Mari Carr's Blog, page 79

Cocktails with Mom

Nothing says Mother’s Day like Margaritas! Susan is back one last time this month with an awesome cocktail recipe for special moms everywhere. And believe me…I’m trying this one!

Susan: This one is in honor of  you, Mari!!!  I’ve never tried it – I found it in a magazine.  With both tequila and Miller in the recipe, how can you go wrong??!!

It’s Mother’s Day Somewhere Margarita from Red Book Magazine

1 grapefruit, peeled

1 lime, peeled

1 lemon, peeled

3 TBS sugar

2 oz tequila

¾ oz Grand Marnier

1 cup ice

¼ cup Miller High Life

In a blender, add 2 chunks of grapefruit, the whole lime and half of the lemon.

Pour in the sugar, tequila, and Grand Marnier.  Blend on high for 10 seconds.

Mix in a cup of ice and ¼ cup miller beer and blend on low for another 20 seconds.

Final step: dump it into the biggest glass you can find!

 

A Win for Berlin!

Online Charity Auction

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meet Berlin:  She’s a charming little girl with a beautiful smile, a shining countenance and a debilitating disease. You see Berlin has Osteogenesis Imperfecta — Brittle Bone Disease.

Berlin was born with Brittle Bone Disease and though she’s only seven she already knows what it feels like to have a broken arm, leg, and fractured vertebra — repeatedly.  But you’d never know by speaking with her that her life is anything but normal. Even when Berlin’s slowly making her way across campus with her mobility walker, she always has a bright smile, and will shout out to friends and parents of friends with a warm welcome and a friendly wave.

But Berlin isn’t walking these days. You see, she recently fell and ended up in the hospital where it was discovered she’d re-fractured her Tibia – the main bone in her lower leg – and a pin from a previous surgery had shifted through the bone.  That shift means that Berlin can’t walk until she has surgery.  Due to lack of insurance coverage, they treated the new fracture and sent her home, denying her the needed surgery.

Every day children right here in America go without needed medical care, and it breaks my heart. Every Day.  I pray today is not going to be Berlin’s day to go without treatment.

With the help of some incredibly generous members of the writing community and local businesses an online auction has been created.  Beginning Friday, May 11, at 1:00pm PST, simply go to ebay.com, enter A Win For Berlin in the search field and start bidding on the great gifts and services donated by Award Winning and Bestselling authors, artists, and local businesses.

You’ll find everything from signed books to “Meet and Greets” with your favorite authors and artists, and a wide array of everything in between.  In addition, we’ll have some great items up for bid from local businesses.

Don’t see anything you want to bid on? No problem, keep checking back for new auctions to be added over the next week or check out one of our donation auctions.

I want to thank  Mari Carr for  allowing me to hijack her blog to announce this event. As my son says; “You Rock!”  And to Brenda Novak for her Auction For A Cure to Juvenile Diabetes: You are an incredible inspiration. Thank you.

–Julieanne Reeves

Saturday Snippet

This week it’s all about Shame, shame, shame –  a bad wrong. The premise of my regency romance, No Regrets, revolves around a misunderstanding between the hero and heroine and it makes for some very interesting sexual tension.

No Regrets Snippet

“Didn’t Mrs. Henry tell you to stay away from here?”

Surprised by the malice lacing his tone, she took a small step backwards before nodding.

“Then why are you here?” he asked, his face twisted with anger.

“I—” she stumbled, fear beginning to course in her blood. “I was w-worried about you.”

A harsh bark of a laugh cut the silence of the room.

“Worried?” he asked sarcastically.

“Y-yes,” she answered, glancing back at the door, feeling very much like Chelsea must have only minutes earlier. Desperate for escape.

“Oh.” He slowly rose from his chair. “Yes, you should be worried, but not for me.” His clothes were wrinkled as if he’d slept in them, which she assumed he had. His white shirt was open at the neck and, as he approached her, she was able to make out the lightest smattering of dark hair on his chest. His hair was disheveled, as if he’d tried to pull it all out. His feet were bare, except for his stockings and she worried briefly about him cutting himself on the broken glass on the floor.

“I’m sorry I disturbed you.” She wished she had taken Mrs. Henry’s words more closely to heart. This man towering over her was not the Ben she’d come to consider a friend. He was a cold stranger who oozed danger through every pore on his body. “I can see you aren’t in the mood for company tonight.”

“Yes,” he hissed. “Sorry. You should be sorry. You were warned.”

“I’ll leave.” She turned quickly for the door.

“Oh no,” he said as he roughly grabbed her shoulders preventing her from taking a single step. He lowered his face until it was only inches from hers. His dark eyes bore into hers with an intensity that stole her breath. This man was not a friend. She shivered in his grasp as she looked into the eyes of a stranger, a madman.

“Ben,” she whispered, hoping to dispel the anger in his eyes, the violence in his face, the powerful grip of his hands.

“You were warned and now you must pay the penalty,” he said softly. Before she could reply, his lips descended to hers in a painful kiss. His grip on her shoulders tightened as he held her still for his assault. She struggled to turn her face away, but he moved his hands to the side of her face, refusing to allow her retreat.

His lips roughly ground into hers, his tongue pounding into her mouth, his teeth nipping her lower lip until she could taste the bitter metallic flavor of her own blood. She shoved against him with all her might, but her slight strength was no match for his power.

She began to fight back in earnest, pummeling his chest with her fists, as he continued to back her against the wall, his mouth relentlessly attacking hers while his hands moved slightly to capture her head in an even more forceful grip. Roughly, he pulled the pins from her hair, the sound of each one hitting the floor like another nail being driven into her coffin as he continued his assault. She realized she was defenseless against his might and for the first time since she’d met Ben, she was truly terrified of him.

Her soft whimper of alarm and violent shaking must have broken through his crazed mind as he slowly softened the kiss. His grip loosened as he brought his arms slowly around her back in an almost gentle embrace. His tongue, when it touched her this time, attempted to soothe the damage he’d wrought on her lips. It was if he were trying to heal the wounds he had inflicted with his own. The power of the previous kiss was gone, replaced now by lips that gently caressed hers.

The fear that had permeated her body only moments earlier fled, replaced with something perilously close to raw desire. Her clenched fists on his chest opened as she slid her arms over his muscular shoulders to wrap them around his neck. Driven on by her sudden capitulation, his hands roved over her body, touching her everywhere, desperately, as if she were about to vanish from his sight forever. No part of her was safe from his frantic, tender exploration. Her back, bottom, waist, breasts, stomach were all touched with a compassion and adoration she would never have suspected given his frightening mood. Shocked by the force of her own desires, she was helpless to resist his touches, his kisses. Her own cravings replaced the fear and uncertainty. She wanted this. She wanted him.

His hands returned to her head, soothing her scalp where he’d roughly pulled her hair before, clasping her cheeks gently, almost reverently in his large palms and the kiss turned even softer, his lips barely brushing hers in a wordless plea for forgiveness.

He worshipped her mouth as his hands slid through her long silken tresses savoring the feel of each strand. She mimicked the motion with her own hands as she ran her fingers through the soft, thickness of his hair, pulling him closer to her, unwilling to allow him to remove his lips from hers.

Her contented sigh cut through the silence breaking the spell that surrounded them. Replacing his hands on her shoulders, tenderly this time, he pushed her away from him slowly. One look in his eyes revealed, not the desire she knew was glowing in hers, but unadulterated anger tinged with something else—anguish. True heart-wrenching anguish.

She opened her mouth to speak, to comfort, but before she could utter a sound, the anguish turned back to pure rage as he turned her toward the door, leaning down from behind her to whisper one word in her ear.

“Run.”

No Regrets is available at , Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Fictionwise and All Romance Ebooks.

Want more snippets?

Megan Hart:Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Jody Wallace

Mandy M Roth

Lissa Matthews

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker>

TJ Michaels

Lauren Dane

Undone Dom

Lila Dubois has a new book coming out today with Ellora’s Cave called Undone Dom. I think I’ve made no secret of the fact that I LOVE Lila. Like serious, deep down in my soul, never-ending true love. In addition to being one of the funniest people on the planet, she is an incredible storyteller. If you haven’t checked out the Undone Lovers series and you like your stories pushing-the-envelope-red-hot, then please…buy these books!

Second in the Undone Lovers series.

Altonis the ultimate Master. An expert Dom, he believes BDSM is a lifestyle and trains women to serve in every way. He recognizes Lulu’s submissive nature but his instant attraction is unexpected and unnerving. He vows to take and train her.

Lulu has been curious about BDSM since her friend met and fell in love with a Dom. When Alton comes looking for her, Lulu indulges her greatest fantasy. In Alton’s BDSM training rooms she’s bound, disciplined and above all pleasured, experiences wilder than even her fantasies. But when she goes home at night, she dreams of Alton, not the whips.

Alton’s whole life has been turned upside down. A Master must live by his rules, but with Lulu he’s breaking every one. The Dom who swore that romance had no place in BDSM has to take a crash course in wooing if he’s going to keep the sub who’s got him in knots.

Reader Advisory: Contains very light female/female sensuality and a brief ménage encounter.

Excerpt:

Alton watched her swallow, her breasts rising firm and tempting above the top of her dress as she took quick breaths. She was wearing a dress, a proper dress with a big skirt, little sleeves and a tight-fitting top.

Alton kept women naked, but that dress, or her in that dress, was strangely appealing.

“Alton.” Her voice was husky, her blue eyes wide.

“Yes.” The word came out as a growl. He hadn’t meant it to, but everything about her was calling out to him.

“You’re…here.”

“I said I’d come back.” It had been a stupid thing to say. It had been stupid for him to come looking for Lane’s sub, but he’d wanted to understand her choice to be with Lane. Lately he’d been feeling as though he didn’t understand what subs wanted, which went against his fundamental world view. His conversation with Lane’s black-haired sub had only increased the unease he’d felt. But the trip hadn’t been a waste because he’d seen the redhead. Lulu.

She was perfect, like the old-fashioned Barbies his sister collected. Strong, poised, confident and intensely feminine. Nothing about her said hidden submissive—she wasn’t overly aggressive nor did she immediately bow to his male authority. She didn’t seem like the kind of woman who needed a Master to unlock her sexuality. Yet he sensed it. Submissive. The woman was submissive.

And so he’d said he’d come back for her, and in that moment he’d meant it. He’d return and make her his.

After he’d walked out he’d barely restrained himself from banging his head on a wall. What had he said? He was too deep in the BDSM culture if he was wandering around telling people he was going to kidnap them, all because he sensed she might make a beautiful sex slave.

He’d tried to dismiss her from his mind. She was a normal, not a part of his world. He couldn’t have her.

But Alton’s world was off-kilter. For the past year the life he’d built felt gray and uninteresting. He didn’t like it, and it seemed endless days training pretty little sex slaves were not enough. He felt out of control. That did not happen. He did not allow it. He’d decided he needed a new challenge.

Lulu.

“You came back for…” She lowered her lids, watching him from under her lashes.

Alton’s hands twitched with the need to touch her, to master her.

“For you.”

 

Lulu didn’t know what to say.

She’d convinced herself Alton’s parting words had been to save face, nothing more. Addie and Lane had assured her that while Alton was “hard-core” he wouldn’t really come back to the shop looking for her. Lane said he’d talked to him, and Alton’s response—utter silence—had led them all to believe he’d been joking, or just trying to scare Lulu and Addie.

But here he was.

Butterflies in her stomach had her pressing her hand against her belly. He watched her movement, dark eyes intense.

“Why?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I won’t answer that.”

Lulu jerked in surprise. “What do you mean you won’t answer?”

He tipped his head forward, eyes scanning her face. “What are you asking me? Why I said I would come back? Or,” he stepped away from the display table, his bulk making her store seem small and cramped as his arms brushed against racks and displays, “did you want to ask ‘Why me?’”

Lulu waited for him to come to her. She wondered if she should back up, if she should run for a phone or the pepper spray in the cute leopard-print carrier under the counter. He stopped two feet away, just close enough for his size to be intimidating, but not so close that he’d crossed the personal space barrier.

“What did you want to ask me?” His voice rumbled pleasantly and he smelled good, like spice and earth.

Lulu though why me? but asked “Why tonight?”

Now it was his turn to jerk in surprise. That wasn’t the question he’d thought she’d ask.

“It’s been months. I started to wonder if you said it only to save face after Addie took you down a few.”

“I… You… She…” The Heathcliff-worthy brooding Master was sputtering and it was seriously cute.

Lulu bit down on the grin, managing to turn it into a closed-lip smile. She checked the slim silver watch she wore. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to lock up.”

Lulu locked the front doors and turned off the lights above the front window displays, but left the main lights on, just in case. She was behind the counter, crouched down to reach the controls for the music system. Taking a moment, she braced her hands on one of the under-counter shelves, looking at her fingers, at the costume pearl ring she wore. What was she doing? Why didn’t she just call Addie and Lane? They’d rush over here and get Alton out of the shop.

That was exactly why she hadn’t called them.

She’d been waiting for him to come back. She was curious. She was intrigued by the sexual world Addie blushingly described. She wanted to know why Alton had said he’d come back for her.

Lulu rose from behind the counter, smoothing her skirt. “Please accept my apologies. The store closed at nine tonight.”

“Of course.” He’d taken a seat in one of the wing-backed chairs they had in the center of the store in a small seating area meant to remind buyers of their living room. On a low table in the center of the chairs were artistically messy stacks of books and CDs—all for sale.

He sat with a straight back, knees spread, forearms resting on the arms of the chair.

“I’m going to ask you a question,” he said.

“All right.” Lulu took a seat in the chair across from him, crossing her legs at the ankle and tucking them under one side of the chair. He raised a brow at her response, and she realized he hadn’t actually asked if he could ask her a question, he’d told he her was going to.

“What you said implied that you were,” he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his spread knees, “waiting for me to come back.”

Lulu took a breath. “I was.”

A smile cracked the stone mask of his face.

Whoa!

Until that moment she wouldn’t have said he was handsome. His face was too severe, his features heavy and dark, his whole bearing almost military. But that smile highlighted his chiseled lips, made lines at the corners of his eyes crinkle, and he had a dimple.

“Well, hey there, good looking,” Lulu blurted out, an answering smile on her face.

The smile disappeared. He frowned.

“Has no one ever told you how sexy your smile is? You should really smile more.”

He tipped his head to the side and examined her. “If you were any other woman I’d think you were being flippant or sarcastic, or trying to get a punishment, but you seem…genuine.”

Lulu’s breath caught at the mention of punishment. “I’m being honest. You have a really nice smile. You must not smile much if I’m the first girl to tell you that.”

“Women do not dare to make comments about my appearance.”

His words thudded down between them as if a block of stone had dropped. Lulu swallowed, pressing her hand to her stomach again.

“You mean because you’re a…Dom.”

His gaze was so intense that Lulu looked away, focusing instead on the hollow of his throat revealed by the unfastened buttons at the top of his shirt.

“Your employee told you what I am, what she is?”

“Addie, my friend, told me about the modeling job, about how she was supposed to model with all three of you but she never did with you. Lane stopped her.”

“Lane claimed her for his own. Once he did that it was his choice.”

Lulu’s hackles rose at his comment. “No, it was Addie’s.”

“No. Once she became Lane’s submissive she turned over control of her sexual life to him.”

Lulu felt her mouth drop open slightly. “But, but that’s…” She couldn’t decide between barbaric, horrific or sexy.

When she didn’t finish Alton said “Domination.”

“She should still have a choice.”

“She had a choice—Lane. She must trust that he will make decisions pleasing to both of them, assuming her goal is greater sexual pleasure and freedom and not sexual servitude.”

Lulu shook her head. “I don’t really understand.”

“BDSM is complex. If you’re not trained as a master or slave there is no reason you should understand.” He stood and crossed the space between them. “But I think you’d like to.”

He touched her, one thick finger under her chin. Lulu gasped as a shiver raced down her whole body. She stared straight ahead—at his belt buckle. Her hands—one on her stomach, the other on the arm of her chair—curled into fists.

“Why?” she asked again.

“Be more specific.” He traced his finger from her chin along the line of her ear and back.

“Why me?”

“You’re sexually submissive.”

Lulu took a breath and closed her eyes. His touch and words aroused her. Her nipples were tight buds inside the cups of her bra and she could feel the slick moisture of her arousal in her sex.

If he’d tried to tell her she was submissive she would have denied it. She’d been down that road with so-called “strong” men she’d dated in the past who thought that they could control everything in her life once they were with her. But a sexual submissive, that sounded decadent, naughty and very, very sexy.

“I’ve never…” She didn’t know what to say so she let the statement trail off.

“You’ve never been in a formal BDSM scene or relationship.”

She nodded.

“But you’re curious. You’re interested.” He cupped her chin, tilted her face up until their gazes met. “And you’re aroused.”

She licked her lips and whispered, “Yes.”

She hoped he would smile again, but the stern mask was firmly in place. He dipped his head in a slow nod, then took a step back so her neck was not craned at an uncomfortable angle in order to see him.

“I will train you.”

“Train me? To do what?” Lulu’s fingers were starting to shake with a combination of nerves and fear.

“Train you to be a sex slave.”

Lulu jerked back at his words, the contact broken. His hand hovered in the air for a moment before dropping to his side.

“No.” The word came out shaky so she said it again. “No. I don’t want that.”

“You don’t know what it means.”

“I know a bit. From Addie, and from the internet.”

He raised his eyebrows but Lulu held her ground. Disappointment was settling like a stone in her gut. Story of her life—she admits to finding him arousing and the next thing she knows he’s talking about making her his sex slave. According to Addie “slaves” as opposed to “subs” were men and women who lived the lifestyle full time. They slept in cages and ate out of dog bowls and never woreclothes. Lulu petted her dress nervously.

“The term frightens you.”

“Sex slave?” She had to force the words out. “Yes, it does. I’m not that. If that’s why you came back, I’m sorry.”

Alton considered her for a moment. “I don’t know what you’ve been told about BDSM, or me. When you train with me you will put aside all that and see what I show you. Experience what I do to you.”

Damn. A fresh shiver of fear-flavored arousal shook her.

“I’m not going to be a sex slave.”

Alton inclined his head. “Perhaps not.”

Tension slipped from Lulu’s shoulders but she was no longer blinded by her desire. She had to remember what they’d said about him. Lane had told Addie that at any given time, Alton kept five women naked in his house, serving him or being trained. He was like a sultan with a harem.

Lulu had always thought she’d make a rather good concubine—she was sexy and savvy.

But that was a fantasy, one she’d been playing with since he’d first come to the shop. This was reality.

Alton retreated to his chair and took a seat. He braced his elbows on his knees, leaned forward. “You would like to know more about BDSM.”

She nodded.

“You are submissive, and would like to experience sexual submission.”

She gave half a nod, then stopped. “Do you know how to do things besides the submission? Addie told me that BDSM stands for Bondage, Domination and Sadism and Masochism. Do you know how to do stuff besides the domination?”

His brows started to climb his forehead.

“No sadism or anything like that,” Lulu hurried to say. “But the…toys and, um, well, you mentioned punishment, but I didn’t know.”

Alton looked away from her. His gaze scanned her store from the paintings on the walls to the books on the table in front of her. He pulled one from the stack, a collection of racy and nude pin-up photos, including several of girls getting spanked. She held her breath as he opened the book and flipped through the pages.

When he reached the end he carefully closed the book and set it on top of the stack before looking at her.

He smiled. “Yes, I know about more than just domination.

Cooking with Heat…for Mom

Another awesome breakfast recipe idea from Susan for Mother’s Day! Are you prepared?

Overnight Baked French Toast

1-2 loaves of Italian or French bread, cut into ¾ inch or1 inchslices

6 eggs

3 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp dried grated orange peel

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp vanilla

Lay the bread in a large lightly buttered pan (I use a 13 x18 inchpan for the sterno warmers) to cover the bottom – do not overlap.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the bread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.  When ready, bake uncovered at 350 for 50-60 minutes until lightly browned – watch it near the end, it starts to brown really quickly.  Serve with warm maple syrup and enjoy!!!  Serves 10-12

I’m an app!

I’m diving right into the wave of the future. I’ve managed to make myself an App! Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am that I’ve managed this bit of technological magic! LOL

You can find me on your iPhone or Droid if you hit the App store and type in Mari Carr. And…I’m FREE!

Cooking with Heat…for Mom

Susan is back again with some awesome breakfast ideas to start Mother’s Day off just right! Take it away, Susan.

OK – here is the first recipe.  This dish is great to have the family make the night before (or for you to make the night before).  It stores in the fridge and then you just baked it in the morning.  (I usually put a post it note on the top with instructions on how to cook it).  This is great for mother’s day because it helps prevent a major mess in the kitchen that you will just have to clean up later.

Breakfast Overnight Casserole by Morrill Farm Bed & Breakfast

1 LB. bulk sausage

8-10 slices of bread, cut into 1/2″ cubes

8-10 eggs

2 cups milk

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

4 scallions, chopped

Crumble sausage in a medium skillet, cook over medium heat until brown, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Spread bread cubes in a buttered 12 X 8 X 2″ baking dish top with sausage and cheese. Combine eggs, milk, seasonings, beat well and pour over cheese, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until set. Yield: 6-8 servings

Sweetheart of the Week

Hooray!!! Screwdriver got 5 Hearts from The Romance Studio reviews! Bec’s review can be found here. As a result of her kind words, Screwdriver is up for Sweetheart of the Week. If you’ve read the story and feel like throwing it some love, the link for voting is here.

Hope everyone had an easy Monday.

Sneak Peek Week!

This week I’m in charging of manning the blog over at International Heat. I’m doing a week of sneak peeks of my upcoming releases. AND…there may even be a contest going on. Hope you’ll pop over and check it out!

Saturday Snippet

It’s raining men! This week we’re all about the Hunky Heroes. Needless to say, when I think of hot heroes, I think Compass Brothers! Jayne and I used a picture for inspiration while writing about the four Compton cowboys. Thought I’d post that today as well just for fun! I think it makes it pretty easy to see why we were SO inspired. LOL. From left to right, we had Silas, Sawyer, Sam, and then Seth. Sigh…

 

 

 

 

Northern Exposure snippet

Prologue

Dry brush crackled under the hooves of Silas Compton’s roan gelding. It hadn’t rained in a while. He could tell it would be a long summer by the clouds of terra cotta dust rising in the wake of his brothers’ galloping horses as they raced across the mountain ridge.

Not that he’d know it where he was headed. Alaska would provide a total change of scenery. Exactly what he needed. Pain lanced his chest, causing him to tense in his heirloom saddle. Rainey’s ears flicked up. Silas patted the loyal animal’s neck, settling into the rhythm of their canter, and wondered how he would survive so far from the land that had been a part of him since he’d been born.

Somehow he would have to make it work.

He sure as hell couldn’t stay.

Like the three-legged dog they’d had as kids, he would learn to cope without an integral part of himself. If only he and his puppy had reined in their curiosity and avoided those damn traps…

But they hadn’t.

Lucy Silver, the veterinarian’s sweet daughter—who’d been dancing through his dirty dreams since he’d been old enough to have them—had spotted Silas making out with her boyfriend in the barn. It’d been like the day he’d watched his puppy scramble toward the razor-sharp jaws lying concealed under a pile of straw all over again.

Removing himself from the equation seemed like the only way he could halt imminent disaster and protect the two people he cared about most outside of his family. He’d already destroyed enough of Lucy’s innocence.

Christ, he couldn’t explain what had driven him to kiss Colby in the first place.

Impulsive. Rash. Reckless.

Qualities Silas didn’t value. The one time he gave in to the dark urges he wrestled, he paid a horrible price. But he’d caught Colby checking out his sweaty muscles as they’d worked together in the heat of the day. Desire had arced between them.

Irresistible. Delicious. Forbidden.

Until the agony on Lucy’s face had slammed him back to reality. Silas vowed to leave the couple to mend their fences and live in peace, without the threat of his interference ripping them apart. Lucy and Colby devoured each other with desperate gazes when they thought no one paid attention. It didn’t take a genius to figure out their love was the real deal.

He’d go, even if it meant giving up everything familiar and cherished, including his brothers and his two best friends. Because he sure as shit couldn’t stay and keep his hands to himself. Not with a double helping of temptation running wild.

Amber rays from the setting sun ignited the prairie below. The glowing grasslands seared into his memory. He’d never lose track of his roots. He’d never forget his heritage, Compass Ranch, even if he couldn’t accept his destiny as its head.

His brothers would pick up his slack.

Seth, a year younger than him, whooped then grinned over his shoulder as he spurred his mare faster. Wild as a mustang, he flew over the landscape to the spot they’d claimed as their own. The twins, Sam and Sawyer, followed suit.

They hadn’t discussed their plans for the evening. As soon as Silas had made his announcement to the family, the boys had glanced around the dining table—where all important family business was conducted—and nodded. They hadn’t objected to his desertion, but strain lined their faces, sorrow dimmed their eyes and the betrayal he feared flashed in the air a split second before they began planning how they’d support him.

Christ, their generosity had made him feel lower than the shit on the bottom of his muck boots because he hadn’t had the guts to admit why he really planned to leave. None of them would have been dumb enough to mess with something that wasn’t theirs. And if they had, they wouldn’t have lied about it on top. Such strong souls would thrive with or without him. But could he cut out something so essential to his being and live so wounded? So lost?

Cut adrift, he might not make it.

Silas gripped the reins too tight. He forced himself to relax his fingers.

One night. He’d give himself these final hours with his brothers to say goodbye to all he treasured. Tomorrow, he’d ride out. Forever.

The driving hoof beats slowed as they approached their destination. By the time they ducked beneath the shelter of the mountain cypresses, the rocky terrain forced them to walk their mounts. None of the teenagers would jeopardize the safety of their animals or their brothers.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to contain the agony lassoing his heart as he realized he’d never be close to the men they’d grow into, their families or the children who’d take their places in the tight-knit community like so many generations before them.

The last damn thing he wanted was to bawl like a sissy.

If his family caught on to his pain, they might not let him go. Luckily, he’d learned from the toughest sons of bitches in the west how to be a real cowboy. If that was the only way he could honor his legacy, he’d man up and do it. Somehow.

They dismounted, reverting to familiar patterns. Seth and Sawyer tied the horses as Sam gathered kindling for their bonfire. Silas patched the pit left from prior visits then dug some supplies from his pack, including hot dogs despite the fact they’d eaten dinner before they left. These days, the four of them could shovel in enough to feed an army.

Or so their mom said.

“Si, you’re bleeding.” Count on Sawyer to notice.

“It’s nothing.” Silas faced the youngest, by twenty-two minutes, of his brothers. The kid’s twin had already picked up on the vibe. Damn their weird-ass mental connection.

“It’s something.” Sam sidled up behind him to take a peek. “It’s too uniform to be a cut.”

“Did you do it?” Damn if Seth didn’t tip his hat and glare from beneath his dark brows. When Silas didn’t answer, Seth stomped over. “Holy shit. You did. You got a freaking tattoo. Without me? Without us? You asshole!”

Silas dodged his brother’s half-hearted punch toward the sore spot between his shoulder blades. The disappointment radiating from the guy in waves did more damage than his fist would have. After Silas’s sudden declaration of independence, this looked bad, but he couldn’t come clean and admit the craving he’d had to brand himself with some symbol of home before he took off. Not if he had any hope of escaping.

“I had a hard enough time convincing Snake to ink me. If I’d brought you guys with me, he never would have caved. He only did it because I’m eighteen now.”

If Silas had told Seth, they wouldn’t have been able to stop Sam and Sawyer from tagging along too.

“Well, I suppose that’s true. Plus he’s probably afraid JD will kill him if he finds out.” Sawyer let Silas off easy, as usual.

“Yeah, that’s why I took the bandages off. Didn’t want him to notice.”

Pride for their badass father glowed from the kid. Silas agreed. As head of Compass Ranch—the center of Compton Pass, Wyoming—JD Compton wielded vast financial clout but his personality made him larger than life and, most important, earned him respect by the acre.

“But you gotta let us see it at least,” Sawyer insisted.

“Sure.” Silas dropped a wedge of firewood on the crackling flame Sam had started, and then stood. All three of his brothers lined up behind him—Seth in the middle, the twins on either side—when he tugged his gray T-shirt over his head, wincing a little at the sting of his sweat in the open wound. The three usually raucous kids didn’t make a single peep when he revealed the artwork. “It’s swollen and stuff—”

“Whoa.” Seth broke the silence.

“It’s awesome.” Sam laid his palm to the right of the emblem, careful not to touch the raw skin.

“Sweet,” Sawyer agreed then added his hand on the left side of Silas’s back.

“Does it hurt?” Seth completed their connection, touching the area below the design.

“So bad,” Silas gasped, struggling not to drop to his knees.

“I’m still doing it. Next year. The minute I turn eighteen,” Seth whispered into the gathering twilight. “Exactly like this.”

“Me too,” Sam chimed in. “The compass design is fucking great. And the ranch brand is perfect. It matches the one we use.”

“I didn’t know Snake had this kind of shit in him. The shading is so cool. It looks 3-D.” Sawyer’s hand shook on Silas’s back. “I want one now. Like yours. But without the fancy N.”

“You’re only fifteen,” Silas barked. “Wait a while and make sure it’s what you really want.”

“I know what I want.”

“Things don’t always happen like you expect, Sawyer.” Silas felt the pressure of his brothers’ hands bracing him as he heaved a giant sigh.

“Is that why you’re leaving?” The high pitch of Sam’s question reminded Silas that even though his youngest brothers had started fooling around with girls in their class, and he’d busted them splitting a six pack they’d swiped from the bunkhouse, they still had more boy than man in them.

“Yeah.” He couldn’t give them more of the truth than that. It embarrassed him. Angered him. And threatened to drown him in despair.

“Well, some people might flip flop around. Not me. Not going to change my mind.” Sawyer stuck to his guns. He’d always been the most determined to prove himself despite being the baby of the group. Maybe because of it. “I’m joining the Coast Guard. Gonna see the world.”

“What?” Silas pivoted to stare at the kid, severing the connection with his brothers. He regretted it instantly, but he had to search Sawyer’s eyes for the truth. “You’ve been watching too many freaking commercials. Your place is here, on the ranch.”

“No, it isn’t,” the teenager whispered.

When the other two nodded in agreement, Silas staggered backward.

“You’re not planning to stay?” His forehead crumpled as he tried to understand. “None of you?”

“Don’t look at us like that.” Seth waved his hands in front of his chest. “I figured you’d understand. I need to get the hell out of here. Find my own place. Same as you. Not Alaska though, I hate winter. You’re crazy to take on all that snow. Somewhere warm. Maybe I’ll head down south. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. A fancy S instead of an N on my compass, bro.”

“What? No!” Silas couldn’t explain. “It’s not like that. I mean—”

“We understand, Si.” Sam smiled then nodded. “I’d like to go to college. Earn a degree, find a real job. Something where I don’t have to dirty my hands to rake in cash. I’ll have fancy clothes, a slick apartment and a kickass car. I’ll party every night with the hottest girls in the city.”

The relief washing over his brothers filled Silas with anxiety and left him reeling. Who would help their father with the ranch? Who would continue their family traditions? Who if not him? Or Seth? Or Sam?

“Oh, no.” Sawyer shook his head as he kicked a rock. “Don’t give me that look. I told you, I’m not getting stuck here. Fuck that. You think someone should hang around, then stay put. It ain’t too late to cancel your plane ticket.”

“I-I can’t.”

“And neither can we.” Seth slugged his shoulder. “Come on, start the dogs. I’m starving. Jake slipped me a couple Playboys for doing his chores last weekend so he could bang Misty Trelane.”

“Nice! Me first.” Sam managed a head start for their brother’s backpack as Sawyer launched himself after his twin.

Silas watched them wrestle, laugh and call each other names as though his entire world hadn’t been ripped apart. Then he pivoted and stared out to the horizon as the sun set on his childhood.

Northern Exposure is available at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Fictionwise, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

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