So Cally Jackson and Rachel Morgan decided to have The Power of Tension blogfest with a great idea behind it. Tension. Romantic, jealousy, rivals in families...whatever. I thought this would be fun so I entered an excerpt from Ruby Dawn, a novel releasing later this year.
Ben is a nice guy, a stable guy, that Ruby just accepted a date with. Tom is Ruby's love from her teen years. He disappeared ten years ago and now is back. On the right side of the law this time, he's at the center of a DEA sting involving her medical clinic that has just been vandalized...
Ruby Dawn
“Yes, Ben. Pick me up here at eight, okay?”
He nodded and left. I watched him leave then turned and frowned at Tom.
He flashed me a look of complete enjoyment. “Let me guess, coffee?”
I rolled my eyes and pushed Tom down the back hall toward the rear door.
“Don’t you need to be somewhere dangerous?” I thought about his job and my heart wrenched with worry. “What about your cover, Tom? You’re not even supposed to be here, are you?”
“That can’t be concern I hear.” Tom turned and stopped himself with his arms across the doorway. He smiled down at me and my face flushed. He put his forehead against mine. “You’re not staying here alone, are you?” He whispered, breath brushing my eyelids.
Tom never liked any space between us.
I stepped back, my hands going to my hips. “What makes you think I’m staying here?”
Tom cocked his head to the side and folded his arms. He already knew.
“How…?” I asked.
“It’s my job to know about people, Ruby. I can’t believe you gave up your apartment to keep this place open.”
I took another step away from him and looked back down the hall toward the ruined office. Anger flaring at the destruction, I shook my head. “You don’t know what I went through to get this clinic running. I can’t just walk away.”
Pain flashed behind his eyes, “You’re right, I don’t.”
I regretted my words immediately. “I wasn’t trying to get a dig in, Tom. I didn’t mean—”
“Shhh,” Tom whispered. He took my hand in his and kissed my palm sending a ripple through me. “Its okay, I know what you meant, Ruby. And you’re right about what you said the other night too,” he breathed and leaned closer.
Barely able to think, I stood frozen by his nearness. “What I said?”
He smiled, so close now that I could feel his lips move. “You said that I don’t know you anymore. That I need to get to know you all over again.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not what I said,” I breathed.
I hope you hop on over to the other entrants here and have some fun with reading their excerpts! Until next time...Go Write!