Sunday Snippet: One Time Thing

August 4, 2013

I gotta say we're having the most incredible weather right now. August in Ohio tends to be hot, sticky, humid, sweltering, and generally horrible. We're four days into the month and haven't hit above eighty degrees. It's honestly been the most pleasant summer I can remember, even with a buttload of rain. J

On a more random note, I'm actually rather 'meh' about the choice for the twelfth doctor. In all honesty, it's going to be hard for me to picture someone who had a prominent role on Torchwood—a sister show of Who—as anyone BUT that character. And the guy had a featured guest role in the Pompeii episode, so again, it effs up my continuity. And yeah, yeah, Eve Miles had a featured guest role on Who and went on to play Gwen, so what the hell am I bitching about, right? I guess it's because she didn't end up playing a third role in both shows.

Enough about television. LOL

Tonight's post is from One Time Thing, a novella that includes one of my kinky tropes. I have a strong desire to write forbidden love that starts out dirty!bad!wrong but ends up being the greatest thing between the hero and heroine. Sadly, someone almost always gets hurt, but seeing how the couple deals with that fallout is part of the allure, IMO. J

Here's a tagline:

Sometimes a wicked powerful attraction isn't always a good thing. Vickie South and Grant Magnus have an instant spark, but Vickie is dating Grant's best friend. A stormy night and loss of power set the stage, and the duo can't resist the strong pull, which makes for an awkward situation all around.

And a snippety peek…

Vickie couldn't get Grant out of her head and reliving the night they spent together messed things up with Brent. She blamed the alcohol. If she'd been sober, she could recall their wild romp with clarity and put it aside, pulling it out only when she needed a fantasy moment for herself. Instead she had fuzzy recollections of lips on skin and heated whispers of more, now, yes, and don't stop. She got hot and wet every damn time she thought about Grant Magnus, and it had to stop.

She rolled to a halt outside his house, but left the engine running, and hoped her brain would finally give it a rest. Instead, a flash of memory—Grant's hair-roughened thighs feeling perfect under her ass—had her shutting off the car and shoving the door open. Cursing him and hating herself, she grabbed her keys, slammed the door shut, and made her way up the short walkway to his front door. Fisting her hand, she knocked then stepped back, almost praying he wouldn't answer. Two seconds later, the door swung open and Grant filled the space, looking every bit as disgusted as she felt.

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a hard glare. "Why are you here?"

Her tongue darted out and flicked over her bottom lip. Armed with nothing but the insane desire to drive him from her mind, she got straight to the heart of the matter.

She dropped it on him point blank. "I want another night—no storm, no power outage, no alcohol—to get you out of my system."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Her fingers itched to smack him. "Because I can't stop thinking about it, you, and it's driving me insane."

He shook his head. "Not my problem. And not gonna happen." He stepped back and grabbed the door, ready to close it.

She braced a hand on the wood surface. "Tell me you're not thinking about it…or me. Tell me. Can you do that?"

Grant clamped his mouth shut and his lips thinned to a flat line, but he didn't speak. Vickie pushed past him and entered the house. "I knew it couldn't just be me." She swung around and faced him. "One night. That's it, I swear."

Grant kicked the door shut. "Really? Are you sure about that?" He raked a hand through his hair. "Tell me, Vickie, what if you and Brent get married? What are you gonna do if someone else turns your head? Another one night deal to get him out of your system, too?"

Her face heated, from anger and embarrassment. She didn't want him to know how deeply he'd affected her. Hell, she barely wanted to admit the power he had to invade her thoughts on a regular basis.

But she answered with brutal honesty. "Nobody's ever gotten under my skin before." She met and held his gaze. "I doubt anyone else ever will."

Including Brent. She didn't say it, wouldn't speak it aloud, but Grant acknowledged the unspoken statement with a frustrated growl and stalked past her, pacing back and forth.

He stopped and pinned her with his gaze. "You're asking me to break faith with one of my best friends."

She nodded. "I know." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "What the hell am I doing here?"

Grant answered quietly. "I don't know, Vickie. I really don't."

Vickie tilted her head to the side and studied him. His face and eyes held the same desire and want hers did. How stupid were they to even consider something so stupid? She'd asked the same question a million times on the way to his house and no magical answer arrived to stop her.

She pushed for more. "Yet here I stand." Stark and emotionally naked. "What do we do?"

Grant didn't reply, but he didn't glance away either. Her gut churned and she wanted him to throw her out or drag her to his bed—something, anything—to break the spell of lust she'd lived with since the night of the storm.

His mouth opened then closed and he clamped his lips together. Dammit. Make a move. Or maybe he had, and she needed to figure it out. She cocked her head again and he didn't move, hardly even blinked.

She exhaled slowly. "Right. I get it. Forget I came." She turned toward the door and took a step forward.

"Vickie, wait." He strode over and grasped her arm. "I'm shit for even saying this, but you're not wrong. I haven't thought of anything else since we hooked up." His hand slid downward coming to rest on her wrist. "But it's gotta be a one-time thing. One and done. Nothing more."

Vickie held back a shudder. "One time. Got it." She met his gaze. "That's all it's gonna take."

She hoped.

Grant's head lowered and he claimed her mouth, his tongue sliding past her lips to thoroughly explore. Vickie grabbed his shirt with both hands, hauling him close then wrapped her arms around his waist. Grant cupped her ass with one hand and swung his other arm under her legs, lifting her with ease then headed toward his bedroom.

A wave of heat flared and Vickie had a sinking feeling one time would never be enough.

Poor Vickie, she won't be wrong about once never being enough. J But Grant is going to do his level best to stick to the bargain. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin