Passion Ignited: The Southern Dom: Book 1

By Lorelei Tiffin

Clare Aullwood has somehow survived all the adversity life has thrown at her. Now in search
of a more peaceful existence, she settles into the quintessential southern town of Hickory
Creek without any idea that fate is about to lead her to a man capable of answering all her
prayers—eventually.
Tommy Rollins is a business mogul, man among men, and testament to the fact that sixty
is the new forty. Although gifted with sexual prowess few men can match, Tommy is also
harboring secret desires that have frightened away many women in his past. Just when he
is ready to give up his search for the perfect companion, he meets Clare on a golf outing
blind date. She takes his breath away, and his deep voice practically makes her vibrate. As
she overcomes her fear of making yet another bad choice, Tommy introduces Clare to his
darkest sexual desires. Now only time will tell if the secrets they both harbor from their
pasts will damage their relationship beyond repair, or strengthen their undeniable chemistry
and spark lasting love.
In this tale of romance and passion, two lonely souls embark on a journey of sexual exploration
that leads them down a path they never imagined in their wildest fantasies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796068146

Lorelei Tiffin

AU bio added 10/29/19 Lorelei Tiffin author bio October 2019 I write about abiding love between people who are a little more mature than usual romance characters, who just happen to enjoy sex. People can read my book to escape, not view or relive, the constant displays of man's inhumanity to man that fill the daily newspaper and TV news. I write Romance novels. I learned about deep and abiding love from my parents, who were not ashamed to show their physical affection for each other in front of their adult children. While I have not been lucky enough yet to find the kind of love my parents shared, I remain optimistic that my one true love is just around the corner. I'm a Baby Boomer who writes about Baby Boomer characters. No one escapes hardship and heartache in this life, including me, but I'm optimistic enough to think that there should always be a happy ending. My characters may have battled through every adversity Life has sent their way, just as I have, but they come out the other side, strong and ready for love wherever they find it. As it should be. I live in the American Heartland, building characters for new books, based on what I see and hear and experience in everyday life. I have family and friends who support me in my writing and in my life, and I love them all dearly.

Book preview

Passion Ignited

The Southern Dom

Book 1

Lorelei Tiffin

Copyright © 2019 by Lorelei Tiffin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/28/2020

Xlibris

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Contents

Grateful Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Grateful Acknowledgements

A n author’s most important tools will often be the family, friends and colleagues she calls on to do first reads, offer plot twists, talk through difficult chapters, have dinner and get drunk with. The best of those people are there at the beginning of the book and stick with her until the end.

I’ve had a wide variety of supporters with this book, it was my first started, though not the first published. It was a story in my head for a long time, and I struggled to get it out, but the following people provided invaluable help along the way.

DJ, you did my very first read of this couple’s story. I think you could hear their voices as loudly as I did. You encouraged me to keep going, get it done, and get it published. And here it is.

Pat, you’ve given me so much support with all of my writing, found local author resources, kept pushing me to continue. Without your ongoing encouragement, I’d still be sitting at my computer, looking at a blank screen. None of my books would exist without your help.

Laura and Hawley and Cinnamon, you’re the best alpha readers I could ever ask for, fixing my grammar, pointing out my typos and my copy/paste errors, loving my characters as much as I do.

Tish, I know you struggle a little with my content sometimes, but you’ve always been there for me, pushing me forward, not making me feel bad about what I write.

And Mickey, sometimes a girl needs a man to tell her what works in romance and what doesn’t. I’m forever grateful for your support.

I love you people, you’ve taken the journey with me. I hope you enjoy this book.

Lorelei Tiffin

Tommy Rollins –

A man among men, a testament to the fact that 60 is the new 40. Business mogul and sex machine combined in one beautiful, studly package. With sexual prowess that other men can only admire but not match - and every woman he meets wants to sample. But he’s settling for vanilla in the Carolina interior, the mask of the Southern Gentleman hiding a darker side. His secret desires have frightened away all those other women in the past, and he’s not sure where to look next. At the point where he is about to give up his search for the perfect companion, a chance meeting on a golf course puts Tommy on a collision course with a woman who takes his breath away, who drives him to distraction – the woman who might just be the one…

Clare Aullwood –

A woman struggling to find a simple life, somewhere to settle down and find a little peace, she’s hoping that the Carolina interior will fit the bill. Clare is a survivor of all the horrible things Life has thrown at her, but only just barely. Clare is just trying to find a little happiness in her retirement. And then she meets Tommy. A ‘blind date’ golf game arranged by a friend, he is all Arrogance and Attitude, wrapped up in a glorious Southern man-hunk package, his deep voice practically making her vibrate. First she wants to strangle him, and then she wants to lay him out on a shady fairway and spend a few hours letting him make her feel like a woman again. She fears he is yet another bad choice she is bound to make, but what if? What if he could be the one…

Their Journey –

Follow Tommy and Clare through the ups and downs, and the magnetic attraction, of the unusual relationship that blossoms that first day. See what happens when Tommy introduces Clare to his darkest sexual desires. And find out if the secrets they both harbor from the past will allow a web of love and bondage to grow between them. This is one journey you won’t want to miss.

Chapter 1

S ometimes the best life choices don’t look like the best at first, and sometimes those best life choices happen completely by accident. It was just such an accidental choice that brought two people – and two souls – together for an afternoon of golf. A coincidental choice that would kindle a love for the ages and bring peace to two life-weary hearts. But it wasn’t instant hearts and flowers for Tommy and Clare. No, this love for the ages required effort and compromise. It was stubborn and willful. And even a little Dominant.

Since Clare Aullwood’s first visit to Myrtle Beach in her late twenties, she had loved the Carolinas, especially in the Spring. She never consciously planned to move there in her retirement, it just happened, guided by the hand of Fate and lots of little choices along the way. Living in the Carolina interior surrounded by small community golf courses seemed the ideal place to spend her retirement years. She worried early on that this was just one more bad decision, but she remained optimistic in her search for someplace to settle down, even in the face of apparent disaster. Life was to be lived, after all, and what the hell, tomorrow was another day and another opportunity. 2013 promised to be her year.

Clare had spent almost 40 years, trying out one business office after another, looking for that special place where she would feel at home, both with the job and with the people around her. Chance and Fate brought her to Hickory Creek, the quintessential small southern town, and the man who would answer all her prayers – eventually.

Tommy Rollins came to the Carolina interior by a completely different path, although he was searching for some peace as well. His journey led him through more than 20 years as a Marine medic, in and out of harm’s way, too many times to count or even remember. After the Marines, he moved around from southern town to southern town, putting his medic experience to good use as an Emergency Room nurse, looking for his niche. He made a few close friends along the way, and by coincidence, most of them settled in one place, that same small southern town, Hickory Creek. Tommy felt comfortable there, free to enjoy his retirement and his part-time Nursing job, as well as his attraction to a somewhat different sexual lifestyle. He just hadn’t found a woman to share that lifestyle with – yet.

Neither Tommy nor Clare had expected a blind date golf game that day, but when Fate is ready to change a life or two, nothing gets in the way.

Clare hadn’t always enjoyed playing golf, but as she got older and had more time to play, she had learned to appreciate it for the fresh air, the exercise and the competition against herself. She eventually considered herself a golf enthusiast, though not a good golfer by any means. Clare was on her way to visit a friend for a leisurely weekend of golf, a friend who didn’t care how badly she played. Unfortunately, her beautiful Spring weekend plans were cancelled at the last minute due to her friend’s family emergency, leaving Clare to wonder what she was going to do with her weekend.

Fate stepped into Clare’s life once again – this time it was another friend with an emergency of a different kind. Clare’s friend Sasha was hot for a local golf pro, and she was one woman short for a round of golf with the club pro and one of his friends. She wanted to know if Clare was available and could she get to the golf course in a hurry!! Well, it was Sasha’s lucky day! And ultimately, Clare’s too. A ten minute drive later, Clare would find out that this chance encounter with a stranger would change her life forever.

Tommy was just as surprised by the sudden change in his scheduled round of golf. He had been planning on a quick 18 holes with his buddy Greg, and the last minute addition of two women he didn’t know didn’t make him happy. He didn’t usually agree to play golf with women because he took his game seriously and, in his opinion, women just played too damned slow. And he had errands he had planned on taking care of after his quick round of golf that now weren’t going to happen. Tommy had been in a shitty mood for days, having just broken up with yet another woman who wasn’t quite right for him. It had been an ugly breakup. He wasn’t looking forward to being introduced to yet another strange woman, and he was about to walk away. And then he saw her. And his mood shifted just a little.

Clare got to the golf course with just enough time to lace up her golf shoes and throw her golf bag on the back of the cart Sasha pointed to. There was a sudden breeze as she was putting her bag on the cart and she caught a scent that was familiar, but she couldn’t place it. It was a little distracting but she had to let the thought go because it was then that she realized she hadn’t asked who her mysterious partner was for this last minute round of golf. Clare was a little concerned because she knew a few of the golf pro’s friends and wasn’t impressed with any of them – lots of old arrogant asses at that course! She was introduced to her partner, a man she’d never met, but she was too rushed and unfocused to catch his name!! It was obvious immediately, though, that this stranger was the source of the scent that had caught her nose a few minutes before. A sexy and distracting scent – not necessarily a good combination for her golf game.

Tommy didn’t show any signs of recognizing Clare and, while he was instantly attracted to her, he showed no signs of that attraction. As a matter of fact, he turned his back on her and practically ignored her as they approached the first tee. He had made a split second decision that this round of golf was going to suck, and the faster they got through it, the better. For her part, Clare hoped since she didn’t recognize the sexy stranger, that he was okay. It would be awhile before they got to the okay part. And a little longer than that before they got to the HOLY FUCK!! part.

Tommy, who Clare had mentally named What’s-his-name, was a sexy smelling pain in the ass from the start and that just brought out the worst in her. She didn’t golf really well to begin with, but she was even worse when she was rushed. And she didn’t especially like having strangers watch her first tee shot, so she normally played alone early in the morning – not at Noon on a course as crowded as the one they were playing. Her first tee shot was horrible – the ball never got more than a foot off the ground and stopped about 75 yards down the fairway. Sasha and Greg were very gracious, but What’s-his-name rolled his eyes, made some crap comment about women golfers, and laughed so hard he nearly fell out of the cart. His tee shot had already hooked into the adjacent fairway and Clare assumed he needed her bad shot to make his look better. The only thing she had going for her at the moment was the fabulous Carolina Spring weather. That and What’s-his-name’s enticing, distracting cologne.

Luckily the rest of that first hole, everyone played pretty well – good fairway shots and quick putts – and What’s-his-name actually complimented Clare on her putting so she thought maybe she could get through the next 4 hours with minimal difficulty. She was wrong on so many levels.

While they waited to tee off on the second hole, Sasha started talking about a woman she knew in her neighborhood who had recently been attacked during a violent home invasion. The police had several suspects but no one had been arrested and charged yet, and she talked about being more than a little nervous coming and going from her condo. The Golf Pro was quite the gentleman and they were having a really good discussion about assaults on women, and how women in general, but especially older women, could protect themselves, when Tommy, genuinely hoping to lighten the mood, said he didn’t really believe in rape, referring to it as assault with a friendly weapon. Clare just couldn’t stop herself – she went off on her unsuspecting golf partner right there on the second tee.

I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but that comment of yours just shows what a fucking idiot you really are. I don’t care how sexy your ass looks in those shorts and I don’t care how good you smell, you arrogant jackass, you obviously know nothing about the physical and psychological consequences of rape.

In her past, Clare had volunteered for a short time at a rape crisis center and she started quoting statistics – every two minutes someone (man, woman, child) was sexually assaulted in the United States, and one in every four women would be assaulted in some way in her lifetime. Unable to stop herself, she continued, Until you know more about what you’re so cavalierly joking about, asshole, you should just shut the fuck up. She was so angry, she was still shaking when she teed off on the second hole. It turned out to be the best tee shot she’d hit in quite awhile – apparently, in her anger, she was channeling world class lady golfer Nancy Lopez!! When she came back to the cart, Tommy opened his mouth to say something, and then thought better of it and didn’t speak again.

The next few holes were conspicuous by their silence, and Clare was just about to suggest that she and Sasha ride together for the rest of the round, when somewhere on the 5th fairway, while they waited for the foursome ahead of them to finish putting, Tommy apologized for his insensitive comment, even complimented Clare on her golf swing – and her knowledge of social issues. She hoped she could get through the rest of the round without running the man over with the golf cart, but at least he was trying. She felt she’d been such a bitch, he could easily have thrown her golf clubs off the cart and taken off without her, but he stayed, and she tried to ease up a little.

Clare’s game improved the next few holes and Tommy’s game tanked a little, so that when they made the turn to start the back nine, he was only leading her by 3 strokes. They had another wait to tee off on #10, so the two gentlemen went to the clubhouse bar to get enough beer to get them all through a few more holes. While they were in line to order, Greg looked at Tommy with a mischievous grin and said Dude, what is up with you and Clare? I can practically see sparks between the two of you! It was kind of funny to watch her take you down out there, she’s a real pistol!

Yeah, she’s kind of a pain in the ass! But there’s something about her. Once she settled down, things were actually pretty good. She’s really smart, and damn, she smells really good! And then the conversation stopped while they ordered mass quantities of beer and snacks, and then carried everything back out to the 10th tee.

Meanwhile, Sasha and Clare were having their own private conversation. Sasha was still apologizing for sticking Clare with a guy whose name she still didn’t know, when the boys returned with what Clare hoped would be enough alcohol to lighten everyone up a little, especially her. When Tommy handed her a beer, their hands touched with a spark that she hoped he hadn’t felt, and she blossomed in goose bumps. Tommy asked if she was cold and she quietly said no, she was fine. Then she actually looked into his eyes for the first time – and they were gorgeous – deep and piercing – like he was looking right into her soul.

Clare was so rattled by the icy blue color and the depth of Tommy’s gaze, she had trouble thanking him for the beer. She turned away and took a long pull off her beer bottle, then turned to look at him again and said apologetically I’ve been a real bitch today and I’m very sorry. I normally try to get to know someone a little before I treat them this badly. Maybe we could start over again? My name is Clare. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Clare held out her hand to shake Tommy’s, and as he took her hand in his, he said My name is Tommy, and the pleasure is all mine. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, and the goose bumps were back.

Not only did Tommy have gorgeous ice blue eyes, he was 6 feet 3 inches of tan and muscle, with reddish brown hair that was tipped with blonde highlights from so much golf in the sun, every inch the retired marine, still sporting that military buzz cut that was so very attractive to her for some reason. And holy hell! He had the sexiest mouth – lips any woman would kill to have. Clare’s filthy mind immediately went to that place where he had those fabulous lips all over her. He even looked close to her own age, making him even more attractive to her for some unknown reason! She started wondering if he looked as good without his clothes as he looked in them, and she wondered what it would be like to run her hands over his broad shoulders and his big biceps. She wondered if he had big other things as well. He certainly looked like the whole package, and Clare started to sweat a little, just thinking about things she wanted him to do. Add to that the scent that she finally recognized as her all time favorite men’s cologne, and she was just about done in. She shook her head to bring her back from that walk down Lust Lane but it took a few minutes to make the journey back.

Completing the attractive package, Tommy had the sexiest voice, deep with just the slightest hint of a southern accent. And he was still holding her hand – caressing it like it was something precious. Clare had been cataloging all the arousing things about his appearance and his cologne, and he seemed to be doing the same with her, almost memorizing everything about the moment. He looked into her eyes and said, in a low, sexy voice, I don’t normally play golf with women I don’t know. They usually have to be close friends to ride in my cart with me.

She couldn’t resist – teasingly, she asked Are we close friends? Already?

And he smiled and winked at her and said If we’re not now, I’m sure we will be by the end of the day, beautiful. After all, only my close friends get to yell at me like you did. And he kissed her hand again. She blushed and called him a flirt and he said Baby Girl, you have no idea.

She said I bet you’re a real hand full!!

And he said How did you know? Did you peak? Or are my shorts giving me away?

Clare turned a vivid shade of pink in her embarrassment and tried to shake it off, unsuccessfully. She said Oh my god, I can’t believe you just said that!! What are you? 15? And they both laughed.

He was suddenly a little serious, and asked Do you really think I smell good?

And she leaned toward him and took a deep breath, then sighed and said Oh, yes, I do.

Tommy laughed again and said Now don’t be looking at my sexy ass, Baby Girl – and he crawled out of the golf cart – because it was time for their foursome to tee off to start the back nine.

As play continued on the next few holes, Clare started chatting Tommy up, making pleasant, innocent conversation with a question now and then, hoping to keep him talking a little longer. Sniffing him when he wasn’t looking, and hoping he didn’t see her. He didn’t talk much about himself, but she more than made up for his lack of information with some light and fluffy conversation of her own.

At some point during their conversation, Clare discovered that they both worked for the same hospital group, in different buildings but on the same campus. Sasha and her partner Greg happened to be close by and Sasha started to mention the work connection. Clare had to signal Sasha behind Tommy’s back not to say anything. She had been burned too many times over the years by the dating someone from work thing and she was paranoid about having it happen again. Tommy was seriously hot and Clare started hoping for a hook-up – she didn’t want to blow the possibility because of her own insecurities. So she kept her mouth shut and he didn’t press the issue. Clare caught herself staring at him too often, and worse, HE caught her staring at him. Every time he caught her, he got this incredibly sexy little smile on his face, and she was sure she was blushing between her goose bumps.

Not only was her golf partner very easy to look at, he could be very funny, mostly mocking Clare’s pitiful golf game, making her completely lose track of the time, and what they were doing!! Before she knew it, they had almost finished their round of golf. Their foursome had also finished the beer they had bought, the beer cart had replenished their supply twice, and Clare was more than a little drunk. She was also laughing at just about everything he said. Then about half way down the 18th fairway (finally the last hole!), with their cart stopped for a minute, she stood up and turned to get something from the basket behind the seat. The next thing she knew, Tommy and the cart were 10 yards down the fairway and Clare was flat on her ass on the ground with her little golf skirt up around her waist!!

Her first thought wasn’t – Oh, I hope I’m not hurt – it was – Oh, thank God I’m wearing underwear!! She was sure it was an accident but Tommy had basically taken off and thrown her out of the cart in the process. When he came back to check on her, all she could do was try to pull her skirt back down, laugh hysterically, and snort – not very attractive, but in her intoxicated state, she found it all very funny.

Tommy helped Clare back up off the ground and helped her pull her skirt back down, his touch setting off another round of goose bumps that she couldn’t explain, and they finished the last hole. Then Greg, Sasha, Tommy and Clare sat in the clubhouse bar for a little while reviewing their best and worst shots of the day – and Clare’s leap out of the cart. They added up their scores and unfortunately Tommy had beaten her. He gloated and said Ha, I beat you by 4 strokes!!

And she said Yeah, well, you had to get me drunk to do it. And you threw me out of the damned cart!! I’m sure that really affected my game!! You wouldn’t be so lucky if we played again!

You FELL out of the cart on the last hole!! That didn’t affect your game at all!! If anything, it might have improved it if I’d done it earlier.

So you did do it on purpose?? I don’t believe you!

Maybe it was my sexy ass and my cologne that put you off your game. I saw you keep eyeing my backside and I couldn’t help noticing how often you leaned in for a sniff. If my cologne is that distracting, I may never wear anything else ever again!

Yes, I’ve already admitted, you do smell really good. But that had nothing to do with my game. I still think you cheated – that’s the only way you beat me!

After they stopped arguing about why he had scored better than she had, Clare learned that Tommy was an old Marine buddy of Golf Pro Greg’s, and they shared a few stories about each other, funny ones that made Sasha and her laugh. Clare had switched to drinking water in the bar, but the damage from all the beer she had drunk out on the course was already done. When she announced that it was time for her to leave and had said her goodbyes to Sasha and Greg, Tommy walked out with her and put her golf clubs back in her car. Then he leaned in and gave her a gentlemanly hug and a very sweet kiss on the cheek. She couldn’t wait to make that 30 minute drive home to take a shower but she really didn’t want to leave either. And then Fate, assisted by all that beer, stepped in.

Tommy with the gorgeous eyes and sexy voice made an offer Clare couldn’t refuse, despite the warning bells in her head.

"You know you probably shouldn’t be driving that far just yet, you’ve had a lot of beer this afternoon. I only live about 5 minutes