Bonds of Trust (Wicked Play Series #1)

by Lynda Aicher

Overview

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.

Her first encounter with Jake is everything Cali has always craved, and more; she's not prepared for the feelings he inspires in her. And Jake is just as surprised by his overwhelming attraction to Cali. As their play intensifies, so does their bond. Now, Jake doesn't want anyone but Cali—but is he ready to officially claim her? And will she submit to being his forever?

78,000 words

“Lynda Aicher’s Bonds of Trust just might be a must-buy for Fall 2012.” —RT Book Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426894695
Publisher:	Carina Press
Publication date:	11/26/2012
Series:	Wicked Play Series , #1
Sold by:	HARLEQUIN
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	232,124
File size:	374 KB

About the Author

 

LYNDA AICHER is a USA Today Bestselling Author, an RWA RITA award finalist, RT Reviewers’ Choice winner and two-time Golden Flogger award winner who loves to write emotional romances. She spent years traveling weekly as a consultant implementing software into global companies, now her imagination is her only limitation on where she goes. Writing lets her escape the daily duties of being a mom, wife, chauffeur, scheduler, cook, teacher, cleaner and mediator.

 

Read an Excerpt

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?

Editorial Reviews

When her marriage of 22 years ends, Cali Reynolds is left alone and seeking answers to explain the failure of her marriage. She conducts her research at the Den, an exclusive BDSM club, where she hopes to explore her submissive fantasies and learn if she truly is submissive in her sexual desires. At the Den, Cali encounters Jake McCallister, a professional Dom and part owner of the club. Jake thinks Cali is a frustrated cougar seeking validation of her sexual appeal after being dumped by her husband. When he meets Cali, Jake realizes she genuinely wants to know about herself and is determined to be the Dom she explores in her fantasies. As Cali discovers self-acceptance of her submissive tendencies, Jake discovers Cali may be the sub he didn’t even realize he was looking for. She’s not a perfect sub, but she’s perfect for Jake.

Verdict Cali’s character is more fully realized than Jake’s, but the two are explosive together as they draw the reader deeper into their story. Their relationship quickly moves from a business transaction into a deep, emotional connection, which makes Aicher’s first contemporary erotic romance appealing to readers bridging the gap between mainstream romance and Fifty Shades of Grey. Aicher is the author of the paranormal “Energen” series (The Dragon Stirs; Stone of Ascension); this title will appeal to fans of the works of Lora Leigh, Maya Banks, or Sylvia Day.—Melanie C. Duncan, Shurling Lib., Macon, GA(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Library Journal