Following the release of Triple Cross, I have been working on a coupe of other projects. Friday I published some of the excerpts from one I’m working on centering around Gunny Melody Grafton. the project also will have a story about a character that is yet to be introduced. Today I have an excerpt from another unpublished project… The working title is:
Jenny’s Death Star
Continued…
“Are you sure you’re ok? I can walk you to your table?”
She looked up into his eyes. She could feel herself slipping into those eyes. He’s even better looking up-close, she thought. “That’s ok. I can make it,” she said weakly as she turned back toward the VIP.
She looked up and saw Cory giving her a thumbs-up. He might have been more subtle with a flashing neon sign, she thought. He was standing, leaning over the rail, pumping his arm. She glanced back and Ridiculously Handsome was looking right at him… then at her. She felt the heat prickle into her face as she blushed. Mr. Handsome smiled at her.
And her foot slid out from under her again.
Ridiculously Handsome once again caught her and held her up. This time, though, he smoothly slipped his arms around her waist and supported her as he moved her toward the table she was sharing with Cory. He pulled her into him, and she surrendered. Luxuriating in the moment. She could feel his strong arm against her back and his strong shoulder… Again, she started to lose herself in the fantasy.
She got to the bottom of the steps up to the VIP room and turned to him, “Please let me get you a drink. I don’t even know your name and you’ve saved me at least twice now.”
He nodded and followed her up the three steps, making sure she didn’t have another mishap.
“Dillon Kennedy,” he said as he gave Cory a firm handshake.
“Cory Taylor,” Cory responded, matching the firmness of Dillon’s handshake.
“I’m Jenny Coolidge. Thank you so much, Dillon. You’re my hero.”
Cory leaned over and whispered into Jenny’s ear, “Definitely playing for team Jenny. Go for it.”
Jenny blushed again and then waved at the waiter.
A few minutes later they toasted “new friends” before clinking glasses and downing another shot of arak.
“Damn,” Dillon said, “a few of these and you would have been picking me up off the floor.”
Jenny found herself bushing again. Dillon glanced over to her and gave her an easy smile. She melted a little more inside. She loved the way he slipped into the conversation. He was so comfortable to be around. Her mind started to drift off into her own little fantasy.
“… Jenny?” she heard Cory ask. She had no idea what he’d been saying for the last few seconds, minutes. She had been busy riding a white stallion with her knight in shining armor, Sir Handsome. “I said, isn’t it interesting that Dillon is a photographer.”
“Oh, God, yes. That is so cool,” she replied. OMG, I sound like an idiot, she said to herself. A look from Cory confirmed the thought.
“Well, Dillon, Jenny won’t say it, but she is an amazing computer programmer, as well as being an avid conversationalist and accomplished foodie.”
“Really?” he said, turning back to her. “I know this incredible Italian place not far from here. I’d love to take you… both of you.”
“I don’t…” Cory started to say.
Jenny cut him off, “That would be wonderful. I’m sure Cory would simply die if he didn’t go.”
Cory and Jenny faced each other for the briefest of moments. Her eyes bored into him and he smiled and nodded.
Dillon glanced at his watch, “It’s getting late for me. I have a shoot tomorrow.” He turned to Jenny, “Here’s my number. Whenever you are ready to try that Italian place, give me a call. You, too, Cory.” His eyes never left Jenny’s.
He rose and left their table. “You, too, Cory,” Cory said in a nasally voice as soon as Dillon was out of earshot. “Wow. I turned invisible.”
“Did you say something?” Jenny said, a dreamy look still in her eyes.
“Apparently, I don’t make noise when I speak, either… I’m like a ghost.” Cory waved his arms around and moved his hand up and down in front of his face, pretending to see through it.
“Oh, zip-it. He wants to take us to dinner.”
“He wants to take you to dinner. He’s willing to let me tag along. He was right about it being late, though. Let me order up a ride.”
A few minutes later they walked through the street-side door of Midnight and climbed into the waiting silver Pontiac G8GT that the Uber app had specified. Brian was their driver. Twenty minutes after that, Jenny unlocked her door and invited Cory inside.
“When do you think I should call him?” she asked, holding the card with his number in her hand.
“In a few days… he needs to stew in his juices first,” Cory said, snatching the number out of her hand.
He turned and went to the guest room while she shook her head and headed to her own room to wash off her make-up and go to bed. Luckily, he stayed over once or twice a week, so he had clothes and everything else he needed to get ready in the morning. Unless someone noticed his car had been in the parking lot at work all night and saw him get out of Jenny’s Challenger, nobody would be the wiser.
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This one features mostly new characters, although a couple of old favorites have cameo roles. As mentioned, this one is still in the works, though, and a lot of things could change before it ever sees full publication, if it makes it that far. I do really like a few of the characters, though.
