“I don’t support the modern version of romance. The equality everyone brags about doesn’t work. Partners are not equal in every aspect. They bring different skills, experiences, and qualities to relationships. If people would accept this, I believe the divorce rate would be much lower.”
“Accept what exactly?”
“The only thing that should be equal is the respect they show each other. One partner leads while the other follows,” Mike told him. “Two people cannot be in control at once.”
The above exchange is how Mike introduces the concept of Domestic Discipline (DD) to his boyfriend, Will, in No Flag. Mike is the dominant partner, Head of Household (HOH) in DD terms, in their relationship. In control of everything from the people under him at his Army intelligence station to the order of the house, of course Mike would expect to dictate his partner’s every move, right? Not so much. Their DD contract was negotiated with Will’s best interests in mind. It includes things like respect, honesty, health concerns, school attendance, following miscellaneous orders, and maintaining the order of the house. All right, Will might disagree that the last point was for his benefit. Mike meted out well-reasoned punishments for broken rules and held himself accountable to equal standards.
However, Will got some say in the contract and things Mike could not regulate, namely intimacy. “I told you I was submissive, but that doesn’t make me a consistent bottom.” After recovering from the shock of this request, Mike agreed to that term. Will had one more – the condition that a relationship with Mike hinged on – his Army commission term would not be extended.
But Mike can’t control everything.
Blurb: For Mike and Will, “No Flag” meant “come home alive,” but will their love survive what happens next?
Captain Mike Kelley does not ignore his intuition, so when sexy bartender Will Hayes captures his heart, Mike embarks on a mission to win him over to a Domestic Discipline relationship. Will accepts with one caveat: Mike must promise not to renew his Army contract. Mike agrees, and they spend a year building a life together, getting married, and starting a business.
Only days before their café’s grand opening, Mike receives news that threatens everything he and Will have built. The Army invokes the Stop Loss military policy to involuntarily extend his commission and send him back overseas. Will, left alone to cope with the café, must rely on the support of old friends who may be no longer be trustworthy. Through emails and Skype calls, Mike and Will keep their love and structure alive… until insurgents wage a horrific attack on Mike’s outpost.
Mike awakens in a hospital with a devastating injury and no his memory of the attack. As the only survivor, Mike’s memory may be the key to national security. Mike struggles to cope with his injury and Will struggles to support the man who always held him up. Both fear they have lost their previous relationship. Will has Mike back rather than a folded flag, but in the aftermath of war, can they rebuild the life they had before? Especially when those closest to them may not have their best interests at heart?
Available from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Liz Borino Bio
Liz Borino transcribes the world inside her head onto the page, and share it with the people who are stuck in the “real world” to makes their lives a little more interesting. Because in her world, heroes fall and stand up again with the help of their partners and friends. Liz’s world is littered with formidable obstacles, which her heroes overcome with a fire of courage and passion. The beauty of love between two men is celebrated. Who wouldn’t want to live there?
When not with her heroes, Liz enjoys exploring cities, working toward social justice, and editing for other authors. Liz is less than three months from obtaining her Masters’ degree in English and published nine books since 2010.
So, I created Mila Kerr. I wanted to make sure that it was clear that the two genres were very different. I didn’t want Alta fans to pick up a Mila book and expect some over the knee delights. And I most definitely didn’t want a Mila fan to pick up an Alta book and find a surprising scene with figging! I guess you can see why I decided on the different name. Confusing the two genres, for me, could be dangerous.
If you had the chance to step back in time, would you?