Wip It Up Wednesday

Welcome to my post for the Wip It Up Wednesday Blog Hop. It's been a while since I participated in a blog hop and I'm not sure I've ever done this one, so I hope I don't screw it up.
From what I understand I'm not limited to a few sentences so I'm going to share an excerpt from Martha, Book Five in The Marriage Market Series, which is the final book.  It was just release last weekend and so far the reviews are good.  I hope you enjoy it and you'll consider checking this series out.  I really had some fun writing about all of these women, Amelia, Grace, Effie, Suzanna and Martha and them men who love them.

In this, the final book of the series, I had more than one bride to marry off, so things get a bit wild.  This particular excerpt is about Clara, one of the brides who is very involved in getting the ladies active in the Temperance Movement and Lucas, the owner of Seattle's most notorious saloon, The Bucket of Blood.

Excerpt:
“Have you lost what little sense you were born with?” Clara demanded when Lucas entered his office and set her on her feet, plucking the blanket from her head.
He ignored her, placed one big hand on the top of her head and pushed her down onto the chair behind his desk.
“Stay,” he commanded, walking to the wall and pressing his ear against it.
“Why, you nasty little eavesdropper,” Clara hissed in outrage as she jumped from the chair.
“Little?” he asked with a laugh as he looked her up and down. “Sit.”
“I am not a dog,” she replied. “Martha,” she screamed, marching over next to him. “He’s listening to everything.”
“She can’t hear you,” he said smiling. “She wouldn’t be able to hear her own mother calling her to dinner with the racket she’s making. Now sit down before you meet the same fate,” he continued, staring down at her.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she gasped, taking a step back.
“Don’t delude yourself, little woman. Not only would I dare, but I have a feeling I’d enjoy it a whole lot more than our friend next door. He happens to love her. I only think you’re cute and you’d be just as cute over my knee. Now, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get your bustle in that chair,” he warned, pointing to the item.
Clara made a run for it. He’d known she would. It was only a matter of time, but he’d been hoping to hear how Ethan handled himself and his feisty fiancée. Sighing, he lunged for Clara and wrapping one arm around her waist, held her easily well off the floor, her back to his front. He twisted her out of range when she tried to beat on the wall with her fist as she yelled her head off.
“Well, I guess I’m not going to be able to hear anything of importance,” Lucas sighed. “We might as well sit down.” Walking to his desk he sank onto his chair and settled her on his lap.
“Let me go, immediately,” she demanded, pulling his hair until he pried her hands loose and clasped them both in one of his.
“Why, so you can run and help your misguided friend? I don’t think so. It’s my belief Miss Martha is getting exactly what she deserves and if you don’t settle down, I’ll tan your hide as well. Now what do you have to say about that?” he asked, smiling.
“I say you’re an overgrown, demented man who wouldn’t know good manners if he fell over them. Why don’t you go back to the sorry state of Texas where you belong?” she said, prying her hands free and crossing them over her chest.
“What? You wait just one minute, sassy-pants, you can say what you want about me, but you leave Texas out of it. Texas is a fine state, just fine,” he insisted, with a glare.
“Yes, I can see the kind of uncivilized brutes that fine state produces!”
“Aw, can’t you be quiet for a minute or two. I want to hear what’s going on. Sounds like Ethan is getting to the bottom of things,” he said with a grin.
Clara boxed his ears.
“There, see what you can hear now,” she crowed, jumping from his lap when his hands flew to his ringing ears.

Thanks for stopping by. Please click on the linky list below to visit the others authors sharing on this blog today or the WIP photo at the top of this post to take you to the home page. 

To purchase Martha use the Amazon or Blushing Books link.


Links:
Amazon
Blushing Books

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