Guess what!?! I won the flash fiction challenge last week. Woo to the hoo! I’ll admit, it was another good Thursday Threads prompt: **“Then you can stay.”**

I’ll admit, it took me a bit to figure out a scenario and which characters would fit. I’m about half-way through my reread of the Boston Wolves (working title is MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON but I’m open to suggestions–LOL) and still in already structured chapters. It’s those unfinished snippets hanging out there as unconnected puzzle pieces that I need to fit new words into. And then it hit me. Maggie and Declan are the least “filled out” of those who find their mates in this book. So that’s where I went. It’s a short snippet and I’m not sure where exactly it will fit but it seems to tell a bit of a story. I hope you enjoy.

****
Maggie glanced at her watch feeling rumpled and out of sorts. Declan sat across the room in his tailored slacks and starched shirt looking like he’d stepped out of a magazine. Her purple scrubs held a stains that could be any number of body fluids. She’d dealt with them all during her shift. Why had she knocked on his door instead of her own place next door?

“Why are you here, Maggie?”

His voice was warm and soft like a caress. She knew the answer but couldn’t bring herself to admit it. “Because I didn’t want to be alone.” The words were out and she couldn’t call them back. So okay, maybe she could admit to her loneliness—which hadn’t been a problem until she met this enigmatic man.

“Then you can stay.” A wicked gleam lit his eyes.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your hospitality.”

Declan burst out laughing. “If this is a hint of your bedside manner, remind me to stay out of your hospital.”

“Fine. You don’t want my company—” She marched toward the front hallway but he snagged her arm before she got even halfway across the room.

“Ease down, Maggie. You’ve had a hard day. I can see it in your eyes. Still, it’s good to know your temper lurks there under the sadness. Come. Sit down. I’ll get you some wine and you can tell me about your day.”

“I’d rather have a beer.”

“A girl after m’own heart then. Good to know.”
****

I have to admit, I rather like Deck and Mags. 😉 So there you have. I’m still on track for a sometime-in-August release. Writers, feel free to grab the prompt and run. Readers, where to you like to stay when you’re reading?

*Ju-Lo-Wri-Mo July 9 statistics:
Starting word count: 104,652
Ending word count: 104,710
Chapter(s)/total words edited:  3/7778
Net word count change: +4/+10/+44