He knew to the bottom of his heart that he wanted somebody to keep him.

Scott Keating has been living a very sheltered life with extremely controlling parents. Once the opportunity to leave home and start a new life presents itself, he’s more than willing to take advantage of it. Although things didn’t work out as planned, he’s saved by Ben Winters. Now Scott just needs to see if Ben will keep him forever.

I adored Scott and truly felt sorry for him. His family didn’t treat him with any love, and it appeared that he was kept in his home without any friends for most of his life. It really showed his inner strength and desperation that he was willing to travel around the world to find a new life.

Ben rescues Scott from the airport, but that was one of the few nice things he did during the story. Overall, Ben was not appreciative of anything Scott did for him. They also didn’t have much of a relationship outside of Scott playing the housekeeper. Ben was supposed to be a Dom, but his actions and immature behavior didn’t portray him as a very good one. Ben was temperamental and seemed to lose it at the most inopportune times. I was hoping for a romantic story with Scott finding true happiness, but this felt more like a guide on a poorly handled Dom/sub relationship.

The writing was smooth, and it was impressive that two people wrote this story. Although this is part of a series, and I loved the first one, I think this can be read as a standalone.

A look at the emotional draw of belonging to somebody.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

BLURB

Eighteen-year-old Scott Keating knows a whole world exists beyond his parents’ strict control, but until he gains access to the World Wide Web, he really has no idea what’s out there. In a chat room, Scott meets “JeffUK.” Jeff loves and understands him, and when he offers to bring Scott to the UK, Scott seizes his chance to escape his humdrum life and see the world. But when his plane touches down and Jeff isn’t there, panic sets in.

Collars & Cuffs favorite barman and Dom-in-training, Ben Winters, drops his sister off at the airport and finds a lost, anxious Scott. Hearing Scott’s story sets off alarm bells, along with his protective instincts. Taking pity on the naïve boy, Ben offers him a place to crash and invites him to Collars & Cuffs, hoping his bosses will know how to help. Scott dreams of belonging to someone, heart and soul. Ben longs for a sub of his own. And neither man sees what’s right under his nose.