Sunday Snippet: Past All Limits

August 10, 2014

EEK! I just realized we've only got around ten days before out school year starts. I'm both thrilled and freaked out. Thrilled because the structure is great for the kids. They know where they have to be and at what time. Freaked out because we still have supplies to buy and I'm booked solid and jammed up until after the first day. Poor planning on my part. LOL

As usual, some great TV this past week. The finale for Dominion left so many new questions and I hope we get a second season. I'd love to see more of this show. Really loving the twists and turns in Defiance, too. And The Last Ship is steadily becoming one of my favorite shows.

Filming has started on Sons of Anarchy, Bitten, Arrow and Flash. Fall can't quite get here soon enough.

Tonight's post is from, Past All Limits, a novella where my main characters have some issues to resolve.

Here's the tagline:

Scarlett Jayne and Dare Humphries have issues. Scarlett can't commit and Dare won't wait around. After a nasty breakup, the former couple is thrown together for a groundbreaking at a new training facility. Six months isn't quite enough time for them to sharing space.

And a snippety peek…

Dare whirled around, facing her. "God, you are such a bitch. Why, Scarlett? Why do you start shit?" He threw a hand up in frustration.

She shrugged. "Because you're there, Dare. You're always there." She snorted. "And you just keep coming back for more. You didn't have to be part of this project."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm backing half this venture. And you know I'm hands on where my finances are concerned."

She rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. He had a point.

Dare continued. "You're the one who didn't have to be involved." He stopped, smacking his forehead with his hand. "Oh, wait. Yes, you did. You can't ride your new hot guy if you're not around all the time, can you?"

Damn him. He would have to bring up Jones. But Lance didn't make her feel the stuff Dare did—like burning hot rage and sexual tension at the same time.

Scarlett snarled. "You don't get to judge me. Not when you're banging the loan officer." She smirked. "I'll bet you got a kick ass interest rate."

Dare took a step forward. "That's not how I work and you know it."

Yeah, she did. "Then what's the appeal? She's starched, pressed, and ramrod straight.

Dare usually went for something a little more wild—why else would he have hooked up with Scarlett?

He lifted a brow. "Exactly. The polar opposite of you."

Ouch. His answer sliced deep. Scarlett sucked in a harsh breath and didn't think. She drew back her arm and landed an uppercut to his jaw. Automatic reflex had Dare retaliating, but he pulled his, landing a glancing blow instead of a wallop.

Still hurt like a bitch.

Scarlett huffed out a grunt. "Shit." She straightened and cocked her to the side. "Well, this seems familiar." Dare's very first words to her.

He rubbed his face. "You pick that to steal?" He turned away, shaking his head.

She shrugged. "Yeah. Steal from the best, right? Moves, words…" She moved forward, running her finger down his chest. "Positions." She hooked a finger in his waistband.

He scoffed. "The best? I don't think you wanna go there, Scarlett, not when you'll have your legs wrapped around Jones later tonight." He brushed her hand away and stepped back.

She frowned. "Why not? Truth is truth." She moved in close again. "It doesn't change the underlying meaning to the words. Or the subtext." She wanted him.

Dare grasped her biceps, an angry edge to his voice. "So, if I'm the best, why settle for less?" His eyes went dark and stormy.

She recalled her conversation with Herm. Fight or flight, Scarlett. You gotta decide which way to move. She'd chosen to run, but not very far.

Scarlett gave it to Dare straight. "Fight or flight, Dare. It came down to survival instinct." Except she didn't feel like she truly lived anymore.

Dare shook his head. "That makes no sense. It's not one or the other."

Her lips twisted. "It is for me." And she should maintain the status quo, right?

Dare's voice went quiet. "Why, Scarlett?"

She glanced away. "Because you're you and I'm me and it's never, ever easy."

He let go of her. "It's not supposed to be. Nothing worth having is." He spun around, pacing back and forth.

Scarlett lifted a shoulder. "Maybe. But getting lost in you doesn't work for me. And I would, Dare." She moved away, heading toward the back wall. "I already did." Feelign safe with some distance between them, she met his gaze again. "And it gives you power over me, whether I want it to or not." She looked away again.

Dare responded. "It's a two way street, Scarlett. You had the same power over me." He pinned her with his gaze. "The difference is… you burned me with it." Pain filled his eyes.

She wanted to shrink into a ball and disappear, because she hadn't just burned him. She'd lit a fuse and blew everything between them sky high. And by showing up at the ribbon cutting ceremony, she basically kicked through the ashes, stirring up the embers instead of letting them settle down.

And she had no idea why.

She tilted her head, studying Dare. "So why do we keep doing it? Hurting each other."

Dare sighed. "I have no idea, but think about it, Scarlett. The damage we do to each other… couldn't it go the other way?" He resumed pacing. "Hell, it does go the other way." He stopped. "You make me stronger and strive to do better. That's positive."

Scarlett pondered but didn't respond. He had another valid point. He pushed her to surpass her limits, challenged her to reach higher goals—and caught her when she stumbled and missed by a mile.

Why did she always forget the good when they went after each other?

Her silence had Dare sighing again. "Fine. We're done. Consider the air cleared." He turned and yanked the door open. "I'm going back up top." He stepped into the corridor.

And got closer to moving out of her life for good.

Scarlett bolted toward the exit. "Dare, wait."

I have no idea if he's going to wait or walk away, but the sages will let me know soon.

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin