Cherie Noel's Blog, page 24
June 5, 2012
Tuesdays with Tian
*Tapping microphone clipped to his shirt collar nervously, a very pregnant Tian waddles onto the set of his new semi-regular interview show. *
Tian: Hi. *blushing* Sorry I'm late. I was... a bit tied up.
Growling noises are heard from off stage. Tian's blush deepens, and he quickly brushes his hair forward in a vain attempt to cover the lurid love bites covering both sides of his neck. The movement shows off the faint ligature marks at his wrists. Clearly, Tian was being quite literal when he said he was tied up, lol.
Tian: I'm afraid I missed the taping of the show, but I hear it was something spectacular, so let's roll the footage, and you can all enjoy seeing... *sighing* Cedric MacKinnion.
more growling, and then the unmistakeable sounds of sexual congress happening echo through the little studio. Tian turns scandalized and intrigued eyes to the cameras.
Tian: Oh, for the love of little quiches, turn the footage on now! I have got to see what Kay and Lewell'yn are up to. That sounds fun...
*Tian attempts to lift himself from the chair, fails, scoots to the edge and tries again, this time with success. The stunned cameraman pans after him, catching his cute rear switching off the edge of the stage toward an archway leading back into the manor proper. The camera pans around, and the slightly bemused face of a young, handsome blond man appears.*
Rian: Uh, hi. I'm Rian Collins, and I, uh, work the camera. Tian appears to be *loud moaning noises echo from off camera, and Tian's voice is clearly heard yelling out a litany of 'Yes, yes, yes, right there, that's the spot.' Rian blushes.* Ah. Right, then, here's the spot.
****
Hi, this is Cherie Noel. I'm standing in for Tian tonight... he couldn't get away from Kay and Lewell'yn to come talk with you himself right now, Cedric and Denise, but he did send along a list of questions. He was quite taken with Cedric, and he wanted to be sure I told Cedric that... um, without letting on to Lewell'yn or Kay until he confesses to them that he may have just a teensy crush on Cedric. He promises to tell them tonight though, so everything will be all cleared up by this evening. :)
(A tall, young Immortyl with a dancer’s body slinks into the room. His attire suggests either an inter-stellar pirate or rock-and-roll front man. His deep green shirt is open at the throat, revealing a bit of sculpted chest as pale and smooth as white marble, ornamented with swirls of henna tattoos. On this tantalizing hint of flesh reposes a jade pendant of a Chinese dragon. He throws back long auburn hair and takes his seat. Up-tilted green eyes narrow as a wicked grin inches up his left cheek. His attitude is at once insolent and inviting.) Good evening, love. It’s fabulous to see you again. I’m distraught not to see Tian. I was so looking forward to…renewing our acquaintance.
*Cherie glances up at the camera with a startled look, and then, shaking out the papers in her hands, begins to read off the pre-written questions after clearing her throat.*
1)Um, do you like any real food anymore? Because I cook. I love to cook, and if you let me know what your favorite dish is, I bet I could learn to make it for you. I do eat real food. Some vampires experience food aversions early on, but I never did. In fact, I was wolfing down curry my first night. I love Indian food, but I must confess, while living in India, I longed for a cheeseburger. However, I do like my meat very rare. I would be honored if you’d cook for me. A thick, bloody steak would be nice—that’s s-t-e-a-k, not s-t-a-k-e. A misspelling could prove fatal.2)You're so beautiful, Cedric. Are you in love? I can't imagine someone as lovely as you being alone... you mentioned something about having more than one partner when you hosted me on your blog, but honestly, dear, this pregnancy is making me lose my mind. *sigh* Would you refresh my memory?
My darling, how kind of you to say so! You’re quite the beauty yourself—wherever you’re hiding, my shy sweet.No, I’m never alone. Am I in love? Well…yes, but not with just one person. I’m a bit like you in that respect. I do like girls and boys, so it’s difficult to settle. There are some needs that just one lover or gender can’t fulfill--if you get my drift. My appetites are omnivorous and rather experimental. I’m not really the monogamous type, but there are two lovers who compete to hold my heart captive.There is my delicious Mia. Mmm…she’s all voluptuous and juicy. I like a woman with curves. You should see her in a leather cat suit. Of course, she has a mate already, so our relationship is special. Mia is the avatar of my patron Goddess Kali, in the form of Durga. She’s a woman to contend with…quite the little dominatrix, although, she’d deny it in public. I’m so happy to serve her in every way. Kurt, her partner, isn’t thrilled about it, but he’s done his share of sleeping around with other boys and girls. He’s my boss, and sometimes it’s a bit awkward. If he’d lighten up and join in the fun, it might relieve tension, but after his and Mia’s little ménage with Arturo it’s a sore subject. Where was I? Oh—my other grande passione, Lord Liu—Liu Li Cheng to his friends. He’s wise, mysterious, deep and devastatingly sexy—long white hair and deep dark eyes. Hot body. He was a warrior in the former Han Dynasty and related to the reigning emperor of his human lifetime, taught imperial princes swordsmanship—with a real sword-- one made of metal. Okay, he had a long-running affair with one of the emperor’s sons. It ended tragically. Li Cheng has been looking for this lost love for two thousand years. He says that I’m his prince reincarnated. If he’s right, the Gods certainly have odd ways, reincarnating an imperial Chinese prince as a ginger-haired, Scottish Immortyl. The Deva do seem to have strange plans for me. Oh, by the way, vampire is kind of a dirty word among our kind. We’re the Immortyls, the semi-divine children of Kali Maa.
3) How did you meet your lovers, and what sort of adventures are you getting caught up in lately?*All I seem to do lately is sleep, eat, and hunt for my feet. I swear I haven't seen them in days*
Well, I met Raj, my progenitor and former master, in the underground in London. Beautiful bastard! I’d been a rent boy for three years, since I was fifteen, and I’d become a statistic. I was sick to death with something one of my former clients had passed to me. I couldn’t work at my former profession, so I’d taken up busking--playing my guitar for change. Raj took me back to his house and put me to an ordeal to prove my worthiness to serve Kali Maa as an adept of the ancient arts. Well, to make a long story short, I trained to be a temple dancer and practitioner of tantric sex rituals. The idea behind this is to confer blessings upon the recipient. So I was still a whore, but this time I was a whore with a fancy name, a scared courtesan. My “lovers” were chosen for me by the chief elder, Kalidasa. I was a pawn in dangerous games of court intrigue. Most of these blokes were a total drag—except Liu LI Cheng. He knows how to treat a lad right—and gives the loveliest presents. There was someone else in India—my guru Sandhya. She was the Goddess in the form of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. She was lovely—but I don’t like to dwell on her fate.When I got to New York, the first person of consequence I met was Mia. It was divine intervention again. I needed guidance to fulfill my mission, and there she was--my Goddess in warrior form. Of course, I had to bide my time with her. A woman of Mia’s stature is no pushover--but believe me, I pushed and pushed, until she succumbed. And succumb she did—again and again.Of course, there is the den. There is a group of lovelies, nicknamed the denizens, who frequent the basement commons of our building, The Vampire State, looking for nightly trade. Not that I ever pay for the privilege. I just beckon to whatever boy or girl catches my fancy, or a combination thereof. I hate sleeping alone. I must say, I never have to go far to meet someone who wants to shag me. I’m like the proverbial flame to all those eager moths.
4)Cedric, if there was one thing you could change in your life, what would that be? I hope you don't say becoming a vampire. If you hadn't I might have never met you, and, well, you are just fascinating. I'd have missed something spectacular if I hadn't met you. I don’t recommend this state of being to just anyone. For some it’s a divine calling, but too many use the power as an excuse for anti-social behavior. Our gift attracts far too many sociopaths. I like the immortality part, staying young, beautiful and powerful and all that—but the bloodlust is worse than heroin addiction—believe me, I know of what I speak. Your veins cry out to be fed, and it’s not fun. I really have no choice in my path. The Devi has plans for me. It’s karma. Shakti, the Great Mother, will decide my fate, no matter what schemes I devise. I do need to overcome some personal demons before I’m released from the cycle of death and re-birth. That much I will say. 5)Oh. *whispering* What does it feel like when a vampire bites you? I mean, not that I'm offering, because Lewell'yn would simply freak out, and Kay would give me that wounded look... but I've been wondering ever since I met you. Could you describe it to me? *fanning self*(Cedric leans slightly forward and drops his voice to a low note that feels like teasing fingers running along one’s spine. His grin creeps up his check some more, and his eyes become jade slits.) Well, it’s all shivery and orgasmic—if you’re a vampire getting bitten by a vampire. If you’re human, it’s terrifying and usually fatal. An Immortyl experiences his partner’s ecstasy as well as his own. You see inside the soul—if he has one that is. Most of them are a void. Mia sees full-blown visions—but then again, she is the avatar of the Goddess. I haven’t shared essence much with Lord Liu yet. One as old and powerful as Li Cheng can enslave you far too easily. I was Raj’s slave and I don’t care to go there again, even with someone I respect as much as Li Cheng. I must be master over myself before I take the plunge with him. We stick to shagging—amazing, world-moving, supernova shagging. Of course, you aren’t human, Tian, my love—I can control my hunger if I’ve fed recently. I’m game if you are. I can make your dreams come true. You have really beautiful eyes… You were simply glowing when we last met. Your skin, your hair just shimmer—and the scent of you is divine. Your blood has a delicate bouquet, like honey made from lavender blossoms. Or we could simply shag. I never had alien before. Mia believes our origins may be alien. She’s a skeptical sort when it comes to religion. So, how does this hermaphroditic thing work exactly? Who does what and what goes where? I’m a versatile sort, so I’m open—or other—to possibility. No one need know. I’m the soul of discretion. Believe me, a former courtesan knows things that could bring down governments. So, how about it, love?
6)Cedric, would you tell us a little about the latest story of your adventures your friend Denise has put out? And how did you meet her? Cherie just stumbled into the holding area on the Pirate ship, kind of hiding behind Lewell'yn... and she's been around ever since. She's crazy as a bed-bug, but we've grown to love her. Your author seems far more level headed. It that true, or is she just as happily insane as our girl?You obviously don’t know the old girl. She’s eccentric, keeps six parrots and talk to herself. Bursts into song at the drop of a hat--show tunes! Well, there is the occasional Bowie or Queen, I can forgive her that. She puts me through hell! I think she’s a bit of a sadist. She claims I just burst out of her head like Athena one night. As if. Originally, I was conceived as a love interest for a character who is introduced in our current adventure, but that part of the saga is yet to be written. I am a bit demanding. I wanted center stage and the spotlight, so I simply took it. So, Servant of the Goddess--I’m the titular character in this book, but Mia is the POV. They call our stories urban fantasy. I suppose the fantasy part is the sexy stuff with me. In this latest tale, I’m newly arrived in New Yorkwhen she encounters me. Well, an adept of the ancient arts is worth his or her weight in gold—or three times that in my case. She and Kurt are faced with a gigantic headache in the form of yours truly. I bring tidings up upheaval at court and the recently-crowned Rani Guilietta’s intrigues. There are factions and more intrigues going on among Mia and Kurt’s followers and even government agents muscling in on the rights to the secrets of immortality. Yes, there is a wee bit of science to all this. Of course, Lord Liu makes an appearance. There are explosions and gun fights and even a big chase scene! Oh, and there is some steamy stuff--mostly with Mia this time around. If you want the boy-on-boy variety, read my previous tale, My Fearful Symmetry. My darling Tian, I know you’re hiding behind some exquisite screen or other. I can smell you, you know. Don’t be shy. Remember, I only bite if asked. Let me show you, in the flesh, so to speak, how happy I am to be here tonight. You’re missing out on the shag of a lifetime. Immortyl princes have vied for my favor. Liu Li Cheng was prepared to pay three times my weight in gold for my companionship. It’s a religious experience with an adept of the ancient arts. I’m a conduit of divinity—or so they say. In view of your condition, I can be gentle. Let me practice all of my tantric arts… You can invite the other blokes. The more the merrier, I say. Well, in any case, the offer stands, if you get my drift. Lovely to be here. I just linger a bit until you show yourself. They always do.
****
A short note from DeniseVerrico:
Here you go, Cherie. You might want to keep a close eye on your boys, as Cedric is bound and determined to hook up with Tian.
To the Readers: My loves, each and every one of you will get a free ebook of our short tales, Annals of the Immortyls, simply by leaving a comment and contact email where the authoress may send the link and free coupon code. Here is a question for you to comment upon: Should vampires sparkle, or is that best left to the Guru of Glitter, David Bowie?
Denise Verrico can be found all over the web, but if you want a sure thing for finding her and Cedric both, thy over at the Immortyl Revolutions page: http://www.deniseverricowriter.webs.com/
Tian: Hi. *blushing* Sorry I'm late. I was... a bit tied up.
Growling noises are heard from off stage. Tian's blush deepens, and he quickly brushes his hair forward in a vain attempt to cover the lurid love bites covering both sides of his neck. The movement shows off the faint ligature marks at his wrists. Clearly, Tian was being quite literal when he said he was tied up, lol.
Tian: I'm afraid I missed the taping of the show, but I hear it was something spectacular, so let's roll the footage, and you can all enjoy seeing... *sighing* Cedric MacKinnion.
more growling, and then the unmistakeable sounds of sexual congress happening echo through the little studio. Tian turns scandalized and intrigued eyes to the cameras.
Tian: Oh, for the love of little quiches, turn the footage on now! I have got to see what Kay and Lewell'yn are up to. That sounds fun...
*Tian attempts to lift himself from the chair, fails, scoots to the edge and tries again, this time with success. The stunned cameraman pans after him, catching his cute rear switching off the edge of the stage toward an archway leading back into the manor proper. The camera pans around, and the slightly bemused face of a young, handsome blond man appears.*
Rian: Uh, hi. I'm Rian Collins, and I, uh, work the camera. Tian appears to be *loud moaning noises echo from off camera, and Tian's voice is clearly heard yelling out a litany of 'Yes, yes, yes, right there, that's the spot.' Rian blushes.* Ah. Right, then, here's the spot.
****
Hi, this is Cherie Noel. I'm standing in for Tian tonight... he couldn't get away from Kay and Lewell'yn to come talk with you himself right now, Cedric and Denise, but he did send along a list of questions. He was quite taken with Cedric, and he wanted to be sure I told Cedric that... um, without letting on to Lewell'yn or Kay until he confesses to them that he may have just a teensy crush on Cedric. He promises to tell them tonight though, so everything will be all cleared up by this evening. :)
(A tall, young Immortyl with a dancer’s body slinks into the room. His attire suggests either an inter-stellar pirate or rock-and-roll front man. His deep green shirt is open at the throat, revealing a bit of sculpted chest as pale and smooth as white marble, ornamented with swirls of henna tattoos. On this tantalizing hint of flesh reposes a jade pendant of a Chinese dragon. He throws back long auburn hair and takes his seat. Up-tilted green eyes narrow as a wicked grin inches up his left cheek. His attitude is at once insolent and inviting.) Good evening, love. It’s fabulous to see you again. I’m distraught not to see Tian. I was so looking forward to…renewing our acquaintance.
*Cherie glances up at the camera with a startled look, and then, shaking out the papers in her hands, begins to read off the pre-written questions after clearing her throat.*
1)Um, do you like any real food anymore? Because I cook. I love to cook, and if you let me know what your favorite dish is, I bet I could learn to make it for you. I do eat real food. Some vampires experience food aversions early on, but I never did. In fact, I was wolfing down curry my first night. I love Indian food, but I must confess, while living in India, I longed for a cheeseburger. However, I do like my meat very rare. I would be honored if you’d cook for me. A thick, bloody steak would be nice—that’s s-t-e-a-k, not s-t-a-k-e. A misspelling could prove fatal.2)You're so beautiful, Cedric. Are you in love? I can't imagine someone as lovely as you being alone... you mentioned something about having more than one partner when you hosted me on your blog, but honestly, dear, this pregnancy is making me lose my mind. *sigh* Would you refresh my memory?
My darling, how kind of you to say so! You’re quite the beauty yourself—wherever you’re hiding, my shy sweet.No, I’m never alone. Am I in love? Well…yes, but not with just one person. I’m a bit like you in that respect. I do like girls and boys, so it’s difficult to settle. There are some needs that just one lover or gender can’t fulfill--if you get my drift. My appetites are omnivorous and rather experimental. I’m not really the monogamous type, but there are two lovers who compete to hold my heart captive.There is my delicious Mia. Mmm…she’s all voluptuous and juicy. I like a woman with curves. You should see her in a leather cat suit. Of course, she has a mate already, so our relationship is special. Mia is the avatar of my patron Goddess Kali, in the form of Durga. She’s a woman to contend with…quite the little dominatrix, although, she’d deny it in public. I’m so happy to serve her in every way. Kurt, her partner, isn’t thrilled about it, but he’s done his share of sleeping around with other boys and girls. He’s my boss, and sometimes it’s a bit awkward. If he’d lighten up and join in the fun, it might relieve tension, but after his and Mia’s little ménage with Arturo it’s a sore subject. Where was I? Oh—my other grande passione, Lord Liu—Liu Li Cheng to his friends. He’s wise, mysterious, deep and devastatingly sexy—long white hair and deep dark eyes. Hot body. He was a warrior in the former Han Dynasty and related to the reigning emperor of his human lifetime, taught imperial princes swordsmanship—with a real sword-- one made of metal. Okay, he had a long-running affair with one of the emperor’s sons. It ended tragically. Li Cheng has been looking for this lost love for two thousand years. He says that I’m his prince reincarnated. If he’s right, the Gods certainly have odd ways, reincarnating an imperial Chinese prince as a ginger-haired, Scottish Immortyl. The Deva do seem to have strange plans for me. Oh, by the way, vampire is kind of a dirty word among our kind. We’re the Immortyls, the semi-divine children of Kali Maa.
3) How did you meet your lovers, and what sort of adventures are you getting caught up in lately?*All I seem to do lately is sleep, eat, and hunt for my feet. I swear I haven't seen them in days*
Well, I met Raj, my progenitor and former master, in the underground in London. Beautiful bastard! I’d been a rent boy for three years, since I was fifteen, and I’d become a statistic. I was sick to death with something one of my former clients had passed to me. I couldn’t work at my former profession, so I’d taken up busking--playing my guitar for change. Raj took me back to his house and put me to an ordeal to prove my worthiness to serve Kali Maa as an adept of the ancient arts. Well, to make a long story short, I trained to be a temple dancer and practitioner of tantric sex rituals. The idea behind this is to confer blessings upon the recipient. So I was still a whore, but this time I was a whore with a fancy name, a scared courtesan. My “lovers” were chosen for me by the chief elder, Kalidasa. I was a pawn in dangerous games of court intrigue. Most of these blokes were a total drag—except Liu LI Cheng. He knows how to treat a lad right—and gives the loveliest presents. There was someone else in India—my guru Sandhya. She was the Goddess in the form of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. She was lovely—but I don’t like to dwell on her fate.When I got to New York, the first person of consequence I met was Mia. It was divine intervention again. I needed guidance to fulfill my mission, and there she was--my Goddess in warrior form. Of course, I had to bide my time with her. A woman of Mia’s stature is no pushover--but believe me, I pushed and pushed, until she succumbed. And succumb she did—again and again.Of course, there is the den. There is a group of lovelies, nicknamed the denizens, who frequent the basement commons of our building, The Vampire State, looking for nightly trade. Not that I ever pay for the privilege. I just beckon to whatever boy or girl catches my fancy, or a combination thereof. I hate sleeping alone. I must say, I never have to go far to meet someone who wants to shag me. I’m like the proverbial flame to all those eager moths.
4)Cedric, if there was one thing you could change in your life, what would that be? I hope you don't say becoming a vampire. If you hadn't I might have never met you, and, well, you are just fascinating. I'd have missed something spectacular if I hadn't met you. I don’t recommend this state of being to just anyone. For some it’s a divine calling, but too many use the power as an excuse for anti-social behavior. Our gift attracts far too many sociopaths. I like the immortality part, staying young, beautiful and powerful and all that—but the bloodlust is worse than heroin addiction—believe me, I know of what I speak. Your veins cry out to be fed, and it’s not fun. I really have no choice in my path. The Devi has plans for me. It’s karma. Shakti, the Great Mother, will decide my fate, no matter what schemes I devise. I do need to overcome some personal demons before I’m released from the cycle of death and re-birth. That much I will say. 5)Oh. *whispering* What does it feel like when a vampire bites you? I mean, not that I'm offering, because Lewell'yn would simply freak out, and Kay would give me that wounded look... but I've been wondering ever since I met you. Could you describe it to me? *fanning self*(Cedric leans slightly forward and drops his voice to a low note that feels like teasing fingers running along one’s spine. His grin creeps up his check some more, and his eyes become jade slits.) Well, it’s all shivery and orgasmic—if you’re a vampire getting bitten by a vampire. If you’re human, it’s terrifying and usually fatal. An Immortyl experiences his partner’s ecstasy as well as his own. You see inside the soul—if he has one that is. Most of them are a void. Mia sees full-blown visions—but then again, she is the avatar of the Goddess. I haven’t shared essence much with Lord Liu yet. One as old and powerful as Li Cheng can enslave you far too easily. I was Raj’s slave and I don’t care to go there again, even with someone I respect as much as Li Cheng. I must be master over myself before I take the plunge with him. We stick to shagging—amazing, world-moving, supernova shagging. Of course, you aren’t human, Tian, my love—I can control my hunger if I’ve fed recently. I’m game if you are. I can make your dreams come true. You have really beautiful eyes… You were simply glowing when we last met. Your skin, your hair just shimmer—and the scent of you is divine. Your blood has a delicate bouquet, like honey made from lavender blossoms. Or we could simply shag. I never had alien before. Mia believes our origins may be alien. She’s a skeptical sort when it comes to religion. So, how does this hermaphroditic thing work exactly? Who does what and what goes where? I’m a versatile sort, so I’m open—or other—to possibility. No one need know. I’m the soul of discretion. Believe me, a former courtesan knows things that could bring down governments. So, how about it, love?
6)Cedric, would you tell us a little about the latest story of your adventures your friend Denise has put out? And how did you meet her? Cherie just stumbled into the holding area on the Pirate ship, kind of hiding behind Lewell'yn... and she's been around ever since. She's crazy as a bed-bug, but we've grown to love her. Your author seems far more level headed. It that true, or is she just as happily insane as our girl?You obviously don’t know the old girl. She’s eccentric, keeps six parrots and talk to herself. Bursts into song at the drop of a hat--show tunes! Well, there is the occasional Bowie or Queen, I can forgive her that. She puts me through hell! I think she’s a bit of a sadist. She claims I just burst out of her head like Athena one night. As if. Originally, I was conceived as a love interest for a character who is introduced in our current adventure, but that part of the saga is yet to be written. I am a bit demanding. I wanted center stage and the spotlight, so I simply took it. So, Servant of the Goddess--I’m the titular character in this book, but Mia is the POV. They call our stories urban fantasy. I suppose the fantasy part is the sexy stuff with me. In this latest tale, I’m newly arrived in New Yorkwhen she encounters me. Well, an adept of the ancient arts is worth his or her weight in gold—or three times that in my case. She and Kurt are faced with a gigantic headache in the form of yours truly. I bring tidings up upheaval at court and the recently-crowned Rani Guilietta’s intrigues. There are factions and more intrigues going on among Mia and Kurt’s followers and even government agents muscling in on the rights to the secrets of immortality. Yes, there is a wee bit of science to all this. Of course, Lord Liu makes an appearance. There are explosions and gun fights and even a big chase scene! Oh, and there is some steamy stuff--mostly with Mia this time around. If you want the boy-on-boy variety, read my previous tale, My Fearful Symmetry. My darling Tian, I know you’re hiding behind some exquisite screen or other. I can smell you, you know. Don’t be shy. Remember, I only bite if asked. Let me show you, in the flesh, so to speak, how happy I am to be here tonight. You’re missing out on the shag of a lifetime. Immortyl princes have vied for my favor. Liu Li Cheng was prepared to pay three times my weight in gold for my companionship. It’s a religious experience with an adept of the ancient arts. I’m a conduit of divinity—or so they say. In view of your condition, I can be gentle. Let me practice all of my tantric arts… You can invite the other blokes. The more the merrier, I say. Well, in any case, the offer stands, if you get my drift. Lovely to be here. I just linger a bit until you show yourself. They always do.
****
A short note from DeniseVerrico:Here you go, Cherie. You might want to keep a close eye on your boys, as Cedric is bound and determined to hook up with Tian.
To the Readers: My loves, each and every one of you will get a free ebook of our short tales, Annals of the Immortyls, simply by leaving a comment and contact email where the authoress may send the link and free coupon code. Here is a question for you to comment upon: Should vampires sparkle, or is that best left to the Guru of Glitter, David Bowie?
Denise Verrico can be found all over the web, but if you want a sure thing for finding her and Cedric both, thy over at the Immortyl Revolutions page: http://www.deniseverricowriter.webs.com/
Not Monday, but here's the Mania...
Quick rundown of all the stuff I meant to tell you all about yesterday, but got so caught up in writing I forgot, and then I have to dash over to today's post before Tian blows a gasket. The little guy is interviewing Cedric MacKinnon, and seriously, he is all aflutter about it. Which, of course, has Lewell'yn in a mood, and Kay trying to keep the peace. I mustn't leave the boys on their own for too long.
Yesterday's meanderings and mania:
Last weekend was jam-packed with fun family times. We had a 1.8k Kids Run with the kidlet on Saturday morning, and then a full six hours or so at the Buffalo Zoo... and it wasn't til after we were there that I found out it was Vic's first time to the zoo. Any zoo at all! Geez, I'd have taken more pictures if I'd realized earlier on what a momentous occasion it was.
I did manage to snap a few shots of the family as they took a brief rest in the Rainforest Exhibit, and the one here to the left is my favorite. The kidlet gesturing excitedly, and Uncle Vic listening patiently? Yep, that's an accurate representation of their common interactions. Love and tropical birds, that's what I found in this photo. Not a bad combination if you ask me.
After the zoo, we staggered to the bus stop and after a mid-length ride, up the stairs to our apartment. The kidlet slept like a rock, and Vic and I put our barking dogs--er, feet that is--up in not so quiet relief. :)
The very next day, Sunday, was Buffalo's Pride March day, and we went out to see the parade, and then over to the Festival. You can find pics and even video over on Vic's Website (click on the words 'Vic's Website). It's a wonderful little look into the the nutty world of Vic and Cherie.
Yesterday I was writing. Writing. Writing, and writing. I managed just over 5,000 words. I've nearly finished the second story I picked up for the LiAW event over at the M/M romance group on Goodreads (you can find my first story HERE. Please be sure to leave a comment if you go check it out. Every one who comments between now and the end of June will be automatically entered to win a free copy of the full length novel by the same name coming out this month. Be sure and spread the word about that as well. Okay, I know I missed some things, but I've got to get over to today's post and make sure Tian doesn't get himself into trouble. :)
Ciao, babies. Make today magic. Or as Damon Suede says, 'Do something Extraordinary. You might be dead tomorrow.'
Yesterday's meanderings and mania:
Last weekend was jam-packed with fun family times. We had a 1.8k Kids Run with the kidlet on Saturday morning, and then a full six hours or so at the Buffalo Zoo... and it wasn't til after we were there that I found out it was Vic's first time to the zoo. Any zoo at all! Geez, I'd have taken more pictures if I'd realized earlier on what a momentous occasion it was.
I did manage to snap a few shots of the family as they took a brief rest in the Rainforest Exhibit, and the one here to the left is my favorite. The kidlet gesturing excitedly, and Uncle Vic listening patiently? Yep, that's an accurate representation of their common interactions. Love and tropical birds, that's what I found in this photo. Not a bad combination if you ask me.After the zoo, we staggered to the bus stop and after a mid-length ride, up the stairs to our apartment. The kidlet slept like a rock, and Vic and I put our barking dogs--er, feet that is--up in not so quiet relief. :)
The very next day, Sunday, was Buffalo's Pride March day, and we went out to see the parade, and then over to the Festival. You can find pics and even video over on Vic's Website (click on the words 'Vic's Website). It's a wonderful little look into the the nutty world of Vic and Cherie.
Yesterday I was writing. Writing. Writing, and writing. I managed just over 5,000 words. I've nearly finished the second story I picked up for the LiAW event over at the M/M romance group on Goodreads (you can find my first story HERE. Please be sure to leave a comment if you go check it out. Every one who comments between now and the end of June will be automatically entered to win a free copy of the full length novel by the same name coming out this month. Be sure and spread the word about that as well. Okay, I know I missed some things, but I've got to get over to today's post and make sure Tian doesn't get himself into trouble. :)
Ciao, babies. Make today magic. Or as Damon Suede says, 'Do something Extraordinary. You might be dead tomorrow.'
May 30, 2012
Wicked Wednesday...
By now you've heard the stories. And gruesome ones they are. Just, remember, stock up on food, and guns... and stories. Because stories are to the mind what a whetstone is to a sword.Keep yourself sharp, babies.
There are loads of goodies to be found over at the LiAW event happening in the M/M Romance group on Goodreads. Here's a little Linky Dinky to my story, and once you finish that? Go back to the main page by clicking on LiAW at the top, and read away. The stories are free, and good...
And if the zombies are coming, you're going to need to be as sharp as you can. No, really.
May 28, 2012
May 25, 2012
Fabulous Friday: Play it for me One More Time
Because you just never know what is waiting just around the corner.
... and because nobody does it like Brit. Just sayin'
May 23, 2012
Wicked Wednesday: It's a Shakespearean Thing... kinda
To cut or not to cut, that is the question:
Whether ‘tis hotter in hand or mouth, or other orifice
to have a cock that’s suffered the cut, and been exposed to
The Scapels and medicated creams of outrageous western med,
Or to take a stand against a Sea of troublesome cutters,
And by opposing end their reign of cock cutting
to some wanton destruction of perfection,
to others the necessary pain all must suffer,
and to still others mere happenstance:
For a Cock by any other name,
Cut or uncut, is made to
To grunt and sweat under or over
The undiscovered Country of the Lover from whom
fevered cries arise to enter the ears of the one the cock belongs to.
‘Tis this, no more… and whether the cock be dressed or undressed,
in ancient Greek form… is but a delight to be discovered.
****
Inspired by a Cup O Porn--er, I mean a Coffee and Porn-- post which you can find right here: http://cupoporn.net/2012/05/22/nsfw-nooner-116/
May 21, 2012
Win, win, win, win... oh Yeah!
The Blog Hop Against Homo/Trans*phobia are...
OceanAkers, KimberlyFDR, Matthew Lang, and Pointycat.
You'll be receiving emails soon, my lovelies.
To everyone else, there will be a year end finale draw for everyone who was in any of my draws/giveaways this year.
Later babies. I gots to go write.
OceanAkers, KimberlyFDR, Matthew Lang, and Pointycat.
You'll be receiving emails soon, my lovelies.
To everyone else, there will be a year end finale draw for everyone who was in any of my draws/giveaways this year.
Later babies. I gots to go write.
Monday's Mayhem & Foolishness
So, the Hop Against Homophobia is officially over as of this morning (per moi). Of course, the Hop being done does not mean the fight is over. No, not by far.We've all still got miles to go before we sleep (Frost I think) on these issues. But if we keep our awareness, and keep reaching out in love and acceptance, we will get there. That's a pretty amazing concept, and one I truly believe. We will live, or our children-the next generation-will live forward into a day where slogans to promote equality are not necessary, where equality simply is. That is a fine thing to look forward to.In the meantime, I'm going to round up all the names I have, put them on little slips of paper, and do a drawing to determine my two winners. And then I'm gonna get right back in the Writing Cave's editing section for a bit, where I'm working on a little something for my much loved lil'bro, Vicktor Alexander. I'm multitasking (I know, shocker) as I also have three books I'm working on right now, two of which have a deadline of Friday. You know that Robert Frost line, miles to go before I sleep? Yeppers, that's lil' ole me every freaking day. Heck, it's prolly you as well, isn't it? I really don't think many of us get by with just enough to do to keep us busy... so, I'm off to believe six impossible things before breakfast..
Hmm.1) I will finish writing four new books by the end of June. Okay, done.
2) I will (mumble, mumble--this one's a secret--mumble). Also done.
3) I will unpack one entire box today.
4) I will take the Christmas tree down before June 1st. (it's already down, but I still have to believe this).
5) I will write a bestselling book this year.
6) I will have an entire day where my daughter is polite and respectful to me... on a day when she is HOME from school. *hey, it could happen*
What are your six impossible things?
May 20, 2012
Sunday Best: Second Section of the Hop Finale
And here's where you can earn two more entries for the drawing to get free books for a year from Rooster and Pig Publishing. See if you can spot the trans* twist from this snippet of the story, and why Dorothy and Frankie are new in town...
*****
From the Common Grounds series:
Two of Rick’s favorite customers caught his attention as he walked around straightening chairs and wiping down tables after the breakfast rush. Glenn drawled, “Well, would you look at that.” He desultorily stirring his low-fat macchiato.“She sure seems out of place.” Sarah Jane’s retort was rapid, spiky with interest. She was on her fourth mug of coffee and jittering in her seat. She leaned forward in small staccato movements to see past Glenn’s right shoulder....Rick glanced out the window of the coffee shop, wondering what had those two fussing at not even eleven o'clock on a foggy Tuesday morning. Sarah Jane and Glenn were peering around the potted fern he'd just put in the corner of the front window. Well, he’d put it there last Sunday. The fern, lush and glorious, was blocking his view of whatever, whoever had them so riveted. "No, no Sarah honey, she's waitin' on somebody I tell you..." Glenn drawled with absolute conviction."Waiting? Glenn, the only thing on that side of the street is one apartment building and that shady little park...oh." Sarah Jane's voice trailed away. She and Glenn both scooted their chairs to the side and then abruptly scooted them back. They whirled to face one another; both startlingly red faced, and now Rick just had to know what the hell had those two so fascinated. He picked up a new pot of coffee and sauntered toward their table, absently noting the tinkle of the door chimes."Sarah Jane, Glenn, good to see you this morning...I --" Rick stopped in stunned surprise as they both reached under the table to grab whatever bits of him they could reach at that awkward angle."Rick, for heaven's sake don't ask what we were just looking at." Sarah Jane hissed at him."She's standing at your counter looking absolutely lickable." Glenn added his comment in that same honey-rough tones which always left Rick thinking that all the best ones, like Glenn, were straight. He topped off his customers coffees, and then, as casually as he could manage, swung around slowly to see what all the fuss was about.OH.MY. GOD!She looked entirely lost. Wild curls rioted around her face, dark brown mixed with shades of blond from ash to dark honey. She was tall, probably 5'9" or 5'10", and sported a curvy, old-fashioned pin-up girl sort of figure. Didn't straight boys call that an "hour-glass" or something? She held a little girl of probably five or six years up over the far side of the L-shaped glass display counter to pick out a pastry, and yet despite the obvious strength...Rick saw it. That something indefinable yet infinitely real, something that was and wasn't there. An somehow waifish feeling seemed to pour from her to fill the space around her. She needed to be held. Rick could see... something marking her on a—man, he hated to sound all new agey, but on a spiritual level. She carried around an invisible sign covered in boldly written, glittering letters reading, "Handle with care".Rick held up one finger. Called out, "I'll be with you in just a moment." Then he tried to smile and soothe and seem friendly all with his ordinary voice. He spun back around to gape at Sarah Jane and Glenn. He gave his best impression of a fish, complete with the bit where he opened his mouth repeatedly. Drawing in a breath through a wind pipe suddenly half its normal size, he licked his lips. Then he cleared his throat twice. Leaning in close he whispered, "I call dibs." And then he wondered what the hell he was doing calling dibs on a woman. ****
"Dhat one momma, thas as preety as Aunie 'Chelle's hastries." Frankie's voice belled out sweet as a xylophone. She tapped the glass with her electric blue cast—the very cast she’d deemed “pretty” as soon as the pain medication kicked in. She tapped right over the confection she'd obviously set her heart on. Her mother, wincing, quickly slid her hand under the cast to keep the little hurricane from breaking the counters top. One ER visit this month was more than enough. Add the stress of moving lock, stock, and nursing license across the whole country and Dorothy was just plain worn out. Then there was the apartment hunting, though the last apartment they'd looked at seemed nice enough. The housing prices out here would take a little getting used to. Something about the manager bugged her though. He made her feel edgy, reminding her of—maybe they would keep looking. Yeah. Not that place. When the man touched her hand to pass her a pen, her stomach ached a little, and you should always listen to your gut. Right now her gut was telling her that this place smelled delicious and if the coffee tasted as good as the man serving it looked it was going to be some damn good coffee."How can I help you...?" His voice was a sweet tenor. Dorothy looked up and was caught. Oh man. Chocolate. Dark chocolate eyes and what in HELL was a coffee guy doing with lips that looked as if they tasted of raspberries?"Hmmm?" Oh. Freakin' Brilliant. It was all she could do to not drop her head into her hands and call it quits. A professional speaker she was not, but neither was she some sort of idiot savant of the professional speaker’s circuit."You're new here..." Oh shit. He smiled, and Dorothy was glad she'd chosen the bikini panties that morning in the hotel. The thin strip of cloth a thong provided would have been dripping by now. What was he saying? Those chocolate eyes and raspberry lips reminded her of her favorite candy...Michelle sprinkled bits of those chocolate bars all over the frosting of the cake she'd baked them right before they left. "...wondering if you just moved into the neighborhood..."He even smelled liked chocolate. Shaggy blond hair and just a touch of stubble...she was definitely stopping by the pharmacy to get batteries. She—yeah, oh hell yeah, she definitely had a date with B.O.B tonight right after hurricane season concluded for the day. "...you must be from Florida or the Gulf Coast, but we don't get hurricanes out here on the West Coast."Dorothy closed her eyes and felt the heat spreading up her neck to her face. "Oh geez...how much did I say out loud?" She cringed. Rick laughed out loud, the warm tones slipping and tumbling over one another. Dorothy pressed her thighs together and wondered what it would be like to have him laugh like that while he was licking right between her...a little voice piped up, interrupting her thoughts, and dammit even her thoughts were at the mercy the voices in her head that never, ever let her be. He’d hate her if he ever got between her thighs. He’d hate her, and maybe hurt her just like…Frankie’s voice piped up, and Dorothy thanked all the powers that be for the almighty power of childus-interruptus which could even silence the horrible voices in her head. "Momma, can I habe my hastrie?" asked Frankie.Rick peered over the edge of the pastry case. He looked up and started to open his mouth only to be cut off. "No,yes, 4, and she wants the one that looks like it has ribbons all over it... and those are the questions everyone asks." Dorothy rolled her eyes. "If I had a dollar for every time someone asks if she is a model, do I know she's dressed like freakin' Snow White, and don't feel bad it's her height, everyone thinks she's a couple of years older than she really is." Rick looked back at the woman. She’d nailed everything he was going to ask. He couldn’t help but be startled, nor wondering how she had so perfectly answered the questions he hadn't even voiced."You have a very expressive face, I'll take a coffee and a croissant, oh, and a house salad with chickpeas, the raspberry vinaigrette for dressing, a glass of milk for my little hurricane, and how much of what I was thinking did I say out loud?" The words rushed the words out of her mouth. Her tone dipped, going a little deeper, a tiny bit huskier over the word raspberry, and what was that about...?"Ummm....something about meeting Bob back at the hotel later, after the hurricane stopped..."Glancing down past the counter again he smirked slightly. "I think I get the hurricane reference now though." His smile broadened back into that sweet adult dessert she wanted to eat for at least a few hours. " I am still curious about Bob though...or was it B.O.B.?" Rick chuckled as he asked the last. "I'm Rick by the way... Rick C. Torres. If you and your little hurricane want to find a table I'll bring your food right out... do you need a booster seat for her? And I make a mean toasted PB&J if she's interested in lunch.""Oh... a PB&J sounds great. She always loves those. Uh." And YES he already knew the answer to the other question by the delicious blush riding up her face. "Uh...my name's Dorothy. I'm not meeting anyone later...w-we just got here, are still looking for an apartment actually. Uh... It's too bad the one across the way isn't going to work out. This cafe is lovely and it would have been so close to my new job...oh well." She shrugged her shoulders, looking frail again somehow, and a little overwhelmed and before anyone could stop him he opened his mouth. Said something crazy. Abso-freakin-lutely crazy. The sexy little stutter must have short circuited his brain. He always loved when he flustered his boyfriends enough to make them stutter."There's an apartment upstairs that's going to be open soon." Holy Hell, that was his apartment... and dammit his mouth was still moving,"... how soon do you need to find a place?"Glenn had come up behind Dorothy and was looking at him like he had lost his mind. Oh hell, he had lost his mind. "I'll be right over with that booster seat and your drinks then he said." He hoped Glenn could read the desperation in his eyes, cause if he blabbed right now Rick was going to look like some kind of sick-o stalker psycho. Dorothy and her daughter moved off, and Glenn let the laugh he'd been holding in rumble in his chest. "I know you called dibs man, but moving her into your apartment before knowing her even an hour is fast work even for a sweet slickster like you." Glenn was laughing openly now, still quietly enough to not draw attention with his head tipped down, glancing up through his lashes in sly merriment. Thank God Dorothy hadn't noticed the odd reaction he was giving to the apartment offer. "Glenn, can you and Sarah meet me for dinner tonight?" Rick waved away the money Glenn had out to pay for their lunches... "I think I'm gonna need someone to talk to later... don't worry about lunch, man. It's on me." "I know I can make it... and I’ll see if Sarah Jane has any plans for tonight... though even if she does, I’m sure she can be persuaded to cancel them. Where do you want to meet us, and when?" Glenn's blue eyes sparkled as he asked the question. Rick could see that he had about a hundred more questions but thankfully he was opting to ask them later. When she couldn't overhear things that made him seem...well, just plain loco. "Thanks Glenn. 7:30pm I guess, at that new Cajun place over on Folsom maybe? Please come even if Sarah Jean can't... I just... I really am going to need someone to talk to tonight." Rick gave a lopsided little smile as he spoke, and Glenn got the strongest urge to wrap the other man up in his arms. He wanted to make everything... Ooo-kay where did that come from? Guy must remind him of his kid brother. Because Glenn liked the forms he wrapped up in his arms to be curvy little packages like the lovely in front of him. Yeah, that was it.
****
The clatter of the restaurant behind them set a pleasant level of ambient noise. Glenn glanced around, and then trained his gaze back on Rick’s eyes as he listened to Sarah Jean light into Rick. "So, you're telling us that you told her she could have your apartment—which she doesn't know is yours—and now you have to move out by Friday so she can move in on Saturday?" If Sarah Jane's voice got any more incredulous she'd become a caricature of herself. Her gingery eyebrows were hovering up near her hairline and the sheer stupefaction expressed in her brandy colored eyes was making Rick feel more loco than he had when arranging for one of his part-timers to come in for the afternoon so that he could hide all his photos, all the stuff that made it obvious that the apartment was his. More loco than when he'd shown the apartment to Dorothy, claiming that he'd cleared it with his "tenant" earlier and yes, muy more loco than when he'd claimed that the guy didn't want to give up his lease so the sublet was only going to cost her $750. A month. For a large four bedroom flat. In San Francisco. He could only hope that these two people that he'd know casually for a year and a half would take pity and offer to help him. Mark and Guy were out of town, Robert wasn't due to return from studying abroad for another three months, and Lizzie and Sheila were in Denver for a week at Sheila's sister's wedding. And he couldn't ask his brothers. Tio abuelo Manuel would help, but at 82, even a robust 82, his biggest contribution was likely to be ordering the pizza for afterwards."Yeah, that's about the size of it." Rick ducked his head, looking across the table through his lashes at the last hope he had of help in pulling off this crazy scheme.The rumble that masqueraded as Glenn's laugh started up in his chest again. His shoulders were shaking as he bit his lips. When he started slowly shaking his head back and forth Rick's hopes took a sharp dive. Rick bit his own lip and looked down, then spoke quickly, trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing...maybe he wouldn't scare away two of his best customers."It's okay, I know it's a lot to ask on short notice and -"Glenn shot Sarah Jane a loaded glance—nice to have known one another since second grade sometimes—and reached across the table to get Rick's attention. Except instead of tapping the smaller man on the back of the hand as he'd intended to he found himself cupping the other man's hand. Rick’s skin felt cool to the touch, and his fingers shook slightly. Rick looked up, releasing his bottom lip from the fierce grip his teeth had on it. The plump flesh gleamed with moisture, soft and sweetly pink against the whiteness of his teeth. His lips parted. Glenn had a sudden vivid mental image of himself leaning forward to lick that raspberry pink surface, learn if it tasted as sweet as it looked. In his mind, Rick leaned forward, meeting him halfway. The café owner pressed his firm lips against Glenn’s, and then he—"Glenn here—” the back of Sarah Jane's hand thwacked into her friend's chest, startling him and halting his unconscious movement forward, “—and I would be happy to help you." "I know it seems loony, but she was just so...just..." Rick spread his hands and shrugged."Yes she was." Though Glenn spoke it was clear from the look on Sarah Jane's face she was in complete agreement. She lifted her water glass as if to make a toast. The other two followed suit, and with a wry sidelong glance at Glenn, she said, "To becoming friends of Dorothy." She smirked a bit, and then, after taking a small sip of her water, she continued to speak. "What I'm unclear on Rick, is if Dorothy is living in your apartment, where are you going to live?" Glenn wondered if this was what Rick had felt like earlier as he heard himself saying," I have a spare room... you can stay with me until you figure things out." Well, obviously insanity was contagious. Because Glenn didn't have a spare room. Where in hell was he supposed to put all his home office stuff while Rick was staying there? He nudged Sarah Jane's ankle with the toe of his shoe and gave her the don't you dare say a word look. One eyebrow discreetly raised, eyes slightly narrowed. She got the message loud and clear, though clearly she did not like what he was saying. Sarah Jane always got him. It was why he was planning to ask her to marry him. He liked not having to explain. He liked how she always got him. He liked her right down to her pretty toes. Yeah. He just wanted to help Rick to help Dorothy. Cause there was sure something about her that made you want to help her. Protect her. Help anyone who was trying to help her. Plus Rick reminded him of his baby brother... though he never wondered if his brother's lips tasted like raspberries. Never looked at his brother's lips and wondered if he could get his girlfriend to wear raspberry flavored gloss. Or maybe get some raspberry flavored bodypaint so he could lick it off every hot caramel colored inch of flesh. Poor guy must have caught hell growing up with a pair of lips like that. Right. So he wanted to help him out. Was gonna let him stay in his house. Made perfect sense. Yeah. Sure. Now if the waiter would just come back, because suddenly Glenn wanted to change the dressing on his salad...for some reason he had a distinct craving now for the raspberry vinaigrette.
*****
From the Common Grounds series:
Two of Rick’s favorite customers caught his attention as he walked around straightening chairs and wiping down tables after the breakfast rush. Glenn drawled, “Well, would you look at that.” He desultorily stirring his low-fat macchiato.“She sure seems out of place.” Sarah Jane’s retort was rapid, spiky with interest. She was on her fourth mug of coffee and jittering in her seat. She leaned forward in small staccato movements to see past Glenn’s right shoulder....Rick glanced out the window of the coffee shop, wondering what had those two fussing at not even eleven o'clock on a foggy Tuesday morning. Sarah Jane and Glenn were peering around the potted fern he'd just put in the corner of the front window. Well, he’d put it there last Sunday. The fern, lush and glorious, was blocking his view of whatever, whoever had them so riveted. "No, no Sarah honey, she's waitin' on somebody I tell you..." Glenn drawled with absolute conviction."Waiting? Glenn, the only thing on that side of the street is one apartment building and that shady little park...oh." Sarah Jane's voice trailed away. She and Glenn both scooted their chairs to the side and then abruptly scooted them back. They whirled to face one another; both startlingly red faced, and now Rick just had to know what the hell had those two so fascinated. He picked up a new pot of coffee and sauntered toward their table, absently noting the tinkle of the door chimes."Sarah Jane, Glenn, good to see you this morning...I --" Rick stopped in stunned surprise as they both reached under the table to grab whatever bits of him they could reach at that awkward angle."Rick, for heaven's sake don't ask what we were just looking at." Sarah Jane hissed at him."She's standing at your counter looking absolutely lickable." Glenn added his comment in that same honey-rough tones which always left Rick thinking that all the best ones, like Glenn, were straight. He topped off his customers coffees, and then, as casually as he could manage, swung around slowly to see what all the fuss was about.OH.MY. GOD!She looked entirely lost. Wild curls rioted around her face, dark brown mixed with shades of blond from ash to dark honey. She was tall, probably 5'9" or 5'10", and sported a curvy, old-fashioned pin-up girl sort of figure. Didn't straight boys call that an "hour-glass" or something? She held a little girl of probably five or six years up over the far side of the L-shaped glass display counter to pick out a pastry, and yet despite the obvious strength...Rick saw it. That something indefinable yet infinitely real, something that was and wasn't there. An somehow waifish feeling seemed to pour from her to fill the space around her. She needed to be held. Rick could see... something marking her on a—man, he hated to sound all new agey, but on a spiritual level. She carried around an invisible sign covered in boldly written, glittering letters reading, "Handle with care".Rick held up one finger. Called out, "I'll be with you in just a moment." Then he tried to smile and soothe and seem friendly all with his ordinary voice. He spun back around to gape at Sarah Jane and Glenn. He gave his best impression of a fish, complete with the bit where he opened his mouth repeatedly. Drawing in a breath through a wind pipe suddenly half its normal size, he licked his lips. Then he cleared his throat twice. Leaning in close he whispered, "I call dibs." And then he wondered what the hell he was doing calling dibs on a woman. ****
"Dhat one momma, thas as preety as Aunie 'Chelle's hastries." Frankie's voice belled out sweet as a xylophone. She tapped the glass with her electric blue cast—the very cast she’d deemed “pretty” as soon as the pain medication kicked in. She tapped right over the confection she'd obviously set her heart on. Her mother, wincing, quickly slid her hand under the cast to keep the little hurricane from breaking the counters top. One ER visit this month was more than enough. Add the stress of moving lock, stock, and nursing license across the whole country and Dorothy was just plain worn out. Then there was the apartment hunting, though the last apartment they'd looked at seemed nice enough. The housing prices out here would take a little getting used to. Something about the manager bugged her though. He made her feel edgy, reminding her of—maybe they would keep looking. Yeah. Not that place. When the man touched her hand to pass her a pen, her stomach ached a little, and you should always listen to your gut. Right now her gut was telling her that this place smelled delicious and if the coffee tasted as good as the man serving it looked it was going to be some damn good coffee."How can I help you...?" His voice was a sweet tenor. Dorothy looked up and was caught. Oh man. Chocolate. Dark chocolate eyes and what in HELL was a coffee guy doing with lips that looked as if they tasted of raspberries?"Hmmm?" Oh. Freakin' Brilliant. It was all she could do to not drop her head into her hands and call it quits. A professional speaker she was not, but neither was she some sort of idiot savant of the professional speaker’s circuit."You're new here..." Oh shit. He smiled, and Dorothy was glad she'd chosen the bikini panties that morning in the hotel. The thin strip of cloth a thong provided would have been dripping by now. What was he saying? Those chocolate eyes and raspberry lips reminded her of her favorite candy...Michelle sprinkled bits of those chocolate bars all over the frosting of the cake she'd baked them right before they left. "...wondering if you just moved into the neighborhood..."He even smelled liked chocolate. Shaggy blond hair and just a touch of stubble...she was definitely stopping by the pharmacy to get batteries. She—yeah, oh hell yeah, she definitely had a date with B.O.B tonight right after hurricane season concluded for the day. "...you must be from Florida or the Gulf Coast, but we don't get hurricanes out here on the West Coast."Dorothy closed her eyes and felt the heat spreading up her neck to her face. "Oh geez...how much did I say out loud?" She cringed. Rick laughed out loud, the warm tones slipping and tumbling over one another. Dorothy pressed her thighs together and wondered what it would be like to have him laugh like that while he was licking right between her...a little voice piped up, interrupting her thoughts, and dammit even her thoughts were at the mercy the voices in her head that never, ever let her be. He’d hate her if he ever got between her thighs. He’d hate her, and maybe hurt her just like…Frankie’s voice piped up, and Dorothy thanked all the powers that be for the almighty power of childus-interruptus which could even silence the horrible voices in her head. "Momma, can I habe my hastrie?" asked Frankie.Rick peered over the edge of the pastry case. He looked up and started to open his mouth only to be cut off. "No,yes, 4, and she wants the one that looks like it has ribbons all over it... and those are the questions everyone asks." Dorothy rolled her eyes. "If I had a dollar for every time someone asks if she is a model, do I know she's dressed like freakin' Snow White, and don't feel bad it's her height, everyone thinks she's a couple of years older than she really is." Rick looked back at the woman. She’d nailed everything he was going to ask. He couldn’t help but be startled, nor wondering how she had so perfectly answered the questions he hadn't even voiced."You have a very expressive face, I'll take a coffee and a croissant, oh, and a house salad with chickpeas, the raspberry vinaigrette for dressing, a glass of milk for my little hurricane, and how much of what I was thinking did I say out loud?" The words rushed the words out of her mouth. Her tone dipped, going a little deeper, a tiny bit huskier over the word raspberry, and what was that about...?"Ummm....something about meeting Bob back at the hotel later, after the hurricane stopped..."Glancing down past the counter again he smirked slightly. "I think I get the hurricane reference now though." His smile broadened back into that sweet adult dessert she wanted to eat for at least a few hours. " I am still curious about Bob though...or was it B.O.B.?" Rick chuckled as he asked the last. "I'm Rick by the way... Rick C. Torres. If you and your little hurricane want to find a table I'll bring your food right out... do you need a booster seat for her? And I make a mean toasted PB&J if she's interested in lunch.""Oh... a PB&J sounds great. She always loves those. Uh." And YES he already knew the answer to the other question by the delicious blush riding up her face. "Uh...my name's Dorothy. I'm not meeting anyone later...w-we just got here, are still looking for an apartment actually. Uh... It's too bad the one across the way isn't going to work out. This cafe is lovely and it would have been so close to my new job...oh well." She shrugged her shoulders, looking frail again somehow, and a little overwhelmed and before anyone could stop him he opened his mouth. Said something crazy. Abso-freakin-lutely crazy. The sexy little stutter must have short circuited his brain. He always loved when he flustered his boyfriends enough to make them stutter."There's an apartment upstairs that's going to be open soon." Holy Hell, that was his apartment... and dammit his mouth was still moving,"... how soon do you need to find a place?"Glenn had come up behind Dorothy and was looking at him like he had lost his mind. Oh hell, he had lost his mind. "I'll be right over with that booster seat and your drinks then he said." He hoped Glenn could read the desperation in his eyes, cause if he blabbed right now Rick was going to look like some kind of sick-o stalker psycho. Dorothy and her daughter moved off, and Glenn let the laugh he'd been holding in rumble in his chest. "I know you called dibs man, but moving her into your apartment before knowing her even an hour is fast work even for a sweet slickster like you." Glenn was laughing openly now, still quietly enough to not draw attention with his head tipped down, glancing up through his lashes in sly merriment. Thank God Dorothy hadn't noticed the odd reaction he was giving to the apartment offer. "Glenn, can you and Sarah meet me for dinner tonight?" Rick waved away the money Glenn had out to pay for their lunches... "I think I'm gonna need someone to talk to later... don't worry about lunch, man. It's on me." "I know I can make it... and I’ll see if Sarah Jane has any plans for tonight... though even if she does, I’m sure she can be persuaded to cancel them. Where do you want to meet us, and when?" Glenn's blue eyes sparkled as he asked the question. Rick could see that he had about a hundred more questions but thankfully he was opting to ask them later. When she couldn't overhear things that made him seem...well, just plain loco. "Thanks Glenn. 7:30pm I guess, at that new Cajun place over on Folsom maybe? Please come even if Sarah Jean can't... I just... I really am going to need someone to talk to tonight." Rick gave a lopsided little smile as he spoke, and Glenn got the strongest urge to wrap the other man up in his arms. He wanted to make everything... Ooo-kay where did that come from? Guy must remind him of his kid brother. Because Glenn liked the forms he wrapped up in his arms to be curvy little packages like the lovely in front of him. Yeah, that was it.
****
The clatter of the restaurant behind them set a pleasant level of ambient noise. Glenn glanced around, and then trained his gaze back on Rick’s eyes as he listened to Sarah Jean light into Rick. "So, you're telling us that you told her she could have your apartment—which she doesn't know is yours—and now you have to move out by Friday so she can move in on Saturday?" If Sarah Jane's voice got any more incredulous she'd become a caricature of herself. Her gingery eyebrows were hovering up near her hairline and the sheer stupefaction expressed in her brandy colored eyes was making Rick feel more loco than he had when arranging for one of his part-timers to come in for the afternoon so that he could hide all his photos, all the stuff that made it obvious that the apartment was his. More loco than when he'd shown the apartment to Dorothy, claiming that he'd cleared it with his "tenant" earlier and yes, muy more loco than when he'd claimed that the guy didn't want to give up his lease so the sublet was only going to cost her $750. A month. For a large four bedroom flat. In San Francisco. He could only hope that these two people that he'd know casually for a year and a half would take pity and offer to help him. Mark and Guy were out of town, Robert wasn't due to return from studying abroad for another three months, and Lizzie and Sheila were in Denver for a week at Sheila's sister's wedding. And he couldn't ask his brothers. Tio abuelo Manuel would help, but at 82, even a robust 82, his biggest contribution was likely to be ordering the pizza for afterwards."Yeah, that's about the size of it." Rick ducked his head, looking across the table through his lashes at the last hope he had of help in pulling off this crazy scheme.The rumble that masqueraded as Glenn's laugh started up in his chest again. His shoulders were shaking as he bit his lips. When he started slowly shaking his head back and forth Rick's hopes took a sharp dive. Rick bit his own lip and looked down, then spoke quickly, trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing...maybe he wouldn't scare away two of his best customers."It's okay, I know it's a lot to ask on short notice and -"Glenn shot Sarah Jane a loaded glance—nice to have known one another since second grade sometimes—and reached across the table to get Rick's attention. Except instead of tapping the smaller man on the back of the hand as he'd intended to he found himself cupping the other man's hand. Rick’s skin felt cool to the touch, and his fingers shook slightly. Rick looked up, releasing his bottom lip from the fierce grip his teeth had on it. The plump flesh gleamed with moisture, soft and sweetly pink against the whiteness of his teeth. His lips parted. Glenn had a sudden vivid mental image of himself leaning forward to lick that raspberry pink surface, learn if it tasted as sweet as it looked. In his mind, Rick leaned forward, meeting him halfway. The café owner pressed his firm lips against Glenn’s, and then he—"Glenn here—” the back of Sarah Jane's hand thwacked into her friend's chest, startling him and halting his unconscious movement forward, “—and I would be happy to help you." "I know it seems loony, but she was just so...just..." Rick spread his hands and shrugged."Yes she was." Though Glenn spoke it was clear from the look on Sarah Jane's face she was in complete agreement. She lifted her water glass as if to make a toast. The other two followed suit, and with a wry sidelong glance at Glenn, she said, "To becoming friends of Dorothy." She smirked a bit, and then, after taking a small sip of her water, she continued to speak. "What I'm unclear on Rick, is if Dorothy is living in your apartment, where are you going to live?" Glenn wondered if this was what Rick had felt like earlier as he heard himself saying," I have a spare room... you can stay with me until you figure things out." Well, obviously insanity was contagious. Because Glenn didn't have a spare room. Where in hell was he supposed to put all his home office stuff while Rick was staying there? He nudged Sarah Jane's ankle with the toe of his shoe and gave her the don't you dare say a word look. One eyebrow discreetly raised, eyes slightly narrowed. She got the message loud and clear, though clearly she did not like what he was saying. Sarah Jane always got him. It was why he was planning to ask her to marry him. He liked not having to explain. He liked how she always got him. He liked her right down to her pretty toes. Yeah. He just wanted to help Rick to help Dorothy. Cause there was sure something about her that made you want to help her. Protect her. Help anyone who was trying to help her. Plus Rick reminded him of his baby brother... though he never wondered if his brother's lips tasted like raspberries. Never looked at his brother's lips and wondered if he could get his girlfriend to wear raspberry flavored gloss. Or maybe get some raspberry flavored bodypaint so he could lick it off every hot caramel colored inch of flesh. Poor guy must have caught hell growing up with a pair of lips like that. Right. So he wanted to help him out. Was gonna let him stay in his house. Made perfect sense. Yeah. Sure. Now if the waiter would just come back, because suddenly Glenn wanted to change the dressing on his salad...for some reason he had a distinct craving now for the raspberry vinaigrette.
Sunday Best: First Section of Two Part Hop Finale
This is another chapter in my Trans*Family Tale.
I got told a short while ago that we need to have cameras up so that folks can see the extreme goofiness we get up to on the regular... well, here's a mini-clip of our daily mayhem and foolishness. You'll have to click on the link, as I am a techno-amoeba, and can't figure out how to embed it this time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDDe2C1e8t8&feature=email Yes, this was on mother's day... and yes, it was simply the best mother's day I've had since the birth of my daughter... but that was because of my family just doing the things they do every day. My *nods to Jeremy Pack* big Trans*Family was having a Trans*Mother's Day, complete with Trans* gifts and Trans*video taping.
We're pretty radical. Cooking Trans*Family meals like Lasagna, and inviting friends over to share the bounty with us. Totally out of control!
We get crazy with the refrigerator art. *gasp*, and do terribly deviant things like take the kidlet trick or treating. I know, that is beyond bizarre. The kidlet, by the way, is the one in orange, and this was a few years ago. She's taller now, and actually does do some rather radical things for a kiddo. She's marched in a Pride parade, because, as she says, even though she's not gay, she thinks everyone should be able to marry who they want. She sticks up for GLBTQI kids at school, and tells them she'll still be friends with them whether they are gay or queer or just questioning. And she's the face of the future. She's part of the family of tomorrow, where a Trans*Family will just be a FAMILY.
Everyone should be so lucky. We laugh together in our silly Trans*Family about Eggplants and other oddities. We fight over who gets to cook, and whose turn it is to scrub the tub (though, unlike some families, we're usually fighting over who gets to do those things rather than who gets to get out of them, lol... It's an OCS thing. You know, an Obsessive Compulsive Situation pertaining to who gets the rush of being the cooker or cleaner). We eat dinner together at our big ole Trans*table, and water our Goof Gay and Trans* plants... we're even radical enough to harbor a few straight plants in our home. Yep, we're a family. Perfectly imperfect, with a mom and an uncle Vic and a Kidlet.. Exactly like you see in the video. We're pretty radical, right? We work hard on hearing one another, and learning and growing together. On calling each other on bullshit we do, and say, and while we always have one another's backs, we try hard not to take sides. I know that if I'm experiencing a reality fail where I'm being an unmitigated Meanie-Butt of Epic Proportions... the kidlet and Vic call me on it. And if the Vic is being a fracking evil troll (I've never seen this, but hey, it could happen) I will call him on it. If the kidlet is treating Vic or I or one of her friends poorly... we step in. We say, Kiddo, or Vic, or Cherie, you've got your Donkey Ears on. *yes, we even make the eeeeaahh-aunh noise* You may not see these things on a daily basis, because Logo TV isn't set up in our house, making us the latest and greatest reality tv family.
Eh, we've pretty much recovered from the tragic, cosmic, universal fail of that factoid. We soldier on.
Just being a family, and reaching out in love to those we encounter... sometimes it's hard, and sometimes the best we can do is keep our damn mouths shut so we don't say something full of Jack-assery, but we try. And when we fail we learn from it. Cause, hey... isn't that what good families do?
We'll see you out in the world. And if you're lonely, or tired, or think there's no place for you... well, stop by. We pretty much leave the door open, though you should be warned that we don't tolerate intentional or willfully repetitious ass-hattery. If you come into our house and say or do something ugly we'll boldly call you on it. And then make you a cup of tea to soothe your nerves. If you continue to wear your asshat, we'll show you the door, usher you out, and then shed a tear or two over the fact that you've lost out on our love and support. Cause, babies, we are a fan-fucking-tastic and scary loyal family, and it will surely be your loss.
I hope for your sake you don't miss out on all the sustenance you could find at our table just because you're tangled up in worrying about it being a Big Trans*Table. It ain't catching, babies. Your born that way. Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Intersex, Trans* or Queer. If your questioning, that's not you catching something. It's just you being brave enough to figure out and admit to yourself (cause it's nobodies business what you do in behind closed doors but yours, nor whom you do it with as long as both or all three, four, or however many of you there are have all attained the state of adulthood... heck it ain't even anybodies business which set of plumbing you were born with unless you are sharing said plumbing with that person or persons).
For the future?
Well, this big ole Trans*Family is bringing up a kiddo who doesn't get why we need to put the Trans* bit at the beginning, because that's just the way it should be, ya know?
Good luck to you. And remember, while we don't tolerate ass-hattery, we'll always accept an apology and invite you back to our table. Any ole' time you want, we've got tea and crumpets (or drop biscuits with blackberry jam) and a whole fuck-ton of love to spare.
Thanks for stopping by, babies. :)
I got told a short while ago that we need to have cameras up so that folks can see the extreme goofiness we get up to on the regular... well, here's a mini-clip of our daily mayhem and foolishness. You'll have to click on the link, as I am a techno-amoeba, and can't figure out how to embed it this time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDDe2C1e8t8&feature=email Yes, this was on mother's day... and yes, it was simply the best mother's day I've had since the birth of my daughter... but that was because of my family just doing the things they do every day. My *nods to Jeremy Pack* big Trans*Family was having a Trans*Mother's Day, complete with Trans* gifts and Trans*video taping.
We're pretty radical. Cooking Trans*Family meals like Lasagna, and inviting friends over to share the bounty with us. Totally out of control!
We get crazy with the refrigerator art. *gasp*, and do terribly deviant things like take the kidlet trick or treating. I know, that is beyond bizarre. The kidlet, by the way, is the one in orange, and this was a few years ago. She's taller now, and actually does do some rather radical things for a kiddo. She's marched in a Pride parade, because, as she says, even though she's not gay, she thinks everyone should be able to marry who they want. She sticks up for GLBTQI kids at school, and tells them she'll still be friends with them whether they are gay or queer or just questioning. And she's the face of the future. She's part of the family of tomorrow, where a Trans*Family will just be a FAMILY.
Everyone should be so lucky. We laugh together in our silly Trans*Family about Eggplants and other oddities. We fight over who gets to cook, and whose turn it is to scrub the tub (though, unlike some families, we're usually fighting over who gets to do those things rather than who gets to get out of them, lol... It's an OCS thing. You know, an Obsessive Compulsive Situation pertaining to who gets the rush of being the cooker or cleaner). We eat dinner together at our big ole Trans*table, and water our Goof Gay and Trans* plants... we're even radical enough to harbor a few straight plants in our home. Yep, we're a family. Perfectly imperfect, with a mom and an uncle Vic and a Kidlet.. Exactly like you see in the video. We're pretty radical, right? We work hard on hearing one another, and learning and growing together. On calling each other on bullshit we do, and say, and while we always have one another's backs, we try hard not to take sides. I know that if I'm experiencing a reality fail where I'm being an unmitigated Meanie-Butt of Epic Proportions... the kidlet and Vic call me on it. And if the Vic is being a fracking evil troll (I've never seen this, but hey, it could happen) I will call him on it. If the kidlet is treating Vic or I or one of her friends poorly... we step in. We say, Kiddo, or Vic, or Cherie, you've got your Donkey Ears on. *yes, we even make the eeeeaahh-aunh noise* You may not see these things on a daily basis, because Logo TV isn't set up in our house, making us the latest and greatest reality tv family.
Eh, we've pretty much recovered from the tragic, cosmic, universal fail of that factoid. We soldier on.
Just being a family, and reaching out in love to those we encounter... sometimes it's hard, and sometimes the best we can do is keep our damn mouths shut so we don't say something full of Jack-assery, but we try. And when we fail we learn from it. Cause, hey... isn't that what good families do?
We'll see you out in the world. And if you're lonely, or tired, or think there's no place for you... well, stop by. We pretty much leave the door open, though you should be warned that we don't tolerate intentional or willfully repetitious ass-hattery. If you come into our house and say or do something ugly we'll boldly call you on it. And then make you a cup of tea to soothe your nerves. If you continue to wear your asshat, we'll show you the door, usher you out, and then shed a tear or two over the fact that you've lost out on our love and support. Cause, babies, we are a fan-fucking-tastic and scary loyal family, and it will surely be your loss.
I hope for your sake you don't miss out on all the sustenance you could find at our table just because you're tangled up in worrying about it being a Big Trans*Table. It ain't catching, babies. Your born that way. Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Intersex, Trans* or Queer. If your questioning, that's not you catching something. It's just you being brave enough to figure out and admit to yourself (cause it's nobodies business what you do in behind closed doors but yours, nor whom you do it with as long as both or all three, four, or however many of you there are have all attained the state of adulthood... heck it ain't even anybodies business which set of plumbing you were born with unless you are sharing said plumbing with that person or persons).
For the future?
Well, this big ole Trans*Family is bringing up a kiddo who doesn't get why we need to put the Trans* bit at the beginning, because that's just the way it should be, ya know?
Good luck to you. And remember, while we don't tolerate ass-hattery, we'll always accept an apology and invite you back to our table. Any ole' time you want, we've got tea and crumpets (or drop biscuits with blackberry jam) and a whole fuck-ton of love to spare.
Thanks for stopping by, babies. :)
