I’m taking a break this week from my 30-Day Space Available Adventure to dip back into the Dating Vault. I was joking with one of my younger single friends about booty calls.
How long is it acceptable for a guy to keep your number in his queue, then call you up out of the blue expecting you to be receptive to his advances? The weirdest one I had was a year.
Yep, you read that right. A year. This was after he DID NOT call me back after our first and only date. Now, I will say after that less than stellar date, I wasn’t hankering to hear from him. which was why I was surprised to get a booty call more than a year later.
Let me set the stage.
My sophomore year in college, I decided to try out the on-line dating thing again. One such date was a guy named *Mike. Mike and I chatted online for a bit before deciding to meet for dinner. We had pretty good rapport in our online messaging and phone calls, so I was pretty excited about Mike. From his online pictures, he was good-looking (I know, I know, some of you sense danger already. This is when online dating was in its infancy). I even went out and bought a new outfit for this particular date.
I would regret wasting the money later, though I still have the shirt. what can I say, I’m kind of a clothes hoarder.
*Once again, name have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent
What’s the Most Taboo Topic on a First Date?
My regret was not in how Mike looked. His pictures were spot on. My regret was in our dinner conversation over Mexican food at Azteca* restaurant.
*I mention the specific name because it will be an important detail later during the booty call!
I think everyone can agree that exes are typically something a person shouldn’t bring up on a date, right?
His Ex and her Magnificent Fake Breasts
Not in Mike’s case. He spent the whole date getting wasted and talking about how gorgeous his ex was. I got to hear all about her plastic surgery and magnificent fake breasts (and how much he missed them). His grand plan was to train to become a pilot so that he could make enough money to impress her to win her back.
I stabbed at my chicken enchiladas trying to pretend to be interested in this bizarre conversation. I seriously wondered why the hell I was there. I couldn’t even have a margarita since I was driving, though I planned on drowning my angst when I got home.
When I got up to use the ladies’ room at one point, Mike made sure to comment on how great my backside looked in my jeans (but not in such polite terms). When we finished dinner and split the check, I declined the honor of going back to his place.
SHOCKING!
I know, how could I resist such charm?
Obviously, he never called me for a follow-up date. I never called him requesting another either. The feeling seemed mutual at the time.
Can I pick a winner, or what?
A Year Later…The booty Call
Late at night, over a year later, I was sitting on my couch studying for one of my electrical engineering finals. You can imagine my surprise to receive a random text from a number I didn’t recognize:
HEY, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TONIGHT?
Baffled, I replied:
WHO IS THIS?
A few moments later:
MIKE! WE HAD DINNER AT AZTECA!
I’m sitting on my couch holding my phone surrounded by piles of engineering notes. My phone was one of those small, gray Motorolas that were popular circa 2003. Not great for fast texting, but practically indestructible. I’m staring at this thing trying to figure out who the hell this guy is, then it hit me.
It was the creepy guy that went on and on about his ex, her fake breasts and his pilot lessons.
So I texted back:
HOW ARE THE PILOT LESSONS GOING?
Funny…he never replied.
Personally, my statute of limitations on booty calls is pretty short. If you didn’t get any on the first go round, probably doesn’t make sense to call me out of the blue a year later. But then, there is the saying, “Fortune favors the bold.”
Thanks for reading!
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About the Author
I joined the Navy at 18 to escape a small town in the Mojave Desert. A diagnosis of MS disrupted my dreams of becoming an astronaut or a super spy. I made limoncello from my lemons and became a super electrical engineer instead. My fascination with live high voltage drew me to Alaska. I came for the job, but stayed for the adventure. I enjoy blogging about my journey as a woman working in STEM, my experiences dealing with everything MS has handed me, and the wonder of the Alaska wilderness. My husband and I have undertaken the task of turning 30 acres of remote land into an off-grid retreat. I write stories about unique women in STEM who save the day and the hot guys who sometimes help along the way, as well as historical fiction about the Klondike Gold Rush. Teasers for these stories can be found on my website. I self-published my first horror novella, The Dark Land, on Amazon in May of 2020. I released the sequel, The Devil’s Valley, in May of 2021. Both stories are set in the wilderness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and draw on the Athabascan “Head Waters Peoples” legends of the Cet’ann, or “The People With Tails”.
Some places were never meant for humans to trespass: The Dark Land
Since it was the last day I would have my rental car, I took a day trip down the highway to Savannah, GA one of my favorite places. I walked the riverfront and the old squares of the antebellum city. I always admired the way the Spanish moss hung on the stately live oaks. I drove the coastal highway out to Tybee Island. All the while, my mind churned over what I was going to tell Jake that night at dinner.
Lighthouse on Tybee Island, near Savannah, GA
By the time I made the long drive back up to Charleston, I knew what I was going to say.
Inflection Point
I think everyone in life has multiple forks in the road, or in my case, what I like to think of as inflection points. This was one for me. I was twenty-five years old, and had a series of less than fulfilling relationships under my belt, to say the least. I often attracted what was broken in me, clinging to relationships that weren’t working because I desperately wanted to be with someone. I felt that having a chronic illness made me in adequate to be loved.
This time, as much as I cared for Jake and he cared for me, I saw that this was not going to fulfil what I wanted and needed in life. I needed more than just a relationship with someone. I needed the right one who could support my goals and dreams. To cling to Jake and what we had, no matter how good it felt at the time, would be selfish. So I let go honestly and fully.
That night when I got back to his place and we talked, I told him I was never planning on moving back to Charleston.
I wouldn’t realize it for a long time after, but in that moment, I began to grow up.
Jake took it well. At the same time, for the rest of my stay there was a distance between us. The easy, carefree connection vanished. We made love a few more times, but it wasn’t the same. The painfulness of goodbye stole the magic.
Farewell Party
The weekend before I left, we attended a party hosted by some of his coworkers. Jake and his roommate played in the band. They covered rock classics like Watchtower by Hendrix and Whiteroom by Cream. I tend to be a wall flower in general, but this was one of the most welcoming and fun parties I had ever attended.
The following Monday, Jake drove me to the base at Charleston. In his late twenties, Jake broke his femur in a bad motorcycle accident. They had to install a metal rod in his leg. I remember him rolling his eyes as he set off the metal detector. He explained about the metal rod, but they still gave him a full pat-down. They waved the wand over his leg multiple times, then finally let us pass to the waiting area.
“Every time,” he grumbled, then laughed.
We kissed one last time before I boarded the C-130 for Norfolk. I promised to be careful and keep in touch.
It was bittersweet parting from Jake. Kenny Chesney’s Anything But Mine wouldn’t be released until the next year, but I always think of Jake when I hear that song.
A Positive Outcome
Believe it or not, there is a brightside to the story. At the party I mentioned, Jake met his future wife. They started dating and got married less than a year later. The last I heard from Jake, they had three kids and seemed happy. Jake and I lost touch around the time I moved to Alaska and met my husband. We had been friends on Facebook, but suddenly he wasn’t there anymore. I don’t know if he just discontinued his Facebook membership, or if he unfriended me. Either one is okay. I understand the need to eventually move on. But I will always think of him and our time together in Charleston as one of the best I have ever had.
Next Stop: Norfolk, Virginia
Time to fly. Off to my next adventure!
Thanks for Reading
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About the Author
I joined the Navy at 18 to escape a small town in the Mojave Desert. A diagnosis of MS disrupted my dreams of becoming an astronaut or a super spy. I made limoncello from my lemons and became a super electrical engineer instead. My fascination with live high voltage drew me to Alaska. I came for the job, but stayed for the adventure. I enjoy blogging about my journey as a woman working in STEM, my experiences dealing with everything MS has handed me, and the wonder of the Alaska wilderness. My husband and I have undertaken the task of turning 30 acres of remote land into an off-grid retreat. I write stories about unique women in STEM who save the day and the hot guys who sometimes help along the way, as well as historical fiction about the Klondike Gold Rush. Teasers for these stories can be found on my website. I self-published my first horror novella, The Dark Land, on Amazon in May of 2020. I released the sequel, The Devil’s Valley, in May of 2021. Both stories are set in the wilderness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and draw on the Athabascan “Head Waters Peoples” legends of the Cet’ann, or “The People With Tails”.
Some places were never meant for humans to trespass…
People complain about how the discomfort of airline seats. Don’t get me wrong, I think they are terribly uncomfortable, too. As if the airlines go out of their way to engineer the seats to dig into our legs and backsides. I’m not sure how some people can sleep on airplanes. But I can attest that not much more uncomfortable than the hard metal of the jump seat of a C-130. Fortunately, for the 6+ hour flight from Washington State to North Carolina there was only myself, one other passenger and a bunch of pallets of cargo. After takeoff, the Load Master gave us a couple of gray military blankets and allowed us to stretch out on the floor.
It was a very cold metal floor. I lay on my back in between the cockpit and the pallets, staring up at the ceiling. The plane’s engines roared as we puttered east. I hoped it would drown out the growing doubts in my head. On the surface, I was calm. Inside, I was having definite second thoughts about my impetuous plan to hop on a plane and fly across the country. The less than amicable reply from *Bob about not coming to see him didn’t help matters. An when I say less than amicable, I mean yet another profanity laced missive telling me how horrible I was.
But his reply did cement one thing: he wasn’t as nice or caring as I thought, and perhaps my only mistake was believing that this was a worthwhile relationship.
The other passenger was an attractive, divorced, retired Army Colonel named *Erin on her way to North Carolina to visit her son. While eating the sack lunch provided, we fell into a fun chat about her exploits flying Space Available all over the world in between her business trips.
At some point during the flight, I confessed to my travelling companion what I was up to. She offered to give me a ride to the rental car place. I hadn’t considered the distance from the terminal on base to the rental car facility in town. I figured I would just take a cab or walk. It was a good thing I didn’t by the time we landed almost eight hours later…
Torrential Downpour
Not only did the flight take longer that originally forecasted, but we landed in the midst of a tropical depression. Since this was back in the early 2000’s cell service was still iffy. I landed only to find out that the rental car facility with which I had made a reservation closed at six. It was seven.
I had a meltdown…
Not being very sound of mind as it was, admittedly I started to cry. I was exhausted. It was seven at night in a strange town, and I still had a four plus hour drive ahead of me—assuming I could get a rental car. My mind raced through options. Maybe I could get a cheap hotel and regroup in the morning. I checked my phone. *Jake had called several times. I needed to call him back, but I wanted to have a plan first.
The Kindness of Strangers
Fortunately, Erin was still with me. She and her son were kind enough to help me find another open branch of the same rental car company in Fayetteville. The company was still willing to honor the reservation, but all they had available was a small pickup truck.
Into the Darkness
Armed with my steed, a cherry cola and a bag of Cheetos I picked up at a gas station, I wished Erin and her son goodbye and headed of into the darkness of the I-95 corridor. Jake was relieved to know that I had made it to North Carolina, but worried that I was on the road so late. He let me know that he would wait up for me.
A Storm of Thoughts
I’ve always liked road trips. They are great for listening to music and pondering. I had a lot to ponder as the wipers did their best to keep up with the rain coming down in sheets. I had left Charleston three years before heartbroken and facing an uncertain future with a diagnosis of MS. Things were definitely brighter, in the sense that I was on track to get an electrical engineering degree, though I still had quite a way to go.
But was a heartbroken over Bob? I was struggling to come to grips with that. Dating had been tough since I had been diagnosed with MS. In Bob I thought I had found someone who was understanding. This incident opened my eyes to a different side of him. He didn’t care about me. He just wanted to use me. He also had a mean/abusive streak.
Then there was Jake…
Jake and I had tried to make it work once. Then he dumped me/ghosted me. We reconnected later. There was always that: what if?
What if I hadn’t been leaving Charleston?
What if I had stayed and gone to college back there?
Could we have had something together?
None of the songs on the radio or the constant drone of the rain against the windshield had that answer for me as I drew closer to South Carolina. Even though I was exhausted, I seemed to catch a second burst of energy as I pulled into his neighborhood. The rain let up, tapering off to a light drizzle when I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine.
A Giant Spider Web
I remember staring up at the house and noticing an enormous spider web across his front window. I’m not kidding. This thing had a diameter of about 10 feet and was clearly visible, with droplets of water clinging to the silky strands. It looked like something out of a Halloween store. Jake came jogging out into the drizzle in his boxers and a t-shirt to help me with my backpack. But first he gave me a big hug. No hug had ever felt so good in my life up until that point. We raced into the house past the giant web.
A Heartfelt Request…
It felt so good to shower and wash off the grime of the day’s travel. I finished the beer he had brought me and I lay back on his couch, grateful to finally relax. He had put out sheets, a blanket and a pillow for me to sleep there. He stood watching me, hands on his hips, forget-me-not blue eyes full of concern.
“Daniella, are you going to be okay?”
“I’m fine,” I insisted, trying to ignore that familiar tug from his expression. “I made it here, didn’t I?”
“That’s not what I meant.” He bit his lip and looked over his shoulder toward his bedroom. Then he looked back at me again. “You don’t have to sleep in the Livingroom tonight. No. Let me put it another way. Would you sleep with me tonight?”
Question, readers…what would you have done?
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
I’ll tell you what I did, next blog…
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About the Author
I joined the Navy at 18 to escape a small town in the Mojave Desert. A diagnosis of MS disrupted my dreams of becoming an astronaut or a super spy. I made limoncello from my lemons and became a super electrical engineer instead. My fascination with live high voltage drew me to Alaska. I came for the job, but stayed for the adventure. I enjoy blogging about my journey as a woman working in STEM, my experiences dealing with everything MS has handed me, and the wonder of the Alaska wilderness. My husband and I have undertaken the task of turning 30 acres of remote land into an off-grid retreat. I write stories about unique women in STEM who save the day and the hot guys who sometimes help along the way, as well as historical fiction about the Klondike Gold Rush. Teasers for these stories can be found on my website. I self-published my first horror novella, The Dark Land, on Amazon in May of 2020. I released the sequel, The Devil’s Valley, in May of 2021. Both stories are set in the wilderness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and draw on the Athabascan “Head Waters Peoples” legends of the Cet’ann, or “The People With Tails”.
Some places were never meant for humans to trespass
A while back I posted this picture on social media:
Me in downtown Charleston in August, 2003
It was one of my most unique life adventures. For about a month during summer break from college in August of 2003, I flew around the US, wherever the military had Space Available Flights.
Several followers reached out and said they would like to know more about the story behind this trip.
Here goes:
The Backstory
Midnight 2001/2002 I met *Bob at a nightclub in downtown Seattle. We went on two dates before he was stationed overseas in preparation for Iraq.
Long Distance Relationship
Our relationship was mostly phone calls and letters. But he professed to love me and want to marry me. On one hand, I was rather flattered. This is the kind romance you read about in books or see in movies, right? Even my mom thought it was sweet, since that is how she and my dad met. My parents dated briefly before my father headed off to Vietnam, then they got married when he returned. They’ve now been married almost 50 years. In theory, it could work.
But Do You Really Know Him?
My guts told me this was rash. How much can you really get to know someone through calls and letters. I decided to give it a shot. At the same time, I really thought we needed to see each other more in person before taking it to the next level.
Through these letters and calls, we did learn quite a bit about each other. In particular, he did know about the fact that I had a chronic medical condition: MS. He also knew I was putting myself through school to get my electrical engineering degree in Seattle.
The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men
In the on my summer break from college in 2003, I made plans to go visit him in Germany before he was due to rotate to Iraq. I was on a serious budget in college, so I researched taking military Space Available flights (I’m medically retired from the Navy, so I’m eligible).
The Inciting Event
During the final few weeks of classes, the stress brought on a migraine so severe, I had to be hospitalized (because they weren’t sure if it was a migraine or a stroke). When I was being released from the hospital, I sent him an email about what was going on and asked him to call me. I couldn’t call him at the time because of his location.
A Red Flag Flies
When he finally called, as I was being discharged from the hospital he said, “Is this going to be a regular thing? Because when we’re married, I don’t want to have to work.”
I was too stunned to come back immediately with anything, especially since I was still doped up on medications.
He then quickly dismissed me with something along the lines of, “take care driving home and I’ll talk to you later.”
I think you will understand when I tell you, that BOTHERED ME. And that is putting it mildly. I hoped he was joking. He said he cared.
WHAT THE HELL????
I wasn’t putting myself through the torture of an electrical engineering degree just for the fun of it. Though I am one of those psychos who likes to do math. In fact, the VA was paying for it on the premise that I would be employable at the end. I WANTED TO WORK. At the same time. I have Multiple Sclerosis. A disease that can choose to knock me flat whenever it wants.
One of my major criteria for a life partner was someone who would be on my team. Not someone who just wanted me to support him.
At the same time, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Part of me desperately wanted it to just be a misunderstanding. After all the letters and calls, yes, I had feelings for him.
Things Go From Bad to Worse
So, I sent him an email telling him that something he said really bugged me, and I wanted to talk about it. Could he give me a call back so we could discuss it?
His reply?
He was too busy. Just email him.
I really didn’t want to do that because I know how things can come off wrong in an email. I let him know that.
His reply was that I was starting to annoy him, and I should really just email what was on my mind.
So…I…did…
Oh boy…
Level of anger in his response: nuclear
The response in return was a profanity laced email that haunts me to this day. I won’t go into details. Sadly, I wasn’t rude. I just stated what he said and why it hurt me. The names he called me and how angry he got was terrifying.
I decided was not going anywhere in his vicinity.
New Plans and an Ex-Boyfriend/Old Friend
I was shaken and restless. I had a whole month off from school and work. I needed to escape. The walls of my apartment seemed to get smaller every time I read Bob’s violently angry email.
I know many people say you can’t be friends with an ex-boyfriend, but it just so happens I was.
I called up *Jake.
Backstory of Jake
Jake and I dated in the Navy in South Carolina. Our first go-round didn’t work out. He ghosted me in the worst way and broke my heart. I moved on. When I got diagnosed with MS and was getting ready to leave South Carolina, he called me one night out of the blue.
Jake apologized profusely with no expectations of forgiveness or friendship. He said that he had always felt guilty for what he had done, but didn’t know how to rectify it. He told some of his friends about it, and they insisted that he call and at least try to apologize. We went out for dinner. The sparks flew again between us, but I was moving away, so we became good friends.
When I called Jake and told him what happened, he suggested I come to Charleston and stay with him for a bit instead. I looked up the Space Available Schedule. While I couldn’t get directly to Charleston, SC; I could get to North Carolina and rent a vehicle.
The Adventure Begins…
I sent Bob an email that I wasn’t coming to Germany, and that we needed to take a break from each other. Which seemed silly in some ways since I hadn’t seen him in almost a year and a half at that point. But I needed time to process his violent response to my email. I let him know I would talk to him again when school started.
I packed my trusty green backpack. I have travelled with this baby across Europe, on camping trips in the Alaska backcountry, and I still have it to this day. I loaded it into the back of my red Hyundai and headed to McChord AFB, south of Seattle to catch my flight across the US.
Time to fly. Let the journey begin.
Next: my flight to North Carolina and a Dark and Stormy Night
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent
Thanks for reading!
About the Author
I joined the Navy at 18 to escape a small town in the Mojave Desert. A diagnosis of MS disrupted my dreams of becoming an astronaut or a super spy. I made limoncello from my lemons and became a super electrical engineer instead. My fascination with live high voltage drew me to Alaska. I came for the job, but stayed for the adventure. I enjoy blogging about my journey as a woman working in STEM, my experiences dealing with everything MS has handed me, and the wonder of the Alaska wilderness. My husband and I have undertaken the task of turning 30 acres of remote land into an off-grid retreat. I write stories about unique women in STEM who save the day and the hot guys who sometimes help along the way, as well as historical fiction about the Klondike Gold Rush. Teasers for these stories can be found on my website. I self-published my first horror novella, The Dark Land, on Amazon in May of 2020. I released the sequel, The Devil’s Valley, in May of 2021. Both stories are set in the wilderness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and draw on the Athabascan “Head Waters Peoples” legends of the Cet’ann, or “The People With Tails”.
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Some places were never meant for humans to trespass…
I enjoy reading as much as I like writing. One of the frustrating parts of trying to publish and promote a book is that it cuts into my reading time. Now that things are slowing down a little it is nice to catch back up on my TBR and Review pile.
In particular, by Immortal Honor Bound by Danielle Ancona involving Angels, Alchemy, Gods, Heroes and other supernatural creatures. Before I dive into my review, I want to be honest and give you a hint of how much liked this book. I rarely buy books for other people because I feel that books are a highly personal thing. But in this case, I bought several copies for the female members of my family and couple of my close friends when it was released. I wrote a piece of fan fiction as part of my blog. I also had the honor of beta reading this story in the early stages three years before it was published and seeing how it evolved, so I had an idea what the final product was going to look like.
So yes…I’m a fan of this story and the stories that are (hopefully) to come in this series.
Danielle’s writing blends historical fiction and paranormal romance with strong heroines and heroes. She takes us on a STEM-based, paranormal adventure through history, blending Greek, Egyptian, and Christian Theology/Mythology/Lore with warrior angel Malachi.
Main Character Malachi
A battle is raging between the Seraphs led by renegade Angel Gideon who wishes to subjugate humankind and the Celestials in Heaven. Unorthodox (and incredibly sexy) Malachi leads forces to thwart him. At the same time, his brash manner and closeness with deities of other backgrounds and humans irritates the Celestials—in other words, makes them look bad. Kind of like the competent blue-collar worker pointing out the flaws in the CEO’s plan. I picture him almost like a cross between Han Solo, Geralt in the Witcher and Maximus in the Gladiator. Competent, not afraid to get his hands dirty, gets the job done, but of course, totally embarrasses the insecure along the way. As punishment, they sentence him to being an immortal earthbound guardian.
Time Travel
He moves forward through time, protecting numerous important historical figures whom the Gideon and the Seraph wish to destroy or manipulate. Because of the success of book like Outlander, there’s a lot of people rushing to write “time travel” romance. Danielle’s version of time travel, having a supernatural character who can move through time, allows for more flexibility/believability than taking a character out of one time and placing them into another. It helps avoid many of the paradox and social issues that turn the story more toward scifi.
Romance Element
Malachi comes forward into 1600’s England where he meets Alchemist, Daphne. I always chuckled growing up when I would read my mom’s “bodice ripper” novels and they would say something along the lines of, “the head strong, sassy, intelligent <female protagonist’s name> did x.” And usually, it was something that a female character of that time period really wouldn’t do. Sure, I get it, they are selling a fantasy. Still always made me laugh. Right there along with whenever they had people taking an unrealistic number of baths in the medieval era or portrayed women with silky, clean shaven legs. I always wanted to re-write in, hairy, you mean hairy right? Maybe they meant the silky hair on her legs. I digress…
Instead of telling us what a smart, strong female protagonist Daphne is, Danielle shows us. Daphne is a female alchemist studying under Dante, a renowned Alchemist in Yorkshire. She walks a fine line this era of England, when women are getting tried for witchcraft and hung/burned just for having the wrong attitude in life, let alone having thoughts and knowledge uncommon to a woman. Not to mention, she is also harboring supernatural capabilities of her own, which Gideon and the Seraph are hoping to bring over to their cause.
The attraction between Daphne and Malachi is intense and immediate. At the risk of avoiding spoilers, there is also a dark fate hanging over the couple. They are drawn together, but forces are conspiring to rip them apart by any means necessary.
Side Characters
Danielle gives us an intriguing cast of side characters who ally with Malachi and eventually Daphne along the way. The heat between Egyptian God Thoth and Warrior Katherine the Adamantine is off the scale. Picture Bridgerton level of desire and wanting, but between a god and an Amazon, instead of Regency England. Danielle has hinted that there may be more instore for these two characters, which I hope is coming soon.
The only negative I would have with Immortal Honor Bound is that Danielle could probably have split the material into two if not three stories and stretched it out. Over all, it is a great and compelling story, and I am looking forward to the rest of her Angels and Alchemy series.
Thanks for Reading!
About the Author
I joined the Navy at 18 to escape a small town in the Mojave Desert. A diagnosis of MS disrupted my dreams of becoming an astronaut or a super spy. I made limoncello from my lemons and became a super electrical engineer instead. My fascination with live high voltage drew me to Alaska. I came for the job, but stayed for the adventure. I enjoy blogging about my journey as a woman working in STEM, my experiences dealing with everything MS has handed me, and the wonder of the Alaska wilderness. My husband and I have undertaken the task of turning 30 acres of remote land into an off-grid retreat. I write stories about unique women in STEM who save the day and the hot guys who sometimes help along the way, as well as historical fiction about the Klondike Gold Rush. Teasers for these stories can be found on my website. I self-published my first horror novella, The Dark Land, on Amazon in May of 2020. I released the sequel, The Devil’s Valley, in May of 2021. Both stories are set in the wilderness of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and draw on the Athabascan “Head Waters Peoples” legends of the Cet’ann, or “The People With Tails”.
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Ancient evil stalks the Alaska Backcountry. Some places were never meant for humans to trespass.
Acetylene Generator out at the cabin in Chicken, Alaska
Acetylene is a highly flammable, unstable gas used in welding and cutting of metals (particularly steel). Before acetylene could be generated and bottled safely and reliably through dissolving acetylene in acetone, it was generated with a device like this. Feeding calcium carbide into the tank to mix with water, the reaction would create acetylene. The downside of this method was that the gas was typically heavily laden with moisture, so the cutting temperature is lower (typical temperatures for modern oxyacetylene torches range from 5700-6300 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the mixture of oxygen to acetylene).
In my Romantic Suspense novel, Torched, my main character Brigit is a welder. She gets one of these as a gift from a friend.
If you would like to see what it looks like to cut a cake with a modern oxyacetylene torch, you can see that here.
Thanks for reading, We’re going to be off the grid until at least Mid-October. They stop maintaining the road 10/15. If you are interested in some of my other writing, my horror novella, The Dark Land is available on Amazon.
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits in on the isolated trails of The Dark Land.
Arctic ocean in winter with Polar Bear warning sign
Those who follow me regularly know I work (and play) in a pretty tough and cold environment. And it is beautiful. Those clear cold days in the arctic or sub-arctic make you feel as if you could see eternity. When there’s not a cloud in the sky, and the sun is reflecting off a blanket of white so pristine if you stare too long without dark goggles, you’ll hurt your eyes. At the same time, even with cold weather gear, it chills to the bone. At seriously cold temperatures exposed skin can freeze in less than 5 minutes. The coldest temperature I have ever worked in was -65 with a windchill of -80.
Me decked out for work. Since I was only going between my truck and buildings I wasn’t wearing my “full” gear. Temperature at the time: -54 with wc -70.
Frostbite Charts
I’ve included the NOAA Windchill Charts for your reference. Once the wind starts blowing, it definitely starts to feel brisk.
I’m always amazed how much I can eat after working in the cold all day, not only that, just how tired I am. All I want to do is take a hot shower and curl up in a blanket with a gallon of hot soup, hot chocolate and donuts to dip in it.
Building Up a Not-So-Sexy Sweat
Not to mention the sweating. You would think at those temperatures you wouldn’t sweat, right? Nope, there’s a reason why there’s a huge market in cold weather environments for moisture wicking under-gear. When I have been out in the cold, either working or skiing/snowshoeing, my underlayers are drenched with sweat. The first thing I always do when I get home or back to camp, is change out of my underlayers so they can dry (or wash them if possible). When my husband climbed Denali in 2007, there was no way to wash those layers for the three weeks on the mountain, they just had to change out every night, let them dry then put them back on. By the time he got home, there was no amount of washing that would get that smell out—he had to just throw them away.
Not entirely sexy—right?
Layers
Then there’s the sheer number of layers. When I’m geared up for work, my outer layers, comprising my arctic bibs, boots, jacket, balaclava parka and gloves weigh upwards of 30lbs. That’s not counting my regular clothes and underlayers I wear.
It makes writing a realistic cold-weather romance, a little tough. That’s a lot of barriers for a couple to plow through to get to a little skin.
Could you imagine the scene?
She removed her dark goggles and threw back the hood of her parka. The heat in her eyes was enough to melt the ice on the lake. Overcome with passion, he threw back his hood, wolf fur tickling his face. Fumbling through thick gloves, he unzipped her parka and fondled her full breasts through her under jacket and four layers….
Layer removal
Layer removal
Layer removal
Finally, with the heaps of outer clothing piled around them, they had almost reached nirvana. Shivering as hypothermia set in, she looked at the clothes piled in the snow and asked, “What were we trying to do?”
Yeah, realistic sexy time out in the elements just isn’t going to happen in my novels. It’s just too damn cold. In some of my stories set in the summertime in Alaska, I can pull it off without a problem (ok—minor problem, if you’ve ever been to Alaska, you know about our state bird—the mosquito). Believe it or not, it does get warm here, even in the arctic.
But for those of you writing about Alaska or other northern climates in the winter and want to pull off a sexy scene, here’s how I’ve made it work for me.
Body Language Outdoors
Intimate moments can happen outside, like conversations/glances. I feel they are part of what helps the romance and sexual tension build to make it more believable later. But keep in mind if they are someplace extremely cold, they are going to be wearing full facemasks and possibly goggles. Seeing a look in someone’s eye or reading a face expression would be impossible. Emotions have to be conveyed with body language, posture, motions and words and tone of voice. But starting the intimacy outdoors with a touch, a would or a motion can ignite the spark that creates realism when they move indoors.
Removing Layers
Remember all of those layers? Yeah, they’re a pain in the… but they’re necessary to keep from freezing those delicate (and not so delicate) bits off. It’s jarring to your reader if people were fully suited up a moment ago, and are now suddenly naked doing the horizontal mambo with no transition. The dreaded “telling” can really bog down a story here: he took off his coat, she hung up her parka, etc. I try to mix it up with conversation and action that moves the plot along and gloss over the taking off of stuff. Sometimes it’s integral to the plot, especially if later I need to have them grab something from a pocket as part of the action. I don’t want the reader to be thinking—hey wait, where’d that come from.
Time Jump
The good, old-fashioned time-jump is always a standby to help overcome the layer hurdle as well. You can jump from where they’re outside in the cold to where the characters are curled up by the fire in the lodge, and it’s obvious that some time has occurred. You can describe the items you might need later in a scene (a jacket hung by the door, underclothes strung up by the fire, a weapon being sharpened while someone rocks in a chair).
Bathing
Remember the not-so-sexy sweating, I mentioned previously? It is something I have had readers who work and play in the outdoors comment on, that there’s no way after skiing, snowshoeing, basically doing any strenuous activity in the cold is anyone going to smell good. That’s something realistic that you can use to your advantage in your story. What’s sexier and brings to characters closer together than a bath or a shower when they get back to the lodge? That being said, if your lodge is a remote cabin with no running water, you’re going to have to get creative, but I think you can pull it off.
The Dark Land, Available on Amazon
Thanks for reading! My Alaska backcountry horror novella, The Dark Land is available on Amazon. For sneak peeks sign up for my newsletter. I promise not to SPAM (though Alaskans are the #2 consumers of SPAM behind Hawaii!).
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be pushed to the limits on the isolated trails of The Dark Land
Reliable, cost effective and environmentally sustainable energy storage is a key to making alternative energy solutions competitive against other sources for the long term. Solar, wind, hydro, and tidal energy are abundant at times and in certain regions. Without the means to store this energy for when times are lean and make it accessible to all, it is easy to fall back onto fossil fuels.
Solar arrays near Nipton.
ALASKA CHALLENGES IN REMOTE LOCATIONS
Which brings me to my upcoming summer project with our new solar kit. For those of you who follow my posts regularly, our cabin is in a remote region of Alaska, subject to extreme temperatures. The record low for Chicken is -76. The highs can easily hit 80-90 in the summer months, where our ridge easily gets 21+ hours of sunlight a day at its peak.
View of the sunset from our cabin. Time is approximately midnight at the summer solstice. The sun will dip behind the mountains for about 3 hours, never quite getting dark..
BATTERIES AND PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOLAR ENERGY
Battery longevity and efficiency is of extreme importance. Batteries are expensive parts of a photovoltaic system. They are, at their heart, simple devices. By definition, a battery is two dissimilar metals immersed in an electrolytic (typically acid) solution. This creates a chemical reaction. They are also (depending on their construction), highly corrosive and toxic waste in landfills. It is important that as we develop alternative energy storage solutions, we maximize storage efficiency to minimize waste and reduce cost. The extremes in temperatures that I mentioned above can degrade a battery’s life, requiring it to be replaced more frequently, thus adding more waste to our landfills and requiring more mining of rare earth minerals.
Me out in Chicken taking a break with Jane Friedman’s the Business of Being a Writer
I will be conducting a study of our system, keeping track of
load, temperatures, charge and charge times, acid levels and specific gravity. I
will track this information as a means to help manufacturers and researchers
refine their processes to create energy storage solutions that can better
withstand extreme environments and improve alternative energy accessibility for
all.
Taylor Highway Closed
This will be the first of many projects we hope to bring to life out in the 31 remote acres in the 40-Mile District of Alaska. Thanks for reading. In my next blog, I will discuss a little more in-depth on the details of our system design and capacity.
Summer of 2020 IS GOING TO BE AN ADVENTURE!
HOLD MY BEER!
Me and my father-in-law Shep, having a beer at the bar in Chicken, AK
Thanks for reading. I plan on posting many of our adventures this summer and beyond as I move into my next phase of my life and career. In the meantime, if you are looking for a fictional Alaska adventure, The Dark Land is available on Amazon
The legend of Alaska’s Headless Ravine is steeped in blood. Its hunger for human flesh never sleeps, even in the deepest cold of winter. Courage, skill and love will be stretched to the limits on the isolated boundaries of The Dark Land.
Sign up for my newsletter for sneak peaks of the sequel and my other writing!
It seems like for everyone I talk to, 2019 has been a
dumpster fire. I know that I will be happy to see this year in the rearview
mirror. For those of you who know me/follow me closely, you know that I have
struggled with MS and other health related issues this year. Then in August,
the company I worked for announced that they were selling our business unit.
These last few months I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my career path
and what I want to do going forward.
Me with a frame 5 GE rotor
It surprised a lot of people, given that I’m only 41, that I
opted to package out. Instead of applying for a job with the new operator, I
requested to be severed. For me, the choice was simple. This is an opportunity
to make a deep change in my life. I have explained in my blogs, that I have
always enjoyed writing. I enjoy engineering and math just as much. In the last
few years, I have felt that my job was taking me down a path that led me away
from what I enjoyed doing. I was no longer an engineer, I was pushing paper and
collecting a paycheck. Meanwhile my blood pressure was ratcheting up, as I argued
against decisions I disagreed with, only to get overridden. The stress seemed
to eat away at my very being. The only thing making my job worth doing was supporting
the great technicians and operators I work with.
The guys cleaning a substation
I hinted over this weekend of exciting announcements to come. I’m still waiting for my final severance date (I’ll get my letter in the mail Friday—I’ll be sure to let you know). But in the meantime, Ray and I are laying our plans for the future.
Monday Ray and I will be putting the down payment for our
first solar kit out at the cabin. We’ll be sharing pictures and posts as we
design and install our new solar panels, inverter, charger and batteries. We’re
looking forward to the greater flexibility as we stay out at the cabin for
longer in the summers and plan out adventures.
The cabin at night.
We also have some major construction projects in the works
for the summer of 2020. We poured our foundations this past summer, but in
July, we will be erecting a new cook shed and shower/sauna. It feels a little
weird, bringing creature comforts to our cabin that has been rustic for so
long. But as we transition from city living to Chicken these are changes that
will make living off-grid more convenient.
Breaking up the snow for water-I’ll really be looking forward to when we have a better water system!
We also plan on taking a few months and driving the ALCAN (a
trip I have never done before). We’re going to do an extended road trip to
visit friends in the lower 48. As some of you may have noticed, Ray and I have
kind of an obsession with old ghost towns. Expect to see lots of pictures and
historical blog posts about our adventures.
The Sternwheel Graveyard, one of our favorite stops on our Dawson City, YT adventure in the summer of 2019
We’re not entirely sure what the long term will bring, but I am excited for this leap. I plan on focusing on my writing in 2020 and hopefully bringing my fiction works one step closer to getting published. I also hope to get my own engineering projects/start-up company off the ground. I’m grateful for this deep-sea change. This is a true, once in a lifetime opportunity, and I look forward to sharing our plans and schemes with those of you who keep following me.
Me out in Chicken taking a break with Jane Friedman’s the Business of Being a Writer
I see a lot of people ask what they do to get over writer’s block. for me, I do one of a few things. I read a book and write a review. Or I write a piece of what I might like to call fan fiction. I have met so many talented and wonderful authors through social media that push my writing in different directions it is hard not to be inspired.
This particular snippet was inspired by one of my favorite authors/blogs I follow on Twitter, Rowena Tisdale.
Her sultry and steamy writing, along with her no-nonsense female characters are highly inspiring. It is refreshing to read about women who truly want sex and are not shy about it. It got me to really think back to my early twenties where for lots of really messed-up reasons (which I discuss in other blogs) I was less than popular with the guys and pretty shy and repressed. It took me a long time to find my confidence. After reading her blogs, I couldn’t help but ask myself, what if?
What if, in my early years as a technician/engineer my boss/mentor had been a confident woman leader? How would that have changed my trajectory?
Obviously, I cannot change the past. But I can write a little fantasy about what I would have liked it to look like. Now that I am 40, and infinitely more confident than I was at 24 it’s fun to indulge. Maybe it will inspire some of the other 20-somethings, struggling to find their voice and sexuality in a world sending mixed messages about what women should want and need.
Downtown Seattle, setting for this segment
Danyjella ran a
comb through her damp auburn hair while she waited for the email to connect to
the server.
I’ll just fire off one more email, then I’ll
head to the reception upstairs. She thought, as she applied mascara to her
long red eyelashes, then tapped blush on her pale cheeks in the mirror next to
the desk.
The IM window
flashed on her laptop.
RO: What the HELL are you still
doing working?
DANY: I’m sending you that report on
the plc and relay tests you requested
RO: GURL REALLY? It can wait until
Mon
DANY: Then YTF did you text me
asking if it was ready to go????
RO: Just wanted to know when it
would be ready
DANY: What the HELL are you still
doing working? You’re 3 hours ahead.
RO: I’m the boss, wanted to stalk
you and make sure you were done for the day, off scoring with hot men
DANY: HAHA! Remember who you’re
talking to?
RO: I do, so are you off to have
some fun?
DANY: I am. Heading to the bar for the reception I&M is throwing for the crew tonight.
RO: Great, BTW, sorry to cut into
your weekend, but the owner wants have dinner to go over progress Sunday night
DANY: OK
RO: What are you going to wear?
Danyjella paused,
looking down at her plain khaki pants and crimson tank top. It was the nicest
thing she had at the moment. The matching cardigan she planned on wearing over
the top of it was draped over the back of the chair. She looked out of the
window as Elliot Bay faded from silver into navy and the lights came on across
the way in West Seattle. She wondered where the rest of her stuff was. Somewhere
between Anchorage and Seattle in a shipping container. She sighed and then gave
a wry smile. She loved Rowena’s sense of style. The chic, vivacious woman who’d
hired her as field engineer and project lead for the new office here in Seattle
could get every head in the room to turn just by raising a perfectly arched
eyebrow and tapping immaculately manicured nails against a crystal wine stem. Danyjella
always wondered what that was like.
RO: Well???
DANY: I don’t know. Haven’t had
much time to go shopping since I moved down here. My new boss is a total slave
driver 😛
RO: My assistant is going to make
an appointment for you with the personal shopper at the downtown Nordstrom’s in
Seattle tomorrow. Make-up after! Be there as soon as they open.
DANY: Yes mummy. Make sure the
appointment is early. The building manager is giving me a personal tour of the
condos here tomorrow afternoon. I may put in an offer.
RO: EXCELLENT! I’ll be in town next
weekend. Sending you the file Monday for a software company in Redmond I need
to you review. Setting up a lunch meeting for you to head over there next week
and talk with their VP. We may want to acquire them.
DANY: Sounds good. Make it for later
in the week, Friday maybe. We’re testing the fire systems here Monday and
Tuesday. I need to be here for that. It’s going to be hectic.
RO: When is the security system
test?
DANY: Depends on how the F&G
tests go. Probably not until next week. Want to integrate the generator
controls first. I need to get moving. I can already feel the guys racking up
the bar tab upstairs.
RO: You go gurl. Thanks again.
You’re doing a fantastic job. Have a great weekend.
DANY: You too woman
Danyjella sent the
email off to Rowena, then she tugged her cardigan over her tank top and slid
her feet into her leather sandals. She wriggled her pink painted toes, feet
grateful to be free of the steel toed boots after such a long hot day. She
stretched and looked around the neatly furnished corporate apartment.
I love how close to downtown and the Lightrail
this place is. I hope they can get me a good deal. She thought as she went
into the bathroom to blow-dry her fine, shoulder-length auburn hair. She headed
to the outdoor mezzanine bar and restaurant that was part of the new condo
resort complex in downtown Seattle.
“Hey it’s Little Dipper Dany!” OT shouted as the elevator door slid open, revealing the Friday night party to already be in full swing. “Whata’ ya’ have?” The compact Irishman man asked. She smiled as she approached the group. OT barely came to her nose, but insisted on calling her “Little.” She wondered what he’d call her if she wore heels. At 5’9 she wasn’t gigantic, but tall enough for a girl.
“White wine and
sparkling water. It was a hot day today.” Danyjella replied as the bartender
began to pour.
“No shit it was.
I’ll be glad when they get the AC fully functional in that other building.” OT
replied. There were several comments of agreement from the rest of the commissioning
crew.
“Should be done by
Monday. They’re working on it this weekend. We’re going to test the HVAC with
the fire and gas systems on Tuesday.” Danyjella said, taking a sip of her
drink. The scantily clad waitresses brought out plates of appetizers for the
group, while Danyjella leaned against the bar, listening to the music play over
the speakers. Her mind wandered as she watched her guys hit on the girls.
Really, Jeff? You’re married. Oh yeah, I
forgot. “Crew policy” If its another zip code, it doesn’t count. She shook
her head as her stomach knotted. Shrugging her shoulders, she took a zip of her
white wine spritzer. She really would enjoy something a little stronger, but
damn, it had been hot today. Had Seattle been this brutally hot in the summers
when she went to college? She couldn’t remember. She put a hand against the bar
and took another sip, counting down the time until she could go back up to her
room, peel off her clothes and climb into the giant tub in the bathroom and
soak away all the aches from this week. Too bad the pool was closed for repairs.
What a rotten time of year to be out of service.
“Enjoying the
party?” A husky voice said behind her. She nearly choked on her drink as she
turned around to see a wall of sky-blue buttoned-down shirt.
“Uh—yes thank you, Mr. Erikson.” She replied, recovering herself as she gazed up into the site foreman’s vivid sapphire eyes. “It was very nice of I&M to put this on for the guys, I know they’re enjoying it.” Danyjella said, motioning to her crew of technicians, scattered around the bar, drinking, playing pool and shuffle board, talking up some of the local girls.
“You can call me Isaak.
We’ve only been working together all week,” he said, running a hand through his
thick, golden-brown hair. “What about you? You looked rather bored.” He said,
eyes crinkling as his smooth pink lips curled up in a grin.
“It’s fine. Just a
little tired I suppose. It’s been a long week,” she replied, rubbing her
shoulder. She looked down, thinking of Rowena and her penchant for hot guys in
jeans, as she took in his well-fitting blue jeans and black leather cowboy
boots.
“Hey, wait a sec,”
she said, cocking her head to the side. “The email said the bar has a strict
‘no jeans’ policy.” She pointed down to her khaki pants then his jeans.
His grin got
wider, and she felt her heart flutter as his eyes traveled up and down her
body, lingering on her breasts in a way that made her knees turn to water.
“Well, I suppose they make a special exception for me.”
“Why is that?” she
asked.
He shrugged, taking another drink of his beer. “I don’t know. Probably because I own half the building. I’m the I of I&M Enterprise.”
“Oh,” was Danyjella’s
only inarticulate reply. Why the fuck
didn’t Ro mention that, I thought he was just the site foreman. “I—I
suppose that makes sense then.” She said, shrugging her shoulders, wishing she
could think up something else to say.
He frowned, then
looked like he was about to say something else as a gorgeous brunette came up
alongside him, putting a flawlessly manicured hand on his forearm. The metal of
her gold choker gleamed against her glowing olive skin. She simpered at
Danyjella, then squeezed Isaak’s bicep.
Of course, he’d be taken. Didn’t see a ring.
But what the hell do I care? Not like guys like that are interested in me
anyway.
“I heard you’re
interested in buying into a unit in the new building,” He said, taking a sip of
his beer.
“Yes, I just moved
back down here from Alaska. The company’s putting me up here temporarily while
I house hunt, but I really like the location and the amenities. You’ve built a
fantastic property.”
“Have you tried
the pool yet?” he asked, the woman standing next to him frowned and sighed,
trying to get his attention.
“Uh, no. I
understand the pool is closed right now. Repairs or something,” Danyjella
replied, heat rising to her cheeks as he continued to stare.
“The main pool is,
but I can give you access to the penthouse pool. Here,” he pulled a business
card from his wallet and grabbed a pen from the bar. He scribbled some numbers
on it. “This is the floor number, and the code to get in. Don’t worry about
bringing a towel, they have everything you need at the spa. Its open 24/7.” The
brunette squeezed his arm again and raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. “If
you’ll pardon me. Please, enjoy the party.”
“Thanks, I—will,”
she said, but he had already turned away.
That was really kind of him, she thought
to herself, putting the card into her back pocket. She finished the rest of her
white wine spritzer. Her heart sank as she watched him move through the crowd
gorgeous brunette clinging to his side. He’d been flirty and friendly all week
as they worked. Not that she thought she really had a shot with a guy like him,
even when she thought he was the construction manager/site foreman. Now that
she realized he was the VP of the company she knew he was totally out of her
league. Guys like that only went for really pretty girls, not Plain Janes like
her. She sighed. Get over it. She
told herself
“Care for
another?” the bartender asked, flashing a smile.
“No thanks, maybe
just sparkling water and lime.” She replied as he refilled her. She wandered
around the room, chatting up with the crew and having a few appetizers as the
bar filled up with regular patrons. She noticed Isaak sitting in the lounge
section in the back, the lovely brunette huddled close beside him. Meanwhile,
across the table, a dark-haired man in a neatly cut navy blue suit sat
opposite. Her heart fluttered as his gaze seemed to go right through her. She
suddenly wished she’d had something better to wear than this plain tank top and
cardigan as his sapphire eyes raked over her. Eyes that were identical in color to Isaak’s, I wonder if they’re
related, she thought. He tipped his glass slightly in her direction. The
voluptuous platinum blonde at his side smiled broadly, coral pink lips
glittering under the now dimmed lights. Her eyes were dark and luminous as she
looked Danyjella over as well, the diamonds at her throat winking as she turned
her head and whispered in the man’s ear.
Danyjella froze
and nodded in return, not really sure of the protocol she found herself looking
around. Are they really looking at me
like that?
“Hey, Little Dipper,”
OT interrupted, “Bunch of us are going boating tomorrow on Lake Washington,
wanna’ come?”
“Sorry OT, can’t.
I’ve got to run some errands for the boss tomorrow,” she replied. “But keep me
in mind for next weekend perhaps.” When she looked back, her breath came even
faster as the man in the corner continued to stare. He put his glass to his
lips, never taking his eyes off of her. Isaak looked up and frowned when he saw
her standing there. He said something to the man in the corner that only made
him smile wider. He looked away and went back to talking with Isaak. Meanwhile
the blonde flipped her hair over her shoulder, dark eyes raising the heat in
Danyjella’s cheeks. Then she turned her attention back to the conversation.
Danyjella shook
her head, spell broken. What the hell is
wrong with me? I need to just get a grip. They were probably staring at someone
behind me. She downed the rest of her drink and placed an order at the bar
for some food to be sent to her room later from one of the restaurants
downstairs. She made a beeline back to her room to change for the pool.
Seattle waterfront in Summertime
Wow, I could get used to this, Danyjella
thought as she rested her chin on her arms, staring at the twinkling Seattle
lights. The infinity pool glowed blue as she looked out from the 50th
floor over Elliott Bay, Lake Union, and West Seattle. She could see the lights
from the stadiums to the south. It looked like a Mariners game had just gotten
out. Ahh, but I would be using the
“regular pool” not this one. I’ll have to make sure to tell Isaak thank you.
“Enjoying the
view?” A smooth voice asked from the pool deck behind her. She jerked away from
the edge, bobbing in the water and sputtering as she came back up. “Whoa, don’t
drown on me,” the dark-haired man from the bar said with a chuckle as he
crouched down by the edge. “Though, I’ll admit, I’d love to revive you.”
“The view is
beautiful,” she replied, treading water as she moved toward the shallow end.
Her eyes searched the patio area to see that they were indeed alone.
“Sorry to startle
you, Miss Napier,” he said, taking a seat in one of the plush blue lounge
chairs.
“I’m fine,” she
replied. “Pardon me, but who are you?”
His navy sports
coat from earlier was gone. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar,
sleeves rolled up “Forgive me, Rayne, Rayne Mattson,” he said, leaning back in
the lounge chair and putting his muscled arms behind his head. He kicked his
patent leather-clad feet up and looked down at her in the water through thick
inky eyelashes.
“Ah yes,” Danyjella
replied. “We’re supposed to have dinner Sunday night and go over the progress
so far on integrating the controls for the new building into the existing.” She
ran her hands over her wet hair, feeling at a disadvantage, half naked in the
pool while their client watched.
“Yes,” he replied,
“And I’m looking forward to it. I’ve read your plans, I’m sure it will be
brilliant. But enough about work for tonight.” He said, leaning his head back
and looking up at the night sky. The pools retractable roof had been pulled
back, revealing a hazy night sky. “I don’t know about you, but its been a long
week.”
“Uh, yes,” she
replied. That’s why I’m here in the pool.
Trying to relax. Alone.
“I’m sorry,” he
said, sitting upright and leaning toward her, eyes reflecting the blue light of
the pool. “You’re trying to wind down. I’m barging in. This is my favorite
place to relax too.” He pointed to one of the three penthouse suites that
surrounded the pool area. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine,” she
said, feeling the heat rise despite the cool water. Had he been reading her
mind? He had just as much right to be here, if not more so. Now she felt like
an interloper.
“Are you hungry?”
he asked. “I ordered dinner from downstairs, it should be here any minute. I
know we’re having dinner Sunday, but would you care to join me,” his blue eyes
crinkled, as he lowered his voice and leaned forward again. “A little less
formally?”
Her stomach
rumbled, other than the appetizers at the reception, she hadn’t eaten anything
since lunch. “Sure,” she replied.
“Why don’t I go in
and pick out a nice bottle of wine,” her breath caught as he smiled. “I’ll give
you a little privacy while you get out of the pool and rinse off.” He rose and
went into one of the corner penthouse suites. She climbed out of the pool and
toweled off with the downy blue town she’d left on one of the lounge chairs and
wrapped it around her midsection, tucking it securely around her breasts. She
glanced in the direction he had gone. The lights glowed through the floor to
ceiling windows. He moved gracefully around his apartment, picking out a bottle
of wine. Grabbing her nylon bag of clothes, she walked to the spa area and
rinsed quickly. She put on her simple chemise and shorts that she brought with
her and pulled one of the lush robes hanging in the spa over it. She slipped
her feet back into her sandals and padded out into the warm summer evening.
When she came back
out to the pool area, Rayne had the small table between the lounge chairs set
for two. “The food will be here any minute,” he said, smiling up at her and
handing her a crystal goblet of red wine.
“Thank you,” she replied taking a seat on the lounge chair opposite of him. “So, you’re the ‘M’ then of I&M Enterprises?”
“Yes,” he replied, leaning back in
his chair and sipping his wine.
“How did you and
Isaak meet then?” Her eyes scanned his face. Both men were tall and muscled.
But Isaak was more golden complexioned. This man was dark-haired and olive
skinned, but they both shared vivid blue eyes.
His face
contorted, so fast that if she would have blinked, she would have missed it. An
expression of almost, malevolence. But it faded so fast she thought she must
have been mistaken. A peculiar smile crossed his face. It sent a chill up her
spine in that, it didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “We’re related. Isaak is my
half-brother. He’s an excellent architect and construction manager.”
“And what do you
do?”
“My expertise is
in Business Management and Finance,” he took a sip of wine, looking her over
once more. “You have a fascinating resume, Miss Napier. Ex-military, automation
and electrical engineer, medically discharged. No husband or boyfriend?”
She choked on her
sip of wine, “No, I’m afraid not, Mr. Mattson.”
“Rayne, please
call me Rayne. May I call you Danyjella?”
“Sure.” She
replied, dragging her eyes away from his face.
“Danyjella is an
unusual name. Eastern European, I take it?”
“The spelling is.
My family is not.” She replied. “There was a couple from Sarajevo who lived
next door to my parents when my mother was pregnant. The woman’s sister was
named Danyjella. My mom thought that was a pretty name.”
“It is indeed,”
the tone of his voice sent a quiver through her body. They were interrupted by
his cell phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at it. He
punched a code into his phone, and the delivery girl entered the pool area
carrying multiple containers tied together with string.
“Thanks for your
order, Mr. Mattson,” the slender girl said with a smile, her pink dyed hair cast
in a purple sheen from the azure lights of the pool as she set the cartons down
on the table.
“Thank you Jen,” he replied. He turned his mesmerizing eyes back on her as he began to serve her Dim Sum from the containers. “You’re an intriguing woman, Danyjella. Tell me a little more about yourself, I’m interested in knowing what makes a woman like you tick.”
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for more sexy engineering adventures. Who will my alter-ego pick?
