Alice, Jay and Henry are neighbors with benefits. This polyamorous relationship has been working fine until a trip to a BDSM club shattered Alice and brought back bad memories for Jay. It's up to Henry to find a way of HEALING THE WOUNDS or losing the two people he has come to love.
Alice is making the move to Henry's apartment, where he and Jay live but she is very worried about this now in light of what happened at the club. She is also unsure if she can be the submissive that Henry needs. Jay is a sub but he had been abused by a past master and is skittish ... not of being a sub but not being able to please his Dom Henry. Henry is a mixture of dominant with old world charm, who is not as demanding as other's in his position but wants to take care of the needs of his subs.
HEALING THE WOUNDS is an intriguing, sexy look into the world of a threesome involved in BDSM. Though there are sex scenes, and some of those might be disturbing to some readers, I found the story more about three people who are searching for a place together. There is love but analytical Alice is unsure if she really believes in the reality of that emotion. Jay did seem somewhat childlike but having read hints of his past I realized that is his personality ... he needs to please others and that both Alice and Henry give him what he needs. Henry is a sweetheart, not cruel or heartless only wanting to be pleased, but to love his two companions. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book but I did enjoy reading it and watching as the three of them worked out how to love each other and live a life that pleases them ... together.
I would suggest that you read books one and two of the Neighborly Affection series before HEALING THE WOUNDS, though it is a stand alone only because the other books will give you more background.
Excerpt from Healing the Wounds (Neighborly Affection #3)
by
M.Q. Barber:
βThis is the kind of shower we should have,β Jay called.
βYou could fit half a dozen people in here, no problem.β
Heading toward the bathroom, Alice laughed. Sure, the
shower
was big, but not that big. Although it did boast a bench
along the marble wall and multiple showerheads at
different
levels.
Henry touched her shoulder. They hadnβt napped long. An
hour
at most. Heβd sent Jay ahead to start the shower,
presumably
to have reason to praise him for completing the task
later.
βYou havenβt any water-related phobias in your past I
ought
to know about, do you, my dear?β
Teasing equaled good, because it meant he wasnβt still
angry
about the omission on her contract answers. βNo, Henry.β
βHow are your swimming skills?β
βYou wanna see my butterfly? Itβs been a while, butββ
He breathed in sharply and spun her around, his hands
firm
atop her shoulders. Palms flattening against her back, he
fingered the edge of her shoulder blades in a downward
slide.
βYes,β he rumbled. βI very much want to see you
undulating
through the water in sleek, smooth motion. To watch the
curve of your shoulders as your arms stroke forward.β
Sliding his hands to her elbows, he lifted her arms above
her head and rotated his hands to the inside of her arms.
She was ready when the push came, sweeping her arms
outward
and down in the familiar movement.
βAnd the flex of your muscles as you force the water
aside.β
Her arms hung at her sides, Henryβs hands circling her
wrists. He growled, a quiet declaration, and nipped at
her
neck when he stepped in for a full-body press.
Her hips rocked. Her sex pulsed. Flaccid before heβd
asked
about swimming, Henry sure as hell wasnβt soft now.
Despite the months of sexβalmost a year, God, that long?β
sheβd collected few insights about his arousal triggers.
He
liked to watch. And heβd hung that painting of Jayβs back
where heβd pass it every night on his way to bed. Heβd
bent
her over the table the first time heβd fucked her, she in
a
backless dress. Heβd flogged her with tenderness, the
suede
caressing her like an extension of his hand.
βYouβre in love with my back,β she whispered.
βIβm in love with all of you, my sweet girl. But your
back
is particularly lovely.β He prodded her with his hips.
βInto
the shower with you. Quickly now. Youβve inspired me to
play
another game.β
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