Sunday Snippet: Juvenile Behavior

Seasons' Greetings!

For whateverholiday you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous time filled with cheer andmerriment. We'll be low key per usual with a trip to my dad's and hopefullysome FaceTime with my brother in Arizona.

The weather isstill playing back and forth. We have a bit of snow and it's pretty cold rightnow. The temps are supposed to warm up into the forties and fifties over thenext few days.

Finished up twoprojects this week and have one on my plate. January looks to be shaping upwith multiple projects and I'm so grateful for those. The short break gives mesome time to finish getting my side project ready to launch and I hope to dothat next week during the holiday.

Only a semi-goodweek of viewing. I had some big cleaning projects to work on and got a good bitof that completed. Still working on a few others and hope to have them finishedbefore the end of the year.

Watched anotherepisode of Mr and Mrs Murder. I remember parts of this one but hadn'tseen the entire episode. Ended up being pretty good.

Also watched an episodeof London Kills. The plot thickens regarding the disappearance of David'swife. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up being resolved. Also enjoyingBillie so much on this show.

Enjoyed the onehundredth episode of Death in Paradise. So lovely to have Camille backfor a brief stay. Also nice to see Spirit Richard. This also marks, in myopinion, when Catherine and Selwyn take on larger roles in the show. Lookingforward to rounding out season ten with the last two episodes.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Juvenile Behavior, a novellathat gives a couple an opportunity to see if they'd make a good match.

Here's the miniblurb:

Freddie and Owen, top adepts putting cadets through theirpaces at the Mage Academy, are very much in love but refuse to act on theirattraction. But when the Mage Principal has enough of their antics, he stripsthem of their rank and tenure and pushes them to act like grown-ups instead ofjuvenile delinquents.

And a preview snippet…

Freddie entered the house throughthe servants' entrance and made her way to the kitchen. "Hi, Helen."She gave the older woman a hug.Helen released her, leaning back toget a look at Freddie. "I suggest you go right in to see your uncle."Her lips twisted in a frown.Freddie tilted her head to oneside. "Has he been treating you poorly?" Stupid question, because ofcourse he would.Roderick treated everyone withterrible disregard.Helen tsked. "No and we'lltalk later." She shooed Freddie toward the main house.Freddie knocked once and enteredher uncle's suite. "What do you want, Uncle?" Her brows drew togetherat his appearance.Debauched didn't quite cover the description.Roderick wore a pajama-and-robe set with leather slippers on his feet. His eyeswere bloodshot, and stubble covered his face. Unlike Owen, who looked sexy withsome scruff on his face, Roderick looked ill kept and disheveled.Roderick sneered in her direction. "Whatdid you think you'd accomplish by siccing your boy toy on me?" He growledthe words.Freddie's eyes narrowed. "Whatthe hell are you talking about?" As if she'd willingly make anyone talk toher uncle.Roderick snorted. "I'm talkingabout that Parker weanling barging in here and all but accusing me of neglectwhere you're concerned." He got up and paced back and forth. "Didn'ttake two seconds to figure out he's fucking you." His face twisted in agrimace. "Had the gall to suggest I look into setting the codicilaside." He barked out a laugh. "As if I'd ever do that." Freddie blinked but otherwise hidher surprise and anger … at both men.Owen had no right to confront heruncle behind her back. But … at least he gave enough of a damn to call Roderickout for the bullshit way he hoarded the fortune. And Roderick summoning her tothe manor to give her shit about something Owen did pissed her off.She widened her stance and foldedher arms over her chest. "First of all, I didn't send Owen. He a grown-assman and makes his own decisions." Even if said decisions were terrible."Second, what he doesn't realize is how much of an asshat you are or howmuch you love the precious Rudd money." She dropped her arms and leanedforward, placing her hands on the desk. "Grandfather would lose his shitif he knew how much of his fortune you've already gone through." At therate her uncle spent money, he'd be broke within a decade.Roderick huffed out a breath."Yeah? Well, Granddad would lose even more of his shit if he knew you wereletting a Parker bang you." He made another grimace of distaste.What she had with Owen amounted toso much more than banging. Even if she'd tried to only focus on the sex atfirst. She'd been engaged in a losing battle on that front.Freddie shrugged, feigningindifference. "Maybe so, but I don't care about the family money. You'rethe one with that affliction." And he'd raise an unholy stink if hisprecious funds ended up going to charity.Roderick gave her a cold smirk."You're right. And since I do care, you'll end the farce with Parkernow." He slapped his hand on the desk for emphasis.Freddie made a bold statement."It's not a farce. I love him. But your worry is moot. It won't be longbefore Owen and I go back to being nothing but work colleagues." She madeto turn and leave, but Roderick gestured with his hands, using a binding spellon her.I should have seen that coming.

He leaned forward. "Makesure that's how it plays out, dear niece. I don't mind playing dirty when Ihave to."Freddie snarled. "Resorting tothreats isn't necessary, dear uncle. I don't break my word." She tried tomove, but the spell still held her. "Let me go or I'll make sure you neversuccessfully get it up for the rest of your life." She could play just asdirty as her uncle.He released her and she exited hisstudy shaking with rage. She made her way to the kitchen and met Helen's hug. Blinkingback tears, she accepted the comfort for a few moments. Then she eased back andexhaled slowly.Helen's gaze went dark and stormy."That went as well as I thought it would. But using a binding spell?That's lower than low." Helen didn't hide being livid over Roderick'streatment of Freddie. "One day that man will get his comeuppance."Placing a palm on Freddie's cheek, Helen's lips curved in a sad smile."And I understand your anger at Owen, but I also think that Parker is akeeper."Freddie's eyes widened. "Youtalked to him?"Helen nodded. "I did. Such acharming man." She waited a beat. "He loves you, Freddie. It'sobvious."Freddie's shoulders slumped."I love him, too. But he shouldn't have come here. The only thing heachieved is to stir up Roderick's ire and make him angry. Any thought I had ofpossibly living a quiet life with Owen is gone."Helen hugged her again. "We'llsee about that, Freddie. Just enjoy him for now." She squeezed Freddie'shand. "And don't be too hard on him."

This is a fun storyeven with some heavy family drama. Freddie and Owen are a cool couple to write.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye