Flashpoint, page 22
part #8 of Commitment Series
"Billie," Cat said softly.
"Huh?" Billie replied.
"Are you all right?"
Billie looked down at her hands folded in her lap and she nodded. "I'm fine."
"You look preoccupied."
Billie smiled. "No. I was just thinking about how excited I was when we first landed here several months ago," she explained.
Cat nodded as she recalled the feelings of excitement.
Billie reached for her hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed it tenderly and then looked Cat in the eyes. "Do me a favor, Kitten?" she asked.
"Anything." Cat was mesmerized by the powder blue orbs looking back at her.
"Never promise me a disaster-free vacation again. Okay?" Billie grinned mischievously.
The End
Photo Credit: Song of Myself Photography
See Karen's author page at www.karendbadger.com
About the Author
Karen D. Badger is the author of On A Wing And A Prayer, Yesterday Once More (a 2009 Golden Crown Literary Award winner for Speculative Fiction), In A Family Way, Unchained Memories, Happy Campers, Collective Identity, Sweet Angel, and Relative-ly Speaking, Tailspin and Flashpoint (Books I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII of the Commitment Series), The Blue Feather, All My Tomorrows (sequel to the 2009 award winning Yesterday Once More), and 1140 Rue Royale…all of which have been released by Badger Bliss Books, which Karen co-owns with her wife Barbara Sawyer (aka "Bliss').
Born and raised in Vermont, Karen is the second of five children raised by a fiercely independent mother, who remains one of her best friends. Karen earned her B.A. in 1978 in Theater and in Elementary Education, and in 1994, earned a B.S. in mathematics. In addition to her novels, Karen is the author of many technical papers on photomask manufacturing, which she has presented at numerous semiconductor industry conferences, and is the holder if several technical patents. Karen is currently in her 41st year as a Principal Member of the Technical Staff with a prominent semiconductor manufacturer in Vermont.
Karen and her wife, Barb (a retired Lt. Col., US Air Force) live in the beautiful state of Vermont—home of Ben and Jerry's. They spend their spare time with family as well as doing home improvement projects on both their homes in Vermont and New Mexico. They also enjoy camping, kayaking, motorcycling and singing Karaoke.
Please take a moment to visit Karen's author website at www.karendbadger.com, or the Badger Bliss Books website at www.badgerblissbooks.com. Also like us on Facebook!
TITLES BY KAREN D. BADGER and BADGER BLISS BOOKS
www.badgerblissbooks.com
On A Wing and A Prayer
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, Sept, 2005
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2014
Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-01-0, ISBN 10: 1-945761-01-6
Yesterday Once More
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, July, 2008
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books ,Sept, 2014
Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-02-7, ISBN 10: 1-945761-02-4
2009 Golden Crown Literary Society Award - Speculative Fiction
In A Family Way – Book One of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, March, 2010
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2014 Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-05-8, ISBN 10: 1-945761-05-9
Unchained Memories – Book Two of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, Oct, 2011
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2014 Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-06-5, ISBN 10: 1-945761-06-7
Happy Campers - Book Three of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, Sept, 2013
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2014 Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-07-2, ISBN 10: 1-945761-07-5
The Blue Feather
First edition published by Blue Feather Books, July, 2014
Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2014 Third edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-04-1, ISBN 10: 1-945761-04-0
Collective Identity – Book Four of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, January, 2015 Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-08-9, ISBN 10: 1-945761-08-3
All My Tomorrows – Sequel to Yesterday Once More
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, May, 2015 Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-03-4, ISBN 10: 1-945761-03-2
Sweet Angel – Book Five of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, June, 2015 Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-09-6, ISBN 10: 1-945-761-09-1
Relative-ly Speaking – Book Six of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, March, 2016 Second edition published by Badger Bliss Books, August, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-10-2, ISBN 10: 1-945-761-10-5
1140 Rue Royale
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, Sept, 2016
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761-00-3, ISBN 10: 1-945761-00-8
Tailspin – Book Seven of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, December, 2017
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761225, ISBN 10: 1-945761-22-9
Flashpoint – Book Eight of the Commitment Series
First edition published by Badger Bliss Books, December, 2018
ISBN 13: 978-1-945761249, ISBN 10: 1-945761-24-5
COMING SOON FROM KAREN D. BADGER and BADGER BLISS BOOKS
www.badgerblissbooks.com
En Garde!
Expected release: Summer, 2019
Makaya Kapule and Spencer Bennet are from vastly different backgrounds...Makaya from Hawaii and Spencer from Vermont. They met and fell in love as members of the US Olympic Fencing Team. On hiatus from their grueling training schedule, Makaya and Spencer fly to Hawaii to attend her sister's traditional Hawai'ian wedding, at which, Spencer meets Makaya's family for the first time. While there, Makaya's brother takes them water skiing, and an over-confident Spencer finds herself in danger when she fails to anticipate the raging fury of ocean whitecaps. She wakes up some time later to find herself alone on a deserted beach and with her world about to be turned upside down.
En Garde!
A BADGER BLISS BOOK
By
Karen D. Badger
CHAPTER 1
“Spencer, it’s time to get up.”
“No!” Spencer grabbed the edge of the sheet and pulled it over her head.
“Spencer. Don’t make me break out the claw.”
“Just a few more minutes,” Spencer whined.
“I’m warning you!”
Spencer peeked out from under the covers. “You don’t scare me.”
“You asked for it. The Claw!”
In the nick of time, Spencer threw back the sheet, grabbed her assailant around the waist and slammed them onto the bed. She then proceeded to sit on top of her attacker, and pinned their arms to the bed by the wrists. She leaned in so close, her nose nearly touched that of the person trapped beneath her.
“Nice try, Makaya. You should know better than to threaten me with the claw. So now it’s you who will pay!” Spencer formed both her hands into claws and unmercifully tickled Makaya as she squirmed and squealed beneath her.
“No! Stop! Okay. Enough! You win.” Makaya tried to get away.
At one point, Makaya managed to free one leg and flipped Spencer onto her back. She took advantage of her sudden freedom to scurry off the bed. She grabbed a pillow and began to beat Spencer with it. “You little shit!
Spencer grabbed the other pillow and fought back. “If you play with fire, sooner or later, you’ll get burned,” she said.
After a few more swipes, Spencer grabbed Makaya’s pillow and yanked her down onto the bed. She landed with a thud on her back. In a split second, Spencer was on top of her and once again, face to face.
Makaya panted heavily as she stared into Spencer’s eyes. “You can be so infuriating,” she growled.
Spencer narrowed her eyes, but never broke eye contact. “It’s what you love about me most. Don’t deny it.”
“And you’re cocky too,” Makaya added.
“I’ll show you cocky.”
Spencer slipped one hand under Makaya’s neck and tilted her chin upward while placing feather-light kisses on the corners of her mouth.
“You’re also a tease,” Makaya whined.
Spencer devoured Makaya’s mouth and forced her tongue deep inside. A shudder contracted Spencer’s abdomen as she felt Makaya press herself against her. She moaned when Makaya dug her nails into her buttocks.
“I want you,” Spencer hissed.
“We’ll be late for practice, Spence.”
“Fuck practice.”
***
“Makaya, Spencer, on your starting marks,” the coach called from outside the sparing area.
Both women struck their starting pose and waited for the buzzer signaling the start of the match. When it came, Makaya immediately attacked, extending her arm and continually threatening Spencer’s target areas.
Spencer counter attacked by quickly moving back out of the way and evaded Makaya’s aggression by turning to the side and grazing her blade. She was able to effectively deflect it so that it missed its mark. She followed the defensive move with a lunge and thrust while she extended her front leg with a slight kicking motion and propelled her body forward with her back leg.
Makaya executed a parry and blocked Spencer’s weapon and then followed the move with a riposte attack. Once again, Spencer successfully deflected the counter attack with circle parries and was able to catch Makaya’s tip and deflect it away.
The coach suddenly stopped the match. He ran his hands through his hair and then put them on his hips. Makaya and Spencer stopped and removed their helmets. Spencer frowned impatiently as she waited for him to speak.
“Come on, ladies. If you want to be taken seriously as Olympic fencers, you need to be more aggressive. You are my top two students. You should be going after each other like you really mean it. Now put your helmets back on and show me what you’re made of.”
Spencer looked at Makaya and whispered “He can be a real asshole,” before she shoved her helmet back on and went to her end of the sparing area.
“All right then. On your marks!”
As soon as the buzzer sounded, Spencer aggressively executed a beat attack and disturbed Makaya’s aim. This allowed her to successfully hit Makaya’s arm and draw a high outside parry. She effectively scored first blood.
“That’s more like it!” the coach yelled.
Makaya tore her helmet off and glared at Spencer. A hint of mirth filled her eyes and a thin smile formed on her lips. Spencer cocked an eyebrow and grinned.
The coach was immediately on her case. “Put the helmet back on, Makaya. If you do that in a match, you will be disqualified.”
With both fencers on their marks, the buzzer sounded the start of the next round.
Makaya tore out of her staring mark and executed two feints, followed by a continuous barrage of attacks. She targeted Spencer’s high line above her bellguard and then followed it with a low line attack. She pivoted her blade under Spencer’s weapon and tipped her target; scoring a point of her own.
“All right ladies, next point wins. On your marks!” the coach shouted.
Spence came off her mark with a thrust attack and extended her arm to continuously threaten Makaya’s mark. Makaya countered with a point-in-line position to disturb Spencer’s aim. After several parries and ripostes, Makaya flicked her blade and caused it to bend such that she was able to score a point against the back of Spencer’s shoulder.
Spencer tore off her helmet and threw it on the floor. “Ahh!” she screamed in frustration.
“Great job, Makaya. You too, Spencer. I have a good feeling about you two. You’ll be a force to reckon with in the next Olympics. That’s enough for today. You can hit the showers,” the coach instructed.
Spencer watched the coach walk away and then turned to Makaya. “That was dirty pool,” she said.
“No—that was a legal move. Spence, you let your anger get the best of you. Hot heads don’t win matches. Calm execution does.”
Spencer stood with her hands on her hips. He gaze was directed at the floor.
Makaya rubbed her arm. “How about that shower? I’ll wash your back for you.”
Spencer grinned and shook her head. “Why can’t I stay mad at you?” she asked.
“Because you can’t resist my beauty and charm.” Makaya picked Spencer’s helmet up and handed it to her. “Here. Let’s go get naked.”
***
Spencer leaned against the locker room wall and watched Makaya disrobe and walk into the shower. She couldn’t get enough of Makaya Kapule’s beauty. Her long dark hair and Pacific-Islander features turned her insides to mush every time she walked into the room. Her native Hawai’ian heritage was displayed proudly in her demeanor and in the way she interacted with people. Spencer fell hard for her the moment they met more than a year earlier. She thanked the gods every day for her decision to join the fencing team. She would have never met Makaya otherwise.
Spencer Bennet was aware of how stark the differences were between herself and Makaya. Where Makaya was dark skinned and had long black hair, she wore the mantel of her Irish heritage, with fair skin and asymmetrically boy-cut auburn hair. Makaya was curvy, with full breasts and hips, while she was pretty much straight up and down. In fact, she had been called ‘sir’ may times in her adult life. The only thing they really had in common was their age. They were both in their early thirties and were in fact, literally born just a few days apart, but on completely different sides of the world…she, in Vermont and Makaya, in Hawai’i.
Spencer was deep in thought when a wet wash cloth hit her on the side of the head.
“Hey! What was that for?” Spencer protested.
Only Makaya’s face was exposed from behind the shower curtain. She threw the curtain open, exposing herself in all her glory. “I can’t wash your back if you’re out there—and still dressed, I might point out. Now get in here…preferably naked.”
A grin split Spencer’s face as she tore the remainder of her clothing off and joined Makaya in the shower. She pulled the curtain closed behind her and backed Makaya against the side of the shower stall. The high-pressure spray pummeled her back. She placed one hand against the wall on each side of Makaya’s head and kissed her passionately.
Spencer’s mouth moved to Makaya’s neck, exposing Makaya to the spray of water. “Damn, what you do to me,” Spencer said.
Makaya’s arms circled Spencer’s waist and Spencer felt herself being pulled further into Makaya’s embrace. “I need more,” Makaya whispered into Spencer’s ear.
Spencer reached for the soap and lathered her hands, then slipped one hand in between Makaya’s legs. Makaya pressed the back of her head into the shower stall. “Oh, my God, Spence,” she moaned.
“You like that, huh?” Spencer asked. Spencer watched Makaya’s face as she slipped three fingers inside. The desire on Makaya’s face nearly drove her over the edge. An intense heat built in her own abdomen and she felt herself shudder. The hot water spraying on her back only intensified the feeling and she struggled to control herself while she focused on Makaya.
Makaya matched Spencer’s thrusts and Spencer felt her lover’s muscles tighten against her fingers. She knew it wouldn’t be long before Makaya went over the edge, and the closer she got, the harder it was to control her own climax.
“Mak…Mak, touch me. Please. I don’t think I can hold it back,” Spencer rasped into Makaya’s ear.
Makaya’s eyes flew open and she stared directly at Spencer at the same time she slipped two fingers into Spencer’s folds.
The sultry look in Makaya’s eyes, combined with the caress of her fingers, drove Spencer over the edge at the same time Makaya reached climax. It took all her might to hold them both upright as their bodies succumbed to carnal desires.
When it was over, Spencer leaned against Makaya. Her weight alone held them up on shaky legs. Spencer leaned her forehead on Makaya’s shoulder. “Damn, woman. I have never felt like this for anyone in my entire life. I love you, Mak.”
“I love you too, Spence.”
Spencer’s head snapped up as she heard the door to the shower room close. She looked at Makaya and grinned. “I wonder how many we’ve scared away in the last few minutes?”
“Fuck’em if they can’t take a joke,” Makaya replied.
Karen D Badger, Flashpoint
