Man… the heat has
been horrible this week. I hope everyone has a cool spot and is dealing with
the high temperatures safely. Ugh… it's miserable. Watching the Irish Open, I
truly wanted to be there. I mean they were wearing sweaters and jackets. I
could go for that right now. And, yeah, everyone needs to remind me when I'm
griping about how cold it is in May next year to shut up and deal. LOL
Slow week for
television viewing. I had a full slate of work and needed to focus so I didn't
get as many shows watched.
I did catch another
episode of Daredevil. I missed
watching one last week. Not a bad episode but too much Fisk for my liking.
Krypton had a great episode. I'm in deep and want to know what happens next.
I'm honestly not sure if I care whether Lyta is redeemed or not but I do want
to see her reaction to the reprogramming.
Watched another
episode of Painkiller Jane and the
pieces started to fall into place. Only about three or four more episodes left
of this show.
Last but not least,
I caught another episode of Durham County.
Man, Michelle Forbes can really play the barely hanging on by a thread
character better than a lot of actors. She's scary good at those roles.
That's pretty much
it for this week. Tonight's post is from Steamed Up, a novella that started
with a writing community prompt.
Here's the
mini-blurb:
Raina Forbes and Huck Holloway are forced to work together
after a spectacular break-up. Their close-quarters job situation has sparks
flying between the former couple, and shaky new relationships are tested with
Huck's going down in flames. And contrary to popular opinion, Huck doesn't
always play nice when he truly wants something… or someone.
And a snippety peek…
Huck pulled into the parking lot
of the nondescript warehouse and cut the engine. "So… this is it."
Four stories with plenty of room.
Which he might need working with
Raina.
He gave the building a quick
once-over. Not much to look at, a gold-plated sign with Underground
Entertainment beside the door the only indication the place had occupants. But
it had clean lines and plenty of care. No streaking from soot and other
pollution down the sides of the brick exterior. The parking lot had a security
gate and lots of space, and the roof had satellite feeds for live shows. All in
all, a ton of money-making potential.
Pulling the keys from the
ignition, he pocketed them. "Why don't I feel great about this?"
Right… Raina.
When Maisie and Earl Merchant
decided to sell out and retire, they stipulated Hector had to keep Huck on
board. After all, he'd grown the company to its current status and if Hector
played his cards right, Huck would make him piles of cash on merchandise too.
Huck almost walked anyhow… but Hector
dangled a big bump in salary plus creative control on design. Huck's
kryptonite. No, Raina used to be your
kryptonite… the creative desire kicked in after you split up.
Huck snorted. "Doesn't
matter. For creative freedom, I all but gyrated across a stripper stage to
accept the offer." Not like he didn't have practice.
Once upon a time, a long while
ago—underage and in high school—way back when.
A quick rapping on his window and
the door popping open startled Huck. Tina's face peeked inside his car. Her
floral scent, while not unpleasant, tickled his nose and almost made him
sneeze.
She stepped back and draped her
arm over the window in a sex-kitten pose. "Huck, I've been waiting and
watching for you." Her tone took on a breathless quality. "I'm so
glad you're here."
He resisted the urge to roll his
eyes. He didn't appreciate Tina's welcoming gesture, especially since it reeked
of being an ambush. Dammit, he didn't want a scene with her.
He'd defined their hookup in
clear and certain terms. He had a need—for one night only—and she happened to
be available. Dirty, sweaty sex and nothing more. No strings, no romance, and
no repeat performance.
Too bad Tina didn't want to
accept the terms. He'd spent the time between then and now dodging her calls
and texts. Giving her his number might prove to be his biggest mistake.
He slid out of the vehicle, being
careful to avoid brushing against Tina. "I'm sure I can manage to find my
way inside. You didn't need to come out to greet me." He'd wanted to have
some time to observe the inner workings of the facility before he met with
Hector.
Tina preened and moved so he
could close the door. "Well, I just wanted a moment to let you know I
talked you up in the morning meeting and I also set Raina straight." She
tried to hook her arm through his, but her fingers only brushed his sleeve…
Because he stopped short.
"What did you set Raina straight about?" Reaction burned through his
veins but he kept his tone calm.
Tina blinked in confusion.
"Us, of course." Her mouth pouted prettily.
Huck pinned her with his gaze and
held it for several long moments. "There is no us. Never was, never will
be." He wrapped his fingers around the door handle. "I'm sure I made
that clear. If there's going to be a problem, tell me now and I'll talk to
Hector about finding someone else to handle the merchandising for
Underground." When he pulled the door open, he quirked an eyebrow.
Tina's eyes went wide. "You
wouldn't. Hector's been raving about having you on board since the deal went
through." She kept her voice low so no one would overhear.
Huck lifted a shoulder.
"Then let's make sure we're on the same page. I'm not here for workplace
hookups. With you or anyone else." Including Raina.
As if that would happen.
Huck pushed for clarification.
"Are you certain you understand now?"
Tina gave a terse nod and entered
the building ahead of him. She didn't glance back or speak to anyone on her way
to the ladies' room. Huck hated to be the bad guy; loathed playing the role of
asshole. But, damn, he didn't need another complication.
Hector bustled out of his office
and clapped Huck on the back. "Welcome, welcome. I'm thrilled to have you
on my team." He flung an arm in the direction of the room he'd only just
vacated. "Take a few moments and look around, then come on in when you're
ready."
Huck lifted his chin in
acknowledgment. "Sure, I won't take long." He made a cursory stroll
around the training room, which Hector situated front and center.
The man certainly had a Midas
touch when it came to staging brawls. The spectacle and showmanship never
failed to top audience expectations. But the man's misogynistic tendencies
often rubbed people wrong—especially Huck.
Why
am I working for this dickhead again?
Right. Creative freedom to design
and sell merchandise. If all worked out, Huck would go out on his own in five
years or less. Then he wouldn't have to work with a guy who thought anything
with tits should be used to make money.
A fact Huck got acquainted with
during his time with Raina. She'd walked from their relationship, choosing to
let herself be used that way by Hector to make big bucks. She had the smarts to
do anything she wanted. Why let Hector put her physical assets on display?
Huck stopped outside the locker
room. Shit. Raina.
He closed his eyes. "I'm
gonna have to work with her." And he would… if only to prove a point.
Huck knew promo. He lived and
breathed selling merchandise tie-ins to spectacles created by entertainment
kingpins like Hector. And Huck kept everything legal; licensing and appearance
contracts, quality control, and number crunching with pristine accounting
practices. His background with both sides of the law gave him a unique
perspective. Cutting corners and cooking the debit and credit columns never
paid off.
He'd know within three months if
Hector fudged his receipts in any way—from live pay-per-view to ticket sales to
what he paid his fighters and trainers. And his marketing and promo people.
Huck made his way back to the
office and entered, taking a quick glance around the space. He found Hector
seated behind the desk and Raina pouring some coffee into two mugs.
Hector rose and came around
front, accepting a mug from Raina. "I'll keep this brief. I want you two
to head up bookings and promo. I don't care how you get the job done as long as
you do." He paused, taking a sip of the steaming beverage. "Either of
you have a problem with this setup?" His eyebrow quirked.
Huck shot a quick look toward
Raina. "No, no problem here." He wouldn't admit it if he had one.
Raina's lips curved in a wry
twist. "We'll be fine, Hector." She wrapped her hands around the mug
and brought it to her lips.
Huck had a momentary flashback to
when she'd drink coffee in bed after a night of steaming up the sheets. Not here. Not now. Focus on the work.
Hector lifted a hand. "Good,
good. I'll take my leave. Have a couple of new fighters to get signed in and
ready to rumble." He ambled out of the office and snagged Tina on her way
back from the ladies' room.
Huck went over to the coffee bar
and poured a mug. "Give me a moment to get some caffeine then we can get
down to business." He glanced back and Raina gave him a nod.
So far, so good.
He wouldn't have to address the
whole Tina situation just yet.
I'm so pleased with
how this story is going. I love the trope of being a couple too soon and then
making their way back together thing. After jumping a few hurdles, of course.
That's it for this
week. Happy reading!
Skylin
