#Alexa Aston

[readtilyoudie]

His lips touched hers gently at first, causing her to want more. His hands slipped to her neck, caressing it as his kiss grew more urgent. Without him prodding her, she opened to him, causing a low groan to emerge from the back of his throat. His fingers went to her shoulders, tightening, as she felt herself moved back a step. The tree pressed against her back, his body close enough to pin her against it. Miles radiated heat, which spread to her, racing through her, her blood singing and her skin heating at his touch. 

His tongue swept inside her mouth, toying with hers, engaging her in an unspoken game. Her palms crept up and her fingers touched his jaw, feeling the slight end-of-day stubble beneath her fingertips. She stroked his jaw and more low sounds emerged from him. His hands moved to her waist, anchoring her

-  Discouraging the Duke(Dukes Done Wrong #1) by Alexa Aston

[darlenefblog]

Hot Duke Summer: Regency Historical Romance Anthology

Thank you to NetGalley, Dragonblade Publishing, Inc, and all the authors involved for this advance reader copy of the book. Below is my honest review.

By Scarlett Scott, Alexa Aston, Annabelle Anders, Meara Platt, Kathleen Ayers, Chasity Bowlin, Sara Adrien, Jude Knight Publisher: ‎ Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. Publication date: ‎ August 24, 2024 Print length: ‎ 406 pages Rated a 3 out of 5 stars

An anthology of never-before published novellas. What a cute Summer read; it didn't take long to finish each story which is perfect for Summer when I seem to always be on the go. Taking a bit of time for myself was easier to do with each being a short story. I'm always up for a historical romance involving a hot duke. While each story is a standalone some fit into a series if you're interested in reading more of a particular author.

A few of the stories weren't up to par for me. Vering off the historically correct path a bit is ok, but I prefer not to go so far that it's unbelievable. A couple weren't interesting. I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment or bias you unkindly to a story you might think is grand. I'm going to pick my favorite to give you a taste of the material.

Love is the Duke's Best Remedy by Sara Adrien. A play on Pretty Woman and a bit of Cinderella. I've never read any of this authors work and was pleasantly surprised by how well the plot moved along, the dialog was enjoyable, the characters likeable. Edmund and Lola are our couple with Brewster as the bad guy lawyer. For me using the plot of the movie as the basis for the story worked, with a few changes it fit into Regency England without too much fuss. Edmund can't sleep, Lola grows flowers and herbs to sell at an apothecary, Brewster is a mover-and-shaker lawyer using Edmund as his pawn in deals to make himself rich. One of the tweaks is Lola's job. The Cinderella aspect has a bit of a twist but it also works. There're mean shopkeepers, rubies, opera, and a brown polka-dot dress. I loved it.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Meant for the Marquess by Alexa Aston

Second Sons of London #7

 Story of a couple trying to find their way in a future much different from the one they thought would be theirs. A solider no longer able to serve and a lady readying for her debut never to have a season. How do they meet? What draws them to one another? What common ground will they find? And will they be able to find a happy future doing what they are meant to do?

 What I liked;

* The premise of the story and the potential it held

* That it was able to be read without having read the previous books in the series

* That I could see the Julia and Devin together and that they would suit one another

* The close friendship Devin had with the Duke of Woodmont and his cousin

* The Charlie and Freddie, the young boys Julia was governess to

* That it was an easy-to-read predictable story with a happily ever after for the main characters

* Being glad I did not live in that era when women were without recourse and at the mercy of men

* Escaping into the past for a while today

 What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* That at times it was a bit slow and repetitive

 Did I like this book? Well enough

Would I read more by this author? I might

 Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 3-4 Stars

       BLURB

 An army major compelled to leave the military. A lady forced to earn her living. Two souls finding a new way of life . . . and each other . . . along with love. A brutal attack leaves Major Devin Hunt missing two fingers. Unable to fire a gun, he sells his commission and takes refuge with a former fellow officer who has now become a duke. His friend offers Devin the opportunity to become the estate’s steward and forge a new life. Lady Julia Birmingham loses both her parents just before she makes her come-out. Her half-brother, who never considered her family, banishes Julia from her childhood home and she is forced to earn her living, eventually becoming the governess to the Duke of Woodmont’s nephews. Devin asks the family governess to help him to learn to write with his left hand, knowing keeping records is an important part of his new position. Their attraction turns into love and Devin is ready to spend his life with Julia—until he suddenly becomes the Marquess of Bedford. Can Devin convince Julia they can have a life together—or will his new title and wealth tear them apart? Find the answer in bestselling author Alexa Aston’s Meant for the Marquess, the final book in Second Sons of London.

[rt3nenbaum]

i've never in my life been so jealous of pedro de la rosa like i am now

[forzafortyfour]

okay which one of you promised your firstborn to the fae to make Aston succeed?

[vettesebas]

i can't. i CAN'T

[thepersonnamedsam]

taylor, nando and you - fa14

pairing: Fernando Alonso x fem!reader, Fernando Alonso x Taylor Swift

summary: As rumours sparked up that your secret boyfriend was dating Taylor Swift, you joke about having to lose the competition to the all mother. 

word count: 1.1k

warnings: just mother mothering, age of reader is not defined, cheating allegations, only if you squint

note: enjoy this about the allegations with Fernando and our mother :)

masterlist / taglist

Is Fernando Alonso dating Taylor Swift?

Good Morning Los Angeles

Alonso who competes with the British car manufacture ‘Aston Martin’ is being linked with the multiple Grammy winner and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Between the singer and race-car-driver speculations have been mounting the last few days of them possibly dating. 

The Spaniard even adds fuel to the whole dating sparks igniting a fire between them. The F1 driver posts a TikTok with Swift’s song Karma playing in the background. Fans read between the lines and reacted to the Video with comments such as “He definitely knows” or “Alexa play ‘I think he know’ by Taylor Swift”. 

Taylor, recently going through a breakup and Alonso that has not been linked with a girlfriend of his, this means that the possibility of the driver and singer dating has just grown. With Taylor Swift breaking up with long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn, which is why people might try to put two and two together and speculate that the American and the F1 driver might be dating. 

April 2023

The article laid open on your phone, having just read the post from Good Morning Los Angeles. Your brain roamed a thousand thoughts. Nando and Taylor? You and Nando have been dating secretly for the past two years, with you working as a kindergarten teacher, you wouldn’t want to have the media on you all day. Wanting to protect the children and their identity and also yours. You weren’t ready to step a foot into the famous world. But dating rumours including Nando did kind of hurt you. And Taylor Swift of all the famous women he could have been linked with. 

You know the rumours weren’t true, because he was dating you and how in the world would Nando have connections to be dating the All Mother? But you knew, you wouldn’t stand a chance against her. It is Taylor Swift after all – a twelve-time Grammy winner and over all just a goddess. 

Fernando was standing in the kitchen and preparing lunch for them. Not having known about the dating rumours with him and Taylor Swift. His hips swaying lightly to music in the background. Humming lightly and swaying from left to right, his body lightly dancing around the stove. 

Fernando was everything you wanted in a man. Kind and genuine, soft, and sweet and just in general perfect for you. Your relationship was written by a woman, Taylor Swift by all means. He is the man you had never thought to be true. 

You heard your boyfriend singing in the kitchen and your thoughts about him possibly cheating left your mind. This man would never do anything to harm you or anyone particularly. So, thinking about your man dancing and swinging in the kitchen, preparing a meal for you to eat, you had to start smiling. 

Shuffling towards the kitchen you saw him put the dishes away and whistling to Karma by Taylor Swift. It was ironic, you reading about the allegations with him and Taylor and Nando just dancing to her song. 

“You know there are rumours about you dating Taylor Swift?”, with a light smile on your face you watched as he turned his body towards you. “What? Who?”, his face twisted to a confused look. You starred at him with a blank face, blinking at him. “She sings the song you’re listening to right now”, your voice confused and filled with humour. “Oh, her. No, I didn’t know. Should I have known?” A light smiled played on your lips. You just loved his simplicity, not caring about what others think about him or you and just making his own opinion on things. 

“Do you think it’s true?”, concern grazed his look. He didn’t want you to think that way about him. He didn’t want you to think, that he’s keeping this relationship a secret to have other romantic relations. 

“No, of course not, my love”, your voice light and a smile on your face. “I just find it funny, I just read an article about it and now you’re dancing to her in the kitchen making me lunch.” 

“I only have eyes for you, corazón”, brown eyes staring into yours. Your heart was pounding heavy, filled with love and affection for the man standing in front of you. “I know, but you know if I really had to compete with Taylor Swift, she’d win, no, I’d steal her from you, what am I talking about, she’s so mother”, you told him. Taylor Swift was everybody’s crush, even if they didn’t know it. “What? I don’t understand, you would date your mother?” Fernando was visibly confused, not understanding the terminology.

“Oh Nando, no, if someone is mothering or someone say’s they’re so mother, they don’t mean their actual mother. It’s a term used for respecting powerful women, just like Taylor Swift”, having been on the internet, it was not the first time about hearing women mothering. But Fernando has heard of this term for the first time. 

“When we’re already talking about the internet, did you post a TikTok recently?”, thinking back about the article that said, that Nando was igniting a fire between them with a TikTok. “A what, corazón? A Clock?” – “No, a TikTok, oh c’mon Nando, you’re not that old, you know what a TikTok is!” Your light-hearted laugh made him smile, you were right, he knew what a TikTok was, he just wanted to see you smile. But he would have to disagree about the not being so old part, because he definitely felt old sometimes. 

“I did, my social media manager made me post one, but I don’t remember about what exactly, I was just sitting there and had to wink”, he explained and took out some plates to place your lunch on. Having almost forgotten about the food, you smiled at him and had to chuckle lightly. “I saw it, it was to the song you were just dancing to, according to Good Morning Los Angeles you ignited a fire between you and Taylor”, you laughed at him. 

You were grateful for having such a good relationship with Fernando, laughing, and smiling in the kitchen, and joking about cheating allegations. He was proud to have a girlfriend like you, so secure in yourself and proud that even those rumours weren’t making you insecure. He was glad to have someone by his like you. He never wanted to lose you. 

“I love you so much, mi corazón”, having two plates in his hand and walking towards you he couldn’t hug you, so he just opted for a quick but passionate kiss to your lips. “I love you too, old man.” 

[leclerc-s]

track 002. la del insta

─── ❝ todo comienza y se termina ❞ ───

masterlist // previous // next

NOVEMBER 2022

liked by danielricciardo, maxverstappen1, isabellaperez and others

redbullracing i have been told that my previous caption was not appropriate, so here's a boring pr one scripted by salty spice himself, daniel ricciardo returns to red bull as our reserve driver. it's wonderful to have you back daniel.

view all comments

📍isabellaperez alternate caption was the honey badger is back mother fuckers!! read it and weep!!

user43 i love red bull's admin and their chaos. wonder where christian horner found them.

↳ redbullracing he found me on the streets of monaco and picked me up by the scruff of my neck and told me he had a job for me. who was i to deny salty spice?

↳ danielricciardo you would love her less if you had to see her everday.

↳ maxverstappen1 at least you got a break for a while, i've been suffering for four years

↳ estebanocon you two have it easy, i've been suffering since 2016.

↳ schecoperez i've been told to say that i've been suffering for 19 years.

↳ isabellaperez fuck you guys (except tio checo. i love you)

↳ alexalbon don't worry isa, you're my favorite red bull admin

↳ isabellaperez thank you lily's boyfriend! you're my favorite williams driver!

user07 red bull admin is checo's niece?? plot twist. honestly though, i love her.

christianhorner this is not the caption we talked about isabella.

↳ redbullracing i would say sorry but we both know it's going to happen again. it's been happening for over 4 years.

user92 she's been apart of the team longer than checo? it's kind of iconic. but why red bull and not aston martin when checo was racing with them at the time?

↳ isabellaperez aston martin didn't have a position open and red bull did. it also allowed me to travel with my uncle which i've been doing since 2011, i was only going to stop because the fia demanded it due to covid.

user59 so do you live in monaco or mexico with checo?

↳ isabellaperez used to live in LA but the influencer life was not for me (check out my youtube channel) then i was convinced by my sister and arthur to move to monaco. i travel to mexico all the time, i have to see my mami of course!

BAHRAIN 2023

the youngest mclaren driver stood off to the side, nervous for his first ever formula one grand prix. his teammate seemed less nervous, but still nervous to a certain degree. oscar truly didn't want to fuck this up, not after everything that happened in the last 6 months for him. he noticed a brunette girl staring at him from across the pitlane, she gave him a small wave before turning to go back inside the redbull garage.

the younger brunette turned to look at the slightly older one, "who was that?"

the older one turned to look at him, “you don’t stand a chance. she's checo's niece, very overprotective that man is. not excluding you know, max and daniel. take it from me, i've tried.” 

“i asked who she was not if you tried to get her number.” 

“oh, i have her number, but i have a girlfriend, you pastry. matter of fact," lando said, "you have her number too."

“it’s piastri! you know this!” oscar shouted as lando skipped, literally skipped, away from him. oscar rolled his eyes at the older drivers actions before turning to go back inside the mclaren garage.

the brunette girl stood outside the redbull garage again, with daniel ricciardo at her side. she turned to look at the empty spot oscar had once been in, then back at daniel, “can't believe i still think he's cute. he's the enemy.” 

daniel laughed, "he's not the enemy isa. you're allowed to have a crush on someone." 

isabella rolled her eyes, running a hand through her hair, “i hope him the best at shit-claren.” 

“isa!” 

the girl laughed, “it’s true!” 

redbullracing posted a new story

alexa, play the boys are back from hsm2!!! welcome home honey badger!! we've missed you!! (salty spice told me no more cursing on official red bull posts)

liked by austinriley, maejones, redbullracing and others

isabellaperez we're back people!! bahrain 2023, praying for a better result than last year. please f1 gods, don’t give us a double dnf. (but at least ferrari had a 1-2!)

tagged: redbullracing

view all comments

danieljricciardo i know you aren’t liking your posts from the official redbull racing account

↳ isabellaperez what good is it running the red bull account if i can’t like my own posts?

user82 paddock princess is back people!!

↳ isabellaperez am i royalty like charles? people’s prince and poddack princess?

↳ charles_leclerc you wish you were as cool as me

↳ isabellaperez at least i don’t wear questionable pants.

↳ georgerussell63 she got you there buddy

user75 isabella running the red bull racing account but still being a tifosi will always be hilarious to me

↳ isabellaperez corporate espionage at it's finest (i'm kidding christian, please don't fire me)

logansargeant is it considered treason if i follow you?

↳ isabellaperez idk let’s ask alex_albon, is it treason?

↳ alex_albon he’s in the groupchat? how is this treason?

↳ logansargeant good to know

logansargeant and oscarpiastri started following you

redbullracing posted a new story!

1-2 in bahrain! what a way to begin the season! congrats maxverstappen1 and schecoperez (i’ve been told by helmut that i need to be more ‘professional’ whatever that means)

duckling to get over my crush on oscar i’ve decided to ask arthur for ollie’s number.

super max oh for fucks sake, don’t do that

duckling maybe i should text austin then.

honey badger DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE!

honey badger i will fucking confiscate your phone isabella estrella perez

duckling i don’t have a middle name. my sister does, it’s maria. honey badger i could not give less of a fuck. don’t you dare do such a thing.

super max I WILL CALL SEBASTIAN ISABELLA PEREZ!!

duckling don't threaten me with sebastian, max! that will do nothing!

super max added one person

honey badger had changed the group name to 'redbull's four musketeers'

paddock dad do i want to know?

super max ISABELLA WANTS TO TALK TO AUSTIN! TELL HER IT'S A BAD IDEA! duckling fuck you, you stupid maxi-pad

paddock dad isa, why would you do that?

honey badger SHE HAS A CRUSH ON OSCAR AND IS AFRAID OF LOVE! duckling i am not afraid of love. i’m afraid of falling in love, two very different things daniel super max yet another thing austin ruined for you. love along with getting a pet. paddock dad how the hell did he ruin getting a pet for her? honey badger honestly don’t remember but i think it was something along the lines of how his cousin had one and it got killed by a car. duckling i still want a dog he didn’t completely ruin that. paddock dad never let a man ruin anything for you or so my wife says

super max you might want to mute this chat seb, it was created to help isabella over any and all problems, small or big.

duckling okay fuck you verstappen

super max no thanks. i have a girlfriend. honey badger we're aware. we've heard nonsense super max do you really want to go there ricciardo? your wife wrote a song about only buying a dress so you could take it off honey badger DO YOU LIKE MAKING HER EYES ROLL VERSTAPPEN? DO YOU?

isabella had been so focused on her phone and texting back the others that she didn’t notice the person coming at her. she crashed into the person and her phone fell to the floor, landing with a loud crack. at least the crack sounded loud to her, but not louder than the ‘mierda’ she let out. she bent down to pick up her phone and so did the person she had bumped into, both reached for her phone, bumping heads.

“fuck,” isabella softly whispered, “you have a hard head,” she told the other person as she rubbed her head.

the person laughed, “guess that’s a good thing for an f1 driver.”

isabella’s eyes slightly widened when she realized who she had bumped into. she would recognize an australian accent anywhere, she had grown up near daniel ricciardo. oscar piastri was too busy inspecting her phone for any cracks to notice the expression she had made. he handed her the phone as both stood to their full heights, he was noticeably taller than her.

"no cracks," oscar told her as he handed back her phone. she smiled politely at him, "thanks."

"and your friends are blowing up your phone. i think you had like 10 messages come in while i was checking to see if it had any cracks. not that i read them-"

isabella waved him off, "it's just max and danny, they were arguing about who had the horniest songs written about them."

oscar laughed, "i'm oscar piastri."

"i know, i'm isabella perez" she replied, "i saw your alpine tweet, plus arthur talks about you a lot."

"i know," oscar replied, "arthur leclerc? you two know each other?" he questioned as they began walking together. isabella didn't know where he had originally been heading but now the two were walking back to their hotels.

"he's dating my sister, dulce? you might know her."

"oh, you're isa. i always wondered why they called you isa and not bella."

"because i will stab anyone who calls me bella," isabella emptily threatened. too enthralled on her phone she failed to notice the small smile on oscar's face.

"okay, bella."

isabella quickly looked up, glaring at him, "i'm glad you dnf'd."

"ouch," oscar dramatically muttered, "you wound me bella."

the two were interrupted by a voice shouting for oscar. they turned around and were met with the sight of alex albon and logan sargeant, both williams drivers also walking back to their hotel.

"alabono!" isabella shouted, rushing to hug the bleached-blonde. the taller driver opened his arms and accepted the hug, "hi, isa. did you have a good day?"

"no, charles dnf'd, so the ferrari in me is crying. however, the redbull in me is screaming for joy."

before alex could reply a ding interrupted him and caused isabella to look down at her phone. her eyes widened, and she handed her phone over to alex, "can you give this to max or danny later? i'm catching a flight on air-max later tomorrow."

alex nodded, "see you in glendale. or sooner."

"bye alex, bye logan, bye piastri!" isabella shouted as she ran off. logan looked confused between isabella's phone and alex, "why'd she give you her phone?"

the phone dinged again and alex sighed as he switched the phone to silent, "it's quite the story, one that either isa or dulce should tell you, not me."

"okay," logan said, he turned to oscar, "why'd she call you piastri?"

"oh, i called her bella," oscar replied, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. alex's eyes widned and logan knew their was a story there but he didn't pry. he wasn't close to any of the other drivers besides oscar, so he wasn't going to ask. he could be nosy sometimes but even he knew his limits. alex didn't want to talk about isabella's phone so maybe the phone had something to do with calling her bella.

"surprised you're still standing," alex said, "last time someone called her bella she kicked him in the nuts, and they had just met. he stopped calling her bella after that."

the two rookies exchanged looks as alex pocketed isabella's phone and pulled out his own phone and began to type furiously on it. logan's phone dinged moment's later but he ignored it, not wanting to make oscar suspicious. however, when his phone kept dinging oscar turned to him curiously and logan waved him off, silencing his phone.

"just friends from home, they were planing a party," logan quickly lied. oscar shrugged him off and logan was quick to divert the conversation to a random topic.

alex albon OSCAR CALLED HER BELLA AND HE'S STILL STANDING. NO BALLS WERE KICKED!!!!

dulce perez HE WHAT? BUT SHE HASN'T LET ANYONE CALL HER THAT FOR YEARS! EVEN AUSTIN WASN'T ALLOWED TO CALL HER BELLA

daniel riccardo THIS IS BIG NEWS PEOPLE!

lewis hamilton will you people shut up? some of us have an early flight to catch tomorrow.

fernando alonso mute them, i usually do that until the next morning. lewis hamilton i should start doing that

daniel ricciardo CARLOS DROP EVERYTHING NOW!!!

bailey winters MEET ME IN THE POURING RAIN! daniel ricciardo NOT THE TIME BAILEY! bailey winters IT IS ALWAYS THE TIME FOR DAPHNE JONES SONGS!

carlos sainz what happened? what did i miss?

arthur leclerc that's not fair, i've known her for years and i still get punched on the arm when i call her bella

dulce perez that’s because it’s usually “this is the skin of a killer bella” lando norris to be fair it’s a great line, and robert pattinson is great. team edward all the way daphne jones for legal reasons, team jacob natalia ruiz shall i tell suki lando’s in love with her boyfriend? lando norris CAN I MEET HIM? TELL ME I CAN!!

carlos sainz QUE ESTÁ PASANDO?! SOMEONE EXPLAIN!!

logan sargeant what’s the big deal with him calling her bella? it’s her name, no?

carlos sainz QUE? HE CALLED HER WHAT? dulce perez the only people allowed to call her bella was our dad, tio checo too, but ever since dad passed she hasn’t let anyone call her that. she says it was his name and only his. arthur leclerc her ex tried calling her bella and she kicked him in the nuts when they first met. he still did it every time he was angry at her. charles leclerc which was everyday and she always cried because only her dad was allowed to call her that. logan sargeant so the ex was an asshole? max verstappen biggest understatement of the year.

logan sargeant and that’s why she gave her phone to alex earlier.

mick schumacher HE TEXTED? AGAIN? I WOULD STRANGLE HIM IF I WOULDN'T LAND IN JAIL

daniel ricciardo i’m going to punch that guy. take a hint dude.

logan sargeant why don’t you guys just block him?

dulce perez oh why didn’t we try that? WE DID THAT YOU AMERICAN!

natalia ruiz seb said we needed to teach her to not reach out to him on her own. we're starting with confiscating her phone anytime he texts her and we give it to her the next day. it was hard to get where we are now, trust me. she used to fight us on it but now she just hands her phone over.

mae jones we're not quite sure what the next step is but we're making progress. maybe we can get her to block him on her own.

george russell so what exactly is the next step in operation osbella? obella? iscar? what's the official name?

fernando alonso how about 'all of you need to stop being invested in isabella's love life and go the hell to sleep?"

lando norris yes papa nando. fernando alonso that's going to stick isn't it? max verstappen absolutely lando norris 100 percent daniel ricciardo already making t-shirts lance stroll papa nando, papa seb, and uncle lewis mae jones good luck explaining that one to isa and oscar in the other groupchat.

¡leclerc-s speaks! it's austin gp weekend! (i live in california) anyways hope you enjoyed this one before quali today or after. expect more posts this weeked, maybe? i'm not sure yet.

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

[thedroneranger]

Hotel Homecoming

Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Précis: Jake and his wife reunite in their traditional fashion.

Warnings: 18+ only, smut.

Word count: 2.8k

The valet loved creating personas for the guests based on their vehicles as they arrived at the porte cochère. Watching a sleek Aston Martin roll up the drive, they began to write the driver’s story. 

Standing side-by-side on the curb, their lips moved minimally as they riffed off one another. They pictured a tall, dark-haired man neatly dressed in subtle luxury brands. Other than the car, the only signs of wealth would be the timepiece encircling his wrist and the healthy tip given to the pair. They would offer to deliver the leather overnight bag produced from the passenger seat, but the driver would insist on taking it himself.

The attendants were pleasantly surprised when a woman, clad in over-sized sunglasses and a watch that was easily worth their combined yearly salaries, stepped out of the car. She gave them a pearly smile, pulling an overnight bag from the passenger seat. The trunk popped, and she collected a garment bag. Clamoring, they offered to take her belongings, but she insisted her room wasn’t far. 

One attendant accepted her keys and slid into the driver’s seat, while the other walked her to the lobby. Once she was inside, she slipped her guide a tip that she insisted be shared. She reinforced the ask by joking she would be back to check.

“Welcome!” The front desk agent greeted her, and then asked for the reservation details. She provided the necessary information and enquired if room service would deliver a bottle of champagne within the hour. Of course, the agent obliged. She departed the desk with a smile and soaked in the opulent lobby on the way to the elevator.

The room was a golden hue as the sheer curtains diffused the afternoon sunlight. She stepped up to the floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the ocean view. Waves lapped the sand, and people scurried along the shoreline.

A soft knock on the door and a muffled “Room service!” let her know the champagne arrived. The server was kind, opening the bottle and pouring the first flute. 

She could barely wait for the door to close as she began to shed her clothing. Drink in hand, she sauntered to the bathroom where she drew the hottest bath. Sitting in her ring of fire, she sipped champagne and hummed along with the music she had asked Alexa to play. Interrupting her jam session, she asked her voice assistant for the time. Sighing, she began to drain the tub—it was important she stick to the schedule. 

Thankfully she had the hardest part out of the way: curating her outfit. 

While he loved her no matter what she wore—he often told her that her messy buns and his t-shirts drove him the wildest or her birthday suit was the ultimate gift—she knew what would give him itchy fingers and tight pants.

Tonight, she opted for a floor-length gown with thin straps and an almost waist-high slit. Since the look did not allow for a bra, she also opted to skip panties—that would get him going.

Although he loved her hair down, she wanted to show off her neck and shoulders, which he would appreciate too. Plus, she wouldn’t have to fuss with it later.

One last look in the mirror confirmed her look was almost complete. Tucking a few baby hairs behind her ear, her heirloom wedding band and custom diamond engagement ring gleamed. She slipped the trinkets off her finger, dropped them in a silk pouch and tucked them into her clutch for safekeeping. 

The clock told her she had perfect timing. Her lips pursed as an idea swirled in her brain. She picked her panties out of her bag and looped them around the inside doorknob as she exited. A smirk carved her lips as she padded down the hallway.

The dark-stained wood and rich leather made the hotel bar warm and cozy. Knowing her odds were best at the counter, she slid into an empty chair. The lone bartender immediately minded her, opening with a few flirty quips. She played along and earned her first drink on the house.

With a wink, she vacated her barstool in search of secluded seating. She liked the suspense of him wandering around looking for her. Especially as the bar began to fill.

Her drink had one more swig, maybe two if she took small sips. The thought of returning to the bar for a second crossed her mind until a masculine voice broke her thought train. She peered up to see his playful green eyes boring into hers. A smile spread across her features and heat began to build between her legs.

Jake was all man—tall, tanned and his suit fit as though it were sewn on. Since their meeting was informal, he went sans tie. The first few buttons on his shirt were undone, exposing a sliver of hard chest and hair. And that smile—it was impossible to not be bewitched.

She watched him as he slid into the booth, leaving just a little room between their bodies. He handed her a fresh drink. They clinked cups and pressed their glasses to their lips. His eyes scanned her body as they sat, and his arm made its way behind her head, resting along the back of the booth. Goosebumps hatched on her skin as his calloused fingers grazed her shoulder. The move persuaded her to close the gap between them. Their bodies fit perfectly together as she tucked herself under his shoulder. She let her hand skim his muscular thigh. Her head tilted back to meet his gaze, and he looked down at her with that chokehold smile.

It had been six months since they had seen each other. Fashion season was in full swing, so she kept busy traveling for shows. Jake, on the other hand, had been locked away on his homebase for an intense deployment.

Every Sunday, she kept her phone in her hand, no matter what she was doing, so she wouldn’t miss his call. Sometimes he called in the morning and other times in the evening. On the Sundays he called later, she often got worried she wouldn’t hear from him. She worried the call would come from an unfamiliar voice telling her to expect a folded flag at her door.

His hand shook her from her thoughts as his fingers brushed behind her ear and along her neck. Her eyes floated shut and she purred into his touch. She opened her eyes to meet his, which were darker than when he arrived.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her panties neatly folded in the breast pocket of his suit. “Nice pocket square.” She smirked. Smile lines carved his face and the corners of his eyes crinkled. 

“You like it?” he asked, taking a swig of his scotch.

“Goes well with the suit,” she added.

His free hand dipped below the table into her lap. He found the slit in her dress and skimmed his thumb up her bare thigh. Her breath hitched as he came closer to her naked core. He was amused, staring at her with a wolfish smile. She proposed they head upstairs to their room.

A closed-lip smile pulled the corners of his mouth as they stared at each other. “Finish your drink first,” he stated. An involuntary eye roll broke their staring match and a soft sigh signified her compliance. He watched her as she drank until the final swill. Gingerly, she placed the glass on the table and then motioned for him to let her out of the booth. 

As she exited, she made sure to graze her backside against his front. She turned to look him in the eye, not acknowledging her actions. “See you upstairs, Lieutenant Commander.” Always a gentleman, he took her hand and kissed the back before she walked away. His eyes fixated on her as she disappeared into the lobby.

Jake loved this part of their ritual, getting dressed up for each other. Tonight’s dress was new but definitely something he would add to his favorites. As good as it looked on her, his favorite place for her clothes was still on the floor.

After what seemed like an eternity, really only 15 minutes, he finished his drink and threw a Benjamin on the table before heading to the nearest elevator.

When he arrived, she was nowhere to be seen in the main room of the suite. Closing the door softly, he shrugged his suit coat off and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Then, he hunted for her. It wasn’t long before he spied her in the dressing room. He pushed the ajar door wide enough to slip through. Their eyes met. “Help?” she asked softly. 

Risking a split in his perfectly tailored pants, he wordlessly walked over and knelt in front of her. She watched as he looped her calf over his bent leg and began to unbuckle the thin strap of her shoe. Once he was done with the first, he placed a soft kiss on her kneecap. He repeated his actions for her second shoe.

However, this time, his lips lingered and his fingers wandered. She held her breath as they skimmed up her thigh, taking her dress with it. His lips followed, trailing kisses. He froze and looked up at her. His fingers had reached her warm apex. A smile pulled his lips as his fingers grazed her lower lips and a small moan escaped her mouth. He pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee, and his fingers dipped into her folds, barely grazing her most sensitive nerves. However, it was enough for her to jolt forward with a pleasurable gasp. 

He ran his tongue along the bottom edge of his teeth as his signature grin returned. He looked up at her through his eyelashes. Deviously, he again slid his finger along her most sensitive spot, and then down to her entrance, pushing in. Her mouth dropped open, and her hips rolled forward. He quickly recoiled, slipping his glistening finger into his mouth. She watched as he enjoyed her taste. Eyes closed, he slowly pulled his finger out of his mouth with a pop sound. He placed one more kiss on her thigh before standing up. 

During his ascent, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her chair. She trailed him into the bedroom. Once inside, he guided her to the bed with his hands on her hips. When the back of her knees hit the mattress, she tumbled into the feather bedding. 

He followed her, a knee between her legs and a hand on either side of her head. She supported herself on her elbows so their lips met. The kiss was all teeth and tongues. “Undress me,” he breathed in her ear as the kiss ended.  

She sank flat on the bed, biting her lip as she unfastened each button on his dress shirt. Halfway through, his dog tags fell out, dangling between them. They looked at each other and she eyed the gold band that hung with the flanks of metal. 

She continued unfastening buttons, making sure her fingers grazed his skin. Every so often, she would glance at him through her eyelashes. She could tell his patience was thinning. Slowly, she pulled his shirt tails from his pants. 

He barely waited for her to unbuckle his belt and open his pants before he was sliding off the bed to ditch them on the floor. Unsurprisingly, his cock was fighting the fabric of his boxer briefs.

He climbed back on the bed and trailed his lips up her exposed leg. She let her fingers card through his hair as his lips wandered up her body. Finally, they were face-to-face, and she curled the chain of his dog tags around her finger to lower his head until their lips met. 

Her free hand slid down his chest and his stomach to the bulge tenting his boxer briefs. Jake groaned into her mouth and he felt her lips curl into a smile. Her hand dipped past his waistband and pumped his length. “If you keep that up, this will be a short reunion,” he warned. She purred as he sucked on her collarbones and gently slipped her dress straps off her shoulders.

Once her arms were free, Jake began sliding down the dress bodice as he peppered her chest with kisses. She closed her eyes and cradled her head on her folded arms as Jake worshiped her. Soft moans left her lips as he nipped and sucked her nipples until they were hard nodes. He showered her exposed skin with kisses and continued to slide the sheath of fabric down her body until it fell atop of his clothes on the floor.

“God, I missed you,” he said between kisses. 

“My name is fine,” she teased. 

She could feel Jake smiling as he continued his descent toward her pubic mound. Her breath hitched when his tongue delved between her folds. Jake guided her legs over his shoulders and he looped an arm around one of her thighs as he continued to lick broad stripes up and down her core. She moaned his name each time his tongue swirled a figure eight on her swollen bundle of nerves.

The tightening low her stomach built each time Jake touched her. Humming with pleasure, she threaded her fingers into his hair and gently tugged so he looked at her. “Jake, I want my first orgasm to be on your cock.” 

He grinned ear-to-ear as his lips softly tugged her clit one more time before he sat back on his knees. Hooking his hands behind her knees, he pulled her so the backs of her thighs rested on the tops of his. 

She sat up and captured his lips with hers. Her body scooted closer until her core was resting against his length. He rocked against her as they made out. Her hand dipped between them and guided Jake into her. A soft sigh left her lips, and Jake smiled into the kiss. 

She kept rocking her hips into him and eventually put her full weight onto Jake, signaling for him to fall onto his back. Soon, she was perched on top of him, setting their pace. Jake’s hands moved to her thighs, his fingertips digging into her, while her hands fell to his chest. One curled around the chain of his dog tags and tugged whenever Jake tried to overpower her rhythm.

Her orgasm nearing, her pace began to slow, and Jake seized his opportunity when her eyes slipped closed for a few seconds. He sat up, causing her to tumble backward. Fluidly, he slipped one of her legs over his shoulder and the other rested on his waist as he feverishly pumped into her. “You want my cock, and I want the satisfaction of making you come,” he said as he snapped his hips with a little extra emphasis after each word. 

She stared at him with hooded eyes and one hand curled in the bed sheets. The other slipped between them and stroked her clit to help break the heat low in her stomach. Her back arched and her eyes closed as an orgasm shuddered through her. A smirk pulled the corners of Jake’s lips as his name fell from her mouth. He continued his forceful thrusts as he watched her. 

His hips stuttered as her hand moved to his cock, squeezing around the base and his balls to coax his finish. Jake groaned her name as pleasure pulsed through him. Releasing him, she smiled and dug her heel into his ass to pull him as close as possible.

Hovering over her, he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before rolling onto his side. She followed him, curling into him under his arm and wrapping her leg around his thigh while her hand rested on his chest.

They laid together, and she swirled her fingertip on his chest, catching his dog tags every so often. Finally, she carefully unclasped the chain and slipped his wedding band off it. After reclasping the ball chain, she gently pushed the ring on his finger. 

“Where’s yours?” Jake asked. With a smile, she reached past him to get her clutch from the nightstand. She opened it and he reached in to pull out a silk sachet. He held it while she untied it and then flipped it so both bands tumbled into his hand. Then, he slid them on her finger. 

He kissed her rings before trailing more kisses up her arm. She smiled and wrapped her arm around his neck, curling her fingers in his hair and leaning up to capture his mouth. Her body shifted so she was laying mostly on him as she softly kissed him. “Welcome home, baby,” she said as she pulled away. 

A hand ghosting the small of her back, he leaned up to kiss her forehead. “It’s good to be home.”

[alldancersaretalented]

Duos/Trios 23/24

Here's a small collection of Duos/Trios sorted by dance studio!

4PM Dance:

Mila Madriles, Kennadie Wright - Hey Mickey

Avi's Dance Project:

Aubree Ginter, Coraline McClintock - Only Hope

Terryn Jackson, Sydney Williams - Let Me Think

Christine He, Nicole He - Home

Mariah Merrigan, Kaydence Thomas - Secret Symphony

Aubrey Avila, Alyssa Garay - Islands

Molly Croll, Ella Siders - Stand By Me

Evianna Granado, Ana Roman - We'll Be Fine

Alexa Estep, Caylin Garcia - Song For You

Bobbie's School of Performing Arts:

?? - Not A Mountain

?? - Don't Give Me Up

?? - Life's What You Make It

?? - LiourI

?? - Only Ever Loved Your Ghost

?? - I'm Through

Canadian Dance Company:

Ellianna Buck, Olivia Colozza, Delia Wu - Freeway

Emma Lee, Emma Phillippe, Stella Savage - On Broadway

Olivia Colozza, Filip Lipiec - Hard To Handle

Alexandra de Groot, Kadence Wright, Clara Zhao - Snowing

Callista Crowe, Damian Shillis - Every Little Thing

Jessica Battley, Kadence Wright - Swing Phenomenon

Jessie Alfaro Kazula, Sabrina Digings - Feet Don't Fail Me Now

Ryan Blackburn, Callista Crowe - Anything You Can Do

Damian Shillis, Sophia Van Haastrecht - Last Night

Cydnee Abbott, Chloe Greenfield, Sadie Wen - Mind-Link

David Blackburn, Arianna Frano - Moves Like Jagger

Therese Marie Adap, Sadie Wen, Avery Yoo - Aaab

Therese Marie Adap, Oliwia Lipiec, Avery Yoo- Contra

Aliyah Demone, Irene Rose Santos, Analia Theofilopoulos - Glitch

Ella Boughner, Lauren Gibbon, Anna Volkova - Drive

Lauren Gibbon, Olivia Granic, Gabriella Seixeiro- TBA

Lauren Gibbon, Brandon Yoo- Die Trying

Olivia Granic, Gabriella Seixeiro - On The Jazz Four

Center Stage Performing Arts Studio:

Addalyn Daley, Coco Gonzales, Ivy McEwan - Run The World

Kate Baker, Violet Schwarz, Anistyn Larsen - The Grudge (Shannon Mather)

Kylie Lawrence, Elliana Wilson - Say A Little Prayer

Tessa Ohran, Rory Frye, Hadlee Heriford - We Could Stay (Noelle Marsh)

?? - Evening Ceremony

?? - Inside

Club Dance Studio:

Ellary Day Szyndlar, Sylvie Win Szyndlar - Dreamscapes (Jenn Peterson)

Ellary Day Szyndlar, Sylvie Win Szyndlar - La Rapture (Brady Farrar)

Danceology:

Amelia Principe, Annalisa Francis, Mackenzie Hammer - Diamonds

?? - Big Love

?? - Party Girls

Penny Harris, Brody Schaffer - My Girl

?? - Nana's Flowers

Aspen Bloem, Annelise Hseih, Ryee Kameya - Funk Soul Brother

?? - Tres Chicas

?? - Tick Tick Boom

?? - Rhythm X 2

Dance Deluxe:

Haven Bryan, Adriana Houlihan, Adaline Louderback - You're Invited

Allie Aston, Livian Bailey, Lily Conaway - Hollywood

Jake Roberts, Stella Roberts - We Go Together

Emerson Mullan, Avery Stephens, Adelina Quintanilla - Hocus Pocus

Brighton Taylor, Briele Bailey, Remi Skidmore - Big Finish

Kamdyn Arnold, Haylie Birchman, Aracely Lee - Snap

Eva Gonzalez, Remi Skidmore - Snowing

Gage Davis, Vanessa Soto - Somebody

Gage Davis, Vanessa Soto - Falling Slowly

Dance Enthusiasm:

Liesl Dowdy, Margot Phelps - Shake Your Groove Thing

Kayleigh Stoler, Violet Werner - Sign Of The Times

Julia Visan, Olivia Visan - Optical Prism

Shelby Ellis, Kayleigh Stoler - Made For You

Olivia Visan, Violet Werner - Explosion

Jazmine Raine Werner, Violet Werner - Time

Amelia Gonzales, Kayleigh Stoler - Dream On

Malia Gazda, Paige Kim - Falling Leaves

Shelby Ellis, Janea Latimer - Let Me Follow

Taelyn Albrecht, Paige Kim - Refugees

Taelyn Albrecht, Jazmine Raine Werner - One Sec

Taelyn Albrecht, Alexa Lynn - Carry You

Christina Kalafatis, Emily Zolla - Hocus Pocus

Dance Precisions:

Aliyana Denham, Aniyia Ortega, Kennedy Wong - Think

Everly Park, Skylie Schreppel, Grecia Underwood - Like This Like That

Emma Orr, Xara Sakhrani, Charlotte Stirling - Shake Your Tailfeather

Elleyna Kadera, Raegan Wendell - I Feel Good

Sydney Ko, Londyn Nevois - Nowadays

Dance Town:

Belle Marie Arauz, Amanda Carpenter - My Dolphin And Me

Krystal Alvarez, Luna Santana, Arantza Sardinha - Con Altura

?? - Without You

Elektro Dance Academy:

Niah Corpeno, June Townley - Butterfly

Elite Dance Pro:

Peyton De La Cerda, Valynnita Mei, Alice Yan - Forget About That Boy

Alexa Schwarze, Summer Skousen, Chloe Tarwater - Fleur

Olivia Quintana, Ella Rempfer, Charlotte Woodside - Bang Bang

Carlin Ciocchetti, Lily Douglas, Sophia Schiano - To Falter

Elite Danceworx:

?? - Life Is Circles

?? - Make It Matter

?? - Cranes In The Sky

?? - Third Dream

?? - Free To Form

?? - All In The Same Breath

?? - The Beauty of Dissolving Portraits

Epic Dance Complex:

?? - Let You Know

Evolve Dance Company:

Olivia Bennett, Adeline Vogt - Wash That Man

George Grech, Jaydnn Mendez - Creeks

Alexa Kunishige, Ava Sparks - Thousand Eyes

George Grech, Vivian Grech - Groove Is In The Heart

Ava Banuelos, Sienna Thor - Don't

Trinity Hastings, Tanziana Contino, Viviana Contino - Iris

Evolve Dance Complex:

Dylann Sebes, Brynley Brett - It's Raining Men

Jossi Josephic, Hallie Oberhofer, Deanna Tierno - Bites The Dust

Ella Martindale, Natalie Vinton - Sweet Dreams

Kyleigh Harbarger, Lola Rodi - Adios To You

Andrew Spalvieri, Abby Spalvieri - Devil Went Down To Georgia

Cami Vorhees, Elyse Wingertsahn - Stay Away

Samuel Evans, Onna Williams - Implacable Hearts

Evoke Dance Movement:

?? - Boogie Shoes

?? - About Today

?? - Come Let Us

Imperial Dance:

Malia Gandy, Dayana Hernandez, Sophia Solano - Took The Night

Isabella Cruz, Eliyan Rall, Zarielle Trimmings - Call Me Mother

Myla Durand, Anaya MIchell, Sofia Velazquez - Run To You

Aria Edmond, Sarai Trimmings, Savannah Yard - Secure The Bag

Sophia Basso, Sophia Solano - Mini Me

Leyla Bedoya, Marley Cheron, Gabriella Cuadrado - This Woman's Work

Aryanna Anujar, Sophia Basso, Hannah Galantai - Amor

Marlon Cheron, Layla Hernandez, Arianna Velazquez - Love Me Or Leave Me

K2 Studios:

Emery Cordero, Rylai Orozco - Safe And Sound

Belle Anguiano, Sadie Anguiano - Beautiful Thing

Juniper Balatero, Rosalind Balatero - Stand By Me

Lilly Douglas, Penelope Lee - Breakin Dishes

Ella Cordero, Alani Hernandez, Jiselle Saavedra - Dem Girlz

Riley Fernandez, Nicholas Turner - I Follow

Jessica Sutton, Rebecca Sutton - Fix You

Adiyah Ayres, Kynzli Reece - Madness

Ariana Gomez, Neriah Karmann, Nicholas Turner - Unbreak

Neriah Karmann, Abby Viramontes - Save Me

Alex Almeida, Zoey Garcia - River

Love Acierto, Alex Almeida, Jordan Wallace - Be Alright

Tessa Andelkovic, Jade Castaneda - Monsters

Larkin Dance Studio:

Stella Ames, Jade Glyzinski, Harper Kill - How Long Will I Love You

Hallee Anderson, Gigi Shea, Sailor Stormoen - Bird On A Wire

Elia Cocchiarella, Eleanor Lamers - Checkerboard

Savannah Jackson, Maylin Munos, Neala Murphy - Dream

Matinly Conrad, Chase Lang - When I Was Your Man

Evie McCune-Barrett, Truett Ziemke - As Long As You Love Me

Lexie Charnstrom, Scarlett Manzel, Evie Mccune-Barrett - Change

Maddie Kulenkamp, Brody Lanoux - Mr. Postman

Mila Ayshford, Tillie Kuhl, Palmer Peltier - The Trumpet In My Head

Lilly Anderson, Bella Charnstrom, Malia Scott - Too Tightly

Jemma Eisenbrei, Mia Kostinovski, Hailey Turnbull - Gold

Finley Ashfield, Kelsie Jacobson, Savannah Manzel - Picture Perfect

Sienna Powers, Hazel Semans, Savannah Werner - A Noise I Once Heard

Belle Hughes, Maizie Hughes - Near Me

Erik Barker, Laci Bloss - To The Moon

Lola Boisen, Sarah St Cyr - Twilight

Matissa Conrad, Tahari Conrad, Ava Rothmund - Eternal Voice

Kate Monge, Giselle Mourad, Harlow Pike - To One's Perception

Laci Bloss, Daphnie Braun, Kira Riessner - Allure

Caleb Abea, Keira Redpath - Empty Apology

Isabella Jarvis, Claire Monge, Keira Redpath - Stuck In Pause

Miami Dance Company:

Varia Mari, Brooke Martin, Kylie Sanchez - Rise Together

Michelle Latimer Dance Academy:

Lindsey Gruidel, Tatum Jackson, Savanna Pitcher - Deeper Love

Lindsey Gruidel, Tatum Jackson, Savanna Pitcher - What It Means To Be Human

Murrieta Dance Project:

Rylan Ashley, Sierra Koops - That Beautiful Sound

Lily Dejoya, Carter Ruiz - Total Eclipse

Brooklyn Coronado, Jaclyn Coronado - Can't Let Go

N10:

Kailyn Nong, Emma Vianzon - When Doves Cry

Juliana Kang, Emmersyn Van - Little Fluffy Clouds

New Level Dance Company:

Gisele Alpendre, Haley Raines - Wherever You Will Go

Francesca Caputo, Harper Stein - Until We Bleed

Natalie Frantzen, Noelle Klug - Fix You

Charlotte Danford, Beata Polunin - Paint It Black

Brooklyn Bailey, Sabryn Stein - Tragedy

Marisa Bruno, Ainsley Rice - Black Car

Charlotte Dister, Taylor Lapointe - Selah

Elle Bonner, Myiah Brown - Awards Night

Noretta Dunworth School of Dance:

Ella Saad, Sophie Saad - Venus

Lily Marshall, Daisy Nuznov - Carry Me

Maria Carpenter, Camille Moore - ??

Stella Bennett, Sophia Cialkowski - ??

Isabella Jaczynski, Danica Lentz - Tumbling Lights

Lily Saad, Mila Saad - Ain't Nothing Wrong With That

?? - Last Goodbye

?? - Lucky Ladies

?? - Big Finish

thanks!

Orange County Performing Arts Academy:

Bailey Chalmers, Kiera Simon - What's On The Menu

Everleigh Alonzo, Annabelle Bright, Camila Valdez - Emergency

Harper Bridge, Elle Dahl, Raegan Gold - Conga

Olivia Montano, Hayden Peterson, Parker Seymour - Space Jam

Elizabeth Leiter, Hannah Wright - Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

PAVE School of the Arts:

Aniston Maurer, Lola Mesa, Sophia Smith - Mr. Postman

Claire Devine, Emma Wishart - Showtime

Ashlynn Fairfield, Rebecca Kessler - Dancing Machine

Annelise Chan, Kirsten Kim - Zero To Hero

Stella Fisk, Emi Hoang - Creep (Sasha Dee)

Stella Fisk, Emi Hoang - Tightrope

Kensington Arrendondo, Talia Donaldson, Kassidy Luong - Diamonds

Paisley Branch, Kira Guchko - Angels

Kaylee Baldwin, Kaylee Townsend - Women Be Wise

Hayden Calder, Wavy Hazen - Nowadays

Joah Moore, Bryn Zimmerman - Look

Charlotte Minhas, Phoebe Black - Gimme Gimme

Oliver Hincy, Olivia Battle - Moving Pictures

Adriana Krall, Alexa Krall - It's All Coming Back To Me

Emersyn Fee, Sienna Hardin - Everytime It Rains

Kailey Longshore, Peach MIller, Ella Smallwood - Bassline

Spree Hazen, Ava Kendall - Tell Him

Ava Zimmerman, Kate Allen - Silhouete

Project 21:

Kami Couch, Katie Couch - To Cross Paths

Renner Dance Company:

?? - End Of The Line

?? - Climb Every Mountain

?? - Pixies

Charlotte Bailey, Madeline Collier - I Enjoy Being A Girl

Charlotte Lewis, Olivia Siri - Sugar And Spice

?? - Dog Days

Leighton Crump, Seneca Hrdina - Found

Emily Fedirow, Presely Krohn - Surround You

Ella Garrett, Grace Snider - Girls Night Out

?? - Never Grow Up

Rose Mangan, Brantley Meador - Dancing On The Moon

?? - You Are My Sister

?? - In The Distance

Sophia January, Stella January - Inside

Sarah Martin Duncan, Ensley King - A Winter Story

Claire Naismith, Lauren Stubbs - Ends Of The Earth

?? - Pressure

?? - What Might Have Been Lost

?? - Still Life

Stars Dance Studio:

?? - Proserpina

?? - Rollin'

?? - Mirrors

?? - Here On This Hill

Studio 19 Dance Complex:

Frances Farone, Mackenzie Smith, Leira Wilbon - California Cuties

Brynleigh Kerestes, Kallie McKenna - Small Word

Nitalia Manilla, Alessia Price - Think

Landry Blosser, Brynleigh Kerestes - Sugar And Spice

Ashlynn Bickford, Iris Edwards, Charlotte Haas Itsy Bitsy Spider

Harper Miller, Sloane Sherrets - Opposites Attract

Scarlett Fornear, Olivia Fornear - Good Company

Maddie Maker, Sadie Vaccaro - If We Hold On Together

Maddie Chiplock, Maddie Maker, Addison Smith - Venus

Claire Osche, Grace Sypien - Holly Rock

Mila Jaymes, Brooklyn Schirripa, Evelyn Woodburn - Gonna Get Ya

Carina Lavella, ?? - Mr. Sandman

Sienna Arias, Atalia Spagnolo - State Of Shock

Tia Adams, Sienna Arias, Ella Laughlin - Meeting In The Ladies Room

Sofia Farone, Brooklyn Schirripa - Good Versus Evil

Avery Organ, Evelyn Woodburn - Sassy X's Two

Camia Adams, Kendall Nace - We're Gonna Party

Gianna Cugliari, Melanie Steed - Silent Night

Gianna Cugliari, Madison Makowski, Karsyn Schifino - Choose Your Path

Alexandra Bayles, Antonia Spagnolo, Haley Steed - Scarborough Fair

Kileigh Davison, Sophia Haas, Sophia Lapina - Bad Apples

Calista Herbst, Emma Schrock - Ashes

Haley Steed, Hannah Steed - Tappin With My Twin

Lexi Pompa, Taylor Williams - Troubled Waters

Gia Booker, Aliana Spagnolo - Running With The Wolves

Ella Barch, Keira McKenna - Carry You

Mia Jackson, Ava Means - Don't Stop The Groove

Ellie Rosenwasser, Mia Mirabile - In The Hold Of A Dream (Chelsea Jennings)

Soleil Herbst, Mia Jackson - Hold Me Down

Emily Holcomb, Becca Kohler, Allie Philips - Why

Millie Julius, Rowan Mansfield, Ciera Ragula - Islands

Haley Engelmore, Raelyn Rectemwald, Kyleigh Turner - She's Not Me (Talia Flavia)

Tessa Pagone, Madeline Schrock, Addison Vargo- Hold On Tight

Studio 702:

Grace Peralta, Kamea Solidum, Reese Tolentino - Balacobaco

Aalayah Perkins, Breanna Tenney - Belly of the Beast

Charley Lehman, Faith Letourneau - Cyber Surveillance

Redle Edler, Alysa Owen - Vulgar

Studio X Dance Complex:

Emery Bourne, Braxy Montana, Karter Strong - Proud Mary

Emma Acosta, Hannah Martinez - Free Me (Victoria Wootem)

Kambria Keegan, Berkeley McGrath - Dangerous

Berkeley McGrath, Abigail Weber - Rain

Summit Dance Shoppe:

Jemma Scates, Shayla Scates - Girls Night Out

Meadow Majkrzak, Brooklyn Peterson, Malia Reuter - Luminous

Monroe Johnson, Zoey Schelitzche,  Camryn Westrum - Best Of My Love

Katy Lawrence, Tova Thompson, Greta Wagner - Stop

Audrey Boro, Nora Turunen, Finley Weigelt - I Believe

Kinsley Fairchild, Annie Zechmeister - Carmen

Lily Buchholz, Calia McArdle, Emma Misuraco-Janish - Carry You

Temecula Dance Compancy:

Amara Fisher, Alana Kalahiki, Luke Noss - A Little Less Conversation

Bailey Dalton, Teaghan O'Reilly, Cece Radach - Calling All B.B.S.

Ava Aflague, Anaya Johnson, Ava Thammavong - Soy Yo

James Hetsko, Jocelyn Hetsko - Mr. Zoot Suit

Hudson Locke, Jake Pribyl, Vera Spencer - 3D

Audrey Fite, Piper Conway, Alyssa Vinskey - It's A Mood

Andrea Tylman, Ella Zhang - Forever Friends

Paige Caveney, Giada Gariffo, Brinleigh O'Reilly - F.U.N.

Scarlett Berroteran, Ta'ina Gonzalez, Princess Sanchez - Shake That

Kyrstin Duquid, Brooklyn Powell, Ava Radach - Scheibe

Carter Roa, Lacey Walker - I Love You But Don't Trust You

TheCREW:

?? - Diamonds

?? - Chase

?? - Skinny

The NINE Dance Academy:

Abigail Mathias, Evelyn Rego, Ella Waltman - Material Girls

Charolette Baldassarra, Laurina Lin, Gia Traficante-Petrozzi - New York New York

Sienna Di Pietro, Mia Jorge, Alina Sedova - Statues

Molly Kravetz, London Mandell, Ashley Shultz - Piano Man

Nathaniel Chua, Tristan Redly, Ashley Shultz - Is There Somebody

Emily Bertola, Jessica Brettone, Lily Kravetz - What Lies In The Balance

Nathaniel Chua, Shaunaughsey Meagher - Bound To You

The Vision Dance Alliance:

Julia Amato, Violet McGuire - Void (Jess Malafronte)

Julia Amato, Emily Polis - Willow Bends (Jess Malafronte)

Caitlyn Polis, Emily Polis - Two Organs (Jess Malafronte)

Caitlyn Polis, Maddie Polis, Emily Polis - You Are Every Memory (Jess Malafronte)

Caitlyn Polis, Hannah Beatty - Claim It (Jess Malafronte)

Caitlyn Polis, Maddie Polis - Human Touch (Jess Malafronte)

Vlad's Dance Company:

?? - Without Hesitation

?? - Not To Be Forgotten

Westside Dance Project:

Isabella Kouznetsova, Diana Kouznetsova - Cells Divide (Timmy Blankenship)

Isabella Kouznetsova, Diana Kouznetsova - Sharp Dialogue (Alina Krasovskaya)

Esme Chou, Tegan Chou - Amaru

West Florida Dance Company:

Marlow Hess, Lola Bryant - All That Jazz (Jess Disalvo)

Macey Strickland, Stella Brogan - Shot Me Down (Struther White)

Scarlett Griffin, Sophia Griffin - If I Could

Lily Hackney, Reagan Hess, Desa Jankes - Movies (Jess Disalvo)

Ava Kim, Natalie Kim - Sunshine

Bella DiBenedetto, Aubrey Haugh - Swim Good

Stella Fowler, Caleb Monnell - Your Angel

Hudson Heath, Caleb Monnell, Indy Ray - Bad Romance

Woodbury Dance Center:

Ian Stegeman, Skylar Wong - Depth Over Distance

Wyatt Brisson, Klaire Simek - What Weighs Me Down

Caleigh Proulx, Samuel Sharp Jr. - Glacier

West Coast School of the Arts:

Isla Benedetti, Olivia Conner, Aubrey Minadeo - Werk

Kinsley Cooper, Larkin Low, Paige Perez - Jail House Rock

Genevieve Lee, Marlee Ninofranco - Eyes In The Back Of My Head

Lily Meghdadi, Mila Osgood - Young And Beautiful

Skylar Nixon, Dakotah Robinett - Play That Sax

Alexa Perez, Mackenzie Perez - Opening Up

McKinley Barragan, Kensie Lee, Ayla Mohtashami - In The Zone

Madison Fontanilla, Marlee Ninofranco - Journey Of You And I

Lyric Low, Camdyn Mitchell, Makayla Tran - Everybody Needs A Best Friend

Ally Cheung, Casey Cheung - How It Ends

Leyna Huynh, Sophia Thayer-Pham - Move

Ally Cheung, Gabi D'Ambra, Sophia Oppegard - Poison And Wine

Yoko's Dance and Performing Arts Academy:

Priscilla Huang, Isabelle Shi, Grace Yan - Firework

Arielle Konaris, Anaya Seals, Avery Yamaguchi - I'll Get You Home

Michelle C. Wang, Alexander Wang - Why Don't You

Kaelani Carlson, Isabel Dela Cruz - When The Party's Over

Fiona Wu, Raina Wu - Bitter And Sweet (Megan Ellis)

Avery Du, Grace Koo - Black Horse And A Cherry Tree

Samantha Tan, Isabelle Tang - How To Save A Life

[moonysimp]

mastermind –charles leclerc

this is for my f1 swifties <3

he surprised you coming home a day earlier. your heart stopped the moment you opened the door and he was standing there with a big smile on his face. it didn't matter that the two of you had been together for almost two years, you still couldn't believe how lucky you were to have charles all for yourself. he was like a dream.

since you hadn't seen each other for about 2 weeks, you spent all day cuddling and staying in bed, enjoying every bit of each other.

you were mumbling a taylor swift song when the reality hit you. "omg", you sat up straight, "you haven't listened to the new taylor swift album, have you?", you looked at him with a malicious smile forming on your lips.

he knew he wouldn't get out of this even if he lied, "no, not yet."

"well the time has come, my friend", you said and ordered alexa to play your favorite song on the album: mastermind.

the little melody started playing and you gave him a little peck on the lips. "this song reminds me of us", you murmured against his lips.

as taylor sang you started to dance around the room while he watched you sitting on the bed, with a giddy smile. he was mesmerized by you.

and the song did remind you of your relationship with charles. because at the end of the day, even when you wanted to blame it on the stars and fate, you had planned how everything would go when the two of you met.

nothing was accidental. you had been working in the motor industry for 3 years, trying to earn as much respect as possible and get as much experience as you could because working in the aston martin head quarters was one thing, but ultimately, your goal was to work in the aston martin f1 team.

so when your boss told you that he was invited to a special event related to formula 1, you did everything to convince him to take you with him, and eventually, he accepted. your opportunity had finally came. you would meet as many people as you could so maybe, in the future, the possibility to reach f1 would arrive.

but, you also had something else in mind. all the formula 1 drivers would attend to the event as well, and you were determined to gain something out of that. and charles leclerc was the target.

the monegasque driver was single, and you wanted to at least be introduced to him and make a good impression. this was the opportunity of a lifetime, so you wouldn't waste it.

you and your boss went to the special event, and it went incredible. the reason why your boss accepted you to come with him was to introduce you to some very important people, because he knew how much you wanted to work in f1 and he had witnessed how talented you were. so you shaked a lot of hands, and repeated your name over and over again.

however, something even more incredible happened. and it was all because of your persistence. it was very late, and the event was expected to end in any moment. you had heard that all the drivers had their own place in the salon, so you took that opportunity and sneaked into the private terrace the drivers had for themselves.

the place was empty except for a guy looking at the view. you couldn't see his face since you were behind him but you still recognized him. you swiftly joined his side, acting as calmed as possible.

"beautiful view, isn't it?", you said out loud, looking at him on the corner of your eye.

he nodded. "yes", he turned his head to face you, "very beautiful."

you smiled at him. and that was the beginning of it all.

months after that moment, you confessed to him that you had planned to somehow meet him that night, and he assured you he knew it.

"i had never seen you before, and the only people who were allowed to be in that terrace were all people i knew", he said smirking. "i still don't know how you got there", he intertwined his fingers with yours. "but i'm very glad you did. it was fate i guess."

"fate. and myself" , you winked at him.

you knew the song was ending and your favorite part was coming, you sat on his lap and murmured the lyrics very close to his face.

"i laid the groundwork and then saw a wide smirk on your face, you knew the entire time." , you grabbed his chin and sang the last few lyrics of the song. "you knew that I'm a mastermind, and now you're mine."

you kissed him sweetly, never getting enough of his lips. he broke the kiss and brought one of his hands to gently place it on your cheek. "i love you so much", he said with a bright smile, those dimples that you adored shining at plain sight.

[the-book-queen]

Hide your wallets, it's that time again! Your daily thread of romance deals is ready, FREE to $1.99!

FREE ✦ To Heal an Earl by Alexa Aston

Former Lady turned governess + Major who just inherited the title and is guardian to the children.

Historical Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3YhAby2

FREE ✦ The Wonder of You by Claire Marti

Childhood friends to lovers + only one bed during a blizzard. He's a renowned photographer, she's an archivist librarian. 

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3DG6cX7

$0.99 ✦ Ignite by Melanie Harlow

1st POV. Neighbors to lovers. He's a grumpy single dad/firefighter. She's a romantic who is taking a break from men.

KU Title

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3DLTLZP

$0.99 ✦ Summer at the Chateau by Annabel French

After being jilted at the altar, she learns she's inherited a chateau. She gets caught in a storm and finds herself in a neighboring vineyard, seeking help from the owner.

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/44R84sd

$1.99 ✦ Two Rakes for Mrs. Sparkwell by Eva Leigh

Widow looking for a pubic ruining + a notorious rake and his gaming hell bruiser best friend.

KU Title

Historical Romance (MFM) | https://amzn.to/3DG6Fsl

Putting these lists together takes time. If you appreciate this content, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi. http://ko-fi.com/danielletbq

[racingliners]

F1 Re-Watch 2022: Round 19 - USA

More mild shock because it’s a race I did remember to watch C4 highlights of!!

Granted, the bulk of my memories around this race were Lewis nearly winning, Seb leading for one (1) lap and Seb and Kevin’s INSANE last lap battle for P8.

Oh and once again everyone wore cowboy hats because Texas

So, grab your team coloured Stetsons and let’s jump in!

I think this race was good?? I mean I hope it is

I actually like COTA as a track, it’s pretty decent (and the best of all the current USA tracks by a mile imho)

(yes I’m saying that despite us being months away from Vegas bc what is the Vegas layout 😭)

Anyway, starting grid whiplash:

“Lots of drivers out of position thanks to penalties” 2015 McLaren Honda flashbacks

ouch Dan P15 & Charles P12.

BUT SEB TOP 10 YEAAAAAAAH BOI

LANCE P5!!!!!!! LEWIS P3!!!!!! INJECT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIT

I love it when the starting grid whiplash is actually nice

“This race could be anyone’s today” Really Crofty??? Really??? When the RB18 exists???

Helmet watch: Lewis’ neon yellow helmet with the purple visor >>>>>>

They had to change Lewis’ brakes before the start???? I really will be taking a sledgehammer to the W13 when I’m finished re-watching 2022

[Start/Lap 1]: Oh... a Merc murdered Sainz at turn 1

or not he’s gotten going he’s just at the back

oh it was Russell erguhaii

The saga of George Russell’s violence against the grid continues

anyway SEB UP INTO P5!!!!!!!!!

THAT’S! MY! BOOOOOOOOOOY!!!!!!!!!

[Lap 2]: aaaaaaand Sainz DNF. 

Charles up to P9

LANCE IS IN P3??????

STOP THE RACE

TEAM GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN 💚💚💚💚💚💚

[Lap 3]: and 5 sec penalty for Russell t-boning Sainz

Meanwhile Albon has no grip, and has dropped to P10 from P8 and has Bottas all up in his business

“The Aston Martin is working well around here” Inject it, frame it, capture it, remember it

the AMR22 is a tractor no more!!!!

“Lightning reactions from Lewis Hamilton” Of course??? He’s a king, tell us something we don’t know

[Lap 5]: No George, don’t overtake Lance. That would be rude.

also boo Perez got past Seb

welp Lance demoted to P4

“Howdy Crofty!” HI TED!!!! 👋

[Lap 6]: aw no Nicky spun 😔

oh Perez’s front wing is not looking healthy, front wing endplate went poof

(Alexa play I Want to Break Free by Queen)

[Lap 7]: Meanwhile Lance and Seb are vibing in P5 and P6 as the unbothered Kings they are 💚

....Lewis is three tenths faster than Verstappen you say???

please tell me we get a Hammertime radio it has been SO LONG

[Lap 8]: I’m ignoring the Ferrari radio that came up telling Charles they’re already thinking about Plan B :))))))))

Perez v Russell... I fear much violence

[Lap 9]: Charles up to P7, the race seems to have calmed down for now

I may cry at the Seb and Charles battle though, I miss them 😭

[Lap 10]: and the gap is down to 8 tenths, @ TV director show me my boys!!!

It’s also seemingly fucking WIMDY at COTA

[Lap 11]: oh the #JustLewisThings of him saying he’s not happy with his tyres then proceeding to set a purple sector, nature is healing

ahhhhhhh there’s Charles v Seb!!!!

The fact that this would have caused me pain in 19 & 20 but now we’re rejoicing. Growth!!

[Lap 12]: Gasly pits, after Bottas pitted the lap before, overcut win!

and back to Charles v Seb

and Charles gets past pretty easily

HAMMERTIME RADIO!!!! IT’S BEEN 84 YEARS!!!!

Bono I’m sending you a basket of the finest pastries AND flowers

[Lap 13]: Lewis pits for hards??? I’m still recovering from the radio message so I’m not fully processing what’s going on

aw Lewis came out behind Seb after pitting

[Lap 14]: Verstappen and Russell pit, also both for hards

oh my days Lance trying to fight him GO ON MY SON

anyway this is a very early pit window, I can only assume it was a bit warm on race day

Charles up into P3, but he’s yet to stop

[Lap 15]: Perez pits for hards also

LANCE P3!!! SEB P4!!!! STOP! THE! RACE!

“Aston Martin running in the top 3 for the first time this season” *longest yeah boi ever*

[Lap 16]: And Lance pits for... mediums

And Lewis got past Seb for P3

and sets the fastest first sector. 

Esteban and Mick having a slightly spicy battle, mainly bc Esteban’s car got caught by some wind

[Lap 17]: “Plan E consider” p a i n 

I mean at least it came from Charles but Ferrari kindly fuck off

[Lap 18]: Yellow flag sector 3????

oh Bottas is beached in the gravel

OH shit Safety Car

ah AM Safety Car my beloved

Will Ferrari be smart and pit Charles under the SC??

[Lap 19]: THEY DO!!! They found their braincell!!!

“Plan EEEEEEE this is lucky for us!” I love Ted so much

oh Seb pits too!! nice!!

Charles in P4, Seb in P6. WE’RE VIBING FOLKS!!!

oh replay of the George on Sainz violence at the start again

[Lap 20]: First SC at Austin since 2015 apparently, a somewhat fun fact (That was a half wet race iirc??? I’m not sure)

fuck what is this drone footage I’m getting vertigo

Lewis still having brake issues, I will sledgehammer the W13 and then burn it

[Lap 21]: SC ending, boys please don’t be dumb I don’t want any carnage

Lewis the filling in a RBR sandwich... does NOT spark joy

phew no nonsense as of yet

[Lap 22]: SEB TAKES P6!!!!

And Esteban locks up and Mick takes P12 

OH SHIT FERNANDO

AND LANCE

NOOOOOO

that was not the fun whiplash fyi

And of course Crofty mentions the fact that we had future teammate on teammate violence

[Lap 23]: Also I’m sorry but Lance’s car is on the track and there’s debris everywhere, where is the red flag?????

...

Not Fernando hitting Lance’s rear and then doing a wheelie

F1 CARS SHOULDN’T DO THAT

that really did not spark joy

the various on-board replays of debris flying everywhere are also not sparking joy

[Lap 24]: This race has been surprisingly eventful despite not having that much actual racing oh my days

Lance walking alone through the paddock... Alonso you can meet my fists

[Lap 25]: SC ending, again boys please DON’T BE DUMB

I am anxious

restart 2 electric boogaloo - so far no carnage

[Lap 26]: “Sebastian Vettel gaining on George Russell” screaming, crying clutching my chest in euphoria

oh he is legit closing up on him 

go on Seb, get him!!!

[Lap 27]: 8 tenths of a second gap 👀👀👀

okay the gap is fluctuating between 8 tenths and 1.1 seconds but I’m on full hopium and delusion

[Lap 28]: DRS re-enabled

Nicky fastest on the speed trap. Goatifi intensifies.

also I heard Ted say news from McLaren and I immediately had the ‘McLaren news’ jingle from The Fast and The Curious podcast play in my head thanks Chris Hugill 

[Lap 29]: Seb now 2.2 seconds behind Russell, the hopium was fun while it lasted

Charles v Perez???? 👀👀👀👀👀

[Lap 30]: CHARLES WITH THE LUNGE TAKES P3!!!!

woot woooooooot!!!!

“And there’s a lot of fans here that will want to kiss Charles for that” yes and I’m one of them get in line

[Lap 32]: Meanwhile George still has a loose endplate on his front wing after his lap 1 violence

[Lap 33]: Verstappen apparently not very happy with the wind

Oh, Mick and Kevin both in the Top 10!!!! We adore to see it!!!

[Lap 34]: Why are we cutting to Ed Sheeran???? Show me the cars!!!

Mick and Yuki both pit

[Lap 35]: and Lewis pits, undercut maybe??

oh and Yuki’s undercut did work on passing Norris

[Lap 36]: Verstappen pits

and it’s slow 👀

LEWIS TAKES THE NET RACE LEAD

😭🙌

More Perez on Russell fisticuffs

[Lap 37]: ah nvm Russell pits

[Lap 38]: Charles v Verstappen... spicy

both of them are on the mediums while Lewis is on the hards

[Lap 39]: Perez pits

AND SEB TAKES THE LEAD!!!!!

STOP! THE! RACE!!!!

Oh Charles doing the switcheroo on Verstappen, BEAUTIFUL

AND Seb P1, with Lewis P2. I know the end result and I do not care but STOP THE RACE!!

Seb leading his 3,500th lap, I love him so much 😭😭😭😭

[Lap 40]: Cut to Seb in the lead with Lewis P2, feels so good and SO organic

[Lap 41]: Lewis takes the lead, not surprising, but seeing them on track together one last time was very beautiful

and diving head first into the sea of delusion we go Lewis is def gonna win right? 🥲

this race has legit been so fun though

“Good to see Sebastian Vettel up there” preach it Ted!!!!!

[Lap 42]: 15 laps left. yelling.

slow stop for Seb 😭😭😭😭😭😭

16.8 seconds 😭

It’s okay Team Green I still love you

[Lap 43]: no don’t go back to the drone cam it’s not fun

Charles still in DRS range of Verstappen

[Lap 44]: But Verstappen goes half a second quicker than Lewis...

welp

[Lap 45]: Perez going 1.5 secs quicker with a borked front wing??? What is going on in the House of Commons????

Seb watch: in P13 1.6 seconds behind Yuki

Norris v Ocon!!! Beloved midfield spice!!!!

[Lap 46]: Lewis and Verstappen doing almost identical lap times on similar age of tyres, though on different compounds. STRESS.

[Lap 47]: 10 laps left 😬

Gap just under two seconds, love how I’m slightly stressed despite knowing the end podium 😂

It’s the ✨ emotional investment ✨

[Lap 48]: Now would be a great time for another Hammertime radio Bono just saying

SEB ONBOARD

He’s in P12 after Ocon pitted

He’s on the back of a DRS train on fresher tyres LET’S GET IT WELTMEISTER!!!

[Lap 49]: Alonso’s mirror just... fell off????

alrighty then

ughhhhhh Verstappen has DRS

I am stressed Angela and stressed Angela is me

[Lap 50]: Thank you Brundle I really needed you to list all of Verstappen’s car advantages 😭

But more importantly SEB INTO P10 KLAXON!!!!!

...

fuck me I did not breathe during Lewis’ and Verstappen’s battle

Lewis did not give up though and I love him for it

[Lap 52]: SEB INTO P9!!!!!!

and back down to P10, he’s having some fistcuffs with Albon

and round the outside, back into the points, that’s my 4 time world champion

6.3 secs behind Kevin with 4 laps left

It’s fun knowing what happens in advance sometimes

ohhh Seb let Albon back by bc he went off, that’s fair

[Lap 53]: Verstappen assigned track limits criminal by GP, Bono, and Lewis

and then Lewis gets a warning himself svuoheaugh

boys

[Lap 54]: The one positive is that the RBR has not streaked off into the distance, the W13 has some rights.

I mean I’m still going to take a sledgehammer to it though

[Lap 55]: Seb watch: 3.2 seconds behind Kevin now

oh and already down to 2 seconds 👀

gap between Lewis and Max is three seconds though 😭

[Lap 56]: Ignoring the front and watching Seb on the running order, gap down to 1.5 seconds

...now 8 tenths of a second

(I know the overtake is coming but the hype is fun)

[Finish]: Verstappen wins, Lewis P2 and Charles P3!!!

now show me Seb!!!!!

THERE HE IS!!!!!!

go on go on go onnnnn

AND DOWN THE INSIDE HE GOES!!!!!

SEB P8!!!!!!!! THAT’S!!! MY!!!!  BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

elmowithfire.gif

such a peach of a move like... Go off King you dropped this 👑

gonna celebrate with the biscoff ice cream mum just brought me 🥳

Well, that was actually a pretty fun race!!! You didn’t really know who was going to win until the last few laps, which could not be said for a lot of races in 2022 imho. Charles going from P12 to P3 was iconic af, Lewis making the most of his first proper chance in ages for a win was superb, and Seb was just doing iconic Seb shit... AND we got some midfield spice to boot!!

Overall, 8 front wings out of 10. Next race: Mexico!

[kritischetheologie]

if you had to assign colors/aesthetics to your fics like book covers, what would you choose?

this is an amazing ask because my dream has always been somebody making a moodboard for any of my fics. please.

the closest we have gotten to a perfect moodboard for one of my fics is this slytherin-ass aston martin moodboard which literally just needs nico in his green tuxedo jacket to be a moodboard for everybody wants to rule the world. zero notes it's perfect.

for the numbering at bethlehem, you really want a light academia vibe. the libraries, dust filtering in through sunny windows, the snow and then the melting, maine, etc. this sapphic academia moodboard i reblogged half a decade ago is pretty close to the vibe.

the depressed finance bro max moodboard obviously inspired lots of the aesthetic of like a story told by the fault lines and the soil, but where max's new york has a lot of cold grey, charles's is warmer. he's there right before halloween, so there's a lot of yellow and orange in the vibe: the orange cocktail daniel makes, the warmth of a bar on a chilly night, the trees of central park turning color.

I'm the weight, you're the kite, has always been dark red to me. (alexa play red taylor's version). like, the juice of an extremely ripe plum dripping everywhere, you know? the heaviness of a summer night. velvet. horny. the ao3 logo color.

I think there's something dark and neon about caught my reflection in the mirror. a very singapore-at-night-blade-runner-cyberpunk thing. the artificiality of it, and the coldness, and the toxicity, and the glow, no matter what.

the urbp is pale turquoise, obviously.

[marjaystuff]

Attractions

I don’t always know what attracts me to an author, but I really tend to think it is when the characters are not humdrum and maybe have some interesting quirks.  I certainly know that is why I love the ‘In Death’ series by JD Robb (Nora Roberts) and the ‘Harmony' series by Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz).  This week, I ran into a new author, Alexa Aston.  I found myself wanting to read every book she wrote in the series Second Sons of London.  So I have been working my way through the books enjoying them tremendously. I did put up a review of the latest one (Thanks to NetGalley), Valued by the Viscount.  

I completed Jodi Piccoult’s book Mad Honey and was surprised by the ending!  A fascinating read with lots of twists and turns.  I mean really who else can wrap the life of bees and honey with abuse, trans and teenagers and have people hanging on every word.  The book opened my eyes to a few things. 

This week I turned 64.  Quite frankly I am unsure where all the years went.  Quickly is my only thought.  Too quickly even perhaps.  My working team made a bit of a fuss and I received some unexpected presents.  One was a fuzzy comfy blanket.  Gizzie has claimed ownership of the blanket and is quite reluctant to share.  My sister sent a hysterical card, which I have shared with you. In case you didn’t know before looking at the card, I have a year old kitten.  Thank you for all the well wishes.  

Elise Cooper sent in an interview with Nelson DeMille.  He is such an icon for many readers. Elise’s interview with him is interesting and should be checked out. 

Books Read this week

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult

Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle

Valued by the Viscount by Alexa Aston

Educated by the Earl by Alexa Aston

Debating the Duke by Alexa Aston

Empowered by the Earl by Alexa Aston

[bucolicbook]

Hot Duke Summer: Regency Historical Romance Anthology by Scarlett Scott, Alexa Aston, Annabelle Anders, Meara Platt, Kathleen Ayers, Chastity Bowlin, Sara Adrien, Jude Knight 

US pub date - 8/24/24

The Duchess Bride - Scarlett Scott 

*character called Buttercup ✔️

*character named Westley ✔️

*masked, yet familiar, man kidnaps MFC to save her from a miserable marriage not to a Prince Humperdinck but to a Humberton  ✔️

Dilemma over a Duke - Alexa Aston 

*MFC decides on a marriage of convenience to a friend ✔️

*childhood friend / crush (her betrothed’s brother, oops) returns from war ✔️

The Duke’s Day Off - Annabelle Anders 

*titled man falls for his mother’s long suffering amanuensis / companion ✔️

*Memento Mori leads to love? ✔️

The Moonstone Mermaid - Meara Platt 

*injured soldier and duke falls for the woman he ‘accidentally’ spies on while she’s swimming ✔️

Say Anything, Duke - Kathleen Ayers

*accident prone MFC ✔️

*MFC’s mother = 🤬🤬🤬✔️

I Know this Much is True - Chastity Bowlin 

*insta insta love ✔️

Love is the Duke’s Best Remedy - Sara Adrien

*My Fair Lady / Pretty Woman vibes ✔️

The Worth of an Earl - Jude Knight 

*reverse Aladdin 

Anthologies are an excellent way to discover new-to-me authors or read shorter offerings from favorites and I found this one to be a very enjoyable read 🙂

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC