February 2, 2014
Hiya!
Remember when I
mentioned being in for Bitten last
week? Well, I'm a little more than in… I've become quite obsessed. Like scary
obsessed. Haven't done that since Arrow
last year, when I rewatched every episode like three times in a row before it
would leave my brain. Yeah, that's what Bitten
has been doing to me. And I've got books I can read and devour, too. Oddly,
I've had them on my Kindle for ages and ages, but haven't been in the mood to
really dive into a full series read. I am now. LOL
Walking Dead returns next Sunday. YAY! My middle kidlet
and I always enjoy being completely grossed out before bedtime. J Helix has filled that slot a little, but
it's not quite as compelling as TWD, in my opinion. Good show, but I haven't
found anyone I want to root for yet. Actually, I take that back. I did… but the
character is now dead. Dammit.
Oh, and, Captain
America: Winter Soldier? April needs to get here right now. My soft spot for
Cap is getting bigger and bigger. :D
Tonight's post is
from the novella, Feeling Alive where my main female character goes through
some major personal drama.
Here's the tagline:
Maddox loses her partner in a bomb explosion and shuts down
emotionally. Wakefield arrives to interrogate Maddox about his brother's death,
but she refuses to discuss the trauma. She ends up in another explosive
situation and Wake finally breaks through Maddox's defenses, but he also opens
the floodgates, which may get both killed.
And a snippety peek…
Wake woke up to an empty bed. He
sat up slowly and glanced around his room. Empty. He probably should've
anticipated Maddox bailing on him.
Swinging his legs over the edge
of the mattress, he pondered his best course of action. He could track her
down, maybe demand more answers. No, she'd poured her guts out and the gaping
hole hadn't even scarred over yet. Rising, he strode into the bathroom and
turned the shower on. He'd figure out what to do about Maddox after he woke up
a little more and downed some coffee.
Lathering up, his hands grazed
over a sensitive spot on his shoulder. He'd bet she'd left her mark. His mind
flashed back to her mouth, teeth, and nails moving over his skin. The woman
gave as good as she got, and welcomed an even exchange.
Rinsing off, he shook his head
back and forth, clearing the water from his eyes and hair. He grabbed a towel
and dried off quickly, leaving his ears for last. He pushed the fluffy fabric
against his head, walked out to the room, and stopped short.
Maddox sat at the small table
with two steaming cups of coffee and what looked like breakfast. She lifted a
brow and he remembered his nude state. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he
changed gears, getting his head around the fact she hadn't bailed.
He also went from groggy to oh
hot damn in two seconds flat.
Settling into the seat across
from her, he studied her for several moments. She met his gaze head on and
handed him one of the coffees.
He took a bracing gulp.
"Thanks." He cocked his head. "I'll admit, I figured you made a
mad dash for anywhere but here when I woke up alone."
Maddox opened the bag, reached
in, and handed him a container. "Thought about it, but you strike me as
the type who wouldn't leave well enough alone." She popped the lid to her
box and the aroma of home fries and gravy filled the room.
He followed suit and dug into the
food before commenting. "Look, I don't want to make more anything than
there is…"
She chewed and swallowed.
"Good, then don't."
He frowned. "But what
exactly was last night?"
She quirked a brow. "Two
consenting people having super-hot sex. That's it."
He snorted. "Bullshit. There
was more going on with you than a need for a hard dick." He sipped more
coffee. "Care to fill me in?"
She stabbed at her potatoes and
glanced away. He'd hit a nerve. Good. He wouldn't pretend he had any claim on
her, but she'd left a brand on him. And he'd dig until certain nothing existed
between them.
She swung her gaze back in his
direction. "Last night was me remembering I'm alive." She looked down
and toyed with the food in the carton. "And feeling it." She raised
her face. "Every bit of it." Her lips curved. "Felt good.
Because I haven't let myself really feel anything since Avery died."
Wake reached across the table and
placed his hand on hers. He stayed quiet, wanting her to work through whatever
she needed without him pushing. He'd done enough prodding last night.
She sighed. "I've done some
research. Losing a partner is like losing spouse. Avery and I weren't involved,
but he knew everything about me. Favorite food, how I like my coffee, what
movies I like to watch. Hell, he even knew when to bring ibuprofen in for my
menstrual cramps, because I never remembered to stock up." She laughed.
"Your brother would've made a great husband."
Wake nodded. "He had a knack
for being awesome."
Her eyes filled, but she blinked
the tears away. "He did. But I'm doing him any favors or honoring his
memory by not living." She met his gaze again. "I realize, now, I
need to feel and be… well, alive. If I don't, I'll wither and fade into
nothing."
Wake squeezed her hand. "If
that's all last night was, you reaffirming your place among the living, I'd get
it." He let go of her and resumed eating. "It might be a little
awkward to start a relationship with your former partner's brother."
She pinned him with her gaze.
"Dead partner's brother. Sorry for being blunt. But former makes it sound
like Avery transferred to another unit. He didn't. And I'm the reason he'll
never have a chance." She glanced away, shrugging. "Honestly? Awkward
doesn't come close to accurate." She took another bite of food going quiet
for a moment.
Wake pushed his box away, his
appetite gone. He couldn't argue her point about the craziness of getting
tangled up together. But dammit, he kind of didn't care.
Maddox cleared her throat.
"Wake, how can you not hate me, at least on some level?"
The question caught him off
guard, but he answered. "Oh, part of me does. The brother side is
seriously pissed. You're recklessness got Avery killed. And almost took another
life." He softened his tone. "But the rational man underneath, the
one who sees the whole situation, gets it, Maddox. You spiraled down, but
you're leveling out, right? I'll grieve my brother and move on. That's all I
can do."
"And getting involved with
me won't be a constant reminder? How's that work, Wake?"
He shrugged. "I don't know
yet. But the reason I came here isn't the reason I want to stay." He
paused. "Wait, actually, it is. You."
Her head jerked. "You're
letting your dick do the thinking right now, Wake."
He snorted. "Considering I'm
sitting here in nothing but a towel and hard as a rock, you could be
right." He held her gaze. "But physical attraction isn't the only
thing driving my reason for wanting to stick around. Avery talked about you. A
lot. Good things. Bad things. The kind of stuff siblings talk about." He
paused and drained his coffee cup. "I got a good picture of who he worked
with every day." He shrugged. "It's not like I'm totally blind here.
And if I know my brother, you've got a pretty solid idea of the good, the bad,
and the ugly of me, too."
Her sheepish grin answered.
"Well, yeah. There is that." She shrugged out of her flannel shirt,
revealing the form fitting tank underneath. "I'm not sure it's an
advantage, but it's something to work with." She stood and rounded the
table, holding out her hand. "Check out isn't until noon. That gives you
three hours to convince me this isn't the worst of the worst ideas."
Wake grasped her palm and rose,
leaving the towel behind. He scooped her up and deposited her on the rumpled
bed. She scooched back, leaning against the pillows, already working her jeans
down.
He put his knee on the end of the
mattress. "Guess I'd better get started then, yeah?"
Dragging her tank over her head,
she waggled her eyebrows. "You catch on quick, Wake." Throwing the
shirt and pants past his head, she crooked her finger. "Now, come here,
and start convincing."
Any bets on how the
convincing goes? LOL
That's it for this
week. Happy reading!
Skylin
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