Sample Sunday - Persuasion

Persuasion will be released in another few days, so here's a sample of what's coming. This New Adult Romance is the third in the Sisters-in-Love series.

Excerpt

We exchanged a stare that had me imitating Gary's action. My teeth now dug into my bottom lip. I wanted to get closer to him and finally moved when he blinked. I pulled back and threw another glance toward the doorway.

"Um, that song. What are you singing again?"

He touched my chin a second time. "D'you know You are the Sunshine of my Life?"

I nodded, wearing a wide smile. "Stevie Wonder?"

He didn't answer, but when I played the opening chords of the music he closed his eyes and began singing.

I came close to stumbling over a couple of the notes because his voice fascinated me—a smooth tenor that made me hold my breath for fear I'd miss any of his words.

By the time he was at the end of the second verse and into the chorus, tears had gathered in my eyes. I didn't want to move anything other than my hands, which were already in motion, for fear I'd embarrass myself.

When the last note faded, Gary brushed my cheek with his thumb, wiping my tear away. He looked at the doorway and my gaze followed his.

Uncle Xavier leaned against the door jamb with his hand resting on Emile's shoulder. A wistful smile came to Uncle Xavier's face, and when Emile's mouth opened, his father clapped a hand over his face and turned him toward the passage.

"What's that about?" Gary asked.

"This is just the weirdest thing," I said, shaking my head.

He frowned and tipped his head. "What?"

"That's Da—Uncle Xavier and Mom's song."

He widened his eyes and then frowned. "For real?"

I nodded. "Yeah, now and then they go soft in the head and he sings it to her and they get all weird on us."

"Weird like how?" Gary asked, unknotting his brow.

"You know," I said, looking at him sideways.

He shook his head and turned his eyes toward the ceiling. "If I knew I wouldn't be asking."

I hunched in on myself. "They go all lovey-dovey and act like kids."

Gary laughed and slipped his arm around my shoulders. "Sounds like my parents. That's their song too. One of them anyway."

I tipped my head back to look at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, that's how I learned it. He was always singing it to Mom."

"That's pretty cool." I grabbed his wrist. "Is his voice anywhere as good as yours?"

My question ended Gary's good mood. "I don't know and—"

"You don't care. I know."

His response disappointed me, but I shouldn't have expected anything different.

He rested both hands on his knees and kept his gaze stuck to the floor.

I wanted to slap him because he was being silly, but I didn't know how to point out his pettiness without being brutal. I'd forced him to come over here and now he was in a funk, which I didn't know how to get him to shake off. I was fresh out of ideas, but figured I'd be honest with him. 

Going on instinct, I laid the guitar aside and rested my head on his shoulder. "I know you don't want to talk about your father, but could you leave your bad mood for later? I need the Gary who was here five minutes ago."

I stared at him until he turned his head. A tiny smile pulled at his lips and bloomed into a full-blown grin. "You're something else, you know that?"

"So people keep telling me."

We didn't say anything for a bit, but because I couldn't help myself, I went back to the subject Gary had made taboo.

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