Late again, but here it is! I refuse to actually miss a week and haven’t so far. Just been late a bunch lately.

This is the start of my 2nd story in the Hot Comforts Anthology, to be published by ManLove Romance Press in Fall 2008. The other story I’ll have in that anthology is Giving Thanks.

(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)

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Bittersweet
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson

Brand tucked the last dark chocolate box into the cardboard delivery box. He tapped the lids of the four delivery boxes down and set them carefully on the long table behind the retail counters. Done at last.

Shirley lifted one pierced eyebrow and crossed her arms. The strict schoolmarm chastising look might have been a bit more effective on someone older and less…colorful. Instead he had to fight the urge to break out into laughter as he walked back to get the clipboard with all the order information for her.

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Late again, but here it is!

Blame Laura Baumbach (again) – she gave me this idea too. But this is part of the first story in a series for ManLove Romance Press. Meet Simon and Mika :)

(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)

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Hidden Depths: Secret Graves
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson

Damn, he was too keyed up to sleep. Again.

Simon twisted his stiff body, the kinks from three hours of holding position making him feel every day of his thirty-four years. It was a good day, though—the hostages were safe. Mission accomplished.

A small part of him wished the suspect hadn’t committed suicide. That cowardly final act cheated his victims out of the kind of closure that might help heal them but it also meant Simon hadn’t been called on to dispense justice with a single bullet. Justice it was too late to mete out on his own behalf.

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Kitty is all better, thank you for asking everyone. The EDJ was having crises so I’m late (again) but here’s this week’s offering.

Blame Laura Baumbach.

(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)

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Small Town Vet
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson

“A llama?” Sam slowed his truck then turned off the payment onto the private road. He shook his head at the idea of a llama in Bondsville, Wyoming.

Phil Marting had bought the old Miller place last winter, including the few remaining sheep, but no one heard much from him. He kept to himself and was rarely seen in town. Sam was one of the few that seemed to interact with the retired entrepreneur regularly, being called in to treat one or the other of the man’s menagerie of rescued animals.

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Sorry for the delay – it’s been a heck of a week. Keep your fingers crossed for my kitty to recover.

(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)

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Leather, Lace and Leaves
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson

There had to be one hell of a joke playing out and Sabine not only didn’t get it, she seemed to be the butt of it.

It was almost too much to take in. The shop’s windows were swathed in what appeared to be a cross between a late Victorian bordello, a funeral parlor and a BDSM club. Heavy burgundy swags, complete with pom-poms dangling every inch, were offset by black lace sheers with studded leather tie-backs. The entire backdrop seemed to come from another universe than the delicate tea cups and saucers arranged on the leather-lined window display shelf.

Leather, Lace and Leaves.

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Or maybe that’s really a Saturday Snippet.

I’ve been sick all week and I have a sick cat I need to take back to the vet in a few minutes. So I’m late – but I’ve never missed a week and refuse to now.

Back in a bit.