Title: Photograph Author: Tanith Davenport Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance, Mild BDSM/Spanking | Totally Bound | Barnes & Noble | | Amazon (Paperback) | Goodreads | |
She wanted him. Her sister married him.
Tara Thornton hasn’t spoken to her sister in two years, ever since Azure married the man of Tara’s dreams. Tired of the rift, Azure invites her to take a Mediterranean cruise on a friend’s yacht and, bowing to family pressure, Tara accepts.
Forced to be in close proximity with the man she still desires, Tara is thrown into confusion. The presence of celebrity theme park owner Liam Wilder and the reality of his marriage to Azure send Tara into a tailspin and, in an attempt to regain control, she responds to the advances of hot fellow guest Ryan Hyde, while determined to feel no affection for him.
But Ryan has a way of getting under her skin, and Tara’s plan to get closer to Liam is rapidly losing its importance as Ryan begins to break down her defences. Can she let go of Liam, let Ryan into her heart…and tell Azure the real reason for her silence?
**This book contains scenes of spanking and light BDSM**
Excerpt . . .
Tara turned back to face him, flicking her hair out of her face in what she hoped was a casual gesture. “Yeah, I dance.”
“Want to?”
What the hell. Made reckless with nerves, Tara threw him a coquettish smile. “Sure. Just give me a minute. I need to ask Azure something.”
Ryan made a sweeping motion with his arm. “Go right ahead. I’ll be here.”
Fighting every impulse to run, Tara forced herself to cross the dining room to Azure’s table. Azure looked up in time to see her coming, her eyes widening to add a slightly venomous tinge to her social smile.
Maybe that meant that she hadn’t told Liam yet. Tara stopped at their table.
“Could I talk to you for a minute, Azure?”
Azure tilted her head to one side in an innocent movement that didn’t fool Tara for one minute. “What about?”
Gah. “I want to apologise.”
The smile disappeared from Azure’s face. She turned to Liam, who had leant forward, his face concerned. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Well, it was something. Tara followed her sister’s curved, satin-clad figure between the tables and out into the corridor, where Azure spun round and fixed her with an icy glare.
“What do you want really?”
Tara sighed. “To apologise. Really.”
Azure folded her arms, not dropping her gaze.
“Look, what I said earlier—it was wrong of me. And you were right. It’s been a long time. And I really don’t know anything about you now, or about Liam.”
Azure still looked angry, but she unbent enough to give Tara a slow nod.
“I’d like to make up for that.”
A long pause, during which Azure scrutinised her with her head on one side, apparently deep in thought. Finally she gave another nod.
“All right. I’ll talk to Liam. We’re docking offshore at Lloret de Mar tomorrow and going swimming. If he’s okay with it, we’ll pick you and Kiki up after breakfast.”
“All right.” A wave of relief flooded Tara’s stomach.
Without another word, Azure pushed open the door to the dining room and disappeared through it, leaving Tara to follow.
Ryan was standing at the side of the dance floor when Tara joined him.
“Finished talking?”
“Finished talking.” Tara lifted her head and cast him a bold look, holding out her hand. “Let’s dance.”
With a raised eyebrow, Ryan took her hand and together they walked onto the dance floor.
Tara knew she was a good dancer. She’d been to enough military events to know how to move without embarrassing herself—and to enough nightclubs during leave to know how to rock her hips and undulate her body in a way that drew the eye.
Whether that would work with Ryan was another thing entirely, but hell, he was a man. As Tara turned to face him, she caught the look in his eye and felt a smile kink her mouth.
He watched her like a predator would watch its prey.
A heavy rock number was pulsing through the speakers. Tara moved in close to him, noting with grudging admiration that his rhythm was effortlessly matching hers. He knew how to dance.
And she knew how to flirt.
She turned and felt his body meld with hers, his chest to her back, his hand resting on her hip as they swayed together. Tara let her head fall to the side, exposing her neck. She added a kick to her hips so that her arse brushed against his crotch, smiling to herself as he gasped.
His other arm locked over her shoulder, pulling her closer. She gasped as his breath tickled her ear.
“Want to get some air?”