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Painfully Slow


The caption on the photo above might be slightly over-dramatic, but I feel like I've been there forever. Haha. It isn't even that I've been revising all this time--most of this year has been trying to work around day-job stress and failing (when you're stuck in weird limbo-land or stressing all day long about getting work done, or if you'll have a job, it's hard to shift mental gears and be creative, trust me), and last year was me trying to find some readers I could trust to look at manuscript drafts so I could actually revise.


I did get through several chapters of Freeing Medusa this weekend while taking care of the cats at the boys' while they visited a friend, so I'm feeling a bit better. And I'm about to email some short contemporary stories to a friend to read through before I get back to Freeing Medusa while dinner is cooking. Hopefully I can get another chapter or two knocked out before I call it a day.


So before I get to those things on my to-do list, I have a snippet for you this week from Freeing Medusa.

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“Okay. Hit me.”

She blinked at him. “What?”

“Give me your best argument.”

That wasn’t what she’d expected. She frowned again, pushing her empty plate aside and resting her forearms on the edge of the table. “I shouldn’t need to convince you,” she said after a moment. “You saw him. You heard how determined he is. And there are more like him. Lots more.” She brushed her fingers absently over the smooth surface of the table. “My best bet right now is to hook up with one of my cousins or their husbands who’ve dealt with the Harvesters before. Then you’ll be safe.”

“You can’t muster up anything better?”

Katharine glared at him, more annoyed when he just continued to smile at her. Only half a day ago, that look would’ve killed him. Now it didn’t even make her feel better to know that. “I shouldn’t have to convince you you’re unsafe as long as you’re with me.”

He shrugged. “I’m not the Medusa. They’re not interested in me.”

True. She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. My cousin Philomena, who was the Medusa before me, had Harvesters target her family to try to reach her.”

His shoulder jerked. “I’m not family. They have no way to connect me to you.”

“Except for the one who saw you Monday.”

“But he doesn’t know who I am. I didn’t introduce myself while I was holding him at gunpoint.”

Her pulse quickened. “That doesn’t mean he didn’t wait around to see you leave so he could follow you or try to track you down.”

Hunter shook his head. “Didn’t follow. And he definitely didn’t stick around after I made him ditch his knife.”

Her frustration level jumped up. He wasn’t understanding. Why wasn’t he understanding?

Why did it matter? She was an adult and could do what she wanted.

“Don’t even think it.” His tone was mild, but something in his eyes made her hesitate.

“I am not going to stay here and put you in danger,” she said finally, working to keep the edge out of her voice. “I’m going to call my cousin and get some advice from her husband, then I’ll get out of your hair.”

Hunter’s smile disappeared. “No.”

She covered her face with her hands.

“I’ll talk to your cousin’s husband and see what he thinks, but you’re not going off on your own.”

She dropped her hands. “I can defend myself just fine, at least for the next four weeks,” she pointed out.

“I’m sure you can. I’d rather keep you where I can see you.”

“Why?”

His expression softened a little. “I know how to deal with this guy. And I’ve already gotten you to safety. Oh, I have the new code to your alarm system, but you can’t go back.” He dug a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it across the table.

Katharine sighed. “You’re going to be difficult about this, aren’t you?” She took the paper and unfolded it, staring blankly for a few seconds at the numbers. She swallowed, wishing her brain was functioning more quickly. The residual effects of three days of painkillers hadn’t yet gone away.

“You’d better believe it.” He set one hand over hers on the table, his fingers warm. “I’m in this thing now, Kat, and you’re going to find it hard to shake me.”

That’s what she was afraid of. She looked away, her gaze catching on the fruit plate. The green of the grapes contrasted sharply with the whitish flesh of the apple slices.

“So,” he said at last, giving her fingers a squeeze, “which cousin are you calling? Didn’t you say there are two now who used to be the Medusa?”

Katharine rested her face on her other hand, shutting her eyes, and sighed. “Yes. Andi’s husband is the one who was a Harvester, and Phila’s husband owns a security firm.”

“Really?”

She opened her eyes to find his gaze had sharpened with his tone. “Yes.”

“I’m going to want to talk to him. I’m sure between the two of us, we can come up with something to keep you safe.”

She shook her head slowly, noting the stubborn set of his jaw. “You’re serious.”

“As a heart attack.”

Katharine couldn’t think of anything else to dissuade him. Maybe later, after the painkillers were completely out of her system and her head was clear...

But his expression told her he wouldn’t be dissuaded. She swallowed. He couldn’t keep her prisoner here. He had to go to work sometime. Then she could leave.

To go where?

She frowned at the thought and picked up a slice of apple. It didn’t matter where, just somewhere safe. Away. Somewhere the Harvesters wouldn’t find her. Or Hunter. She didn’t want him in danger because of her.

He touched the back of her hand.

She looked up, wary.

“I want to help you.”

“I appreciate that,” she said after a second, slowly, her brain moving much more quickly. “But I don’t see the need for you to endanger yourself for my sake.”

One dark brow lifted.

Katharine inhaled deeply. She didn’t want to argue with him.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head,” Hunter said with a crooked smile. “You aren’t ditching me.”

She set her jaw.

His mouth hitched a little higher on one side. “I know it’s what you’re thinking.”

She exhaled carefully. “Just because you had the misfortune to–”

His smile vanished. “To what? Meet a really beautiful woman? To have seriously hot sex with her?” He leaned forward, and she realized he was still holding her hand. “I don’t have any expectations here, Kat. I just don’t want you killed when I can keep you safe.”

Katharine met his blue gaze, debating with herself. “Can we fight about this later?” she asked finally. “I’d rather be able to do it with a clear head.”

Though his mouth quirked faintly, his eyes remained somber. “I don’t want to argue with you about it at all.”

She couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t simply encourage him to continue the discussion.

“But we can wait until you feel more clear-headed to figure out details,” he said, giving her fingers a light squeeze.

She frowned, tugging her hand free and linking her fingers in front of her on the table. “Thank you.” It was terse, and she knew it, but she didn’t care at the moment.

The man might be the sexiest thing she’d ever seen up close and personal, but he had a stubborn streak at least a mile wide, and she was pretty sure she didn’t like it.

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Are any of you having trouble making progress toward your goals, too? Or did you find something to help you get unstuck? I'd love to hear about it! Until next week, happy reading!

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