A Dom with a Dangerous Past (#BDSM #menage #PTSD @ClareDargin)

By Clare Dargin (Guest Blogger)

Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog! Joy To His World is my first BDSM book and I had so much fun writing it especially since this is a continuation in the lives of the main characters in my first menage erotic romance Merry Chris Mas. After writing Merry Chris Mas, I knew that was not all Chris Spinell, Jilly Reimers and Chris 'Nate' Poole had to say about their lives. And it turns out I was so right. When we meet them in this new book, we see that they have come a long way since their initial meeting through the Love Play Matchmaking Service. Among other things Chris Spinell has learned to embrace a side of himself he knew he always had deep inside of him but never had the confidence to live, which is becoming a full-time Dom to Jilly and Chris 'Nate' Poole.

BDSM is different for each person who chooses to live the lifestyle and for the people they choose to live it with and the same is so the three of them. We learned in the first book that Chris Spinell suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his army days while he was Afghanistan. I wanted to see, how the characters chose to live out their lives in light of this challenge as Chris wrestled with the demons of his past while trying to stretch their boundaries and maintaining their need at the same time.

Even though BDSM offers Chris the control he needs, it is also filled with words and behaviors that can trigger a PTSD episode which could send him into a tail spin! Despite this he still has the need to dominate his submissives in the same ways as other Doms. Because of that, I wondered how this would impact the lives of the two people he loved the most in the world—Jilly and Nate. For instance, how did Nate transition from being in love with Jilly and not making love to Chris to submitting and bottoming to Chris? He and Chris have similar military training and backgrounds and are leaders in their personal and professional lives so why would he choose to become a submissive when he could have become a 'Dom' in their marriage to their wife Jilly too?

I believe the main reason why is Chris' strength. The security and primal desire that surfaced every time Chris exerted his dominion over him was indescribable as Nate put it. He likened it to a velvet steel-like authority, smooth to the touch but very strong underneath. As for Jilly, why would a strong independent woman submit to two strong men? Perhaps it is because BDSM took her to a level of love and self esteem that she'd never known before.

Their love is strong, though at times Chris' desire to protect them goes overboard. Chris' protective instincts are put to the test when a stranger comes to town and threatens Jilly and Nate's safety.

How will Chris handle it? Will he be drawn into a world of darkness? Or will he maintain self control?

Blurb

Chris Spinell, Jilly Reimers, and Chris “Nate” Poole are happily married. Now living in a small town run by The Love Play Matchmaking Service, Chris Spinell hopes his family is safely away from the possible dangers that come from living in a big city.

Jilly and Nate cherish the life they have with Chris. They even love the fact that he is their Dom. BDSM gives them the structure and sense of belonging they’ve always wanted. However, life in Minaqua doesn’t give Chris the peace of mind he needs in order to quell his anxieties. The scars from his time in Afghanistan run so deep, Chris’s PTSD will not allow him to escape the fears that his family is at constant risk for harm.

When a stranger comes to town seeking to harm Jilly and Nate, Chris’s protective instincts are put to the test. Will he deal with this reasonably, or will he do whatever it takes to defend his family—including breaking a solemn oath?

[Siren Menage Amour: Erotic Consensual BDSM Ménage a Trois Paranormal Romantic Suspense, M/M/F, HEA]

Excerpt

“What the hell is this all about?” Chris asked, storming up to Vander as he sat behind his desk inside the police station.

Vander held up his hands. “I know you’re pissed. But I have to do my job.”

“Hauling me in is doing your job?”

“No, but keeping the peace is. I had a feeling you’d end up at Gavner’s, so I told my deputy to check out the place at the beginning and toward the end of his patrol through town until this thing gets

straightened out,” Vander said. “I instructed him to sit tight and keep an eye out for any potential problems because I didn’t want things to escalate before I got a chance to handle them. And I will keep sending my guy over there until this guy moves out of town or you get that gangsta look out of your eye.”

Vander leaned in close. “Yeah I see it,” he whispered harshly. “You got that slow burn going on back there and clearly the fire is almost out of fuel. And if you open that door to throw Gavner in the flames, the resulting backdraft is going to blow this town apart. You are not a killer and this asshole is not worth going to prison for.”

“Now you’re protecting him?”

“Did you not hear me? I’m covering you. I know this guy is a walking piece of shit but that’s not against the law so I can’t arrest him. However, I’m pushing to have him evicted from the town based

on him not having prior authorization to reside here. So far, Love Play is okay with it and they are trying to get in contact with the Hendricks now.”

Chris saw red. He didn’t care about that bullshit. He wanted action. “Gavner assaulted my family, and all you can say is your waiting for paperwork?”

Vander jumped to his feet, grabbing his hat and coat off the stand. “He did what? Are they hurt?”

“They’re fine. They’re back at the house.”

“Wait,” Vander said, pausing. “Tell me exactly what Gavner did.”

“Nate and Jilly went to the mansion to handle some stuff to do with the party, and Gavner was there. He threatened them. You said you’d handle it, and I’m the one under arrest?”

“You aren’t. Nevertheless, I can’t let you get your hands on him, because if you do, I’ll be forced to arrest you for assault or worse.”

“Some friend you turned out to be.” Chris turned and walked to the door.

Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/book/joy-to-his-world

About the Author

Clare Dargin is an author of science fiction and romance and has been writing stories all of her life before being published in 2007. Writing and reading romance books have become her obsession and if you talk to her long enough she’ll probably bring it up in the conversation.

She presently resides in the Midwest, where she spends way too much time on the internet, hanging out with family and friends, and writing, too. Hearing from fans of romance novels or her own books is not only encouraged but greatly desired because it feeds her unhealthy love for the genre.

If you want to join her in desire for romance book world domination you can visit her blog at www.claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com or chat with her on Facebook or Twitter in order to feed your romance book obsession.

Web Links

Blog Pages: Clare's Blog 2: The Haven- http:claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com

The Embraced: Scribal Love- http://theembraced.blogspot.com

Author Page: www.bookstrand.com/clare-dargin

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clare.dargin

Twitter: www.twitter.com/claredargin

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/113201930657713285351

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Clare-Dargin/e/B005CREN68

What the Heart Wants (#PTSD #war #hemingway @MyWarWithHem)

By James Charles (Guest Blogger)

Emily Dickinson said, “The heart wants, what the heart wants.”

When two people fall in love, there is nothing that can separate them. Zach, a young veteran in MY WAR WITH HEMINGWAY, (AMAZON: (https://t.co/9dpsIOxkyv) who struggles with PTSD, alcoholism and intimacy, is afraid to lose anyone. He lost his mother at a young age to suicide, lost his father to alcoholism, lost friends in the wars. When he meets a girl in college (Jessica), who comes from a wealthy family, he tries to keep his distance from her because he can’t understand why she would be interested in him (a poor boy from a small town). However, as they fall in love, her family conspires to keep her away from him.
 

She stabilizes him, his alcoholism is not as profound when he’s with her, and his PTSD and hallucinations with Ernest Hemingway subside. She disappears. As a result, Zach tailspins into despair and ends up near death.

However, as Emily said above, there is nothing that can keep two people from one another. With great odds, they come together again, but Zach must overcome his conditions, including her trust.

Inside my room, I sit on the edge of my bed and take my shoes and socks off, stand and undress, tossing my clothes on a chair. I jump into the shower and blow the mist onto the shower wall. I think back to New Orleans. Did Stein really save my life that day?

After a hot, steamy shower, I exit the bathroom with the towel wrapped around my waist. I rummage through my bag and find a pair of underwear, toss them on the bed, and grab my toothbrush and paste. I return to the bathroom and brush my teeth. I rinse, spit, and go back over to the bed. I drop my towel to the floor, grab my underwear and while pulling them up, Jess opens the door and slips in as if she’s evading a freight train speeding down the hallway. Just as quickly, she closes the door. “What’re you doing?” I say. “Are you crazy?”

She only wears a large T-shirt that hangs just below her waist. She hurries over to me. “Yes. I think I’m crazy for you.” She pushes me backwards and I fall over onto the bed, coming to rest on my back. Because of her parents, is she enjoying this defiance, this danger? She jumps on top of me and kisses me.

In between passionate kisses, I try to speak. “I don’t,” kiss, “think,” kiss, “this,” kiss, “is,” kiss, “a,” kiss, “good,” kiss, “idea.”

“Oh, I do,” she says. Her hair cascades onto my face and chest as she works my lips with hers.

I get an erection. “Your father will kill me. He probably has the means to make me disappear or something.”

“My father is a scheming troll,” she says while kissing me.

“Wow. Tell me how you really feel.”

She stops and looks me right in the eyes. “I really feel like doing this.”

“Your parents are right down the hall,” I plead.

She kisses my neck. “This tells me you do too,” she says squeezing my boy.

“I do. I do. It’s just not the right time.” She rolls off me, lays her head on my chest and runs her fingers through my hair that has grown in since leaving the army. It is not too long, but I’m now able to comb it over on top with a little glob of gel. “I really do like you, Jess. But we can’t do this now. Here.”

“I more than like you, Zach,” she says kissing my chest. “I think I’m falling in love with you. I don’t know how I’m going to concentrate on my studies now.”

“Funny. We’ll get you through your studies.” We lie there for a few minutes. “Why did you go to Columbia and not Yale like your brother?”

“Are you kidding? I didn’t want my brother spying on me and reporting to daddy.”

“So, you don’t think I won them over?”

“I don’t care. I enjoy being with you, Zach. You’re different. I’ve had a couple of boyfriends, but they were typical. They just wanted sex. You’re really sweet and such a gentleman.”

I run my fingers through her hair and we continue lying together for a few minutes. “We better say goodnight,” I say.

“Goodnight,” she says.

“You have to go back to your own room.”

“Oh, all right.” She gives me a long wet kiss. I escort her to the door where she looks me up and down. “I could eat you from head to toe.”

“I bet you say that to all the guys.”

We embrace and kiss again. “Like I just said, you’ve been a real gentleman, Zachary Powell. When I get you back to New York, look out.”

I’m a veteran and wrote this story as an amalgamation of several veterans. However, it’s not a depressing overview of a veteran with PTSD, rather an interesting, and often comic relief story whereby Zach interacts with the historical Ernest Hemingway (quite the character himself). Zach kept a journal in combat, he wrote stories for the high school newspaper, and he reads a lot of books (something soldiers do in their barracks in Iraq and Afghanistan where they have a lot of “down-time”. Please consider donating old books to organizations that ship books to soldiers).

Hence, Hemingway is interwoven into Zach’s situation because they have a lot in common; such as Hemingway’s father killed himself, Hemingway was an ambulance driver in WWI and suffered great physical, and some would say psychological wounds, and Hemingway was an alcoholic. In any event, Hemingway not only saves Zach from suicide, but becomes his writing mentor at the college newspaper and his counselor as he struggles to accept Jessica’s love.

Excerpt (With Ernest Hemingway)

I close the door and flop onto the bed with my clothes still on. Damn, am I in some sort of dream world?

“I don’t think so,” he says.

“Jesus, Hem. Stop doing that.” I sit up as he sits and hands me his flask. I swig. “Absinthe again?”

“Your girl’s airtight.” He takes the flask back.

“Airtight? More nineteen twenties lingo?”

“Hey, that was a hell of a time, ya know.”

“Yeah. I’ve heard. Then it all went to pot.”

He shrugs. “It always does.”

“It’s been awhile. Where’ve you been?”

“You’ve been busy.”

“But why now?”

“You’re conflicted.”

“Conflicted? What’re you my shrink?”

“She’s inviting you in, kid.”

“Yeah,” I sigh, “I know.”

“You have to let it go.”

“But…”

“But nothing. We shot fear in the eye.”

I nod.

He gets up and goes to the door. “You want me to go a few rounds with the bastard?” He play punches the air.

“No. I can fight my own battles.”

“Have it your way.” He opens the door and tiptoes down the hall. I have to get up and close the door after the loon.

At last, days later, Zach allows Jessica to take him:

I hold her hand as we cross the street and head back to my apartment. I don’t even get the door closed before she pushes me up against the wall. I drop my computer on the chair next to the door and she is all over me. Trying to get the words out between kisses, I say, “I don’t know if anyone’s here.”

“Hello?” she calls out. “Dale? Basir?” She hurries around and surveys their rooms. “Nope. No one here.” She jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and kisses me. In this position, I carry her to my room, close the door, and fall over with her onto the bed. We tear one another’s clothes off. “Wow,” I say struggling again between kisses. “You’re an animal.”

She kisses me on my abs and works her way up to my nipples. She gently kisses my bullet scar and ravishes my neck. She works her way across my chest, then my abdomen, and goes down on me.

At last, I reciprocate, kissing her breasts. I kiss her belly and explore her with my tongue, her moaning so loud I worry someone will hear and I’ll get evicted.

I come up for air, locate a condom from my nightstand, tear open the packet with my teeth, and roll it on. She climbs on top and writhes, moving up and down. We enjoy intercourse for several minutes. I try as long as I can to hold it, wanting it to last forever.

But I can’t.

She stays on top and holds on. We are so out of breath neither of us speaks. Several minutes pass. I can tell her heartbeat is returning to normal. “Are you okay?” I say.

She kisses me and rolls off. “I am in love with you.” She toys with my nipple, the one I almost lost. I take a deep breath and exhale. “What was that for?” she says.

I shrug.

“Zachary,” she says, an upturn in her voice.

“It’s just that, well, I’ve never done it like this before.”

“What?” she says pulling her head up to look in my eyes.

“Well, I’ve never, you now, made love before. It was always only sex.”

“Oh? How was it?”

“Extraordinary,” I whisper in her ear while running my fingers through her hair. “I have this deep feeling in my gut. I’ve never felt this intensity before.” A tear runs down my cheek. I turn away trying to hide it from her, but she sees it and wipes at it with her finger.

She snuggles up and lays her head on my shoulder, saying, “I know what you mean.”

I kiss her on the top of her head. Her hair smells so sweet. We lie there in silence for the longest time holding one another and kissing some more. I fondle her breasts, kissing them. She plays with my penis and this time she lies back. Yet again we enjoy sweet intercourse.

I pivot to her side, still inside, and while holding her, I drift off to sleep not aware of what happens next until she tells me some time later.

After this scene, Jessica’s parents make her disappear, and Zach feels betrayed, descends into alcoholism, and bizarre situations with Hemingway occur putting Zach’s life in danger.

Although there is tragedy along the way, love wins out in the end and it is a happy ending; who wants to be left with no hope after reading a book?

Many Americans are burnt out over the most recent wars, and although this story begins in a dramatic, combat-related fashion, the essence of the story is one of hope and love wins out. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

About the Author

James is a veteran and now an administrator with the Los Angeles Unified School District. His other books are listed on his website below. His 6^th book, a romance novel, Spirit of the Amaroq: A Story of Salvation is forthcoming.

MY WAR WITH HEMINGWAY (Amazon): https://t.co/9dpsIOxkyv

JAMES CHARLES’ WEBSITE: https://jamescharlesarlington.wordpress.com/

FACEBOOK PAGE (thanks for your “Likes.”): https://www.facebook.com/mywarwithhemingway/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MyWarWithHem