by Sarah | Sep 22, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!
Another fabulous week has passed. Unfortunately for you all, that means Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks is done and ready for my editor. You’ll have to wait until February to see more of the sexy Cage & wonderful Penny.
This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Picture on the left.
As always with a picture prompt we are limited to a mere 300 words, but luckily this works into my St. Patrick’s Day story (and first F/F) – Luck of the Cowgirl. For those that remember Stalled Independence, Calliope “Calli” Ryley is the sister of Clay Ryley. She’s been a bit unlucky in love, and that’s what landed her in New York living with her brother. The woman that she’s being introduced to…well, you’ll have to wait to meet her…(Oh, and Hank is the Hero of my upcoming Thanksgiving story, A Thorough Thanksgiving…in which the H/h are in their late 40’s 😀 )
After a good long ride on the Neeley property, Calli once again found herself at her favorite spot. There was something about the clearing near the pond that held an old barn that just gave her a sense of peace. Even during the winter she’d brought her horse, Calamity, out here to relax.
In recent weeks, after almost nine months of taking things slow, her brother Clay and his girl Regan had started ramping up the romance again. While she was happy for him, she didn’t want to be around all the lovey dovey crap. Her last attempt at a relationship had been an unmitigated disaster from which she’d emerged without anything. Hell, that disaster was why she was in the god-forsaken freezer of hell that was New York.
No, her first real winter outside of South Carolina had not been her friend. Still, spring was in the air, and she was more than happy to welcome it. Unfortunately, approaching hoof beats indicated her solitude wouldn’t last long. So, she plastered on everyone’s favorite smile and turned toward the path.
A large Stetson ducked under the trees as her boss and friend, Hank Neeley rode into the clearing. On his tail, bumbling along on the most docile horse on the farm, sat a woman clearly uncomfortable with her current status on horseback. Oh goody, an untrained rider.
Hank grinned as he hopped down. “Hey there, Calli. Thought I might find you out here. I wanted to introduce you to our new office manager. She’ll be taking over the rest of my duties over the next few months.”
“This is who you hired?” Calli quirked a brow as the brunette tried to alight from her saddle. Without even thinking about what she was doing, Calli turned her head slightly to admire the woman’s tight ass. “Looks like she’s never ridden a horse before.”
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Sep 14, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!
After a month’s hiatus, it feels great to be back in the swing of the TT! I spent my month off writing 100k+ words, finishing 3 books & getting a contract for 7 more of my Holidays in Lake Point series! I’m so excited! I’m glad I had that boost last month, because so far this one has been a real jerk to me.
Onto this week’s prompt! I apologize for this stunning, gorgeous picture I’m using. I have not yet had time (or cash) to shop for my real MC’s in this story I’m presenting, so I have to display abs here, the closest to my Hero I had on hand. He’s sure got the right build for my hockey-god…but he’s a little too old, and for once my hero doesn’t have any scruff…and the hair is not quite right. Still, he’s nice to look at so here’s abs for you as I give you one (maybe two at best) weeks of next years Valentine’s story – Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks.
This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Curly.
This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks, mostly because my delectable hockey-god hero has curly black hair. 😀 Here he is getting ready for practice after an unexpected & impromptu romp in the sack with my heroine, and his best friend, Penelope “Pen”.
Cage’s alarm had gone off two hours ago, but he’d ignored it in favor of staying right where he was. Wrapped in his arms, Pen had her body flush against his. Every move of her supple body made his cock jump to attention. If they hadn’t been up half the night, he might have taken advantage. As it was, he should’ve been sleeping. Instead, he’d skipped working out, and just lay there alternately awake and dozing just to be close to her.
His secondary alarm went off with a quiet buzz, and he reached back to shut it off. He’d have no choice now but to get up, because that was his pre-practice alarm. Right as he prepared to disentangle from the gorgeous woman in his arms she stretched and wiggled her ass right up against him.
The tightness he’d suffered through all morning turned into a raging hard-on. He buried his face in her neck and groaned against her flesh. “You’re going to kill me in a slow torturous death,” he whispered against her sleeping form. “And I’m going to love every minute.”
A soft whimper escaped her lips, but her eyes didn’t open.
With great care to not wake her, he pulled his half-numb arm out from under her. When she shivered with his departure, he pulled the blanket up over her. He went to the bathroom and scrubbed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face.
The entire time he couldn’t stop grinning. He knew now, without a doubt, that Pen felt the same way about him. Sure, she might have been scared and skittish about how their lives and jobs could ever work, but she felt the same.
After the first impatient, rushed, and holy-shit-did-I-miss-this time, he’d stepped back and taken it slow. It had been years since he’d felt such a connection with Pen like that, like for the first time since their first time they connected deeper than ever.
Every girl since had paled in comparison, the lack of connection making the act little more than a release of pent-up frustration. With the exception of one short lived relationship, he’d not found anything even close. To this day he felt bad about that one relationship. Shandra had been a desperate attempt to get over Pen when she ended their friends with benefits. To prove it didn’t matter to himself, or to Pen.
While he hadn’t realized it at the time, he sure as hell did after the fact. Shandra didn’t deserve the guarded heart he’d offered. The woman had realized it too, and left his ass cold.
When Pen had told him she was leaving for Europe he’d been lost. He wanted to beg and plead for her to stay, but how could he? More than most people, he knew how crushed she’d been after Chicago. The opportunity to study in France under a master was too good to pass up. What sort of friend would he be if he stood in her way?
Although now she all but admitted him she’d wanted him to ask her to stay. Did she really want the path she insisted she did? How hard would she strangle him if he dared suggest it again.
Cage leaned on the counter and stared at his image in the mirror hard. His curly black hair stood at crazy angles of his head, evidence of the night he’d spent with Pen. Luckily, the cap he’d throw on, followed by his helmet would take care of that.
All he needed now was clothes, and then to see Pen again before he left. He hoped she’d come to his game tonight so he could give her a proper send off for Philly. If not, he’d have to come home in between practice and the game.
Then again, maybe he would anyway.
The goofy grin he’d been wearing deepened and he chuckled at his own reflection. “Idiot. You’re acting like a love sick fool.” He’d just have to ignore the fact that he’d robbed himself of this feeling for years, and enjoy it while he had it.
He threw on sweats and grabbed his bag, hauling it to the front door. Once he’d swung through the kitchen to start his coffee, he went back to Pen’s room. He leaned down over her and brushed his lips across her cheek. “I’ve got practice, Pen. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Her mumbled reply was completely unintelligible, but she rolled onto her back. Blonde locks spread out across the dark sheets and a soft smile remained on her lips.
“Don’t go anywhere, okay?” He kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose. “Promise?”
She twitched her nose after his kiss and scratched it with the back of her hand. A soft sigh slipped through her lips as her eyes fluttered half open before closing.
“Pen,” he teased lightly at her earlobe. With a gentle nip to her neck he swore she sprang to life. Her body arched into his and she groaned low. He chuckled. “Four hours is too long. Wish I could stay.”
“Stay.” She sighed again, her eyes still closed.
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Jul 28, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Right. This is our last week before a month’s hiatus. I suppose the hiatus is for the best – in the coming weeks I’ll be editing 3 books, releasing 1, preparing 2 for Indie release, writing at least 2 stories, and getting started on the editing for the story this weeks prompt is part of. I have a lot coming up between now and February of next year, and hope to have even more in 2015. So, in short, I’m a busy busy writer. Now, onto this weeks prompt.
This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Witch Way. Of course, I can’t leave you in the happy end of things…you get stuck in the midst of Felicity’s hell – which she brought on herself.
Felicity thought she was going to throw up. Unable to see Craig in the dark, and with the monotone he’d used, she couldn’t gauge where this was going to lead. No matter what, it sounded bad. She swallowed against the rising bile and wrapped her arms around her belly.
At the moment she wanted nothing more than to wallow in her misery, but instead she chose to push it aside like she’d learned years ago. Unfortunately, she didn’t expect it to be so difficult this time. She had no idea the prospect of losing Craig would hurt so much.
She nodded weakly. “I know it’s not.”
“Was this your plan all along?” He went from standing still to pacing around her in a heartbeat. She couldn’t decide if it was more lion stalking its prey, or caged animal working off nerves while looking for an escape.
“What? No!” The strangled shriek shocked her, and if the way he stopped his pacing was any indication, it had surprised him as well. She took a shaky breath and tried to ground herself, but all sense of calm was long gone. “It was a series of bad coincidences and worse decisions.”
“You used me, to get in that office.”
“No. It wasn’t like that. I swear it.”
“How can I believe you?”
The cold air sank into her bones and left her numb. She hadn’t felt this helpless in years, and she didn’t like it. “I guess you can’t.”
“I want to.”
Damn him. Damn him to hell. Just when she’d almost resolved herself to returning to her former stance on men, he offers a sliver of hope. One she found herself clinging to like a life line. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I made a bad choice.”
“Go on.”
“Will you come out of the shadows, please?”
“I can’t. Not right now. I don’t know what to think, Feli. What to feel.”
“Neither do I! I’m standing here in the open, though. Exposed.” Raw. Her insides were raw and pained. “I went to visit you, I didn’t go to try to get in that office. I really did go to visit you. I left the room with you, remember? When the call went out, I left the room. You locked it.”
“I locked it.” His voice held a mix of relief and wonder, like a confirmation to more than just her. “I did lock it. So what, you broke in?”
The anger was back, and she unwillingly flinched under it. “No. I stood there, I waved goodbye to you. I was going to leave, but when I went for my keys I realized I didn’t have my purse. I only went back to the office to check, but when I tried to contemplate what to do next, I hit the door in frustration. It just clicked open. I don’t think it closed all the way.”
Only his elbow sat in the light, and his fingers tapped on his elbow in a rapid cadence. “And?”
“And I should have left. I knew it then, and I know it now. I was stupid, but I had this story, I’d noticed the discrepancies in my research but I was having trouble getting the confirmation. The opportunity was handed to me on a silver platter.”
“And you just gobbled it up.”
She wrinkled her nose at his snide tone and lowered her gaze to the ground. “I did. Ambition won over common sense, over my heart.”
“Was it worth the cost?”
“I…”
“You got your dream job, everything you wanted.”
“Not everything, and no—”
His cell phones ringtone pealed across the empty ceremony, loud enough to wake the dead. She jumped back, then spun to turn her back on him in an attempt to rid herself of the pesky tears. He sighed and the ringer cut off, and his warm voice took over. “Yeah?”
Felicity rubbed her arms and tried to brace for the worst.
“I figured. I’ll be back in a few.”
She turned around to face his shadowed countenance. “Work.”
“Cops are there to search the office. Didn’t take them any time to get warrants.”
“You’d better go. We’re done.”
“Guess we are.”
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Jul 13, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by this picture. As always with word prompts, we were restricted to 300 words. I managed to come in right under count at 297.
This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Witch Way.
Felicity walked along the outside of the circle. With great care she set a candle at the northernmost point, a safe distance from the nearby tall dry grasses of the rest of the small clearing. “Earth.” Above the candle she set a moonstone to represent the element.
She followed the arc to the eastern edge where she placed another candle they’d made themselves. The feathers dancing along the outside of the wax representing their element. “Air.”
“Fire.” To the south she set a red candle that needed no further help for its element. To the west she set another candle, and her aunt arrived out of the woods just in time with the small wooden bowl filled with water from the creek. “And water.”
In the middle of the circle she set the final candle for spirit and sighed. After her date, Patty had insisted on a small ritual to help clear Felicity’s head. Although she knew this was for her, the doubts and fears plaguing her made her know success would be tough. “Can’t I sleep on it first, Patty? I don’t feel clear enough for this.”
“There is a full moon tonight, just look up there. The moon has always been your guide, you know this. How many nights did I find you wandering, trying to chase it through these hills?”
“I know. I’ve always felt that connection. I’m just tired and…”
“I’m glad to see you’re struggling with acceptance here, but you don’t have to do so alone.”
“I’ve learned at your knee, Patty. I’m not focused enough for this to do any good.”
Patty touched her head. “You’re not doing anything. I am doing this one all on my lonesome, you need to be grounded and cleansed. You’re a mess.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Jul 6, 2014 | Books, Holiday, Secret Cravings Publishing, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Summer.
Well, The Wolf is done, and while I must work on Witch Way, this weeks word prompt just didn’t fit. It also didn’t fit into Natural Selection. So this week I’m starting a new story. I believe it’ll be fantasy, but I haven’t figured it out completely yet.
This week’s prompt fell into my current WIP for the Holidays in Lake Point series, Witch Way. Felicity and Craig have been having a hot and heavy few meet and greets. Felicity is in it for a fling with a hot fireman, but she gets some advice from a trusted source:
Felicity dropped her bag in the mud room and kicked off her shoes. Before she even made it to the door she stripped out of her jacket and skirt. The moment her shirt hit the floor, a dress flew her way. She caught it on and slipped the simple black dress over her head. “Thanks, Patty. One more minute in that suit and I was going to burst.”
“You’re home late.” Near the window, Patty rearranged the plants for better light. The woman could have been Felicity’s mother, they looked so similar, with the exception of the grey streak at the front of her black locks, which were cut short in a cute bob as opposed to Felicity’s own long locks. “Wouldn’t have anything to do with that McAlister boy, would it?”
“Has the all-knowing Patty been peeking into her crystal ball again?” Felicity couldn’t quite keep the sardonic tone from her voice, but Patty only chuckled in response.
“Don’t be silly. I saw you on the square today. I told you that boy would grow up into a handsome young man.”
“Yes, he did. However, it’s just a fling, like all the others.”
“Oh, I doubt that.”
Felicity tensed a few feet behind Patty. She’d been about to give her aunt a hello kiss, but Patty’s knowing tone gave her pause. “Why do you say that?”
“I pulled the cards soon as I got home.”
“You promise you wouldn’t do that to me.” Felicity sighed and bypassed her aunt to perch on the counter. She popped a couple of grapes off the stem in the nearby fruit bowl. “You’re too close to do an accurate reading. Your feelings on the matter influence the cards.”
“No, not always. In this situation I wasn’t sure how to feel. After all, he wasn’t exactly the nicest boy when you were younger. I was worried for you, the cards eased my mind.”
“Because you wanted them to.” Felicity would never dismiss a good tarot reading, and Patty was the best, but Patty had also been the one that taught her how your own feelings could influence a reading.
“Would it make a difference if I told you I called Celeste as well?”
“Unfortunately, it would.”
“She got the exact same reading as I did. Card for card. Craig is a good man, and he’s meant to be around for a while.”
“Once the fling is flung he’ll be gone as the summer.”
“The summer does not depart until tomorrow, and Craig won’t pass with it.”
Felicity groaned and dropped her head into her hands. “I wanted a fling, Patty.”
“You’re getting a little old to be flinging yourself around.”
“No woman in our family has ever maintained a relationship with a man. Ever.”
“No woman has ever been like you, my darling girl.” Patty smoothed her hands over Felicity’s hair, pulling the ends over her shoulders. “Look at me.”
“I’m just like you, and you’ve said I’m just like my mother. My father left her soon as he heard about me and she up and died during childbirth.”
“And you, Felicity. You are more than either of us either were. You have managed to find the balance we never could. I am all crazy witch lady, your mother went straight normal, even faking church-going to soothe your father’s mind. When he found out the truth, thanks to Samhain, that’s when he left. It wasn’t about you.”
“And yet, it was.”
“He didn’t know. He never knew. I tried to contact him, but he refused to listen to me. Your mother blamed herself. None of that matters now. What matters now is who you are. I think you are the one that can keep a man, and keep your balance.”
“I don’t want to.” Felicity clasped her aunt’s hands in her own. “All of this feels like a curse. A hex on our family.”
“There is no such thing, we just suck at relationships.” Patty smiled. “You should give this a good chance before you dismiss it.”
“I just don’t know.” Truthfully, relationships scared her. Probably because no one ever stook around all that long. Plus, Craig hadn’t been too far off. Old teasing and taunts had followed her through childhood into her adult years.
“Have you told him the truth?”
“No. He can’t even say the word witch in my presence. He couldn’t handle it.”
“I think you should try.”
*~*
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*~*
by Sarah | Jun 29, 2014 | Books, Challenge, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is to be inspired by the word Sea.
Well, The Wolf is done, and while I must work on Witch Way, this weeks word prompt just didn’t fit. It also didn’t fit into Natural Selection. So this week I’m starting a new story. I believe it’ll be fantasy, but I haven’t figured it out completely yet.
I was inspired in part by our word this week, Sea…but also by this image on Pinterest, which I could not use b/c I don’t have permission to do so…but please go check out what Aingael looks like HERE.
So here is the start of a new, as yet unnamed, story. Queen Aingael Fluerette Taverna was born and raised the Princess of Lyach. At the proper age she wed Gunnar, the prince of a neighboring country, and became Queen. It is not a match made in heaven…and two years ago she learned of a plot:
Clamoring tones of bells across the kingdom coalesced into a jilting melody of parting. From her position on the parapet overlooking the sea Aingael ran her fingers along the string of bells lining the stone’s edge.
Against the rising sun the entire fleet of the kingdom of Lyach moved further away. The chiming of bells were to wish the men luck on their journey, but Aingael knew the truth, their departure meant the end of her kingdom as it was.
A pact made in secret she was never meant to be privy to, but being Queen did have its privileges, as did being raised in the castle. She knew every hidden nook and cranny, even those her husband, King Gunnar, thought only he knew.
He’d made a pact in blood two years prior, one she’d taken steps to ensure would not succeed. Gunnar thought he left her undefended, only old men and boys to protect their inlet kingdom from the oncoming attack.
Aingael turned to her lady in waiting as the sun rose too high for her to safely stare into. “Cherette. Help me remove these garish clothes. We haven’t much time.”
As soon as Aingael sat on a stool, Cherette set to work. Her handmaiden pulled her blond locks free of their bindings and carefully removed the gold and jewel headdress. Once it was set aside they carefully removed the garish diamond adorned gown Gunnar insisted she wear to display wealth the kingdom did not have.
In its place Aingael donned a simple black blouse and pants over which she could place her armor without problem. She handed off the gown and headdress to Cherette.
Cherette placed them in an iron trunk they’d had made for this purpose. She carefully placed the dress on top of the rest of the jeweled gowns and headdresses. “I will have Shane put these on the carts, miss.”
“It’s Aingael now, Cherette. As my husband sold all of our heads to the highest bidder, we are now all in this together.” Aingael set her hands on Cherette’s shoulders. “I am no longer Queen. I am with my people.”
“Aye, but you always have been, Miss.” Cherette bowed.
Aingael kissed her on the forehead. “Now go. Get Shane and go out with him to the warded sector. I wish you as safe as these jewels. Remember where I asked you to hide them.”
“In the recesses of Croche valley, under the village square. I shall guard them with my life.”
“You’ll guard yourself. If the past two years have been worth it, hopefully you’ll not have any need to guard a thing.”
“Are the woman prepared for the sort of battle you are expecting? It will be a battle against men, savage men.”
“Aye. Savage and unfeeling. The Cairn are raised for war, but they are not defending their home.” Aingael glanced toward the sea. “And I must pray to the Goddess that they are not prepared for the way a woman fights. They are under the impression that we aren’t prepared for their attack, that they will be able to come in and destroy.”
“By Her grace your preparations will not be for naught, my lady.”
“By Her grace, Cherette, we will survive.”
*~*
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*~*
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!
