This scene in Gathering Buttercups takes place a few days after “My Heart Can’t Tell You No“
Lance was holding the note when there was a soft knock at the door. Abandoning his packing and yelling “yeah, just a minute!” he strode over to open it wide for housekeeping.
Instead, it was Katie. Katie in a hip hugging skirt the color of robin’s eggs and sling backed pumps that brought her eyes level with his.
Without thinking, before she could finish the breathless, “Lan…” that had escaped her lips, he pulled her into the room where his hands found her waist and he gently but firmly pushed her up against the wall. Looking into her eyes, his mouth covered hers like puzzle pieces interlocking. Reaching for the hem of the skirt his hands slid underneath brushing the silk of her panties and cupped her bottom.
Katie arched,willing herself closer to him and sighed.
“You came back.” Lance said.
“I did.” She said leaving a trail of small kisses along his jaw line.
“This could get messy.”
“It’s already messy. I can’t sleep or eat; I’m so distracted that I delivered a very nice Batman cake to the most elegant wedding yesterday. That was the first trouble of the day and sadly not the last.”
“But you came back anyway.”
“I was hoping you hadn’t left . I guess I thought that I could make sense of all of this if I could just see you and talk.”
“And?”
“It’s failing ,miserably, because when I’m with you, this happens. When your voice is whispering in my ear or you text me in the middle of a hectic day I’m the happiest I’ve been in years.”
“I make you happy?” Lance said against her lips.
“So happy.” she said.
“Happy enough to be worth what might happen next?”
Katie reached around for the zipper on her skirt, “You are worth it, you always have been.” Her choice made as the blue material slipped to the floor.
*and just in case you’re wondering what happened next….*
And now for this week’s prompt: In 400 words or less, write a story or memoir which relates to choices and/or consequences. Because of the word limits, you may choose to focus just on the choice, or just on the consequence. Remember to capture a moment using dialogue, action, and reaction.
TROUBLE:
1 : the quality or state of being troubled especially mentally
2 : public unrest or disturbance
*the authors note, because I know that all of you are worried about Zach and her marriage. For right now, Katie’s choice is made and she feels like she can do this and not hurt anyone since no one knows..yet. Denial or not it’s her story and I’m letting her live it right now. It’s not my story….she’s the one talking to me. 
*
I can’t help rooting for Kate. She deserves to be happy and seems to be that with Lance. I hope, that in the end it will work out for all of them.
sexy, visceral and lit Lance is a lucky sunagun
well written and I want more!
yes, lit Lance is feeling very lucky these days. I might just let him have a good summer here in the Corner.
thanks for coming over to read it Lance. I love when you’re here
I’m intrigued by the line “Happy enough to be worth what might happen next?” What might happen next? I need to know!
ahhhh, well Katie is married and has 3 yr old son, Lance is an old flame and the true love of her life. Lance is now in the middle of a divorce with his wife of 18 years, who is leaving him for another man. So he is really asking her, “are you ready to rip our lives apart to be together?” for right now, her answer is yes.
thank you for coming by to read…that means a lot to me
Oh, I want her so much to be happy, but I’m worried for her too
But lots of good writing here!
I’m glad you like the writing, that is what is most important at this point. Katie is going to be happy, in December I promise.
The two prompts melded nicely together in this intensely hot scene. Well played.
thank you so much, I wish I had about 5% of your talent with words, but I do love when you visit Tara.
Tara I am so humbled to have you here and for you to tell me it was “good” because I have so much respect for your talent and words. I don’t really feel worthy enough to have you read my stuff but thank you.
I love the descriptions that are so vivid and concise here. The “hip hugging skirt the color of robin’s eggs” instantly dropped me into the hall looking at Katie.
thank you so much, it’s so nice to see you here and I love knowing what you think. I actually loved that description too, I’m just so glad it “Worked with my words” this time.
There’s loads going on here and I think a lot still to be revealed. It seems to be a pivotal moment and you have us wondering how it will all turn out. Thanks for linking up with us.
well Trifecta you are my new “most fun thing to do” every week. Thanks for letting me link up.
“like puzzle pieces interlocking” – LOVE.
This is HOT.
exactly how I wanted it to be. thanks for coming by Rox, it’s so nice to see you here. GLAD YOU LIKE IT.
Happy Friday.
thank you sooooo much. I am so excited you liked it Rox. thank you!!!!
Hot, gorgeously written…this was brilliant. And I’m not just blowing sunshine. From her robin egg skirt to the heels making her taller to the – excuse me while I go stand in front of the AC – up against the wall make out session…
HOT.
Also, heartbreaking because you know something’s going to give somewhere sometime.
Mandy, you made me teary…because I know that when you’re not blowing sunshine up my ….that you really did like it. I’m so glad it painted the picture so ..um…vividly for you
there won’t be heartbreak for a while, not really. it’s summer, I’m going to let them have a good time.
THANK YOU FOR THIS, as a writer, you have to know what your words mean to me.
xoxo
um, I don’t even know what to say beyond…OH MY GOD..MANDY FUCKING LIKED this!!!! So really, over dramatic or not, this made my day.
the summer will be free, fun and easy for these two..I promise….
Phew! That was great –
some observations:
“Without thinking, before she could finish the breathless, “Lan…” that had escaped her lips, his hands found her waist and he gently but firmly pushed her up against the wall. ”
- LOVE this – Love the way there is no talking. We writer explain things to much. Action is better. And in this case, hotter.
“I’m so distracted that I put butter cream icing on a wedding cake that was supposed to be fondant yesterday. ”
- I think you should pump this up more! She was so distracted she tried to deliver the batman cake to the wedding instead of the 3-year-old birthday party.
Overall – love it. As always!
Barbara, you liked it! I am so happy I’m actually teary.
and I will change that line, that is a little more PUMPED up, let’s try it.
as always, thank you for just coming over to read it, I’m humbled just having you here.
Hot, hot, hot!!!
But I am worried someone’s going to get burned.
Loved all of this. The only discordant note for me was: “It was the first trouble of the day and sadly not the last.” That line of dialogue doesn’t sound realistic. Perhaps, “Yeah, just the first trouble of the day.” Or something similar.
I need to go back and read more of this. What was the note Lance was holding when he opened the door?
HI Angie,
thank you for helping, I’ll try to work trouble in another way when I edit it. I apprecaite the feedback.
No one will be getting burned for a while, things are going to be easy this summer for them…
the note he is holding is the one she wrote in MY HEART Can’t Tell You No..the link is right above this installment and then what happens after this is in a link under this installment
as always, thank you for coming by, I love that you do.
yum! More steam please
Let’s burn this place up!
Of course, my husband would be appalled with her behavior…to a point I am too. My thoughts are: if you are so unhappy, end the first relationship before diving into the next. But this is just a story so I’m willing to let it slide
well it’s a good thing Katie is just a character right??? I know you want it all the make sense, sometimes LOVE doesn’t make sense. (there is Kir, the hopeless romantic again.LOL)
I’m glad you liked it enough….;)
My hat is off to you for blending the two prompts so well. I, too, love love love your descriptive turns of phrase. They show so much in a very concise and unique way. Great job!
“his mouth covered hers like puzzle pieces interlocking.”
ROWR!! That was a very sexy scene. I do love a man who gets down to ‘business’ when the opportunity presents itself! I had to go turn on a fan to cool off.
But did he push her against the wall out in the hallway, or did he pull her into his room and then push her against the wall? I was confused about that, as I was picturing the scene in my head. It may just be me being too literal.
And this is going to be published when?
Love this-I’m totally drawn in! The way she talks with Lance sounds so natural and loving…even if it’s wrong, it sounds like for right now, shes making the right choice.
HI Amanda, well first I love that you’re drawn in, that is such a nice thing to say. Right now, her choice is the right one, anything to ease the inattention and boredom I think…plus this will be the catalyst of something even bigger.
I just love that you stopped by, thank you
Hmm…McSteamy…
This was skillfully played. Romance and “hot” scenes generally seem corny to me, no matter who writes them. This was artful. You got down to business without skipping any steps (except maybe leaving the scene in the hallway…:) )
My concrit is in regards to the following line: Without thinking, before she could finish the breathless, “Lan…” that had escaped her lips, his hands found her waist
I think the “interruption” would play better if the phrases were switched about. Also the subject of this sentence is “his hands” so if you were to take out the bits between the commas it would read “Without thinking, his hands found…”
She breathed “Lan-”
Without thinking, he pulled her inside and pinned her firmly against the wall.
Gently I think can be removed, it loses the overwhelming sense of urgency here.
I really like the puzzle piece allusion. That was a sheer stroke of genius I think.
Overall the scene was well delivered and the passion was driving. Great take on both prompts!
I am dancing around in my chair, because You LIKED it. I changed it so you know he brings her into the room, and thank you so much for the suggestions I will make them and smile that I had such a great editor helping me.
thank you so much for all of it, for taking the time to write this comment and for giving me such great suggestions. I appreciate it so much.
Oh I’m happy I helped. I always enjoy my visits here. You’ve a strong, natural-flowing voice that is simply a joy to read!
Nice and it sounds like the right choice was made.
for now, yes the choice to be with him is the one she’s making. We’ll see…..
thank you for coming over to read, that means a lot to me, I hope you liked the story.
steamy!!!