Snippet Saturday

Today's snippet topic is: talk me down. I love these scenes. The "okay, let's all calm down for a second" scenes. I probably have one (or ten) in every book. This one is from my short A PROPER SEDUCTION. The heroine, Lauren, was in a horrible marriage and is trying to take back her life, including her sexuality. She is jumpy and unsure. Justin is a more-than-willing partner…and he also happens to love her a little. Take a look:

The next night, Lauren stood in the wide hallway outside room twelve-eighteen and twirled the plastic key between her fingers. She had spent the entire afternoon thinking about Justin, which totally ticked her off.

In two weeks, most of her days would be spent working at her new job at Sibley Hospital. That day could not come fast enough. All of these empty hours meant having way too much time to relive old decisions and fantasize about Justin.

She'd actually picked up the phone twice to call him this afternoon and cancel their second night together. She'd put the receiver down just as many times without dialing. No matter how hard it was to stay focused on her original plan, she was going to do it.

The door opened, interrupting her internal debate. Justin filled the entrance. Not business Justin who worked long hours and wore a conservative suit with an expertise that suggested he should model them. Nope. This was sexy bedroom Justin. Barefoot, boxer briefs, wearing an open robe that revealed a bare, broad chest.

Everything about him gave off an air of relaxation, from the drink in one hand to the way he munched on a pretzel. Only he could make this look seem so hot.

He took forever to chew and then finally swallowed. "Are you coming inside the room or do you want to have sex in the hallway?"

She did a quick glance around her to make sure no one had heard his comment. "You're early."

"I was hungry."

"You sound like a kid."

"Not the first time I've heard that from a woman." He dropped his hand from the door and walked back into the room. Kept right on going until he sprawled out on the bed with his back balanced against the headboard.

Lauren followed him inside and refrained from slamming the door behind her. It was either move or stand there like an idiot, and she had done the immobile thing for five minutes already. But it took her less time than that to see the silver-covered dishes sitting on a rolling cart with a pure white tablecloth underneath. There was no mistaking what was under there. Food.

"You ordered room service?" she asked.

"Is that a problem?" Ice cubes clanked in his empty glass as he set it down on the nightstand next to him.

It was a disaster. Food delivery smacked of a date. He knew that. But this was a challenge of some sort. He was trying to get a reaction out of her. She decided not to give him the satisfaction. "No."

She reached for the tie on the side of her wrap dress. Since she did not have a scrap of underwear on under it, she doubted they'd be talking about dinner much longer.

But he stopped her. "You want to get right to it again, huh?"

"Is that a problem?" she asked, repeating his words back to him.

"Do you hear me complaining?"

No, but he wasn't exactly rushing to get her naked either. "You're already undressed."

"Mostly, that's true."

"Only makes sense for me to join you." She made a show of glancing around the food tray. "Unless you're more interested in eating."

"That's for after."

"After?"

"If last night was any indication, I'm going to need re-fueling before I can drive home." He shrugged. "Getting into an accident sort of kills off my relaxed, post-sex mood, if you know what I mean."

"You could have stayed here."

"Not without you."

The husky words spiraled right through her. Made her stomach go a little gooey for a second.

"You're flirting," she said, part of her hoping that was true.

"Is that a violation of some rule?"

"No."

"Good." He slid off the bed and came to stand in front of her. Fingers brushed against her hips as his gaze dipped to the valley between her breasts. "So, tell me what you want me to do tonight."

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Don't forget to check out the other Snippet blogs:

Lauren Dane

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Lissa Matthews

Emma Petersen

TJ Michaels