Technically, I should still be hyping CROSSFIRE. But new words are new words, even if they’re a week or so old. This was the #ThursdayThreads prompt from the last day of August: **Avoiding her was almost impossible.** It was a great prompt and filled in a big hole in Mick and Shannon’s story. Once more, the scene is pretty self-explanatory and not much of a spoiler.
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Mick, looking back as he teased Declan, pushed through the front door of Clancy’s. A squeaky gasp caught his attention and he automatically reached out to steady the woman he’d all but mowed down. Avoiding her was almost impossible so he didn’t even try. The minute his hands settled on her waist, he froze. As did she. They stared at each other. Then his wolf stood up, did a big stretch while his tail waved like a pennant. Stupid wolf. This was just Shannon. Who worked in the pub. Man and wolf had known her since childhood.

He dropped his hands, she backed away. They both mumbled “sorry” at the same time then Declan and Sean pushed him on through the door. They brushed past, headed to the back of the room where their normal table waited for them. Mick? He stood flat-footed and watched Shannon sashay back to the bar. Gobsmacked. Yeah, he was totally gobsmacked.

His wolf nudged him and he mentally growled, What? Shannon had always been a looker and teenage Mick had tried more than once to get into her pants. When he finally got to third base, his bloody wolf killed his libido. Oh, he could get it up for any other girl in a Catholic school uniform but Shannon Maguire? Oh bloody hell no. After that fiasco, he’d treated her like a sister but now? He had a raging hard on and the His wolf growled deep inside him. Ours.

In a daze, he stumbled through the packed pub to the table where his mates sat. Before he could gather his wits, Shannon appeared, tray in hand, to distribute their drinks. His was the last pint she served. Was her hand shaking just enough to slosh the foam from the Guinness over the sides?

Without any of her usual banter, Shannon backed away and all but dashed for the safety of the bar. What had just happened? And then, like she’d been doused by a bucket of cold water, she knew. Moonstruck. Michael James Ryan O’Connor was flippin’ moonstruck. And she was Mick’s mate. Mother Mary and St. Brigid had to be laughin’ their bloody heads off.
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Not sure just where this fits into the overall timeline but it’ll slide in there somewhere. I have many Mick and Shannon scenes because they’ve been dancing around each other and their feelings from the beginning. Now the fun truly begins! And yes, a few of those scenes are also already written, puzzler that I am. Writers, as always, grab the prompt and write if it helps. Readers, what are you trying to avoid today?