Happy Wednesday! Welcome to another MFRW Book Hooks blog hop.
For today’s event, I’ve returned to the recently released 25th Anniversary edition of my very first novel, Raw Silk. I’m sharing the scene of the first meeting between my heroine Kate and Gregory Marshall, the man who will eventually become her Master. Hope you enjoy it!
Blurb
“You were born to this. You may not understand, yet. You may not believe. But I will teach you.”
When software engineer Kate O’Neill leaves her lover David to take a job in Thailand, she embarks on a sensual journey that will change her forever.
In the glittering City of Angels, Kate becomes sexually involved with two very different men—a handsome and debauched member of the Thai aristocracy, and the charismatic, dominant proprietor of a sex bar. With Anand Rajchitraprasong, she discovers her own almost unlimited capacity for erotic pleasure. Meanwhile, Gregory Marshall shows her what she has hidden from herself: a deep desire to submit, to surrender herself body and soul to someone with the power and compassion to master her.
Each lascivious adventure binds her more closely to her lovers. Then David comes to Bangkok, and Kate realizes that she must choose one of the three men who all desire her.
The Hook
“Miss Katherine, Mr. Edward asked me to see if you were available. He’s meeting with a client and would like you to join him.”
“Of course,” said Kate, stifling a surge of frustration. She turned on her screensaver, and followed Malawee to the conference room.
She knocked then opened the door. Harrison sat at the far end of the polished table, a look of annoyance on his face. Sitting beside him was a man of unusual appearance—disquieting, she thought, then questioned the source of her reaction.
The man was European or American. He dressed casually, entirely in black—black shirt with an open collar and tight black jeans. He had long, straight hair, also black, pulled back in a ponytail with an ornate silver barrette. Kate thought she saw a flash of silver at his throat. His long fingers, clasped before him on the table, were similarly adorned with silver rings.
Strong planes shaped his tanned face—broad forehead, high cheekbones, resolute chin. His mouth, at the moment, framed a smile, but Kate thought that she caught a twist of irony in his expression.
As she entered, he turned his attention to her and she saw his eyes—a shocking, unexpected blue under heavy black brows. Intense, piercing, and completely without restraint, any sense of politeness or etiquette. He continued to hold her gaze for an awkward moment. Then Edward broke in, clearing his throat.
“Ah, Katherine. Thank you for taking the time to join us. We need your technical expertise.”
“Of course,” she said softly, seating herself several chairs away from the man in black. She was aware that he was still staring at her, and still smiling.
“Katherine, this is Gregory Marshall, one of our clients.” The man in black rose and bowed, a polite gesture, yet somehow unconvincing. Kate saw that he was very tall, well over six feet. “Mr. Marshall, Katherine O’Neill, our new director of software development.”
“My pleasure,” said the man, perfectly civilly. So why did she feel he was mocking her?
“Mr. Marshall is the proprietor of one of the foremost establishments in Patpong.”
“The red-light district?” she blurted out then nearly bit her tongue in embarrassment.
“The entertainment district,” countered the man in black smoothly. “The Grotto is just a go-go bar, offering the same types of entertainment available in many places in the city. However, I am trying to make it more distinctive, more creative, more—interesting. That’s where DigiThai comes in.”
“Yes,” her boss cut in, trying to recapture the conversational initiative. “Six months ago we designed and installed a custom multimedia system for Mr. Marshall’s bar, The Grotto. Video-walls and cameras, a simulated aquarium with computer-graphic inhabitants, acoustically-driven digital kaleidoscopes—very elaborate.”
“And very successful,” said Gregory Marshall, with a broad smile that bared his straight, white teeth. “I’m very pleased with your work. It’s just that now I want to go further.”
“Mr. Marshall has some novel ideas, but, as I have been telling him, they are barely feasible, technically. And certainly not for the price that we have been discussing.”
Always attracted by a technical challenge, Kate found herself interested. “What do you have in mind, Mr. Marshall?” she asked, in her most professional tone of voice.
“Well, now…” The man’s voice was melodious, controlled, expressive. The voice of an actor. He riveted her with his gaze again. She stared back at him, proudly, rebelliously, not willing to be cowed. Eventually, he continued his speech, without looking away from her.
“Three-dimensional imagery is what I am looking for. Something like the holograms one sees in science fiction movies. My girls are already fantastic, but I’d like to project more fantastic images still, images from people’s dreams and nightmares. They should be mysterious, evocative, erotic and disturbing. Furthermore, I would like to somehow link these images to the music, so that my customers will see reflections or echoes of the emotions aroused by the beat and the melody.”
Kate was silent for a moment. As she gathered her thoughts, Gregory Marshall watched her attentively. Finally, she spoke, choosing her words carefully.
“Three-dimensional imagery on a two-dimensional screen has now become inexpensive and commonplace. Projected 3-D, though, still requires costly hardware, and custom software— the sort of thing available only to Disney or Spielberg.”
She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I do have some familiarity with this area, though. I did some related research when I was in grad school—”
“Would you be willing to work on this for me?” interrupted Marshall, clearly excited. “I believe that I can make you understand exactly what I want.” He paused dramatically. “What do you say, Kate?”
Part of her bristled at the liberties he took, using her name so familiarly on such short acquaintance. Part of her warmed in response to that very familiarity, the tone of persuasive intimacy.
Beyond those reactions, she had to admit she was eager for the opportunity to pursue her ideas on the problem. She’d had to put her 3-D project aside after defending her thesis. Employers in the U.S. were seeking more practical innovations.
As for the chance to work for Gregory Marshall—well, that notion filled her with equal measures of excitement and dread. He was an arrogant bastard, that much was clear. The way he looked at her—without a shred of respect, as though she was some sort of peon, his to command! Yet at the same time, that challenging gaze made her pulse race and, yes, her pussy a bit damp. Despite his brashness and poor manners, she found him somehow intriguing.
Not that she’d let him know that, of course.
Buy Links
Free on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Amazon CA:
https://www.amazon.ca/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raw-Silk-Lisabet-Sarai-ebook/dp/B0DF6Q2S2B
Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218068923-raw-silk
Add on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/raw-silk-by-lisabet-sarai-2024-09-01
Wide distribution coming in late November.
Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks!
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