Lots of Words

Alex (because no way am I having a character moan "Bunny" during the kinds of sex scenes he's instigating) and Tabby (who is a very happy woman, thank you) are officially in the Meat Grinder. The rain has let up, my body isn't giving me fits and I feel like I can sit at my desk again without whimpering like a baby. I'm going to do the first of three full read-through's on Bear Necessities today, tightening stuff up, removing things that don't make sense, beefing up the descriptions of people/places and things, that sort of thing. This is the part where I try to make sure I've written something readable rather than just put a fantasy on paper.

This is the part that's work.

Today, tomorrow and probably part of Saturday will be spent on it. On Sunday (or Saturday, depending on how things go) I'll be sending it to the Betas. Once I hear back from them I'll be able to do the final polish, write the synopsis and send it to my editor.

Have I mentioned I love Bunny?

***

“Ohmigod, ohmigod.” Tabby pulled her hair, staring into her closet. It was six forty-five and her mate would be here any minute, she didn’t know his name and she had nothing to wear.

“Little black dress.” Cyn stuck her head in Tabby’s bedroom, grinning at the pile of clothing around Tabby’s feet. “Can’t go wrong with a little black dress.”

“Guh.” The panic was threatening to tear Tabby apart. She stared at the three black dresses hanging in her closet, her hand moving between them like a demented butterfly.

Glory’s head peeked in from the other side of the doorway. “The sleeveless one.”

“Uh?” She held up her sleeveless black dress, the one with the red belt and matching shoes.

Two heads bobbed in agreement.

Tabby stripped, more than used to being naked in front of her roommates. Hell, when she’d first moved in with them they’d been shocked at how easy she felt being nude. Glory had actually asked her if she was gay and trying to tempt them to “the dark side”. She’d then giggled and said that she might be susceptible to temptation if the dark side had chocolate. Tabby had just shaken her head and put some clothes on. She’d spent so long as a Wolf she’d forgotten some of the basic parts of being human, like pants. The first time she’d used a toilet after so many years had been an interesting experience, something Mrs. Anderson still chuckled about.

When Cyn and Glory found out what she was, they’d realized why she was so comfortable with nudity. They’d freaked a little. They hadn’t accepted her immediately. In fact, there’d been another girl, Brit, who’d worked at Living Arts. Brit had left, refusing to believe what she’d seen the night Tabby, drunk off her ass for the first time in her life, let her Wolf loose in the middle of the apartment. But Glory and Cyn, after the initial shock had passed (and after, they claimed, they wiped up the dog drool) had accepted her without reservations. Hell, they’d mocked her once the hangover had passed.

If she thought they’d take it she’d make them Pack in a heartbeat. She missed having that connection, the knowledge that there were others for her to rely on without a shadow of a doubt. Part of her wondered if her dipshit ex had ever told his father the truth, or if he’d shrugged and let it go. Let her go.

Tabby shook her head and reached for her hairbrush, smoothing down her hair. That didn’t matter now. Her mate would be here any minute. She slicked on some berry gloss and stared at herself in the mirror. Then she stuck out her tongue and made a face. She was so nervous her Wolf was whining. She slipped her feet into the red high heels, grabbed her favorite purse, and headed for the living room. “Well?”

Cyn circled her finger. “Twirl.”

Tabby twirled.

Glory wolf-whistled. “See you at work tomorrow.”

Cyn snickered and threw a pack of condoms at her. “You’ll need these.”

Tabby swallowed. “I’m gonna throw up.” Nausea roiled in her belly. She bent and picked up the condoms just as the doorbell rang.

Glory had the door open before Tabby could drop the packets. “C’mon in!”

In stepped the hottie from the store. He wore a green shirt that really emphasized his hazel eyes, dark wash jeans that looked painted onto his thighs, and thick soled black boots. Now that she was upright she could see how tall he was. He towered over her, the top of her head barely reaching his upper lip. She’d hit his chin in her bare feet. His bald head gleamed, his jaw clean-shaven. She could see the tattoo that circled his biceps and her fingers itched to trace the design. In his hand he held a daffodil.

My favorite flower. How did he know? Tabby smiled, knowing it was trembling. “For me?”

He held it out, a smile on his full lips. “Hello, Tabby.”

“Thank you.” She reached for the daffodil.

He coughed. “I’ll take those.” He reached over and removed the condoms from her hand, grinning at her embarrassed squawk. “It’s okay, honey. I’m just glad one of us is, um, prepared.” He eyed the condoms. “Very prepared.” He unrolled them, one eyebrow rising in disbelief. “And optimistic.”

Glory was practically doubled over with laughter. Tabby’s face was beet red. She snatched the condoms back with her free hand, snarling as one got left behind in his big paw. She could hear Cyn snuffling and snorting behind her and just knew they were practically choking on their laughter.

She turned to her two roommates with a smile. “Don’t make me forget I’m housebroken.” They stopped, but from the way they were clinging together Tabby figured it was only a matter of time before one of them broke again. She turned back to her new mate. “And you, whose name I don’t even know.” She smiled at Mr. Chocolate. “Thank you for the flower. My name’s Tabitha Garwood.”

Mr. Sin held out his paw, the condom miraculously gone. “Bunny.” She wondered if he’d dropped it or shoved it into his pocket for later.
Wait. “Bunny,” she repeated carefully.

“Alexander Bunsun, but everyone calls me Bunny.” He grinned.

She sniffed. Nope, his scent is definitely Bear.

“Are you laughing at my name?” Bunny’s hands went to his hips but she could tell he wasn’t pissed by the way his lips quirked up.

She blinked. “Yes.”

He coughed but she could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Dinner?” He held out his arm.

She gave him her sweetest smile and took it. “Yes.”

“Hold on.” Glory stopped them by placing her hand on Bunny’s arm, her expression worried. For all that Glory liked to flirt like mad when it came down to actual dating she could be a real worry-wart.

Bunny chucked her under the chin. “I’ll take care of her. My word on it.”

Glory studied him, and Bunny stood still, allowing her intense scrutiny. Glory relaxed and nodded, looking relieved. Tabby wasn’t sure she felt the same.

***

Something tells me Bunny is going to the top five on my Favorite Hero list just for that scene alone.


No word yet on Shadow of the Wolf's release date, but I'm expecting final line edits any day now. Liquid Silver Books sets the release date after final editing is done, so I should have something for you by Thanksgiving.

Only In My Dreams is out November 10th! The last Halle Puma book! Muahaha! (Okay, maybe not the last of the shifter novellas. Ben and Dave look like they might be a novella rather than full length, but I've had stories fool me before so I'm not holding my breath.) Also during November is NaNoWriMo, which I signed up for. I'll be working on Noble Blood, Book 2 of The Gray Court and a M/M/F menage. I think. So far it's leaning that way, but Duncan and Jaden might surprise me and refuse to touch bits. We'll have to see.

So that's it for my updates for now. You'll see this silly little bean like cartoon at the top of my blog that has my NaNo word count on it. Right now he's sleeping, since I'm not working on that project yet. And if you're not signed up for my newsletter that will be coming on Sunday, November first. I'll talk about my on-line appearances for November, give you the Hottie of the Month and any further news I've got like what I'm going to be doing at RT in April.

Now off to grind the meat...