Little Known Fact #5 – Flash Cameo
The below excerpt is the appearance of Stephanie Burke (also known as Flash) in ERIS (Eternal Truths, Book 1). Of course, her last name isn’t listed, but rest assured that is her.
I am good friends with Stephanie Burke and spent several days bouncing ideas off of her about aspects of ERIS. I even mentioned her in the book dedication.
Stephanie makes an appearance in a few other stories I have planned, and she’s likewise putting cameos of me in a few of her books. Whenever I need a commanding female character, she’s the first person I think of and she just made this scene perfect.
EXCERPT:
Ranulf’s breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “You said to stop you at three. It’s two after.”
She gave in to a tiny shiver. Oh, tonight was going to be hard. Ranulf and Lucien would see to that. Any sane person would bail, sensing the trouble on the horizon. But, she wasn’t any sane person.
She looked at her watch then confirmed the time with her laptop. “She’s late.”
Ranulf straightened. “Who?”
“Hold on.” She pulled out her cell phone and punched in the third speed dial option. The phone rang three times before someone answered.
“Brue speaking.”
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hello, my lovely daughter. How do you like the dress?”
“I will probably like it just fine when I see it. Who did you send?”
“Stephanie. What do you mean when you see it? She’s not there yet?”
“No.”
“She left almost two hours ago. She should be there.”
“Well, she—”
Ranulf’s cell phone rang.
“Hold on a second, Daddy.” Eris watched Ranulf answer his cell.
He nodded and said to the person on the other end, “Yes, Grant. She’s sitting beside me.” He asked her, “Are you expecting a woman named Stephanie?”
“That I am.”
Ranulf said to Grant, “Let her through.”
Eris said to her dad, “Never mind, Daddy. She’s here. Sorry to worry you.”
“Don’t forget to mention me.”
“I won’t forget.”
“Have fun.”
“I plan on it.”
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Bye, Daddy.” She snapped the phone shut and stood.
“Stephanie?” Ranulf asked.
“Yup. She’s my dress’s courier, and she’s helping me get ready.”
“Why would you call your father to find out about your dress?”
She smiled. “He made it.”
“He did?”
“Yup. My father is a designer of couture formalwear. When I told him what I wanted the dress for, he gave me half off the price.”
“I saw how much was charged to the expense account. That is still fairly steep for half off. Besides, you’re his daughter. Shouldn’t you have gotten it for free?”
She snorted. “You don’t know my father. I don’t even think free is a word in his vocabulary. But, he said he’d refund the money if the shop is mentioned on TV or in a magazine.”
“How mercenary of him.”
“My father dreams of celebrity clientele. If my showing up on the red carpet in one of his creations gets him that, then I’m more than happy to oblige him with a plug.”
Ranulf opened his mouth to say more when a loud, feminine voice cut him off. “Eris! Where are you, hon? We’ve got work to do.”
Eris’s smile turned into a grin. She called back, “I’m coming, Stephanie.”
“Hurry the hell up. Have you taken your shower yet? Did you do the upkeep on your locs yesterday? Where are you?”
Eris didn’t get a chance to answer as the woman walked into the survey room. Stephanie’s tall, lithe form commanded the attention of everyone present. She looked over the people in the room before her gaze settled on Ranulf.
She held out her keys to him. “You can unload my car. Take him—” she pointed at Chad, “—with you. And be careful with the equipment. It’s fragile.”
Eris said, “Stephanie, you can’t—”
“Why are you still standing there? Get your ass up those stairs and take a shower.”
“But he—”
“—is perfectly capable of carrying my stuff.”
Ranulf said, “Eris, go and get ready. Chad and I can handle the unloading.”
“You’re sure?” Eris asked.
Stephanie said before Ranulf could answer, “That’s what he just said. Your shower is calling. Get.” She held out the bag she carried. “Here’s your underwear and shoes.”
“I have underwear.”
“Your dad sent these. He made them specifically for that dress.”
Eris took the bag with no further argument. If her dad had made the underwear, a rarity in and of itself, then she chanced the wrath of hell by not wearing it.
“The room at the top of the stairs,” she said.
Stephanie nodded.
Eris turned and almost ran into Lucien.
His mischievous grin let her know he’d snuck up on her purposefully. He reached past her, brushing her arm with his chest, with his hand out to Stephanie. “Lucien Riordan.”
Stephanie took his hand and shook it. “Available.”
Lucien laughed. He stepped closer to Eris as he released Stephanie’s hand. “I’m not.”
Eris dodged around him. “I have to get ready.”
She ran all the way to her room and shut the door.
How was she supposed to get through the night if just being near Lucien had her all hot and bothered? It was just a simple kiss.
She sighed.
It may have been a simple kiss, but it had held the promise of much more.
At least Ranulf’s presence meant Lucien couldn’t do so much. What he still could do had her worried. Not about what Lucien would do but how she would react to it.
“Here’s to a memorable evening.” She toasted with a fake glass then pushed away from the wall and headed for her shower.