We all know that after the city mouse visits the country, the country mouse visits the city.  Adjusting either direction is not easy, especially when it requires fending off enemies with one hand while reaching for the lady with the other.  Oh well, let’s get properly sexist and admit that it’s fun to watch a tough guy get outmaneuvered by a fragile gal.

     The second book in the Mudflat series is WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY.  The welcoming committee in Claire’s Seattle neighborhood is made up of  her ex-boyfriend who wants the warrior dead, a civic leader who wants him gone, and a host of folks from ordinary crooks to sorcerers. 

     Four Mudflat books are now out in ebook format.  The first three are also available in print.  The Mudflat series is an on-going romance between Claire and Tarvik.

     In WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, Claire has to leave her new houseguest to go to work.  Knowing nothing at all about modern civilization, Tarvik makes a friend of Claire’s tenant, Roger.  When Claire returns home, she hears about it.

Excerpt:
     “This is my castle,” I said.  “In my castle, we clean up  every day and that means take a shower and put on clean clothes.”

     He laughed, tucked his face against the side of my neck, murmured something, kissed me.  I tried not to squirm because, damn, kisses on my neck do that to me.  I could feel his warm breath against my skin.  I wasn’t about to ask him what he said because I was quite sure that it was something I did not want to hear.

     And then he did as I instructed, released me and headed into the bathroom, which was somewhat disconcerting.

     I ground beans and set up the coffee maker.  When Tarvik wandered back into the kitchen he was shining clean from the top of his head to his bare feet, his light skin reddened from scrubbing.  Lots of skin showing.  All he wore was a towel sarong.  He had finger-combed his wet hair.

     “We need to get you some clothes,” I said, and pointed at a pile of stuff on the table.  “For now, you’ll have to wear that old sweatsuit of my cousin Jimmy’s.”

     “I met a man named Roger who told me he rents the apartment under your house.  What is rent?”

     “Rent is what he pays me.”

     “Yes, he showed me how the kitchen and the bathroom work,” Tarvik said.

     “What?”

     Tarvik grinned.  “Roger invited me into his rooms under your house and he explained all your magic water, how to make it flow, how to make it hot and cold.  He told me why that one cupboard in the kitchen stays cold and how to make the top of that table turn hot for cooking without building a fire.  You live in an amazing world, Stargazer.”

     Oh God, I’d forgotten that he wouldn’t know any of that stuff.  The boys had helped him use my bathroom last night.  He’d been so out of it, he must not have asked any questions.

     “I’m so sorry, I should have, at least, I could have had Jimmy, oh gosh.”

     “Also,” Tarvik said slowly, “he told me that Stargazer is not your name.”

     “Uh no, no it isn’t.  My real name is Claire.”

     “Yes.  Why did you tell me your name was Stargazer?”

     I looked at him standing in the kitchen, a towel covering either way too much or way too little of him, depending on the viewpoint. 

     “Long story. How about you get dressed first?”

     “And then you’ll tell me the story?”

     Could have kissed that freckled nose, he was so cute.  Instead I did my teacher voice and said, “Clothes.  Now.”

     He picked up the purple sweatshirt, held it out, turned it around, touched the lettering. 
     “What’s that?” he asked.

     “It says HUSKIES.”

     “If you won’t tell me a story about your name, perhaps you will tell me what a huskies is.  Do I put this over my head?”

     “Right, with the letters in front.  Huskies are sled dogs and are also mascots for the university,” I said, then realized that I could spend the next hour explaining the words husky and sled and university and mascot, so I added, “It’s a decoration and it goes in the front.”

     “When you answer questions, you always leave out so much,” he complained. 

     He pulled the shirt over his head and I straightened down the hem around his waist.  Then he held up the pants, pulled the elasticized waist in and out.

     “And this, what is this?”

     “Tarvy baby,” I said, “do you see a belt or buttons on those pants?  No.  So just take your hunky bod into the bedroom, close the door, drop the towel and pull those things on.”

     “Is that another house rule?”

     “Absolutely,” I said.

     He grinned.  For an odd moment I thought he was going to drop the towel on the kitchen floor, he had that kind of a bad boy grin.  But he did what I told him to do, behaved.

       His sheepskin boots had been a mucky mess when he arrived.  I found them by the back door now, scrubbed inside and out.  It was going to take a few days for them to dry.    

     “How’s that?” he said and came into the room and did a full turn.

     Tarvik is shorter than Jimmy, as narrow through the waist and hips, but wider across his shoulders and chest.  His hands and feet are also shorter and wider.  I’d have to get Jimmy to take him shopping for shoes.

     “Umm, you’ll need a few things.”

     He grinned.  “I could trade rabbit meat for boots, if you’d let me hunt.”

     I imagined him circling the block, tossing his dagger at bushes.  And I also imagined a half dozen people whipping out cell phones and hitting 9-1-1. 

Oh yes, I am now working on the fifth Mudflat adventure...