I'm getting pretty excited. My new release - Wild For You - is up for pre-order and is released just one week from today.
In every book, there are always a couple of scenes that are really, really fun to write. Today I thought I'd share a couple of snippets that make me smile. In the following scene, my hero Daniel Black (an ex-military man who runs a walking company) doesn’t think
there is any way that Madison (an American fashion designer) could have packed properly for a walk through the Tasmanian wilderness, so he's checking her backpack. He comes across something
unexpected. I like this scene as it is a bit cheeky…
‘Hi.’ He extended his hand. ‘I’m Daniel
Black.’
She took his hand and shook it with
surprising firmness.
‘Madison Mills. Pleased to meet you. I—’
‘Sorry Maddie, but you aren’t appropriately
dressed for this trip.’ He employed his best commander voice. The one he’d
always used with new recruits to make sure the question of who was in charge
never needed to be asked.
‘As you can appreciate, we have strict
stipulations about the appropriate gear and this . . .’ He indicated to her
outfit. ‘It is . . . well . . .’ He wanted to say ‘ridiculous’. ‘It’s not
suitable for this rugged terrain.’
That should do it. Bye bye Ms Millionaire.
But she didn’t flinch. She didn’t move.
Instead she gave him a sweet, sweet smile that made his guts flip.
‘First.’ She held up her index finger.
‘It’s Madison, not Maddie. Second.’ Another delicate finger. ‘My assistant
booked this trip and, knowing her as I do, I’m sure that backpack over there
has everything I need.'
Her American accent possessed a New York edge with a
touch of Southern belle. It enveloped him like the light, refreshing spray from
a waterfall. He took a step away from her intoxicating mist.
‘And third, if you could outline exactly
what I need to do to meet your criteria, I’ll be ready in five minutes.’
He narrowed his eyes. Okay, that was
unexpected. He had been sure she’d capitulate. She didn’t belong here. And
ready in five minutes? Yeah right. They’d be halfway to the plateau
before she’d be ready to leave.
‘Well, let’s start with your gear check.
Your pack should weigh no more than seven kilos. You’ll have to be changed in
five minutes; that’s when we’re leaving. Unfortunately, Madison, if you’re not
ready, I’ll have to arrange transport to take you back to Launceston. I’m sure
you understand we can’t delay the trip for one person.’
‘Oh, don’t worry,’ she said, flipping her
lush blonde hair over her shoulder. A hint of spicy perfume teased his
nostrils. ‘I’ll be ready.’
He took up her pack. Yup, definitely about
four kilos over. ‘Do you mind?’
‘Be my guest,’ she said, with a flourish of
her hand.
He walked over to a picnic table, unzipped
the pack and slid the contents on to the table. This shouldn’t take long.
Assistant packed!
‘At a minimum, you need leather or Gore-Tex
boots, two sets of easily washable walking clothes and something comfortable
for the evening and to wear to bed.’ He grabbed the item on top of the pile of
clothes and held it aloft.
‘Let’s start with . . .’ His fingers were
tangled in a pair of black lace knickers. His skin prickled with absolute
horror.
‘They’re from my 2015 summer intimates
line.’ Madison sounded close behind him. Too close.
He dropped the offending garment as though
it had caught ablaze.
‘Are they regulation enough?’ she asked,
her tone coated with sugary mockery. ‘Or should I have brought high-waisted
granny pants?’ She picked up the strip of lace and casually fanned it in front
of his face. ‘Is the style of underwear outlined in your strict stipulations?’
Damn. No other gear check had begun so
horrendously.
But a few minutes
later in the story, Daniels gets his own back:
‘So, what will you be changing into?’ he
asked inserting a false brightness into his voice.
She quickly selected some clothes. He
handed her the boots, re-stowed her belongings in the way that would be most
comfortable to carry and handed her the pack.
‘See you in five,’ he said.
She looked about. ‘Ah, where can I change?’
‘This is the great outdoors, Maddie. Lots
of lovely trees to hide behind.’
‘It’s Madison,’ she said and marched off
towards the lush undergrowth.
‘Watch out for snakes,’ he called.
She stopped as though she’d slammed into a
glass wall.
‘Snakes?’ she asked, not moving, looking
wildly about.
‘Tiger, Lowland Copperhead and White-lipped
snake’ he said. ‘But don’t worry.’
Madison relaxed and kept walking.
‘Only the Tiger and Copperhead are deadly.’
He strode away, unable to contain a smile. She was perfectly safe. At this time
of year, the snakes were hibernating. But he wanted to knock off a little of
that sass before he took her into the beautiful natural domain. The remote
Australian rainforest was no place for the likes of Madison Mills.
He snatched a stick from the path and threw
it into the bush. In a lifetime of long days, the next six days could be the
longest of his life.
* * *
