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| Publication Date: 11-26-2012 Carina PressISBN: 9781426894695Type: eBook & AudioGenre: Erotic RomanceLength: Novel, 78,000 wordsSeries: Wicked Play |
After ending her passionless marriage, Cali Reynolds is eager to live out her forbidden fantasies. Her first step is attending new members' night at The Den, the most exclusive sex club in town. Perhaps here she can find a man who understands her desire to be dominated…
At first, Jake McCallister thinks Cali has come to his club for the wrong reasons. But when he discovers she is seeking fulfillment after years of denial, he's intrigued—and takes it upon himself to initiate her into the pleasures she's been missing.
\ Happy Release Day!!
"Lynda Aicher's Bonds of Trust...a must buy for Fall 2012." - Romantic Times
“I recommend this book to those who like a good contemporary romance with some kink…”
– 4 out 5 stars, Ms. Reality Bookworm
“…Bonds of Trust is an ebook you won't want to put down your Kindle (or nook, or iPad) for while reading."
- Laurie Gold's review from Goodreads
Excerpt
Copyright © 2012 by Lynda AicherPermission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A.
“Do you like bondage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Spankings? Whips? Floggings?”
“I don’t know.”
“Exhibitionism, being a slave, serving a Master?”
“Again, I don’t know.”
“Golden showers, enemas or any other classification of water sports?”
“What?” Cali Reynolds gasped then shuddered. Water sports? “God, no.”
The long-haired co-owner of The Den paused in his barrage of questions to eye her intently. He braced an elbow on the desk and leaned in, assessing her, the blue polo shirt tugging across his shoulders, his muscled biceps flexing. Seth Mathews was the last obstacle she had to pass before she could be granted membership to the exclusive club. He gave a half smile at the expression of pure disgust that had to be on her face.
“There are members here who do enjoy those activities, Ms. Reynolds,” the man said. “These are standard interview questions. I hope your opinions wouldn’t be so blatantly displayed in the presence of those who do like those things.”
She winced. Her hands clenched in her lap and she hoped the large desk between them hid the action. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. It’s just not for me.”
He nodded then glanced at the paper on his desk, making a mark on the page. He appeared younger than she’d expected, maybe late thirties, but his age didn’t hinder the authority he exuded. “What are you looking for, then?” He studied her, missing nothing.
She swallowed, her stomach knotting into a state of sickly pain. “I don’t know, exactly,” she answered, her face heating with embarrassment. She tore her gaze from his and stared at her lap. She picked uncharacteristically at the small hangnail on her thumb, wondering if the straight-cut black slacks and purple sweater set had been too conservative for this interview.
He sighed, the pen clattering against the desk as he tossed it down and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then why are you here? The Den is the most exclusive BDSM club in the Twin Cities. If you don’t know what you want or like, then why come here?”
She snapped her chin up, desperation snaking into her voice. “Because you are the most exclusive club. I have to get in here.”
“Why?”
Cali ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear, using the habitual move to calm herself. Why, indeed. “I’ll never try this anywhere else.” She waited for him to respond, but he didn’t. So she continued, filling in the silence with the truth. “It’s taken me a very long time to understand what I desire. Just as long to accept that what I crave sexually is way outside the box of normal. And even longer to do something about it. This isn’t a game for me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
He picked up the pen, letting the object flip absently between his fingers. “Why now?”
“If not now, then it’s never.” She took a deep breath and hoped he believed her, because it was true. This was her one and only chance of safely getting what she secretly fantasized about. She couldn’t risk the exposure by going anywhere else.
He sat forward. “Why do you think you’re a submissive if you’ve never participated in any submissive activities?”
“How did you know you were a dominant?” she fired back. He obviously was and she was tired of his game. Of the questions and disbelief. She wasn’t going to be intimidated into walking out because he doubted her intentions. “How did you discover what you liked and wanted without experiencing them? I bet you didn’t know for sure. No one can. So if inexperience is the only thing keeping me from getting into this club, then I ask you, how else am I supposed to learn?”
He stared at her and this time, she didn’t flinch away. She’d thrown down the challenge and she wasn’t backing down. Maybe he’d toss her out or maybe, just maybe, he’d throw her over the desk and spank her for her defiance. Her gut dropped at that thought as a wave of heat flashed through her.
Either way, she’d have an answer.
After a minute of tense silence, a slow smile curled over his sensual lips. He stood, his large frame towering over her as he extended his hand. “Welcome to The Den, Ms. Reynolds.”
“I don’t know.”
“Spankings? Whips? Floggings?”
“I don’t know.”
“Exhibitionism, being a slave, serving a Master?”
“Again, I don’t know.”
“Golden showers, enemas or any other classification of water sports?”
“What?” Cali Reynolds gasped then shuddered. Water sports? “God, no.”
The long-haired co-owner of The Den paused in his barrage of questions to eye her intently. He braced an elbow on the desk and leaned in, assessing her, the blue polo shirt tugging across his shoulders, his muscled biceps flexing. Seth Mathews was the last obstacle she had to pass before she could be granted membership to the exclusive club. He gave a half smile at the expression of pure disgust that had to be on her face.
“There are members here who do enjoy those activities, Ms. Reynolds,” the man said. “These are standard interview questions. I hope your opinions wouldn’t be so blatantly displayed in the presence of those who do like those things.”
She winced. Her hands clenched in her lap and she hoped the large desk between them hid the action. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. It’s just not for me.”
He nodded then glanced at the paper on his desk, making a mark on the page. He appeared younger than she’d expected, maybe late thirties, but his age didn’t hinder the authority he exuded. “What are you looking for, then?” He studied her, missing nothing.
She swallowed, her stomach knotting into a state of sickly pain. “I don’t know, exactly,” she answered, her face heating with embarrassment. She tore her gaze from his and stared at her lap. She picked uncharacteristically at the small hangnail on her thumb, wondering if the straight-cut black slacks and purple sweater set had been too conservative for this interview.
He sighed, the pen clattering against the desk as he tossed it down and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then why are you here? The Den is the most exclusive BDSM club in the Twin Cities. If you don’t know what you want or like, then why come here?”
She snapped her chin up, desperation snaking into her voice. “Because you are the most exclusive club. I have to get in here.”
“Why?”
Cali ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear, using the habitual move to calm herself. Why, indeed. “I’ll never try this anywhere else.” She waited for him to respond, but he didn’t. So she continued, filling in the silence with the truth. “It’s taken me a very long time to understand what I desire. Just as long to accept that what I crave sexually is way outside the box of normal. And even longer to do something about it. This isn’t a game for me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
He picked up the pen, letting the object flip absently between his fingers. “Why now?”
“If not now, then it’s never.” She took a deep breath and hoped he believed her, because it was true. This was her one and only chance of safely getting what she secretly fantasized about. She couldn’t risk the exposure by going anywhere else.
He sat forward. “Why do you think you’re a submissive if you’ve never participated in any submissive activities?”
“How did you know you were a dominant?” she fired back. He obviously was and she was tired of his game. Of the questions and disbelief. She wasn’t going to be intimidated into walking out because he doubted her intentions. “How did you discover what you liked and wanted without experiencing them? I bet you didn’t know for sure. No one can. So if inexperience is the only thing keeping me from getting into this club, then I ask you, how else am I supposed to learn?”
He stared at her and this time, she didn’t flinch away. She’d thrown down the challenge and she wasn’t backing down. Maybe he’d toss her out or maybe, just maybe, he’d throw her over the desk and spank her for her defiance. Her gut dropped at that thought as a wave of heat flashed through her.
Either way, she’d have an answer.
After a minute of tense silence, a slow smile curled over his sensual lips. He stood, his large frame towering over her as he extended his hand. “Welcome to The Den, Ms. Reynolds.”
Jen's Review
What a great story! I loved it!
I'm a huge fan of BDSM type stories - especially the inexperienced who doesn't know what they're after.
Throw in a great Dom who wants more in his life, and you've got a great story :)
Cali just got out of a bad marriage. Nothing bad happened, she and her husband were good friends, but for 23 years of marriage, their life in the bedroom just didn't click.. and after a few years, they stopped trying.
It was time Cali finally got what she wanted. We start the story off as she is taking the interview with Seth, the club own, in order to get a membership at The Den - the hottest BDSM club.
Seth was having trouble figuring out why Cali wanted into the club. In his past experience, a middle aged woman, recently divorced, wasn't really looking for the lifestyle, they're just looking for a replacement. But there was something about Cali that Seth just couldn't put his finger on.
As Cali waited in a secluded room shortly after her tour of the club was over, she waited.
Jake walked into the office and Seth told him he needed a second interview. There was something about Cali that told him to except her membership, but she didn't know what she wanted.. Jake was better at reading people than Seth was, so he had Jake go out in meet her..
When Jake walked into the room, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. There really was something about Cali that Jake couldn't figure out either. Something that made him want a closer look.
Taking her into the observing rooms, he tried to get a feel for what she would like.
Cali had no idea what she was supposed to do now. She knew that she wanted a man to take charge in the bedroom, need a Dom to push her past her limits.. but she just had no idea what her limits were, and what she wanted out of them.
Jake was the perfect guide for Cali, because he was able to read her from the start. He got the feel of what she would like and gave it to her.
Never mind the fact that Jake didn't take on subs himself. it just didn't happen.
This was a great way to introduce her to this kind of lifestyle. She was hooked right away. But she still couldn't help feeling ashamed and embarrassed by being there. Not able to let anyone else know. Afraid of who might see her...
Can they overcome these obstacles? Both of them get what they want?
The first few chapters of the book had me almost tossing this it aside
to read something better but after reading another chapter about a woman
who has never been in the BDSM lifestyle and only knows a small bit cuz
of the info on the net, I slowly got pulled back in with the help of
Edith, the old lady with a big personality. She’s one of Cali’s
neighbors. The engagement party for one of their neighbors at the condo
Cali lives in reunites Cali and her Dom from a few nights back.
Unbeknownst to Edith, she is reintroduces Cali to Jake. They've already
met. Not in the innocent setting they are in but in a less clothes and a
lot kinkier setting.
Cali is over 40 and has separated from a husband of 20+ years. No one understands the break, not her kids, her family or friends. Peter was perfect. They were a perfect family.
But Cali wasn’t happy and she was very lonely and she finally stood up for what she wanted and made the decision to let the façade of happiness dissipate. No more would she be the soccer mom or the Suzy home maker. She wanted more for herself and with the kids grown and out of the house she could do it.
She did her research, article by article she read about the BDSM lifestyle. She knew what she wanted, to be a sub and only that. But did she really know what she was walking into?
Jake was restless. It was time to move on. The business he shared with Seth and Deklan at The Den was going great but the itch for him to move on was pulling at him. In comes the newbie and that restlessness ceases to a screeching halt and he’s left dumbfounded. He was only going to evaluate her, to see if she was meant for this lifestyle but instead he falls hard and fast for Cali.
Cali still has skeletons in her closet and when those bones start to peek their way out she cant help but scream her safe word. She may have opened herself to the freedom that Jake offered but inside she was still the scared woman who was never shown how beautiful and desirable she was.
They both go beyond what they’ve always thought was the way of life and meet each other halfway to find the happiness they’ve always searched for.
I have to say that the BDSM play and the sex was just a filler for me. The relationship between Jake and Cali and them finding love was definitely the main attraction.
Cali is over 40 and has separated from a husband of 20+ years. No one understands the break, not her kids, her family or friends. Peter was perfect. They were a perfect family.
But Cali wasn’t happy and she was very lonely and she finally stood up for what she wanted and made the decision to let the façade of happiness dissipate. No more would she be the soccer mom or the Suzy home maker. She wanted more for herself and with the kids grown and out of the house she could do it.
She did her research, article by article she read about the BDSM lifestyle. She knew what she wanted, to be a sub and only that. But did she really know what she was walking into?
Jake was restless. It was time to move on. The business he shared with Seth and Deklan at The Den was going great but the itch for him to move on was pulling at him. In comes the newbie and that restlessness ceases to a screeching halt and he’s left dumbfounded. He was only going to evaluate her, to see if she was meant for this lifestyle but instead he falls hard and fast for Cali.
Cali still has skeletons in her closet and when those bones start to peek their way out she cant help but scream her safe word. She may have opened herself to the freedom that Jake offered but inside she was still the scared woman who was never shown how beautiful and desirable she was.
They both go beyond what they’ve always thought was the way of life and meet each other halfway to find the happiness they’ve always searched for.
I have to say that the BDSM play and the sex was just a filler for me. The relationship between Jake and Cali and them finding love was definitely the main attraction.
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