Title: Crooked
Authors: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 29, 2026
Take a sneak peek at CROOKED.
You know you want to…
Copyright ยฉ 2025 by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
โSorry for making up that story,โ he said. โBut I didnโt know what else to tell him. Wasnโt like I could admit the real reason Iโm here looking out for you.โ
I crossed my arms. โMaybe you shouldโve, and he couldโve carted you away, so I donโt have to deal with any of this.โ
โNow, now. Is that how you talk to your loving boyfriend?โ He winked.
โPlease donโt repeat that.โ Especially in that annoyingly seductive voice.
โWell, you donโt think at some point weโre gonna have to pretend to be something to each other? People are going to wonder who the hell I am. How else are you going to explain me, if Iโm not your boyfriend?โ
โIโm hoping not to have to explain you at all because Iโm counting on this arrangement ending soon.โ
โWell, if youโd let me sleep inside like you shouldโve, I wouldnโt have attracted the neighborโs attention.โ
โI will admit that making you sleep outside was a mistake, in hindsight.โ I rubbed my pounding temples. โDo you want some coffee? I need to get a cup before my head explodes.โ
He smiled wide. โI would love some.โ
God, those dimples.
Had they been there yesterday?
Of course they had.
Again, I needed coffee.
After I filled two mugs, I handed him one. โAs you just saw, my neighbor is very nosy. You need to keep a low profile. That means no hanging around outside my house unless absolutely necessary. Sheโll try to talk to you.โ
โIโll be fine if she does. Iโm a pretty good liar.โ
โHow commendable.โ
He shrugged. โI donโt make a habit of it. But in this business, you have to be able to stretch the truth with a straight face.โ
Putting my coffee down, I crossed my arms. โWe have to set some ground rules.โ
Wes grinned from behind his mug. โOkayโฆโ
Heโd better be taking this seriously. I took another long sip of coffee. โOne, you have to sleep on the couch. I only have one bedroom. Soโฆโ
โAll right. I was expecting that. No big deal. Iโve slept on worse things.โ
โNot even gonna ask.โ I sighed. โAlso, no walking around without your clothes on.โ
Wes raised a brow and laughed. โWhy would I do that?โ
โI donโt know. You seem like the type who might be comfortable enough in your skin to want to flaunt it or something. Just letting you know I wonโt appreciate that.โ
โNo naked ass. Got it.โ He nodded. โWhat else?โ
โNo eating anything in my refrigerator that belongs to me. I just went to Erewhon to stock up. Practically spent a weekโs salary.โ I opened the fridge and began moving my items to the right, leaving spots on the left of the top two shelves empty. โYou can keep your stuff on this side.โ
โHow generous of youโฆโ He grinned.
I tilted my head. โAre you mocking me?โ
โNo.โ He pursed his lips, probably to keep from laughing.
I sighed. Maybe I did need to calm down. This situation was making me more high-strung than usual.
After a moment, he asked, โAre you done?โ
โIโll let you know if I think of anything else.โ
โLookโฆโ he said. โI donโt wanna be here any more than you want me here. So letโs just try to make the best of it.โ
โWe donโt need to make the best of it. We need to stay out of each otherโs way and not make each other insane.โ I downed the last of my cup of joe.
Wesโs expression dampened. Had I hurt his feelings? This situation stressed me out and made me less than pleasant. My fatherโs antics brought out the worst in me. I felt like I needed a time out.
On that note, I took my own advice and ventured back to my room to have my second cup of coffee in peace.
When I walked back out into the living room about fifteen minutes later, my jaw dropped. It was like Iโd walked onto the set of Love Island. Wes was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the ottomanโshirtless, with every beautiful contour of his bronzed chest on full display.
What. The. Heck. I gulped. โWhat are you doing?โ
He stood, looking confused. โWhat do you mean? Iโm just sitting here.โ
โYouโve only been here a matter of minutes, and youโve already broken a rule.โ I scoffed. โThe most important one, I might add.โ
He drew in his brows. โWhat rule?โ
I glared. โNaked?โ
He looked down at his chest. โIโm not naked.โ
โYou took your shirt off.โ
โThatโs shirtless. Not naked. You say naked, and I thinkโฆjunk hanging out. This is not naked.โ
I shook my head. โYou need to wear a shirt in this house.โ
He stalked toward me. โItโs hot as Hades in here. Does your air conditioner even work?โ
โI donโt like it too cold. I freeze easily.โ
โI guess thatโs what happens to people who are already cold enough.โ
As he stood there with his hands on his hips, I did feel oddly warm, actually. And it had nothing to do with the air-conditioner setting.
He smirked. A chill ran down my spine.
F*ck. Those dimples.
Iโm going to kill my father for hiring this guy.
โ
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VI KEELAND
Vi Keeland is a #1โฏNew York Times, #1โฏWall Street Journal, andโฏUSA TodayโฏBestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
PENELOPE WARD
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
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