Carolina Reapers

The NHL's been at my door since I was 18, but I'd never leave the Swedish Hockey League-not while raising my little brother. But now he's grown, and the Carolina Reapers show up with my greatest weakness: Langley Pierce, their new head of PR. I've never been able to say no to her. She's fierce, independent, and the sexiest woman I've ever met. She also has a stubborn streak wider than my entire country. One comment from her smart mouth about never dating again, and I propose. No, really, I actually propose: A six-month marriage contract in exchange for signing with the Reapers. I want to date this woman so badly that I'm going to marry her first. I'll use each day to show her how a queen should be treated. Our wedding day started a countdown I'm powerless to stop, and the faster the months fly, the harder I fall. She's sworn she'll never choose a man over her career, And I promised never to ask her to. Until I'm forced to. How can we move forward when we started this whole thing backwards? If I can't convince her this marriage is anything but fake- The next document we sign will crush us both. Welcome to the Carolina Reapers, Samantha Whiskey's newest hockey series where the chill of the ice meets sultry southern nights.

I never thought I'd achieve my dream of playing for the NHL- Not while I'm my mom's sole caretaker. But the Carolina Reapers offer me a deal I can't refuse: a spot on their roster and top-rated support for my mom's battle with Parkinson's. Balancing an NHL schedule and my mother's care fills every minute of my day, but one glance at Scythe's bartender, and I'm looking for ways to make time. Echo Hayes is my exact opposite: she's wild-I'm reserved. She's fearless-I'm careful. She's a 1 a.m. last call, and I'm a 7 a.m. practice. On paper, we shouldn't work. But in reality, our chemistry burns hotter than these Charleston nights. We've agreed to no-strings, But every taste leaves me wanting more. And more is where she draws the line. The past haunts her, and my obligations own my present. But it doesn't stop me from wanting a future with her. Our worlds are drastically different-and when they collide? The fallout jeopardizes my contract, and puts our hearts on the line. Now I'm the one begging her to risk it all-or we'll lose everything worth fighting for. Welcome to the Carolina Reapers, Samantha Whiskey's newest hockey series where the chill of the ice meets sultry southern nights.

I'm famous for two things: being one of the best defensemen in the NHL and my classic pranks. My teammates always said one of my jokes would bite me in my Scottish arse one day, and they were right. After a prank goes wrong, I'm sentenced to six weeks community service under none other than the sexy, rule-abiding, smart-mouthed city clerk of Sweet Water-Annabelle Clarke. Lucky for me it's off season. Unlucky for me? I want Annabelle like I want my next breath. She's smart, luscious, and wound-tighter than a Scottish drum. Och, I'd love to be the one to help loosen her strings. She's made it clear that while I'm under her employment, she won't be under me. The white-hot chemistry we can't deny must be ignored at all costs. But bantering with her is soon my favorite pastime, and she's the sweetest forbidden fruit I've ever tasted. As we grow closer, one thing is absolutely clear: a summer with Annabelle Clarke can only end one of two ways...satisfaction or surrender. I can only hope we can weather the storm when the sky inevitably crashes down on us.

As the best offensive defenseman in the NHL, you'd think my skills would get more notice than my face. Ridiculous, but I've been dubbed the "pretty boy" since rookie year. Pair the looks with my multi-million-dollar career, and it's a recipe to get used. I've been burned before, and it's never happening again. Then I meet Delaney Collins-Charleston's impossibly sexy librarian. She's brilliant, funny, and the chemistry between us crackles every time we touch. But she doesn't have a clue who I am. Delaney treats me like a normal person, seeing straight to the heart of me. And all it wants is her. Only problem? She hates celebrity athletes. Her own dark past has ensured she'll never take a chance on one again. But the deeper we get, the harder it is for me to admit what I do on the ice. All I've ever wanted is for someone to love me for me-not the paycheck, the fame, or the face. But I'm not sure love will be enough to save us when the truth comes out.

I'm the fastest and most feared skater in the NHL. With a temper like mine, I can't afford to make mistakes. But one insane night in Vegas, and I wake up married to the biggest mistake of all: Persephone VanDoren-the head of our team's charitable foundation. Sure, the petite blonde is sweet enough to give the entire state of South Carolina a toothache, but I've never been one for the debutantes. She's everything I've fought against my whole life-wealthy, perfect, gorgeous, and her sharp little tongue presses every single one of my buttons. Our fights are almost as electric as our chemistry and there is no denying the tension sizzling between us. But I'm a monster with a dark past that will ruin a princess like her. She needs this marriage to appear real. And I need to remember it's fake. Because the longer we stay hitched, the more I want to be her forever. The whole world views me as her personal Hades, but I'll go to war with both our demons to save her happily ever after.