Tuesday Tales – Tiger – Haunted Hearts

Jenna

Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!  This weeks prompt is Tiger.

Well, there’s the problem with writing short books, they really don’t last long in Tuesday Tales. I just put my first one in last week, and now Haunted Hearts is done in my files. This week’s scene comes from the last chapter.

Jenna and Bryce have finally decided to try this dating thing and have been going out for about 2 weeks. Kyle is Bryce’s cousin and friend:

If anyone had told Jenna as little as three weeks ago she’d be in her current situation, she’d have told them they were insane. As it happened, though, Kyle now sat across from her in her own kitchen.

When Bryce had shown up that morning, he’d had a pained look on his handsome features moments before Kyle had popped his head around the corner. Bryce had managed only a whispered apology before Kyle had started enthusiastic conversation about the search through the videos for proof of ghosts from their hunt.

Since Bryce was pretty busy during the week and Jenna herself had her weekends booked through Halloween, they’d had only a few short hours to do anything with the tapes. Of course, they’d also wanted some time to try this dating thing.

After some time talking about the one video tape they’d managed to get through, Kyle turned the discussion to his Halloween party.

Bryce’s brow furrowed. “Kyle. I don’t think that’s going to work. Jenna doesn’t do parties and I really don’t feel like going, not that I ever have before.”

“Come on, everyone is in costume. No one will care.” Kyle looked pointedly at Jenna. “It’ll be so much fun.”

A familiar knot settled in her stomach at the idea of a party. So many people. She sighed and shook her head. “I usually don’t have fun in crowds.”

“But we could dress up.” Kyle grinned wickedly.

Over Bryce’s groan, she tried another protest, “But I wouldn’t even know where to begin on a costume.”

“Well.” Kyle pointed to each of them in turn. “There’s three of us. So we could be a lion, a tiger, and a bear.”

Jenna just stared at him, unsure what even to do with that. The longer she sat the more Kyle nodded, actually waving her on.

Bryce shook his head with a sigh. “I think you were supposed to say ‘oh my’.”

“Right.” The phrase clicked in her head, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Kyle, you are a sad, sad man. You know that, right?”

“I do.” Kyle finished off his coffee. “At least tell me you’ll think about it.”

“That’s the most I can give you.” Jenna glanced at Bryce, who smiled warmly. She turned back to Kyle. “But I just don’t know. I don’t like crowds, at all. A Halloween party seems like a bad idea to me.”

“Crowd, schmowd. It’ll be a small, intimate affair. Ten, twenty, fifty of my closest friends at most.” Kyle winked.

“Ten, sure. It’s that fifty that bothers me.”

Bryce reached out to squeeze Jenna’s hand. “Just get out of here, Kyle. Jenna and I are busy today, I told you that.”

That day was supposed to be the first time they were able to spend a significant amount of time together. They’d planned on making good use of it, although Bryce was being hush hush about his ideas for what to do that would keep them away from big crowds.

Kyle rolled his eyes and pushed to his feet. “Yeah, yeah. I know, you told me.”

Jenna smirked. “You aren’t as put out as you want to be. You’re too happy for him.”

Bryce’s grin grew when Kyle stopped to eye her.

Kyle frowned slightly. “How’d you know that?”

“A good guess?” Jenna grinned at Bryce’s snort.

“Right.” Kyle kept one eye on her as he left the room.

When the door closed, Bryce chuckled. “It’s not often I see him speechless.”

“Well, he earned it today.”

*~*

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Tuesday Tales – Picture Prompt – Haunted Hearts

11141122_10205895674849827_8134279105872976668_nWelcome back to Tuesday Tales!  This weeks prompt is this picture.

Due to time constraints, we’re jumping to the 12th book my Holidays at Lake Point series, Haunted Hearts.

Jenna Vogel is a bank teller with a side job as the host of the town’s ghost tours. She also has a secret, she’s a sensitive, which is how she manages to help people get evidence on almost every single tour.

Bryce is a lawyer with a secret as well…despite his well established reputation around town as a man-whore who can, and does, sleep with anything with boobs…he’s actually the opposite. His cousin spreads the rumors and he actually encourages them b/c he’s had his heart broken one too many times.

Bryce just moved to town and had never met Jenna before, but spots her out one day at The Diner. His cousin notices his instant attraction to the blonde and sets the up on a tour. The next evening, Bryce goes for a run at the local park and here is the all-too-brief, but in the 300 word count limit result:

The narrow dirt path wound through the thick of woods for two miles before emerging on a small tree lined lane at the back of the park. He swung around the path and back to the bridge to cross over into the main park. As he rounded the path to the bridge he stopped short in surprise.

In the middle of the bridge stood Jenna. Her arms draped casually over the side, a breeze stirring her curls as her eyes closed. Again that sexy, secretive smirk played across her lips.

His lungs seized up reminding him that he’d stopped in the middle of a good run, and that he’d managed to stop breathing altogether.

He gulped in air, bending over as his body coughed in retaliation for the world’s worst way to stop running. Both his hands pressed hard against his knees, his chest bowing at each heaving gasp until he managed to get himself together.

That’s when he noticed hands on his back, and Jenna’s quiet voice seeped into his awareness. “Are you all right?”

He nodded fiercely and held up a finger to let her know he needed another second. Once he was sure he could speak without hacking up another lung, he managed to stand. “Sorry.”

“If you wanted my attention you really only had to say hello.”

“I thought I’d go for the drama tactic.” He laughed when she did. “I mean, if that hadn’t work I could have tried breaking my ankle, now that would’ve really had you running.”

“Maybe in the opposite direction. I don’t handle others pain well.” She cringed, a delicate wrinkle forming in her nose when she did. “Your coughing fit was difficult enough, if there’s real pain I get sick.”

“Is that so?”

 

*~*

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Tuesday Tales – Curly – Heartstrings & Hockey Pucks

CageishWelcome 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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Tuesday Tales – Independent Brake

frontporchWelcome back to Tuesday Tales!  This weeks prompt is to be inspired by this picture.

Goodness I’m running behind this week, and I’m sorry. Life was rather up and down and all around…and a sick kid at home today wasn’t very inspirational to writing. Anyhow…my prompt is rather inspired by this picture as I’m still in Kat’s story and a historical western would not have a mailbox or an electric lightbulb…I’m sort of bare-bones on the details…but anyhow. After a couple of months back in Dominion Falls, Kat has spent her time having fun with Cole, but as that devolves from pure sex into friendship, she has rather upped her pursuit of the older Norman…but today he has a surprise for her:

They hadn’t gone quite a quarter of a mile before the small homestead came into view. She remembered the homestead being half-finished, devoid of life, before she’d left Dominion Falls. She couldn’t even remember who’d been building it, but she had noticed when she moved back that it had come to life, although it still seemed to be without an occupant.

Someone had finished the home finally, and painted it a cheery yellow. Though the homestead was empty, chairs perched on the small porch, just waiting for occupants.

Much to Kat’s surprise, Norman slowed to a stop in front of the small home.

“Norman?”

“I was buildin’ it for Betsy, then she up and died.”

She gasped and eyed the house. “I’d forgotten it was yours. You  left it to rot after she passed. When I left there was no porch or windows. Did someone buy it?”

“Nah. Lots of promises I didn’t keep. Few years ago I figured I’d finish one promise and fixed it up real nice. Thought I might sell it, but ain’t been able to let it go.”

“Understandable. I’m sure Elizabeth would have loved it. I remember she wore yellow all the time.”

“Was her favorite color. But she’s gone now. It’s time to let go, I s’pose.”

“Only you can know if it’s time.”

“Thought maybe you’d wanna live here so’s you can get outta Cora’s place, I mean.”

“What?” Kat dropped her hand from his arm and took a step back.

“I’d rent it to ya, if ya want. If not, I’ll probably sell it.”

“I couldn’t live in Betsy’s house. It’s a lovely gesture, and I appreciate the kindness, but it wouldn’t be right, me living there what with you ready to move on…”

“I reckon I am. Been nine years, after all.”

*~*

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Tuesday Tales – Pale – Natural Selection

Leilyn2Welcome back to Tuesday Tales!  This weeks prompt is Pale.

Leilyn got the shock of her life when Dell’s mere presence made her Were come out to play. Plus, she had Byron hint that Dell might be her mate.

This week Dell confronts his mate with some truths…and throws her world on its head:

Leilyn shifted too fast for Dell to have a chance to explain further. When he managed to change back to human, she already had her clothes back on. Her features were pale, drawn, and she’d refused to say a word to Olive or Byron, although she did accept Byron’s comforting hug.

Dell did his best not to growl his displeasure at the action. Considering Leilyn only knew half the truth, and Byron wasn’t showing any possession or protective instincts, Dell managed to keep his frustration under wraps.

He threw on the trousers Olive had thrown his way. Before Byron could ask the question he’d opened his mouth for, Dell cut him off. “Get out. Both of you. Out.” He put the full force of Alpha magic behind the command, something he rarely, if ever, did to Olive. This was too important.

Leilyn sank to the bed when Byron obeyed immediately. She rubbed her hands along her thighs, and Dell’s own hands twitched under his urge to go comfort her.

The moment the room was clear, Leilyn whispered, “I don’t understand.”

Dell grabbed a chair and spun it around. He straddled the seat and leaned on the back. “Have you been able to disobey a command?”

“Always. It wasn’t easy, but if I really set my mind to it, yes. Even my uncle, and he’s Alpha.”

“He’s not your Alpha. He’s not your uncle, either.”

“Yes. My parents were killed in the war, my mom…she was his sister.”

Dell gritted his teeth against the lie. “What year?”

“Sixty three.”

“Where are you from, Leilyn?” Dell rose when she shook her head. This time he wouldn’t let her skirt around the question. He stepped closer, putting force behind his words when he asked again, “Where are you from?”

Her nose wrinkled like she might get sick, and she stretched her neck against what he knew was an intense need to answer him. She fought the order hard, but in the end fairly vomited the words, “West Virginia.”

“The pack, they are weak, yes? They’re becoming more wolf than man, mongrel, their fur is patchy, their shifts painful.”

Even though her eyes fluttered shut, she wasn’t able to stop the tear that slipped along her cheek. “Not all of them.”

“They are the pack that attacked ours in sixty-three. They killed many Were’s and human’s alike. They took a young girl.” He sat beside her when she shook her head vehemently. With a gentle touch, he set his hand on hers. “Until my father reminded me, I’d forgotten. Pushed it out of my head because it was traumatic for me as well. We’d thought they’d killed you.”

“Not me.”

“Yes. You. We called you Megan. Your mother was pack, your father an Indian human.” He lifted her hand and pulled it close. “I saw you fall. When your body went missing my father assumed it was wildlife.”

“Not me, not me, not me.” Her hand shook before she grasped his.

“They stole you from us, from me.”

“I was treated well. Like a princess. They sent me to town in all sort of weather to be sure I was learned.” Her eyes fluttered open and she turned toward him. “I’m so confused. Why? Why would he do this?”

“Because their pack has bred together too much, they needed fresh blood.”

“He won’t let me go. I tried to reduce my risk by swimming to lessen how much scent I left behind, but he will come for me. I need to go. I have to.”

“No. You must stay.”

“Dell.” She trembled and leaned closer, her lashes curtained over her intense green eyes. “Don’t do that.”

“I’m not doing anything.” His heart rate picked up when she set her hand on his chest to physically push away from him. She didn’t get far since he still held her hand.

She stared at their clasped hands. “What did you mean, when you said he took me—from you?”

“Not now.” No matter how much he wanted to claim her, he could sense her growing distress. In one day she’d gone from runaway to learning her whole life was a lie. That was a lot of surprises for one day, one more might tip her over the edge. “You need time to adjust.”

“What if I already know?”

“Then you can tell me tomorrow.”

*~*

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