TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "SAFE"

 

Hi! Welcome! This week the word prompt is "safe" and we have another episode of "The Kicker, Part One". Thanksgiving dinner is heating up! After you read my excerpt, please hop on to read the wonderful stories of the other authors. Please find them HERE.

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Dale greeted her sisters and brother.

“So, I hear you have another charity case here for dinner,” Anne asked.

“Shh. He’ll hear you!” Dale pulled her sister away from the door.

“So? It’s not like he doesn’t know it, right?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh?” Anne raised her eyebrows.

Dale dropped her gaze to her hands and fidgeted with the hem of her sweater. “No.”

“Then who is he, if he’s not someone you picked up off the streets?” Anne asked.

“He’s sort of my boyfriend,” she said, her voice low. It was never safe to admit too much to her sister, Anne.

“Speak up. Did you say you have a boyfriend?” Scott asked.

“Shh!”

“What’s the big secret? If he’s your boyfriend, doesn’t he know it?”

Robbie popped out of the kitchen. “I was wondering where you were.” Drips of mashed potato clung to his shirt. His hands were wet and held a dishtowel. He strode over to Dale, kissed her hard and long, without touching her with his hands. “Time to take the turkey out of the pot.” He looked down at his sweatshirt. “Guess I’ll have to change before dinner. Back soon, sweetheart.”

Like a tornado, he touched down and was gone. As she saw the eyes of her siblings bug out and their eyebrows rise to their hairlines, Dale laughed. Maybe this would be the best Thanksgiving Dale ever had.

Watching Angela turned green every time Robbie dropped an adoring gaze on Dale, made her giggle. Her parents were more at ease with him than they were with their own children. It wasn’t long before her sibs peppered the kicker with questions.

“How long have you been a kicker?”

“How much money to do you make?”

“What do you do in the off season?”

“How many women do you date at once?”

On and on. His stamina and good humor, even at the nastiest most bizarre questions, warmed her. His charm and ability to get along in this intense, in-your-face-group blew her away.

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "GREEN"

 

Welcome to Tuesday Tales. We have another episode of "The Kicker, Part One". How close will they get?  When you've finished reading, check out the great Tuesday Tales stories HERE. 

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“You’re good at a lot of things, Robbie

. I’m so glad you’re here.” Barbara smiled.

“Me, too.”

Barbara put the white potatoes in a large pot of water while Robbie mashed the yams by hand. They worked together, finishing the casserole in no time. Then he was charged with setting the table. Dale helped.

“I’m expecting my mother to adopt you,” Dale said, folding a napkin.

“No way.”

“Why?” She raised quizzical eyes to his.

“Because then my feelings for you would be incest.” He grinned.

“Not if we weren’t blood relatives.”

He laughed. “Okay then. I’m ready.”

“My mother loves you. She never loves the guys I bring home.”

“Guess you’re stepping up in the world,” he said, place a fork on a folded napkin.

“Guess I am.” She chuckled.

Robbie leaned over to kiss her. Since no one was looking he grabbed her upper arms and drew her closer. He angled his head to deepen the kiss. Dale melted against him. Never one to give up an advantage, he slid his arms around her and held her tight while he worked his magic on her mouth. Desire grew in him. He’d have to step away soon or be totally embarrassed.

Dale moved back first. Her eyes glowed, her chest heaved. Robbie grinned.

“It’s just the pie. It’s sexy when a man makes a pie,” Dale said, breathless.

Robbie laughed. “Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

She slapped him gently on the shoulder.

“Are you kids finished in there?” Barbara entered the dining room, wiping her hands on the apron she wore fastened around her waist.

“Yes,” Dale said.

“I can see that,” Barbara said, stepping up to Robbie and wiping lipstick off is lips with a corner of her apron. “I think that’s all for now. Why don’t you take a walk, or something?”

Robbie touched his lips, then glanced at Dale, who was red as a beet.  

“You don’t need me?”

Barbara shook her head. “Not until the turkey needs to come out of the oven and the potatoes need to be mashed.”

Tuesday Tales - Picture Prompt Week

 

  Welcome! It's picture prompt day. We're back with Robbie and Dale at her parent's house for Thanksgiving. This week we write to a picture prompt and only post 300 words. When you've finished reading my excerpt, hop over to the other authors work. You'll find it HERE. Thanks for stopping by. 

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He dressed in a flash and was out the door. Dale closed her eyes, attempting to sleep, but couldn’t get the image of Robbie out of her head. His near nakedness, the feel of his skin, his chest hair, his scent, and the warmth he generated made her squirm. Oh no, this platonic sharing a bed was not going to work not at all. Maybe for one night, but night number two might be a totally different story. She grinned. And maybe it was about time.

Unable to sleep, she shoved the covers off, slung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed to her feet. Yawning, she made her way to the bathroom and took a shower. Energy flowed through her veins. She popped on jeans and a sweatshirt and padded to the kitchen.

She heard her mother’s voice. “There. Now, open the oven.”

Peeking in, she saw Robbie with a pair of mitts, opening the oven door and pulling out the shelf. Slowly, Barbara placed the pie on the shelf and Robbie gently eased the shelf back in taking care not to spill the contents, and then closed the door.

“Excellent! Done!”

“Morning,” Dale said.

“Did you see that? My first pumpkin pie!” In two strides, Robbie was at her side. He bent down to brush his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and repeated the kiss.

“He’s a natural baker. Was real careful with his measurements,” Barbara said.

He stepped back, his eye glowed. Dale reached up to palm his cheek for a second. Who would have thought that making a pumpkin pie could mean anything to a man who had saved countless football games with one kick?

“Wood chopping is next. Dale, take him out back and show him where the axe and the logs are.”

 

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "POT"

 

Howdy! Welcome to Tuesday Tales. This week's word prompt is "pot." We have an excerpt from "The Kicker, Part One". And it's not about the kind of pot you smoke, but the one you cook a turkey in! Don't forget to read the other Tuesday Tales stories. You'll find them HERE  Thanks for stopping by. 

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A tap, tap, tap on the door woke Dale.

“Robbie, are you up?” came the hoarse whisper of her mother.

Tangled up arms and legs moved. Dale breathed in Robbie’s fresh masculine scent. With her cheek pressed against his chest she listened to the strong, steady beat of his heart. She brushed her fingers through her messy locks.

“It’s time to get up for the pumpkin pie.” The voice came through the door again.

“I’ll be out in ten,” Robbie called.

His words rumbled through his chest. The sound reverberated through her fingers resting against him. With the quilt pulled all the way over her shoulders, only her nose grew cold. Wrapped in his warmth, Dale closed her eyes and smiled.

“I hate to break this up,” Robbie said, slowly untangling his legs from hers.

“Do you have to?”

“Your mother’s waiting. And I promised.”

She made a face but gave a nod. “Pumpkin pie rules.”

"After I have to put the turkey in the pot, too." 

As he moved, she slid her hand down his abs. Damn, the man had muscle.

“If you’re going to do that, it’s going to take me a lot longer to leave.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. And you can explain why to your mother.”

She laughed and withdrew her hand.

“Hold that thought.” Robbie threw off the covers and bounced out of bed. Forgetting her state of undress, Dale slumped back against the pillows and kicked the covers down. When he returned, Robbie stopped short at the end of the bed. He stared, his eyes like hot coals burning a scorched trail down her body.

“If you’re gonna look like that, I’m not gonna be able to leave.”

“What?”

He gestured, his hand moving up and down. “Please cover up. I’m only human.”

“Oh!” Quickly she pulled the covers back up again. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Love the view.”

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "PILLOW"

 

Welcome! This week our word prompt is "pillow" and we're at Dale's house with Robbie for Thanksgiving. Her mother has put them in the same room, so what are they going to do about it? Read on and find out. When you finish, hop on over to the other stories by our talented authors. Find their stories HERE. 

A sigh escaped her mouth as she laid back against the pillow.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Fine. You’re right. It was a great day.”

Confused by the warm welcome Robbie received, she wondered if they expected her to announce their engagement. This had never happened before. Usually, the guys she brought home for the holidays were put under a microscope and found wanting. Her father surprised her the most. He spent time drying dishes as Robbie washed and they talked about football -thick as thieves. Her father who suspected every male who came within ten feet of his daughter as being up to no good, did an about face regarding Robbie. He didn’t even make a face that they were sharing a room. She raised her eyebrows.

Heat radiating off his body warmed even her side of the bed. Sleeping with him was like having your own personal electric blanket. She turned her back to him and drew her knees up a bit. But when her bottom bumped his, her eyes flew open.

A laugh from him set her off. She started giggling and couldn’t stop. Her infectious laugh ignited Robbie and before long the two were laughing so hard, tears ran down cheeks. Dale rolled over to face him.

“I guess there’s no way to share the bed without touching,” she said, wiping her face.

“Nope. I guess not. So if we’re going to touch anyway, let’s do it on purpose.”

“What do you mean?”

Robbie laid back and spread his arms out. “Come here. Right here.”

She snuggled up in his embrace, resting her head on the pillow just above his shoulder. He closed his arms around her and pulled her up against him.

“There. That’s much better.”

She snaked her arm around his waist.

“You good?” he asked.

Good? Damn, she was better than good. “Yeah. I’m good.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Dale closed her eyes and fell into a deep, restful sleep.