by J. Kenner
"But still..." he said, then took her free hand and bound it to a post. A moment later, he kissed her lightly, then ignored her protests when he took the other hand from her sex and bound that wrist, too.
"Meanie," she teased.
"Oh, I think I can change your mind about that." He shifted position, then kissed his way up her legs until his mouth was hot and demanding on her sex and his hands were sliding up her body to cup her breasts. Whatever smooth, slow strokes had been there when they'd touched her together were gone now. This was rough. Sucking, licking, even biting.
He was taking her high, pushing her to the edge, the intensity of his touch so much more vibrant when she was bound and unable to escape the full onslaught of his touch. So that with every lick of his tongue or scrape of his teeth, his fingers tightened on her nipples, bringing her entire body alive with passion, and there was no escaping the fire he'd sent to ravage through her.
"Nolan," she cried, arching back, silently demanding he suck harder, take her closer. Wanting him to squeeze her nipples. Wanting the pain to balance the pleasure. "Oh, please." She was close, so close, and just a little bit more and she'd reach the edge. She'd go over. And then she'd see the same stars that filled the sky outside the window.
"Tonight, I want to come with you," he said, and even as he spoke, he pulled the cord to release the two slipknots binding her wrists. Then he did the same with her ankles.
"Hurry," she whispered, but she needn't have urged him. He was on top of her almost immediately, their mouths rough and hot together. A primal meeting, with legs twining, hands grasping, fingernails scraping.
He pulled back once, breathing hard, his eyes on fire. "I love you," he said, and the words shot through her, full of passion and power.
"I love you, too. Please, Nolan. I need you now."
"Over." He spoke the word even as he twisted her, urging her onto her hands and knees. "I can't go slow."
"No--God, no."
His hands were on her hips, his cock at her core. "Touch yourself," he demanded. "And touch me."
She did, one hand teasing her clit, her hand positioned so that she could stroke his velvet-hard cock as he pounded into her, filling her. Claiming her. "That's it, baby," he said. "That's it. Now come with me." She could feel how close he was, and when he leaned over her and one hand pinched her nipple, she felt her core spasm around him, heightened when he slipped the finger of his other hand inside her. She was close, too, so close she just needed a little more and then--Oh, God, yes.
He'd moved his hand from her pussy to her ass, the slick fingertip sliding in just to a knuckle, and the unfamiliar pressure had pushed her over the edge. She came violently. Deliciously. Her body pumping him, emptying him. Wanting every bit of him, taking everything he gave until, spent, her muscles could no longer support her and she fell onto the bed with Nolan beside her, their legs twined, their faces so close that they were breathing the same air.
"I think you've destroyed me." Shelby stretched, feeling deliciously used. "In the best possible way."
"Good," he said, lazily drawing circles on her bare skin. "Then you're primed for what comes next."
"Next?" She pretended to groan. "Any more and you might have to bring me back from the dead."
He didn't answer. Not at first, anyway. But then he cleared his throat, and he actually sounded nervous.
She shifted so that she could prop herself up on an elbow, but his fingertip moved to her breast, making her close her eyes and bite her lip.
"I talked to your dad--"
Her eyes flew open as she accidentally bit down too hard on her lip, drawing blood. "What?"
"I just--I know I'm not the guy your father wants for you--"
"Dammit, Nolan." She shoved herself up onto her elbows. "You know that doesn't matter to me. We talked--"
"Hush," he said, pressing a finger to her lip. "I believe that it doesn't matter to you. But it matters to me. He doesn't have to love me. He damn sure doesn't have to like what I do for a living. But he needs to know that I love you."
"I--Oh. What did you do?"
His wide smile reminded her of Tom Cruise's cocky grin in that classic movie, Risky Business. "I told him."
"Oh. And he was--"
"And I told him something else, too."
"Yeah? What?"
He slid off the bed, then grabbed something from behind one of the candles on the bedside table. She sat up, both because she was confused and because she wanted to see him better. "I told him that I was going to ask you to marry me."
Her breath left her in a whoosh, and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest.
He held up a ring, the diamond sparkling in the fake candlelight. "Shelby Drake, I love you more than I ever thought possible. Will you be my wife?"
She nodded, because she couldn't seem to remember how to form words, and it took a while to finally fumble out even a single word. "Yes," she said, sliding off the bed and dropping to her knees in front of him as he slid the ring on her finger. "Of course, yes."
And then, dammit, she burst into tears.
Joy was leaping through Nolan with such intensity that it took a second to process that her tears weren't of the normal newly-engaged variety.
"Shelby?" She was on the floor in front of him now, and he threaded his fingers into her hair, then held her face so that she had no choice but to look at him.
After a moment, she smiled, albeit weakly, then took a shaky breath, obviously working to hold back the tears.
"Hey," he said gently. "What is it? That doesn't look like happy crying to me."
"It is--oh, God, Nolan, it is. It's just that I was so afraid earlier, and now--to be this happy--it's all sort of a head rush."
A wave of cold caught him unaware. "Afraid?"
"The packages," she explained. "And there were phone calls. I thought--Well, I let my imagination run away. I guess I thought you were going to leave me, and I--"
She broke off with a ragged sob that almost shattered him.
"Oh, baby." He pulled her close, then held her tight. "I'm so sorry." God, he was an ass. "I was all about the show. The event. Making my proposal into a big to-do. I never thought--I never--"
She gripped his hand. "No. Oh, please, Nolan, don't think that. This is perfect. And my fears--well, I already knew how much I love you, but it wasn't until I thought you might be leaving that I had a sense of how hollow life would be without you. Honestly, I didn't see how I could even get up on a morning when you weren't beside me. I really didn't know if I could do it."
The tears fell again, and he gently brushed them away.
"Oh, baby," he said, still wanting to kick himself for scaring her even a little. "The good news is that you'll never have to find out."
Her wide smile filled his heart to bursting. "Happy anniversary," she said, then kissed him lightly. "But now the gauntlet's been thrown."
He cocked his head, looking at her curiously.
"I just mean that if this is what you pull together for an eight-month anniversary, then what will you manage for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary?"
"Wait and see, baby," he said, pulling her close. "You're just going to have to wait and see."
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July ~ August ~ September
JULY
Fried Pickles and Pickled Okra
Oil for frying 2 (8 ounce) containers sour cream 1 (20 ounce) jar hamburger dill pickle slices, juice reserved 1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 1 (16 ounce) jar pickled okra
In a Dutch oven or deep fryer, bring about 6 cups of oil to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the pickle juice from the jar. Next, mix together the flour, cornmeal and Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Dip each piece of okra and pickle slices into the sour cream mixture and then into the dry mixture. Add about 6 pieces at a time to the fryer and cook for 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all okra and pickles have been fried. Dra
in on paper towels.
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Catfish Bites with Loaded Hush Puppies
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning 2 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 cups flour
Oil for frying
1 cup cornmeal
10-12 catfish fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
Combine mayonnaise and milk in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning and garlic powder. In a Dutch oven or deep fryer, bring oil to 350 degrees. Dredge each piece of fish in the wet mixture and then the dry mixture. Place in the oil and fry for about 4-6 minutes until done. Drain on a paper bag and serve immediately.
LOADED HUSH PUPPIES
1 2 lb. bag hush puppy mix (I use House Autry) 1 onion diced
1 (15 ounce) can cream corn
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, diced 1 bottled beer
1/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup milk
6 cups oil, for frying
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for oil. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer or Dutch oven. Drop 1 tablespoon of batter into oil and fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Fry 4-6 at a time until all batter is used. Drain on paper towels.
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Brisket Sliders
Beef Brisket (leftover) (Click here for recipe.) 12 slider potato rolls 1 onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced 6-8 slices provolone cheese 4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shred leftover brisket. In a medium saucepan, saute onion and mushrooms with 1 tablespoon butter and soy sauce for 5-7 minutes, then set aside. Slice potato rolls in half and spread mayonnaise evenly on each half. Place bottom half of rolls in a 9x9-inch baking dish. Spread brisket to cover bottom half of rolls. Top with onion mixture and provolone cheese. Place tops of rolls on cheese. In a small bowl, melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and stir in garlic and parsley. Brush over the top of rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
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Beef Brisket
5-6 pound beef brisket 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 cup flour
1 can beef broth Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup of white wine 1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 Vidalia onion, sliced 1 tablespoon sage 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover brisket in flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet on medium high heat and sear all sides of the brisket. Place brisket in a roasting pan without the rack. In the same skillet, add the onion and garlic and saute until onions are tender. Next, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, then pour the mixture over the brisket, cover and bake for 3 hours. Remove brisket from oven and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly on the bias and place on a platter. Then, pour remaining sauce from the roasting pan into a skillet and cook on medium high until reduced by half. Pour over the brisket for a wonderful dish and beautiful presentation.
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Blueberry Mint Julep
1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 cup blueberries 6 ounces Makers Mark bourbon Fresh mint
In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine sugar, water and blueberries. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and allow to cool completely. In 4 highball glasses or mint julep cups, add 3-4 ice cubes, 1.5 ounces bourbon and equal parts blueberry syrup to each glass. Garnish with mint sprigs.
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August
Smoked Salmon Dip
16 ounces smoked salmon 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup green onion, chopped 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper
Shred smoked salmon with a fork on a cutting board, without skin. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight. Serve with crackers.
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Boom Boom Shrimp
6 cups oil, for frying 1 pound jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce 1/2 cup green onion 1 bunch romaine lettuce
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a Dutch oven. In a large bowl, dredge shrimp in cornstarch to cover. Fry 5-7 shrimp at a time and drain on paper towels. In a separate bowl, mix together mayonnaise and chili sauce. Toss shrimp in chili mixture and top with green onion. Serve on a bed of romaine lettuce.
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Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon Mustard Sauce
1 pound lump crab meat 3 cups panko breadcrumbs 4 green onions, chopped 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1 egg
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
In a large bowl, combine crab meat, green onion, egg, yogurt, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs and Cajun seasoning. Form into cakes about the size of a half dollar and cover each side with remaining panko breadcrumbs. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Remove cakes from the refrigerator and pan sear 4-6 at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Brown on both sides for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Lemon Mustard Sauce. (Click here for recipe.)
LEMON MUSTARD SAUCE
4 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard Juice of 1 lemon
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.
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Pinot Punch
1 (1.5 Liter) bottle Pinot Grigio 1/2 cup peach schnapps 1/2 cup orange juice 1 bag frozen sliced peaches 1 liter Sprite
Mix first four ingredients together in a large pitcher and refrigerate for 1 hour. Add Sprite and serve.
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September
Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
8 ounces sour cream 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning 1 pound sliced bacon 1 (32 ounce) bag frozen tater tots
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the sour cream and ranch seasoning and set aside. Cut bacon slices into thirds and wrap around each tot. Place on a cookie sheet (with sides). Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and place on a serving platter. Place the sour cream mixture in a resealable bag and cut one corner off. Pipe over tots and enjoy!
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Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip
1 (11 ounce) tube refrigerated pizza dough 4 cups of water
1/4 cup baking soda 2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons sea salt 4 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup flour
1 (12 ounce) bottle of beer 4 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese 8 ounces cream cheese 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder
Preheat oven to 425. Roll out dough and cut into 1-inch strips, then cut each strip in half. Tie each strip into a knot. Bring water and baking soda to a boil and drop 8-10 dough knots at a time into the water for 30 seconds, then transfer to a greased 9-inch pie pan, lining the outside edge of the pie pan. Next, brush each one with the egg wash and top with sea salt. In a medium skillet, melt butter over low heat and stir in flour until a roux forms. Slowly stir in beer and mix until sauce thickens. Add both cheeses and continue to stir until sauce is smooth. Pour into center of pie pan with uncooked pretzels and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.
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Farmhouse Sliders
2-3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 onion, thinly sliced 12 small eggs
2 teaspoons soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste 1 pound ground beef 2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning 1/2 cup mayonnaise 12 slider potato buns 12 slices extra sharp cheddar cheese 12 slices bacon, cooked and drained
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add onion and soy sauce. Saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine ground beef and Montreal steak seasoning. Form into 2-inch patties. Preheat grill to medium and cook burgers for 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through, or until 160 degrees for medium (170 degrees for well done). In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and garlic. Using the same skillet as before, over low heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and crack 4 eggs into skillet, making sure to keep separated. Salt and pepper eggs and flip after 1 minute. Continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute and immediately remove from heat for an over easy egg. To build each slider: spread 1 tablespoon of garlic mayonnaise on slider bun, top with beef patty, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon sauteed onion, 1 bacon slice and 1 egg. Repeat for the remaining 11 sliders.
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Loaded Corona
12 pack Corona
1 pint rum
2 limes, sliced
salt
Pour out the "neck" of each Corona and replace with rum. Roll each slice of lime in salt and place in the top of the corona. Serve.
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DON'T LET GO: SPENCER & BROOKE
Slice of Life
Brooke Hamlin had always known that the historic Drysdale Mansion came with ghosts... She just wished that for once she could enjoy an afternoon without them.