Ready for Him
Tied To The Billionaire Anthology
by Tanith Davenport
Genre: Erotic romance
Publisher: Total-e-Bound
Date of Publication: 16 August 2013
ISBN: 978-1-78184-414-4
Word Count: 12761
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh
Blurb:
In the bar at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Jade Bleecker celebrates with her three best friends, all of whom are there to get married - Jade is their bridesmaid, and beginning to believe that three times a bridesmaid really does mean never a bride. Tattooed, pierced and a martial artist, Jade is used to inspiring fear rather than desire in men, and even if she did find one who could handle her - well, no man is worth trusting with her body.
But, as she is leaving the bar, she comes upon a mugging in progress and, with a few swift moves, makes short work of the mugger. Invited up to the victim's room for a nightcap, she is stunned to discover he is Will Vandenmeer - billionaire poster child of the Vandenmeer hotel and casino chain, and owner of The Sanctuary, one of the best known BDSM clubs in New York City.
Jade finds herself hopelessly attractive to the sensual, dominant Will, and when he offers to induct her into the world of BDSM, she accepts... but can she truly give herself to him, and is Will ready for what Jade has to offer?
“Don’t worry, you’re in no danger here. I’m putting the suite under lockdown. It’s not the first time this has happened, and I won’t have any more innocent rescuers hurt in retaliation. Bryn and Matt have radioed my team and they’re dealing with it.”
For fuck’s sake!
Jade screwed her eyes shut for a moment, forcing herself to calm down.
Okay. I don’t like it, but he’s right. Shit, what have I got myself into?
“Relax,” said Will, and Jade opened her eyes again to glare at him. “You’re safe with me. Despite what you may have heard.”
And Jade’s stomach spiralled as she remembered the other, less-publicised aspect of Will Vandenmeer.
His club.
It had created a frenzy in the press at first, but the stories had come to an abrupt halt—probably, Jade guessed, due to a heavy-handed legal team. The Sanctuary was hidden in the heart of New York City, a haven for those who lived the hardcore BDSM lifestyle. Patrons were protected, behaviour was strictly regulated, and membership was revoked for the slightest infringement. It was not a place for dabblers.
Will Vandenmeer was a dominant, and didn’t care who knew it.
‘You’re safe with me’. Will was holding her gaze now, and Jade refused to look away, although her body was rebelling against her—torn between the flutter of nerves in her gut and a stab of desire in her cunt.
Maybe she was safe with him. Maybe she wasn’t.
Or maybe she didn’t want to be.
“Okay. Tell me what you know about me.”
Jade’s fingers involuntarily clenched around the stem of her glass.
“Wait.” Will picked up his own glass, holding his other hand out as though calming a spooked horse. “Scrap that for now. Let me tell you what I’m getting from you.”
Oh really? Jade raised one pierced eyebrow at him.
“What’s your full name?”
“Jade Bleecker.”
“Nice. Jade Bleecker.” Will took a sip from his glass. “You’re a strong woman. You clearly know how to handle yourself. You’ve got at least three tattoos and two piercings that I can see, and probably more that I can’t, so you’re not afraid of pain. And you know what BDSM is, right?”
Jade nodded slowly. Where are you going with this?
“Right. And you’re curious about it.” Will was watching her very closely as he spoke, and Jade held herself very still. “But you think it means all the worst things people say. You think dominants beat their submissives down, that we don’t give a damn about their pleasure, that we expect them to give up everything for our benefit. Right?”
I’m not telling you anything. Jade could feel her face falling into a mask. If Will noticed, he made no comment.
“Are you single?”
“Mmm.”
“‘Mmm’? Okay.” Will’s eyes were dancing, and Jade’s jaw set in annoyance. “What would you say if I told you that BDSM is nothing like that, Jade?”
Silence fell between them.
“What would you say if I offered to—”
“Wait.” Jade held up a hand, cursing inwardly as she realised it was trembling.
What the hell am I doing?
You want this, a voice taunted in her head.
I don’t even know him and he’s talking about BDSM. I can’t do this. I can’t.
But the image from the bar of herself held down, tied down, putting all her trust in one man, still flickered in her head, and something inside her was urging her forward.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Will said, breaking into her thoughts, and Jade found herself answering without thinking.
“I couldn’t do it.”
“Do you want to?”
“That doesn’t matter. I couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t trust any man with my body.” Jade snapped her mouth shut abruptly, hating the look that had come into Will’s eyes at the words.
Because I’ve been fucked over before. Because I’m a screw-up. Because I don’t need your fucking pity. Go to hell.
“That’s actually a very good reason why you could.”
Jade looked up at him, torn between curiosity and defiance.
“What does that mean?”
Will tilted his head to one side, looking her up and down. “You look like a person who might like dangerous sports. Think of bungee jumping. The danger is what attracts people, but any reputable company has a thousand regulations in place before they let anyone do it, precisely because of that danger. Right?
“BDSM works the same way. You’re right not to trust just anyone—but in the community—in my club, for instance, relationships are tightly controlled. Every Dom has rules to follow, as does every sub. Break the rules and you’re thrown out. We protect our patrons.”
Jade nodded slowly.
“Not everyone uses contracts, but even without them, limits and boundaries are agreed beforehand. So are safewords. The universal word is ‘red’, but many people choose their own. If I did anything to you that you didn’t want, you would use your word and I would stop—no questions asked. The trust is absolute.”
“I see.”
Jade reached for her drink, but her hand was shaking, and hastily she put it back on the table. As if he could tell what she was feeling, Will’s voice took on a seductive quality, and Jade bit down on her lip as a rush of desire flashed through her body.
“It’s all about needs. Ours are different, that’s all. You take pleasure in doing what I want. I take pleasure in fulfilling your needs. It has to be reciprocal.”
I take pleasure… You take pleasure… He’s talking as though we’re going to—
The thought made her catch her breath. Immediately Will’s eyes were on hers, and Jade found it impossible to look away.
“Do you still think you couldn’t do it?”
“No.”
Will arched an eyebrow. “Would you like me to show you?”
I want…
“Yes,” Jade heard herself saying, unable to drag her gaze away from Will’s. He smiled.
Can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I’m an erotic romance writer, classical singer, movie addict, closet medievalist and irrepressible optimist.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Yes - ever since I was a child. I didn't know I would go into erotic romance, though.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
I have a day job, so most of my writing is done in the evening when I get home. On the weekends, my only criterion is that I have to get dressed. For some reason I can’t write while wearing a dressing gown.
What would you say is the most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The most challenging part is probably the research, which is also the most rewarding. It’s quite remarkable how many things you become knowledgeable about while working on a book.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
“Ready for Him” is part of the “Tied to the Billionaire” anthology, a collection of stories about the lucky women who encounter dominant billionaires. Jade Bleecker is in Las Vegas for the triple wedding of her three best friends; when she interrupts a mugging in progress and takes the attacker down, she is shocked to discover the intended victim is Will Vandenmeer, poster boy for the Vandenmeer Hotel and Casino chain and owner of the premier BDSM club in New York City.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
If you’ll pardon the cliché, it came to me in a dream. The idea of four friends travelling to Las Vegas, three brides and one bridesmaid, was dreamt up anyway – the rest came when I learned Total-e-Bound were looking for BDSM.
If you’ll pardon the cliché, it came to me in a dream. The idea of four friends travelling to Las Vegas, three brides and one bridesmaid, was dreamt up anyway – the rest came when I learned Total-e-Bound were looking for BDSM.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Currently I’m working on a sequel to my paranormal novella “I Heard Your Voice”. If all goes well I hope to have that out next year.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
At the moment, Lauren Oliver, Philippa Gregory and Anne O'Brien. I especially love historical fiction.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
I don't know about "inspired", but Lauren Oliver has a concise style that appeals to me.
Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.
Jade reached for her drink, but her hand was shaking, and hastily she put it back on the table. As if he could tell what she was feeling, Will’s voice took on a seductive quality, and Jade bit down on her lip as a rush of desire flashed through her body.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I’m waiting on the third part of “House of Darkness, House of Light” by Andrea Perron. Paranormal stories, especially those based on real life, fascinate me.
Have you ever used anyone from your real life encounters in any of your books?
Not so far, but I wouldn’t rule it out. One of my friends has been asking me to put him in a story, but since I haven’t written any m/m lately he’s been out of luck – he’ll have to go on the back burner till I get some inspiration.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself while you were writing?
That I can apparently write good sex scenes! Initially I was marketing myself as a women’s fiction writer, but I was advised to go into erotica by someone who described a scene she read as “the best sex scene I’ve read in ages” and I never looked back.
Tanith Davenport began writing erotica at the age of 27 by way of the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme. Her debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was released by Total-e-Bound in June 2011 and was shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012.
Tanith has had short stories published by Naughty Nights Press and House of Erotica. She loves to travel and dreams of one day taking a driving tour of the United States, preferably in a classic 1950s pink Cadillac Eldorado.
Tanith's idea of heaven is an Indian head massage with a Mojito at her side.
loove the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway! :)
Thanks for having me on here!
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