Brandy Harding, a thirty-eight-year-old mother with a propensity to put herself at risk for the love of animals, finds herself with a severe case of empty nest. She decides it’s the perfect time to dump her discontent with their twenty-year marriage on her unsuspecting hero husband.
Lucas Harding, a forty-two-year-old fire inspector with a protective streak a mile long, suddenly faces the loss of daily control over his last remaining princess, and now he learns his beautiful wife is discontent with the future of their marriage.
In the prime of their lives, and no longer responsible for the daily needs of their three children, Lucas embarks on an endeavor to bring back the spark of sexual adventure they once shared. The two insatiable lovers discover that the end of one phase only opens the door to the beginning of another, equally rewarding and limited only by the boundaries of their imagination.
Be Warned: sex toys, anal sex, bondage, public exhibition
Excerpt:
“Hasn’t anyone warned you against traipsing all over the place, rescuing animals, and getting yourself hurt?”
A thrill shot through her heart at his lighthearted demeanor. Maybe he was no longer mad at her. “Well, my husband has mentioned it a time or two.” She batted her eyelashes in playful innocence.
Laughter rumbled through his chest. “I guess you’re the type of woman who ignores her man’s wishes. I gather you have a mind of your own.”
She fidgeted, but he held tight.
“That’s not completely true, but I don’t let him tell me what to do.” A hint of stubborn pride surfaced. Was he attempting to add spark by pretending he wasn’t her husband? This was something they did often when they were younger. A thrill shot through her heart. Had something she said this morning triggered this response? It was confusing, but she’d play along.
He looked down at her face, his brow raised. “Is that right? You don’t like being led by your husband?”
Heat washed over her face and neck. “Well, I don’t like him thinking for me. I have my brain for a reason.”
“Is that right?” He frowned. “He sounds like an asshole.”
She squirmed as he took the wooden steps up to the porch. He gently dropped her on the swing and leaned against the rail in front of her, crossing his ankles and folding his arms over his chest.
She shook her head. “No, he isn’t an asshole. Just a bit bossy.”
“If you were mine, I’d take you over my knee for pulling a stunt like that.” He pointed next door.
Brandy drew a quick breath. He continued the game with her. Intrigued, she gave him a teasing smile while playing along. “What’s your name, Inspector?”
He moaned, but grinned. “I’m Lucas. What’s your name?”
“Brandy.”
He bent and brushed a tendril of wayward hair away from her face. “No doubt named for those big, beautiful caramel-colored eyes.”
She raised her shoulders. “I don’t know. Probably for the booze my dad liked to drink.”
He frowned before turning to sit beside her on the padded swing. His hand moved over her thigh, avoiding her scraped knee. “Are you going to invite me in?”
She looked into the mysterious depths of his sea-blue eyes. “Do you want me to?”
His eyebrow arched. “Yeah, I do.”
Brandy bounced up off the swing—sore ankle all but forgotten—grabbed his hand and pulled him across the porch and through her back door, wasting no time on second thoughts.
