Good morning!

Been promising this for awhile I know, but without further ado here is the first of three excerpts from the new Elemental Magic book releasing August 15th, 2011. This is the excerpt that will eventually go up on the LPI site. Enjoy! And please feel free to offer your thoughts. I treasure them.

Blessings,
Brynna

Rhia had pulled her long auburn hair up and back into a loose knot, but the curls wouldn’t be contained and spilled out in ringlets here and there. If he took out the pins, it would fall to her waist. How many pins did she use to hold it up? Her eyes would match her emerald blouse if she looked at him, but he was certain Rhia hadn’t planned to use the feminine trick. She’d left the top two buttons undone, just enough to be stylish without losing modesty. Every man in the room watched her, but she was an untouchable gem unaware of her appeal.


“I’m not your honey.” Rhia whispered.


“Love, then.”


Her eyes sparkled with temper. “I’m not your love either, Skye.”


“You might like it, Rhia.” He lifted one of the loose curls and twirled the tip around his finger before tucking it behind her ear.


“Would you stop touching me? People are watching.”


“I’m only teasing you, sweetheart.”


“Do you like playing with fire?”


“Darling, I love the heat.”


“I’d tell you to go to the devil, but I don’t think he’d have you. You’d give him a run for his money.”


“Rhiannon.”


She sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t say my name like that.”


“Like what?” The hand on her waist was joined by its twin, which slid around to the other side so he could hold her in place.


“Like chocolate covered sin. You ought to be illegal. Go back to the kitchen. You’re making my barmaids drool, and I can’t afford to lose another one tonight.”


He laughed and turned her loose. “Okay, okay. Did you take the time for lunch? You’re pale.”


“No, but I’m fine. I’ll take supper when I can, but not for a while yet. Too much to do.”


“Make time. You’re no good to anyone if you run yourself down. I expect to see you in my kitchen in ten minutes. The world can bloody well wait on you for a change.”


When she opened her mouth to protest, he simply pressed a fingertip to her lips to close them.


“We need to talk. Alone, love.”


“It will have to wait, Skye. We’re busy.”


“It’s waited long enough. Ten minutes, or I’ll come back out here, kiss you brainless in front of God and everybody, pick you up and carry you back there myself. Everyone will think we’re having a wild, torrid affair. Don’t argue.” 


Skye let the thought of doing just that tease him, torment him. Maybe he should. Just lay all the cards out in the open and tell her what he’d been hiding for months. He’d been entertaining fantasies of Rhiannon for a while now. Nothing he’d tried had been able to drown them out. He hadn’t lied to Jack–she was his best friend, but there was more between them than friendship. More than playful banter. He wanted those molten kisses in the dark…heated skin, her sigh whispering into his ear.


“You wouldn’t dare.”


He leveled a look at her and let his gaze drift down to her mouth. “Oh, I would. Want to find out?”


“You don’t think of me that way.” Rhia’s pink tongue darted out to lick her lips.


“What if I do? Do you think of me?”


“Skye. People are starting to stare.”


“Are they? I hadn’t noticed. I want to know. Do you?”


“Yes.”