Excerpt Number Two from A BREATH OF MAGIC
I promised last week that I’d post another excerpt from A BREATH OF MAGIC this week.
Last week’s excerpt was the first scene in Chapter One. If you missed it and want to catch up before reading the next scene, you can find that post here: A BREATH OF MAGIC, Chapter One, Scene One
In the first scene, Chloe is attempting to talk her magical cousin (and the heroine from book one: A TASTE OF MAGIC) into using her magic to help Chloe convince her boyfriend Kyle into accepting her marriage proposal. At first, Elizabeth is hesitant (to say the least), but Chloe manages to somehow convince her to agree.
This week I’m sharing the rest of Chapter One by posting scene two, which begins shortly after scene one ends. Excuse me for a minute while I put on my soap opera announcer voice:
Will Chloe feed Kyle the magical cake? If so, will she follow through with a proposal? If she does, will Kyle say yes? All those answers (plus some additional questions) can be found in the following scene:
A BREATH OF MAGIC
By Tracy Madison
Available May 2010 from Leisure Paranormal Romance
ISBN 10: 0505528363 / ISBN 13: 978-0505528360
Chapter One: Scene Two
I ignored the cake as best I could while cleaning up after dinner. It sat there on my counter, in all its chocolaty goodness, taunting me to slice it, to move ahead with my plan. Only, the prospect of feeding the magical dessert to Kyle was wigging me out. Just a little. But not because I’d changed my mind, because I hadn’t. Nope, what bothered me was the possibility that he’d still say no, even with the help of Elizabeth’s magic. If that happened, we’d have to break up. Again. And honestly, it had taken me years to get over Kyle the first go-around. I wasn’t eager to go down that path again. But the idea of waiting for my life—our life—to begin thrilled me even less.
Drying my hands on a dish towel, I pushed the kitchen door open with one shoulder and peeked around the corner into my living room. Kyle was sprawled on the couch, TV remote in hand, clicking through the channels. My nervousness ramped up another notch. He wouldn’t say no, would he? We’d been together almost constantly for the past eleven months, and he seemed content. Happy, even. But was that enough? And did that mean he loved me? A voice inside my head countered with Are you sure you love him?
“Of course I love him,” I whispered. Love could mean a zillion different things, and really, what wasn’t there to love? He made me laugh, he was easy to be around, and being with him was far better than being alone. That last thought strengthened my resolve. I was ready.
“Kyle? Do you want dessert? We have chocolate cake.” A tingle sped down my spine. I was really going to do this.
He groaned and rubbed his hand over his stomach. “I’m stuffed. How about we start the movie and have dessert later?”
“Um, sure. Later is fine.” Kyle always stayed over on the weekends. Eventually, he’d eat a slice. Even if it was for breakfast. I’d waited this long for my happy ending, what did a few more hours matter?
I joined him on the couch and his arms came around me. I settled against him, nestling my head against his chest. Comfort eased in, and I began to relax. Yes, I could definitely see us spending the next many years curled up on the sofa together.
He’d already put the DVD into the player, and with a few clicks the action movie I’d rented began to play. I spent the first fifteen minutes obsessing over the cake in the next room, however, and the next hour or so debating with myself over how to pop the question. You’d think I’d have given more thought to the actual proposal, but most of my concentration had gone into convincing Elizabeth.
Kyle didn’t go for grand romantic gestures, so anything too mushy would likely undo any of the good Liz’s magic managed to accomplish. Okay then, so reciting a poem or serenading him would fall flat. I’d just say it straight out. Simple and direct. Easy enough. But how long to wait after he’d eaten the cake? Would the magic take effect immediately? Or should I give it an hour or two? God. I wished I’d asked Elizabeth for more details on how her specific brand of magic worked. I’d just have to wing it and hope for the best.
Sliding to the side, out of Kyle’s grasp, I took stock of my potential husband-to-be. His denim-covered legs were outstretched and crossed at the ankles, and his slim shoulders were slumped forward. The faint wrinkles in his shirt, along with the tiny hole in the heel of his right sock, brought a grin to my face. They were proof he found the same comfort with me that I found with him. And weird or not, that realization made me feel a heck of a lot better. We were good together.
As if he heard my thoughts, he turned, his amber eyes meeting mine. I waited for him to say something, to offer me a grin or to pull me toward him. He ran his hand through his already mussed brown hair and returned his attention to the screen. Fighting frustration, I leaned back against the couch.
When the credits finally rolled, I grabbed the remote and clicked the television off. I wanted to work in a little romance, maybe a kiss or two, before serving the cake. Silly, maybe, but even with the magic, the night I became engaged should be special, something to be remembered and cherished.
Making my voice bright, I said, “That was a fun movie!”
His lips quirked. “If you call kidnapping and murder fun, then sure.”
Kidnapping? Murder? I should have paid closer attention. Going on a hunch, I said, “There was a chase scene! Those are fun!”
“I’ve seen better.” He scooted forward, grabbing his shoes from where he’d kicked them off. “It was a nice evening, though.”
I processed his flat tone and slow, purposeful movements. Moisture beaded on my forehead. “Are you going somewhere?” My voice shook, just a little, and that ticked me off.
He stopped and looked at me. Really looked at me. Another blast of uneasiness rose to the surface. All through dinner I’d chatted nonstop, but Kyle hadn’t. That was unusual for him, but I’d passed it off as nothing more than hypersensitivity on my part. Now I wondered if there was something bothering him.
As quickly as the thought came, it flitted away. Nah…it had to be me—and everything I’d planned for this night. “Kyle? Are you leaving?” I asked again.
He shook his head. “I wasn’t thinking, Chloe. Of course I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good. I like it when you stay.”
“I like staying over, too.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me to him. “You’re sweet for making dinner tonight. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I smoothed his hair back with one hand and leaned forward, giving him a soft kiss on his lips.
His arm tightened around me as he deepened the kiss. I waited for a spark, still hoping it would reappear, that it would be as strong and hot as when we first met. Prodding my mouth wider with his tongue, he moaned when it slipped inside. Warmth seeped in, and it was nice. Reassuring, even. But it didn’t speed my pulse up, and it didn’t turn my insides to jelly. Leaning into him, into the kiss, a whisper of doubt crept in, but I set it aside. There was no reason the fire couldn’t be there. Pushing my fingers into his hair, I pulled his head closer and kissed him with everything I had.
A noise, more of a gurgle than a groan, erupted from Kyle’s throat, and he twisted his body in an attempt to pull away. I squeezed in closer, my only goal to prolong the kiss. No way was I giving up; a little perseverance would bring out the desire. Only Kyle moved his hands to my shoulders and gently pushed.
As we separated, his fingers went to his lips and he grinned. “You’re a vixen tonight. You drew blood,” he said with a small laugh, wiping at his mouth.
“What? I bit you?” My cheeks burned when he nodded. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
Before he could respond, a series of loud knocks echoed through my apartment. Startled, I looked at the clock. When I saw the time, my heart slammed in my chest so hard that Kyle probably heard. Unexpected company after ten tended to mean trouble. I started to rise, but Kyle put his hand on my leg. “Let me get that,” he said.
Sweet, right? Yep, but I couldn’t just sit on the couch and wait, so I followed him to the door, hanging back slightly when he swung it open. A gaggle of voices—female voices—sounded, and a petite elderly woman dressed in hot pink and lime green appeared. She pushed her way inside, and her faded blue eyes landed on me, laced with worry. Right behind her came her granddaughter, my best friend Alice, who didn’t appear worried so much as murderous.
Crap! Double crap with five million exclamation points. Elizabeth had ratted me out. Awesome. Just what I needed.
I sucked in a breath, my brain rapidly going through possible routes to defuse the situation. “Um. Hi? What are you two doing here?”
Grandma Verda pointed at me. “Where’s the cake?”
“Grandma!” Alice said, flipping her head toward Kyle. At least I could count on her for some modicum of privacy. Grandma Verda? Not so much.
“What? I think the boy should know.”
Kyle’s back stiffened, and he glanced from Verda to Alice, and then to me. “Know what?”
“Know how good Elizabeth’s cake is,” I blurted. “They know I asked her to bake it special. Because chocolate is your favorite.” Ugh. On the plus side, I hadn’t lied. I shot a fierce look in the general direction of my surprise visitors. “You two didn’t have to come all the way over to share dessert with us. Especially without calling first.”
Alice blinked. “That’s the best you have? Really?” She separated her legs into an offensive stance—as if she was about to clobber me—and crossed her arms. “We need to talk. Now.”
“Uh…what’s going on here?” Kyle inched a few steps back, away from the craziness. Who could blame him? Sweat trickled down my neck.
“This is a terrible mistake, young lady! Are we too late?” Verda’s eyes scanned my living room, probably looking for signs of cake consumption.
“Too late for what?” asked Kyle, his voice an octave higher than normal. Without a clue as to what all the fuss was about, he obviously felt the tension emanating throughout the room. I needed to get him out of there. Fast.
“Dessert. No, we haven’t eaten it yet.” I smiled sweetly. “And when is chocolate ever a mistake?”
Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Chloe? I’d really like to chat with you for a few minutes.” She spoke calmly, but steel threaded every word.
Fine. We’d talk. But not with Kyle in the room. I turned my attention to him. “Could you wrap up a few slices for them to take home? Seeing that’s the reason they came over in the first place?”
“Um. Sure. No problem.” He tossed one last look of confusion at us before making his escape. As soon as the kitchen door swung closed, my chest loosened until I was able to breathe again. Thank God.
“Are you crazy?” Alice asked, unknowingly echoing her sister. “What do you think you’re doing? And how in the hell did you get Liz to agree?”
I countered her question with one of my own. “Why did Elizabeth tell you? I thought I could trust her to keep this between us.”
“Because she came to her senses. That’s why,” Verda interjected. “And she hoped we could stop you. Have we?”
“No. All you’ve done is delay the moment. Kyle isn’t going anywhere, and my decision is firm.”
Alice huffed out a breath. “Damn it, Chloe! Using magic like this is wrong, and I’d think you’d know that better than most people.”
She referred to the fact that I own and operate a New Age store. Well, that, and my general beliefs tend to expand beyond what one can merely see. But she was wrong. The magic she and Elizabeth have is a gift, and gifts are meant to be used. I kept my gaze glued on the kitchen door. “Fate brought me and Kyle back together. All I’m doing is speeding things along a little.”
“Fate? You believe that you and Kyle are fated for each other? When did you decide that, and why haven’t I heard about it?” Alice situated herself in front of me, and because she’s eight inches taller than my five-foot height, doing so broke my eye contact with the door.
Her chestnut-colored hair was up in a ponytail, and if it weren’t for the fire in her eyes, I’d have said she looked cute. I lifted my chin. “Why would I tell you? You don’t like Kyle. You never have.” I mean, yeah, Alice is my closest friend, and normally we share everything. But when it came to Kyle? Well, let’s just say she had a sore spot. Possibly leftover protection from the past, as she’d been the person who’d been there when he’d dumped me for another woman.
“That’s not true, but that’s beside the point. If you’d told me—” She broke off, biting her lip. A whisper of intuition sneaked into my senses, surprising me. Maybe even scaring me a little.
“What?” Even as I asked, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to hear.
Her face held an emotion I couldn’t identify. My fear increased. “Kyle is not the man you’re supposed to end up with. That’s what,” she said without a trace of doubt.
“You can’t know that,” I snapped.
“I do know that.”
“How?” I demanded.
Her jaw opened, and then she jerked it shut. With a shrug, she reached into her purse and retrieved a folded piece of paper. Wordlessly, she held it out.
“What is that?”
“Proof that Kyle isn’t your happily-ever-after.”
Comprehension twisted in my stomach. I felt the blood drain from my face, and while I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t want to grab the paper and open it, most of me had never been so afraid. Where Elizabeth’s power is in her baking, Alice’s magic exists in her artwork. She has the ability to see glimpses of the future through her sketches and paintings. She’d drawn herself with her soul mate—now her husband—before they ever dated, and she’d drawn a picture of Elizabeth and Nate’s wedding day before he even proposed. So yeah, whatever existed on that page scared the crap out of me.
“Tell me what you drew.”
“Take it. See for yourself.”
Without thought, I reached for the page, my fingers barely brushing the smooth texture of the paper before Kyle sauntered out of the kitchen. He carried a plate holding a half-eaten slice of Elizabeth’s cake in one hand and a fork in the other. Every nerve in my body seemed to pulsate. Static electricity danced in the air, saturating the room—and me—with an uncomfortable buzz.
“You’re right. This is damn good cake.” He took another bite. “Want some?”
Alice gasped. “Don’t do it,” she whispered. “Trust me on this.”
I looked into her eyes, then down at the page I hadn’t fully grasped, and finally, back to Kyle. What should I do? Stick with my plan, or toss it away over the unknown?
Even with her magic, Alice’s path to Ethan hadn’t been easy. Whatever that paper held, it wasn’t anything real. It couldn’t hold me at night while I slept, it couldn’t bring forth a chuckle after a bad day at work, and it certainly couldn’t bring me the family I craved. Kyle could. My decision was really that simple. I dropped my hand away from the paper, away from the unknown. “Kyle, will you marry me?” I asked.
He coughed, and for a second I worried he might choke. Panic clouded his eyes and the muscles in his arms tensed. He worked his jaw but didn’t actually say anything. His body stiff, he set his plate on the dining room table and just stared at me.
Crap. Either the magic hadn’t taken hold yet, or it had and he didn’t love me, didn’t want to be with me. Both scenarios sucked. Everything inside me hollowed out, and the ache of loneliness I’d barely kept at bay returned with a vengeance.
“Chloe, honey,” Alice said. “It’s okay. Really.”
Ignoring her, I focused all of my energy on him. “What do you say, Kyle?” Say yes. Please. The hollow ache disappeared, and as if all of my hopes, wants and dreams channeled together, my body flooded with warmth.
“Yes,” Kyle said. “I’ll marry you.”
Don’t Forget!
This week, The Novel Girls are talking about our favorite recipes. Pop in and say hi!.
Next Friday, I’ll post another scene! Check back then to read the first scene of Chapter Two of A BREATH OF MAGIC.
A BREATH OF MAGIC is availble for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, and Powells Books.
Tags: A Breath of Magic, A Stroke of Magic, A Taste of Magic, The Novel Girls, Tracy Madison
