Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 213(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 213(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
“We don’t need to do that.”
She stood up, and I turned to find her dressed.
“You’re knocked up, you puked all day, and the house smells like a skunk died in it. We’re getting a hotel room.”
Marie walked over to me, then wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned her head against my chest.
“Are we really okay?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
I hugged her back, running one hand up and down her back.
“No, we aren’t okay,” I said softly. “We’re trapped in a skunk house full of toxic fumes. But once we get away from here, I think things will be perfect. And just think about what a great story we’ll have to tell the kiddo.”
Her hand slipped down to my ass, giving it a squeeze, and I groaned.
“Speaking of, you sure you don’t wanna celebrate the baby before we head out?”
Groaning, I caught her butt and pulled her into me, rubbing my dick against her stomach. God, I wanted to be inside her . . . Then it hit me—my kid was inside her, too. Right next to where I planned to shove my cock. I jerked away, because that was a mind fuck I wasn’t quite ready for. Shit. I’d have to find a way to wrap my brain around that.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, frowning. I shook my head, realizing this wasn’t a conversation we needed to have just yet.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I said quickly, staring down into her face. Her brown eyes were deep and her beautiful, curly brown hair was hanging around her face and across her shoulders. God, but I loved this woman. Right on cue, my dick made its needs known, and I realized that wrapping my head around things might not be so difficult after all . . . I just needed to let the right head do the thinking.
I grinned, leaning over to kiss the tip of Marie’s nose. Then I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs. The sooner we found a room, the sooner we could celebrate. “C’mon. Let’s get the hell out of here. I’ve had enough of being skunked.”
Marie’s Emergency Skunk Solution
NOTE: Don’t let the dog wait in the house while you mix up the solution. Seriously. Also, some people (Mr. Wylde among them) feel that cleaning up after a skunk goes a little more smoothly if you have a very strong drink available. Straws help, allowing for hands-free access.
Supplies
Rubber gloves, preferably long ones
Paper towels (or tissues in a pinch)
Plastic garbage bags
Ingredients
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
Preparation
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Put on gloves and use paper towels to blot as much skunk oil off the dog as possible, throwing them into the plastic bag as soon as you finish. Do your best not to allow the dog to brush against you or transfer the oils. Using a washcloth or sponge, gently rinse the hydrogen peroxide mixture through the dog’s fur two times, mixing up more as needed. (Avoid the dog’s eyes, and flush with water if the mix gets into the eyes.) Rinse the dog with water thoroughly. You will notice that he still smells like wet dog and a bit skunky, but it will be a huge improvement (when a skunk first sprays, the smell is so powerful that it burns your eyes and nose). Remove your clothing and dispose of gloves while still outside, if possible.
Allow dog to sleep in garage, enclosed porch, or bathroom (somewhere well ventilated and safe, but not part of the main section of your house). By morning, the dog will be dry and very little skunk scent will be noticeable.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a prequel short story about the first time Melanie and Painter met. Their book, Reaper’s Fall, will be published on Nov. 10, 2015. “Sugar and Spice” takes place one year before the beginning of Reaper’s Fall, against the background of action from Reaper’s Stand. I thought you might enjoy reading it.
Sugar and Spice
MELANIE
I fell for Levi “Painter” Brooks the first time I saw him, although in all fairness I did have a head injury at the time.
It was a weird start to a relationship, too.
You see, I blew up a house.
It wasn’t on purpose, and in my defense I’d had a really shitty day. My mom had taken off earlier in the week. Just up and left while I was at work on Monday, and she never came back. Neither me or my dad heard a thing from her, and while she’d always been sort of flaky, she’d never done anything like this before. By Wednesday night, I broke down and asked him if we should report her missing to the police.
He’d thrown his beer bottle at me, shouting about how “the whore” must’ve gotten herself a new man. She’d left me because I was nothing, just like she was nothing.