#TeaserTuesday Sample The Long Game

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

#TeaserTuesday Here's a little helping of what's coming in a while ...

I opened the door, and Vance stood outside leaning against one wall. When he saw me looking at his hand, he raised it. "I brought you dinner."

Opening the door wider, I beckoned for him to come inside. "You had to find a way, huh?" 

"I know you're not being your usual nasty self," he said, giving me a sneaky grin. 

"Of course, I am. I should have known you'd find a way to come here and harass me." 

"Who said anything about harassing you?" His sigh was that of someone who'd been done wrong. "I was at Garth's and he had way more food than he needed and since you don't eat properly unless you're forced to, I decided to give Anna-Lise and him some privacy and eat with you." 

He walked into the house and I stepped back, taking the bag from him. "What's in here?"   

"Vegetable chop suey, some kind of peppery chicken and rice." 

"Sounds good." 

He trailed me to the kitchen and pulled out a chair while I slid the food into dishes and then heated them in the microwave. When we sitting across from each other, prepared to eat, I asked, "You want to tell me why you're over here. Really?" 

He shrugged. "I told you and I wanted to talk to you. You know that." 

I wasn't ready for that conversation, but telling Vance that didn't matter. He was like a speeding eighteen-wheeler truck when he decided to have his way. He'd brush my objections aside and say what he needed to express, whether I was prepared to hear it or not. 

We were halfway through eating when he said, "So about the other day, you were unfair to attack me like that, but—" 

"We've been through this several times already and we both know I didn't say anything that wasn't true." 

"Let's agree to disagree, but anyway, I've been thinking—" 

"And we know how dangerous that can be." 

"Stop interrupting me." 

I gave him a cheeky grin, but kept quiet. 

"So I have been a little out of control with the women—" 

I raised one brow, my fork halfway to my mouth. "A little?" 

"Did I say something about not interrupting me?" 

"You did, but when have I ever listened to you?" 

"You're right about that. Anyway, I'll concede that you do have a point." 

I spun a finger in my ear and frowned. "Say what? Did I hear you right?" 

"Stop acting like an idiot and listen to me." 

Other than raising both brows this time, I didn't move. 

"So the thing we had for each other, I'm not sure why we let that die." 

He put up one hand when I was about to speak. "Nope, not your time yet. You're going to listen. Anyway, maybe the reason I am the way I am is that I haven't had any reason to be different." 

If this was an excuse, it was less than poor but since he asked me not to cut into his speech, I wouldn't. 

"There hasn't been any motivation for me to put down roots and build something solid." 

I could have told him everything he'd just said to me was bullshit, but he seemed to believe what he was saying, so I didn't rock his boat. 

He put down the cutlery, propped his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. The silence went on with him staring at the curtain behind me and then his gaze shifted to me. "What I'm not doing a good job of saying is that ... I want you." 

The speed with which my eyebrow flew up on my forehead, I'm surprised it didn't do a backflip off my face. I pressed my lips together while choosing the right words. "You only want me because what I said challenged you. You want to prove you can do something other than running around, like you've been doing for so long. I don't want to be a challenge, Vance." 

"You make it sound like I'm undertaking a dare or something." 

"That's exactly what this is." I put a hand to my chest. "You don't have to prove anything to me. I know who you are and what you're capable of and it's all right." 

He stared at me as if I'd just insulted him. 

"I tell you I want you, and you tell me I'm not up to scratch?" 

"Nobody said that." 

"Then why do I feel as if you just told me to go to hell." 

Because that's exactly what I'd done, but in a subtle way. 

7 comments:

  1. You write these scenes in perfect tones, Joy. Relationships are difficult, and I hope a lot of young people read your novels and learn something.

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  2. Hee hee. Feisty girl. Good for you.

    Love the teaser.

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