Teaser Tuesday: Revamping Old Projects

In between editing my latest WIP, I've been taking breaks to rework an older story. Origins is my sci-fi/post-apocalyptic spaceship story from a few years ago. At the time, I loved the world I'd set it in, and the different voices in the story. But the characterization fell flat and the plot didn't hold up to inspection.

I'm toying with the idea of completely rewriting the whole book from scratch. Not sure yet if this will go anywhere promising, but I do still love the world it's set in... We'll see, I guess!

Anyway, I figured I'd tease a little, since my blog posts have been scarce this last week (still unpacking. I'm slow about it, I know!). Taking it from the top:

Connie giggled, her long, luxurious black hair swaying as she shook her head. “You can’t be serious.”

Rosen’s eyes trickled down her throat toward the plunging neckline of her not-so-standard-issue suit. But he forced himself to attention. He had bigger fish to fry here. “C’mon.” He flashed his widest, wickedest grin. “Surely you’re at least curious why I want in.”

Her dark, almond eyes narrowed. “I might be cute, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I know exactly why you want on the bridge, Rosen.”

In response, he ran a pale hand over the smooth metal wall beside Connie’s desk. Leaned into it just far enough so that his bicep would flex in the right spot. “Am I really so obvious, my dear?”

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Right now? Hell yes.” She tossed a file at him. “Do me a favor and drop that in the mail slot on your way back to school, kid.”

Kid. She was only two years older than him. And he’d seen the way her eyes darted down his chest when he first walked in.

Rosen straightened, forgot all about his carefully planned poses. His face melted into a frown. “Seriously, please help me out. This means a lot to me. You have no idea what it’s like – I was so close on the exams. Literally two points off a perfect.”

“Perfect?” Connie’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “Geez, what were you going for, pilot?”

He didn’t answer. No need. The desperation in his face said it all, he was sure. Damnit. He’d planned to play this cool, not come off like some puppy begging for its treat.

“Waste,” she muttered under her breath. Still staring at him.

“I’ll do anything,” he added, abandoning all pretenses now. “I’ll help you out at the desk, I’ll run errands, I’ll –”

“You’ll keep your mouth shut, and you’ll drop off my mail when you’re finished. Got it?”

Rosen’s mouth fell open as she reached into a drawer. Pulled out a small, shiny object and held it aloft. “Thank you. Seriously, you have no idea how much –”

She raised a finger, and his mouth snapped shut. “One more thing.” Her smirk returned. “Next time you hit on me, try to remember I have a brain as well as tits, okay?”