Damaged Goods

by Lainey Reese

  “Hey, I didn’t mind.” Brian looked more than a little embarrassed and also a little sad. “I like cleaning and I think I might have loved her.” He shrugged and took the box with his non-bandaged hand and added, “She wasn’t used to working two jobs, so the weekly deep clean was rough on her. I only did it for her twice before—well before, you know.”

  Terryn stepped close and looked in at Brian’s keepsakes of Katie. “Oh, these were her favorites.” She lifted one of the earrings up to admire. “She used to let me borrow them sometimes.” Her smile was wistful as she laid it back down and ran a light finger over the picture in there. “I remember this day. Amber was wearing Katie’s earrings, my blouse and a pair of Angie’s boots. We teased her about the fact that she’d be walking around naked if it weren’t for us.”

  With a sigh, she laid her head on his shoulder and whispered, “It’s a nice box, Brian. It’s nice that Katie was loved. I think she might’ve loved you too.”

  “So,” Brice asked, “Why the other coffee shop girl?” Terryn knew that the question was a loose string that had bugged Brice for the last two weeks. She was surprised he hadn’t asked it days ago.

  “Oh.” If anything, Brian got even redder. “You guys already think I’m too soft—this is really gonna set you off.” He took a deep breath and confessed, “I don’t have good medical from work.” When he chanced a glance at Brice, Brice made a keep it coming gesture. “No mental health coverage or grievance counseling. Janet at the other coffee place is taking a psychology course at the community college and she agreed to talk to me. It helped to talk about her and what happened. It was deep, though. So deep I was trashed and couldn’t face going to work the next day.”

  Kent slapped a comforting hand on his shoulder and Terryn looked at Brice with raised brows.

  “Yes, Red.” He answered her look with hands held up in front of him. “I’m satisfied. I’ll stop.” Then he wrapped his arms around her and told her, “It’s over.”

  And it was. Mandy would not be saving the taxpayers any money. She was going to trial. Brice had assured Terryn that the ADA assigned to the case was ruthless in court. Brice wasn’t worried that Mandy would ever get out of a cell, so neither was she. Although the search of the Surf-N-Slurp hadn’t turned up much, Mandy’s apartment had turned up blood evidence as well as a cracked and blood-encrusted bat.

  “You ready to go?” Brice asked with his lips against her ear. Chills raised goose bumps up and down her arms. She nodded and she and Brice said their goodbyes and headed out. “We’ve got the limo to ourselves. Kent is catching a cab back to the hospital to visit Angie.” Angie was awake and expected to make a full recovery. It was going to be a long, hard road for her and she’d need some restorative surgery within the next couple of months. The miracle was that there appeared to be no brain damage. Angie was as she always had been and had already charmed all her doctors and nurses.

  Brice handed her into the back of the car and as soon as the door closed they were on the way.

  “So where are we going in such lavish style?” Terryn snuggled her arms around him and tucked her head under his chin.

  “Terryn,” Brice said in that voice he used when he was in Dom mode. “Do you remember when you asked me to help you know how to be my sub?” After her whispered “Yeah,” he said, “You wanted me to help you find the right balance so you’d know when to submit and how to do that without losing yourself.”

  She liked the sound of where this might be going and nodded with a, “Hmm-hmm.”

  “This is your first lesson.” From out of nowhere, a small black box appeared under her nose. “We’re headed to the airport. Then on to Vegas. Cade and Trevor are bringing Riley and meeting us there. And I took the liberty of calling your parents and arranging for them to meet us there as well.”

  She sat up and her fingers were shaking when he opened that small box to reveal a delicate antique setting surrounding a perfect square-cut diamond. “This was my grandmother’s and since my father was the oldest, it went to my mother and now…” He removed it from the case and slipped it on her finger, where it fit like it was made to be there. “It goes to you.”

  She looked up at his face through a sheen of tears. “Terryn. I love you. I haven’t said that to a woman who wasn’t a relative since the third grade.” When she laughed, he said in an undertone, “Pamela Sommersmith. Another redhead, but alas, she never returned my affections.”

  His expression grew serious again and his hands clasped hers, “I am not a man given to rash decisions. I plan out every detail and possible outcome. It’s part of what makes me a good cop. But from the second I set eyes on you, everything changed. I want you for more than my sub. I want you for my wife and my partner and the mother of my children.”

  He brought their clasped hands to his lips and kissed her finger just above the ring. “Marry me, sub. That’s an order.”

  Her chin quivered as love blossomed in her heart and everything that she’d been afraid to hope for since he first put cuffs on her exploded like fireworks in her soul.

  Quick? Yes.

  Crazy? Yes.

  Was she brave enough to take this big of a gamble?

  “Yes!” she yelled with a whoop and launched herself at him.

  About the Author

  Lainey lives in beautiful Washington State with her beloved daughter and a house full of pets. Writing is her passion and a dream that she never dared to believe could come to pass.

  With the success of her first novel, A Table for Three, Lainey’s dream became a reality. Every day she wakes up, she feels humbled and grateful for the people who helped make this possible and the readers who’ve been so amazingly supportive.

  You can email Lainey at lainey@laineyreese.com.

  Visit her website for upcoming works as well as blog posts and other tidbits at www.laineyreese.com.

  Look for these titles by Lainey Reese

  Now Available:

  Snowfall

  New York

  A Table for Three

  Who knew snow could be so hot?

  Snowfall

  © 2012 Lainey Reese

  All summer long, campground manager and wilderness guide Ashley Turner dreams of the snowfall that will bring her the peace and quiet she craves. This year, though, her Cascade Mountain solitude has been threatened by too many close encounters with the local wildlife.

  A huge, unusually aggressive cougar is stalking the area near her cabin, and something has to be done before someone gets hurt. But share her secluded retreat with a wildlife biologist? Though he’s the perfect picture of Native American hunkiness, that’s where she draws the line.

  When Dr. Jake Eagle Feather shows up on her doorstep, he’s prepared to call her shotgun-waving bluff. Until he can study and stop the cougar’s strange behavior, she and everyone else in these snowbound mountains are in danger.

  As if on cue, the cougar attacks, forcing Ashley to reluctantly give in to the inevitable. Close quarters intensify the pull of attraction between them. Even as their resistance melts in a whirlwind of sweet, hot desire, a predator is waiting out the storm for the next chance to stalk its prey…

  Warning: This book contains graphic language and love scenes hot enough to melt the polar ice caps.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Snowfall:

  “After yesterday you’ve got to know we need to be here.” Jake motioned with his fork. “That cougar was huge. And fearless. Way out of character and proportion. We have got to find out why they are so big up here and what is it about this mountain that makes them go against their natural instincts.”

  “I know,” Ashley said as she forked up a bite without meeting his gaze. “I never disagreed with the need to study them. I only didn’t want you here while you did it. This is my home, and I like my solitude. The winters are the only time I get for myself. The rest of the year I’m swarmed with tourists and campers needing a million things a million times a day.” She slapped Poncho’s arm wh
en she caught him trying to sneak food to one of the dogs, then continued.

  “Well, that’s over now. You’re here and even if I wanted you gone, the storm we have coming would keep you here anyway. So, what’s the plan? Are we splitting up? If we each have two dogs we will be pretty safe. You guys saw for yourselves, my guys wouldn’t let us get hurt.” She reached down, gave a loving tug on Ethel’s ears and looked expectantly at the men.

  “Poncho and I are going out as a team. You are staying the hell away from those woods. You’re right about the dogs though, after yesterday I don’t want you even in the yard without at least two of them with you. Not even on the porch, you hear me?”

  Poncho gave an agreeing grunt and tried to sneak another bite to the dogs.

  “Poncho.” Ashley slugged him this time, hard enough that he yelped. “You make my dogs into beggars and you will wake up to me standing over you with a sledgehammer.” Then she shoved from the table and took her dishes to the sink. “I didn’t want you here. But now that you are in my home, I’m not going to sit all day while you two are out there in those woods.

  It’ll make me crazy, waiting all day not knowing if you’re hurt and need help.” She turned and leaned against the counter with her arms folded under her breasts and a determined gleam in her eye.

  “Not gonna happen, Slim,” Jake said, following her example and bringing his dishes up to the sink. “It’s dangerous. We’re trained for this, we’re prepared and we know what to expect. You are just going to do whatever it is you usually do all winter and not worry about us.”

  She looked at Poncho, who was still staring at her—slack jawed after her unkind threat. Unfortunately, he was no help once he recovered from his shock. “No way, Ash, I’m with him.”

  “Fine,” Ashley said with a sniff, “I guess it wouldn’t matter to you big, strong, manly men that I know where the cougar hunting paths are then?”

  That stopped them both, but Jake recovered first and said, “No. No it won’t. If you’re too ornery to save us time and tell us we’ll just have to find them ourselves.”

  “Hmm.” Ashley studied her nails and pulled out the big one. “So, I guess it also won’t help to tell you I know where the den is either? Both dens.” Then she walked away while the two of them sputtered, and Jake started cursing like a sailor.

  It took weeks to find the hunting trails of a wild cougar and most dens were never found. That she already had this information would save them time and resources that they couldn’t afford to waste. With more cursing Jake faced the fact that she was going with them and tried to come to terms with it. It wasn’t easy. The thought of her out there in danger was wreaking havoc in his gut.

  “Man,” Poncho said with a supportive thump on his shoulder. “You got your work cut out for you with that one.”

  “You got that right.” The two of them cleaned up the kitchen in silence, Jake’s mind moving past worry and on to the fact that a month’s worth of tedious and freezing work was magically behind them and what that would mean for the job.

  That night they were all cold, wet and starving. Including the dogs. Ashley had led them to the trails and the two dens. Both were closer to her home and campground than either man was comfortable with. They set up motion-activated cameras and collected scat samples to try and ascertain what the cats were eating.

  As soon as they entered the mudroom, Ashley shed her outer gear and stuffed her feet into bunny slippers. Then she dropped to her knees and started drying the dogs with the towels she had stacked by the door. Jake and Poncho did the same, minus the bunny slippers. “Thanks.” Ashley didn’t try and stop them. The dogs had earned their care and kept them all safe. Besides she was so beat. Even if they hadn’t done so on their own she would have asked for help cleaning them up.

  “Of course,” Jake said with a full smile as he dodged Grover’s own version of a thank you—his drool-coated tongue. “These guys earned themselves a steak dinner, least we could do is help with the rub down.”

  “Mmmm,” Ashley groaned. “Red meat. I’ll pull some out on my way to check on Apollo. You guys fire up the grill.” She stumbled out with bunny ears flopping.

  “Must be love,” Poncho said as he grabbed a new towel and started on the last wet dog. “That girl is wearing long johns, had a runny red nose and pink fuzzy bunnies on her feet yet you’re smiling after her like she was a swimsuit model.”

  Jake looked at him and grinned. “If it ain’t love, I’m going to be in trouble when the real thing does hit.” He finished drying the dog and trotted after her. long johns or not, they were wrapped around a mighty fine ass and he was going to see if he could get his hands on it before she covered it up with more layers.

  He stopped to wash, no matter how much the lady liked her dogs, he was sure no woman would be seduced by a man who smelled like one. Then was brought up short as he stepped into her room.

  She stood with her back to the door rambling to Apollo about the day they’d had wearing nothing but a miniscule pair of panties. If he’d been capable of coherent thought he’d have quietly backed out of the room and closed the door. But staring at the curve of her back and the perfect inverted heart of her ass, rational thought fled, leaving only instinct.

  He moved on silent feet and slid his hands along the curve of her hips. When she jerked in surprise he held tight. At first she tried to turn to face him but must have realized she was topless and instead clasped her arms across her breasts and hissed at him, “What are you doing in my room? Haven’t you heard of knocking?”

  He smiled, dipped his knees a little so that when he pulled her in tighter to him, that perfect backside was nestled in just the right place. He kissed her shoulder. “I would have knocked, if you had closed the door.” He nibbled his way up her neck and whispered into her ear, “Were you hoping I’d follow? Hoping I’d find you all but naked and do what I’m doing right now?” Then he sucked her lobe into his mouth and hummed when she gasped and shuddered for him.

  A man with handcuffs. A woman with a paddle. Both fly F-16s.

  Hold ’Em

  © 2012 Katie Porter

  Vegas Top Guns, Book 3

  Daughter of a world-famous motocross champion, and head-on competitor with three brothers, Captain Leah “Princess” Girardi was born with a need for speed. No one tells her what to do, especially not men with chauvinistic “girls can’t be fighter pilots” attitudes.

  That’s what ended her brief relationship with Captain Mike “Strap Happy” Templeton. Now, six years later, he’s been assigned to her squadron, and whoa damn, he’s filled out nicely. Plus he’s cultivated a Zen-like chill factor that pulls at her hormones.

  Even after four tours, Mike’s the new kid in the 64th Aggressor Squadron. That’s not the only thing new. Since he last saw Leah, he’s learned a few things about himself. A female who outranks him still makes his teeth grind, but in the bedroom he craves the rush of pain inflicted by an adoring, powerful woman.

  Their reunion is an explosive revelation. Leah is the beautiful mistress he’s been searching for, and she takes to her new role like a natural. But Leah’s aware one thing hasn’t changed. Loving him is still an all-or-nothing proposition. She’s not sure her reckless streak is wide enough to risk her career—and her heart.

  Warning: This book contains a hot stud on his knees, a woman wielding a paddle, and filthy-gorgeous femdom sex. Also: dangerous rock climbing, two amazing motorcycles and some bad tequila.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Hold ’Em:

  Something inside Leah faltered. Shivered with fear. She stirred her spoon in her mug, letting it clink against the sides. “How did this happen, Mike?”

  The smirk curving his mouth matched his bright neon eyes—all teasing now. Her girl bits woke up at the thought of making him shift to that deep, deep blue once again. That blue screamed his arousal and hid it in dark shadows. What would it take? Her fingers buzzed with the need to find out.

  “Do I need to give you a sex-
ed talk? I thought you were a big girl.”

  “No, not sex ed,” she said with a little laugh. “I’ve had plenty of that. But maybe BDSM 101?” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Because that is what we’re doing here, right?”

  He scraped his fingers along his nape. “Yeah, you could say that. I’d prefer to say we’re having a good time. Getting off.” He aimed that volatile smile at her, the one that made her heart go pitter-pat like she were some type of idiot tweener. “Getting off majorly.”

  “But I don’t know where the line is. Where we stop.”

  He shrugged. “We stop wherever we want to.”

  Her short breath was everything frustration. “Don’t play stupid. I know you’re not. I mean if I wanted to order you to feed me breakfast, would you?”

  “If you really wanted me to, maybe. I’d think about it.” He folded his arms on the other side of the bar and leaned into them. His brow wrinkled as he thought. “I don’t know how to explain this simply though. I’m not a service sub or into humiliation. I don’t want to be treated like a piece of shit. I’m still the guy you used to know. Outside the bedroom, at least.”

  “But in it, you’re different.”

  She was too, it seemed. Already she was hungering for more. To give him commands and watch him obey. She craved the pretty, tormented expression on his face as she pushed and pushed, trying to find his boundaries, and the way his muscles twitched and popped as he held back.

  “Yeah. I am.” He lifted his head at that, steadying his gaze. Daring her to make something of it.

  A heated pulse set up between her legs. The fact that he liked to be tied up while he fucked didn’t make him any less of a man. He almost shimmered with strength and a pulse of arrogance.