I am so excited to be part of season two of the hit series, Corbin’s Bend. If you haven’t heard, Corbin’s Bend is a fictitious community nesteled in the picturesque mountains of Colorado. The community brings together a specific group of people who share one common interest – the love of spanking. My book will be released on December 17th and is called Life’s Unexpected Gifts. I’ve had my awesome cover for weeks and have been waiting for the day I got to share it. Today’s that day!
Ta-da! Meet Hallie and Troy.
Hallie & Troy from Life’s Unexpected Gifts
Blurb:
Violence has been part of Hallie Boudreaux’s life for too long. Deciding all men are barbaric abusers, she’s once again on the run away from danger. Desperate to feel safe, if even for a few days, Hallie remembers the only time she had felt truly happy in the last seven years were the summers spent at her Aunt Gina and Uncle Adam’s. Taking a chance her aunt might take her in, Hallie points her dilapidated car towards Corbin’s Bend, praying she makes it there before her clunker takes its last gasp.
Troy Jackson can’t wait to surprise his sister on her 30th birthday. He’s recently moved back to Colorado to be closer to his only relative, Traci, a psychologist living in Corbin’s Bend. The surprise is on Troy when his normally conscientious sister runs amok on her big birthday proving that even intelligent, independent women still need the stern guidance of the men in their lives. Having grown up with loving parents who practiced the domestic discipline way of life, both Traci and Troy subscribe to the founding principles of the Corbin’s Bend community wholeheartedly.
Hallie’s family is thrilled to have her in Corbin’s Bend, but can Hallie come to terms with living in a community based on its endorsement of spanking, a practice Hallie sees as abuse. Can Traci’s counseling help her overcome her fear in order to accept her new life in Corbin’s Bend, or is it Traci’s brother who ultimately has the power to show Hallie that not all men are abusers?
Unedited Sneak Peek Preview:
He’s sure no one notices when he backs out of the space, heading to his sister’s office. Hallie’s waiting just inside the door, her eyes widen when she realizes she’s been caught eavesdropping.
Troy tries to put her at ease. “Mind if I hide in here with you? It’s chaos out there.”
She gives him a nervous look and he can see tears pooling, threatening to spill down her cheek.
“I said I was sorry for breaking in here. Did you have to call the damn cops on me?”
Troy can see the panic rising in her eyes and he moves closer, reaching out to take her hand to keep her from bolting. He catches her before she steps out of reach. Her hand feels small and warm, with the slightest tremor of fear. “Oh no, Hallie. We didn’t call the police. At least not the way you think. The police found your car in the ditch. They were worried about what happened to you.”
“Oh. Thank goodness.” The relief is short. True terror fills her eyes.
“Hallie? What’s wrong?” Troy tries to get her to answer, but she’s frozen in fear. He moves to catch her as she looks like she might collapse. “Hey… what’s this? You should be happy. Your aunt and uncle just arrived. They can’t wait to see you.”
Instead of cheering her up, he hears a sob escape instead. Troy is surprised when she hugs him tightly as if he might be her lifeline. He hates to see her in distress, but can’t help but like how she feels in his arms, so warm and feminine. Her head tucks neatly under his chin. Her scent stirs inappropriate feelings under the circumstances.
He holds her until she calms. Reaching to the box of tissues on Traci’s desk, he grabs a few and helps wipe at her tears. In spite of their red rims, her green eyes are intoxicating.
Her nose is running courtesy of her crying jag. Troy grabs another tissue and holds it out to her. “Here you go. Blow for me.” She blushes, embarrassed, yet she grabs the tissue to comply.
“Good girl.” It’s in that second Troy knows how important praise is to Hallie, making him suspect she hasn’t received much of it in her twenty-three years. He watches her relax under his simple compliment.
“Now, why don’t you tell me what has you so upset? Don’t you want to see your aunt and uncle?”
Her answer is quiet. “Yes, of course I do.”
“So why the tears?” She tries to look away. He suspects she’s remembering how they’d met the night before as she tries to yank out of his grasp. He lets her step back, but remains close enough to gently tilt her chin to look up into his eyes. “Please don’t be afraid of me, Hallie. I know we got off to a bit of a rough start, but I promise you. No one, including me, is going to hurt you.”
She hesitates before answering softly. “Okay.” It’s not much, but it’s a start.
“Why the tears?”
“It’s not my car I was driving.”
“Yes, the sheriff said it belonged to an Edward somebody. Is he a friend or something?”
“Or something.” Yep, there’s a story there.
“Boyfriend?”
She just nods her head, too afraid to speak.
“Let me guess. He didn’t know you were taking the car, did he?”
This time a slight shake of the head.
“And he isn’t going to be happy to find it… and you… gone?”
Several tears streaming down her face is his only answer. He hates the next question, but he has to ask. “Edward is the person who hurt you, isn’t he? Traci said she and the doctor found old bruises all over your body. Edward gave them to you, didn’t he?”
He can detect her trembling and knows he’s put the pieces of her puzzle together. “Do you think he’s chasing you? Is that why you were running in the middle of the night?”
She finally tries to speak. “I really don’t think he could give a shit about me, so no. I think he might miss the car though.”
Recent Comments