Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

SNEAK PEEK INTO THE CHRISTMAS ISSUE OF

BEAUTY AND THE BADGE: ONLY IN OUR DREAMS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mrs. Jace Rafferty.

Dayna bit back a giddy smile but her gaze was drawn time and time again to her stocking. She knew what was inside. Jace had been dropping way too many hints. Before he left for work, he’d slid a ribboned box in the holiday stocking and made her promise to leave it alone. No peeking, he’d admonished with a twinkle in his eye to rival St. Nick. She hadn’t peeked. She wanted tonight to be perfect.

Dozens of brightly papered gifts oozed from under the tree and she slapped a bow on a last minute find for Marissa. She and Jace would pack all the presents over to Mark’s house in the morning and watch the boys unwrap them before his shift started. But tonight, Christmas Eve, was for her and Jace. His shift didn’t end until eleven but that just put a more magical spin on the night. Her first present of Christmas would be a question. His would be an answer.

Her eyes were drawn again to the heavy toe of her red stocking. Jace’s matching green one hung crammed full beside hers on the bookshelf.  So she’d gone a little wild with Christmas presents. She wanted to spoil him. They’d outlined a budget but what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. She seriously doubted he stayed under budget, either, despite his mysterious grin.

Old holiday classic songs filled the air with a soothing, timeless feel. Dayna gathered up the last of the tape, bows and wrapping paper, stowing them in the hall closet. She didn’t really cook for herself tonight, but had a late supper ready to shove in the oven before Jace got home. If she moved that ugly brown recliner he’d brought with him, they could eat in the living room, picnic-style in front of the tree. The romantic setting appealed to the picture-perfect end of the night.

She was tugging on the recliner when the doorbell rang. Cold, wet rain drizzled on the door glass, smudging the outline of a tall man in a red windbreaker. She opened the storm door and smiled.

“Cap! What are you doing out on Christmas Eve? Did the grandkids get too much for you?”

The lines along his forehead grooved deeper and his back was board-stiff. “Dayna, I need you come with me.”

Her blood turned to ice. Her feet weighed sixty pounds and her head swam.

“No.”

The world warped. The edges of her vision bent and twisted until she saw through a tiny fishbowl. Cap’s solemn eyes fixed on her face and his hand rose toward her. She took a step back. He’s fine. He’s coming home. He’s asking me to marry him and I’m saying yes.

“Come on, Dayna. I need to take to you to th—”

“No.” Although firm, her voice sounded far away and echoed in her mind. It overlapped the whispered memory of Nora in her kitchen, the scent of fudge thick in air. Pray you never open the door to find one of their buddies asking you to come with them.

“Yes. We need to go now. There was an armed rob—”

“No!” She clamped her hands over her ears so she wouldn’t have to hear.

“Dayna, listen to me. Jace was—”

“No!” The screamed word reverberated off the entry halls. Then the world went black.

~~~~~~

To read the full issue, click here! To read the all previous freebie issues, go here!

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Comment HERE if you like

20 Comments