IF I WROTE ROMANCE...

With no guest to GET LOST with today, I thought we'd have a little fun. I'm posting some pictures and the beginning of a story. Then it's your turn. You create the next segment. One line, dialogue, description, a paragraph. I'll grab the snippets and add them to the post. Let's see how much of a story we can cover today! Don't be surprised if Traz makes an appearance in one of my later books. His character's been bouncing around in my head for about three years, waiting on the right story to grab hold.

But today's your day to direct the story. Let's see what you'd write IF YOU WROTE ROMANCE...

SURRENDER UNDER FIRE

Jack Malcatraz Jr. prefers his college nickname, Traz, to his hometown calling him Little Jack. He’s a man who prefers the simple things: a good football game, friends instead of acquaintances, and the old-fashioned notion a person is innocent until proven guilty. As Sherriff of a small east Texas town, he'd grown up with just about everyone who still lived there. Everyone knew what he did and who he did it with.

The most excitement they ever had was Friday night football and secret keggers at the saw mill. Not too secret, but Traz remembered being in college.

When the pretty blond showed up at the Dairy Queen on his day off, he said hello. Would have been impolite not to. All those booths were taken, and it seemed natural to ask if he could join her. They hit it off over a couple of baskets of steak fingers and extended lunch into the afternoon with a couple of chocolate-dipped dones. What's not to like about a woman not afraid to drip ice cream on her chin?

One thing lead to another and sure enough they ended up spending the entire afternoon together. They were walking across the street to the diner for a piece of his mom's pecan pie when the explosion shook the ground. A couple of car alarms went off. Fire shot into the sky and the smell of ash filled the air quicker than a May rain.

"I've got to find the Sherriff," Toni Lake said using her long legs to sprint back to her car. "I should have found him as soon as I got here."

"Toni--"

"I know, but this is about the fire. I've been tracking a man-- Sorry, Traz, I gotta get to that fire."

And before he could open his mouth again to tell her just who he was...she was gone. Gravel spinning under the tires of her Ford.

Before he followed, Traz stopped by his office, grabbing his weapon and the county-issued truck. Looked like his day-off had turned into a wildfire. He put in the calls. Got things started and grabbed the rest of his gear. He'd be lucky to see a bed for the next forty-eight hours and prayed the fire would be realtivly easy to contain.

Timing.

* * *

Toni Lake sighed at the loss of what was working into a lovely afternoon and possibly an even better evening, but she knew that the situation had now become desperate. If this were a perfect world, she could have stopped this latest horror before it happened. The only good thing would be if no one had been injured. What kind of person would the sheriff of this place be? And would he believe what she had to tell him? One could only hope. And if he didn't, well, then she would be on her own - again.  (Juanita)

Traz was still thinking about Toni even though the wildfires were blazing.  What would the evening be if we didn't have this explosion--is she thinking of me? Will we see each other again?  What will her reaction be when she realizes I'm the Sheriff? Hope no one is injured? Will we see one another again? All these unanswered questions? (Carole)

When Toni found out who Traz was she didn't want any part of him by him being a sheriff. She has a past that she didn't want Traz to find out about. She new if Traz found out about her past she would be in jail. (Virginia)

Toni berated herself for not finding the Sheriff as soon as she got there. Traz easily made her forget everything. She sighed loudly as she thought about him.

Traz raced toward the wildfires hoping Toni had the good sense to stay away. Stay safe. He really wanted to see her again. Right now though, his mind had to be in the game. Traz was surprised when he pulled up and there sat Toni. Who would have guessed this beautiful lady was a detective? Certainly not Traz. (Melanie)

Traz managed to keep his head about him as he worked side by side the other local Emergency Response teams. The firefighters were slowly but surely getting the blaze under control. Traz made it his responsibility to ensure that anyone who had been in or near the building when the bomb went off were seen by the EMTs on the scene immediately. Thus far only one seriously injured occupant and a few minor injuries reported, still, he couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for the devastation he was witnessing. 

Toni was rocked to her core as she saw the mindless destruction and controlled chaos of the situation. She knew Traz would have questions for her when this was through, she knew after the time they had spent together in the earlier hours that he'd be stupid NOT to ask her some pertinent questions when the aftermath came, most pertinent of all: who was she and what was she hiding from him? (Lady Red)

When they meet up at the site of the fire, Toni realizes who Traz is and decides that her best option is to tell him what she knows regarding who set the fire. (Cindy)

 

She is able to describe the person she noticed walking into the building with an odd shaped package earlier in the day. (GirlyGirl)

With the fire still burning hot and flames licking at their surroundings, Toni can't help but feel trapped. She wants to tell Traz the truth but she may have waited too long. Still, she has to tell him. She spies him in the distance and as she makes her way toward him, she hears a crack and looks up to see the branch of a huge burning tree falling towards her. All she remembers is screaming and then everything goes dark. (Na)

Crazy aching head.

Just her luck that the first thing Sherriff Traz would do is verify her credentials. Find the warrant and come chasing after her. It was kind of lucky he pulled her out of the way of the falling tree.

Totally not her day that he didn't believe her story. And of course, how lucky was she handcuffed to his truck steering wheel. If she only had a screw driver. No luck. There wasn't anything except a bag holding the clothes he'd been wearing during their lunch.

IF I only had skipped lunch today and gone straight to the Sherriff's office. But Toni, you'd still be in cuffs and behind bars.

How would she convince the bumpkin of a Sherriff to let her help with the investigation and vindicate herself? Toni stretched and dug under the seat. Thank you! She prayed Traz would forgive her, but the screwdriver was her only hope at this point. 

Toni rubbed her wrists where the cuffs had been. Luckily, she'd found a screwdriver under the seats. She was running short on time but as she hurried back to her car she felt a wistful twinge at the way things had gone with Traz. (Robin)

As she drove away as fast as she could, she couldn't get Traz out of her mind. What was wrong with her? He arrested her -- at least tried to. (Molly)

~ ~ ~

What happens next? You decide. 
Come back Friday, January 27th for some more fun with Toni & Traz.

Will they get together for their Happily Ever After?

Remember to keep it PG13 and HAVE FUN !!

~Angi

HEATHER WILL BE DRAWING FOR a cool book safe -- you know, those nifty boxes that look like books but are hollow inside so you can hideaway lovely things!  AND an advanced copy of SWEET ENEMY, her DEBUT release.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join me Wednesday when I host Debut author HELEN LACEY And come back tomorrow when Heather hosts Mia Marlowe.

I NEED YOUR HELP...please send a question for the lovely Tawny Weber or one of her characters from her SEX, LIES & ... series. All participants will be added to a special drawing for a set of all three titles.  ~Angi