TAUT: The Ford Book by JA Huss
(Rook and Ronin Spin-off)
Published January 20, 2014
Contemporary, Erotic Romance, New-ish Adult
TAUT IS A STANDALONE NOVEL - you do NOT have to read any of the Rook and Ronin books first.
Ford Aston is known for many things. Being an emotionless, messed up bastard, a freakishly smart social outcast, and a cold, domineering master who keeps "pets" instead of girlfriends.
And after Rook broke his heart, he plans to keep it that way.
Ashleigh is known for nothing, and that's exactly what she's got going for her. She's broke, stranded in the mountains with a three month old baby, and Ford Aston is screwing with her head.
And she plans to mess with his right back.
It's a coy game at first, filled with flirting, and innuendo--but Ford soon realizes something is not quite right with Ashleigh. In fact, something is seriously, seriously wrong and the closer they get to their final destination, the closer Ford gets to the truth.
One night of devastation, self-loathing, and emptiness turns into the best thing that ever happened to Ford Aston. But one day of in-your-face reality threatens Ashleigh's whole existence.
Since A LOT of people have been asking here is the scoop on how this book fits in with my Rook & Ronin series:
Ford first appears in Rook and Ronin #2, Manic. He has a bigger role in Panic, R&R #3, and then he has a novella, called SLACK. This TAUT book is only FORD. It's not really part of the R&R series, as that plot has all been sidelined for this one romance book.
“Ford?” she says in an overly sweet voice.
“Yes, Ashleigh?” I look over at her with a dimpled grin.
“I’m gonna get you back for all this control, you do realize that, right?”
I reach over and grab her thigh. She jumps a little and lets out a gasp. “I never lose, Ash. Never.
So if you think you can get me back by playing nasty with me tonight, then by all means, show
me what a loser I am.” And then I slip my hand down her thigh and pinch her skin until she
yelps. Before her hand can even move to swat mine off, I’m caressing her pussy through her
jeans. “Do not come or I will tease you and withhold orgasms later.”
She holds her breath and nods.
I let up on the pressure. “Unbutton and unzip your pants.”
She breathes. But she obeys. She pops the button and the zipper makes a soft ripping sound.
“Stick your hand inside your panties.”
She doesn’t even hesitate and this makes me so fucking hard. I can feel her fingers through her
jeans. “I can feel everything you do, Ashleigh. I’ll let you come right now, but you have to do all
the work. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready,” she whispers. When I look over at her she’s looking right back at me. Her stare
never wavers.
I look back to the road. This highway is deserted. No one is traveling I-70 west with us. There
are cars every now and then going east, but very few.
“Begin,” I command.
She shudders before she even starts and I almost die thinking she already came. But it was just
an excited shudder, not an orgasm. She begins in slow circles over her clit. I press down a little
and her breathing becomes heavier. She continues this a few more times but then she scoots her
butt down more towards the edge of the seat and slips in farther. I can feel the back of her hand
on my palm through the thick fabric, and then it dips. “Tell me what you just did, Ash.”
“Put my fingers inside me,” she says in a low, breathy voice.
“Does it feel good?”
“Not as good as yours would. But I’ll make do.”
I say nothing to her joking, just cup her hand with mine and increase her movements. Her other
hand hovers over mine. “Can I touch you, Ford?”
“Yes,” I say, because I want her. I want her more than I don’t want to be touched. Her hand rests
on top of mine. It’s very small, and I chance a look over to compare sizes. “Keep on task.”
She pumps into herself and then she takes my hand and places it over her belly, where the
opening in her jeans is. “I want you to touch my skin.”
“You’ll get your wish,” I tell her with my eyes still on the road. “But for now—” I withdraw my
hand and put it back on the steering wheel. “For now, you will pleasure yourself to satisfy me.”
“I’m going to imagine you doing it, then.”
“That’s against the rules, you should be thinking only of how much you will please me by
following my instructions.”
“I don’t care, it’s my mind and I’ll picture you fingering me if I want.” And then she opens her
eyes all the way and stares at me. I look away and concentrate on the road. “And you will never
know, Ford. Because you’re not a mind-reader.”
I want to thump my head against the steering wheel repeatedly, that’s how crazy she’s driving
me with this rebellion. That’s how bad she’s being. If she was one of my pets I’d have her
strapped face first to a wall, gagged and blindfolded right now—she’d be getting the spanking of
her life. And I wouldn’t feel bad about it at all. I’d enjoy it.
