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.
When Alice leapt into sexual games with her neighbors
Henry
and Jay, she didnโt plan to fall in love. She sure didnโt
expect sheโd be the switch between Henryโs commanding
mastery and Jayโs submissive playfulness. But now sheโs
moving in with them, and sheโd better figure it all out โ
fast. Trouble is, sheโs never been a live-in girlfriend.
The
day after a traumatic first night at a BDSM club might
not
be the best time to start. Struggling to find her place
within the lifestyle, Alice seeks equality in a
relationship
built on surrender. Learning to lean on Henry challenges
the
foundation of her self-worth. Heโll have to lean on her
in
return for their triad to find stability. But can her
stoic
dominant lover accept her as a confidante as well as a
submissive? And will their love be enough to silence
Jayโs
emotional ghosts?
EXCERPT
Excerpt from Healing the Wounds (Neighborly Affection #3)
by
M.Q. Barber:
โThis is the kind of shower we should have,โ Jay called.
โYou could fit half a dozen people in here, no problem.โ
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 hadnโt napped long. An
hour
at most. Heโd sent Jay ahead to start the shower,
presumably
to have reason to praise him for completing the task
later.
โYou havenโt any water-related phobias in your past I
ought
to know about, do you, my dear?โ
Teasing equaled good, because it meant he wasnโt still
angry
about the omission on her contract answers. โNo, Henry.โ
โHow are your swimming skills?โ
โYou wanna see my butterfly? Itโs been a while, butโโ
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.
โYes,โ he rumbled. โI 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.โ
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.
โAnd the flex of your muscles as you force the water
aside.โ
Her arms hung at her sides, Henryโs 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 heโd
asked
about swimming, Henry sure as hell wasnโt soft now.
Despite the months of sexโalmost a year, God, that long?โ
sheโd collected few insights about his arousal triggers.
He
liked to watch. And heโd hung that painting of Jayโs back
where heโd pass it every night on his way to bed. Heโd
bent
her over the table the first time heโd fucked her, she in
a
backless dress. Heโd flogged her with tenderness, the
suede
caressing her like an extension of his hand.
โYouโre in love with my back,โ she whispered.
โIโm in love with all of you, my sweet girl. But your
back
is particularly lovely.โ He prodded her with his hips.
โInto
the shower with you. Quickly now. Youโve inspired me to
play
another game.โ
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