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.
Running his hands through his short hair, Simon rubbed his fingertips against his scalp. Even his skin felt way too tight. The war of control between adrenaline and the need for stillness always made him jumpy after a mission. Exhausted or not, he was wide awake.
Ah, hell, maybe he could tire himself out enough that he’d relax and be able to sleep. Marius already told him that he was going to be off rotation for a bit and stuck doing some babysitting for some scientist Marcus was trying to recruit. Why Marius thought putting him together with some civilian was a good idea, he’d never know.
With the M24 safely stowed in his weapons locker, Simon stripped off his concrete grey BDUs and tossed on the running gear he kept in his locker. MP3 in hand, he headed toward BTI’s fully tricked-out gym.
It was late enough that the gym should be empty or nearly so. He didn’t want to talk to anyone, to dissect the mission or even to just make small talk. The muscles in his jaw jumped and he made a conscious effort to relax it.
He felt raw and vulnerable, like his nerve-endings were exposed. Damn, he hated that feeling, that weakness, and it only seemed to be getting worse lately. Instead he’d told Marius he was fine, just tired.
His boss hadn’t called him a liar. Quite.
Marius knew him far too well to be fooled that easily.
Pushing open the door of the gym, Simon saw there was only one other person there. Not someone he knew and the other man was doing bicep curls in the free weight area.
Simon got himself set on the treadmill and started running, MP3 player blaring the classic rock that helped him focus on his steps and breathing and to not think too much. But this time he found himself examining the other man’s reflection in the mirrored wall across from the treadmills.
The man was big, maybe six-five or six-six and really muscular. His features made Simon think of Hawaii or the Pacific Islands, with long black hair he’d pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck and deep caramel colored skin.
Running at an easy pace, Simon watched the other man trade barbells and saw an intricate pattern of lines below the hem of his shorts, covering his thighs to his knees. Was it a tattoo? The man looked and moved like a pagan warrior.
But he’d never even shown he’d noticed Simon’s presence.
* * * * *
Mika barely noticed the burn of his muscles as he progressed through his upper body weight routine. Ingrained by years of repetition, he didn’t really need to think about it, it was automatic now.
So close. He still needed to give his software some real world testing before he’d let himself believe he may have finally solved the last puzzle in interpretation of the ground-penetrating radar data. He’d thought he’d done it before but it hadn’t stood up to scrutiny. Now he’d reserve judgment.
This was a nice gym, for all that it belonged to a bunch of private investigators and spooks.
What did he really want to do? He liked academia but he’d discovered he really wasn’t that fond of paying his dues by trying to cram geology down the reluctant undergrads. True, it allowed him to keep working on his own projects and it paid the bills, but he missed working in the field. Plus the recent denial of his sabbatical request meant he couldn’t really test his new code.
He wasn’t sure what to do.
A small wave of dizziness made his head swim. He thought back over the day. Damn. He’d done it again, he’d forgotten to eat dinner. He set the barbells down on the floor and closed his eyes for a moment, until the dizziness eased.
When he opened them again, he was startled to see a slender man with very short blonde hair and intense ice-blue eyes standing in front of him with a look of almost concern on his face.
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Arrrggghhhh, LOL you always end it just as it’s getting good.
by SarahL May 24th, 2008 at 12:58 amLOL – but they have a lot of dancing around each other to do still :)
It’ll be a good book!
by Maura Anderson May 24th, 2008 at 1:02 amPowerful beginning. Great description on the stress that Simon must go through physically to stay so still as a sniper. Really looking forward to getting to know these two very intriguing men.
by Robin Snodgrass May 24th, 2008 at 7:25 amOk chickie, when is this one coming out?? I know you said Laura made you do this one sooo???
by Elaine May 24th, 2008 at 7:51 amMore! Me love.
by Selena Illyria May 24th, 2008 at 9:08 amDAMMIT MAURA!
by Erin the Innocent May 24th, 2008 at 9:26 amThanks Robin – I’m always amazed at how they have to remain on high alert for long periods of time.
LOL Elaine – I’d think Winter 2008 but it’s purely my own guess. Have to write it and get it approved.
Thanks Selena – glad you like them.
ROTFL Erin – from you, that’s high praise. I got all caps!!!
I like these two guys a lot, too.
by Maura Anderson May 24th, 2008 at 9:37 amOh yeah, I can see why Laura would like these two. Nice start!
by Jet Mykles May 25th, 2008 at 9:36 amGreat job, Maura!
by Esther Mitchell May 27th, 2008 at 5:51 amI keep coming back to read this one. I’m /so/ happy to read that it’s going to be part of a larger story because this small part of it has already sucked me into the story. :D
by RD Solange June 21st, 2008 at 6:26 am