Owned for Christmas
A Totally Bound Publication
Owned for Christmas
ISBN #
978-1-78430-337-2
©Copyright Willa Edwards 2014
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright November 2014
Edited by Faith Bicknell-Brown
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing,
Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Totally Burning
and a
Sexometer
of
1.
OWNED FOR CHRISTMAS
Willa Edwards
Christmas with her boyfriend’s family seems like a lovely idea—until she finds her previous Dom staying for the holidays too.
Kate Baker is nervous about meeting her boyfriend Daniel’s family. When she walks into the family home to find Grant, her former Dom, spending the holidays with them too, her world turns upside down. How can she spend Christmas with the man who shattered her heart and broke her trust in the whole BDSM scene?
Although she had no idea that Grant and Daniel were brothers, Grant revives all those needs that Daniel can’t fulfill. But she won’t give up the man who helped mend her broken heart after Grant shattered it—even if she has to bury the submissive part of herself to do it.
A year ago, Grant Farrell left the woman he loved—and the best sub he’s ever controlled—to tend the family ranch after his father’s death. It almost tore his heart out to leave Kate but he had no other choice. But he doesn’t realize how much it hurt them both until she shows up at his family’s home on his brother’s arm.
Dedication
To my editor, Faith. Thank you for all the hard work you put into this story in a crazy short timeframe. I truly appreciate everything you do.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Uggs: Deckers Outdoor Corporation
La-Z-Boy: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
Richie Rich: Classic Media, LLC
Chapter One
“Are you sure your mom will like me?” Kate threaded and unthreaded her fingers together. The snow-covered Rocky Mountains filled her passenger side window. The ground crunched under their tires, illustrating that they weren’t in Texas anymore—that and the sub-zero temperature.
When her boyfriend had asked her to spend Christmas with his family in Colorado, she’d been ecstatic. Now she was rethinking her decision.
She stared out of the window, focusing on breathing deeply. The last thing she wanted was to have a panic attack the second she walked into her boyfriend’s childhood home.
What a great first impression that would leave.
For years to come, she’d be known as the crazy girl he brought home that one Christmas who stopped breathing right inside the front door.
Daniel pulled his hand from the steering wheel and reached across the car for hers. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure she’ll love you.”
She nodded and tried to believe him. It had been a long time since she’d met anyone’s mother. She’d stopped being the type of girl a man would take home to his family a while ago. She had never thought she’d be back in this position again.
That was until Daniel had appeared in her life. She looked over at the man sitting beside her. He’d glance at her with his warm, honey-brown eyes every once in a while. He’d combed his sandy hair back neatly. He was her savior. He’d found her, picked her up and helped her to glue her heart back together when she’d given up any hope that it was possible. The least she could do for him was meet his mother.
“What is there about you that’s not to love?” He smiled over at her.
There was a lot
not
to love. There certainly had been before. Enough to force someone to leave her. Or at least one very notable person. The one who had broken her heart and left her behind to pick up the pieces.
But that was all
before
Daniel. She tried to smile back.
They took a left turn, pulling off the highway onto a winding dirt road. Snow, a few inches deep, was piled up on either side of the road. White blanketed the trees and rocks. The car shook and dipped down the bumpy road. She braced herself against the car seat. This was a long way from her normal commute to school each morning. She’d never complain about Dallas traffic again. At least it didn’t have potholes the size of cannonballs, or ice.
“Trust me. It will be great. We got through the plane ride, didn’t we?”
Kate nodded. She had survived the plane ride. Thanks in part to Daniel and two mini bottles of vodka, somehow, she’d lived through the flight. Her hands had even stopped shaking. “Of course I trust you.”
Daniel turned another corner, shifting onto an unpaved drive. It was hard not to notice the house so covered in twinkle lights it could almost be seen from space. It was beautiful. The quaint, tiny farmhouse sat nestled back into a hill. With the snow covering its roof and the lights decorating the porch, it almost looked like the front of a Christmas card. The kind she would have found and looked at longingly as a child from her Dallas bedroom.
If only she could stop her stomach from churning, she might be able to enjoy the sight.
Daniel slowed the vehicle before parking the rental car to the left of the small house.
“We’re home.” He grinned over at her.
Kate took a deep breath. He looked so happy, so excited. Her stomach churned more violently. She wished she felt the same as he did.
He scrambled out of the car toward the back to get their bags. Kate opened the door, stepping out into the cool air. Her boots squished in the snow. Good thing she’d gone for the heavy winter coat. She’d never seen so much snow in her life, besides on television. The bitter wind brushed her face and her nose burned slightly. But the snowfall was pretty, decorating everything in white and ice.
Daniel slammed the trunk before coming to meet her beside the car, a bag cradled under each arm. Always the gentleman. Just another reason she loved him so much.
“Don’t tell me it looks that bad,” he joked, a wide smirk on his face.
Kate tightened her coat around her chest, schooling her features into a more excited expression. She’d hate for his mother to see the dumbfounded look she must have been sporting. She didn’t want to give his mom the impression she was judging them, or that she was disappointed in what she found—she certainly wasn’t.
She didn’t think his childhood home looked bad at all. In fact, the little house in the snow was very pretty and picturesque. So different from her parents’ house, so different from the Christmases she’d always known.
“You said you lived in the country, but this is more rustic than I was expecting,” she joked back, not wanting Daniel to have the last laugh.
His honey-brown eyes flashed with life. She loved his eyes. She loved his smile. No one else had the ability to calm her anxieties the way Daniel’s bright, laughing eyes could or that radiant little-kid grin.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “you won’t have to use an outhouse.”
“Very funny.” She nudged him in the ribs.
He made a little “oomph” sound that quickly morphed into a deep, throaty chuckle.
The door to the house opened, and a short, plump woman walked outside, dressed in loose jeans and a sweatshirt with a pair of cowboy boots and a Christmas wreath on it. Loose strands of her blonde hair fell around her face from the bun on top of her head. Besides the gray dotting her temples, the color exactly matched the same sprouting from Daniel’s crown. Little lines crinkled around her light brown eyes—Daniel’s same honey-brown color that Kate had fallen in love with.
He reached to grab Kate’s hand. His strong grip comforted her, even through her mittens.
“Just remember, I love you. She’ll see that and love you too. I promise.” His big, bright gaze almost made her believe it was that simple. But she knew life was much more complicated than that.
“Oh, Danny, you’re home.” His mother ran across the yard, throwing her arms out and pulling Daniel into a hug. Almost a full foot taller than his mom, he stooped to hug her back but he did so with such enthusiasm that it brought a smile to Kate’s face.
Kate could see a lot of Daniel’s personality in the affectionate little woman.
Daniel must get his charm from his mother.
“And you must be Kate.” She turned toward Kate then tugged her into an embrace as well. Her hug was affectionate and warm, even in the snow-covered field. “We’re so excited to have you with us this Christmas.”
Daniel only shrugged. He certainly hadn’t warned her about this. Her family wasn’t big into hugs, or affection at all, really. She folded her arm around the woman, giving back a gentle squeeze.
When in Rome.
After a long moment, Daniel’s mother pulled back from her, blinking up at her in surprise. “I’m so sorry. Where are my manners? I’m Gale Farrell, Danny’s mom.”
“It’s great to meet you.”
Gale pushed the flyaways back from her face, trying to straighten them into her bun. “I’m sorry. I’m all flustered.” She tugged her sweatshirt down. “My Danny’s never brought a girl home before, especially not the daughter of the President of the Texas National Bank.”
Kate tried to smile at the mention of her father and his prestigious title. Everyone was impressed by his promotion—everyone except her mother.
“You must be very special.”
Kate glanced over at Daniel, who had a pained expression on his face.