Author: Kristbethke

I thought I’d so something a little different this week, and post an excerpt from my WIP.  Let me know what you think!

“What’s wrong?” Seth asked, his lips turning down into a frown.

Mark shook his head fast.  “Nothing.  I just—uh, I wanted to catch you before you left because I wanted to ask if you wanted to meet me later somewhere.  For a drink, or coffee, or dinner.  Or whatever.”

Wait a second.  What now?  Was Mark asking him out?  Seth blinked, nonplussed.  That was probably the last thing he expected to happen.

“If I’m overstepping, just say so,” Mark offered.  “If you aren’t gay—”

Seth snorted out a laugh.  Mark grinned.

“Yeah, okay.  But if you’re not interested or are already in a committed relationship or whatever, then no hard feelings.”

Seth squinted.  “Why would you want to go out with me?  You don’t even know me.”

“Ah but how am I going to get to know you if you don’t go out with me?”  Mark smiled, and one if his eyebrows crept up.  He shrugged.  “You’re cute.  I like your smile.”

That was flattering.  But still Seth hesitated.  This seemed a little weird.  And even though he thought Mark was gorgeous, and very kind, he couldn’t understand what a man like him would see in plain, unassuming Seth.

“Give me your phone,” Mark commanded softly.

“What?” Seth asked, even as he moved to comply.

Mark started touching the screen, but he moved his shoulder to block Seth’s line of sight when he tried to see what the man was doing.  After a few more seconds, Mark handed the phone back.

“There.  I’ve put my name and number in your phone.  How about this?  How about you think about it, and if you decide you want to, you just send me a text with a time and a place?  I’m out of here at six.”

Seth nodded dumbly, clutching his phone in his hand.  Mark’s smile was soft, and his gaze raked Seth’s body from head to toe, before he reached out a hand and squeezed Seth’s elbow affectionately.  Then he turned and walked back into the store.  Seth stared after him for a long moment before he managed to head for his car.

Once inside, he pulled up his contacts list and scrolled through until he reached the M’s.  Mark Deveraux.  The man had even added a little heart.  Seth rolled his eyes, even as he found it charming.  He touched Mark’s name, then pressed send message.

Antillio’s.  8.

**Happy Fourth of July!  Here’s some fluff!**

 

“I need coffee.”

The laugh was delicious but way too loud for this early in the morning.  I glared at my boyfriend of two years for his indiscretion, but he was handing me a steaming mug filled with the sweet nectar of life, so I immediately forgave him.

“You don’t need it,” Mason said practically, though his voice held an affection that took the sting out of his words.  “You want it.  You crave it.  You’re addicted to it.”

I took that first sip, loving the way the coffee was slightly too hot to drink, so it seared a little on the way down.  I grimaced, then gave a huge sigh of relief.  “Same difference.”

He shook his head.  “You could give it up, you know.”

I cradled my cup against my chest protectively, glared hard, and quickly changing the topic.  “Where are we going again?”

“To my uncle’s place on the lake.”

I needed more caffeine in my blood stream.  “So we’re going for a barbecue slash picnic with all your family to hang out and drink all day until we migrate down to the lake shore  to watch fireworks explode over the water?”

Mason nodded happily.  “That about sums it up.”

Another hefty drink from my mug.  “Okay, but why?”

“Because it’s the fourth!”  He announced.  I squinted at him like he was ridiculous, but Mason just laughed  “Come on, Caleb.  It’ll be fun.”

I slowly shook my head, and took my coffee with me as I headed down the hall. “All right then,” I shouted back.  “I’m gonna need pants!”

 

***

 

Dark had descended, finally.  In a few minutes, everyone would be moving closer to the lake to watch the fireworks display the county put on.  It was always a big and spectacular deal.  I thought they were pretty, but I didn’t have any particular longing to watch the explosions.  When Mason’s uncle announced it was time to get ready, everyone–from the smallest toddler to 97 year old great aunt Gussie–stood with enthusiasm.  I reached for another beer from the cooler.

“You don’t need that,” Mason said, suddenly at my side.  He grabbed my wrist.  I scowled, but his smile was so sweet I couldn’t hold it.  He slid his fingers down to tangle with mine.  “Come with me.”

I followed.  I’d been doing it since we got together, and I wasn’t about to stop now.  Mason was a kind, gentle, loving soul, and the last two years had been wonderful.  Sure, we had our issues.  All couples did.  But I loved this man more than my own self, and if he wanted me to follow him into a shadowy and somewhat alcove of overhanging trees, who was I to argue?

He pulled me into his arms so that my back was to his front.  We were essentially the same height, though I was a little leaner, and we fit well together that way.  I loved having him surrounding me like that.  He tucked his chin down onto my shoulder and kissed my neck  just as the first of the fireworks exploded in a shower of red sparks.

“I was thinking,” he murmured, his lips right at my ear so I could hear him.  “How about we celebrate Independence Day by giving up a little of our own independence?”

My breath came faster.  “What?”

Mason’s chuckle was warm and reverberated up my spine.  “Marry me.”

I turned fast.  I didn’t care that everyone was clapping and cheering.  I didn’t care that I was missing the spectacular display.  I had to kiss him.  Long and slow, and with all the love in my heart.  When I pulled back, we were both breathing heavily, and a big burst of fireworks behind me lit up his face so I could clearly see the love there.

“Yes,” I practically shouted.

This was suddenly the best fourth of July ever.

**Today, I cheat a little.  As a challenge, I wrote a drabble.  It’s harder than you think, to get your point across in exactly 100 words.  I did it twice.  Hope you enjoy**

**I should also probably mention that yes, I’m aware it’s only Thursday**

 

The house was silent.  I dumped my briefcase by the door, draped my suit coat over the back of the couch, and loosened my tie.  “Hello?” I called, my voice echoing.  “Baby, where are you?”

Soft music caught my attention, and I wandered in the direction of the living room.  Flickering candlelight cut into my peripheral vision.  I rounded the corner and my breath caught.  Every available surface was filled with candles, flower petals strewn to cover the floor and tables.

He stood in the middle, arms out, welcoming.  He was breathtakingly beautiful.  His grin was warm.  “Dance with me.”

 

***

 

The wind and rain had chilled me to the bone. But I kept walking, head down, plodding along.  If I stopped I would feel the hurt.  I wasn’t ready to deal with it.  I kept moving.

I heard the car, and staunchly refused to look at it as the rumbling engine purred to a stop beside me.  I kept walking, my pace picking up.  The car moved with me.

“Baby,” his voice pleaded, deep and rumbling.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it.  Forgive me.  I love you.  Marry me.”

It had been what I’d been waiting to hear.  I smiled.

 

**Alex and Matt from Hero Worship make a reappearance.  Click the books tab at the top to see where they got their start…and find the other shorts they appear in**

A bang.  A clatter.  A string of curses that made me smile.  I  pulled the t-shirt over my head, tossed my uniform at the basket, and then padded barefoot down the short hallway and into the living room.  I crossed my arms and leaned against the far wall, taking in the chaos around me.  The window was open. A box lay mutilated and discarded underneath Matt’s desk, and the man himself was leaning over to retrieve the screwdriver he dropped.  Matt sat on the floor surrounded by pieces of wood.  I smirked.  I couldn’t help it and didn’t even try.

“Need a hand?”

Matt’s head jerked up, and he scowled at me.  “No.”

I grinned and sauntered closer.  He had the directions spread out on his lap.  As I watched, he reached into the small plastic bag that contained the screws and fastenings, picked one out, and tried to match it up to the picture before him.  He shook his head, set it aside, and tried again.

“Matt,” I said softly.  He shook his head again, refusing to look at me.

“I can do this.  It’s not that hard.  I don’t need help.”

I nodded even though he wasn’t looking at me.  When he’d come home with the shelving unit, he’d been so proud of himself.  He told me how he saw it in the store and knew it would look just perfect tucked into the corner of the living room.  He’d been amassing quite a collection of books–he had to have something to occupy him when I worked the night shift–and he needed a place to put them.

“I know you don’t need help.  But it would go faster if we did it together, don’t you think?”  I asked.  He looked up to fix me with a glare, before returning his attention to the paper on his lap.  The thing was, Matt wasn’t that mechanically inclined and I was worried that that the shelf would collapse in the middle of the night and scare the crap out of us.  But I knew that look. He was determined to do this himself.

I crossed the room and knelt down behind him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and tugging him back against my chest.  He gave a soft sigh, the way he always did in my arms.  He’d wanted to be there for so long, and I had missed it for years.  But I wasn’t going to dwell on that.  We were together now and had been for a while.

He still needed help, though, so I kissed his ear and played the trump card.  “We’re married now.  Partners.  That means we do things together.”

Matt leaned sideways so he could see my face.  “You know, ever since we said our vows, you’ve become a total sap.  Where’s the grumpy man I fell in love with?”  His tone was teasing, and I just smiled.   He sighed heavily.  “You’re just worried I’m not going to do it right and the whole thing will fall down.”

“Maybe,” I admitted with a smile.

He shook his head. “You just got off shift.  You need to go to bed.”

“How am I going to sleep with you banging around in here?” I asked practically.  When a guilty look crossed his face, I was quick to add, “Let’s do it together, get it done, and then you can come nap with me.”

He studied me for a long moment, then he gave a huff.  “Fine!  You can be my assistant then.”  He handed me the directions, and then motioned toward the pile of boards and bag of screws.  “You tell me what to do, and I’ll do all the work.”

I waggled my eyebrows.  “That’s just how I like it.”

Matt snorted out a laugh.  “No it’s not.  You like it when I tell you what to do.  When I hold you down.  When I’m in charge.”  The more he spoke, the more heated his gaze got.  He licked his lips, and swallowed hard.  “You know what?  Let’s forget this for now.  You really need to sleep.  I better take you to bed and make sure you rest well.”

I could tell by his slow, salacious smile that once we got to bed, it would be a while before I did any sleeping,  That was fine with me.  With a flourish, I tossed the directions to the floor, and hauled him to his feet as I stood.  He was quick to plaster himself to my back, nudging me with his groin at my ass down the hall. I went willingly because I got what I wanted; him in our bed and not putting the shelves together on his own.  If I did my job right, he’d be zonked out for hours afterwards.  And then I could sneak into the living room, and put the shelves together myself.  Matt would be mad, but I’d blow him after he made dinner and he would forgive me.

I was really loving married life.