For the next few days, I’ll be participating in a blog hop with LOTS of awesome authors and reviewers. Visit them all or just a few. There are prizes at every stop along the way! The event begins today and ends May 20.
Today…I thought I’d crank up the heat with a little snippet from the first book in the Foreign Affairs series I’m co-writing with Lexxie Couper. Misplaced Princess releases June 20 and it’s available for preorder now at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Excerpt:
Hunter ran his finger down the pretty blonde’s arm, enjoying the flirting and easy banter. He’d hit the bar after seeing his idiot brother off at his gate. They’d flown the station helicopter toSydney, leaving so early this morning it had still been dark. Hunter had a couple of hours to kill while he waited for the flight mechanic to refuel the chopper and clear him for take off.
“So you live on a cattle station?” the blonde asked. He’d forgotten her name the second she’d said it. One of these days he was going to have to learn to pay attention to details like that.
“Yep. Farpoint Creek. My family’s owned it forever. Established it back in the 1800s.”
The woman feigned interest, but Hunter could see the disdain in her eyes. She was clearly a city girl and the idea of living out whoop whoop in the Outback was less than appealing to her. Lucky for both of them, he wasn’t considering taking this game of slap and tickle out of the airport.
She leaned closer, accidentally brushing the side of his arm with her breast. They’d started their flirting at different tables. Then he’d joined her. After a few minutes of sexual innuendoes, he’d given up his seat across the table and moved over to share her side of the booth.
“You know, I’m a member of the Qantas Club.”
“Is that right?” he asked.
“I was actually thinking of heading over there and freshening up before my flight. They have showers in the lounge.”
“Showers, eh? Bit bloody fancy.”
She dragged her hand along his leg, starting at his knee and working her way up. He liked a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to grab it. His dick twitched when her hand crept closer.
“Wish I had someone to wash my back,” she purred.
He started to offer his sudsy services, but something on the PA caught his attention. “What did she say?”
“What did who say?”
The PA announcement was repeated. Dylan Sullivan, please meet your party at the customer service desk located at terminal one.
What the hell? Dylan wasn’t here. At least, he bloody well shouldn’t be.
Hunter reluctantly pushed the woman away while silently cursing his brother. “Sorry, love, but I gotta go do something.” Dylan would pay dearly for costing him a shower with this beauty in the high flyer’s club. He retrieved his hat from the table and put it back on his head.
“You’re leaving?”
Hunter nodded regretfully. “Yeah. Afraid it can’t be helped.” He threw enough cash on the table to cover both of their drinks and a generous tip for the waitress. “Sorry.”
He walked toward terminal one, trying to figure out why Dylan wasn’t jetting away fromSydney, getting closer to making one of the dumbest mistakes of his life. He’d loaded his brother on a plane headed forNew Yorkover an hour ago.
Hunter had spent most of their morning trek to Sydney trying to convince Dylan that taking off halfway around the world to hook up with some broad he’d met on one of those stupid online dating services made him look pretty desperate.
He’d also pointed out that precious little could come of this trip, besides getting a piece ofNew Yorktail. Dylan lived and worked on Farpoint Creek cattle station. InAustralia. Trying to hook up with some American chick wasn’t exactly practical.
Dylan, ever the romantic idiot, seemed to think Annie had the potential to be his soul mate. Jesus, his brother had actually used those words—soul mate—and was supposed to be headed toNew York to prove that asinine fact.
Had Dylan missed his plane? Hunter couldn’t figure out how. They’d made it to the departure gate in plenty of time. And if so, why would he page himself rather than ask the customer service rep to page Hunter? Maybe Dylan had given his own name as well and the lady had fucked it up.
He glanced at the crowd standing around the service desk as he walked toward the terminal. He and Dylan weren’t lacking in the height department. If his dickhead brother was around, he sure as hell wasn’t standing up; he’d tower over these people. Add the fact he and Dylan hardly ever took off their bloody hats and Hunter should be able to spot him a mile away.
He started to get in line at the desk to ask who’d paged Dylan when a woman walked up to him.
“You’re here!” she said.
Hunter tried to place the woman’s face. She looked vaguely familiar. “I am?” His mother claimed he’d been cursed with a sarcastic streak as wide as Farpoint since the day he was born. While his mum found it annoying, Hunter had never found a good reason to curb that personality trait.
The pretty woman smiled. “I was starting to worry.”
Before he could tell her she had the wrong bloke and should go ahead and hang on to her anxiety, she took a step closer and threw her arms around him.
The hard-on Hunter had managed to batten down as he’d walked away from his potential shower partner reemerged when her firm breasts brushed against his chest. Bloody hell. Who knew the airport was such a great place to pick up women? He might have to fly to Sydney International more often.
Never one to pass up an opportunity, he accepted the embrace, loosely wrapping his arms around her back. The lovely lady was just the right height for him and had some sexy curves. He liked a woman with meat on her bones.
She pulled away slightly and he started to release her, but she kept her arms wrapped around him and upped the ante, kissing him.
It started as a sweet, friendly kiss, but Hunter wasn’t having any of that shit. She smelled and tasted too good. He grasped her soft face and held her close. He turned his head and deepened the kiss, pressing her lips open so he could get an even better taste. He was thrilled when her tongue met his halfway. Jesus. This chick could kiss.
CONTEST – Annie and Dylan met on an online dating website. To be entered to win an ebook from my backlist, simply leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever used an online dating service. Why or why not? Oh…and this contest is open to anybody and everybody.
My BFF, Jayne Rylon has a new book releasing tomorrow and I wanted to give her a little shout out. Nailed to the Wall is part of a little series called Powertools. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? LOL.
As always…Jayne’s written a SCORCHER. Make sure you’ve armed yourself with plenty of cold water and have a fan on hand. You have been warned.
The crew is back and they’re dirtier than ever.
Powertools, Book 5
Five sexy men with a penchant for love and lust in any variation have formed a crew. They work hard and play harder—together. Though their partnership began in construction, renovating houses and selling them for a mint, they’ve formed a bond around their shared goal to provide women, and each other, with the ultimate sexual experience.
Over the past year, as each member discovered his soul mate—or two—they expanded the reach of their circle, lighting up their nights along with their souls. Monogamous relationships and the desire to start families threaten to put their libertine revelry on the back burner. Will the passion that bonded them fade away? How will the new crew wives cope with the complex relationship the men will always cherish and crave?
Determined to prove they stand by their men, the women decide it’s time to flex some muscle and give the crew a dose of girl power. They collude to take the guys as their horny hostages, using some big guns: boudoir photos, a pillow fight and a calculated foray into partner swapping. But will they have the guts to go through with their plans?
Product Warnings
Devon popped another handful of caramel corn into her mouth, despite the fact that the credits of their third movie scrolled past on the muted TV. She smiled as she thought back to Dave and Kayla’s first fight—a battle over the installment of the enormous flatscreen. Secretly, she was glad her friend had compromised and allowed the technology in her haven. The custom oak cabinet the crew had devised to hide any trace of ugly black plastic was a work of art.
Crispy, coated kernels surrendered to her chomping. She licked sticky sweetness from her fingers. When she looked up, she caught Kayla peeking at her from the corner of her eye.
Devon knocked her knee into her friend’s. “Want some of this?”
“Yeah.” Kayla made no move to grab a snack.
Morgan refilled their pretty, hand-blown margarita glasses. Colorful blobs encased in the clear material looked like confetti. They swirled and mixed in Devon’s blurred vision. Last round for her. Being petite had been a curse she’d endured her entire life. Little to no tolerance for alcohol was a related inconvenience to suffer.
When Morgan finished serving them—all except Kate, who’d opted for fancy tea instead of booze—she plopped on the floor beside her best friend.
“So…” Kate leered at each of them in turn. “Truth or dare time.”
“My favorite.” Devon grinned.
“Good, then you first.”
“Truth.” She had no qualms about sharing herself with these women regardless of the silly game they played.
“Make it something juicy.” Morgan poked Kate in the ribs. “You’re evil at this. I should know. Remember when you forced me to admit my crush on your boyfriend in high school? Holy crap. I forgot his name. How can that be?”
“I think it was Tim. Or Ted maybe. Damn.” Kate squinted. “It seemed like the end of the world at the time. Now that we have the crew, I can’t help but think you saved me from potential disaster.”
“Plus you got even in college with…” Morgan paused.
“Dan?”
“Uh, something like that. No, no, Doug. Definitely Doug.” Morgan laughed. “I guess we’ve always had similar taste in guys.”
“Great hormones think alike.” Kate winked. “And now I know you’ve got it good with Joe.”
“Lucky bitch.” A slap on Kate’s bared thigh accompanied the half-hearted curse.
“That’s me. Anyhoo… It’s been a while.” Kate tapped her chin, then glanced at Kayla and Morgan. “I’m rusty. Help me. Both of you.”
“Hell-oooo. You’re the only sober one here.” Kayla rolled her eyes. “You’ve got a pretty big advantage.”
“Good point.” Kate utilized their fit of giggles to consider. “Okay. But maybe we should change the rules. No singling anyone out. We’ll all answer the question.”
“Why the hell not?” Morgan shrugged. “We don’t really believe in the whole solo thing around these parts. We’re like the nine musketeers. Or is that three, three musketeers?”
“I can’t do math after four margaritas!” Kayla rubbed her temples.
“You’ve had five,” Kate corrected.
“You sort of proved her point.” Devon nodded gingerly enough to avoid rattling her brains.
“Okay, okay.” Kate held her hands up in surrender. “How about this? What’s one thing you always hoped to try with our guys but haven’t had the balls to go for yet?”
“Time to start planning our coup, huh?” Morgan clinked her glass against Kate’s teacup.
“Yeah. I’ll kick us off with some honesty of my own. Part of me is nervous. It’s been a while now, coming up on two years, since I met the crew. I feel like we need to keep things fresh for Mike and the rest of them. They’re used to adventure. I couldn’t stand it if we didn’t satisfy them as much as they’ve done for us.” The rush with which the confession burst from Kate had them all sobering a tiny bit.
“You’ve thought about this a lot. Worried.” Devon leaned forward to pat Kate’s shoulder. “Mike adores you. You’re all he really needs. You know that, right?”
“Yes.” Kate swallowed hard enough for Devon to spot her throat flex. “I do. Deep down. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to give him the world. Better than only what he requires. Bare minimum isn’t enough for the man of my dreams. We’ve also…”
“What, Katiebug?” Kayla defaulted to the nickname the guys had given their friend.
She released a dreamy sigh, then confessed, “Mike and I have toyed with starting a family.”
“No wonder you’re not drinking tonight.” Kayla stared at the cup of tea clutched in Kate’s white-knuckled grip.
“I’ve been dying to tell you all. I just…” She shook her head.
“You’ve been keeping too much inside.” Morgan glared at Kate. “Don’t you know we’re here for you when you need us?”
“If we’d hidden something like this, you would have kicked our asses.” Kayla leaned in closer. Morgan didn’t harp, though. She glanced away, and her cheeks seemed to blush. Before Devon could dig deeper, Kate sighed.
“I know.” At least she didn’t attempt to deny it. “I’m sorry.”
“So what’s your main concern?” Devon tilted her head as she tried to decipher the issue.
“Once we have more responsibility, what if Mike is restless? As much as I can already feel a burning love for the baby we’re praying for, I also know things will get harder. More stress. More obligation. More work. Our relationship could suffer. I’m terrified this brilliant magic we’ve created could fade into a perfectly comfortable, ordinary life. While he might be content, I can’t imagine him happiest like that.”
“Never forget we’re a team.” Morgan smirked. “With this many aunts and uncles to love a child, he or she won’t be hard up for attention. And you’ll never have to worry about a babysitter if you two need some time alone. Then, maybe someday, you could return the favor for Joe and me. Just think, our kids will grow up like brothers and sisters.”
“That is nice to dream about.” Kate brushed discreetly at the corner of her eye with a knuckle. “So I guess I’m going to answer my own stupid question. Tell me if I’m crazy.”
“You are,” Devon answered immediately.
“Brat.” Kate’s insult held no heat. Some of her seriousness dissolved. She took a deep breath, then admitted in a rush, “I’d like to watch one of you with Mike. I can’t promise I won’t get psycho jealous and try to rip you apart—gouge out your eyes or pull your hair or scratch you to shreds—but I’ll do my best. I think he should have the option. And secretly, though he’s never said anything, I think he’s a touch jealous of the other guys. They got to be with some of you and he never did. Not that he wants to screw around or anything. But he’s possessive. He considers all eight of us his in some way, you know?”
“You’re both similar in that regard. Always taking care of the gang.” Kayla grinned. “So how about a trade? Dave told me you were pretty damn hot that first time they shared you in the pool. I’m sure he’d be up for another taste. And he’s plenty strong enough to keep your cat-fighting ninja moves in check should you make a break for me.”
Devon noticed Morgan nodding in agreement. She thought about her relationship with the rest of the crew and how easy it would be to take the last step toward full-on intimacy. She loved each of the men for things they had in common as well as their individual strengths and quirks.
Morgan added softly, “I’ve grown so close to you all, and our guys. Most of us have been with some combination of them already…when we were first finding each other. One thing I’ve wondered about is making our sessions a free-for-all. The guys share each other. So why not us too? There are times, when we’re all together, it would be so easy to reach out and touch Mike, Dave, Neil or James. They’re gorgeous, and I love each of them. I’m sure I could improve their experience, same for them with me, but I’m afraid they’re off limits. Why do we do that?”
Devon gnawed her lip. It was no secret Neil and James had played around with every one of her friends before she entered the picture. Truth be told, she imagined sometimes what it would have been like to be Kate. To have had all five men focused on her pleasure.
Greedy much? Hell, yeah.
Nailed to the Wall is available for preorder at Samhain.
Nothing says Mother’s Day like Margaritas! Susan is back one last time this month with an awesome cocktail recipe for special moms everywhere. And believe me…I’m trying this one!
Susan: This one is in honor of you, Mari!!! I’ve never tried it – I found it in a magazine. With both tequila and Miller in the recipe, how can you go wrong??!!
It’s Mother’s Day Somewhere Margarita from Red Book Magazine
1 grapefruit, peeled
1 lime, peeled
1 lemon, peeled
3 TBS sugar
2 oz tequila
¾ oz Grand Marnier
1 cup ice
¼ cup Miller High Life
In a blender, add 2 chunks of grapefruit, the whole lime and half of the lemon.
Pour in the sugar, tequila, and Grand Marnier. Blend on high for 10 seconds.
Mix in a cup of ice and ¼ cup miller beer and blend on low for another 20 seconds.
Final step: dump it into the biggest glass you can find!
Online Charity Auction
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Meet Berlin: She’s a charming little girl with a beautiful smile, a shining countenance and a debilitating disease. You see Berlin has Osteogenesis Imperfecta — Brittle Bone Disease.
Berlin was born with Brittle Bone Disease and though she’s only seven she already knows what it feels like to have a broken arm, leg, and fractured vertebra — repeatedly. But you’d never know by speaking with her that her life is anything but normal. Even when Berlin’s slowly making her way across campus with her mobility walker, she always has a bright smile, and will shout out to friends and parents of friends with a warm welcome and a friendly wave.
But Berlin isn’t walking these days. You see, she recently fell and ended up in the hospital where it was discovered she’d re-fractured her Tibia – the main bone in her lower leg – and a pin from a previous surgery had shifted through the bone. That shift means that Berlin can’t walk until she has surgery. Due to lack of insurance coverage, they treated the new fracture and sent her home, denying her the needed surgery.
Every day children right here in America go without needed medical care, and it breaks my heart. Every Day. I pray today is not going to be Berlin’s day to go without treatment.
With the help of some incredibly generous members of the writing community and local businesses an online auction has been created. Beginning Friday, May 11, at 1:00pm PST, simply go to ebay.com, enter A Win For Berlin in the search field and start bidding on the great gifts and services donated by Award Winning and Bestselling authors, artists, and local businesses.
You’ll find everything from signed books to “Meet and Greets” with your favorite authors and artists, and a wide array of everything in between. In addition, we’ll have some great items up for bid from local businesses.
Don’t see anything you want to bid on? No problem, keep checking back for new auctions to be added over the next week or check out one of our donation auctions.
I want to thank Mari Carr for allowing me to hijack her blog to announce this event. As my son says; “You Rock!” And to Brenda Novak for her Auction For A Cure to Juvenile Diabetes: You are an incredible inspiration. Thank you.
–Julieanne Reeves
This week it’s all about Shame, shame, shame – a bad wrong. The premise of my regency romance, No Regrets, revolves around a misunderstanding between the hero and heroine and it makes for some very interesting sexual tension.
No Regrets Snippet
“Didn’t Mrs. Henry tell you to stay away from here?”
Surprised by the malice lacing his tone, she took a small step backwards before nodding.
“Then why are you here?” he asked, his face twisted with anger.
“I—” she stumbled, fear beginning to course in her blood. “I was w-worried about you.”
A harsh bark of a laugh cut the silence of the room.
“Worried?” he asked sarcastically.
“Y-yes,” she answered, glancing back at the door, feeling very much like Chelsea must have only minutes earlier. Desperate for escape.
“Oh.” He slowly rose from his chair. “Yes, you should be worried, but not for me.” His clothes were wrinkled as if he’d slept in them, which she assumed he had. His white shirt was open at the neck and, as he approached her, she was able to make out the lightest smattering of dark hair on his chest. His hair was disheveled, as if he’d tried to pull it all out. His feet were bare, except for his stockings and she worried briefly about him cutting himself on the broken glass on the floor.
“I’m sorry I disturbed you.” She wished she had taken Mrs. Henry’s words more closely to heart. This man towering over her was not the Ben she’d come to consider a friend. He was a cold stranger who oozed danger through every pore on his body. “I can see you aren’t in the mood for company tonight.”
“Yes,” he hissed. “Sorry. You should be sorry. You were warned.”
“I’ll leave.” She turned quickly for the door.
“Oh no,” he said as he roughly grabbed her shoulders preventing her from taking a single step. He lowered his face until it was only inches from hers. His dark eyes bore into hers with an intensity that stole her breath. This man was not a friend. She shivered in his grasp as she looked into the eyes of a stranger, a madman.
“Ben,” she whispered, hoping to dispel the anger in his eyes, the violence in his face, the powerful grip of his hands.
“You were warned and now you must pay the penalty,” he said softly. Before she could reply, his lips descended to hers in a painful kiss. His grip on her shoulders tightened as he held her still for his assault. She struggled to turn her face away, but he moved his hands to the side of her face, refusing to allow her retreat.
His lips roughly ground into hers, his tongue pounding into her mouth, his teeth nipping her lower lip until she could taste the bitter metallic flavor of her own blood. She shoved against him with all her might, but her slight strength was no match for his power.
She began to fight back in earnest, pummeling his chest with her fists, as he continued to back her against the wall, his mouth relentlessly attacking hers while his hands moved slightly to capture her head in an even more forceful grip. Roughly, he pulled the pins from her hair, the sound of each one hitting the floor like another nail being driven into her coffin as he continued his assault. She realized she was defenseless against his might and for the first time since she’d met Ben, she was truly terrified of him.
Her soft whimper of alarm and violent shaking must have broken through his crazed mind as he slowly softened the kiss. His grip loosened as he brought his arms slowly around her back in an almost gentle embrace. His tongue, when it touched her this time, attempted to soothe the damage he’d wrought on her lips. It was if he were trying to heal the wounds he had inflicted with his own. The power of the previous kiss was gone, replaced now by lips that gently caressed hers.
The fear that had permeated her body only moments earlier fled, replaced with something perilously close to raw desire. Her clenched fists on his chest opened as she slid her arms over his muscular shoulders to wrap them around his neck. Driven on by her sudden capitulation, his hands roved over her body, touching her everywhere, desperately, as if she were about to vanish from his sight forever. No part of her was safe from his frantic, tender exploration. Her back, bottom, waist, breasts, stomach were all touched with a compassion and adoration she would never have suspected given his frightening mood. Shocked by the force of her own desires, she was helpless to resist his touches, his kisses. Her own cravings replaced the fear and uncertainty. She wanted this. She wanted him.
His hands returned to her head, soothing her scalp where he’d roughly pulled her hair before, clasping her cheeks gently, almost reverently in his large palms and the kiss turned even softer, his lips barely brushing hers in a wordless plea for forgiveness.
He worshipped her mouth as his hands slid through her long silken tresses savoring the feel of each strand. She mimicked the motion with her own hands as she ran her fingers through the soft, thickness of his hair, pulling him closer to her, unwilling to allow him to remove his lips from hers.
Her contented sigh cut through the silence breaking the spell that surrounded them. Replacing his hands on her shoulders, tenderly this time, he pushed her away from him slowly. One look in his eyes revealed, not the desire she knew was glowing in hers, but unadulterated anger tinged with something else—anguish. True heart-wrenching anguish.
She opened her mouth to speak, to comfort, but before she could utter a sound, the anguish turned back to pure rage as he turned her toward the door, leaning down from behind her to whisper one word in her ear.
“Run.”
No Regrets is available at Liquid Silver, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Fictionwise and All Romance Ebooks.
Want more snippets?
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
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Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
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HelenKay Dimon
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TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
Lila Dubois has a new book coming out today with Ellora’s Cave called Undone Dom. I think I’ve made no secret of the fact that I LOVE Lila. Like serious, deep down in my soul, never-ending true love. In addition to being one of the funniest people on the planet, she is an incredible storyteller. If you haven’t checked out the Undone Lovers series and you like your stories pushing-the-envelope-red-hot, then please…buy these books!
Second in the Undone Lovers series.
Altonis the ultimate Master. An expert Dom, he believes BDSM is a lifestyle and trains women to serve in every way. He recognizes Lulu’s submissive nature but his instant attraction is unexpected and unnerving. He vows to take and train her.
Lulu has been curious about BDSM since her friend met and fell in love with a Dom. When Alton comes looking for her, Lulu indulges her greatest fantasy. In Alton’s BDSM training rooms she’s bound, disciplined and above all pleasured, experiences wilder than even her fantasies. But when she goes home at night, she dreams of Alton, not the whips.
Alton’s whole life has been turned upside down. A Master must live by his rules, but with Lulu he’s breaking every one. The Dom who swore that romance had no place in BDSM has to take a crash course in wooing if he’s going to keep the sub who’s got him in knots.
Reader Advisory: Contains very light female/female sensuality and a brief ménage encounter.
Excerpt:
Alton watched her swallow, her breasts rising firm and tempting above the top of her dress as she took quick breaths. She was wearing a dress, a proper dress with a big skirt, little sleeves and a tight-fitting top.
Alton kept women naked, but that dress, or her in that dress, was strangely appealing.
“Alton.” Her voice was husky, her blue eyes wide.
“Yes.” The word came out as a growl. He hadn’t meant it to, but everything about her was calling out to him.
“You’re…here.”
“I said I’d come back.” It had been a stupid thing to say. It had been stupid for him to come looking for Lane’s sub, but he’d wanted to understand her choice to be with Lane. Lately he’d been feeling as though he didn’t understand what subs wanted, which went against his fundamental world view. His conversation with Lane’s black-haired sub had only increased the unease he’d felt. But the trip hadn’t been a waste because he’d seen the redhead. Lulu.
She was perfect, like the old-fashioned Barbies his sister collected. Strong, poised, confident and intensely feminine. Nothing about her said hidden submissive—she wasn’t overly aggressive nor did she immediately bow to his male authority. She didn’t seem like the kind of woman who needed a Master to unlock her sexuality. Yet he sensed it. Submissive. The woman was submissive.
And so he’d said he’d come back for her, and in that moment he’d meant it. He’d return and make her his.
After he’d walked out he’d barely restrained himself from banging his head on a wall. What had he said? He was too deep in the BDSM culture if he was wandering around telling people he was going to kidnap them, all because he sensed she might make a beautiful sex slave.
He’d tried to dismiss her from his mind. She was a normal, not a part of his world. He couldn’t have her.
But Alton’s world was off-kilter. For the past year the life he’d built felt gray and uninteresting. He didn’t like it, and it seemed endless days training pretty little sex slaves were not enough. He felt out of control. That did not happen. He did not allow it. He’d decided he needed a new challenge.
Lulu.
“You came back for…” She lowered her lids, watching him from under her lashes.
Alton’s hands twitched with the need to touch her, to master her.
“For you.”
Lulu didn’t know what to say.
She’d convinced herself Alton’s parting words had been to save face, nothing more. Addie and Lane had assured her that while Alton was “hard-core” he wouldn’t really come back to the shop looking for her. Lane said he’d talked to him, and Alton’s response—utter silence—had led them all to believe he’d been joking, or just trying to scare Lulu and Addie.
But here he was.
Butterflies in her stomach had her pressing her hand against her belly. He watched her movement, dark eyes intense.
“Why?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I won’t answer that.”
Lulu jerked in surprise. “What do you mean you won’t answer?”
He tipped his head forward, eyes scanning her face. “What are you asking me? Why I said I would come back? Or,” he stepped away from the display table, his bulk making her store seem small and cramped as his arms brushed against racks and displays, “did you want to ask ‘Why me?’”
Lulu waited for him to come to her. She wondered if she should back up, if she should run for a phone or the pepper spray in the cute leopard-print carrier under the counter. He stopped two feet away, just close enough for his size to be intimidating, but not so close that he’d crossed the personal space barrier.
“What did you want to ask me?” His voice rumbled pleasantly and he smelled good, like spice and earth.
Lulu though why me? but asked “Why tonight?”
Now it was his turn to jerk in surprise. That wasn’t the question he’d thought she’d ask.
“It’s been months. I started to wonder if you said it only to save face after Addie took you down a few.”
“I… You… She…” The Heathcliff-worthy brooding Master was sputtering and it was seriously cute.
Lulu bit down on the grin, managing to turn it into a closed-lip smile. She checked the slim silver watch she wore. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to lock up.”
Lulu locked the front doors and turned off the lights above the front window displays, but left the main lights on, just in case. She was behind the counter, crouched down to reach the controls for the music system. Taking a moment, she braced her hands on one of the under-counter shelves, looking at her fingers, at the costume pearl ring she wore. What was she doing? Why didn’t she just call Addie and Lane? They’d rush over here and get Alton out of the shop.
That was exactly why she hadn’t called them.
She’d been waiting for him to come back. She was curious. She was intrigued by the sexual world Addie blushingly described. She wanted to know why Alton had said he’d come back for her.
Lulu rose from behind the counter, smoothing her skirt. “Please accept my apologies. The store closed at nine tonight.”
“Of course.” He’d taken a seat in one of the wing-backed chairs they had in the center of the store in a small seating area meant to remind buyers of their living room. On a low table in the center of the chairs were artistically messy stacks of books and CDs—all for sale.
He sat with a straight back, knees spread, forearms resting on the arms of the chair.
“I’m going to ask you a question,” he said.
“All right.” Lulu took a seat in the chair across from him, crossing her legs at the ankle and tucking them under one side of the chair. He raised a brow at her response, and she realized he hadn’t actually asked if he could ask her a question, he’d told he her was going to.
“What you said implied that you were,” he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his spread knees, “waiting for me to come back.”
Lulu took a breath. “I was.”
A smile cracked the stone mask of his face.
Whoa!
Until that moment she wouldn’t have said he was handsome. His face was too severe, his features heavy and dark, his whole bearing almost military. But that smile highlighted his chiseled lips, made lines at the corners of his eyes crinkle, and he had a dimple.
“Well, hey there, good looking,” Lulu blurted out, an answering smile on her face.
The smile disappeared. He frowned.
“Has no one ever told you how sexy your smile is? You should really smile more.”
He tipped his head to the side and examined her. “If you were any other woman I’d think you were being flippant or sarcastic, or trying to get a punishment, but you seem…genuine.”
Lulu’s breath caught at the mention of punishment. “I’m being honest. You have a really nice smile. You must not smile much if I’m the first girl to tell you that.”
“Women do not dare to make comments about my appearance.”
His words thudded down between them as if a block of stone had dropped. Lulu swallowed, pressing her hand to her stomach again.
“You mean because you’re a…Dom.”
His gaze was so intense that Lulu looked away, focusing instead on the hollow of his throat revealed by the unfastened buttons at the top of his shirt.
“Your employee told you what I am, what she is?”
“Addie, my friend, told me about the modeling job, about how she was supposed to model with all three of you but she never did with you. Lane stopped her.”
“Lane claimed her for his own. Once he did that it was his choice.”
Lulu’s hackles rose at his comment. “No, it was Addie’s.”
“No. Once she became Lane’s submissive she turned over control of her sexual life to him.”
Lulu felt her mouth drop open slightly. “But, but that’s…” She couldn’t decide between barbaric, horrific or sexy.
When she didn’t finish Alton said “Domination.”
“She should still have a choice.”
“She had a choice—Lane. She must trust that he will make decisions pleasing to both of them, assuming her goal is greater sexual pleasure and freedom and not sexual servitude.”
Lulu shook her head. “I don’t really understand.”
“BDSM is complex. If you’re not trained as a master or slave there is no reason you should understand.” He stood and crossed the space between them. “But I think you’d like to.”
He touched her, one thick finger under her chin. Lulu gasped as a shiver raced down her whole body. She stared straight ahead—at his belt buckle. Her hands—one on her stomach, the other on the arm of her chair—curled into fists.
“Why?” she asked again.
“Be more specific.” He traced his finger from her chin along the line of her ear and back.
“Why me?”
“You’re sexually submissive.”
Lulu took a breath and closed her eyes. His touch and words aroused her. Her nipples were tight buds inside the cups of her bra and she could feel the slick moisture of her arousal in her sex.
If he’d tried to tell her she was submissive she would have denied it. She’d been down that road with so-called “strong” men she’d dated in the past who thought that they could control everything in her life once they were with her. But a sexual submissive, that sounded decadent, naughty and very, very sexy.
“I’ve never…” She didn’t know what to say so she let the statement trail off.
“You’ve never been in a formal BDSM scene or relationship.”
She nodded.
“But you’re curious. You’re interested.” He cupped her chin, tilted her face up until their gazes met. “And you’re aroused.”
She licked her lips and whispered, “Yes.”
She hoped he would smile again, but the stern mask was firmly in place. He dipped his head in a slow nod, then took a step back so her neck was not craned at an uncomfortable angle in order to see him.
“I will train you.”
“Train me? To do what?” Lulu’s fingers were starting to shake with a combination of nerves and fear.
“Train you to be a sex slave.”
Lulu jerked back at his words, the contact broken. His hand hovered in the air for a moment before dropping to his side.
“No.” The word came out shaky so she said it again. “No. I don’t want that.”
“You don’t know what it means.”
“I know a bit. From Addie, and from the internet.”
He raised his eyebrows but Lulu held her ground. Disappointment was settling like a stone in her gut. Story of her life—she admits to finding him arousing and the next thing she knows he’s talking about making her his sex slave. According to Addie “slaves” as opposed to “subs” were men and women who lived the lifestyle full time. They slept in cages and ate out of dog bowls and never woreclothes. Lulu petted her dress nervously.
“The term frightens you.”
“Sex slave?” She had to force the words out. “Yes, it does. I’m not that. If that’s why you came back, I’m sorry.”
Alton considered her for a moment. “I don’t know what you’ve been told about BDSM, or me. When you train with me you will put aside all that and see what I show you. Experience what I do to you.”
Damn. A fresh shiver of fear-flavored arousal shook her.
“I’m not going to be a sex slave.”
Alton inclined his head. “Perhaps not.”
Tension slipped from Lulu’s shoulders but she was no longer blinded by her desire. She had to remember what they’d said about him. Lane had told Addie that at any given time, Alton kept five women naked in his house, serving him or being trained. He was like a sultan with a harem.
Lulu had always thought she’d make a rather good concubine—she was sexy and savvy.
But that was a fantasy, one she’d been playing with since he’d first come to the shop. This was reality.
Alton retreated to his chair and took a seat. He braced his elbows on his knees, leaned forward. “You would like to know more about BDSM.”
She nodded.
“You are submissive, and would like to experience sexual submission.”
She gave half a nod, then stopped. “Do you know how to do things besides the submission? Addie told me that BDSM stands for Bondage, Domination and Sadism and Masochism. Do you know how to do stuff besides the domination?”
His brows started to climb his forehead.
“No sadism or anything like that,” Lulu hurried to say. “But the…toys and, um, well, you mentioned punishment, but I didn’t know.”
Alton looked away from her. His gaze scanned her store from the paintings on the walls to the books on the table in front of her. He pulled one from the stack, a collection of racy and nude pin-up photos, including several of girls getting spanked. She held her breath as he opened the book and flipped through the pages.
When he reached the end he carefully closed the book and set it on top of the stack before looking at her.
He smiled. “Yes, I know about more than just domination.
Another awesome breakfast recipe idea from Susan for Mother’s Day! Are you prepared?
Overnight Baked French Toast
1-2 loaves of Italian or French bread, cut into ¾ inch or1 inchslices
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried grated orange peel
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Lay the bread in a large lightly buttered pan (I use a 13 x18 inchpan for the sterno warmers) to cover the bottom – do not overlap. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. When ready, bake uncovered at 350 for 50-60 minutes until lightly browned – watch it near the end, it starts to brown really quickly. Serve with warm maple syrup and enjoy!!! Serves 10-12
Susan is back again with some awesome breakfast ideas to start Mother’s Day off just right! Take it away, Susan.
OK – here is the first recipe. This dish is great to have the family make the night before (or for you to make the night before). It stores in the fridge and then you just baked it in the morning. (I usually put a post it note on the top with instructions on how to cook it). This is great for mother’s day because it helps prevent a major mess in the kitchen that you will just have to clean up later.
Breakfast Overnight Casserole by Morrill Farm Bed & Breakfast
1 LB. bulk sausage
8-10 slices of bread, cut into 1/2″ cubes
8-10 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
4 scallions, chopped
Crumble sausage in a medium skillet, cook over medium heat until brown, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Spread bread cubes in a buttered 12 X 8 X 2″ baking dish top with sausage and cheese. Combine eggs, milk, seasonings, beat well and pour over cheese, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until set. Yield: 6-8 servings
Hooray!!! Screwdriver got 5 Hearts from The Romance Studio reviews! Bec’s review can be found here. As a result of her kind words, Screwdriver is up for Sweetheart of the Week. If you’ve read the story and feel like throwing it some love, the link for voting is here.
Hope everyone had an easy Monday.
