Kissing Day Part Three

Okay, so I've milked this kissing day for as long as possible. So fear not dear readers, this will be the last scene posted-lol. This is part three of my kissing scene. I've cut it and it's still long, but it's mostly dialogue so it'll read fast--hopefully. The scene: Ryan and Heath have gone into the garage to meet with Mr. Webb, Ryan's father. He gave them both motorcycles for Christmas (I know, expensive right, but it makes sense in the context of the novel) Heath has gone in the house, leaving Ryan and Jeremiah to talk. Above is a pic of what Ryan's new bike looks like.

~*~

Ryan didn’t know if his father was looking at him, but he kept his head down and polished his new, beautiful motorcycle. He made sure to keep his mind shielded against his father’s thoughts. He didn’t want to hear that his father thought it was disgusting for him and Kalie to be together.

“Ry, do you remember when you were fifteen and walked in on your mom and me having an argument?’

Ryan looked up, baffled. Jeremiah was leaning against the black Impala with his arms folded over his chest, probably to keep finger prints off the vintage car.

“Um…yeah, I remember. I’d never seen you and Mom argue like that.”

Jeremiah nodded. “We never had before, or since. Did you ever find out what the argument was about?”

“No.” Ryan’s brows knitted as he wondered where his father was going with this. “I tried to see if Olivia knew, but the KGB couldn’t get a secret out of her.”

Jeremiah laughed. “True.” He cleared his throat. “We were arguing about Kalie.”

“Why?”

“Because your mom wanted to adopt her and I didn’t.”

Ryan jerked back like his father had just struck him in the chest. “Why not? Don't you--"

“I love her,” Jeremiah said intensely. “She’s my daughter in every way that matters. But…well, I guess I always knew that scene in the gazebo would happen and—”

“Whoa, Dad. If you’re about to tell me that divination is a part of our gift then I’m going to be so unbelievably pissed. I haven’t even gotten used to this mind reading crap.”

Jeremiah smiled. “No, we’re not gifted with the divine powers to see into the future. As I was saying, your mom came to me when Kalie was six and said we should adopt her.”

“Don’t tell me you saw something between us when she was six and I was eight.”

“No, I didn’t. Back then I felt it was too soon after the loss of her family to adopt. I didn’t want her to think we were trying to replace her parents. Patty agreed. After that, every time she brought it up, I put her off, or talked around it.” He sighed and rubbed a hand through his brownish-blond hair. “You and Kalie never really interacted like siblings. Yeah, you got on each others’ nerves like siblings sometimes, but it was more like an old married couple even when you were children. When I saw how you reacted to seeing her in that bikini at your going away part, I knew I’d made the right decision.”

Ryan’s face heated as he remembered Kalie in that bright orange two-piece. “But Dad, even if I had less that civilized thoughts about Kalie, it doesn’t mean you couldn’t have adopted her.”

“If she was legally your sister would you have kissed her like you just did in that gazebo?”

Ryan vehemently shook his head. “No way.”

“See.” Jeremiah stepped away from the car and clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “If there was even the slightest chance that Kalie could be the one for you, there was no way I was going to let a piece of paper stand in the way. I love Kalie and I don’t care how she’s a part of this family, be it as my daughter or your wife—”

“Wife!”

“Calm down, I’m not dusting off my tux yet. I’m just saying, if you want to be with Kalie, you have my blessing.”

Ryan swallowed. “I appreciate that, Dad. I really do. What about Mom?”

“Well, she’s a different story. She just doesn’t see this thing that's been between you and Kalie and probably won’t see it until you're having your first dance at your wedding.”

“Dad, enough with the wedding talk. You’re giving me palpitations.”

Jeremiah laughed, then he looked Ryan in the eyes. “Treat her with respect, Ryan. Don’t mess about with her because if things go to crap, I don’t want her to feel awkward around us. I want Kalie to know she’s always a member of this family.”

Ryan scoffed. “Trust me, Dad, if there's a vote on who to boot out the family, I'll be the one packing.”

“No, we’d work it out so you’d both feel comfortable. Just treat her right. No more groping her in public.”

Ryan smiled crookedly. "Yes, sir."

“Are you in love with her?”

He looked away from his father’s questioning eyes. “I should probably tell her before I tell you.”

Jeremiah pulled Ryan into a sideways hug. “You make me proud, son.”

A lump formed in Ryan’s throat, but he swallowed it down, and then remembered something. “Dad, what song did you sing for karaoke?”

The older man’s grin was both boyish and wicked. “A nice little tune by Sir Mix-A-Lot called, Baby Got Back…it’s a classic, you know.”

Ryan fell over laughing, hating that he’d missed that performance. But if given the choice between seeing his father sing about liking big butts or making out with Kalie, he would choose Kalie every time.

FOLLOW UP TO KISSING DAY!

THANK YOU guys for all the lovely comments from yesterday’s Official Kissing Day Blog Fest. There were so many good kissing scenes! I LOVED it. I still haven’t read all the submissions so I’ll be working on them throughout the week. I think I got to about 33. I really want to read and comment on them all. So if I haven’t comment on yours yet, never fear, I will soon.

Since I had so much fun with the kissing scene, I wanted post the follow up scene because it’s one of my favorites. I had to cut the scene because it’s simply too long to post here, but it ends with a really sweet conversations between Ryan and his Dad.

This picture sort of captures the scene again, but not quiet. I just love this picture.So, a bit of background: It’s still Christmas night at Ryan’s parent’s house. Heath, Ryan’s partner at work, comes up from the basement in time to catch the show-lol.

~*~
Heath climbed the basement stairs under the guise of getting Jessica a drink. Truthfully, he’d had enough of the off-key karaoke and was wondering where Ryan had gone. He rounded the corner, cut through the great room, and headed into get to the kitchen. Mr. Webb stood at the bay window, staring out as if in a trance. Heath picked up a soda for Jessica.

"All right, Mr. Webb?”

Jeremiah turned slightly, without taking his eyes away from the window and said, “Su-sure. I’m…”

Heath stepped up on Mr. Webb’s right and saw why the man was staring out of the window. Ryan and Kalie were mauling each other in the gazebo like each held surviving breath for the other. Heath snorted as Ryan hoisted Kalie up on the railing and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Jeremiah looked like he had just swallowed something and it was lodged in his throat.

“That, sir,”—Heath nodded toward the groping couple—“is the result of years of repressed sexual tension.”

“Do me a favor,” Jeremiah said, still watching the display, “go get my son off her before they conceive my next grandchild in the middle of Patty’s prize winning garden.”

Heath laughed. “Sure thing.”

“Hurry, before someone comes up stairs. And when you’re done, you and Ryan meet me in the garage.”

Heath nodded even though he was confused as to why he needed to go to the garage. Was Mr. Webb angry? The man had to see how gone his son was over Kalie. This can't be a surprise. Heath put down the soda and went outside. The snow fell silently, muffling his foot falls. He made it about three yards from the house and decided it was far too cold to go any further.

“Oi! Webb!”

They didn’t seem to hear him or if they did, they were ignoring him. Heath whistled and the sound split the air like a cracked whip. Nothing. He sighed and stepped closer, close enough to hear Ryan and Kalie moaning and slurping each other like melting ice creams. This’ll bloody scar me for life. He picked up a clump of snow, made it into a ball and hurled it at Ryan’s head.

“Ouch!” Ryan staggered back, holding his ear. “What the hell are you doing?”

“You’ve got an audience.” Heath gestured toward the wide kitchen window, which was now empty. “Well, you had an audience.”

Kalie gasped. “Who was it?” She jumped down from the railing, her face flushed from the cold and from kissing, and probably from embarrassment too.

“Mr. Webb.”

“Oh, God!” She dashed off of the gazebo and ran for the house.

“Kalie, wait.” Ryan made a move to go after her.

Heath stopped him. “You’re dad wants to see us in the garage.”

“He does? What for?”

“How should I know?”

Ryan took a deep breath, seemed to drum up his courage, and started toward the garage.

Official Kissing Day Blog Fest

This picture sort of sets the scene. This is from the follow up to my novel Light Bringer, tentatively called Venators. Ryan kissed Kalie once last summer and they haven’t really spoken since. It’s Christmas night at Ryan’s family’s home, and the couple are in the gazebo talking.

~*~

Kalie broke eye contact and said, “You kissed me, Ryan, and then apologized for it. You kissed me and said you’d never do it again. How’s that supposed to make me feel? What’s so terrible about kissing me that you’d never want to do it again?”

Ryan gaped at her, watched her hazel eyes mist over and he finally understood. “Kal, I wasn’t apologizing for kissing you, but for how it happened. That I just pounced, forced myself on you.” He stepped closer. “I never meant to make you think that I didn’t want to…kissing you was like…I just…” His emotions took over and he slammed his mouth to hers.

Their teeth clanked, their noses bumped and Ryan thought he bit her. It was a terrible kiss, the worst he’d ever had.

He pulled back. “Sor—”

“Don’t apologize or I swear I’ll punch you.” Kalie sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, and he hoped it wasn’t to nurse a bite.

“Okay, I won’t ever apologize to you again.”

Holding back a smirk at her eye roll, Ryan licked his lips and closed the distance between them. His lips met hers in a much more civilized manner. He tasted her slowly, nibbling tenderly. Kalie’s hands moved up to his shoulders and around his neck. Ryan pulled her snuggly against him, deepening the kiss.

Hints of apple cider coated her tongue and he remembered the first time he’d kissed her she'd tasted like mango. Would she always taste like something sweet? His hands began to roam as they stumbled back against the railing. Swirling his tongue deeper into her mouth, he tried to learn as much as he could about how she liked to be kissed. But his brain rattled around in his head like a lone marble. He was kissing Kalie, again. And she wanted it. Awesome! Ryan didn’t care that snow was wetting his hair or that he was freezing. Nor did he care that he was kissing and groping Kalie in full view of anyone who may happen upon the kitchen window.

A Dabble of Dialogue

I borrowed this idea from Buffy Andrews site, Buffy’s Write Zone. Go check out her page. She has some good info!

Below is a Dabble of Dialogue from Venators (the second in the the Light Bringer's Trilogy). In the comments, add a Dabble of Dialogue from something you’re working on, querying, or even if you shelved this work, but loved a particularly witty, deep, or emotional exchange, post it in the comments!

“I thought we could be mates,” Heath said.

“Mates? You mean friends?”

He nodded.

“But,”—Jessica swallowed—“I wanna be more than that.”

“I know,” he said softly.

“But you don’t wanna be more?” She didn’t let him answer. “I think it’s mean to come over here night after night, knowing I…I have feelings…”

Heath stared at the floor. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t thought of it like that.” He met her eyes. “I’ll leave you alone.”

“That’s not what I want. I want us to be—”

“I can’t offer you more than friends, Jessica. You’re right, it’s unfair of me to hang around, just because I like talking to you. I’ll just go then.” He backed up until he was against the wall. Before he could Faze through and leave her, possibly forever, Jessica rushed forward and hugged him. Heath paused for a shocked second, and then wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

“If you ever need to talk…” Her voice quivered. She felt like she had just given her soldier boyfriend a Dear John letter.


Now it’s your turn…gimme some of that juicy dialogue!

Edits, Rewrites and More

Okay, so I’ve jumped the gun on starting my edit of the second installment in my Light Bringers trilogy. I was planning to wait until after I’ve finished reading my friends ms and all the books I just checked out of the library. I blame my premature ed-jaculation on my boring job and having far too much down time today. Since I couldn’t outright read my friends ms while at work, I opened Light Bringers 2 which is tentatively entitled, VENATORS.

I finished it on June 20th and can’t believe I actually let it sit for more than 2 months without reading it! I usually have no self control. Now that I’ve gone back to it, I’m falling in love with it all over again. Unfortunately, the beginning is still giving me a fit…as beginnings always do, but I’m going to press on and see how I feel once I’ve gone through it once on the computer, then again in print.

This couldn’t come at a more perfect time, since I’m waiting for the agent to read my full. Granted, I’m not as neurotic as I was the last time I was in this situation. I really got myself worked up and took the rejection pretty hard—I didn’t go out binge drinking or anything—but I was super bummed.

Now, I just feel more excited than nervous, more go-with-the-flow than on edge biting my nails. I guess I’ve just resolved myself to saying, it will happen, so I’ll just have to wait and see who helps me on my journey.

So, I’m off to set my editing aside for the night, watch some tv for an hour and then read more of my friends ms!