Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving--hope this holds you until Monday!

Okay. This is the rest of Chapter 15--I think. I'm going to add a chat with Kim next. That will either start a new chapter or finish this one.

I just found out today that Leave a Mark Auctions is featuring the marked-up, hardcover, first edition of TAKEN BY STORM that I donated over the Thanksgiving holiday. You've got until Monday, November 29th to bid. Proceeds go to buy books for kids in need. It would be a very cool Christmas present for a Michael/Leesie fan don't you think? You might just want to send a link to it to your special someone who is searching for the perfect present. Or treat yourself.


Here's what you've been waiting for--Michael and his wetsuit. The middle still needs work, but you get the picture.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Those of you outside the U.S., I'm sorry. It doesn't seem fair to leave you with no posts, and you don't even get a holiday.


LEESIE’S MOST PRIVATE CHAPBOOK

Michael takes my hand
and helps me down
into the boat—other
passengers clear a lane
for me like I’m royalty.
His princess—with my island
scarf wound round my head
and my old swimsuit giving
me away. Nothing to see here,
people. Move along.

I trip a little so I can fall
against Michael’s bare chest.
He gives me a squeeze
and a fat lady yells,
“Hold it,” and snaps our picture.

He lines up his students
along one side of the boat,
sits across from them
and gets down to business.

I sit off to the side
and watch him teach,
watch the muscles in his shoulders
and back subtly ripple when
he stands to reach his wetsuit.
The boat putters a few hundred
feet from the dock while Michael
coats himself in neoprene.
All black—wrapping him tight.
I miss his golden skin, but
can’t deny he devastates
exponentially more wetsuited.

He hovers over me.
“We won’t be down long.”
I slip my right hand out of its sling
and rub it along his shoulder and arm
while the rest of the women
watch their prince. “It’s cool,”
I whisper. “I’ll help Cooper.”

Sun burnt, sandy-haired, smiling
Captain Cooper lies on a bench
and follows the one lonely cloud
crossing the sky as he tells me about
Canada and snowdrifts that
don’t melt until April.
“I know snow.” I had him a slice
of the melon I chopped for the break.
“Great up driving in it.”
“Cool. Where?”
“Washington.”
“State?”
I nod and pitch a melon rind
over the side.
“When you going back?”
My face pulls into a frown.
“Leave here?” My glance
indicates the paradise
of sparkling blue we float in.
“Are you kidding?”
“You can’t stay forever.”
“Why not?”
“Visa runs out.”
“That sucks.”
“Not for me.”
“Shut up.”
“Make me.”
I flick a piece of melon
at him and stick my tongue out,
wander to the back of the boat,
try to see what’s going on down under.

I’ve never been so eager to get
in the water, sink into Michael’s
kingdom, obey his every command,
trust him with my life
like fat lady and friends.

Cooper hands me a mask.
“Care for a swim?”
He tapes my cast in bag,
jams fins on my feet,
and comes along so I don’t
drown. “He’s over there.”
He points to bubbles
percolating on the surface.
I swim to them, mask down,
blowing too hard through
my snorkel until
Michael comes into view.
Perfect.
Except I’m here.
He’s there.
Gotta change that up.
Soon.
But today, this moment
of jeweled wonder floating
in pure clear ocean
I can watch, wait
and love him.

7 comments:

  1. PERFECT. Love. This can definitely keep me going for the rest of the Thanksgiving break. Glad that she's socializing with someone other than Michael now. :)

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  2. I love the chapter and I'm dying for just one on one time between Leesie and Michael. One thing I don't like the label of "the fat lady".

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  3. Good point, Michelle. I'll change that up.

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  4. This is nice! Thank you- and happy thanksgiving!

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  5. Ok, I said the last post was sweet, but this is extra sweet! I love it!

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  6. Aw, that was so sweet! And I agree with Michelle. I'm craving an uncomplicated, sweet one-on-one bit between Michael and Leesie too!

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  7. "can’t deny he devastates
    exponentially more wetsuited" ~ BEST. LINE. EVER.

    Is something gonna happen between Leesie and one of the boys? Just very curious.

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