Late as usual, but better late than never, right? Here is a snip from Ellie and Quill’s story.

After they ate, Quill spoke to the men in a low voice. A few glances were directed her way, accompanied by nods and smiles. In only a few minutes most of the men melted into the darkness, taking Tommy and Connor with them. Only Snake and Stone stayed to watch over Sara and Mel while they cleaned the dishes. Ellie moved to join them, but Quill stepped in front of her.

“Let’s walk for a few minutes before bed.”

Ellie swallowed and nodded. They were alone. It didn’t frighten her, exactly. She draped the blanket over her shoulders like a wrap against the chilly air of the evening and walked beside him out of their small camp. “Where did everyone go?”

He put an arm around her waist. “They’re not far. I asked them to give us a little time alone.”

Alone. In the dark. With Quill. Ellie tried to slow her breathing. “Why?”

He pulled her to a stop and lifted her hands to his mouth to kiss each palm.”You know why. You brought a blanket.”

Eddie’s Prize comes out in a little over a month. At last! I am hoping to be able to show off the cover art soon. I saw the first draft of it and I think it is beautiful.

Here is a snip from Eddie’s Prize. Christmas Eve 2064:

Eddie washed dishes as she tidied up the kitchen. Through the kitchen window Lisa could see snow falling through the dark night. It was a scene out of an old fashioned Christmas card.

“It’s pretty,” she said. At Eddie’s raised brow she elaborated. “The snow. We didn’t get snow in California. It makes it seem a little more like Christmas.”

He hung up the dish towel to dry. “It’s Christmas Eve. Our first Christmas together.” His kiss was gentle. “I know you were a little disappointed to not be able to go see your friend, but I wanted you to myself this time.”

Lisa’s hands framed his face. “Carla is a good friend, but Christmas is for families. You’re my family.”

“Come to bed,” he breathed.

She giggled when he swept her up and carried her to their bed. “I should brush my teeth before bed,” she mock protested.

“Tomorrow.” He peeled her clothes off her with careful haste.

She kicked her feet to rid her legs of the jeans still clinging. “I should wash my face,” she teased.

He made short work of his own clothing. “Tomorrow,” he repeated.

My Tuesday Teaser this week is from Eddie’s Prize, but since it didn’t move Eddie and Lisa’s story forward, it has been removed from the manuscript. That made it the perfect Christmas present for my readers. Let me give you a little set up here. It is early November and Lisa is at the den to visit Carla. Eddie dropped her off there on his way north to visit a friend. The two women are sitting in the room that connects to Carla and Taye’s bedroom. Taye set it aside for Carla’s sole use. As they are sitting and talking about what their married lives are like, Sky comes to the den with Rose, whom he rescued from Two Bears.

     Carla cocked her head to listen to a distant howl. “Is that Taye? Already?” She glanced at her watch. “It’s only half past four. Maybe he finished hunting early.”

     But it wasn’t Taye. Agitated voices sounded in the hall, getting closer to the listening women, and a peremptory knock sounded before the door was flung open to admit a tangle of bodies. They poured in like cats dumped out of a sack, all bristling fur, claws and yowls.

     Lisa felt bombarded by the invasion, staring at the people flooding into the room without comprehension at first glance of who they were or even how many there were. To settle herself, Lisa counted them. There was a man a little older than she was, tall and muscular, and barely dressed in cut offs, with black hair loose to his waist. He stood to one side of the door with arms folded over his chest and a grim scowl on his face. Snake hovered beside him, but he looked wide-eyed and anxious rather than grim. A third man wore leather clothes like an Indian in a cowboy movie and his black hair was in two braids. His nose might have had a proud Roman arch at one time, but was grossly bruised and swollen now. He seemed to be under the angry guard of two men who must be wolves who’d recently changed back to man form, because they were naked. Lisa would have liked to examine their fine physiques at her leisure, but, remembering Eddie’s little lecture, she forced her eyes to the couple who seemed to be the center of this ruckus.

     The man of the pair wasn’t actually a man, but a teen-aged boy dressed only in a dark blue wool breechcloth and leather moccasins. His nicely developed body said he was full grown, but his handsome face held a soft boyishness that said high school. His arm was around a young woman, his body leaning toward her as if to shelter her. In contrast to the long black hair that streamed over the young man’s brown-skinned back, the woman’s hair was short and blond, and her skin was the pale sort that probably burned lobster-red after only minutes in the sun. He was tall and slimly muscular, and moved with protective grace. She was of middle height, and her long limbs reminded Lisa of Alexander the colt’s gawky stick legs. Lisa guessed neither of them was over eighteen. The boy pulled the girl further into the room, toward the couch where she and Carla sat.

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Merry Christmas!