(See previous disclaimer.)
Warning, more adult themes ahead, this time, Nadine's POV.
============================
Nadine moved past Rainey to the door and pulled it open. There was Purvis, the UPS guy, with a box. "Looks you got something from Halvoran Press," he greeted her. "I need you to sign for it."
She opened the door wide and took the clipboard. "I've been expecting this." When she returned the clipboard, a folded ten dollar bill had found its way under the top sheet of paperwork. Strictly speaking, she wasn't on the regular UPS route, but a chat with the driver one afternoon outside the Tashmore Lake post office had taken care of that detail. Purvis now came by a couple times a week with goodies from her forays on eBay, and always got cash under the table for his trouble.
Rainey was standing just inside the door, watching her. He probably hadn't missed the payoff. Shoot, he hadn't missed a darn thing, including her reaction to his embrace.
"Advance copies," she said to Rainey as she came back inside. She plunked the box down on the old trunk that served as a coffee table, and was about to go to the kitchen for a knife when Rainey pulled one from his pocket.
"Here you go," he said, offering it to her. "Let's see what you got."
It was a big folding knife; the handle was horn or bone of some kind. Nadine carefully slit the end flaps of the box, then drew the blade along the top seam. She folded the knife closed and returned it to him. "I love this part. Shoot, it's like Christmas -- even though I know what I'm getting, I get such a kick out of seeing it for the first time."
Under a layer of bubblewrap, the soft-bound volumes bore a cover design in blue and silver. "Gemini Descending", by Nadine Cooper. REVIEW COPY -- NOT FOR RESALE' (Wow, that's beautiful. They did such a good job, I just love that artwork. I've got to tell Fran how happy I am, she's been a doll to work with.)
"Well, Miss Nadine? You gonna give me a crack at this one?" She'd almost forgotten Rainey's presence in her joy at the sight of her newest book.
"You gonna read it?" she teased, holding out the copy she held.
Rainey looked down at her, poker-faced, his intense dark eyes studying her in a way that made her weak. Nadine felt a quiver in her pelvis as he took the bound manuscript. "You have my word. Guess this gives me something else to take care of." He tipped his hat as he opened the front door. "Ma'am."
"Oh, my God," she muttered as the door closed, sitting down on the couch. "God. Nadine, you have been alone way too long." Damn, what was the matter with her? A bad case of the hots, that was what!
Rainey was a good-looking man, totally different from her unlamented ex. Leroy, a big, blonde bull of a man, had cherished the fond delusion that the thirty pounds he'd put on since his varsity football days were solid muscle. But Rainey? Umm...tall, dark and handsome was just the beginning....broad shoulders...those strong arms around her, pulling her close to his taut body...looking into his gorgeous brown eyes...hearing his sexy deep voice drawling "Miss Nadine"...the way he moved, like a panther. Nadine shook her head, trying to break the spell.
Outside, Rainey's car was moving, and she listened as the engine noise faded away. (He was turned on, too, I could tell. Couldn't've been more obvious if he'd hit me upside the head with it -- !) Nadine gave a low moan. She hugged herself the way Rainey had, her breasts aching with desire. (Take off that hat of his, unbutton my way down that oh-so-velvety flannel shirt and see if he's as hunky as I think he is....) He'd been just the right height, too, she thought, remembering how she'd fit against him, full-length as he'd held her in his sinewy embrace.
"Gonna wind up writting trashy romance novels, you don't watch out," she warned herself, trying to break the distracting train of thought. "Godawful tacky bodice rippers with half-naked folks on the cover and all kinds of purple prose." She mentally smacked herself for the sudden flash on a shirtless, hard-bodied Rainey on the cover of a paperback with her name on it. (Only if I get to do the research on that!)
She chuckled and sat there for a moment, popping bubblewrap and trying to come up with a suitably absurd plot for the hypothetical romance. Two literary rivals living out in the middle of nowhere get involved with each other, and one of them is suspected of murder. Shoot, it already sounded like a bad romance novel. Yes, but in the book, which one would be the killer? And then what?
Nadine finally got up and disposed of the wrappings, smiling. After all, it was only fiction.
=============
Well, now! We've got lots of unresolved sexual tension between Shooter and Nadine...but what about Mort? And what's "Gemini Descending about, anyway...?
.
Warning, more adult themes ahead, this time, Nadine's POV.
============================
Nadine moved past Rainey to the door and pulled it open. There was Purvis, the UPS guy, with a box. "Looks you got something from Halvoran Press," he greeted her. "I need you to sign for it."
She opened the door wide and took the clipboard. "I've been expecting this." When she returned the clipboard, a folded ten dollar bill had found its way under the top sheet of paperwork. Strictly speaking, she wasn't on the regular UPS route, but a chat with the driver one afternoon outside the Tashmore Lake post office had taken care of that detail. Purvis now came by a couple times a week with goodies from her forays on eBay, and always got cash under the table for his trouble.
Rainey was standing just inside the door, watching her. He probably hadn't missed the payoff. Shoot, he hadn't missed a darn thing, including her reaction to his embrace.
"Advance copies," she said to Rainey as she came back inside. She plunked the box down on the old trunk that served as a coffee table, and was about to go to the kitchen for a knife when Rainey pulled one from his pocket.
"Here you go," he said, offering it to her. "Let's see what you got."
It was a big folding knife; the handle was horn or bone of some kind. Nadine carefully slit the end flaps of the box, then drew the blade along the top seam. She folded the knife closed and returned it to him. "I love this part. Shoot, it's like Christmas -- even though I know what I'm getting, I get such a kick out of seeing it for the first time."
Under a layer of bubblewrap, the soft-bound volumes bore a cover design in blue and silver. "Gemini Descending", by Nadine Cooper. REVIEW COPY -- NOT FOR RESALE' (Wow, that's beautiful. They did such a good job, I just love that artwork. I've got to tell Fran how happy I am, she's been a doll to work with.)
"Well, Miss Nadine? You gonna give me a crack at this one?" She'd almost forgotten Rainey's presence in her joy at the sight of her newest book.
"You gonna read it?" she teased, holding out the copy she held.
Rainey looked down at her, poker-faced, his intense dark eyes studying her in a way that made her weak. Nadine felt a quiver in her pelvis as he took the bound manuscript. "You have my word. Guess this gives me something else to take care of." He tipped his hat as he opened the front door. "Ma'am."
"Oh, my God," she muttered as the door closed, sitting down on the couch. "God. Nadine, you have been alone way too long." Damn, what was the matter with her? A bad case of the hots, that was what!
Rainey was a good-looking man, totally different from her unlamented ex. Leroy, a big, blonde bull of a man, had cherished the fond delusion that the thirty pounds he'd put on since his varsity football days were solid muscle. But Rainey? Umm...tall, dark and handsome was just the beginning....broad shoulders...those strong arms around her, pulling her close to his taut body...looking into his gorgeous brown eyes...hearing his sexy deep voice drawling "Miss Nadine"...the way he moved, like a panther. Nadine shook her head, trying to break the spell.
Outside, Rainey's car was moving, and she listened as the engine noise faded away. (He was turned on, too, I could tell. Couldn't've been more obvious if he'd hit me upside the head with it -- !) Nadine gave a low moan. She hugged herself the way Rainey had, her breasts aching with desire. (Take off that hat of his, unbutton my way down that oh-so-velvety flannel shirt and see if he's as hunky as I think he is....) He'd been just the right height, too, she thought, remembering how she'd fit against him, full-length as he'd held her in his sinewy embrace.
"Gonna wind up writting trashy romance novels, you don't watch out," she warned herself, trying to break the distracting train of thought. "Godawful tacky bodice rippers with half-naked folks on the cover and all kinds of purple prose." She mentally smacked herself for the sudden flash on a shirtless, hard-bodied Rainey on the cover of a paperback with her name on it. (Only if I get to do the research on that!)
She chuckled and sat there for a moment, popping bubblewrap and trying to come up with a suitably absurd plot for the hypothetical romance. Two literary rivals living out in the middle of nowhere get involved with each other, and one of them is suspected of murder. Shoot, it already sounded like a bad romance novel. Yes, but in the book, which one would be the killer? And then what?
Nadine finally got up and disposed of the wrappings, smiling. After all, it was only fiction.
=============
Well, now! We've got lots of unresolved sexual tension between Shooter and Nadine...but what about Mort? And what's "Gemini Descending about, anyway...?
.