Enticement (Master Class Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Legal Page

  Title Page

  Book Description

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  New Excerpt

  About the Author

  Publisher Page

  Enticement

  ISBN # 978-1-78651-109-6

  ©Copyright Sierra Cartwright 2016

  Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright November 2016

  Edited by Rebecca Scott

  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 2016 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 2.

  Master Class

  ENTICEMENT

  Sierra Cartwright

  Book two in the Master Class series

  Staff Sergeant Pierce is everything Ella Gibson doesn’t want in a man—dangerous, and a member of the Special Forces. But his determination demolishes her resistance.

  Ella Gibson is dating with a purpose. She’s got a good job, a car, a townhome. The only thing missing is the perfect man. After having her heart broken, she’s decided that Mr. Perfect will be steady and solid and come home at the end of the day. Bonus points if he’s a sexy Dom. A little kink is the only thing she really misses from her last relationship.

  But when her best friend’s older brother, the sexy Staff Sergeant Pierce Holden, interrupts her flirtation with a successful attorney, she’s furious.

  Pierce is intent on saving her from a making a mistake. Yet she knows that giving in to the temptation of being with him would be an even bigger one.

  She’s had a crush on the hero for years. But he’s everything she doesn’t want in a man. Not only is he in the military, he’s a member of an elite Special Forces team. He goes on harrowing missions, and danger is his constant companion.

  The more she tries to resist him, the deeper she falls in love. One thing she is sure of, she’s helpless to resist the dominant man’s determination to have her.

  Dedication

  For anyone who has ever loved someone who has served in the military. YOU are my hero.

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Came Here to Forget: Craig Wiseman and Deric Ruttan

  Starbucks: Starbucks Corporation

  Rolex: Rolex SA

  Netflix: Netflix Inc

  Chapter One

  What the fuck?

  Pierce Holden narrowed his eyes and propped a booted foot behind him on the upscale honky-tonk’s wall, wondering what the hell he was watching, and why the hell it mattered to him.

  Ella Gibson, his little sister’s best friend, was standing at a bar-high table along with a couple of other people, leaning forward, her chin propped on her hand. Tonight, her brown hair—longer than he remembered from the last time he’d been back in Colorado for a couple of days’ leave—framed her face and hung down her back.

  A soft, oversized gray shirt slid from one of her shoulders, showing off her creamy skin, and her black skirt was several inches shorter than it should have been. If she bent over any farther, her ass cheeks would flash the whole world.

  Why that thought bothered him, he couldn’t say.

  Her long, muscular legs were bare. Since it was the middle of May, she only had the barest hint of a tan. Her cowboy boots were black with hot-pink angel wings embossed on the backs of them. Angel wings. That was rich, when she was dressed like sin.

  Randall W. Thurston, Jr. walked over to the table and offered her one of the glasses he was holding. If Pierce’s guess was right, it contained whiskey. Neat. Absently, he wondered if Junior had sprung for the expensive stuff.

  The two clinked their glasses together, and she smiled up at the slick attorney.

  She took a sip then wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

  Alcohol was never part of Pierce’s approach. He liked his subs to be sober. So much so, in fact, that he made it a requirement.

  Pierce tipped back the longneck bottle and took a deep drink.

  From what his sister had said recently, Ella had gone through a breakup a couple of years ago. It had devastated her enough that she’d avoided dating for more than a year.

  Seemed to him as if she was on track to make a full recovery.

  Pierce wished she had better taste in men. He wondered if she had any inkling that Junior was a Dom. If so, and she was still talking to him, she either hadn’t heard the rumors about him, or she was reckless.

  From the outside, Junior appeared acceptable. The man had a fancy degree from a prestigious school. If he hadn’t already made partner, no doubt the announcement was forthcoming. He wore wingtip shoes that were glossed to a military shine. Pierce would be willing to bet the man hadn’t polished them himself. Maybe it was a chore he gave to a submissive. His suit was tailored and expensive. Unlike Pierce’s haircut, which was the result of a once-a-week pass with his own set of clippers, Junior’s hair lay perfectly, no doubt styled at an expensive salon.

  The white, veneered smile couldn’t hide the fact the slick lawyer had cheated on his wife and helped a man get away with murder—both sins in Pierce’s structured world. None of that surprised him, though. Years ago, at a play party hosted by Joe Montrose, a good friend of his, a Dungeon Monitor had stopped a scene when Junior had refused to honor a sub’s safe word.

  The band trailed off, and after the applause died away, they strummed the opening notes of Came Here to Forget, a song that couldn’t have been more apropos.

  Behind Pierce, someone launched a cue at pool balls, shooting them across the green felt in an explosive boom. It was all he could do not to jump. Most men didn’t have trouble blocking out the sounds of people having fun at a bar, teasing each other, calling out which pocket they were going to sink the solid into, but to him, and to countless others who’d been under heavy artillery fire, the surge of adrenaline was inevitable.

  Even when he was away from combat, he was always aware, always on guard.

  To calm himself, from the noise as well as the sight of Ella about to walk into dangerous territory, he took another drink of the all-American lager. Nothing fancy. Serviceable. Affordable. And with an alcohol content below that of popular microbrews.

  Across th
e room, Junior drank his whiskey in a single swallow then slammed the empty glass down on the tabletop and signaled for the waitress.

  Ella placed her barely touched drink back down and rose, lifting the heels of her boots from the scarred wooden floor as she leaned forward, her body language flirtatious, in order to catch something Junior was saying. Her leg muscles flexed in a way that appealed to Pierce’s baser nature, and that damnable skirt rode up just a little more.

  Fuck.

  Instead of looking at her face, Junior glanced down her shirt.

  Prick.

  “There’s something about Randall that I don’t like,” Morgan said, joining him.

  Pierce turned toward his little sister and saw a ferocious scowl on her face. “That he’s a cheat?”

  “Yes. That. But it’s more than that.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure. Something about the way he looks at me. It’s hard to explain. Like he wants to devour me. Creeps me out.”

  “Is Ella dating him?”

  “No. At least not that I’ve heard. And she would have said something. He’s a member of the country club.”

  The way she looked down her nose and emphasized the last two words told him a couple of things. Junior belonged to the same club as their parents. And Morgan also believed that Junior was a pretentious ass. “Have you told Ella what you think?”

  “You can bet I intend to. I don’t even know what he’s doing here. The Neon Moon doesn’t seem like his kind of place.”

  “Slumming with us.”

  “Hard to imagine, isn’t it?”

  “Anyway, I need to go,” she told him. “Mom and I have mani-pedis at the nail salon tomorrow morning. And I’m sure mimosas will be involved.” She rolled her eyes. “God help us all.”

  Their mother could be dramatic at the best of times. Factor in a little alcohol and she qualified for an award.

  After shaking her head, Morgan glanced back at Ella and the other people at the table. “I’ll let them know I’m leaving. How about you?”

  He shook his head. “Think I’ll stay a while. Finish my beer.”

  “Are you kidding me? You’re always the first one to hit the exit at these gatherings, not the last.” She reached forward so that she could put her fingers on his forehead, pretending to take his temperature. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”

  “Funny.” But she was right. He left the bar scene to others. If he hadn’t wanted to avoid spending time with his parents and talking about plans for tomorrow’s party, which his mother hoped would make the society page, Pierce wouldn’t have accepted the invitation to meet Morgan and a few of her friends at the Neon Moon—not that he’d spent much time talking to them. And until he’d seen Junior make a move on Ella, Pierce had been planning to go back to the hotel before eight, get in a quick workout, maybe a soak in the hot tub and a few minutes of mindless television. “Go home, Morgan.”

  “Don’t forget Mom and Dad are expecting you to arrive in time to help set up tomorrow. By noon? Please?”

  “I’ll be there.” Their parents were celebrating their thirtieth anniversary, though with the coldness with which they communicated, he had no idea how they’d made it that long. Determination, maybe. Stubbornness, for sure. And without a doubt, it was all for show.

  His mother had started planning last year and had reminded him of the invitation at least once a month. A few weeks ago, she’d resorted to strategic measures and had enlisted Morgan’s help. His little sister had said, “It would help me if you came.” His parents, he could resist. Morgan? Never. “Twelve hundred hours,” he acknowledged in military time.

  “It would be easier if you just stayed at their house, you know.”

  In the bedroom that was part shrine and a total reminder that he’d failed to fulfill the dreams his mother and father had had for him? Last he’d been in there, a college acceptance letter still sat on the desk in mute condemnation. In his final days of high school, he’d destroyed his parents by enlisting in the army then heading to basic training without saying goodbye. “I’m fine at the hotel.”

  “You sure? It’s a long drive.”

  “Less than half an hour.” In military terms, that was nothing. And the small place had a hot tub to soothe his muscles and a workout area to burn off the nervous energy that built up every time he was forced to interact with his family.

  “Take pity on me? I could use the buffer,” she admitted.

  “You’ve gotten everything you’re going to get out of me, no matter how much I love you. But I’m happy to let you stay at the hotel with me.”

  “Mom would kill me.”

  “She’d get over it.”

  “I’ve never been as brave as you, Pierce.”

  “You’re just easier to manipulate.”

  “That’s not true.” She wrinkled her nose. “Is that true?”

  He didn’t respond.

  “I hate that you’re right.”

  “Go,” he said.

  “Fine. See you tomorrow.”

  “Don’t let Mom have too many mimosas,” he warned. “It’s going to be a long day. She needs to pace herself.” He watched Morgan walk up to Ella, and Junior’s smile faded at her approach.

  Pierce didn’t have to overhear the conversation to see Ella smile and indicate she was staying.

  His sister whispered something into her ear.

  Ella’s back went rigid for a second. She glanced at Junior then back at Morgan. Then Ella reached across to squeeze Morgan’s hand, as if reassuring her everything would be okay.

  The waitress returned with another round for the table, and Morgan took that opportunity to excuse herself.

  With a last wave in his direction, she left the bar.

  Pierce watched Junior down his second shot, and Ella scooted her glass to the side.

  The Blake Shelton song playing in the background was replaced by an older ballad. A number of couples made their way toward the parquet dance floor. Seeming to take advantage of the new intimacy in the place, Junior moved nearer to Ella and skimmed his fingers across her bare shoulder.

  In Pierce’s mind, a line had been crossed. An urge to protect drove him.

  Junior might have helped a client get away with murder, but Pierce sure as hell wasn’t allowing the creep to put his hands on Ella.

  Pierce slammed his drink on a nearby table, strode toward Ella then angled his body between hers and Junior’s. “Dance?” he suggested.

  “I’m talking with Randall.”

  “Were. You were talking to him. And you’re done.”

  She scowled. “What?”

  “Dance with me.”

  “Do you have any idea how rude you’re being?”

  “As a matter of fact…” He tipped his head to one side and grinned. “Yeah. I do.”

  “Ella?” Randall asked, craning his head to the side.

  “Now,” Pierce said, refusing to budge.

  “It’s okay,” she told Randall with a forced smile. “I promised Pierce I’d dance with him.”

  It shocked him how easily the lie had rolled off her tongue.

  “Shall we?” With a show of male dominance, Pierce placed his fingers on the small of her back and looked at Junior, sending a stay back message.

  Aware Randall’s gaze was fixed on them, Pierce smiled. Junior loosened the tie that Pierce would have liked to choke him with and signaled for the waitress instead of talking to the other people at the table.

  “What in the hell is your problem?” Ella demanded, looking up at him.

  How had he never really noticed how petite she was? He’d always seen her as his little sister’s friend, not as a woman in her own right. To be fair, he hadn’t spent a lot of time with her since he’d moved away. In the intervening years, she’d become not only attractive, but stunning. Her hazel eyes were wide and, fuck it all, her lips were an inviting shade of red. No wonder Junior was hot for her.

  Thanks to a woman he’d dated for a while, Pierce knew the bas
ic two-step. Nothing fancy, but enough to get Ella alone and not embarrass either one of them.

  He pulled her toward him. His arms fit nicely around her, despite the rigid way she held herself away from him. The overhead lights reflected off the coppery tones in her hair. And, this close, he drank in her scent, that of sunshine and promise, an intoxicating, perhaps lethal combination that he suddenly wanted to sample.

  “Pierce?”

  Jolted, he shook his head.

  “I asked you a question,” she said. “I’m not in high school anymore.”

  “So I’ve noticed.”

  “I don’t need rescuing,” she finished.

  Despite her heated words, she moved flawlessly, following his lead. All of a sudden, he wondered if she’d be just as perfect in other ways, too. Rather than getting into an argument, he countered with, “What do you know about Junior?”

  “Junior?” She frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. “You mean Randall?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He’d hate it if he heard you call him that.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  She scowled at him. “I’ll ask it again. What is your problem?”

  “I don’t like him hitting on you.”

  “And?” She blinked. “What I do and who I do it with is none of your business.”

  “I’m making it my business.”

  She laughed. “Sorry to disappoint you, Pierce. You’re my best friend’s big brother, but that doesn’t give you any right to stick your nose in my business.”

  “Someone has to look after you.”

  “No. Really. They don’t. As I mentioned, I’m a big girl now. I can think for myself, choose who I want to hang out with. But thank you for your concern.” She gave him a dazzling smile.

  He just wished it wasn’t as fake as it was big. And that it hadn’t walloped him in the solar plexus. “What is it about him that you like?” he asked, again trying to keep her off balance so that she could hear what he had to say. He needed to get her past her annoyance first.