Sunday, March 31, 2013

Sunday Snippet: Breaking Ice


Hello and Happy Easter to those who celebrate.

Gearing up for Walking Dead and watching the Doctor Who special for the third doctor. Also letting my holiday dinner settle while doing both. LOL

Tonight's post is from a work in progress entitled, Breaking Ice. It's still in the planning stages…I have way too many manuscripts in the planning stages…but yeah, I won't complain because words keep flowing. LOL

So, here's the tagline: (Subject to change. LOL)

Bailee and Oakes have a long history of breaking each other's heart and leaving a long trail of personal drama everywhere they go. But they finally have a shot at being on the same page after going one on one in a charity sparring match, if they can trust themselves to get it right this time.

And here's the snippety peek…

Oakes flinched when the nurse put two butterfly bandages over his brow. At least he didn't gasp against the pain when they taped his wrist. His lips quirked. He and Bailee showed the younger kids a thing or two. Even when they couldn't stand each other, they fought well together. It helped Bailee always seemed to know exactly what he planned to do and followed through with something complementary.
He risked a glance in her direction. She hadn't said more than three words since they left the fight cage. 'Are you okay?' didn't give him much to go on, but then again, she rarely provided more than she had to, making him work to draw anything of substance out. Part of the reason she drove him insane most of the time. And the reason they couldn't seem to get past the starting gate.
The nurse grimaced and tossed a couple of ice packs in their direction. Oakes wrinkled his nose when he caught the one headed his way. Dried sweat and cage smell. Not a pleasant aroma.
He shot Bailee a sideways glance. "Man, we're ripe."
Bailee snorted, but didn't disagree. "Yeah, it's pretty potent." She thumped the bag and mashed it between her hands, activating the cold chemicals. "But you know what?" She raised her gaze and met his after gingerly placing the ice pack on her ankle.
Oakes raised a brow and winced. "Ouch. What?" He braced for anything; a scathing retort, a pithy smack down, or maybe, if he got lucky, none of the above.
She grinned. "We kicked ass. So the stench? Totally worth it." Leaning back against the makeshift cot, she heaved a satisfied sigh.
Happy she seemed thrilled, he agreed. "Yep. Worth it." Could they start over…again?
Sliding his glance sideways, he pondered Bailee for a few moments. She'd been as bumped and bruised up as him, but it didn't detract from her peak physical condition. The physical between them never suffered. Everything else…gave them trouble. But when she entered the cage, she'd seemed less manic and more controlled. Oakes found himself letting hope build a little.
Enough to make a bold suggestion. "Wanna give me a bath?" A loaded question, but it would gauge her mood.
Bailee's gaze shot to his and she couldn't look away. Her mouth opened, closed, and then her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip. A flicker of indecision crossed her face, followed by something indefinable. The indefinable drew him in, kicking the hope up another notch.
She spoke quietly, "Are you sure you wanna go there, Oakes?"
Something in the tone, the finality maybe, filled him with resolution. He'd push as far as she'd let him.
He didn't look away, or even blink. "Yeah, I'm sure. Can you handle that?" He waited a beat. "This time."

Oakes, my man, I think Bailee might just be ready to get it right this time. :D



That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

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