Thirty lashes for a kiss, yet words cut deeper. Still, the sting of her travel clothes brings a smile as he pulls her aboard the boat.

Tousled by the morning tide, she spares a brief farewell to the stolid house she once called home, free now to feel his touch.

Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, J. Chris Lawrence has spent much of his life traveling. With a love for fiction, he fancies himself a writer, and hopes to convince others of the same. He currently lives in Georgia with his wife and two sons. Read his blog here.