they were, only that they saw the real me. They gave me what no one else could.

Sometimes life hands you a fork in the road. Mine feels more like a tidal wave crashing down on me, just as I'm about to turn thirty. Until now, I've been trying to live up to my mother's impossible standards while drowning in deadlines, but I've finally had enough. Bluebell Bay is my escape plan. It's a chance to figure out what I want from life, a place I don't have to pretend. Two weeks to relax and decide on my next steps. Three masked men, one game of chase, and a night that awakens some things inside me I didn't know I'd buried—desire, freedom, and the need for something real.

I’ve always wanted to be stalked. Turns out, I already am. Signing that contract was supposed to give me control, masked strangers, the illusion of danger, and a fantasy I could walk away from. Except the men who answered weren’t strangers at all. They chased me through cemeteries, cornered me in libraries, and left notes on my pillow while I slept. I thought it was a game I controlled. Then the masks came off. They intercepted my contract. Hacked the website and manipulated everything to make me theirs. One of them has been watching me for months before I ever signed anything.