As I was working on the second edition of Make Mine a Heel I got to indulge in some of my favorite scenes. This one is top 5. Its their first and most fun fight.
Banner stopped the recording. “What was that?” She asked
sharply.
Keith stared at her intently as if he had expected her
reaction. “What was what?” He asked
deliberately.
“You cannot break out Ayn Rand on general American society.
Do you realize how many people have no idea what ethical egoism is?” She
actually put up quote marks with her hands as she said ‘ethical egoism’.
Keith became very still and disturbingly serious as his eyes
never left Banner’s. “Yes I do.” The statement was as still as he was. He
stopped long enough to let that sink in, and then continued,
“You’ll take back
the interview I give, or I’ll give no interview.”
Banner felt the hairs on her spine prickle as she began to
understand what this was really about.
She needed to revise her game plan. Keith was going to make this a lot
harder to dismiss than she had thought he was going to. Something else she was
starting to understand that he knew before she even got here.
“Maybe we should eat first?” Banner supplied peaceably.
Keith nodded with a sharp cold smile as he uttered. “Maybe we
should.”
He nodded at someone that Banner couldn’t see. A short dark
haired girl appeared and once again Banner ceased to exist.
“Hi Keith, your usual?” she asked in a manner that suggested
that perhaps she was part of his ‘usual’.
“Sorry darling, just the shake.” He said to her in a familiar
tone.
She pouted and then turned razor dark brown eyes on Banner.
“And what can I get you?”
Banner frowned. She hadn’t even looked at the menu. “The
special.” She said quickly. It was her default in unfamiliar waters.
She paused and took one look at the storm brewing across from
her. Just then she remembered the dull pain in her head. In her mind the words, ‘fuck it’, were clear
as a bell. “And a Crown and coke.” She
finished quickly.
Keith watched the cute little waitress leave and then focused
all of his attention on Banner. “You didn’t strike me as the type to drink on
the job.” He teased.
Banner was beyond being able to curb her thoughts anymore.
Questioning her professional ethic was beyond reasonable. “I don’t have to when
I like the job.” She snipped back.
“Are we not getting along Ms. Hemweigh?” His accent flared
which let her know that his temper was up.
“Nowhere near. I suggest you stop picking at me until we are
both more reasonable.” She advised sharply meeting his gaze unapologetically.
The look on his face said that the last thing he wanted to be
with her was reasonable. “I thought I was being reasonable. You seem put out
that I know big words.” He snapped back.
Banner sighed, here we go, she thought. In her best
professional tone she started her spiel. “Mr. Daniels, it was not my intention
to insult your intelligence, but I refuse to insult the intelligence of my
audience.”
He nodded as he looked away from her for a moment. She could
practically feel his teeth grinding. Then with a sharp tilt of his head she
knew she was going to get what popped into his head anyway. The thought that
had him grinding his teeth for self-control. “No, you’ll save that for mine.”
He supplied.
Make Mine A Heel available in ebook and coming soon in print.
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