Excerpt Monday 10

It’s Excerpt Monday again! Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just a writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

Today we have an excerpt from a contemporary romance I’m working on, Clear As Day.

Nate pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Come with me. You’ve shown me the world you love. Let me show you the world I love.”

Kay pulled away. “I just can’t drop what I’m doing at the snap of a finger. I’ve got my job, my stuff. I’ve always lived here in the desert. It’s hard to . . . Oh, it’s just not that simple.”

“Of course it’s not, Kay. I know your teaching job is important to you. I know you love the desert. But people do change jobs, move to new places, meet new people, see new things. It’s normal, nothing to be scared about, it makes life exciting. Kay, this isn’t something you have to do alone. Trust me, Kay. You can, babe. I promise.”

“I’m not scared.” Liar. Tell him about Seattle. You’ve trusted your body to him, why can’t you share your heart? “Can’t we just drop this whole conversation?”

“No, we’ve got to get this straightened out now.”

“There’s nothing to straighten out.”

“Then, damn it, Kay, what’s the problem. Help me out here, because I need a clue apparently.”

“Really, Nate.”

“Well?”

“I . . . Oh, damn it all, why did you have to go and change things? What we had, have, is good. Why change it all?”

Nate caught her stumble over the words and his face hardened. “What’s good about it? You tell me. Love at a distance? I want more. I thought you might too. Why don’t you tell me what you want then? I asked because I love you. Damn it, Kay, you’re so damned self-sufficient all the time, can’t you let yourself need? Be needed? Can’t you let yourself be cared for? Can’t you believe in what we feel? Can’t you believe in what we have? We’re good together. And I’m not just talking sex. I know what I want. You. I love you. I need you. You got to decide what you want, Kay. You got to decide about me.”

“Can’t we just drop it for now, at least?” She was shaking. They never argued. “You say I have a decision to make. You’re pushing me. Back off.”

“All right. Fine.” His flat tone unnerved her.

They walked on in silence.

“I’m going for a swim.” Without waiting for Kay, Nate sauntered down the slope to a tiny, sheltered cove, where a scrap of sandy beach shone pale in the moonlight. He dumped their bag and towels, toed off his shoes and yanked his t-shirt over his head and flung it to the sand.

The scree was slippery and Kay ended up at the bottom on her rear end with her sneakers full of sand and pebbles. Nate was already swimming.

Kay spread out a beach towel and sat on the sand by his shoes and shirt, staring up into the night sky, putting names to the constellations to distract her thoughts. The Big Dipper was easy enough, then the Little Dipper and then the North Star. At least, that would never change. Now she just needed some directions around in her heart.

“Are you coming in?” Nate said, his back to her.

“I don’t feel like swimming.”

He waded out and stood in front of her. “Kay, babe, come swimming. You’ll feel better.”

“I don’t want to swim.” She wanted things back to simple and clear. He loved her. Somehow, she didn’t doubt that. But what did she feel? What a sad state of being if she couldn’t even figure that out?

He crouched down. “What do you want to do?” He stroked a finger over her cheek, trying to tip her face up to look at him.

She ducked her eyes away. “Nothing.”

He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. His hair and beard wet, cool droplets randomly dripped and slipped over her warm skin.

She shivered. She brushed back the curl of wet hair off his forehead. He kissed her again and she opened her mouth to his. It was safer than talking, but it gave little comfort.

Things were changing, had changed. He had changed.

He stroked her hands, softly tracing her fingers; something her mother did when she was little to soothe her. One of her good memories of her mother.

He waited for her to say something.

What Kay wanted to say stuck in her throat. Yes. No. I’m sorry. All of it.

He fiddled with her shirt cuffs, while nuzzling her ear, filling in the awkward quiet. He finally unbuttoned the cuffs, then reached for the fastener at the front of her bikini top.

Kay caught his hand. She loosed her grip, but he turned his hand, gripping her.
She couldn’t look at his eyes, only at his hand, and her hand, where his ring lay. Silence could be deafening, after all.

He let go of her hand.

An abandoned feeling chilled her and Kay reached quickly for his hand. Dear God in heaven, what would she do at the end of the week? Kay brought his hand back, cupping him to her breast. She wanted to feel, not think. Problem, he was surely feeling her heartbeat’s anxious race.

“I promise,” he said quietly. “Never to hurt you.”

Links to other Excerpt Monday writers: Click on the banner

Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

A

Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG) Stephanie Draven, Fantasy with Romantic Elements (PG 13) Danie Ford, Contemporary YA (PG 13) Cynthia Justlin, Thriller with Romantic Elements (PG 13) Kaige, Historical Romance (PG13) Jeannie Lin, Contemporary Romantic Elements (PG 13) RF Long, Fantasy Romance (PG13) Shawntelle Madison, Para. Rom. (PG13) Debbie Mumford, Science Fiction/ Fantasy (PG13)

Alexia Reed, Urban Fantasy (R) Kendal Corbitt, Erotica Contemporary (R) KB Alan, Erotic Paranormal Romance (R) Cate Hart, YA Paranormal(R) Jeanne St. James, Interracial Menage Erotic Romance (R) Cherrie Lynn, Contemporary Erotic Romance (R) Michelle Picard, Paranormal/Fantasy (R) Mary Quast, Contemporary Romance (R) Danielle Yockman, Historical Romance (R)

A

Photo: KBugler