ACTING LESSONS is taking part in N.N. Light's Celebrate Mothers Bookish Event #mothersday #womensfiction #sexyromance

 

Kate and Peter from Acting Lessons are taking part in  https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/celebrate-mothers-bookish-event

Specific entry link: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/acting-lessons-cmbe.

There's also a Rafflecopter giveaway being offered. Enter to win a $25 Amazon (US) gift card:

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db7750168

Open Internationally.
Runs May 5 – May 13, 2022.
Winner will be drawn on May 14, 2022.

So come join the authors for this celebration and take a virtual holiday where love and romance rule supreme...

She tried picking up the pieces of her shattered heart, but couldn't do it alone.

He was a strict and demanding college professor who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

Six months later, Peter Thorton decides to make his famous wife, Kate, an offer he knew she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she had promised to obey him.

Although Kate agrees to meet Peter at her agent's New York office, she is far from ready to trust him. However, instead of the polite, distant stranger who'd let her spend the last two years of their marriage doing just as she pleased, she faced the resolute, dominant man she'd married.  The Peter Thorton who had insisted she get enough sleep, eat properly and cease her destructive habits, or pay the consequences for disobedience.

Hurt and angry, Kate is torn between tossing Peter's offer back in his face, and risking all by placing her shattered heart back under his tender, yet dominant care. Though she'd never admit it, Kate had gone terribly adrift without Peter's steady guidance. She'd felt anchored and protected within his safety net of limits and rules, and reassured by the loving discipline he offered. But another failure would destroy her.~

BUY LINK ->->http://www.amazon.com/Acting-Lessons-ebook/dp/B00DNFCTR6

Teaser:

            He sighed, then firming his hold; he brought his hand down again for the seventh time.

            "What was that for?" she yelped as she arched back in protest.

            "Do you think I can't tell when you are only pretending to agree in order to placate me?"  When she didn't answer, he said, "I can keep this up all afternoon, Kate.  So, you'd best decide how long it's going to take before you'll accept I'm serious."

            She ground her teeth together.  Admittedly, she had goaded him with her jabs, but then she hadn't believed he'd carry out his threat.  He certainly hadn't followed through during the last years of their marriage, and yet he seemed different today.  More adamant, but concerned, too.  And, even though his arms restrained her, the firm touch of his hand sliding along her backside and thighs soothed her.  So, despite the precariousness of her position, she perversely enjoyed the attention.  She felt secure--and she hadn't been this content in a man's arms for a long time.

            None of that changed the fact she was still inwardly furious with him for spanking her in front of another person, but she had difficulty reconciling her righteous anger with the part of her that was purring in response to his dominant and possessive posture.  Her emotions were so jumbled and opposite each other, she was no longer sure what she wanted.

            Unwilling to fall into the trap of mistaking comfort for love, she turned her attention to gaining her release without the total loss of her pride.  Not an easy task by far.

            "Kate?"

            He expected a verbal reply to his question, but she didn't remember what he'd asked, so she posed a query of her own.  "Why are you doing this, Peter?"

            "Because I want you to hear me out, and your head was too full of arguments to listen.  I get your attention far more quickly when you're positioned this way."

            "I'll listen now," she answered on a sigh.

            "Yes, you will.  Because you understand the consequences if you don't.  But I'm still not letting you up."

            Fighting against tears and her own desire to be loved by this man again, Kate asked coolly, "So, what must I do to get you to let me go?"

            "Has it really been that long, Katie?"

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon-USA

http://www.amazon.com/Acting-Lessons-ebook/dp/B00DNFCTR6

Amazon-UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acting-Lessons-ebook/dp/B00DNFCTR6

Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/acting-lessons-blushing-books/1118887964?ean=2940149306411

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/434279

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18110417-acting-lessons 

Social Links:

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/KRBlake.page

Facebook Profile: http://www.facebook.com/KRBlake.profile

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KRBwrites

Blog: http://krbnaughtythoughts.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.kathrynrblake.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kathryn-r-blake

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4058144.Kathryn_R_Blake

 

Kate and Peter were wealthy, famous and in love.  Then, tragedy struck and she demanded a divorce.  Now, he's offering her the lead in his production of Kiss Me Kate.  Except Peter's spankings won't just be for show.

.

#SatSpanks - 3/13/21 - Acting Lessons - Kate accepts Peter's proposition #DomesticDiscipline #SpankingRomance #KissMeKate

  

Peter loved Kate with all his being, but that didn't mean he'd tolerate an ultimatum from her.

Reading this material at Work could get you spanked.

Welcome to the Saturday Spankings blog hop.  My stories are all M/f with the dominant male determined to protect the woman he cares for and loves, or grows to love, by doing whatever it takes to ensure her safety and continued health.  This includes administering a spanking when she needs one.  

My submission for this week is from my third spanking romance titled, Acting Lessons. I haven't shared from this book since August, so it's time.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

Setup: After injuring her knee and spending a few hours in the hospital, Kate ends up sleeping in Peter's bed.  He's taken very good care of her and she's torn between allowing him to continue leading the dance they've started, or leaving before she gets hurt again.  Her heart is still bruised and tender and she's not entirely sure she trusts her ex-husband not to hurt her again.  Though he's warned her to call him before she gets out of bed, Kate decides she needs to be less dependent on him, and more self-reliant.  However, she didn't expect to get caught. Though Peter is not above teaching Kate a lesson, he chooses instead to carry her over to the breakfast table set up in their bedroom. Peter waits until she's had her fill before he addresses Kate's disobedience the day before by asking her why she won't simply admit she'd been jealous. Kate admits that she may have acted out on purpose, but that doesn't mean she wants him to punish her for it. Peter disagrees saying her actions were a deliberate challenge, and ignoring it would be doing both of them a disservice, however, Kate still hesitates.

So, the choice, my love, is simple. Do you wish to re-establish our relationship, or are these delaying tactics meant to convey an aversion to having me in your life again?"

She scowled at him. "That's not fair. I just don't think we need to do--" She waved her hand indicating him and the chair. "--this anymore. We've moved on."

"Is that how you felt yesterday, when I took you over my knee? Were those tears you spilled merely an act? Were you only pretending to submit to me?"

Lowering her eyes, Kate shook her head. "No, I…."

"Tell me, Kate. How did you feel bent over my knee knowing I could and would punish you for your shrewish attitude?"

"Angry, uncertain."

"Is that all?"

She shook her head again. "I felt as though you really cared what I did, and that my actions mattered to you."

"They do. Very much so. They always have, I just stopped letting it show. I don't want to make that mistake again, and I intend to prove to you right now that I won't. But it's your choice, Katie. It always has been."

She was so close now, her knee brushed up against his leg. "I know."

"So, this is it. You can either walk away, or prove to me now that you are willing to give our relationship another try, safe in the knowledge that I will take care of you in every way I can."

Even Kate realizes what she did was wrong, but allowing Peter to renew their domestic discipline arrangement is more than she bargained for.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Amazon UK

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click on one of the author's names below, or visit The Saturday Spankings Blog to continue your journey.

#SatSpanks - 10/3/20 - Acting Lessons - Kate is faced with a choice #DomesticDiscipline #SpankingRomance #KissMeKate

 

Peter loved Kate with all his being, but that didn't mean he'd tolerate an ultimatum from her.

Reading this material at Work could get you spanked.

Welcome to the Saturday Spankings blog hop.  My stories are all M/f with the dominant male determined to protect the woman he cares for and loves, or grows to love, by doing whatever it takes to ensure her safety and continued health.  This includes administering a spanking when she needs one.  

My submission for this week is from my third spanking romance titled, Acting Lessons. I haven't shared from this book since August, so it's time.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

Setup: After injuring her knee and spending a few hours in the hospital, Kate ends up sleeping in Peter's bed.  He's taken very good care of her and she's torn between allowing him to continue leading the dance they've started, or leaving before she gets hurt again.  Her heart is still bruised and tender and she's not entirely sure she trusts her ex-husband not to hurt her again.  Though he's warned her to call him before she gets out of bed, Kate decides she needs to be less dependent on him, and more self-reliant.  However, she didn't expect to get caught. Though Peter is not above teaching Kate a lesson, he chooses instead to carry her over to the breakfast table set up in their bedroom. Peter waits until she's had her fill before he addresses Kate's disobedience the day before by asking her why she won't simply admit she'd been jealous. Kate admits that she may have acted out on purpose, but that doesn't mean she wants him to punish her for it. Peter disagrees saying her actions were a deliberate challenge, and ignoring it would be doing both of them a disservice, however, Kate still hesitates.

            She shook her head. "We aren't married any longer. Not really. Our divorce will be final in two days, so my vow to obey you is no longer valid."

            Straightening his shoulders, Peter frowned up at her. "I believe, my love, that you just lied to me with that statement, and I will require another confession from you."

            Had she lied? Did she still owe him her obedience even after their divorce? He was asking, no demanding, that she submit to him in this. Did he have the right to do that now? Was she still required to submit to his punishments like this?

            Peter had dominated her from the very first day they met. He didn't physically chastise her until he was no longer teaching at the school she attended, but he still commanded her respect and obedience. Had any of that changed simply because they were no longer a couple?

            "It is the truth," she insisted. "But it wasn't my wedding vow that compelled me to obey you. So, I guess it's also incorrect."

            "Thank you for admitting that. So, the choice, my love, is simple. Do you wish to re-establish our relationship, or are these delaying tactics meant to convey an aversion to having me in your life again?"

Even Kate realizes what she did was wrong, but admitting her jealously only brings back bad memories, and Kate's resistance.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Amazon UK

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click on one of the author's names below, or visit The Saturday Spankings Blog to continue your journey.

#SatSpanks - 8/8/20 - Acting Lessons - Kate is hesitant to accept a spanking #SpankingRomance #KissMeKate #Backstage

 

Peter loved Kate with all his being, but that didn't mean he'd tolerate an ultimatum from her.

Reading this material at Work could get you spanked.

Welcome to the Saturday Spankings blog hop.  My stories are all M/f with the dominant male determined to protect the woman he cares for and loves, or grows to love, by doing whatever it takes to ensure her safety and continued health.  This includes administering a spanking when she needs one.  

My submission for this week is from my third spanking romance titled, Acting Lessons. I haven't shared from this book for over three years, so it's time.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

Setup: After injuring her knee and spending a few hours in the hospital, Kate ends up sleeping in Peter's bed.  He's taken very good care of her and she's torn between allowing him to continue leading the dance they've started, or leaving before she gets hurt again.  Her heart is still bruised and tender and she's not entirely sure she trusts her ex-husband not to hurt her again.  Though he's warned her to call him before she gets out of bed, Kate decides she needs to be less dependent on him, and more self-reliant.  However, she didn't expect to get caught. Though Peter is not above teaching Kate a lesson, he chooses instead to carry her over to the breakfast table set up in their bedroom. Peter waits until she's had her fill before he addresses Kate's disobedience the day before by asking her why she won't simply admit she'd been jealous. Kate admits that she may have acted out on purpose, but that doesn't mean she wants him to punish her for it. Peter disagrees saying her actions were a deliberate challenge, and ignoring it would be doing both of them a disservice, however, Kate still hesitates.

            "What about my knee?"

            "It's wrapped right now, so it is protected. If we're careful, this shouldn't hurt it at all."

            "Maybe we should wait until after I've seen the doctor?"

            Peter lowered his hand. "If you insist we do that, we will. However, I would prefer we get this over with now. I can think of many far more pleasant things I would like to do with you, but I refuse to go down that path until we've gotten this out of the way first."

            Despite her uneasiness, his words infused Kate with warmth that had nothing to do with embarrassment and she took another step closer. "Do you have a specific number in mind?"

            "No, but because of your knee it won't be as long or painful as it probably should be." He raised his hand to her again. "However, if you delay much longer, I may need to remind you that your obedience to me isn't conditional."

            She shook her head. "We aren't married any longer. Not really. Our divorce will be final in two days, so my vow to obey you is no longer valid."

            Straightening his shoulders, Peter frowned up at her. "I believe, my love, that you just lied to me with that statement, and I will require another confession from you."

Even Kate realizes what she did was wrong, but admitting her jealously only brings back bad memories, and Kate's resistance.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Amazon UK

Thanks for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and want more. Please click on one of the author's names below, or visit The Saturday Spankings Blog to continue your journey.

#MFRWHooks - 11/8/17 - Acting Lessons - Kate calls her angry "frover" #KissMeKate #MFRWAuthor

He'd taught her how to act in college, now he intended to teach her how to behave.

Welcome back to Book Hooks, a regular Wednesday feature! In this blog loop, we hope to provide you with some tantalizing tidbits in our books.

My submission for this week's Book Hooks is from my 5th novel, 

Acting Lessons.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

In this scene, which occurs near the start of chapter seven. Peter is taking Kate to see her doctor after she'd injudiciously injured her knee in a pique. She's seated on his lap in the back of his limousine, and they've just resolved an issue regarding the dissolution of their divorce after they had finished making love for the first time since their separation. With that behind them, Peter wants to know about the huge sparkling diamond she's wearing on her left hand. A diamond he didn't give her. Having forgotten all about the ring, she twists it on her finger as she tells him about Thomas, whom she claims is a friend more than a lover. A frover. Peter's questions remind her she'd also forgotten about a date she had scheduled with Thomas that evening. So, she asks to borrow Peter's cell phone.

            "What? So, you can call your ex-boyfriend? I'm a lenient and understanding man, darling. But trust me, not that understanding."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Give me your phone," she insisted wiggling her fingers.

Shaking his head, Peter pulled his cell from his pocket and handed it to her. "I'll be exacting a usage charge for this, ma'am," he said giving his eyebrows a villainous waggle.

Kate stuck her tongue out at him as she dialed, then waited. Thomas answered on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Thomas, it's Kate," she informed him, batting at the fingers attempting to tickle the inside of her ear with a curl they'd captured.

"Kate! Where the hell have you been?" Definitely a furious 'frover' shout. Even though Kate pulled the phone away, she had no difficulty hearing him. "I've been calling and leaving messages for two days now. Where are you?"

When a warm puff of air blew in her ear, she put her hand over Peter's mouth and frowned at him. Where was she? Nope, not a good question to answer right then. "I had a slight accident," she replied, tentatively drawing Peter's cell back to her ear. "I'm on the way to the doctor's now."

"Are you hurt?" She yanked the phone away with a wince as Thomas's low voice boomed as if she had the cell on speaker. "Which doctor? Give me his address and I'll meet you. You can tell me what happened when I get there."

Peter was now licking the palm of Kate's hand in between pressing tiny kisses, and she grimaced at him. "No, Thomas. You don't need to meet me. I'll call you again, once I get settled."

"Why not invite him to join us, Kate? The more the merrier, right?" Peter asked in a husky murmur.

Despite Peter's possessiveness, Kate doesn't feel guilty about dating Thomas. He was her staunch supporter when she was in sore need of someone. She'd made no promises to Thomas, though she knew he expected to marry her once her divorce was final. Problem is she'd never fallen out of love with Peter, and, now, due to her own shortsightedness,  she has an angry "frover" to deal with. And having the two men together in the same city was complicated enough without even considering them in the same building, let alone the same room.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes&Noble

Blushing Books caters specially to those who love spanking stories in all genres.  So, if you enjoy stories with characters who have their bottoms warmed on occasion, for a variety of different reasons, I urge you to pay them a visit. Blushing Books.

Thanks for visiting.  Now go visit the other authors participating in Book Hooks.

#WIPitUP - 10/18/17 - Acting Lessons - Peter works on the spanking scene with Kate #KissMeKate #SpankingRomance

WIP: Work in progress.  WIP it up Wednesday is a hop where writers share portions of the project they're working on with readers.  I really like the idea because it allows me to share something that's still in the creative stage as well as work behind the scenes as a prompt to keep me writing.

However, today, I want to share a snippet from my 5th spanking book, Acting Lessons, loosely based on the story of Kiss Me Kate. It's been. a while since I shared from this book (6/15/16). So, if you want to know what happened right before this scene, you can read it HERE.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

In this scene, which occurs two-thirds into the book, Peter Thorton is directing his wife and some college students in a production of Kiss Me Kate and they've reached the famous spanking scene near the end of the musical. Though Peter spanks Kate in real life, she's done everything she can to get him to cut this scene, because spankings are intense, intimate and extremely personal for her and she doesn't want one on-stage. Peter, however, assures her the stage spanking will be nothing like the real ones he gives her, and the scene is essential to the story, so it can't be cut. Kate reluctantly agrees to try despite her severe misgivings, so Peter orders the actors to take their places. 

If you're unfamiliar with the musical, Kiss Me Kate is a play within a play about a recently divorced couple attempting to put on a production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. In this scene, Tom is filling in for Peter as Lilli's husband actor/director Fred Graham who is also acting the role of Petruchio. Kate plays the actress Lilli Vanessi who is acting the role of Katharine. So, Peter, who is currently directing the scene, refers to the actors by their Shakespearean characters' names as well as their Kiss Me Kate characters' names in addition to their "real" names. Baptista is the name Shakespeare gave Katharine's father. Confused? Hopefully the scene below in Peter's POV will help make it clear. 

            "Okay, let's start from the top. Baptista, your line."

            On this reading Tom gave a trace more swagger to his words, so Peter commended him. However, the student's expression of uncertainty when Kate crossed over to throw the "bouquet" at his head was almost comical. Peter waved his arms to stop the scene and turned to his assistant. "Karen, make a note, we need something more substantial for a bouquet than a rolled up newspaper. Speak to props, will you?" When Karen nodded and scribbled a message for herself, Peter rolled the paper into a cone, so the object looked more like a bouquet, then artfully folded it back to hold his makeshift flower arrangement in place before he tossed the paper funnel back to Kate.

            "Go ahead; throw your flowers at me, Lilli." She did and he caught it in one hand, pleased the "prop" held together. "That's what I want you to do, Tom." Peter examined his creation with a frown. "This bouquet is going to wilt quickly, I'm afraid, but we'll toss the thing about until it does." He lobbed the paper back to Kate.

            "Okay, you two, play catch." Kate threw the paper again and Tom fumbled. "You don't participate in a lot of sports, do you, Tom?"

            "No, sir."

            "Didn't think so. Try again."

Kate may be a professional, but there are some things that are just too personal to share with an audience. However, she also feels sorry for Tom. He's just a student, and Peter can be a tough director.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

Book Hooks - 9/20/17 - Acting Lessons - Kate admits she has a "frover" #KissMeKate #DD

He'd taught her how to act in college, now he intended to teach her how to behave.

Welcome back to Book Hooks, a regular Wednesday feature! In this blog loop, we hope to provide you with some tantalizing tidbits in our books.

My submission for this week's Book Hooks is from my 5th novel, 

Acting Lessons.

He was a strict and demanding college professor turned professional director who excelled at giving acting lessons.  She was his shy and uncertain former student who became a professional actress under his tutelage.  They fell in love, married, and won two Tony Awards before tragedy struck and a simple kiss ripped them apart.

After a six month separation, Peter Thorton decides to take matters into his own hands by making his famous wife, Kate, an offer she wouldn't refuse.  Plainly put, he wants her back and he intends to do whatever is necessary to achieve his goal, even if it means giving his stubborn, willful leading lady a daily reminder over his knee that she promised to obey him.

In this scene, which occurs near the start of chapter seven. Peter is taking Kate to see her doctor after she'd injudiciously injured her knee in a pique. She's seated on his lap in the back of his limousine, and they've just resolved an issue regarding the dissolution of their divorce after they had finished making love for the first time since their separation. And, now, Peter wants to know about the huge sparkling diamond she's wearing on her left hand. A diamond he didn't give her.

            "What are you thinking?" Peter asked, breaking into her thoughts. When she started to shake her head, his hold on her hip tightened. "I never want you to fear being honest with me."

Meeting his concerned gaze, Kate wrapped her fingers around his, then gasped when Peter gripped and raised her left hand. "So, what's the deal with this rock on your finger?"

Kate gazed at the sparkling stone and gave a small wince. The ring was rather gaudy, but she hadn't wanted to offend Thomas by refusing his gift, and her finger had felt naked without her wedding band. "A present from Thomas for our one-month anniversary," she admitted, watching the light play against the handsomely-cut, but garish stone. Quartz most likely.

"Thomas?" he repeated with an arched brow. "Care to tell your husband who Thomas is?"

Drawing her hand from his, Kate twisted the ring. "Well, I said I hadn't made love with anyone else, but I didn't say I hadn't dated."

"All right. Tell me about him."

"Now?" she asked, not bothering to hide her surprise. Peter had never asked about her past boyfriends before, probably because she'd never had any. Not serious ones.

"Why not now? We have time to kill." He checked his watch. "At least twenty minutes. If all you did was date the guy, your story shouldn't take that long."

She winced. "Well, we did more than date. I just didn't have sex with him. We had a sort of everything, but … kind of deal going."

"I see. Did you love him? And you'll notice I used the past tense in that question."

Kate continued to twist her ring until Peter laid his hand over hers. "I liked him. He was a polite, considerate, and attentive partner, as well as attractive. I enjoyed dating him, but I can't say I ever loved him. We were 'frovers,' I guess, except more friends than lovers."

"Really?" At her nod, he slipped the 'gift' from her finger and held the stone up to the light. "This is an awfully expensive piece to give a lover, darling, let alone a 'frover.'"

Frowning, she plucked the ring back to examine it more closely. "No…. It can't possibly be real. That would be insane."

"Actually, although I hate to admit it, I think your boyfriend's anniversary present is real and rare. We can have the jewel appraised to be sure, but from its size, I suspect your 'frover' is toting around a huge hard-on for you. I gather he's loaded?"

Kate recalled Thomas's home and clothing and said, "I never gave it much thought, but yeah, I guess so. He's certainly well-off, if not Kennedy wealthy." She put the ring on again, choosing the right hand this time.

"Better, although I'd prefer you wore your wedding band. Did you get rid of it?"

"No! Of course not. I keep it in the jewelry box on my dresser. I'll pick it up when I pack for our trip."

He bent forward to nip her ear. "I'll consider that a promise." Leaning back, he stroked her hip as if he sought to remind her she still belonged to him. "So, did you and lover-boy have a standing arrangement of sorts? See each other every Friday and Saturday night and return to the real world on Sunday?"

She laughed. "No. Our dates weren't that steady or regular. He'd check his calendar and schedule a get-together for us about a week in advance."

"Ah, a true romantic, and a spontaneous 'frover,' too," Peter remarked, his tone bordering on snide. When Kate smacked his shoulder, he raised one eyebrow. "So, when was this passionate Lothario due to take you out next, may I ask?"

Kate thought back to their last conversation. "We had an arrangement to meet Thursday night."

"Tonight?" Peter asked, his expression reflecting an unusual interest, which caught Kate off guard until she realized what he'd said.

"Oh, shit. Yes, I was supposed to call him yesterday to confirm, then meet him later at the Rockefeller skating rink," she muttered, worrying the ring on her finger again. "I never called him. I totally forgot. I'll bet he's worried sick and furious with me."

Peter curved his fingers around the nape of Kate's neck in a soothing, yet possessive gesture. "Easy, sweetheart. I'm sure 'frovers' can't get furious. It's not in their job description."

"Funny man," Kate said making a face at him. "I didn't bring my cell with me. It probably needs charging anyway. Let me borrow yours, okay?"

"What? So, you can call your ex-boyfriend? I'm a lenient and understanding man, darling. But trust me, not that understanding."

Despite Peter's possessiveness, Kate doesn't feel guilty about dating Thomas. He was her staunch supporter when she was in sore need of someone. She'd made no promises to Thomas, though she knew he expected to marry her once her divorce was final. Problem is she'd never fallen out of love with Peter, and, now, due to her own shortsightedness,  she has an angry "frover" to deal with.

M/F, DD and a staged production of Kiss Me, Kate.

If you're 18 or older, you can read the first three chapters at Acting Lessons

Buy the book directly from Blushing Books, Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes&Noble

Blushing Books caters specially to those who love spanking stories in all genres.  So, if you enjoy stories with characters who have their bottoms warmed on occasion, for a variety of different reasons, I urge you to pay them a visit. Blushing Books.

Thanks for visiting.  Now go visit the other authors participating in Book Hooks.