Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt this week is GENTLE. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones, my Contemporary Paranormal Romance Suspense. How do you think James and Jerome will react when they meet for the first time?
“Marina, is something wrong?”
James came into the foyer. When he noticed Dr. Morrison, he stiffened and glared. He seemed to stand taller, reminding her of the silverback gorilla she’d seen at the zoo. Would he pound his chest and scream at the interloper, too? He was certainly acting territorial.
Dr. Morrison turned to him, raised his hand, and rubbed a spot in the center of his chest, his now pale face cringing as if he were in pain. He’d been fine a moment ago. Before she could ask him if everything was okay. James spoke.
“And you are?” The frost in his voice chilled her.
The doctor’s eyes narrowed, and he frowned. He inhaled and exhaled several times before answering as if he needed to deal with whatever was bothering him first.
The doctor’s eyes narrowed, and he frowned. “Jerome Morrison. I’m an archeologist. I’ve come here to study the standing stones and hopefully persuade Lady Fraser to register them as part of the National Trust. Scotland’s treasures need to be recorded, studied, and preserved. Rumor has it that someone is buying land on Lewis, specifically tracts filled with unregistered monoliths made of Lewisian Gneiss, which they intend to mine. Unscrupulous people see the stones only as a means to increase their wealth. I’ve arrived early and her ladyship has been kind enough to give me my room ahead of time.”
His explanation seemed to lack something. It was certainly plausible, but she sensed there was more to it. Hadn’t she felt the same way about James’s reason for being late? Perhaps she was reading more into this than there was. Still, the atmosphere in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Why did she get the feeling these men were sizing one another up like two dogs about to fight over a bone, and she was the bone?
James moved closer to her. Raven hissed at him as if she were telling him to back off. He ignored her. Marina pulled the kitten tightly to her chest and gently caressed her, hoping to calm her.
“Shh, Raven. I’ve got you.”
That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.
Living the Dream 
Ah, yes. A couple of roosters facing off over a prize hen, perhaps? I love that you can feel the male jealousy and competitive attitude in the air. So, who is she going to choose? I suppose you will enjoy keeping us dangling, wondering who will be the best one for her. I LOVE it!! This is really heating up. Great story!
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Thanks Jean.
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Oh boy! What a fraught scene! Those two facing off with her there. Let’s hurry and see what happens!
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You can almost smell the testosterone! Raven certainly can. LOL.
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OOOH, the plot thickens. Face off time. LOL Jillian
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Listen to Raven! With these two men, I’m not sure who she should trust, but boy – do they get a motor running. Great job!
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