#gin n tonic aesthetic

[ejochsner]

Birds of a Feather OC Aesthetics 7/16

Vera Ramirez (She/Her) ⚽

[2handsslan]

max verstappen // mv1 fic recs

———————————— 🏎️🏎️ ————————————

one shots

fluorescent - @scuderiahoney

“motorsport is a dog eat dog world, and you know that better than most. it’s not often you meet someone who understands, who shines a light on all the darkness, but max might just be the perfect person for it”

first loser - @itsgodepi

“in the wake of a disastrous race, you're caught under the media's unforgiving glare. your every move and word being dissected for days on end as you simply try to navigate your rookie year in formula one. It is just your luck that your opponent in this fiasco is none other than the famously outspoken max verstappen, whose relentless jabs only add to your frustrations”

zandvoort, nl - @frogstappen

“you watch max's home race from the red bull garage”

a different light - @userlando

"you weren’t just friends. friends didn’t touch you the way he did (or the one where max has an epiphany and realizes he's in love with his best friend)"

coming of age - @keerysfreckles

“in which a silly bet between the two redbull drivers becomes a reality when y/n wins the first race of the 2024 season”

tying you to me - @pierregazly

“[4 times] in which something coincidentally led back to max, and the [1 time] it turned out nothing was just a coincidence (in which everything has always tied max to you)”

denial is a man’s best friend - @marlenesluv

“ y/n and max have been friends since karting years, and now? now, they’re teammates at redbull. they are one of the best teammate duos in the grid, but what happens when max catches feelings?…or when everyone but them notices they are in love but themselves”

baby steps - @forteafy

“you've always been mercedes golden girl; your life and career have been set out in stone. all it takes is for your ultimate rival to change that all”

pick you up - @scuderiahoney

“when Max has one too many gin & tonics, you’re the one who picks (him) up, every time he calls”

temptations - @no-144444

“you and max are on break and things get out of hand. nothing like tmz to mess things up, right?”

never an interruption- @fastandcarlos

“you’re all ready to celebrate max’s win with him, only when you find someone already there to celebrate, you begin to question the role you truly play in max’s life”

little big fan - @thef1diary

“your daughter runs off while you were in the middle of grocery shopping because she spotted max, her favourite driver. meeting you, max wants to know everything about you and your six year old. so of course he finds excuses to keep meeting you, starting with inviting you to the dutch grand prix”

series

rule breaker series - @coff33andb00ks

“max has it all...right? besides, he's too busy collecting trophies and completing side quests for anything else. until... you moved across a whole ass ocean to start over, uprooting you and your son's lives to become social media admin for cars that drive in circles”

smau

yuck! series - @maxlarens - smau

“your aesthetic interest in max verstappen is purely professional, you swear”

won gold - @maxverstappendefender - smau

“olympic snowboarder!gf x mv1 (max being a complete simp for someone that doesn’t even know him)”

miami baby - @norrisainz33 - smau

“actress and avid f1 fan visits the paddock for the first time and she is a certain world champion’s celebrity crush”

worlds biggest fan - @astonmartinii - smau

“y/n is the president of the official max verstappen fan club, but nothing can come of that, right?”

*these are part of my fic rec masterlist, please note none of these are written by me and the author of each story had been tagged! check out my f1 fic rec masterlist for other drivers!*

[ana-ktoria]

Great Minds by @officialsporkintheroad

“If you didn’t think so loudly, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“If you weren’t in my head, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

There are, surprisingly, worse things than dying on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets after having your soul leeched by the memory of a boy from the 1940's. Like having your mother hover over you and forbid you to ride a broom. Or being watched with pitying eyes wherever you go. Or realizing that the very boy who tried to kill you is not, in fact, dead like everyone believes, but instead lives inside your head.

Ginny Weasley is forced to grin and bear it as she navigates school, a somewhat crippled social life, and the horrors of her past. Tom Riddle is just along for the ride.

[the-fire-girls-frost-and-tonic]

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Ginevra Molly Weasley

Draco Lucius Malfoy

[chupalune]

Gin’n’tonic Moodboard

[uraniumbunny]

ALEKSEEV + Tom Riddle

This gorgeous man and his creative team have produced some insane music videos that are simply Gin n' Tonic aesthetic...

He's a Belarusian singer who also happens to be my favourite fancast for Tom.

Sorry for the sloppy edits, I'm not good at this, but I've wanted to make these for a long time😍

[whorefordazai]

Congrats on your 600+ followers, you deserve the love ^^ Can I ask for a match up? she; pisces; appearance - smth like my avatar, only wider; hobby/talent - handcraft(crochet, embroidery etc), reading, walks; likes - books, crafting, peace, sleeping, water, gin&tonic /dislikes - people who always know better; love language - acts of service, gifts & touch; personality or aesthetic - hedge&hearth witch; no-no - all Hunting Dogs; colors - green, gray, blue; date - evening swimming in the lake. :*

I match you with...

Akiko Yosano! ´ˎ˗

👾 yosano would either ask you to teach her how to crochet or she’d magically already know how to do it—there’s no in between. the two of you will spend quality time together, just sitting in peace while you crochet. she’ll probably try to make you something in surprise, fail, and try to hide the mess but it’s pretty obvious from the way she’s trying to discard the bad piece 😭

👾 yosano do be a wine woman 💪 so there will be nights where she gets over the top drunk and you’re just there, quietly sipping your gin🧍‍♂️she’ll get clingy, probably confess her feelings for you over and over again, and forget she even has an s/o. please bare with her, she’s not a lightweight but she does drink a lot 😭 as for dates, she’ll go swimming with you if it’s someplace secluded and peaceful. yosano in a bathing suit—you a lucky person 😔

👾 your dislike is people who know better, but her dislike is mostly men who know better 😼 and weak men, but she’ll complain about all the men that tested her nerves at the end of the day while taking multiple sips of her wine. there’s no stopping it, it’s a daily routine 😭 (that’s saved for the weekend, of course)

👾 she might not show it, but she’s extremely touch starved 😏 turns out, she loves to cuddle! she’s either the big spoon or little spoon, it really depends on her mood. but she’ll gladly lay on your chest with her arms around your waist or you’ll be in the crook of her neck and she’ll be softly patting your hair. she smells SO NICE—I mean, goddess like.

SONGS ´ˎ˗

- saturday sun | vance joy

- girls | girl in red

- talia | king princess

- still into you | paramore

- woman | harry styles

MESSY LAYOUT ´ˎ˗

[thepulta]

A/N: Update: Am still garbage so I wrote this backstory thing so my children could yell at each other. Extremely fluffy. Diabetus tag. Additional unnecessary cursing tag because Morgan literally was raised in a bar.

-=-

Westlie turned on the light to see a Morgan-shaped lump already in her bed. She sighed. “Hey.”

No response.

Westlie was too tired to care. Her feet felt like lead bricks. She kicked off her boots and sank into the seat at the vanity, closing her eyes as she undid her hair with quick, practiced movements. Her vest got tossed aside and she eventually pulled over her nightgown, straightening it with a quick slap. The light from the window filtered through the room, a soft irridescent orange-red, as she picked up her miscellaneous things; it had been a soot-filled day. When she was done Westlie shut the curtains tight, finally moving to her side of the bed with the suspicious lump under it.

The fuck am I going to do with you, Morgan? Westlie stood there for a minute, contemplating being nice or being a total ass and pulling her onto the floor. She settled for being a sisterly ass and flicking her finger twice on Morgan’s cheek. There was an angry growl and a shift under the covers; Morgan flipped her off. Mission accomplished.

“Move over. You’re not four anymore.”

She listened the first time, surprisingly. Westlie groaned as she finally laid down and her feet stopped screaming, faxing herself into the disappointingly warm sheets. The house was pleasantly silent now. Some crickets somewhere; the occasional creak of it settling. Westlie sighed and melted into the bed before realizing, almost half-way to sleep, she probably should do her sisterly duty. “Any reason you’re in my bed?”

No response. Morgan was out again.

Westlie kicked her. “Morgan.”

“…stars you’re such an ass.”

“It’s my bed. You have a perfectly good one two doors down.”

“’m haven’t seen you in a week. Thought I’d say hi.”

That was… surprisingly sweet. “Thanks. …It’s been busy at the shop.”

“I know, I know. It’s always busy.” Morgan rolled over to face her with a hint of grumpiness, eyes still shut as she re-huddled under the blankets. “What was it this time?”

Westlie puffed out a breath. “Blemmigans today. 150 of them.”

Morgan opened one eye. “That’s kind of cute.”

“Not when they escape and bite your customers so you have to chase said customer down the street, free them from the clutches of the traumatized blemmigan and apologize.”

Morgan snort-chuckled, closing her eyes again. “Let me guess; this customer was not at all grateful for the rescue.”

“Could not be less grateful. They actually wacked me with their parasol.” Westlie rubbed her middle, testing the ache. It wasn’t bruising yet but it would. It definitely would.

She got both eyes open at that. “They actually hit you?”

“Mmhm.”

“What a cunt.”

Had it really been a week since they’d talked? Westlie could never keep track of time. The days blurred into each other, especially around the end of the month when half her nights were spent in paperwork and the other half was grabbing sleep before fixing whatever the rest of the staff had managed to fuck up within a 12 hour period. She felt vaguely guilty. “What have you been up to?”

“No no, I want to hear more about this bitch with a parasol. Why was she there in the first place?”

Westlie had tried to erase that whole incident from her mind. There had been multiple people on the street staring. It was one of those things you woke up from the memory in a cold sweat twenty years later. “Mm…. candles and squid ink…? And calico? Something like that. Stupid shit. We don’t even have calico.”

“Was she just tall and looking for a fight? That’s so stupid. Paint me a picture of her.”

Westlie groaned. “I don’t really-”

Morgan rolled onto her elbows. “Let me guess, she had brown hair, an evil bitch face, and multiple warts.”

“Brown hair, no warts, some bitch face, yes.”

“Mm, she looked pretty but squeals like a girl when the blemmigan got her.” Westlie tried to hide a smile but Morgan caught it. “… You definitely laughed when it bit her.”

“I did not! I was very concerned for my customer!”

Morgan laughed, flopping on her back in the bed, grinning. “You did!”

Westlie broke and laughed too. “Oh she was such a bitch. I hate her. I think she said her name was… Vennedti? Something like that. She kept throwing it around. ‘How dare you insult the Vennedti name!’ ‘My father will speak to your employer about this!’ ‘A Vennedti treated in this manner!’ Oh she was so dumb.” Westlie burrowed into the blankets and smiled at her sister. Morgan smiled back. “Now what about you?”

“Oh, everyone at our bar is fine. Do you remember that rich asshole Fennigan?”

Westlie tried to remember; there was a vision of handlebar mustache and stovepipe hat, but little else. “… Two whiskeys, one gin and tonic…?”

“Close. Two whiskeys, one cider.” Morgan flopped on her back. “I finally got him banned after he insulted Three-Ciders-Two-Rum’s aunt. I suppose there’s a dramatic scandal somewhere because they - Fennigan and the aunt - were definitely going out, but the aunt rebuffed him after she found a Tackety to run away with. Just up and left! No notes. She was an old maid too; like thirty or so. But anyway.” Morgan flopped on her elbows again. “Fennigan walks in upset; nobody in the bar gives a shit because we’re not nosy assholes. He gets his whiskey and starts whining to John - you know, the barkeep.”

“Right.”

“Like, two hours of this, he’s super drunk; wants to play cards, so he goes into the corner and I’m playing with Three-Ciders-Two-Rum in the corner. Was it whist? No, I think it was loo or something; not important.” She waved the details away. “Fennigan is a little bitch and whines for us to cut him in. He dumped like idk, 50 sovereigns on the table, and obviously he’s drunk as fuck. In the beginning he was holding his cards right but eventually we could just see what he had.”

Westlie smiled a little as Morgan grew more animated, leaning on her side to listen.

“Four rounds in we’re both 25 sovereigns richer and he’s livid. Just tossing in the pot hoping for a full on win. Then I got the bad hand. His cards were basically on the table at that point because he’d had like five drinks too many; only it was better than mine, so I told Three-Ciders-Two-Rum to slip me his queen and a jack since he won the last two rounds, and Fennigan lost his mind. Apparently I look like that skanky aunt to a drunk man. I’ve never liked him anyway, so I told him to fuck off and that she left because his top hat was obviously compensating for such a tiny dick.”

Morgan paused for Westlie’s appreciative snort of laughter.

“Fennigan overturned the table and tried to deck me. Three-Ciders-Two-Rum only needed a little prodding for him to defend his aunt’s honor, and then fifteen minutes later Fennigan was out a top hat and 50 sovereigns, bruised and on the street. I cited the damages and got John to ban him.” Morgan dramatically illustrated a headline in the air. “Local Stovepipe Loses Bride and Loses Pride.” She flopped back on the mattress. “That was a great Thursday. Oh I got all 50 of those sovereigns, by the way. They’re in your drawer.”

Westlie had stopped questioning Morgan’s reasoning 6 years ago so the fact they were in her drawer not Morgan’s was more surprising than their existence. “I thought you said Three-Ciders-Two-Rum won half the rounds.”

“Eh, I made sure he broke even. He was too busy slugging; it’s his fault.”

“I feel like I need to lecture you on the vice of theft.”

Morgan poked the tip of Westlie’s nose, grinning. “Alls fair when it’s sitting on the card table.”

“They overturned the table!”

“Shhh, shh shh shh. Semantics, Wes. We were playing cards, he was very drunk, and now he’s missing 50 sovereigns. No harm in that.”

“You’re a pain in the ass.”

“A pain in your ass,” Morgan corrected. “John appreciates me.”

“He absolutely does not. You cause a fight once a week.”

“And I help clean up after! I’m a dutiful member of my local community.”

“So many fights….” Westlie groaned, rolling over to eye her sister for half a second before grabbing her pillow and pinning it down on Morgan’s face. “Can you win this one?!”

There was a muffled ‘..Fucker!’ before Westlie got kneed right in the stomach and she keeled over. “I’ll beat your ass!”

Westlie ducked the right hook, and tackled Morgan around the stomach, pinning her back down to the bed. “I’ve still got weight on you!”

“You are such a bitch! I was feeling so sorry for you with that Venni cunt.” Morgan twisted her legs around and Westlie felt herself biting the bed with a pillow shoving her head down from behind. “Do feathers taste good? I’ve never bothered to find out.”

Westlie wriggled a shoulder free, holding her breath and betting on Morgan’s vindictive two-hand hold on the pillow to continue while she caught her sister’s wrist and yanked. Morgan tipped, thrown off balance and Westlie scrambled on top to pin her arms and legs down. “Aha!”

Morgan squirmed for a full minute, trying to toss Westlie off before she flopped back and rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright. Uncle.” Westlie grinned as she popped off, collected her pillow and flopped back under the covers. Morgan sulked as she did the same. “If I’d known you’d just lecture and be a dick the whole time I would have stayed in my room.”

Westlie poked the tip of her nose. “But you’re nice.”

“You’re mean.”

“I’m mean,” Westlie agreed. For full sulking aesthetic Westlie sat up and tucked in her little sister on the other side of the bed. Morgan eyed her with the look that said she was annoyed, but equally pleased before yawning.

Westlie caught the yawn as she fell back under the covers and they laid there, sleep catching up with them. There was a long pause until Morgan shifted a little.

“When are you going to come out with me again, Wes?”

“Mm,” Westlie curled under the blankets and shrugged after mentally reviewing her list of to-dos. “Things should die down in a few more days. You know how the end of the month is. And I can handle more things now I’m 18 so there’s that too.”

Morgan sighed quietly, and just like that the house felt big and empty and lonely. “…I miss you.”

They were only two years apart, but Westlie could feel the separation and she was reminded, again, of their estrangement in some ways; and that in many respects, they were each others’ only real family. She rolled on her side and reached over, squeezing Morgan gently with one arm. “Hey, it’s ok. I’ll have a night off soon.”

“You always say that.”

Westlie didn’t know how to respond, hesitating. She finally sighed and squeezed her a little tighter. “…I miss you too.”

Morgan felt very small and Westlie remembered when they were far smaller and fit much better in the same moderately-sized bed. She would come running in during storms or if the soot from the factories nearby made scary shapes in the clouds. Westlie was not good at comforting and it didn’t help that now she couldn’t scoff at the clouds or the thunder and tell Morgan to wait an hour. There was nothing else she could do except hold her. Even that was a bit empty now since Morgan wasn’t quite a child anymore and hadn’t ever really been a child, like Westlie; affection was a poor subsitute for false promises. But she was here, and Westlie genuinely couldn’t give her a date, a tomorrow, a next week. Westlie sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“You have your own problems,” Morgan said quietly. “I know.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

Morgan rolled back over and gently touched the tip of Westlie’s nose. “I might not like it, but I understand.”

Westlie sighed again and let go of her, curling up tighter in the blankets. “How does you coming in here always make me feel guilty?”

“Because you know I’m right.”

Westlie rolled her eyes. “Says the one who stole 50 sovereigns from some poor stovepipe sap.”

“Stealing and emotional intelligence are not mutually exclusive.”

“Mmph, spare me.” But Westlie couldn’t resist a smile, interrupted by yet another yawn.

She felt Morgan curl up tighter in the blankets, settling in. “Good night, Wes.”

“… If I get those letters written and the cargo done we can go out tomorrow.”

“Sure, Wes.” There was a hopeful lilt in Morgan’s voice, but it stayed tempered. Westlie knew that look and she didn’t open her eyes to check.

“Night, Morgan.”

[princess-of-france]

21 Tag

Tagged by the marvelous @captainofthegreenpeas. Thank you, friend! :)

RULES: Answer 21 questions and tag 21 people that you’d like to get to know better. (Make a separate post!)

I’m just going to tag a bunch of my friends—like the nosy neighbor I am—but if anyone wants to do this, feel free to say I tagged you!

@skeleton-richard @themalhambird @thelibraryiscool @malvoliowithin @dragonarchaeologist @yunqideirish @lovesjustachemical @witty-fool @shredsandpatches @flappyfluellen @sleepinelysium​ @tollers-and-jack​ @luciftiana​ @snack-size-shakespeare​ @if-shakespeares-straight-i-quit​ @irrelevantlyvalid​ @sansaisalesbian​ @katespur-brokenmusic​ @catedevalois​ @necromancy-savant​ @wilsonnofsassycat​

1. Nickname: “Clarity” (and @dragonarchaeologist lovingly calls me “Hal”)

2. Zodiac: Technically Virgo; but at heart, I’m sheer Capricorn

3. Height: 5′6″

4. Last movie I saw: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (research for a production)

5. Last thing I googled: ‘What is 786 centimeters in inches?’ (same production)

6. Favorite Musicians: Lorde, Alicia Keys, Ingrid Michaelson, Lauren Aquilina

7. Song stuck in my head: Currently, it’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” (same production) 

8. Other blogs: No, and I am so impressed with people who have the time and intelligence and wherewithal to run more than one. Tell me your secrets!

9. Do I get asks? From @skeleton-richard, usually on the daily, usually about the Henriad—they’re always fantastic. 

10. Followers: ~220

11. Following: ~500-ish? I think?

12. Amount of sleep: 3 hours, usually. 5, if I’m truly exhausted.

13. Lucky number: 5

14. What am I wearing: Harem pants and a sports bra. I’ve been dancing all evening.

15. Dream job: Artistic Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. But if that position’s taken, I’ll settle for being Queen of the Known Universe.

16. Dream trip: Japan, because my best friend is there (teaching English to adorable children like the globetrotting pedagogical badass she is), and I miss her so damn much.

17. Favorite food: Coffee. And then Burgundy wine. 

18. Play any instruments?: Piano! And I trained for years as a lyric soprano. 

19. Favorite song: “King” by Lauren Aquilina 

20. Random fact about me: I’ve been to 28 different countries.

21. Describe yourself as aesthetic things: Starbucks cups lined with lipstick prints, morning-after curls, battered paperback copies of Shakespeare plays, winged eyeliner, gin-n’-tonics, rose gold jewelry, freshly printed play scripts, acoustic guitar music, high-heeled black boots, the taste of fresh grapefruit, hysterical laughter, warm hugs, cold stars, the red velvet of a theater curtain.

[matthishelvar]

summer aesthetic blog rates

hi hi everyone !! i haven’t done anything super interactive in a lil while so

RULES

mbf me

reblog this post

check out my instagram maybe? (mutuals give me ur @s i’ll follow u back xx)

send me an ask with a 🍒 or tell me abt what you’re doing this summer !!

proceed to have a wonderful day bc u deserve all that n more

format will be below the cut !!

shade: egyptian gold / metallic silver / pale cerulean / blush pink / spiced plum / deep cocoa / warm nude

cocktail (or mocktail if that’s how u roll!): gin & tonic / pina colada / mojito / red wine / rosé / apple cider

era: 20s / 50s / 60s / 70s / 80s / 00s

travel destination: tokyo / los angeles / bali / hong kong / london / paris / santorini

sweet treat: chocolate crossaint / chocolate covered strawberries / macaroon / gelato / cake pop

fabric pattern: gingham / plaid / polka dot / floral / stripes / solid

accessory: leather boots / glitter / sequins / denim jacket / sunglasses

blog rate: /10

following?: forever / i am now! / no but i still love u a lot

compliment:

blacklist ‘aes rates’ if u don’t wanna see these !!

[venora-the-rogue]

I was tagged by the glorious @shurplepurpofsex in this tag game to get to know more about me (not sure why any of you would want that? Anyway, here we go.) . Nickname: Family=KB (my initials); in-laws, friends and colleagues=K; bf=Bam/Bam-Bam/Bambi. . Zodiac: Taurus . Height: 5'5" . Time: 10:16 . Favourite band/artist at the moment: Nothing But Thieves, Hayley Kiyoko or Janelle Monae . Song stuck in my head: Say Amen (Saturday Night) by Panic! at the Disco . Last movie I saw: Central Intelligence . Last thing I googled: Eostre wikipedia . Other blogs: None . Do I get asks: Not that I can think of? . Why did I choose this username: It's a character from one of the books I'm writing (or trying to). . Following: 533 . Average amount of sleep: 5-6 hours? . Lucky number: 3 or 13 . What am I wearing: A black nightgown, because it's morning and it's coffee time. . Dream job: Lecturer in Literature or History, Haemotologist (possibly even forensic) or Broadway. -Yeah, I know. Nothing alike. . Dream trip: Route 66 followed by Disneyworld/Universal Studios/The Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter - I've never been to the USA before. Tbh I'd love to travel anywhere in either N or S America. I also really loved Malta when I was there, and would love to retire there. . Favourite food: Ooh... ice-cream? Or Mexican food. . Play any instruments: In yr3&4 I played flute, then changed schools and started piano, and I've been singing since I could talk. . Eye colour: Ranges from grey-blue-green. . Hair colour: Medium-dark brown. One day I'd love to get some pastel pink ombre. . Describe yourself as aesthetic things: Floral-patterned tops under pastel or autumnal-coloured woolly jumpers, lemon slices in a gin&tonic, and autumn leaves that crunch underfoot. . Languages you speak: Fluently? English. Bare basic broken bits? French, Spanish, Polish, Japanese and BSL. . Most iconic song: Take On Me by A-Ha . Random fact: I like to attend kickboxing classes for strength, fitness and defence. . . . @devoursjohnlock @deansass @enerjax @barn-s @theflatwoodsmonsterisalesbian @officialsydsquido @youarejustlovely @coffeebreath08 @tjlcisthenewsexy @geothebio

[ghostgum]

I'm suddenly feeling dehydrated. This simple orange and rosemary gin 'n' tonic is based off my blog aesthetic ~

Tagging: @things-that-go-bump @the-halo-of-my-memory @justanerdwholovesart @alwaysbeliev @hampop @its-deputy-caleb

I was tagged long ago by the lovely @strafethesesinners to make drinks based off of my blog/me/oc/etc using this Picrew! This was really fun and pretty! I decided to do me, my blog, and Dove! 

I’ll tag @floral-and-fine @krenee1drful @foofygoldfish @teamhawkeye @glowwormsmith @harmonyowl @cryptichobbit and anyone else who wants to do one! :)

[artificialqueens]

Something Borrowed 1/? (Witney) - Miss Bianca & jazz

Summary: This was going to be Courtney’s first visit to her childhood home in five years, and she’d made a lot of plans. Obviously, none of them had included falling into a whirlwind, summer love affair with her father’s 28-year-old fiancée, just three months before the planned wedding. But sometimes, things just happened.

Miss Bianca’s A/N: So. This is an idea I came up with after the revelation that Willam’s kind of like your dad’s second wife, who’s only a few years older than you and is really funny and likeable, even though you want to hate her. Doing this collab was jazz’s idea, and I am so fucking happy she came up with it, because it turns out we’re the dream team and we churned this out real damn fast (thank god for Google Docs). This is obviously a multichap, and we’d both love feedback. No, seriously, please, tell us what you thought.

jazz’s A/N: Miss Bianca relayed this prompt to me and I immediately died & then revived myself to write this fic, which is probably the longest thing I’ve written without devolving into pure smut!!! But just you wait LMAO <3

Courtney sat on her palms in the backseat of the cab, impatiently counting the passing mailboxes in an attempt to calm her nerves. The streets seemed cleaner here than they’d been downtown, and the carefully manicured front yards were all starting to blend together in a slightly nauseating mixture of brightly colored azaleas and overwatered grass.

Her flight had left at 6 AM, but she wasn’t the least bit tired – being a morning person really paid off. Regardless, Courtney was pretty sure she was too anxious to even consider sleep.

Coming back to Los Angeles after so much time away felt almost like a tangible step backwards. When she’d left, she’d still been practically a child, and leaving behind her father’s big, beautiful mansion and all of her friends had felt like the end of her universe.

Now, she knew that the world was a hell of a lot bigger than her pricey private school and the saltwater pool in her backyard.

Granted, she’d ended up going to a new private school in San Francisco, and then to a small, far-too-expensive liberal arts college, trading in rich high school friends for equally as rich college friends. But at least she’d graduated. With honors. And an utterly useless degree in fashion design.

Some of her friends had opted to go to grad school, and some had internships lined up. Courtney, for her part, had spent all of senior year looking for ways to avoid returning to her mom’s apartment, and after a failed job search, the answer had come in a phone call from her father – the first non-birthday call in five years – inviting her to “come home for the summer.”

And so, here she was, in the part of town where you could practically smell the wealth – in other words, right back where she’d started. She’d spent so long trying in vain to escape it all, and now found herself praying that somehow, she’d still fit in.

The driver turned the corner, and Courtney let out a breath, long and heavy.

It had been about five years since she’d last seen it, but the block she grew up on still looked almost exactly how she remembered it, which was oddly comforting.

The cab started to slow, and Courtney could see the Japanese maple tree on the next-door neighbor’s lawn, only a little bit bigger than it’d been when she was a child. She’d always wanted to hide underneath the branches, but she’d only made it into the neighbor’s lawn once without getting scolded by her mom. Her father would’ve disapproved of the trespassing.

“Right here, miss?”

“Yeah, this is it,” Courtney replied, smiling politely in the direction of the rearview mirror as the cab pulled up to the curb. She fumbled in her purse, pulling out her credit card to pay.

The dry heat hit her as soon as she stepped outside, and she was five years old again, admiring the huge house from the sidewalk: its white stucco exterior, spattered with tall windows that connected to ornate, wrought-iron balconies.

She was home.

It felt important, this moment, the first step towards reclaiming this place as her own. Maybe her father had seen the yellow car from his office window. As the afternoon sun warmed her face, she let herself imagine that he might even be waiting for her in the foyer.

The trunk of the taxi slammed shut, and Courtney pulled her gaze away from the house to see her assortment of bags resting on the pavement beside her.

“Thank you,” she said, managing to flash a final smile at the taxi driver.

“No problem.”

Courtney crouched to gather her belongings into her outstretched arms, wobbling slightly as she tried to stand and regain her balance.

“Probably should’ve just shipped it all,” she murmured. She was anxious and impatient, a thin layer of sweat forming on her lower back. “What, did I think the driver would want to carry everything inside for me? I’m such an idiot.”

After a few more moments of struggle, Courtney took a deep breath and began to shuffle awkwardly up the concrete path that lead to the front doors.

The sprinklers were on, drops of water making the grass sparkle as if someone had spilled diamonds all over the lawn. Courtney smiled, remembering how she’d run through it barefoot hundreds of times as a little girl to catch the ice cream truck before it pulled away. She never used to walk on the path, except for the few times when her father had been home.

He’d leave the door ajar, watching her from just inside the entryway, and she would put on her shoes and walk down to the street as quickly as she could, keeping her shoulders back and her chin up as young ladies like her were supposed to.

She could still picture the fond smile on his face when she paraded back to the house with a popsicle, careful not to let any of it drip onto her hands or her dress and make the smile go away.

The house towered above her now, and her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she took the steps one by one. She tried the door handle, finding it unlocked, and closed her eyes for a moment, collecting herself.

The door swung open, and she stepped over the threshold into the huge, sunlit foyer.

As soon as she tugged the door closed behind her, the hours of build-up to this moment began to seem pointless. Her father probably wasn’t home, and even if he was, he certainly wouldn’t take the time to come down and greet her. He was, as he’d told her so many times, “a very busy man.”

She shook her head, feeling foolish and naive, and let her bags fall to the ground with an echoing thud.

After a moment, Courtney realized that there was music playing somewhere in the house. It was upbeat, and sounded like something she might hear in a club around 1 AM – not in the home of an aging, wealthy businessman in the middle of the day.

She glanced around, wondering where it was coming from, and began to notice changes that had been made to the inside of the house. The foyer was just as big and airy as it had always been, but the aesthetic was distinctly different, and definitely not at all like her father.

There were vases of blooming flowers on the side tables, a set of dark brown plush rugs in the middle of the floor, and various fluffy pillows balanced on the ottoman. As she took a step closer, Courtney noticed that one of the pillows, a pink one, had fringe. Her eyes widened in alarm.

It was all wrong.

“What in the name of…”

Her brow furrowed, Courtney blindly followed the sound of the music, walking past the ottoman and through one of the open arched doorways that led to the smaller dining room and kitchen. There were, impossibly, more flowers on the dining room table, and a trio of Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe prints taking up most of the wall directly behind it.

She turned to scan the kitchen, and nearly jumped out of her skin. There was a strange woman there, perched on a barstool at the island.

Courtney looked her up and down, her lips parting involuntarily. The woman was leaning on the counter lazily, flipping through a magazine.  One toned leg was folded underneath her body, making her already sinfully short dress creep up even higher. She was sipping on a clear cocktail – a vodka soda, Courtney thought, or maybe a gin and tonic – which, really, didn’t matter at all in the grand scheme of things, not when there were more obviously more pressing questions at hand.

“What the fuck are you doing in my house?”

To Courtney’s annoyance, the woman didn’t seem startled at all by Courtney’s outburst. In fact, she didn’t even bother to look up from her magazine.

“Oh, hey,” she said, taking another long sip of her drink. “You must be Courtney.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I’m Willam,” the woman drawled by way of response, setting her glass down on the island and finally glancing over at Courtney. “I live here.”

Courtney whipped her head around to look over her shoulder, as if there might be some explanation behind her as to what the hell was going on. She dug her fingernails into her palms in an attempt to keep from legitimately losing it.

“Am I being fucking Punk’d right now?”

Willam directed her attention back to the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan. “Oh, please, girl,” she scoffed. “As if you’re that important.”

Courtney gaped at her, unable to find the words to properly express her outrage at Willam – for being so pretentious, for her apparent lack of humanity, and for daring to look like that in the middle of the goddamn kitchen on a Tuesday afternoon.

A smirk crept across Willam’s face as Courtney stared at her blankly for a moment too long before managing to speak again.

“So, you live here,” Courtney said slowly.

“Ooh, she knows how to listen,” Willam cooed sarcastically.

Courtney gritted her teeth.

“Um, how?”

Willam set down her drink, and turned her left hand around, waggling her fingers with a cocky grin plastered to her face.

The giant, princess-cut diamond caught the light, and Courtney felt the balance of the world shift slightly.  

“Is that…”

“Wedding date’s set for August,” Willam said, admiring the ring on her own finger. “Better get used to me quick, princess.”

“Don’t call me that!” Courtney snapped. “You’re like, my age! Jesus Christ, are you even fucking legal?”

“I’m 28, actually,” Willam replied. “But you’re off to a great start, flattery will get you anywhere.”

“That wasn’t a compliment!”

Courtney felt herself spiraling. Everything about her father’s new fiancée rubbed her the wrong way, from her quick retorts to her attitude to her tousled blonde hair that forced Courtney to imagine running her hands through it and making it even messier.

“Run along now,” Willam said with a noncommittal flick of her manicured fingers.

Courtney’s cheeks flushed pink. She wanted to disappear, wanted to punch Willam in the face and melt into a puddle at her feet. She wanted Willam to call her ‘princess’ again, just to hear the way it rolled off her tongue.

Leaving now, after Willam had practically ordered her to like some sort of child, felt like letting the other woman win – but Courtney didn’t think she could stand to be around her any longer, either.

Turning around with a huff, she strode out of the kitchen, her heels clicking aggressively on the tiled floor. Behind her, she thought she could hear Willam laughing.

She scooped up as many bags as she trusted herself to carry, and hurried up the impressive, dark-paneled staircase, wanting to put as much distance in between herself and Willam as possible. The sound of Willam’s music faded as Courtney reached the top and made her way down the hall to her right until she reached her old bedroom.

There was still a hook screwed into the top of the door, but the sign that had previously hung there, labeling it “Courtney’s Kingdom”, was absent. She ran a gentle hand over the wood, the scratch marks from the edge of the sign still present, as if it had been removed recently.

“Willam,” she muttered angrily.

She pushed her way into her room, relieved to see that Willam hadn’t totally remodeled in there as well. Her collection of suitcases was scattered on the floor, having shipped successfully earlier that week, the light blue print matching that of her other bags.

Dropping her things on the floor, Courtney walked over to the bed and sat down with a sigh. She could feel the beginnings of a headache forming in her temples, and she rubbed at them in a futile attempt dispel it.

She wished her father were home to clear everything up, maybe even reveal that “It’s all just a misunderstanding, Courtney, Willam’s actually just a cheap hooker who overstayed her welcome and stole some jewelry.”

If she couldn’t deal with the issue at hand right now, though, Courtney figured she could at least distract herself by unpacking some of her things. As she remembered, her closet had lots of room to fill up.

Bending down to grab a suitcase, she dragged it over to the closet with difficulty. The door slid open, and Courtney’s newly regained serenity shot straight out the window.

The bottom of the closet was covered with shoes. And not just any shoes – expensive designer pumps, by the looks of them, none of which belonged to her. She started to count the red bottoms, and stopped after reaching ten, her blood boiling. She closed the closet door as quickly as she could, and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the hot tears threatening to break the surface back down.

When Courtney got frustrated, her body’s natural reaction was to cry, and she hated it, hated how it made her seem irrational and overly sensitive.

It just wasn’t supposed to be like this.

It’s not that she wasn’t used to her father bringing girls home after her parents’ divorce. It was the opposite, really: there were the Sarahs and the Samanthas, the Heathers and the Haileys, each of them sauntering in and out of Courtney’s early life in quick succession.

She’d since reasoned that her father wasn’t the type to settle down, and had chosen instead to pay little mind to the semi-annual rotation of girlfriends during the few weekends she actually got to spend at her father’s house thanks to the joint custody agreement in place.

They’d all tried to relate to Courtney, too, which was hilarious and infuriating in its own right. She was nice about it, let each woman believe that they could be the one for her father, but Courtney knew better. They’d be gone by the end of the month, and Courtney could go back to deepening her tan, calling her childhood best friend Alaska over to watch trashy reality TV and to paint each other’s nails.

But now there was Willam, and she had a shiny rock on her ring finger, and Courtney didn’t know how to cope with that.

She violently shoved handfuls of underwear from her luggage into the antique bureau she’d loved so much growing up, taking out her irritation on the tiny lacy garments and mismatched socks.

When was her father planning on telling her, anyway? Had he hoped that Courtney would just waltz right in and figure it out for herself, that she’d think it was a cute surprise? She nearly snorted aloud. Her father was more than twice Willam’s age.

Her stomach churned, and she tried to determine if she was most mad at her father, for putting her in this godawful situation;his new fiancée, for her stupid outfit and face and voice;or herself, for seemingly being unable to get Willam out of her head, no matter how hard she tried.

With no more underwear left to unpack, Courtney found herself staring down her closet door, her hands fidgeting in her lap. There had to be something she could do, some way to regain control over the situation, shift the balance of power at least a little.

After a few more long moments of indecisiveness, Courtney tentatively returned to her closet. She had to make at least one room in the house entirely her own. The shoes had to go.

With renewed determination, Courtney started to gather the shoes, picking up as many pairs as she could, until her arms were full. She got to her feet, shuffled over to the door, and bumped it open with her hip. The master bedroom was on the opposite side of the house, which meant Courtney had to make her way down the long hall and past the stairs, hoping that Willam wouldn’t hear her moving around and come up to bother her.

Finally, Courtney reached the paneled wood door, and dumped the entire armful of shoes unceremoniously in front. There was a loud clattering noise as the pumps hit the floor, and Courtney grinned victoriously. She brushed her hands off on her jeans, surveying the scene.

Struck with inspiration, she leaned over, plucking a pair of clear, blue and red plastic Louboutins from the heap. Pink and silver sparkles caught her eye, and she reached further, grabbing that pair as well. It wasn’t like Willam didn’t have a few sets to spare, Courtney reasoned. Satisfied with herself, she stood and turned on her heel, marching back down the hall to her room.

She didn’t want – no, she refused – to allow some glorified stripper with a superiority complex ruin her entire summer, or her chances at reconnecting with her father.

Willam might be living in the house now, but it sure as hell wasn’t her home. In fact, Courtney was positive that she wouldn’t even be there another month, much less till the wedding.

She slammed the bedroom door shut behind her, and decided with a burst of conviction that she would still reclaim the house as her own, whether Willam was there to distract her or not.

She would do what she pleased, and Willam could go fuck herself.

And what Courtney wanted right now, more than anything, was to dig out her bathing suit, go lay by the pool, and hopefully avoid having to interact with her father’s new fiancée for a few hours. She deserved at least that much.

Fifteen minutes later, Courtney was striding out the back doors and towards the pool in her red bikini and one of the stolen pairs of Willam’s Louboutins, her light hair pulled messily into a topknot.

She felt like a model, camera-ready and confident. It was almost like being sixteen again, getting ready to lay out at the pool with Alaska and Adore, except now, the tables were turned: she was prettier, but far less happy.  

While her father had worked, holed up in his office alongside stacks of legal documents and bills, Courtney had spent most of her free time on visiting weekends out here. She’d quickly learned to enjoy her own company, which was fine by her. It wasn’t as if teenage Courtney had wanted anything to do with the man who’d cheated on her mom over and over, and then denied it so convincingly that her mom had thought it was all in her head.

She’d gained some distance from her emotions surrounding that particular situation as the years passed, and so it wasn’t too much of a struggle to decide to give her father another chance. He might’ve changed, she figured – and there was always the possibility that her perception of what had happened between her parents was distorted.

And anyways, even if her father was just as bad as she remembered, it couldn’t hurt to secure her cut of his wealth in the will.

“Couldn’t stay away?” Willam’s voice pulled Courtney out of her thoughts, and she stopped in her tracks, unable to believe her terrible luck.  

The other woman was stretched out on one of the long chairs beside the pool, round sunglasses covering most of her face. She’d discarded the dress from earlier, exchanging it for what had to be the skimpiest bikini Courtney had ever seen – not that she was staring, or anything.

It was just that the tanning oil was making Willam’s flat stomach and the tops of her breasts glisten so temptingly, and she couldn’t seem to stop looking.

Willam turned, lowering her shades and surveying Courtney as if she were an item with a price tag, like a dress that she was considering trying on. Courtney blushed, feeling the sudden urge to cover up under her scrutiny, and Willam’s lips tilted upwards in a smirk.

“Love the shoes,” she commented, meeting Courtney’s gaze. “I have great taste, don’t I?”

“I dunno,” Courtney said. She glanced down at her feet. “I think they’re kinda tacky.”

Willam’s eyes narrowed in annoyance, and Courtney pumped her fist internally at her success in finally getting a reaction out of the other woman.

“It’s a pool party shoe,” she said dismissively. “Not my best.”

Rolling her eyes, Courtney headed for her favorite of the chairs by the pool – thankfully, the one farthest away from Willam. She swore she could feel Willam watching her in that same commodifying way as she walked past, which was surprisingly exhilarating.

With some effort and a lot of willpower, Courtney managed to avoid looking back at Willam as she relaxed into the chair. They weren’t exactly seated near each other, but Courtney still felt hyper-aware of her presence. It was as if she was finely tuned to pick up on the sounds of Willam’s breathing, the subtle way she shifted her weight on the chair.

So, when the other woman suddenly began to make a lot more noise, Courtney couldn’t help but turn her head to see what was going on. Willam had stood up, and was tying her hair back into a low ponytail, heading over towards the edge of the pool.

Without meaning to, Courtney found herself following Willam with her eyes, like in one of those cliched movie scenes where the camera panned up over the perfect body of the female lead. She might as well be naked, Courtney thought. Which wasn’t a terrible mental image, she had to admit. Particularly since she was now unable to get the picture out of her head.

“It’s rude to stare,” Willam announced as she sat down, legs dangling over the edge of the pool. “I usually charge money for that.”

Courtney nearly choked on air. Had she really been that obvious?

“Cat got your tongue, sweetie?” Willam looked over her shoulder, her mocking smile taunting Courtney.

“I probably still have a dollar or two left in my phone case,” Courtney finally managed to say. “Isn’t that your usual going rate?”

The smile widened into a more genuine grin, and Willam chuckled, swinging her feet so water splashed up her legs. She had nice teeth, Courtney noted. And a nice smile, too – the kind that made you want to take notice, study her for a really long time.

Clearing her throat, Courtney looked down at her hands. For a second there, she could almost see why her father must’ve been drawn to Willam in the first place.

“Yeah, by the way, I used some of your closet space,” Willam commented. “Forgot to mention that.”

“Oh, I saw.”

“I mean, it’s all my closet space, if you wanna get official about it,” she added after a moment, a cocky tilt to her head. “Cause, y’know… my house.”

“But that’s my room,” Courtney argued, frowning. Whatever glimmer of likeability she thought she’d seen from Willam was quickly vanishing, replaced by the same intense irritation that had already ruined her day once.

“Sure, for now.”

“What the fuck is that, some kind of threat?”

“Ooh, language,” Willam replied, clicking her tongue disapprovingly.

“You’re such a bitch,” Courtney burst out.

“You kiss your daddy with that mouth?”

Courtney groaned. She crossed her arms, looking away pointedly.

Willam chuckled again, splashing water out of the pool. Courtney clenched her jaw. Why did Willam insist on being so difficult? It was like she’d been placed on the planet specifically to drive Courtney up the wall.

Courtney prided herself on her ability to get along with almost anyone. The problem here was clearly on Willam’s side, not on hers. She was a perfectly nice person – it wasn’t her fault that Willam had no manners, no common courtesy, and seemed to get a kick out of being an utter pain in the ass.

“You know, as soon as my dad gets home, I’m gonna tell him exactly what kind of person you really are,” Courtney called, still refusing to look at Willam.

“And what kinda person is that, kitten?”

“A bad one,” Courtney replied quickly, flinching slightly at the lame response.

“Ooh, savage,” Willam snorted.

“And don’t call me that!”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

Courtney huffed out a sigh, feeling like a pouty child with her arms crossed and her lower lip sticking out.

“You can tell your dad everything at family dinner tonight,” Willam added. “Not that it’ll change anything. Dave knew he wasn’t proposing to America’s sweetheart.”

“Wait, family dinner?”

—–

“So, how are you girls getting along?” Dave asked finally, attempting to break through the uncomfortable silence that filled the dining room.

Courtney looked up from her plate to see Willam smirking around a forkful of salad across the table. She opened her mouth, ready to inform her father of what a nightmare Willam really was, and closed it again.

“Um, fine,” she said instead, watching Willam’s eyebrows raise in amusement. She didn’t know what compelled her to lie, but suspected that Willam had known all along that she wouldn’t go through with it.

“Courtney borrowed a pair of my shoes,” Willam added.

“Oh, how… nice,” Dave said.

The room quickly fell into silence again, disturbed only by the irritatingly loud sounds of Dave occasionally clearing his throat and of Willam chewing.

Courtney wanted to scream.

Nothing about today was turning out how she’d planned. The reunion with her father that she’d hyped up so much in her head had been lackluster at best, and painfully awkward at worst. And Willam’s interruption of their shaky conversation – by way of an attention-grabbing entrance via the staircase – had made it just that much less satisfying.

Dave, in his typical way, had vanished upstairs to his office as soon as possible, leaving Courtney stuck downstairs with Willam once again. When the hired chef had arrived to make dinner, Courtney had volunteered to help immediately, just to avoid having to interact with her.

And now, here she was, stuck sitting right across from the other woman in the formal dining room, with nothing to do aside from stare at her and then pretend that she hadn’t been whenever Willam made eye contact.

“So, um, dad,” Courtney finally spoke up, desperate to shift the atmosphere. “How did you two meet? What’s the story here?”

“Internet,” Willam said, before Dave could respond.

“Yes, online,” Dave added with a nod.

“Oh, did you click one of those ads to chat with ‘hot young singles in your area’?” Courtney asked, her tone biting as she glared at Willam.

“No, it was one of those dating websites,” Dave said. “She found me, she seemed interested.”

“Oh, I’m sure she did,” Courtney murmured.

“We met up, and, well, the rest is history,” he finished.

“He’s just my kinda man,” Willam added, a smile that Courtney immediately recognized as false on her face as she batted her eyelashes at Dave. “Mature sort of gentleman, comfortable. Generous.”  

Courtney nearly laughed out loud at ‘generous.’ In the 40 years her father had been making money, she was positive that no one had ever used that particular word to describe him.

“You’re too kind, sweetheart,” Dave replied, patting her hand.

“She really is,” Courtney agreed, rolling her eyes.

It was so painfully obvious that this was all a game to Willam. If she played her part correctly, she’d get rewarded with gifts and credit cards, and eventually, the biggest cut in the will. Courtney couldn’t believe that her father was falling for it.

“How was work today, babe?” Willam directed at her fiancé, clearly trying to steer the conversation in a less risky direction.

“Could’ve been better,” Dave said, shaking his head. “We’re trying to close on this deal, but getting through all the paperwork has been such a hassle…”

Almost immediately, Courtney stopped paying attention, an old habit that had apparently remained in place over the years. Willam, on her end, was nodding and blinking vapidly at him, still pretending to be engaged.

And the act was believable, too. If Courtney hadn’t felt the cool shoe sliding slowly up her thigh, she might’ve even thought that Willam truly was invested in trade secrets and company policy.

She froze, dropping her fork in surprise. Willam refused to acknowledge her, still playing the role of doting fiancée as her heel crept higher up Courtney’s leg. She could feel the flush rising in her cheeks again and she swallowed hard, trying not to squirm in her seat, a task that was easier said than done. She squeezed her thighs together, frustrated at how her body was betraying her, reacting to Willam’s touch so eagerly.  

“Willam!” she hissed, and Willam’s gaze snapped over to meet hers. The foot promptly withdrew.

Oops, Willam mouthed with a shrug.

Courtney gaped at her, at a total loss for words. She glanced over at her father, who thankfully seemed to have missed the entire exchange.

She could still feel the ghost of Willam’s contact buzzing on her skin, and when Willam glanced at her again, she couldn’t help but bite her lip.

Dave was still rambling about something or other, and Willam kept nodding and watching him, her full lips parted. The room felt very hot all of a sudden, and Courtney needed air.

“Can I please be excused?” Courtney croaked.

Without waiting for an answer, she pushed her chair out from the table and stood abruptly, wadding up the napkin on her lap in a ball and tossing it by her half-eaten plate of food.

Fleeing to the kitchen, she rested her arms on the edge of the sink, turning the water on cold and splashing some on her face. Her cheeks felt a little less warm, but it did nothing to help the heat still twisting low in her stomach. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head and turned off the water.

“You’re a mess,” said Willam. Courtney jumped, spinning around to see the other woman leaning casually against the counter behind her.

“Are you stalking me or something?” Courtney demanded, her heart rate picking up again. “What the hell was that back there?”

“Told you, it was an accident,” Willam said with a shrug.

“That’s a really big fucking accident.”

“Girl, don’t pretend you didn’t like it.” Willam pushed herself off the counter, taking a step towards Courtney. “I could see you getting all flustered. You ain’t subtle.”

Courtney’s back was to the sink now as Willam moved even closer, into her space. Courtney sputtered, wanting to deny Willam’s claims, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Oh my god, what is she doing? Courtney’s mind was moving at a mile a minute. She can’t be – but what if she is?

Willam was close enough that Courtney could smell her perfume, and she attempted to steady her breathing, hoping that maybe Willam wouldn’t notice how affected she was. There were a million reasons for Courtney to stop this in its tracks right now, a million reasons to push Willam away or slap her in the face. But the cut of Willam’s dress was low, and the line of her collarbone was soft and graceful, and Courtney couldn’t bring herself to consider any one of those reasons.

Impossibly, Willam kept closing in, and Courtney had nowhere to go, trapped by the cool marble of the countertop. And honestly, she wasn’t sure she’d want to go anywhere, even if she could.

Willam stopped, so close that Courtney could almost feel her body heat radiating off her in waves. She exhaled, her breath ghosting over Courtney’s lips, and Courtney reached out on instinct, her hand landing on Willam’s hip.

The corners of Willam’s mouth turned up into a wry smile.

“Knew it,” she murmured.

As quickly as Willam had advanced, she backed away. Turning, she left the kitchen, throwing one last knowing smirk Courtney’s way as she walked through the archway.

Courtney’s knees felt weak, and she gripped the edge of the counter behind her for support, trying to catch her breath. She’d been so sure Willam was going to kiss her, and she’d done nothing at all to stop it.

Courtney stared blankly into the empty space where Willam had been until just a moment ago.

The sound of Willam’s laughter, loud and emphatic, carried in from the dining room. Courtney closed her eyes, trying to figure out what her father could’ve said to evoke that kind of reaction. She wondered if she could make Willam laugh like that, too.

It hadn’t even been a full day, and all of Courtney’s plans for her summer were already in pieces at her feet. She had no idea what to make of Willam or how to handle her, and there was no evidence that it was going to get any easier.

There was only the hum of the refrigerator, the thumping in Courtney’s chest, and the realization that she was totally, completely fucked.

[jamiekturner]

Cool New Website Designs For Inspiration – 47 Sites

The layouts that we see on the new website designs are a lot different than the ones that were even a few years back.

In the past years, there have been major changes, thanks to HTML5, CSS3 and the jQuery that everyone loves. The impact of these and the trends they’ve generated is massive on the web design industry.

If before them, we had websites which had a layout based on a standard grid or on a platform that was somehow rigid, nowadays we are having websites that are a lot different.

And that is a good thing, because the designs are getting more and more visual and designers are paying a lot more attention to user interface design and user experience.

I’m happy to see the wheels moving forward in web design and I’m inviting you to check out a few of the cool designs that fall into this category that I’ve been talking about.

InSymbiosis

They provide the biopharma industry with an alternative strategy for outsourcing in order to accelerate drug development programs and provide lower costs, thereby enabling critical new drugs to reach patients faster.

Chaptr

Chaptr provides forward thinking brands with end-to-end creative products. Their hand crafted digital experiences tell stories that connect with people. Visually powerful and unforgettable.

MENDO

MENDO is a candy store for book aficionados with a flagship store situated in one of Amsterdam’s most inspirational neighbourhoods, called The 9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes). The store is fully dedicated to sharing the love for beautiful books.

P22

Héloïse Thibodeau Architecte

Another example of cool web designs is this site. The main goal of the firm is to put forward the outmost standards in excellence in design, while maintaining superior norms in construction.

The firm believes in the importance of applying high regulations for every projects. From conception stages to the final outcome, the team works to guaranty to both the clients and their users the best functionality and the design that make each project a long term success.

Shantell Martin

Autobiographical and dreamlike, Shantell Martin bridges the fine art and commercial world, as well as the objects, places and conversations of the everyday experience.

RFF — Reykjavik Fashion Festival

Les Pédaleurs

Size

Size is a small creative agency based in Zagreb, Croatia. They do branding, design and advertising.

7h34

The New Panamera

Redesigned, reimagined, reborn. The new Panamera is like no other sedan in the world.

European Music Incubator

An innovative European cooperation that will develop support programs to break the boundaries between music sector and other creative sectors at local and European level. All the organizations of the partnership are working throughout the music value-chain.

Erminando Aliaj

Genesis II

Wealthsimple

They invest your money across thousands of companies using Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that track different sectors of the global economy.

This way, you bet on bigger slices of the economy while taking advantage of market diversification, without being impacted by the growth or loss of one company. In a few easy steps, they’ll determine the right mix of investments you should have based on your personal goals.

Volta Footwear

Ever since the launch of its first collection, Volta’s design idea becomes immediately clear: the blending of different and sometimes even apparently contrasting aesthetic Universes.

Volta’s research focuses on designing and manufacturing the original Instant Classic, synonymous of a contemporary style that withstands the wear and tear of time.

Anagram.paris

They’re not just another digital agency. They are passionate digital creatives who just love the web and its unlimited possibilities.

Taptaro

Taptaro is a simple yet effective audio phrasebook of more than 450 useful English words and phrases translated and recorded by native Japanese speakers to help you communicate better and learn more about the Japanese culture.

bearideas

DOT

DOT is a line of innovative products, dedicated to feminine and hygienic world during the menstrual cycle. Thanks to their 100% Cotton formulation and to its special Combimedica patent, they are not only hypoallergenic but also naturally antibacterial.

HotelTonight

One of the cool sites in this list os HotelTonight. It was built because the owners don’t think the big booking websites make great mobile experiences, and they felt the world needs a fresh approach – a reinvention of hotel booking for the mobile era.

l’Amour Fou

Character

Character is one of the awesome website designs in this list. It is a San Francisco-based branding and design agency with a passion for launching, rejuvenating and propelling brands.

Their goal is to create lasting and meaningful relationships between their client’s brand and their audience through smart thinking and thoughtful design. They aim to do this by crafting stories that touch people on a personal level, sparking a change in their everyday behavior. They also have amazing website ideas.

You Gotta Love Frontend

You Gotta Love Frontend has one of the coolest websites and will provide a fun, energized atmosphere in which the field’s freshest minds can share their experiences, creative ideas and latest technologies – over pints of beer. Like-minded developers find an enriching opportunity to interact with each other, learn from one another and establish a professional network of communication.

Madeo Acadaemy

Based on their experience, you can learn only few things at school that are necessary for practice. When working in a team on large projects it is double true. Therefore, they decided to run madeo.academy – a challenge for all future web developers. All participants will receive some pieces of advice based on our know-how.

Helbak

Danish ceramist, Malene Helbak, combines the simplicity of Scandinavian design with a world of exquisite colours. Her ambition is to produce articles for everyday use that make a difference, attract positive attention and become a source of joy in our daily lives.

Why only ever use a cup for drinking coffee or tea? Why not use it for flowers or pencils? Malene Helbak’s simple designs lend themselves perfectly to such multiple uses.

Pen & Quill

Located at the corner of N. Charles and E. Lanvale, Pen & Quill offers quality food and drinks in a refreshed setting that’s right at home in Station North. Now, one of Baltimore’s most famous buildings is once again full of great food, drinks, and life.

ADAY

Goodmoods

Another one of these cool website designs is Goodmoods. This is a place of inspiration dedicated to the eShopping and the mix of genres: vintage design with new publishers, art streetwear, from handmade to home-made, the products mix & match to create moods and styles offer: A trend, a time, a combination of colors, a place, an artistic movement, everything is inspiration and the web is an endless source of products and talents.

Scottie & Russell

Scottie & Russell established in 2012, after visiting small county shows & St.Tropez markets, Lucy Bee was inspired to develop her own range of fragrance candles & supplying beautiful baby gifts & accessories. Scottie & Russell is now a successful online business having been featured in Glamor magazine, along with an ever increasing select list of stockists throughout the United Kingdom.

Zenhusen

One World

One World Trading Company offers beautiful things for the home at great prices without compromising on quality, customer service or delivery – whilst maintaining a fun and rebellious spirit along the way.

Freddie Meadows

Coming from Sweden and being a surfer aren’t two things regularly intertwined. Especially on a professional level. He was introduced to waveriding at a time when the Swedish surf team was compared to the Jamaican bobsled team.

Since his first wave in Sweden aged 13 he has navigated his way to being the first Swedish Professional surfer and after many years on tour, he am currently on a sabbatical from the contest world; instead, residing at home amongst the familiar swells of the Baltic Sea in search of a little magic.

Moving Waldo

Fhoke

They’re honest folk that believe in hard work and building lasting relationships. They enjoy making companies look better with great design, going above and beyond to please our clients.

Katvig

Cultivated Wit

They are a company of creative conspirators who tell stories, build community, make products, and teach. They collide comedy, design & technology to bring good ideas to “Earth.”

Ginventory

Search for your favourite gin, tonic or garnish and find the Perfect Serve. Discover the best Gin & Tonic combinations according to distillers and connoisseurs.

Creative Clash

Creative Clash is one of the coolest website designs you’ll see and was created and produced by The Infantree, a design and branding studio located in Lancaster, PA. It’s always been a dream of their growing agency to make a game based on their experiences in the wide world of advertising and design.

Postbox

Postbox is a new desktop messaging application that offers powerful new ways to find, use, and view email messages and content, organize work life, and simply get things done.

Postbox works behind the scenes to catalog everything in your email: every bit of text, every contact, address or link, every picture, document or attachment. This smart information engine provides you with ultra-fast search, smarter and more intuitive views, and tools to help you organize and focus.

Withings

Making the most of innovation, technology and design, Withings invents smart products and apps that fit into any lifestyle that lets you track what matters so you can improve you everyday well-being and aim for better long term health.

Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery

Tan Handbags

Another cool web design example is the Tan Handbags site. They are a company specializing in leather handbags of all sorts. Their bags are manufactured from high quality leather. Skilled designers with a long experience of working with the material are creating stylish and practical bags that are hand crafted with precision for a flawless appearance.

P & Co

P&Co as a brand has now traded online by Clark & Timms for almost three years and has reached customers from around the world all from this very website. Continually creating products and ideas, there’s lots more to come from the pair and the brands journey will continue.

Frank Digital

They create beautiful digital work. But that’s only part of the story. To them, every part of the experience must be beautiful – from user interactions, to your journey throughout the development process (and beyond). They believe it takes the experience of their team and their agency to do both.

Combining strategy, creative and technology, they’ve made a deliberate commitment to putting the user ‘front-of-mind’, and engineered every aspect of our operation to achieve it.

8 Bis Agency

Besides having a cool website design, 8 Bis is an innovative brand, design and communication agency that creates consistent dialogues and emotional experiences between brands and customers.

from Web Development & Designing http://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/cool-new-website-designs-for-inspiration-35-sites/