Logan whispered, “Tell me, Josephine, are you a bad girl?”

The part I love the most about writing a romance is the dialogue (banter) between the hero and heroine.

In my newest release, ‘Her Alpha Cowboy’, I wanted my hero to be a bit domineering but also likeable. I added a sense of humor to his character and a fierce protectiveness toward the people he loved. Yes, I made Logan West sound crude at times, but I would have written him much differently if my heroine, Josephine didn’t like it. Oh, she tried to hide her feelings for Logan, but the infuriating cowboy was determined to wear her down. When Josephine feels her virtue has been compromised, Logan offers to marry her. Even though they would be sharing the same bed, she makes him promise that the marriage would be in name only.

All and all, Josephine is an innocent and her questions about sex are driving Logan crazy, but he manages to keep his hands to himself 🙂

I hope you enjoy reading about their first night as man and wife.

Josephine sat on a small bench in the washroom and took off her pumps. She wiggled her toes. It was hard to believe she was now a married woman. Ella and Brody left shortly after the cake had been cut and it had been up to her and Logan to see to the guests. Once the guests left, Josephine began to clean up, but Logan insisted she let things go until the morning. Josephine readily agreed. It had been a long day. Yawning, she reached behind her head and fumbled with the row of hooks.

“You need any help taking off that dress?” Logan hollered from the bedroom.

“No, I do not,” she shouted back. Wicked man. She reached again and ended up with sore arms and loss of patience. Drat. There had to be close to a dozen hooks running down the back and Ella wasn’t available to help.

“Damn!”

“I heard that, little girl. Must Daddy come in there and wash your mouth out with soap?”

Josephine stomped her foot. Aggravating lout. “No, Daddy doesn’t have to come in here and wash my mouth out with soap,” she mimicked sarcastically and went back to fumbling with the hooks. She twisted this way and that. It was no use. She’d either ask him for his assistance or sleep in the dress.

“Um, Logan, can you help me get out of this dress?”

No sooner had the words left her mouth when he appeared in the doorway naked as the day he was born. She gasped and covered her eyes, but not before she saw his manhood.

“Sorry, I forgot to tell you I sleep in the nude.”

Josephine choked out a reply and presented her back while keeping her arms at her sides. She only knew a little about mating, like where what on a man went where in a woman. But, was it even possible to accommodate his rather impressive organ?

Logan’s blunt fingers grazed her skin as he tended to his task. The last few hooks were just above her tailbone and she held her breath. Would he try to pat her ass?

“There you go.”

“Thank you.”

The feather-light kiss he dropped on the back of her neck sent goosebumps up and down her arms and legs. “May I be of any more assistance, ma’am?”

“Um, no, that’s quite all right.”

He bowed and turned away. She frowned. No pat on the ass this time so she let her gaze wander over his taut buttocks then averted her eyes when he climbed into bed. She cupped her hot face with icy cold hands. Her husband was certainly well endowed.

Josephine dallied in the washroom as long as she dared and finally dimmed the light. Logan lay on the bed watching her thoughtfully as she padded barefoot across the room. She swallowed hard when she realized that the blanket they’d be sharing barely covered the lower portion of his body. How in the world was she going to lift that blanket and pretend not see what he had hidden under there?

A narrow dusting of hair trailed from his navel and widened to cover his chest. His hands were clasped behind his head. Josephine swore she had never seen a man more handsome and muscular. He exuded pure strength and power.

She stood beside the bed. Logan tossed the covers aside. “Come and get some rest. It’s been a long day.”

Josephine dove under the covers and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

Logan rolled on his side, facing the opposite direction. “You’re going to roast under there.”

With her arms pressed at her sides, Josephine stared up at the ceiling. Sure enough, beads of sweat started to form between her breasts. Slowly, she peeled back the covers and turned her head to look at Logan.

“Logan, are you awake?”

“Yeah.”

“Something’s bothering me.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the size of your, um, you know, what I saw when you came into the washroom.”

“You mean my cock?”

She clicked her tongue. “Why must you talk so…”

“Filthy? Blunt? Can’t help it. Dirty thoughts fill my head when you’re around.” He blew out a breath. “Sorry. I’ll be as delicate as I can. What is it you want to know?”

“How can it fit without hurting?”

He turned over onto his back and regarded her with a wicked grin. “Would you like me to show you?”

“No!”

“Well, then let me see how I can explain this without being too crass. It’s very important that a man prepares a woman for, ah, penetration. He can touch her breasts or suckle her nipples.” He stopped talking and Josephine propped on one elbow.

“Are you okay? Your voice sounds gravelly.”

He cleared his throat. “I’m fine.”

“What exactly does prepare mean, Logan?”

“You’re killin’ me, you know that?” He rubbed a hand down his face. “When a woman is ready to accept a man, her body gets wet down there so it doesn’t hurt so much.”

“Down there.” Josephine licked her lips. “You mean here?” She touched herself between her legs.

Logan swore. “Jesus Christ.”

“Don’t get mad. I need to know these things for when I, you know, do it.”

He remained silent.

“It’s not fair that a man can enjoy the act and the woman suffers.”

“As far as I know it only hurts the first time. There are other ways for a man to pleasure a woman without putting his cock inside her.”

Josephine scrunched her nose. “I don’t see how.”

“Trust me, there is.”

She couldn’t argue his prowess. A man such as Logan must’ve had plenty of women share his bed. Blondes, brunettes, and redheads. Just the thought of his rough hands running over their bodies and bringing them to climax left a bad taste in her mouth.

“Are there other ways for a man to be pleasured without putting his organ inside a woman?”

A low growl erupted from his side of the bed. Josephine chewed her bottom lip. Maybe it’d be better if she just went to sleep.

“A woman can bring a man to pleasure by taking his co… I mean, organ into her mouth.”

It took a minute for Josephine to digest that information. “That’s…”

“Filthy,” he finished for her again and shook his head. “Josephine, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the pleasures of the flesh as long as it’s consensual between two people.”

“But ladies aren’t supposed to enjoy it. It’s their duty to lie beneath their husbands and bear them children.”

Logan snorted. “And that kind of thinkin’ is why some married men go to the saloon looking for a whore. A whore will do things that a genteel lady was taught not to do probably because some uptight old biddy deemed it wrong.”

“But aren’t the men just as wrong being in the saloon when they have a wife at home?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t seem to matter to some.”

“Have you ever been with a married woman?”

“No,” he replied vehemently. “I don’t mess with married women.”

Josephine rolled onto her back. “Have you ever been with the Red lady?”

“What Red lady?”

“The one who works at the saloon.”

Logan bolted to a sitting position. “How the hell did you hear about her?”

“The men in the bunkhouse told me. Jake said she’d straighten me out and teach me a few things.”

He fell back on the bed. “Remind me to fire Jake in the morning.”

“It’s not his fault, Logan. He thought I was a boy.” She got a growl in reply. “And you’re not going to fire anybody. Night, Logan.”

“Night, Josephine.”

A couple of minutes passed. “Logan?”

“What now?”

“Thanks for explaining things to me and just so you know, you were very gentleman-like.”

“I’m awfully thrilled to hear it.”

Thanks for stopping by. ‘Her Alpha Cowboy’ is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobels and Kobo :)

Buy links

Amazon http://a.co/6KCJI8y

Amazon UK http://amzn.eu/aTc2tYC

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-alpha-cowboy-mary-wehr/1126850441

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/her-alpha-cowboy

Author links

Blog https://marysuewehr.com/

Facebook http://bit.ly/2unhHQy

Twitter https://twitter.com/maryswehr

http://www.stormynightpublications.com

“This is supposed to be punishment, so no more rubbing until it’s over.”

Aug3

His Firm Direction

by Alexis Alvarez

Amazon US: http://a.co/c0SszgB

Amazon UK: http://amzn.eu/gJuejNH

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073YFLRT4/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1260481714

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-firm-direction-alexis-alvarez/1126788126

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=5eUsDwAAQBAJ

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/his-firm-direction

When she is offered the lead role in a bold, controversial new play by Axel Masters, the hottest off-Broadway director in the country, twenty-seven-year-old actress Cleo Martinelli is delighted. As rehearsals get underway, however, she finds herself having trouble getting into the mindset of her character, a woman whose firm-handed husband spanks her when she is disobedient.

After Cleo’s difficulty playing her part convincingly leads to a public confrontation with Axel, she worries that she will be fired, but instead the handsome director calls her into his office, scolds her for her petulant attitude, and then suggests that she is in desperate need of the kind of stern correction the character she is struggling to play receives from her fictional husband.

To her surprise, being reprimanded like a naughty girl proves to be intensely arousing for Cleo, and soon enough she is lying over Axel’s lap with her bare bottom exposed for a thorough spanking. His bold dominance leaves her begging to be taken long and hard, and a passionate romance quickly blossoms between them.

Cleo’s new understanding of what it means to submit to a man’s strict discipline pays off on stage, but as the positive reviews pour in she cannot help wondering what will happen to their relationship after the curtain falls on the last showing of the play. Is Axel truly in love with her, or does he see her as nothing more than an actress in need of his firm direction?

Publisher’s Note: His Firm Direction includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Excerpt:

“Sorry, Cleo.” His voice held remorse and resolve. “This is supposed to be punishment, so no more rubbing until it’s over. It’s time for those extras you earned… the ones with the belt. Don’t touch your ass.”

Adrenaline swirled through her body and she swiveled to look at his face.

“Watch what I’m doing, Cleo,” he ordered, shifting her so she was sitting on the couch.

“Ow! My butt is already sore,” she complained, but at a stern look from him, she stayed seated, although she shifted uncomfortably on the rough fabric, which made the stinging more prominent.

“No, please,” she begged, anxiety flooding her, as he deliberately held her eyes, pulling the belt from the loops with a soft swish. He folded it over and slapped it into his palm, and she jumped. “God! Axel.”

“Sir.” He nodded his chin at her. “In just a second, you’re going to get up on your knees and lean over the back of the couch. Keep your thighs spread wide. You’re getting ten hard ones with the belt. After that, I think you’ll be properly contrite.”

“Don’t.”

“Eleven.”

“Axel!”

“Twelve. I suggest you stop arguing, Cleo, if you don’t want the count to go higher.” He took the panties from his pocket and tossed them to her; startled, she caught them. “Slide these back on, but only up to your thighs. Now.”

“But why?”

“Because I like the way it looks.”

Bio

Alexis Alvarez is an author, photographer, and digital designer who loves writing steamy romances. Her female heroines are always strong, intelligent women who fall for the sexiest guy around…and get the happy-ever-after ending of their dreams.

Alexis is a wife and mom, a former chemical engineer, a dachshund-whisperer — wait, that’s a lie. The dachshund usually does the exact opposite of what he’s told.

Do you like contemporary romance? Darker BDSM/erotica novels? Alexis has you covered. She writes in both genres.

You can usually find Alexis hanging out with her family or her sisters, who are also romance writers, at their website, Graffiti Fiction. The three of them love to drink wine together and laugh like hyenas while making dirty jokes and really inappropriate comments. Their mom is very proud.

One really cool thing about Alexis is that she’s a friendly author who loves meeting new people on Facebook. Please come on by and say hello. Thanks, and happy reading!

Contact links

Reader’s Group on Facebook – you will LOVE this fun, awesome, inappropriate place! Please join today. XOXO https://www.facebook.com/groups/295997897414263/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alexis-Alvarez/e/B0107LJQEM

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexisAlvarezAuthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14127116.Alexis_Alvarez

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexisAlvarezWr

Website: http://graffitifiction.com/

“You, little girl, need a Daddy.”

Aug1

Buy Link: goo.gl/Vxc3n5

Blurb:

I lost everything, was shipped off to live with an aunt I barely knew, and was put to work cleaning her dilapidated antique shop.

And then, I met Callum.

Or should I say I released him?

I was a socialite with a strong sense of entitlement and a lot of anger.

He was a Dominant genie with a hard body and an even harder hand.

It could never work.

Could it?

About Allysa Hart

I am a full-time mom to a sassy, strong-willed, loveable little girl. Okay, so she is all me. I am on the wrong side of 30, and I have been married to my best friend for over eight years. Like most couples, we have our ups and downs, but I could not imagine doing life with anyone else by my side. We are Southern California transplants, currently residing in a very rural part of the east coast. I have two crazy dogs that I adore, even though they drive me out of my ever-loving mind, most days.
I have recently rediscovered my love of words and decided to become a writer. My first story is my heart and soul, and it reaches into the depths of all that is me. I also create covers, promos, and logos for authors. I have met some amazing friends on this journey that I now happily call family. Without my family members, whether biological or chosen, I would not be half the person I am today. Their constant love and support keep me afloat.

Excerpts:

“You, little girl, need a Daddy.” Callum’s voice echoed.

“Yeah? Are you applying for the position?” I shot back with all of the sass I had.

Approaching me, he took my wrists in a tight hold, backed me against the wall and pinned my hands above my head. “Consider me the only applicant, because no one touches what’s mine. And you are most definitely mine.”

With one hand holding me still he used the other to lift up my night shirt and expose my breasts. I took in a sharp breath as his thumb zeroed in on my nipple and teased. His eyes stayed trained on mine as he switched to the other breast, giving it the same attention. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, my breathing labored. Luckily, his hold stayed fast because when his gentle teasing turned to sharp pinches, my knees buckled.

His lips found my neck and he chuckled sending vibrations straight to my pussy. “My girl likes it rough, huh?”

I whimpered in need.

“Don’t cry, baby. Daddy is going to put out that little fire. Be a good girl and keep your hands where I put them.”

Nodding, I bit my lip as his eyes darkened.

“The correct answer is always, ‘yes, Sir.’”

That was a hot teaser, Allysa. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Can a diehard feminist like Cynthia learn to obey an indomitable man like Antony?

Jul28

Holding Cynthia

(Romancing the Coast, book 2)

Libby Campbell

Buy links: Amazon

Blurb:

Antony Jacobson first held Cynthia Donohue in his arms at a wintry December wedding. Four months later, the statuesque, silver-haired woman continues to haunt his thoughts.

Cynthia is about to move to the West Coast to be closer her daughter. As her plane touches down in her new city, she steels herself to cope on her own. When she finds Antony waiting at the arrivals gate, a wave of gratitude and desire floods through her.

A lifetime of independence hasn’t prepared Cynthia for a submissive role in a relationship. She craves love, romance, and someone to share sunsets. But deep down she believes her dreams are out of her reach. Worse, they are a betrayal of her feminist principles. That’s fine: indomitable, handsome Antony will wait.

She is tired and aching beyond all memory so Antony takes charge. Very quickly, he realizes there is something wrong, very wrong, with Cynthia’s health. He insists that she see a doctor.

She says he is overprotective. He agrees. He is also determined to look after her if she won’t look after herself. A trip over his knee shakes Cynthia to the core. In spite of herself she likes – she wants – this loving correction. More importantly, she agrees that he may be right about seeing a doctor.

Is Antony too much, too soon, or is he just what the doctor ordered?

Publishers’ note: Holding Cynthia is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Tough stuff, but worth it. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books’ or the author’s advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or spanking of minors.

Excerpt

Antony opened his arms. “Come here.”

Cynthia tilted her head, not understanding what he wanted.

“Come. Sit on my knee for a bit, we’re going to have a little talk.”

She saw awkwardly on his left thigh and he responded by lifting her legs up, so they draped over the right arm of the chair. There was no choice but to put her arm around his neck for balance.

He bounced her a couple of times. “That’s nice, isn’t it?”

“It is.” She leaned into him, enjoying the softness of his beard rubbing her face.

“I’ve told you I’m going to spank you. How do you feel about that?”

“I haven’t been spanked since I was a little kid and even then it was just a couple of fast swats.” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll try anything once.”

“If you and I are going continue seeing each other, you’d better be prepared for it to happen on a regular basis. How long and hard the spankings are will depend entirely on you.”

She bent her head, hiding behind the curtain of her silver bob that draped in front of her face. “Really?”

“I’m a lover not a fighter,” he said, hugging her gently. “Spanking is a way of clearing the air between us. It keeps things on an even keel, relieves built up tension.”

“You mean your tension about what I do?”

“For the most part, yes. I’m not going to bullshit you. I’m going to be the leader in our relationship. You are an amazingly strong and capable woman. But you’re also stubborn and willful. You’ve been boss of your own life for so long, you think you you’re taking care of yourself, that you’re self-aware. But you’re not. You know some of the things that you’ve been doing like taking care of business, taking care of your mother, your daughter, your father. That’s not looking after yourself. That’s looking after community which is important.”

He held her a bit closer. “But you can’t look after anyone if you don’t look after yourself. Everything I’ve learned about you tells me your needs haven’t been looked after for a very long time. No one who is looking after themselves gets so exhausted they can’t manage a half hour walk. You need someone to watch over you. If you’ll let me, I’d like that to be me.”

She leaned into him, tired to the core, grateful just to be sitting on his lap. “I’d like it to be you, too. I think. I don’t know. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have someone telling me what to do all the time.”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do all the time. Not only are you too smart to need that, it would bore me too quickly to have to do it. I’m only going to take control when I can see that you’ve lost your way.”

He lifted her chin, meeting her eyes. “Does that sound fair?”

“Sure.” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ears.

“Do you know why I’m going to spank you today?”

Don’t you hate when they ask you that question? LOL.

Hot, Libby. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

“I may be a bully, but you, little girl, are a brat. You have no idea how much trouble you’re in, do you?”

Jul23

‘Her Alpha Cowboy’

Buy links

Amazon http://a.co/6KCJI8y

Amazon UK http://amzn.eu/aTc2tYC

Author links

Blog https://marysuewehr.com/

Facebook http://bit.ly/2unhHQy

Twitter https://twitter.com/maryswehr

http://www.stormynightpublications.com

Blurb:

When she is caught stealing from the mercantile in a small Texas town, eighteen-year-old orphan Josephine Bolton faces the prospect of a jail sentence, but she is saved by the intervention of a local rancher who mistakes her for a boy and convinces the sheriff that some hard, honest work would be better for “Joe” than being brought before a judge and jury.

Logan West has even less patience for lying than he does for thieving, and when he discovers that he has unwittingly brought a beautiful young woman back to his ranch he puts Josephine over his knee, bares her bottom, and spanks her soundly for her deception.

Despite her best efforts to ignore her attraction to Logan, the stern punishment leaves Josephine longing for the gruff, handsome cowboy to take her in his arms and claim her properly, and when he asks her to marry him she agrees. But after their wedding, Josephine cannot help wondering whether Logan proposed to her merely to keep up appearances. When she decides to run away again, will her firm-handed husband come looking for his naughty wife and bring her home?

Publisher’s Note: Her Alpha Cowboy includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Shortly after Logan pays for the items Josephine had stolen and takes her to his ranch, she makes another attempt to escape.

Excerpt R

Josephine smiled. The fact that the world stood before her was both daunting and exciting at the same time. A warm breeze caressed her face and she let go of her worries, but only for a moment. The rumble of pounding hooves echoing from behind snapped her back to reality. She reined in the mare and shifted in the saddle just in time to see a man with broad shoulders gaining on her. Here we go again.

“Okay, mare, it’s time to hightail it out of here. Be a good horsey now.” She tapped the animal’s sides and off they went. A sharp, piercing whistle split the air and the mare immediately slowed to a trot then stopped altogether.

“No, no, please don’t stop.” Josephine coaxed and pleaded, but the animal wouldn’t budge. Damn.

As soon as Josephine slipped to the ground, the mare took off in the direction of the ranch. “Traitor,” she mumbled and broke into a run. If she could reach the distant tree line she could hide.

Suddenly her feet were peddling nothing but air. Her belly hit the saddle with such force it knocked the wind out of her.

“Let me go.”

“No way, you little horse thief.”

Horse thief? This was it. In no time she’d be decorating a cottonwood for sure.

Josephine’s life flashed before her eyes. “Are you going to hang me?” Her stomach rolled. She imagined her body dangling from a tree and vultures picking apart her dead carcass.

“No, Joe, I won’t hang you. Once I find a nice sturdy log you’re going over my knee for a bare bottom spanking.”

“Like hell I am!” A complete stranger looking at her ass? No way. She’d throw herself from the horse before she’d let him spank her. With a burst of adrenaline she wriggled and writhed.

“That’s enough.” The whack to her backside shocked her and she went still, giving Logan time to rein in the big horse and drop to the ground. He plucked her from the saddle.

“Put me down!”

“Nope.”

Pinning her to his side once again, he carried her to a fallen log.

Josephine’s eyes widened. This was truly happening. He intended to spank her. Out in the open. Right now. She slapped at his legs.

“No, no, you can’t do this.”

“You deserve this, Joe, and you know it. You’re in dire need of a bare bottom whipping and I aim to see it done.” He sat down and tossed her over his lap.

Realizing that her virtue was about to go up in smoke along with her behind if she didn’t stop him, she sank her teeth into the back of his leg. Logan yowled, but didn’t loosen his hold.

“Please don’t do this, I swear you’ll regret it.”

Her wrists were caught and secured at her lower back. “Regret it? Not on your life. You just bit me, you little shit.”

Josephine giggled hysterically. Dear heavens, she was losing her sanity.

“You think it’s funny?”

* * *

Furious, Logan yanked down her pants. When he got a closer look at his intended target, blood rushed to his cock. These pale rounded cheeks and pink flesh in between did not belong to a boy. Damn! Joe was a dang female. This deliberate transgression was far worse than lying about her age.

Even though his hand itched to throw caution to the wind and deliver what he’d promised, Logan tempered his anger.

As fast as her pants had been peeled to her ankles, he pulled them back up as far as he could and pushed her off his lap. The brat let out a startled squeak and sat in the dirt with her legs spread. Logan caught a glimpse of blonde curls before she scrambled to her feet and hid the captivating view.

“You are a brute.” Her chest heaved with each breath.

Logan’s gaze dropped to her chest. Nothing to see. The bulky shirt hid the size of her bosoms. Big tits or small, he didn’t care. A nicely rounded spankable ass was more to his tastes.

She certainly looked ready for a fight. Fists clenched tight, eyes snapping blue fire. Matching him stare for stare. Lust slammed him in the gut. The thought of her kneeling on all fours with that ass high in the air while he fucked her from behind made him break out in a sweat. He shook his head vigorously. No use. The tempting image remained.

Logan slowly got to his feet. He regarded the impudent young lady standing a few yards away from him and couldn’t decide whether to throttle her or kiss that luscious pink mouth.

Christ, three times in one day he had tackled her to the ground believing he’d been putting his hands on a wet-behind-the-ears young boy. Never before had he manhandled a female in such callous disregard. His father would have taken a stick to him.

Logan propped one booted foot on the log and crossed both arms over his knee. “I may be a bully, but you, little girl, are a brat. You have no idea how much trouble you’re in, do you?”

She tossed back her head, refusing to answer.

“But first you’re going to tell me why you felt the need to disguise yourself as a boy.”

Her chin tilted in defiance. In a way she reminded him of Ella when she got in a mood, but the current dilemma in his pants had nothing to do with brotherly love. Joe was not his sister and his cock had reacted instantly to her charms.

“You got a pretty ass, Joe,” he snarled.

“What does happily ever after look like after so much darkness?”

Jul17

Tying the Knot (Thalia Book 4)

Jennifer Bene

BUY LINKS:

Amazon → http://amzn.to/2t4Zqni
(Also available in Kindle Unlimited)

Blurb

What does happily ever after look like after so much darkness?

Over two years after the trauma of her kidnapping, and the auction that brought them together, Thalia and James are finally getting their happily ever after! Celebrating their love is a piece of wedding cake, but with the help of their wild and crazy friends from Purgatory, it’s destined to be a wedding day no one will forget.

A thrilling mix of kinky fun, laughter, surprises, and the same sexy heat you’ve come to expect from James and Thalia — Tying the Knot is the perfect conclusion to this series that has brought readers to the darkest of lows, and the highest of highs.

Now, it’s time for the light. It’s time to celebrate. It’s time to get married!

Author Info

Jennifer Bene is an international bestselling author of erotic romance. She’s had #1 top-selling books in BDSM, Suspense, Thrillers, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror. While she’s been writing for years, it’s always been the dark stuff that makes her tingly, so her books are full of aggressive alpha males, feisty women who may or may not have a submissive streak, and intense, psychological storylines. Don’t worry though, she also insists on having a nice little happily-ever-after! Because without the dark, we’d never appreciate the light.

Want to get a FREE book, news about upcoming releases, giveaways, appearances, and more? Sign up for her mailing list!

Website – https://jenniferbene.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jbeneauthor

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeneauthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/jbeneauthor

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jbeneauthor/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/jbeneauthor

BookBub – http://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-bene

Warning 18+

Long Length – Rated R

“Do you want to come, pet?” James’ voice was playful, sated from his orgasm and the act of punishment, but she was still twisted inside.

“If I’m forgiven, yes, Master, please?” she begged, trying to move beneath him, but he caught her hip to hold her still.

“You took your punishment, so of course you’re forgiven, but… I don’t know if I’m ready to let you come yet.” Lifting himself away from her, James grinned in that charmingly mischievous way, her already soaked pussy growing slick.

“I’m going to die,” she groaned dramatically, laid out on the floor in front of him as he stood, but he only laughed.

“Get up, pet. I want to touch you.”

With that temptation she almost jumped off the floor, trying not to sound too desperate. “Where would you like me, Master?”

“On the bed like I asked.” James smiled, tugging the bedding back to fold it at the bottom, leaving a clean, white expanse.

“Yes, Master.” Biting back the grin she crawled onto the bed and knelt, but he only tilted his head, gaze flowing over her curves.

“Lay down for me and spread your legs. Arms up.” James had barely finished the command before he turned away, expecting her to obey as he moved to a chair near the curtained windows — and, of course, she did. When he returned he dumped an armful of rope and leather cuffs onto the bedding between her feet. “What did I promise you earlier today, pet?”

As he attached the first cuff around one ankle she tried to sort through the chaos of her mind to remember his words. “You promised to fuck me. Hard.”

“Oh, you’re right. I did.” James grinned as he lifted a piece of rope, tying it off to the cuff before pulling her ankle to the edge of the bed. “After what, though? There was a caveat.”

Thalia whined, dropping her head. “You promised to fuck me after you made me beg, and scream, and plead. But I have, Master!”

He finished tying off one ankle, and started on the next with a devious grin on his lips. “Punishments don’t count in play, pet. You know that.” The sharp jerk of the rope made her groan as she propped herself on her elbows.

“I want you! Please?” There was no shame in her desperate tone, even as he made her lay back against the bed again, his strong grip pulling one wrist towards the headboard, wrapping the soft leather cuff tight.

“What happens when you get bossy?” James smirked at her, glancing up occasionally as he crouched to tie the rope to the bed frame.

“You make me wait longer, Master.” It took more self-control than she thought she had in the moment, but she managed to avoid rolling her eyes.

“That’s right, pet. So, will you be a good girl and be patient for me?” He asked as he walked around the end of the bed, abs shifting with each step, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as he watched her in return. Gaze hungry, an amused expression on his face, but she could tell he was thinking. Plotting.

“I promise I’ll behave.”

The low chuckle as he bound her other wrist to the bed spoke volumes about what he thought of her answer. “Tell me, are you wet?”

“Yes, Master.” The exasperation fled her voice as his fingers brushed down her stomach, and when his fingers dipped between her thighs she almost shouted in relief. He traced her pussy, dragging her wetness to her clit to start slow, purposeful circles that were just enough to amplify the tension inside her.

“You are wet, pet.” Moving his hand lower he gently slid two fingers inside her, stretching her, bucking her hips to seek just a little more friction, but it did nothing. He was torturously gentle, his thumb brushing over her clit, back and forth, teasing passes that had her thighs twitching.

Groaning in frustration she jerked against her wrist cuffs, looking up at him in desperation. When he smiled, she let out a little scream and kicked her heels into the bed. “Master!”

“Oh, pet, no patience at all.” James pulled his fingers from her and tsk’d. “Is it so terrible to have me enjoy each and every twitch of your body? Every little sound you make when you’re so wet and wanting?” Wandering to the chair in the corner, leaving her bereft of his touch, his voice had her squirming on the bed.

Wrists twisting in the cuffs she tried to think clearly through the haze of the arousal, through the dull ache of the welts across her ass. “I just want you. Please?”

“You already had me in your throat, pet. You got to feel me, to taste me…” Returning to her, he sat on the edge of the bed and traced the outside of her leg. “Was that not enough?”

The idea that he might edge her the entire night made her whine low in her chest, gritting her teeth as she fought the pathetic stream of pleas she wanted to utter. Instead, she managed a simple, “Thank you, Master. For letting me taste you.”

“Such a good girl.” Chuckling, James leaned closer, almost kissing her, and her lips parted in expectation, but he spoke instead. “Will you continue to be a good girl for me?”

“What do you want me to do, Master?” She almost didn’t finish the question before he kissed her, his fingers delving between her thighs to roll against her clit, sending her hips into jerking pulses as she sought oblivion. He continued to rub her as he broke the kiss, his breath brushing over her lips.

“I want you to obey me, and not come until I give you permission. Understand the rules, pet?” James’ pupils had dilated again, that thin ring of dark green beckoning her to the very edge of her sanity as heat coiled tight between her legs.

“Yes, Master. I understand.” It felt like damnation to speak the words, but there was no other choice. She’d already disobeyed, twice, on today of all days, and this was her chance at redemption. Yes, she was forgiven, but this was about proving to herself that she could obey, that she could show some self-control.

Of course, that idea felt completely ridiculous when he made a low sound in his chest and slid his fingers back inside her. James’ lips closed over her nipple and she arched, moaning until he bit down and a brief scream escaped her. “I love the sounds you make.”

“Master…” she sighed, trying to focus on the way he stroked at her g-spot, toes curling as he applied a little more pressure and she gasped, just in time for him to bite down once more. A zing of electric tension, fireworks popping in her nerves, making her twitch, jerk against the cuffs without even meaning to move.

Sweet agony.

Phew, that was hot! Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer 🙂

“You are bound by the rules of this century, not yours. I shall hold you accountable in whatever way I wish.”

Jul14

Blurb:

Twenty-three-year-old Kelly Regan didn’t expect much excitement when she took a job as a curator at a historic estate, but upon encountering a beautiful, mysteriously powerful mirror she suddenly finds herself transported back to the Victorian era.

Kelly is intrigued by the estate’s owner, the handsome bachelor Sir Henry Yarlswood, and in order to learn more about life in his household she impersonates another woman and obtains a position as his maid. But Henry is not a man who tolerates dishonestly from his staff, and after her deception is discovered Kelly’s bottom is bared for a painful, embarrassing spanking.

The stern punishment only increases Kelly’s desire to know more about her handsome employer, but after she is caught snooping through his personal effects she soon finds herself stripped naked for an even more shameful chastisement. Despite her sore bottom, however, she is deeply aroused by Henry’s firm-handed dominance, and when he claims her properly his masterful lovemaking leaves her spent and satisfied. But will their blossoming romance be enough to keep her by his side, even if it means leaving her old life behind forever?

Publisher’s Note: A Strict Gentleman includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON

Excerpt 1 (18+)

Henry paused and flexed the rod before swishing it through the air a few time. It was a horrible sound, unmistakable. Her fantasy scenario of moaning girls and probing dominants with frisky fingers was nothing like the strict application of Henry’s cane.

“I wish to know, young lady,” Henry said as he continued to swish the cane through the air, “have you taken anything from this room?”

Taken? She’d looked in his journal, but not taken it. “No, sir,” she gasped.

The cane struck with a resounding thud and she drummed the palms of her hand on the seat of the chair. “No, I haven’t,” she repeated.

“Please keep your head up, Kelly. The mirror is there for both our benefits.”

He noticed she liked to look at him and he was using it to observe her too. It was an odd moment of reassurance. If he could see her face, the tears, the pained expression, he must be judging whether she was coping or on the verge of collapse. Was Henry so cruel as to want her to faint? She doubted it. Nothing she’d read in his journal, assuming he accurately portrayed his activities, implied he sought a woman’s injury or committed harmful acts. The cane stung like crazy, but it wasn’t being wielded with force, only accuracy.

She raised her head and stared at him. He nodded, then to her amazement, he stepped toward her behind and with his forefinger traced the line of the cane.

Kelly gasped, not because it hurt or made the mark throb any harder, but because it was tender and curative. For a few seconds she was thrilled, excited, and perversely aroused by that delicate touch. Now she throbbed in a new spot; her little nub was aching to be noticed.

“Because I know,” he said, stepping back, “that taken objects can be returned to their correct location without being missed.” He cracked the cane swiftly against her bottom.

Author Bio:

I’m an author of erotic D/s romances including Amazon bestsellers. All my books contain an element of BDSM, spankings or erotic games of sensual exploration. If you desire a little thrill, something to entice, then please take the time to read one of my books. Thank you!

When not writing, I’m busy spending time with her family, enjoying music, sometimes drawing and if the weather allows, gardening.

Author Links:

Goodreads Author Page

Instagram

Manic Readers

Blog

Thanks for stopping by, Jaye 🙂

“Naughty girls who lie get spankings.”

May19

Love Under the Violet Crown

Mythology becomes truth

Passion Quest Book Two

Authors Sterling Scott and Sahalia Blue

US Buy Link

UK Buy Link

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35171612-love-under-the-violet-crown

Blurb:

Dr. Julie Patterson is an Alien Anthropologist. She is on a quest to bring peace to the Galaxy.

Julie and her scientific team are aboard the starship Kart Wilhelm, orbiting the planet Maia-3 with its population of Bronze Age humanoids. Their mission is to redirect the focus of the war-like beings to become successful trading partners. To accomplish this goal, the invading scientists kidnap key individuals and implant new ideals of peace and freedom into their brains.

A native of Maia-3, Iva is a member of the wealthy and deeply spiritual Violet Crown family. Following the custom of her people, her father arranges a marriage to the mathematician, Archmed. Although Iva is an influential citizen, her marriage is only for producing children. However, she longs for true love with her husband. She wants him to reject the concubines he uses for pleasure and lie with her alone.

One night, the scientists seize Iva and Archmed. Iva mistakes them for the gods. Remembering the experience, she has a plan to capture her husband’s love.

The best laid plans of scientists and natives go awry. Following their long voyage through hyperspace, the starship’s crew is distracted by the amorous, scantily-clad natives on the warm, inviting planet. Combining business with pleasure creates problems for Julie’s objective. Meanwhile, Iva is kidnapped by a sinister native bent on having her as his wife. The
fledgling unity on Maia-3 is shattered.

Can Julie and her lover, Marine Lt. Harold Hunter, restore discipline to the ship and bring peace to the natives? And what is Dr. Patterson’s secret mission?

This sexy, spanky, romantic romp in outer space is a sequel to “Love on a Forbidden Planet”, but it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

This is a mixture of science fiction and spanking

Excerpt:

“Come with me and do as I say.” He grabbed Julie’s hand and snatched her up.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked.

Harold did not answer. In her haste to follow the Marines, Julie had forgotten to bring a toga and wore her uniform jumpsuit. Harold pressed his finger to the stud under her collar and ripped the fabric from her body. Nude, he led her from their concealment toward the hut where the three Athens women were being held.

“We are going to create a distraction, and you are going to play along,” he answered. “Make a lot of noise. Yell and scream your head off.”

“Okay, you mean like play acting?” she queried.

“You got it, babe.”

Julie gasped as Harold bent her at the waist and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. With her bare bottom on display, he marched her into the middle of the village. One onlooker released a long, loud whistle which summoned more men.

“Put me down, you lout!” she yelled as her arms pounded his back. “What the bloody hell do you think you are doing? Put me down this instant!”

Harold’s hand slapped her ass cheek and he yelled at the top of his lungs, “Silence, wench! I’ll put you down, all right. I’ll put you down over my knee. I’m going to teach you a lesson.” He quickly ran over to the center of the village where an old stone well sat. He plopped down on the second step, setting Julie on the ground. Ignoring her protests, he pulled her over his lap, with her bottom positioned high on his rigid thigh. “Naughty girls who lie get spankings, and you are going to get the spanking of your life, my naughty young lady.”

Excerpt: (Science Fiction)

The two scooted as close together as the seats would allow. They held hands and Julie rested her head on Harold’s shoulder. As if watching a movie, they observed the stars dim and change colors as the gravity bubble formed around the starship. The stars appeared to shimmy back and forth as the discontinuity in gravity distorted their appearance. The vibration of the ship increased and the intensity of those stars ahead increased as their color shifted to a deep blue. While she couldn’t see them, she knew that the stars behind were shifting to red.

And finally, as the ship accelerated beyond the speed of light, the color of the stars shifted outside the range of visibility. There was nothing beyond the window except blackness.

“That was amazing,” Julie whispered. Swiveling her body and turning her head to Harold, she opened her lips, inviting him to kiss her.

“I’m glad you were here to share it with me.” Harold accepted and softly touched his lips to hers for a gentle, lingering kiss.

About the Authors:

Sterling Scott writes of his imagined adventures within the backdrop of actual historical events. While some of his stories are more fictional than others, he likes to entwine real events into a new version of how it should have happened. Additionally, he includes experiences from his life and those friends who have shared events with him.

When not writing, Sterling travels the highways and visits his children. He spends a lot of time playing with his first grandchild.

Sahalie Blue was born and raised in the Midwestern US along the shores of Lake Michigan. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest, treasuring the great outdoors of her new home.

Sahalie loves hiking in the region’s majestic Cascade Mountains, dense mossy forests and sagebrush-filled deserts. Her revered, special place is Sahalie Falls, a roaring waterfall that pounds the McKenzie River into a rainbowed mist.

She’s been married for several years to a computer guy who loves to tell jokes. She appreciates laugh-out-loud moments. She enjoys reading just about anything, but mysteries, romances, and science fiction are her favorites. She is passionate about expressing her thoughts and feelings in her writing.

“If you can do fifty sit-ups, I’ll put my tongue where my thumb is.”

May17

Gaining Maisy

by Summer Graystone

BLURB

Ready to start over and escape the demons of her past relationship, Maisy Dennis is hell-bent on getting in shape, building some confidence, and enjoying life. After joining a gym and hiring a personal trainer, Maisy receives more hands-on treatment than she ever dreamed possible.

Personal trainer, Carter Lewis knows his way around the gym–and around a woman’s body. No stranger to the wild world of domination, Carter can spot a woman with a deep need for total submission from a mile a way. And the beautiful, but broken Maisy is just begging for it. Now, it’s Carter’s turn to teach Maisy just how gorgeous and sexy she really is–if she’ll just accept her curves and size for what they truly are: Sexy as hell.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2pBPVKI

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2odfe5L

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2odpdId

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34848051-gaining-maisy

Snippet:

Every thought left Maisy’s mind as Carter wrapped his hands around her waist to slip them into her gym shorts, cupping her ass around her panties. It seemed like he was massaging where he had just spanked and Maisy felt her bones turn to goo as his hands swept up and down her ass. Then his thumb brushed the bottom end of her pussy from the back, and Maisy moaned loudly as she clutched his chest and plastered her body against his. A move that allowed her to feel every inch of the erection resting between Carter’s legs. Maisy rubbed her thighs against it, hoping to punish him a little like he was doing to her. But apart from a slight increase in breath and a jerk of his engorged cock, Carter barely acknowledged the contact.

Then with his hand still in her ass crack, his thumb just barely edging her pussy from the back, he leaned in close to her. “If you can complete fifty sit-ups without stopping, I’ll put my tongue where my thumb is.”

Adrenaline spiked through Maisy, and at that moment she would have done a hundred sit-ups just so she could feel his tongue soothe the ache between her legs. Forgotten was the fact that, up to that point, the best she had ever been able to get to was about thirty. She quickly got on the floor, raising her knees up till she was in the position to start. Then just before she started, Carter dropped down to his knees and slid in between her legs. Normally, he would hold her by her ankles to keep her steady while her back went up and down. But today, his hands slid up her legs, caressed her thighs, then she felt the pad of his thumb circle around her aching pussy, the friction causing another wave of arousal to course through her whole body. “Remember, my tongue here if you get to fifty.”

About the Author:

Hi! So my name is Summer, and I’m a part time erotica author, who attends classes during the day, and writes dirty romantic erotica by night. When I’m not in school studying photography, I also work as a portrait photographer at a small local studio near the beaches of Florida.

Some fun facts about me are that I love apple martinis (I just turned 21, so I can’t get enough of them) and I love Star Wars, The Vampire Diaries, the Originals, The Walking Dead and Smallville. I’m a gamer girl too. Animals are close to my heart, and I have a 3-month-old bearded dragon named Yoda (he’s green and white) and a spaz of a dog named Nala who is a Terrier/Pomeranian mix, but I digress.

My favorite thing to do is to write sexy stories that will melt your panties off, and emotional stories that will make you cry, and rejoice when the hero gets the girl in the end.

Author Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Graystone/e/B00XTIQ23O

Blog: http://summergraystone.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/summergraystone

Instagram: https://instagram.com/summergraystone

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSummerGraystone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13931232.Summer_Graystone

My Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cDQEpz

Amazon I Blog I Twitter I Instagram I Facebook I Goodreads I My Newsletter

He has her body. Will she give him her heart?

May15

HER ROGUE VIKING

by Ashe Barker

Blurb

Though Fiona puts up a brave fight when her village is raided by Vikings, she ends up being carried off over the broad shoulders of Ulfric Freysson, the leader of the Norsemen. The stern, ruggedly handsome warrior quickly makes it clear that she belongs to him now, and her best efforts to escape merely earn Fiona a painful, humiliating switching on her bare bottom.

Her captor’s bold dominance sets Fiona’s passion ablaze, and when he brings her to his bed she cannot help begging for him to claim her completely. As Ulfric begins training her to please him in any way he demands, Fiona finds herself falling in love with her new master, but she soon realizes that there are those among his people who still see her as an enemy. When her life is threatened by a member of his own family, will he stand ready to protect her no matter the cost?

Publisher’s Note: Her Rogue Viking includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Buy Links

Amazon

Read Chapter 1 for free

Blog post Introduction

I have always been fascinated by Vikings. Strong, sexy warriors, ruthless, dominant and determined – what’s not to like? It was only a matter of time before I wove a story around these fierce raiders who rampaged through Scotland and England for over three centuries, eventually settling and leaving their indelible mark on our history.

A Viking raid was indeed a ferocious affair. They relied on what would nowadays probably be termed ‘shock and awe’ swooping in from the sea on their fast dragon ships to attack with vicious and deadly effect. The Nordic raiders would be gone almost as swiftly as they arrived, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The modern equivalent would be a helicopter attack on a sleepy rural village by SWAT teams armed with automatic weapons– the local people would hardly know what hit them.

I have employed a certain amount of poetic license, but I was determined to recreate the Viking era to the best of my ability – their homes, their clothing, what they ate, how they lived. I hope readers will be as entranced as I am by these creative and charismatic raiders, and perhaps forgive them their more outrageous little foibles.

Excerpt 2 (18+)

Ulfric carried her to the fallen tree and set her down beside it, taking care to allow her to lower her good leg first. Then, still ensuring that her weight remained on her uninjured foot, Ulfric helped Fiona to turn and face the trunk, then eased her torso forward until she was balanced across it. The furs and blanket provided a soft cushion. Fiona could find no reason to complain that her comfort was not considered as Ulfric patted her soon-to-be-punished bottom.

“I will lift you a little higher, to ensure that your feet are off the ground and taking no weight, and to offer me a better target, naturally.” He did not wait for any further comment from Fiona. In moments she was dangling over the tree trunk, her feet inches from the bare earth and her head and shoulders balancing her weight on the other side. The grass and a light dusting of fallen leaves were just inches from her nose but she could just make out their shapes in the gathering gloom as she quivered in this unfamiliar and vulnerable position.

Her father had been no disciplinarian. In all her nineteen summers no one had ever so much as slapped her wrist, let alone bent her over a fallen tree for a public switching. Fiona wondered if it was possible to die of humiliation.

She managed not to whimper as her skirts were raised above her waist, then tucked under the woven braid that served as a belt. Fiona was acutely aware of the half dozen or so Viking warriors who had gathered to observe the proceedings. They were all now afforded a fine view of her upturned, naked buttocks. She was glad she could not decipher the exact meaning of their calls and remarks, though the general gist was plain enough.

The jocularity ceased abruptly at a word from Ulfric. The men remained in place, watching, but they no longer offered their lewd observations.

Fiona was accustomed to harsh winters, but the bitter chill of this Nordic early evening was equal to anything she could recall in her own country. She shivered as the icy breeze caressed her bare backside and could not help clenching as Ulfric bent to select the first switch.

“Fear not, little wench. You shall soon be feeling a good deal warmer.” He swung the switch in an experimental arc, slow at first, then fast enough to produce an ominous whistle. Fiona shrieked.

Ulfric chuckled and moved in close. He laid the palm of his free hand on her bottom, the caress almost affectionate. “Try not to clench, though I realise it is difficult. Are you ready?”

There was nothing to be gained by delaying matters. Fiona nodded, then clenched her bound hands into fists as she tensed for the first stroke.

“Aagh!” She let out a shrill scream as fire exploded across her right buttock. Her entire body jerked with the force of the blow, though she had been expecting it. This hurt though, more than she had ever imagined.

“One,” Ulfric intoned. “Be still, Celt. Settle down and we shall continue.”

Somehow, through the haze of pain, she heard his words and managed to obey. Moments later fire snaked across her left cheek.

“Ooh!” Sweet Jesus, can I bear this?

“Two. Now relax, you do not wish to drag this out, I am sure.”

He was right, she did not. Fiona willed her tense muscles to soften and drew in a shuddering breath.

“Three. Four.”

She was managing the pain just slightly better now, no longer so shocked by the intensity of sensation. She managed not to cry out, and needed no further reminders to keep her buttocks soft.

“That is good. Five. Six. Seven.”

Fiona writhed against the blanket. Despite her determination to bear this ordeal with fortitude she was unable to remain still, nor could she contain her tears that flowed unchecked across her face.

Ulfric paused to once again lay his palm over her throbbing backside. Her bottom was on fire and she flinched under his touch though he was not rough with her.

“You are doing well. Just three more to go. Shall I continue, Fiona?”

No! Enough! “Yes. Please, just finish this and let me get up.”

More about Ashe Barker

USA Today best-selling author Ashe Barker has been an avid reader of fiction for many years, erotic and other genres. She still loves reading, the hotter the better. But now she has a good excuse for her guilty pleasure – research.

Ashe tends to draw on her own experience to lend colour, detail and realism to her plots and characters. An incident here, a chance remark there, a bizarre event or quirky character, any of these can spark a story idea.

Ashe lives in the North of England, on the edge of the Brontë moors and enjoys the occasional flirtation with pole dancing and drinking Earl Grey tea. When not writing – which is not very often these days – her time is divided between her role as taxi driver for her teenage daughter, and caring for a menagerie of dogs, tortoises. And a very grumpy cockatiel.

At the last count Ashe had over forty titles on general release with publishers on both sides of the Atlantic, and several more in the pipeline. She writes M/f, M/M, and occasionally rings the changes with a little M/M/f. Ashe’s books invariably feature BDSM. She writes explicit stories, always hot, but offering far more than just sizzling sex. Ashe likes to read about complex characters, and to lose herself in compelling plots, so that’s what she writes too.

Ashe has a pile of story ideas still to work through, and keeps thinking of new ones at the most unlikely moments, so you can expect to see a lot more from her.

Ashe loves to hear from readers. Here are her social media links:

Or you can email her direct on ashe.barker1@gmail.com