I have a birthday coming up this month and what better way to celebrate than with books. I'll be doing a little 'surprise something' during this month, so stay tuned for that.
Anyway, Contraband is the book that got the ball rolling for me. Here's an excerpt. :) I'm sharing the tamest part of the book, but get it while I still have it at a rock-bottom price. Here goes...
Paul grunted when he sat on the bed.
Janine piled the pillows against the headboard and removed his boots. After she helped him lie back, she sat on the bed, facing him.
His time was up.
“We have to talk,” she said.
Unable to move without hurting, Paul felt like a sacrificial animal. “Okay.”
Janine stared him in the eyes and started talking. “I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to be involved with you after what Jonas told me.”
She looked away from him for a few seconds. Inhaling deeply, she met his gaze again. “If you’re selling drugs, I can’t condone that…no matter how I feel about you. I’m here now
because you were shot in my home, and I feel responsible. But as soon as you’re well, we can go back to our normal lives—before each other.”
Paul reached for her hand. She avoided his touch by getting up and walking to the window, where she turned and faced him.
“I could love you, Paul,” she admitted. “But I just can’t do this.”
He cursed his stubbornness while he stared at the blank television, unable to form the words she needed to hear. When the stillness became unbearable, he spoke. “There are things I need to do before I—” He stopped when Janine shook her head.
“You’ll always have an excuse,” she said.
“It’s not an excuse.”
“Yes, it is. Why do you need to do that?” she asked. “Not that you’ve actually admitted to doing anything. I cannot under—”
“I’ve been thinking about giving it up.”
“Really?” She came back and sat on the edge of the bed.
He rubbed the back of her hand, smiling at her awe-struck expression. “Yes, really.”
She cocked her head. “Can I ask why?”
He took a long time before answering. “For a number of reasons.”
“Which you don’t care to disclose,” she said, sighing.
“That’s right.”
“Okay, I won’t push you, but things are going to be just as I said, unless you quit selling drugs.”
Paul examined her mussed hair and flawless skin. She’d removed her jacket and her undershirt hung outside the waistband of her skirt.
If she was curious about his close study of her body, she didn’t say. Their eyes met and held for an eternity. When she looked away, Paul felt he’d made life-changing promises to her, without uttering one syllable.
She kissed him next to the Band-Aid on his forehead, and left without saying goodbye.
His eyes closed and he drew a shallow breath. He had a heck of a lot of unfinished business to sort out before too much time passed.
Anyway, Contraband is the book that got the ball rolling for me. Here's an excerpt. :) I'm sharing the tamest part of the book, but get it while I still have it at a rock-bottom price. Here goes...
Paul grunted when he sat on the bed.Janine piled the pillows against the headboard and removed his boots. After she helped him lie back, she sat on the bed, facing him.
His time was up.
“We have to talk,” she said.
Unable to move without hurting, Paul felt like a sacrificial animal. “Okay.”
Janine stared him in the eyes and started talking. “I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to be involved with you after what Jonas told me.”
She looked away from him for a few seconds. Inhaling deeply, she met his gaze again. “If you’re selling drugs, I can’t condone that…no matter how I feel about you. I’m here now
because you were shot in my home, and I feel responsible. But as soon as you’re well, we can go back to our normal lives—before each other.”
Paul reached for her hand. She avoided his touch by getting up and walking to the window, where she turned and faced him.
“I could love you, Paul,” she admitted. “But I just can’t do this.”
He cursed his stubbornness while he stared at the blank television, unable to form the words she needed to hear. When the stillness became unbearable, he spoke. “There are things I need to do before I—” He stopped when Janine shook her head.
“You’ll always have an excuse,” she said.
“It’s not an excuse.”
“Yes, it is. Why do you need to do that?” she asked. “Not that you’ve actually admitted to doing anything. I cannot under—”
“I’ve been thinking about giving it up.”
“Really?” She came back and sat on the edge of the bed.
He rubbed the back of her hand, smiling at her awe-struck expression. “Yes, really.”
She cocked her head. “Can I ask why?”
He took a long time before answering. “For a number of reasons.”
“Which you don’t care to disclose,” she said, sighing.
“That’s right.”
“Okay, I won’t push you, but things are going to be just as I said, unless you quit selling drugs.”
Paul examined her mussed hair and flawless skin. She’d removed her jacket and her undershirt hung outside the waistband of her skirt.
If she was curious about his close study of her body, she didn’t say. Their eyes met and held for an eternity. When she looked away, Paul felt he’d made life-changing promises to her, without uttering one syllable.
She kissed him next to the Band-Aid on his forehead, and left without saying goodbye.
His eyes closed and he drew a shallow breath. He had a heck of a lot of unfinished business to sort out before too much time passed.
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