Tag: warrior princess

Weekend Excerpt–WARRIOR MINE

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

She is the perfect combination of princess and warrior.

Scott Nielsen and Jackie Walker
Their attraction is instant from the moment they meet.
But he’s Dominant. And no way is she submissive.
Is it a missed connection? Or a divine appointment?

Scott Nielsen is ready for change. He’s walked away from his career as a wilderness counselor, planning to start his own outdoor survival school. He looks up his old friend and former colleague Blake Walker, intent on leasing space for his business at Blake’s family’s remote wilderness guest lodge. That’s where he meets Blake’s sister Jackie, who runs the lodge with her brother’s help. Her strength and independence intrigue Scott. A single mom, Jackie has no intention of being anyone’s submissive.

In his personal life, Scott is tired of casual sex in the BDSM club scene. Envious watching his buddy Blake fall head over heels for his own submissive, Scott thinks he might be ready to take the plunge himself. As he and Jackie spend time together, he’s enchanted with her inner Warrior Princess. But Jackie’s been burned before. And she has two children who are her priority, not to mention the business to run. As independent as she is, she can’t see relinquishing her power to a man, not even one she’s falling for.

Scott’s heart aches at the idea of not having Jackie in his life. Can she take another chance on love, or will she insist on ignoring her submissive soul?

If you enjoyed LOST & BOUND, you’ll love this spin-off stand-alone story.

WARRIOR MINE came about as a follow-up to LOST & BOUND. While readers enjoyed Blake and Shasta’s story, they were eager to know what happened with Blake’s sister Jackie and his best friend, Scott. From the get-go, Jackie was strong and independent. So I thought, wouldn’t it be great to write a submissive who rescues her Dominant?

Here’s a snippet from WARRIOR MINE.

Wringing her hands in front of her, Jackie paced back and forth by the windows as cold fear thrummed through her veins. The storm seemed to have increased in intensity, but she wondered whether it was just her imagination.

She’d received Scott’s text half an hour earlier, and she’d forced herself to walk away from the computer where his GPS location was being tracked on a map of the lake. Watching minute by minute wasn’t helping anything, and she had guests to attend to.

A glance showed her that Emma and Grant were still playing quietly, unaware of the danger Scott faced alone in the snow. Perhaps it was that, to them, strong and larger than life as he was, he was simply invincible. She envied them, she realized.

“He’s fine, Jacks.” Blake materialized beside her, handing her a mug of coffee.

Jackie accepted it, nodding her thanks. “I know. I just…” She shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

A loud bang from the reception area startled them, and a whoosh of cold air swirled into the room.

“Oh, thank God!” Jackie ran to the dining room door, several others following behind her. Across the reception area, the lodge’s front door had swung all the way open, banging against the wall. Snow swirled wildly on icy gusts around a lone figure in a black parka.

Jackie grabbed his arm and pulled him further into the room, then battled the wind to close the door. Hadley Pierce tugged down his hood and stomped to shake off the snow from his boots and clothes.

“C-c-cold,” he shivered, pulling off his heavy gloves.

“Come on, bud,” Dan Spinelli said. “Let’s get you by the fire.” He helped the man out of his coat and guided him into the dining room.

Jackie hung the coat on a hook and followed. “Where’s Scott? Putting away the snowmobile?”

Pierce pulled off his black knit beanie, uncovering his shaggy dark hair which stuck out in all directions. He dropped the cap to the floor and held his hands out toward the fire. “So fucking cold,” he muttered.

“Scott! Where’s Scott?” Jackie grabbed the young man’s arm and spun him around.

He blinked down at her.

“Dammit! Where is Scott?”

“How should I know?” he shrugged, turning back to the fire.

Jackie grabbed him again, whirling him around and slamming him against the stone of the fireplace. “You should know because he went out looking for your sorry ass when you went out in the middle of a fucking blizzard,” she growled.

Blake placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Easy, sis.”

Indignance flashed in Pierce’s eyes. “Look, all I know is, your piece of shit snowmobile broke down, and I had to walk all the way back here. I don’t know anything about Scott.”

He shoved past Jackie to return to the fire. “He’s a sorry excuse for a wilderness expert, you ask me,” he muttered.

Before Blake could stop her, Jackie spun the young man around once more and slapped him hard across the face. A second crack rang out before Pierce could recover from the first.

“You listen to me, you snot-nosed motherfucker.” Jackie waved her finger in his face.

Blake gently wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her away from the young man.

“He’s out there looking for you after you ignored his instructions. He told you not to go out in a blizzard. He’s risking his life for you, you sorry sack of shit!”

Pierce opened his mouth to reply, but Jackie raised her hand as if to slap him a third time. “Not another word. You keep your mouth shut, and you stay away from me. As soon as this storm’s over, I want you out of here, and I never want to see you again.”

She turned on her heel, heading to the office. Blake followed close behind her. “Jacks, we’ll just text him and tell him to come back.”

“Yeah, but it still infuriates me that one idiot created such a mess. And the snowmobile didn’t ‘break down.’ He wrecked it on the rocks at the end of the lake. Scott found it.”

She tapped in the password and the screen lit up with a topographical map of the lake. Leaning closer, she blinked. The blip that had been Scott was gone. She refreshed the page, but there was no red path leading from the lodge to the end of the lake.

“What the…” Blake clicked a few things, but nothing changed the map.

On her phone, Jackie sent a quick text.

The douchebag just showed up. Hurry back now.

The message was immediately returned with an error notification. Receiving device unavailable. Try again later.

Jackie looked up at Blake, who shrugged slightly. “Something must be wrong with his sat-com.” He scrubbed a hand across his mouth as he sank into a chair. “So, we don’t know where he is, and we can’t communicate with him.”

“I’m calling the police,” Jackie said, determination in her voice. She tapped the number into the office phone.

After a trio of rings, someone answered. “Eliot Lake Police, Ned Hart.”

“Ned, thank God! This is Jackie Walker at Lake Miranda Lodge. One of our survival school students went AWOL in the storm, and Scott went out after him. The thing is, the guy wandered back, but Scott’s still out there. We can’t get ahold of him on the sat-com, and I’m frantic. Can you send someone out to look for him?”

There was a pause on the other end. Then, “Jackie, I can’t send anyone out in the middle of a blizzard. Now I’m looking at the radar, and it looks like this might all be past us in another couple of hours, but I’m sure you understand, I can’t risk the lives of my team in the middle of a storm like this.”

Jackie felt as though she’d been gut-punched. She fought to breathe.

“Jackie?”

She pulled herself straight and tall. “Fine,” she said softly, “I’ll just go find him myself.”

WARRIOR MINE by Pandora Spocks

WARRIOR MINE is available
at your favorite online bookseller.
books2read.com/WarriorMine

Weekend Excerpt–WARRIOR MINE

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

She is the perfect combination of princess and warrior.

Scott Nielsen and Jackie Walker

Their attraction is instant from the moment they meet.
But he’s Dominant. And no way is she submissive.
Is it a missed connection? Or a divine appointment?

Scott Nielsen is ready for change. He’s walked away from his career as a wilderness counselor, planning to start his own outdoor survival school. He looks up his old friend and former colleague Blake Walker, intent on leasing space at Blake’s family’s remote wilderness guest lodge.

That’s where he meets Blake’s sister Jackie, who runs the lodge with her brother’s help. Her strength and independence intrigue Scott. A single mom, Jackie has no intention of being anyone’s submissive.

In his personal life, Scott is tired of casual sex in the BDSM club scene. Envious watching his buddy Blake fall head over heels for his own submissive, Scott thinks he might be ready to take the plunge himself. As he and Jackie spend time together, he’s enchanted with her inner Warrior Princess.

But Jackie’s been burned before. And she has two children who are her priority, not to mention the business to run. As independent as she is, she can’t see relinquishing her power to a man, not even one she’s falling for.

Scott’s heart aches at the idea of not having Jackie in his life. Can she take another chance on love, or will she insist on ignoring her submissive soul?

If you enjoyed LOST & BOUND, you’ll love this spin-off stand-alone story.

Here’s a teaser from WARRIOR MINE, Dream Dominant Book 4.

Early the following morning, grey light filtering into the tent and the soft chirps of purple finches outside roused Jackie. Scott and the children were still fast asleep, but feeling the call of nature, Jackie quietly wriggled out of her sleeping bag and slipped out of the tent.

In the early morning chill, she pulled her blue hoodie around herself and headed into the woods behind the tent.

Minutes later, she returned, for the first time, looking out toward the water. Early morning fog shrouded the surface of the lake, but what caught her attention was the black bear curiously nosing around the skiff at the edge of the water.

Following dinner the previous night, they’d placed the cooler back in the boat to keep from having it at the campsite, and Jackie realized that even from inside the large plastic cube, the smell of hot dogs was probably extremely enticing. But the fact that her children and Scott slept mere meters away pushed her into action.

“Nope! No way!” she shouted, waving her arms wildly. “This is not working for me. Get out, bear! Go on, get!”

The bear looked up in surprise. Jackie stepped closer, continuing with waves and shouts. Stooping, she picked up a rock and lobbed it in the bear’s direction, plinking the side of the aluminum boat with a resounding thunk.

Opting to search for an easier meal, the bear turned and splashed through the water before loping up a hillside further down the shore.

Jackie turned to see Scott standing outside the tent, barefooted and hair askew, his jeans and red long-sleeved cotton t-shirt wrinkled from sleep. His expression said that he wasn’t happy. Wide-eyed, Emma and Grant peered around his legs from inside the tent.

“What was it, Mom?” Grant asked.

“Just a bear, but don’t worry about it; he’s gone now. You can go back to sleep.”

“A bear?” Emma echoed shrilly.

“He’s gone, baby, it’s okay.”

“You guys rest for a little while longer,” Scott said. “We’ll get you up for breakfast.”

Squatting, he withdrew his boots, then zipped the tent. After slipping on the boots, he marched toward Jackie, finger-combing his hair and tying it in a loose knot at the back of his head.

Sensing his anger, Jackie crossed her arms and squared her shoulders.

When he reached her, he took her gently by the elbow and led her further down the beach. “That was not safe, Jackie. What were you thinking? No way should you have approached that bear on your own,” he hissed.

“What was I supposed to do, let it get into the boat? Into the cooler? All I wanted to do was scare it away.”

Scott shook his head and exhaled in exasperation. “When I think about what might have happened…” He looked back at her. “Jackie, you have to keep yourself safe.”

She raised her chin indignantly. “I needed to keep you and the kids safe. That’s what I was thinking.”

“Careful with your tone, Princess. You’re in enough trouble as it is.”

“Oh, please, are you serious right now? I scared away a fucking bear. What should I have done? Gotten you up so you could scare it away?”

“You should have let me help you. That’s what you should have done. And I’m keeping track. Going after the bear by yourself, the tone, the sass. And the language on top of it all? Your ass is going to be so red.” He leaned over her, eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and desire.

Jackie wanted to stay angry, but she felt her core melting at the promise of a spanking. Still, she couldn’t resist pushing back. “Is that so?”

A low growl rolled up from his chest, and he grasped the front of her shirt, pulling her to himself and capturing her lips in a rough, demanding kiss. When he released her, she was breathless. “That’s so, Princess. Mark my words. Your ass is mine.”

WARRIOR MINE by Pandora Spocks

WARRIOR MINE is available at your favorite online bookseller.
books2read.com/WarriorMine

Weekend Excerpt–Happy New Year!

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

She’s the perfect combination of princess and warrior.
And everything he never knew he wanted.

When Scott Nielsen decided to base his outdoors wilderness school at his friend Blake’s remote guest lodge, he didn’t count on falling for Blake’s sister.

Single mom Jackie runs the lodge as a successful business. She’s smart and independent. No way would she ever consider gifting Dominant Scott with her submission. Right?

Here’s a steamy little New Year’s snippet from WARRIOR MINE.

A few days after Christmas, Blake and Amy volunteered to keep an eye on Grant and Emma while Scott took Jackie to the city for New Year’s Eve, which also happened to be his birthday.  Ready to let go of his apartment, it was the perfect time to retrieve the few things he had there worth keeping.

Odd as it seemed to him, given the fact that he was ending his lease, he was excited to show her the place he’d considered home for the past ten years.  He planned on showing her some of his favorite haunts, too, even driving past the BDSM club on their way to the apartment. 

“They’ll have a big masked ball for New Year’s Eve,” he’d commented, thinking of the parties he’d attended in years past.

Jackie had gazed thoughtfully at the building as they went by.  As Scott knew, there was nothing to set the building apart from the other surrounding office buildings, no obvious outward sign of the nature of the space.  The club operated discreetly, ensuring members their privacy. 

Once they’d arrived at his apartment, Jackie was unusually quiet.  He’d known she was debating something in her mind; once again, those wheels were turning.  Certain that she’d open up to him when she was ready, he chose to leave her to her thoughts as they began to sort through what he’d pack and keep, and what he’d throw away. 

Which hadn’t taken long, actually.  They finished within a couple of hours.  After the final boxes were loaded into the back of the red antique pick-up truck and secured beneath a heavy black tarp, Scott and Jackie headed back upstairs. 

The sun, barely visible for the heavy grey clouds that promised more snow, was just beginning to set, and his growling stomach reminded him that their lunch stop in Hamilton had been hours ago.  While Jackie slipped into the bathroom, Scott started thinking about where they might go for dinner.

But thoughts of dinner left him when Jackie emerged from the bathroom completely nude.  Without a word, she walked to him, eyes downcast, and knelt at his feet. 

Every D/s couple has their own protocols, he knew.  Some Doms keep regular schedules, like clockwork, expecting the sub to perform certain tasks at certain times.  A sub like Jackie, though, he liked to keep on her toes.  He’d never established a specific routine, preferring to tell her what he wanted from her in the moment.  She’d never initiated knee time before.  So he was intrigued.

“Well, Princess, you have my complete attention.”

She kept her head down, hands resting palms up on her thighs, her nipples sharp points in the chill of the apartment.

He watched her for a moment, his erection straining against his jeans.  “Speak, Princess.  What’s on your mind?”

“Tomorrow is your birthday, Sire.  I’d like to offer you a gift.”  She kept her head down as she spoke, a fact that pleased Scott endlessly.  Warrior that she was, when Jackie surrendered to him, it was thrilling.

Lightly, he stroked her dark silky hair.  “It is my birthday tomorrow.  And it’s New Year’s Eve.  What gift are you offering?”  He pictured his cock in her mouth and his erection grew.

She hesitated slightly.  “I’d like to accompany you to the club tomorrow night.  I’d like to submit to you in public.”

Scott blinked.  It was not what he’d expected.  He exhaled heavily, scrubbing a hand across his lips.  “I love you so much, Princess.” 

He squatted down, taking her hands in his.  She looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes.  He knew that, private person that Jackie was, going to the club wasn’t something she wanted to do.  But she wanted to do it for him, to make him happy, to give a gift of herself.

“And I love your offer.  You know, it’s always been a dream of mine to go to the club and play with my own submissive.” 

He gazed at her solemnly.  “But then I met you.”  He shook his head.  “Jackie, you changed everything.” 

Standing, he held her hands and helped her stand.  “I probably should have mentioned it before, but I canceled my club membership a couple of months ago.  It just didn’t seem worth it.”

Her brow furrowed in a frown.  “You canceled your membership?  That’s just…”  She looked up to him, tears in her deep blue eyes.  “I thought I’d come up with the perfect idea for your birthday gift.”

She was so serious, he had to laugh.  “Jackie, just the fact that you offered to go is a huge gift.”  He quirked an eyebrow.  “I wouldn’t turn down a blowjob, though.”

They never managed to leave the apartment for dinner that night.  After Jackie took all of him in her mouth, he fucked her face until he shot his load down her throat.  Then he bent her over the kitchen counter and fucked her again, using his fingers to press against her clit until she cried out with pleasure. 

Later, they had Chinese food delivered, which they ate sitting propped up in bed as they watched the lights of the city.

The following day, they slept late, enjoying the rare luxury of lounging in bed together without interruption.  In the early evening, they ventured out to a restaurant within walking distance of the apartment.  On a normal night, a table would be relatively easy to find, but since it was New Year’s Eve, Scott had phoned ahead for a reservation. 

Dressed nicely for the occasion, they were shown to a table in the restaurant’s solarium, where they could watch the snow swirling in the light winter breeze.  A candle flickered on the table as a sommelier poured a glass of Sauvignon blanc for each of them.

Jackie lifted her glass.  “Happy Birthday, Sire,” she said softly.

His eyes twinkled in the candlelight.  “Thank you.  And Happy New Year.” 

They sat watching the snow for a while.  Occasionally, they chatted quietly about Scott’s upcoming sessions or the new baby.  But for all the elegance of the restaurant and the beauty of the snow outside, the place seemed noisy to Scott. 

Maybe it’s the fact that we live in such a remote place, we’re used to it being a lot quieter. 

At a nearby table, someone dropped a fork on the tile floor, and the echo was jarring.  When he looked across the table at Jackie, she smiled softly, and he knew she was thinking the same thing.

“It’s kind of loud in here,” she observed softly.

Suddenly, someone sneezed ferociously, and they both burst out laughing.

“Ah, Jackie, I’m so happy to be here with you tonight.”  He squeezed her hand lovingly.

Following dinner, their server brought a slice of raspberry cheesecake with a candle. 

“Happy Birthday,” Jackie smiled.

He frowned slightly.  “How did they know it’s my birthday?”

“My King is not the only one who can pick up a phone,” she smirked proudly.

On their way back home, they picked up a chilled bottle of champagne.  Back in the apartment, while Scott poured the wine, Jackie changed into the periwinkle silk gown she’d worn so many months before.  While she now had several, it was Scott’s favorite. 

He lit a few candles and spread a heavy quilt in front of the floor to ceiling window overlooking the city.  Then he stripped naked and sat cross-legged in the center of the blanket.  Champagne glasses resting on the floor, Jackie lowered herself onto his lap, wrapping her legs around him.  He gripped her ass, bare beneath the gown, and she leaned forward, capturing his lips with hers.

She broke the kiss to lightly trace down his neck with her lips.  “Happy Birthday, Sire,” she murmured against his skin.  She leaned back a bit and shrugged her left shoulder.  The strap of her gown slipped down her arm.

“Oh, that perfect breast.”  Scott leaned forward to take her rose-tipped nipple in his mouth.

Jackie shrugged off the other strap and the gown settled around her waist as she leaned up to position herself over his rigid cock.  Locking eyes with him, she slid down his length as he groaned with pleasure.

Hands on his shoulders for balance, she rode him, slowly at first, then increasing her tempo as both their moments neared.  Just as they cried out in release, the first of the fireworks burst in silver and red sparkles over the city. “Happy New Year, Princess.”

WARRIOR MINE by Pandora Spocks

WARRIOR MINE is available at your favorite online bookseller.
books2read.com/WarriorMine

Cover Reveal! Your First Look at WARRIOR MINE

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

I’m so excited to show you the cover of my new book, WARRIOR MINE, Dream Dominant Book 4!  This gorgeous cover was designed by the divine Linz Basset, best-selling erotic romance author and fellow Wicked Pen.

WARRIOR MINE, like all the Dream Dominant Collection, is a stand-alone novel with light BDSM themes, featuring a sexy Alpha male and a strong submissive woman he can’t resist.  Although it’s stand-alone, WARRIOR MINE is actually a spin-off of Dream Dominant Book 2, LOST & BOUND.

My friend, erotic romance author Lilah E. Noir read LOST & BOUND and suggested that supporting characters Scott Nielsen and Jackie Walker needed their own story.  Originally, I thought it might make a good novella.  But 115k+ words later, the story ended up taking on a life of its own.  Aside from the Rannigan’s Redemption trilogy, it’s the longest book I’ve written.

While all of my leading ladies have red hair, Jackie Walker, sister of Blake Walker from LOST & BOUND, is my first non-ginger heroine.   That’s because in the first book, I gave her the same dark hair as her brother.  She’s also a Warrior Princess, a different kind of submissive than I’ve ever written before, so this has been an exciting book to write.

Here’s the official blurb:

She is the perfect combination of princess and warrior.

Scott Nielsen and Jackie Walker.
Their attraction is instant from the moment they meet.
But he’s Dominant.  And no way is she submissive.
Is it a missed connection?  Or a divine appointment?

Scott Nielsen is ready for change.  He’s walked away from his career as a wilderness counselor, planning to start his own outdoor survival school.  He looks up his old friend and former colleague Blake Walker, intent on leasing space at Blake’s family’s remote wilderness guest lodge.  That’s where he meets Blake’s sister Jackie, who runs the lodge with her brother’s help.  Her strength and independence intrigue Scott.  A single mom, Jackie has no intention of being anyone’s submissive.

In his personal life, Scott is tired of casual sex in the BDSM club scene.  Envious watching his buddy Blake fall head over heels for his own submissive, Scott thinks he might be ready to take the plunge himself.  As he and Jackie spend time together, he’s enchanted with her inner Warrior Princess.  But Jackie’s been burned before.  And she has two children who are her priority, not to mention the business to run.   As independent as she is, she can’t see relinquishing her power to a man, not even one she’s falling for.

Scott’s heart aches at the idea of not having Jackie in his life.  Can she take another chance on love, or will she insist on ignoring her submissive soul?

If you enjoyed LOST & BOUND, you’ll love this spin-off stand-alone story.

One-click WARRIOR MINE today!

WARRIOR MINE
comes out August 14,
but you can reserve your copy now at the
special pre-order price of 99¢.
On release day, it goes up to $3.99.
books2read.com/WarriorMine

Weekend Excerpt–Warrior Mine (WIP)

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

I’m still hard at work on WARRIOR MINE, which will be the 4th book in the Dream Dominant Collection.  Here’s a little synopsis.

Dominant Scott Nielsen has left his job as a youth counselor in the Canadian wilderness to pursue a new dream–starting his own outdoors survival school.  He visits his friend Blake Walker to propose leasing part of Blake’s family’s remote guest lodge property as a base of operations.  That’s where he meets Blake’s sister Jackie.

Now that Daddy Dom Blake has found his own baby girl, Scott wonders if maybe it’s time to give up casual Dom/sub scenes played at the BDSM club in favor of finding a permanent submissive.  And he can’t stop thinking about Jackie–she’s strong and smart, nobody’s baby girl.  But maybe a warrior princess is exactly the submissive he’s been looking for.

Here’s a little (unedited) snippet from WARRIOR MINE.

Facing south, the small log cabin sat at the crest of the tiny island.  Jackie figured that in total, the island was about an acre, but it was long and thin, narrowing to points on either end.  Situated at the widest part of the island, the cabin had been there longer than the lodge had been, and it held happy memories for Jackie.

She walked to the west side, where a huge fallen tree still rested.  While she’d been away, it had blown over in a storm, crashing into the small bedroom where Amy had been sleeping.  Although Scott and Blake had replaced the window a few days ago, Jackie hadn’t been to the island since the accident.

“That could have been really bad.”  She lightly touched the new window frame.  “You guys did a nice job,” she observed.

“I was happy to be useful.”  He smiled at her.

Jackie unlocked the cabin door and walked inside.  Clearly, Blake had cleaned up the mess from the storm.  Everything in the living area with its fireplace to her right was in order, and the kitchen area to her left was neat and tidy.  She peered into the cabin’s tiny bedroom, noting that the ruined mattress hadn’t been replaced, and making a mental note to speak with Trina about rectifying the situation.

Scott rested his backpack on the kitchen table in the center of the room and dug out a thick spiral notebook and a pen.  “Now here’s what Blake and I talked about,” he said.  “This area will be perfect for making meals and hanging out.  We might need a few more chairs, but you get the idea.”

He walked to the back wall, where a cast iron wood-burning stove stood.  “And I had this idea.”  He looked back to Jackie, brow furrowed a bit.  “Suppose we move this wall back another fifteen feet?”  He waved his arms demonstrably.  “That would create room for bunks, two sets on each side, for a total of eight beds.  We place tall cupboards on the back wall, so everyone has a place to store their stuff.”

Jackie tried to imagine how the cabin would look at twice its current size.  On the one hand, she was hesitant to see it changed at all.  But what Scott said made sense.  She walked toward him, seeing his vision.  “With the stove where it is, it would be a great source of heat for the extra space,” she allowed.

“Right!  I thought so, too.”

Absently, she chewed the corner of her thumb.  “To move the wall back, we’ll have to take down a handful of trees that are in the way.”

Scott nodded.  “They’ll become the logs that extend the east and west walls.  We’ll take apart the existing back wall we’ll and reassemble it in the new location.”  He hooked a thumb toward the front door.  “Add those trees we have to remove to the tree that’s already down out front, and we’re nearly there.”

Jackie walked back to the cabin’s small bedroom.  “Will you be staying here?”

“I thought we might use that space for storing all the equipment we’ll be needing.  You know, hatchets, climbing ropes, that kind of thing.”  He took a few steps towards her.  “I was hoping to rent one of your cabins or even a room in the lodge.”

“Don’t be silly.  You don’t need to rent anything.  You’re welcome here.”  Jackie crossed her arms uncomfortably, Amy’s comment about Scott moving in resurfacing in her mind.

“Well I aim to earn my keep.  And obviously, the cabin remodel is my expense.  I wanted to make sure that everything was okay with you first, though.  We need to discuss how much you’d like for room and board for my students.”

Jackie frowned.  “Room and board?  I hadn’t even thought about it.”

Scott walked out the door and she followed.  “Part of the tuition is to cover the school itself,” he explained, “but they’re staying on your property, eating the supplies provided to the cabin, so it’s significant.”

Hands on her hips, Jackie shook her head.  “Scott, I’d have no idea what to ask for.  I imagine you’ve researched the business, so whatever you think appropriate is fine.”

A slight smile played on his lips.  “You see, Jackie?  Do you see how simple it is?”

She frowned.  “How simple what is?”

“Releasing control.”  He watched her expectantly.

Feeling embarrassed, she dug into the soft soil with the toe of her shoe.  “Oh.”

“Again, Jackie,” he sank onto one of the quartet of green Adirondack chairs flanking the stone fire pit in front of the cabin, “I’m not trying to talk you into anything.”

Not knowing what else to do, she sat in the chair opposite Scott.  “I just don’t know what you think you see in me,” she shrugged.

“You’re such a strong lady.  You take care of everybody, and everything.”  He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs.  “I’d like the chance to take care of you.”

Jackie snorted.  “Take care of me.  And for that, I’d be expected to give up my power?”

“I’m not talking about a 24/7 arrangement or anything.  But it’s a power exchange, yes,” Scott nodded, “and you don’t give up anything.  Rather than losing your power, you gain mine.  As a Dominant, it’s my position to protect, to care for, and, when necessary, to correct my submissive.”

“Correct?”  She laughed humorlessly.  “Why on earth would I agree to be beaten?”

“Not beaten.  Corrected.”  He watched her for a moment.  “You’d be surprised how sensual a spanking can be.”

Feeling unbalanced and confused, Jackie abruptly stood and stalked back into the cabin.  Facing the wall beside the fireplace, she heard him come in.

“Jackie,” he said softly.  When she didn’t turn around, he came up behind her, lightly stroking her shoulders.  “I don’t mean to scare you.”

She turned around.  “You don’t scare me.  I just don’t think I want the same things you want.  I don’t think it’s for me.”

He nodded.  “Fair enough.”

And there he was, standing there, looking down at her with those clear blue eyes that seemed to gaze into her very soul.  She couldn’t stop herself from reaching up to cup his jaw, run her thumb across those soft lips she knew to be a perfect fit to hers.  He waited, though, allowing her to lean up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Placing his hands on her hips, he deepened the kiss, slowly backing her to the wall, where he pressed into her.  Reaching up, he moved her arms from his shoulders, raising them over her head against the wall.

“Jackie,” he murmured against her lips.

“Mm-hmm…”

“I’d like to touch you.  Would that be okay?”

Surprised, she leaned back to look up at him.  Desire made his eyes sparkle, and she knew her own eyes matched his.  She bit her lower lip and nodded.

Permission given, he plunged his mouth to hers, while pressing her arms against the wall overhead.  His other hand snaked down her body to between her thighs.  As he pressed at the juncture there, she moaned into his mouth.

Slowly, he increased the pressure, beginning a circular motion over her jeans, and Jackie felt a flood of arousal.  Her breath hitched, and she released his lips.  “Oh, God,” she moaned.

“It’s okay, Jackie, just enjoy,” he encouraged, amping up his movements.

She struggled to move her arms, but he firmly held them in place as he continued to stroke her.

“Oh, shit, I’m so close,” she whimpered.

“Just let go, Princess.”

He leaned forward to nip along the side of her neck and Jackie fell apart, crying out in release.

As she panted, trying to catch her breath, Scott gently lowered her arms and scooped her up.  He walked them over to the sofa facing the fireplace and sat, gathering her onto his lap and holding her against his chest.

Coming down from her orgasm, Jackie burrowed against him, adoring the feel of his broad chest against her face.  She breathed in deeply, relishing his clean masculine scent.

He rocked her, murmuring to her softly, lightly stroking her long dark hair.  In that moment, Jackie realized she’d never felt safer or more cared for.  She released a deep sigh.

“How are you doing, Princess?” he asked.

She struggled to sit up a bit.  “I’m, well…  Wow.  That was—” she glanced up at him through her lashes, “unexpected.”

Brow furrowed, Scott lightly stroked her cheek.  “But okay?  I didn’t overstep?”

Jackie shook her head.  “No, you asked, and I said yes.  It was nice.”  She pressed a kiss to his jaw.  “Maybe I can return the favor?” she asked, sliding off his lap.

“No.  This was for you.”  He stood and took her hand.  “But thank you.”  He lifted her hand to his lips and left a gentle kiss there.

Jackie blinked, not knowing what to think.

Like all my Dream Dominant books, WARRIOR MINE is stand-alone, BUT it is a spin-off from LOST & BOUND.  You can read that while you’re waiting for the early summer release of Dream Dominant Book 4.

books2read.com/LostandBound

Lost & Bound new cover 2