Now Available: Bonds of Love: Bay Area Professionals

Bonds of Love, book 2 in the series is now available for purchase at Amazon and a free read with your Kindle Unlimited membership. This second edition has been completed re-edited. . 

Blurb:

When Scott Gregory is outed and forced to leave the dental practice, his life turns upside down. With the help of Robin “Red” Kennedy—his partner in and out of bed—and their friend Susie, he manages to open his own dental office but still worries his former boss will cause trouble.

Robin agreed to become a partner in the business, but feels as if his contribution is sweat equity. He fears he doesn’t measure up to Scott in terms of money or education. When they move in together, their D/s relationship goes from weekends-only to 24/7, allowing them much more time to explore, but adding complications, too.

Tensions rise when an old friend assumes Scott is Robin’s sugar daddy, and Robin finds himself wanting a more formal commitment, in the form of a public collaring. But the shy and until-recently closeted Scott is struggling. Will the bond of their love be strong enough to see them through?

BONDS OF LOVE is the sequel to Impacted and the books should be read in order for maximum enjoyment. As a bonus, newly trained Dominatrix Susie gets her own HEA with the submissive man of her dreams in the brief story within the story told from her POV.

PURCHASE BONDS OF LOVE

UPDATE 4/11/21

TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF BONDS OF LOVE, IMPACTED, BOOK ONE IN THE SERIES IS ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS THIS WEEK.  GET YOUR COPY OF IMPACTED HERE 

Sunday Snippet!

Friday Previews

Sequel to Impacted!
Bay Area Professionals

Getting to know each other hasn’t been an easy journey for Scott Gregory and Robin "Red" Kennedy. Falling in love and exploring their kinkier sides revealed a perfect match, and Scott is a devoted sub to Red’s headstrong and often impulsive Dominant personality.

Scott, Robin, and their friend, Susie, open a new dental practice a short distance from the old office but miles away from Scott’s former boss and his Promise Keeper mentality. But the move doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. Robin’s mother is in a medical crisis. Scott’s grandfather makes an unexpected appearance. Ongoing interference from Jenna, Ron’s needy assistant, stirs up trouble. And Susie, having completed her training as a Dominatrix, is on a quest for the perfect male submissive.

Then there's one more threat to their relationship: Robin’s desire for a public collaring, something the shy and formerly closeted Scott is having a really hard time accepting. Is a strong and binding love―albeit a kinky one―enough to keep Scott and Robin together?

Preview

Robin acknowledged that a large part of this need to collar Scott in public was to prove something to the members who’d teased him about his lack of proper Dom attire. He’d shrugged it off when he was in school, laughing along with them when they made jokes. He didn’t have much choice in the matter, but after that incident at In-N-Out Burger, he wanted to shove it all in their faces. He not only had the most gorgeous sub in the world, he now had the money to show him off properly. It was only fitting that he return to San Ramon in triumph, and he was going to make damn sure that he and Scott knocked them on their collective asses.
     “Scott’s a lucky man,” Mitchell commented, breaking into Robin’s thoughts. “I hope he appreciates it.”
     “He does.” Robin smiled but dropped his gaze to the trays on display, effectively ending that discussion. He scanned the different necklaces, passing over some that were quite ordinary. He wanted something unique and special, something Scott would be proud of, that would signify his submission and willingness to please his Master. The thought of placing the collar around Scott’s neck in a public forum was making his cock twitch. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this excited about an upcoming event. He’d already made the reservations, timing it with the club’s Evening in Vienna, an opulent night of excess where Doms and subs dressed in magical attire, each one guaranteed to outshine the next. It would be the perfect night to bring a masked sub to the club without raising questions.
     Robin’s gaze landed on an unusual-looking piece of jewelry made of hundreds of thin strands of gold in varying shades of yellow and rose, braided into a pliable rope, much like the rope used in a normal bondage scene. It was soft enough to bend and lay against Scott’s neck, but strong enough to resist an accidental tug. It had a standard clasp, which made Robin think it wouldn’t work, but Mitchell noted his interest.
     “It can be altered to suit your needs,” he said, ever the salesman.
     “Are you sure?”
     “I’m positive. It’s a gorgeous necklace, Robin. Eighteen carat gold and handmade in Italy by a master craftsman. You can’t go wrong.”
     “Will we be able to engrave it?”
     “When we change the closure, we’ll insert a small tag you can engrave. It’ll be hidden behind the lock, but you’ll know it’s there.”


                               

Bonds of Love is available for purchase here: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/searchresults?q=mickie+b.+ashling

Friday Previews

Cutting Out is the final book in the series. Once again, Anne Cain created this beautiful cover. It'll resonate with readers who've been following the story. 

Blurb:
Sequel to Cleave

Hours after stepping off the yacht where they had their mock wedding, real life intrudes, and arguments arise between Sloan Driscoll and Trent Hamilton.  Seeking relief at his BDSM club, Trent bumps into an old army buddy who tells him things are different now that DADT has been repealed.   Meanwhile, Sloan receives a frantic call from ex-lover, Cole Fujiwara, who tells him that his twins and ex-wife have been kidnapped. Cole asks Sloan for help but makes him promise not to include Trent in the rescue attempt.

Trent considers the opportunity to resume a career cut short, and despite Sloan's threat to postpone the wedding, he leaves for the Middle East as an independent mercenary while Sloan rushes to aid Cole.

In Tokyo, disturbing revelations draw the former couple together, and old feelings are rekindled. Despite this new understanding, neither man makes a move.  Sloan is focused on rescuing Cole’s family without jeopardizing his relationship with Trent, while Cole must prepare himself to survive disappointment if Sloan chooses to segue into married life as a military spouse.


Preview: 

BEFORE LEAVING Cole’s apartment, I had a double shot of vodka to calm down and then brushed my teeth to get rid of the vile combination of booze and vomit. I would have had a cigarette as well, except I’d given them up again a few months ago and Trent would smell the tobacco before I even lit the damn stick. Way back when, I would have resorted to weed, because there was no way I’d be able to carry this off sober. Then again, I doubted I’d succeed despite whatever chemical aids were handy. Trent would see right through my lies, and in all honesty, I wanted to tell him what was going on. The only thing stopping me was the idea I’d be responsible for three lives that would surely be jeopardized by his interference or, worse yet, that Niki and Keni would be sold to the highest bidder because I couldn’t keep a secret. Christ, this was a goddamn mess.
     And what about the wedding scheduled ten days from now? Cole couldn’t wait around until then. We’d have to move on this as soon as possible or those gangsters would send Cole another care package. I didn’t love Noriko, but we’d found a comfortable truce after Cole’s suicide attempt and got along on a superficial level. She was the children’s mother, after all, and I didn’t want her maimed any more than she’d already been. I wondered if they had given her some sort of anesthetic before they’d lopped off her finger. The very thought of that scene made me shudder.
     Trent was already home: the music was on, and votive candles were lit in the living room. He’d planned a seduction to make up for his earlier tirade. Normally, I’d already be sporting wood, but my mind was too occupied with Cole’s current situation to get into the scene laid before me. Trent had the familiar tools handy, and this time, when I saw the blade, I winced. My sympathy for Noriko’s missing digit overtook the lust that usually swamped me when I knew we were about to do some knife play. Tonight would be the first time in our relationship that I’d balk at Trent’s implied suggestion.

                                              

If you've enjoyed the previews of the Cutting Cords Series and would like to purchase all four books at once you can find the box set at Dreamspinner Press for $9.99. 

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/cutting-cords-bundle-by-mickie-b-ashling-6871-b

Cyber Monday sales!

A huge sale is going on at All Romance. Check it out!

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-openhouse-2142822-149.html

Aaand over at Dreamspinner Press. The big Thanksgiving sale ends at midnight. All my books are on sale. Check it out!

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/searchresults?q=mickie+b.+ashling

The Sixth Chukker, Exclusives Blog Tour: Last Stop!

Today is the last day of the blog tour for The Sixth Chukker. Stop by Prism Book Alliance for another exclusive excerpt and a chance to win some freebies. The contest ends in two days.

http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2016/04/mickie-b-ashling-on-the-sixth-chukker-excerpt-rafflecopter-giveaway/

The Sixth Chukker, Exclusives Blog Tour: Day Five

We're over at 3 Chicks After Dark. Stop by to read another exclusive excerpt of The Sixth Chukker.

http://3chicksafterdark.com/2016/04/excerpt-tour-the-sixth-chukker-polo-3-by-mickie-ashling/

Friday Countdown

Happy Friday everyone! As promised, here's a short excerpt from the second book in the Polo Series. This novel picks up about two years after Fire Horse ends. What you're seeing is a conversation between Preston's son, Sasha, and his soon-to-be-boyfriend, Jeremy. They're both struggling artists on Broadway and dealing with the reality of being on their own. Jeremy's trying to talk Sasha into seducing his producer for a chance at a big part.

SASHA threw the last item of clothing into his overnighter and slammed it shut.
“I don’t know why you’re going home for Thanksgiving when you’re still so mad at your father,” Jeremy commented. He was huddled underneath an afghan on the sofa and eyeing him critically.
“My mother would be devastated if I stayed away.”
“Are you sure you can handle it on your own?”
“Handle what?”
“Your father and the rest of the Brady Bunch.”
“What a joke,” Sasha retorted bitterly. “I was an only child for years and now I have to wait in line for crumbs.”
Jeremy got off the sofa, dragging the afghan along like a giant shawl. “I told you I’d come with you,” he said. “I could use a break from this cold.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Jesus… you really need to lighten up,” Jeremy said coldly. “You’ve been a total bitch for weeks.”
“You’d be an asshole too if you had to subsist on ramen noodles.”
“Didn’t you say Preston had paid the rent through January?”
“Yes, but I’m saving my measly paycheck for February and March.”
“I don’t understand why he’s become so militant about money all of a sudden.Sasha shrugged. “He says I’m coasting through life and need some kind of incentive. I suppose being homeless and starving will light a bomb under my lazy ass.”
“Sasha, you’re not lazy at all, and I promise you’ll neither be homeless nor starving with me around.”
“I’m not taking a cent from you.”
“Call it a loan if you must.”
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be,” Sasha said gravely.
“Dude, you did not just quote Shakespeare.”
“I was quoting my grandfather John.”
“And he was quoting Hamlet! If your grandfather was so damn worried about that, why didn’t he provide you with a trust fund? Didn’t you say you were his only grandchild?”
“Well, no, but Paloma was just a name to him. Since she lived in another country, and never visited, he didn’t know her or care enough to include her in his will.”
“That’s kind of cold. No matter how you shake it or play it, she’s a blood relative.”
“He didn’t like foreigners very much.”
“Didn’t you tell me that your grandmother on your dad’s side was English?”
“Uh-huh.”
“So he must have liked imported tail at one point.”
“It didn’t work out.”
“That’s still no reason to cut out Paloma.”
“His choice,” Sasha reasoned. “Anyway, I do have a trust fund, but I can’t touch it until I’m twenty-five.”
“Shit, that’s four years from now.”
“Three and a half,” Sasha corrected. “In the meantime, I’m reduced to groveling.”
“Unless we move forward with my plan.”
“Your plan stinks.”
“When was the last time you had some protein?”
“Does spunk count?”
Jeremy made a disgusted face. “Really, Sasha?”
“Just kidding.”
“Are you even dating?”
“Your network of spies would inform you before I even unzipped my pants.”
“That’s beside the point.”
“I’m not interested in anyone.”
“No one?”
Sasha looked away.
“Moving on,” Jeremy said breezily. “Jordan is quitting due to other commitments so his alternate is moving up. They’ll need someone new to cast for that spot. Enter Alexander Nell, stage left.”
“Just like that?” Sasha said incredulously.
“After we get done with Joe, you’ll be a shoo-in for the part.”
“We?”
“Don’t be so clueless, Sash. I’ll handle the prep work; you just show up when I call.”
“I don’t know, Jem.”
“There’s nothing to think about. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“What about afterward?”
“Come on, hon. Joe’s been directing a long time and knows the score. He’s not going to press for anything more than what you’re offering.”
“Which isn’t much.”
“Don’t underestimate the power of blonds.”
“Miss Clairol has at least thirty shades that can turn the mousiest brunet into a blond bombshell.”
“You, my dearest friend, are the genuine article, as rare as a unicorn and just as elusive.”
“Moi?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Being blond hasn’t really panned out, has it? Perhaps I should try the Goth look for a change.”
“Don’t you dare,” Jeremy said, hauling Sasha into his embrace. He lifted the stubborn chin with his forefinger and gazed into the striking blue eyes that looked at him curiously. “People pay hundreds of dollars to try and look like a California dream, and all you have to do is get out of bed and run your fingers through the tangles.”
“Bandi and Paloma are more striking than I’ll ever be.”
“Oh, puleeze!”
“You can’t possibly be immune to their looks.”
“I prefer blonds.”
“That’s because you’re a brunet.”
“Why are we having this stupid conversation?”
“For lack of anything better to do,” Sasha said with a grin. “I don’t have to be at Newark for three more hours.”
“We can always have sex and brush up on our skills.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t look so horrified.”
“I’m not,” Sasha protested. Was Jem kidding or what?
“Come here,” Jeremy said, leading Sasha over to the sofa. He grabbed a few throw pillows and stacked them in the middle. “Let’s pretend the pillows are Joe.”
“No,” Sasha said, twisting out of reach. “This is ridiculous.”
“We have to rehearse or we’ll look like a pair of amateurs when we finally get Joe in a position to be seduced.”
“You’re really serious about this three-way, aren’t you?”
“I never joke about sex.”
“Neither do I,” Sasha said, throwing the pillows on the floor and sitting down. He crossed his legs and looked at his friend. “How come you’ve never asked me about my first time?”
“I don’t like to pry.”
“Don’t give me that shit. You’ve done nothing but cross-examine me about polo and my father since we met.”
“That’s different, Sasha.”
“Why?”
“I wanted a little glimpse into that rarefied world. All I’ve ever known about polo is that the cologne costs anywhere from thirty to ninety bucks a bottle, depending on the size. I knew nothing about the sport until you came along.”
“We have tons of samples at home. Want some?”
“You’re only offering now?”
Sasha giggled. “I’ll bring some back.”

I'll be back again next Friday with another excerpt of Fire Horse.

Both novels are available at the Dreamspinner Press store or on Amazon. Links provided.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3790

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004QSCN3E

Friday Countdown

For those of you who haven't heard of the Polo Series, I've decided to post exclusive excerpts each Friday in preparation for my upcoming release The Sixth Chukker. Hopefully, you'll like what you see, and maybe catch up before the April 8 release date, because the books have to be read in order to fully appreciate the family dynamics. I'll start off with Fire Horse which started the series. This story was inspired by two things I love. Polo and Chinese astrology. Check out this short snippet.

 San Antonio, Texas
1976
I WAS ten years old when I met Konrad Schnell, Monica’s only brother. Konrad, with a K, had been fifteen at the time, and already someone to be reckoned with on the polo field. Taller than the tallest person I knew―my dad―Kon was everything I wanted to be and more. I’d never have his golden hair or meaty limbs; I wasn’t built like that, but I did have the blue eyes, although not quite as arresting as his. Konrad stood out in a crowd, so good-looking he practically sparkled, very much like my present-day Conrad.
The kids had dubbed him Big Foot because his size-fifteen riding boots had to be custom made by a specialty shop in Dallas. He was graceless on the ground but fluid and masterful on horseback. I’d met him the day he spied me losing my balance on the wooden practice pony and then tumbling headlong onto the dirt-packed floor. The sound of his throaty laugh had reverberated in the barn, and my first reaction had been to retaliate, but his size was so intimidating I didn’t think I stood a chance.
Amazingly, Konrad stopped laughing as soon as he saw my flushed face and clenched fists. What he did instead was stick his big hands under my armpits and lift me back up on the pony as if I were weightless.
“Try and grip with your knees this time, kiddo, and don’t bend over too far. If this was the real McCoy, you’d be sporting hoofprints.”
“I wish I could practice on a real pony.”
“Why don’t you?”
“My dad gets pissed every time I mention it.”
“Then why did he join this club?”
“My mother’s a big fan, so he signed up to keep the peace. As for me, he’d rather I learn how to rope and steer our cattle like a proper cowboy. He thinks polo is for rich guys who have nothing better to do than chase a ball across a field and flirt with the women in big hats.”
“It takes talent and guts to play the sport,” Konrad said heatedly. “He should try it sometime―maybe then he’d change his opinion.”
“He’d rather die than admit he’s wrong,” I said. “I don’t understand what my mom was thinking when she married him. He’s not right for her.”
Konrad hooted at my audacious statement. “What qualifies you as an authority on marriage?”
“I know when something isn’t working,” I said softly.
“You don’t know jack, kiddo. Talk to me when your balls drop and they’re covered with hair.”
My mouth sagged open. No one in my immediate vicinity ever talked about body parts, especially mine.
Konrad punched my arm playfully when he saw the expression on my face. “Come on, you little flea. Show me some moves.”
His challenge had started the ball rolling and marked the beginning of the most important relationship in my life. I became Konrad’s shadow, and he took on the role of mentor, friend, and most importantly, champion. I think he was flattered by my open admiration, and knowing I was risking punishment by escaping to the polo club whenever I had a chance had made every minute together count. I usually burst through the stable doors half an hour after school let out and his first question was always, “How much time do we have?”

Mom was our conspirator,managing the duplicity by concocting one excuse after another to keep Dad in the dark. She was still working on him to let me go to boarding school, but in the meantime, daily lessons by the local superstar would provide a good foundation for my future.
I was grateful Konrad bothered with me at all. He could have been out there carousing with his friends or warding off the beautiful women who hovered around him like gnats instead of futzing around with a snot-nosed kid who was too precocious for his own good. But we’d established a connection the afternoon he’d wiped the dirt off my breeches and plunked me back on Woody, the practice tool every aspiring polo player had to contend with. Some inexplicable thread had woven its way between the two of us and it grew tighter with each passing day.
He’d allowed me to hang out with him and his friends. The boys, all in their midteens, treated me like their mascot but used me like a stable boy, having me fetch and carry at will. It never felt degrading, though, only exciting. I knew I was being groomed by learning from the bottom up. Shoveling manure and laying fresh hay for the polo ponies was mixed in with impromptu tutorials on Woody’s back. The guys would point out my mistakes, and Konrad always stayed behind to make sure I didn’t dismount without correcting my blunders.
“It’s critical to your safety and everyone around you that you perfect this move, Flea.”
“I’m so bored,” I moaned and whined, complaining about the repetition.
“It’s a part of your training,” he’d say doggedly. “If you’re going to be a slacker, do it somewhere else.”
“Why can’t I practice on one of your ponies?”
“Not until I’m sure you won’t cause them any harm.”

Konrad treated his ponies like precious children. Later, I’d come to find out why. A polo player was only as good as his mount. The deep connection between rider and steed was never as apparent as it was in this fast and dangerous sport. They became extensions of each other, and a subtle press of knee or inadvertent pull on reins could mean the difference between making a goal and flubbing the entire match. The horses had to be as fearless as their riders, galloping headlong toward goal posts, while all around them players pushed and shoved them out of the way, screaming invectives, and doing everything in their power to prevent the opposing team from reaching the other side. Without the element of trust between horse and rider, there was no hope of excelling on the field.

Here's what some reviewers have said about Fire Horse. 

Fire Horse
“This story was Ms. Ashling at the top of her game.”
—Hearts on Fire

“I. Loved. This. Book. I was so engrossed and captivated in Preston’s story, I couldn’t even spare the time to update… I just had to get to the end!!”
—Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

Fire Horse placed number 7 in the erotic romance category in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. You can purchase the novel here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3790

Cover Reveal!

I'm thrilled to show you the beautiful cover designed by Anne Cain for my upcoming release The Sixth Chukker. This is the third book in the Polo Series and follows about three years after Ride-Off ended. The novel releases April 8 and you can pre-order a copy on the Dreamspinner Coming Soon page here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7601.  Blog tour stops to be announced in a few weeks.

Blurb:
Retired polo players Preston Fawkes and Konrad Schnell have finally found the happiness that eluded them for years. Their stud farm is a big success, and their marriage couldn’t be healthier. Unfortunately, this idyllic life is disrupted by several unexpected sources.

Paloma, Preston’s twenty-one-year-old daughter, is determined to be a 10 goal player before she turns thirty. Bandi, Konrad’s son, dreams of starting a family with his husband, Ned Temple. Paloma offers to surrogate if her father and stepfather come out of retirement and team up with her for one season.

Preston and Konrad would do anything to make their children happy, but they’re confronted with a stumbling block. Trauma specialist Dr. Rayne Carlisle refuses to sign off on the necessary paperwork unless Preston agrees to be his submissive for one week.

Caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, Preston and Konrad deal with disgruntled former lovers, demanding children, and old enemies in this sequel to Ride-Off.