Excerpt Monday! Trouble at Trinity YA excerpt

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other.

This is a scene from my current YA suspense, Trouble at Trinity. Enjoy!

Getting out of the boys’ dorm wasn’t hard, but getting into mine was.
The front doors were locked, and I remembered reading that at nine o’clock every night the buildings were locked down for attendance call, house meeting and final study hour. No exceptions. God, they were strict. I knocked on the glass and waited patiently for the desk clerk to let me in.
The fluffy snowfall from earlier was gone and a wet, slushy mist replaced it. The temperature hovered near zero and I shivered, burrowing deeper into Sam’s jacket. This was perfect weather for black ice on the roads. Great. I’d have to wait until tomorrow to get Josh to bring me the key.
“You’re late.” The clerk handed me a pink carbon copy page. “Take this to your EA after the house meeting.”
I glanced from the tardy slip to her disapproving frown. “Whatever,” I muttered and headed for the common room.
Every pair of eyes turned and stared at me when I entered the room. My cheeks burned as I slid into an empty chair behind the semi-circle of couches crammed with girls. My eyes locked with Jan’s and she smirked.
What a bitch.
I sat and half listened to the meeting, but mainly I tuned everyone out and thought about Sam. What was in the locker? A small part of me realized it could be absolutely nothing. Just a key he forgot to turn in after being at the club. But I pushed that thought away. I had to believe we’d make some progress once we opened that locker. If it turned out nothing was there, we’d be back to a blank drawing board.
The room burst into chaos as girls started chatting and giggling, breaking into fifty different conversations at once. I realized the meeting had ended, so I got up and headed for my room. I wanted nothing more than a hot shower and my bed, but as long as I pretended to be a Trinity student, I knew I’d better play by the rules. That meant taking the pink slip to Lancy.
The door to Lancy’s room was ajar, and I saw her sitting at her desk, already hunched over a stack of text books. I knocked and she glanced up, a smile parting her lips. “Hey, Emma. Come in.”
Her room was smaller than the double Jan and I shared, but she didn’t have a roommate. Lucky Lancy. I’d live in a closet if I could get rid of little Miss Perfect.
“I have to give you this.” I handed her the tardy slip.
“No worries. They usually don’t have us crack down until the second offense.” She gestured for me to enter the room. “I’ve been meaning to talk with you, though. Do you have a sec?”
“Sure.” The shower and bed would have to wait. I sat down on her bed.
“How are you liking Trinity Prep so far? Finding your way around? Fitting in?”
I nodded, realizing this must be part of her job. I wondered what would happen if I told her the truth. Some part of this girl radiated trust to me and made me want to open up, but I bit my tongue to keep from saying anything else. The fewer people who knew, the better. “Things are great.”
“There is nothing bothering you? Nothing you want to discuss?” Lancy tilted her head and studied me like I was hiding something. Crap. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to let me off the hook that easy.
“I, uhm, the homework is a bit much, but I’m handling it,” I rushed on. “But I mean, it is kind of a lot, you know?”
Lancy’s golden blonde ponytail bobbed up and down as she nodded, a look of relief washing across her face. What did she think I was going to say? “We can arrange a tutor if you think it’ll help.”
A tutor? With any luck, I would be out of here before exams. We’d get inside that locker tomorrow and I’d know who killed Sam. Mission accomplished. “No, I’ll be fine. Mr. Jenkins has been helping me set up a ‘game plan.’” I used air quotes and smiled, thinking of the heavy man’s enthusiasm for helping me get on track for a prestigious university. Maybe if I’d had someone watching out for me when I was in high school I wouldn’t be a coffee pusher at Tim Hortons. Nineteen years old with no future. How freaking pathetic was I?
Worry lines appeared in Lancy’s perfect complexion. “Mr. Jenkins is helping you? With what?”
“Placement stuff. I want in at University of Guelph, but he thinks I should aim for something Stateside.” I mentally slapped my forehead, trying to remind myself none of this was real. Even my transcript was forged. I wouldn’t be going to any university, let alone a posh Ivy League school in the States. Heck, I didn’t even want to be a vet. But I could understand the empty anger pooling in my gut when I thought of my future. My real one, not the one I pretended to want for Mr. Jenkins. “I have a lot of homework. Can I go?”
“Yes,” Lancy said, but her mind seemed to be a million miles away. When I got up, I noticed a poster for Yale University behind me.
“Good night, Lancy.”
She nodded, keeping her focus on the poster. A glassy expression filled her large doe-like eyes. Wherever she was in her thoughts, it wasn’t a happy place.

Excerpt Monday July 2010

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other.

SETUP: This is a scene from my Young Adult novel, Melody's Song. Melody has a run in with Nate - literally.


The cool night air slapped me in the face when I opened the side door to escape and it took me a second to realize it was drizzling. The misty rain pattered down against my hot skin. The chill felt good. It might not be that long before we got snow. It snowed in Ohio, right? A tinge of excitement coursed though me. My first snowfall! My eyes widened as I strained to look at the misty rain, searching for that alluring first white flake.
A low chuckle came from the semi-darkness behind me. I pivoted to search for the source, my balance tittering on an unsupported ankle and I crashed to the ground.
Two hands reached out to grab my arm, but my rear hit the cold pavement before they could get to me. Nate knelt down, concern etched on his handsome face. Well, concern and amusement. My heart skipped three beats, forgetting for a moment how to work.
“Are you okay?” I could hear him straining to keep from laughing. Smart guy.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tried to brush off splatters of mud clinging to my jeans, but like day old grease in a grease trap, it fused to my pants.
“Let me help you up.”
“No thanks, I got it.” An edge of annoyance crept into my voice. Did he purposely wait in the dark to scare me? The rain started to pick up, fat droplets plunging to the ground around us, sounding like fingers tapping on a desk. I ignored his outstretched hand and struggled to my feet.
Pain shot through my ankle and rippled up my leg. Hot tears prickled at the edges of my eyes, but I swiped them away. Nate’s arm encircled me before I tumbled back to the wet pavement.
“Whoa. Steady. Your ankle?”
“No my ear. Idiot,” I snapped. It felt like a smoking red hot poker straight from a blacksmith's forge was searing straight through the skin and skewering the bone. I desperately wanted to stop the tears threatening to overflow. But it hurt. I mean it really hurt. Like the kind of pain I imagine a guy would feel if his dick got caught in a zipper. A zipper with razor sharp teeth.
“Can you walk on it?”
I clung to Nate’s strength, his warmth seeping through my shirt and into my chilled skin. Our eyes locked and for one blissful second I forgot about my ankle. His chest rubbed against my side, my hands gripping his taunt biceps. Our faces were only inches from each other and his breath a wisp of vapour.
“Can I take a look?”
I nodded as he assisted me over to a bench near the store’s front door. The rain pelted off the tin roof above us making a musical hymn. I concentrated on the sound, trying to keep my mind off the pain. He knelt on the ground in front of me and held out his hand, palm up. Our eyes met and I hesitated. Was I doing something wrong? Could I screw up my assignment anymore? I’m pretty freaking sure falling for your Charge was a big no-no. What would the Senate think? What if they reassigned Nate’s file? What if…wow he smelled amazing. I filled my lungs with the earthy scent making me light headed. I lifted my leg and let his warm hands examine it. My stomach did a nosedive when he touched my skin. A jolt shot through my blood and tingled from the tip of my toes to the top of my ears.







Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Excerpt Monday

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other.

SETUP: This is a scene from my Young Adult novel, Melody's Song. Melody has a run in with Nate - literally.


The cool night air slapped me in the face when I opened the side door to escape and it took me a second to realize it was drizzling. The misty rain pattered down against my hot skin. The chill felt good. It might not be that long before we got snow. It snowed in Ohio, right? A tinge of excitement coursed though me. My first snowfall! My eyes widened as I strained to look at the misty rain, searching for that alluring first white flake.
A low chuckle came from the semi-darkness behind me. I pivoted to search for the source, my balance tittering on an unsupported ankle and I crashed to the ground.
Two hands reached out to grab my arm, but my rear hit the cold pavement before they could get to me. Nate knelt down, concern etched on his handsome face. Well, concern and amusement. My heart skipped three beats, forgetting for a moment how to work.
“Are you okay?” I could hear him straining to keep from laughing. Smart guy.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tried to brush off splatters of mud clinging to my jeans, but like day old grease in a grease trap, it fused to my pants.
“Let me help you up.”
“No thanks, I got it.” An edge of annoyance crept into my voice. Did he purposely wait in the dark to scare me? The rain started to pick up, fat droplets plunging to the ground around us, sounding like fingers tapping on a desk. I ignored his outstretched hand and struggled to my feet.
Pain shot through my ankle and rippled up my leg. Hot tears prickled at the edges of my eyes, but I swiped them away. Nate’s arm encircled me before I tumbled back to the wet pavement.
“Whoa. Steady. Your ankle?”
“No my ear. Idiot,” I snapped. It felt like a smoking red hot poker straight from a blacksmith's forge was searing straight through the skin and skewering the bone. I desperately wanted to stop the tears threatening to overflow. But it hurt. I mean it really hurt. Like the kind of pain I imagine a guy would feel if his dick got caught in a zipper. A zipper with razor sharp teeth.
“Can you walk on it?”
I clung to Nate’s strength, his warmth seeping through my shirt and into my chilled skin. Our eyes locked and for one blissful second I forgot about my ankle. His chest rubbed against my side, my hands gripping his taunt biceps. Our faces were only inches from each other and his breath a wisp of vapour.
“Can I take a look?”
I nodded as he assisted me over to a bench near the store’s front door. The rain pelted off the tin roof above us making a musical hymn. I concentrated on the sound, trying to keep my mind off the pain. He knelt on the ground in front of me and held out his hand, palm up. Our eyes met and I hesitated. Was I doing something wrong? Could I screw up my assignment anymore? I’m pretty freaking sure falling for your Charge was a big no-no. What would the Senate think? What if they reassigned Nate’s file? What if…wow he smelled amazing. I filled my lungs with the earthy scent making me light headed. I lifted my leg and let his warm hands examine it. My stomach did a nosedive when he touched my skin. A jolt shot through my blood and tingled from the tip of my toes to the top of my ears.







Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the EM website! Below is a snippet from my story ALL ABOARD. I love to share beginnings and hear what you have to say, so please leave a comment and let me know :) Enjoy!

Chapter 1

“And now as an expression of your hearts linked together in love, join your hands.” The minister’s voice carried from the altar to the back of the church.
“Blake, do you take Hilary to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?” The minister paused, before looking at the couple. “Now, of course do not answer that today, Blake. We’ll save the official answers for tomorrow.”
A few laughs filtered through the room. Cayley Summer’s heart was a tight lump in her throat. Tomorrow it would be official. Blake would marry Hilary. She let out a deep breath and focused on Blake. He was so gorgeous in his jeans and collared golf shirt. The man could wear a burlap sack and still give her chills. God only knows what he’ll look like in his tux. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back on her hand.
“Do you need a tissue dear?” a voice whispered beside her.
Startled, Cayley turned to the older lady sitting in the pew beside her, and gratefully took the Kleenex she held out.
“Thank you,” she said, dabbing her cheek.
Cayley sighed. So it was over. Well, almost. Tomorrow would be the best day in Blake’s life and the worst in hers. Her heart broke in two and for the umpteenth time, she wanted to kick her own ass for falling in love with him. Stupid! Stupid! She gave her forehead a mental slap.
She watched like a muted robot as Hilary and Blake continued to get instructions from the ministry on how things would unfold. They stood behind the signing table, and someone from the wedding party snapped a few pictures.
Blake looked up from the table, and his eyes swapped from the gathering of friends and family until they settled on her. One eyebrow arched high, that adorable way he had of asking a question without speaking. She held up a manila envelope containing paperwork from the office needing to be signed before he left on his honeymoon. He gave a nod and wink before turning his attention back to something the minister was saying.
“Tomorrow I will lead the happy couple to this point on the stage and say ‘it gives me great pleasure to present, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Rigney’. Pictures can be taken at this moment. ”
The church erupted in applause and a lone cat-call whistle that spurred a few laughs. But Cayley didn’t feel like laughing.
“Do you know the bride or groom, dear?” the elderly woman asked, smiling up at Cayley as they retook their seats.
“I work for Blake.” At least for now. She’d been mulling over the idea of looking for a new employer. Yup, the day Blake announced his engagement to Hilary, the old resume came out and started getting a spruce up.
****
“Sorry about this,” Cayley said, pointing at the next place on the page requiring Blake’s signature. “They came in late this afternoon.”
“No worries.” Blake grinned up at her, given her one of his trademark smiles that always made her knees wobble together like a teenager girl with a secret crush. “Are you coming to the rehearsal dinner?”
“No.” The single word slipped out more abruptly then she wanted. Getting through the wedding and reception tomorrow was going to be hell enough for one lifetime.
He leaned his hip against the pew and studied her. “You okay? You’ve seemed a bit distracted all week.”
His cell phone vibrated, and he pulled it free from the clip on his belt. A moment stretched on as he scrolled through a text message. Blake’s brows knitted together, and his eyes flashed from sky blue to dark and stormy in an instant.
“Is everything okay?”
A look of surprise flickered across his face like he’d forgotten she was there. Her fingers reached out and rested on his forearm. The tense muscle quaked under her touch, wound as tight and hard as a piece of steel.
“I hope so.” He snapped his phone closed and shoved it back into the holder. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
Cayley swallowed, trying to keep her nerves in check. Her hand dropped back to beside her waist. She put on a well-practiced smile, the same one she’d been using for the last six months. “I’m not sure I’m the one who’s been distracted, boss.”
“Cayley, it’s nice of you to join us.” Hilary’s voice intruded their private moment.
She turned toward the soon-to-be Mrs. Rigney. The old expression that all brides are beautiful held true for Hilary. Actually she was beautiful any day of the week and today she was drop dead gorgeous—being the center of attention really agreed with her. Heaven knows tomorrow, she’ll be the picture perfect bride. She wore a short black satin dress painted on her trim figure. Giving Cayley another reason why her size eight ass hated Hilary’s size two ass.
“Congratulations, Hilary,” she said with a smile pasted on her face.
“Thank you.” Hilary shifted her attention to Blake. “We really need to get going, honey, if we are to have dinner served on time.”
Cayley had been effectively dismissed. Bitch. She smiled at Blake to let him know everything was fine and waved him away.
He mouthed “Thanks”, as Hilary’s claws wound around his arm and pulled him toward the front of the church. She watched them disappear down the steps until they were swallowed by the darkened night.
“Shit.” He hadn’t signed the last page. A frustrated breath blew up her nose. Looks like she’d be going to the dinner after all.

EM - Room with a View - Erotica

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

Below is a snippet from my story Room with a View available HERE

****

The phone vibrated in his hand and the shrill ring echoed off the dining room walls. “Hello?”
“Welcome home, baby,” Callie’s voice purred through the phone line.
“Where are you?” Curiosity and impatience waged war in him. He really wanted to see his wife.
There was a pause over the line, and her voice trembled slightly when she finally replied. “Look up.”
He glanced at the ceiling, and a nervous laugh greeted his ears. “No, silly. Look through the window.”
Across the short distance, Callie stood in Jillian’s living room. Her pale skin sparkled like a thousand mini diamonds. His eyes darted up and down her nearly naked body. A sheer bra pushed her ample breasts together, and her nipples played peek-a-boo with the edges of the black lace. Matching panties, smooth legs, and high heels completed the outfit. His cock instantly throbbed to life, forcing his hazy mind to play catch up.
After his eyes had thoroughly devoured her sexy body, he finally looked up at her face. Pouty red lips curled upward into a huge smile. She held a phone up to her ear. “Like what you see?”
“Hell yes.”
She turned slowly, and he noticed the thong cut panties that exposed her tight and firm ass cheeks. God, he wanted to reached out and touch them, to run his fingers over her creamy skin. She put down the phone’s receiver and clicked a button. “You’re on speaker, hon. I hope you like what we have planned for you. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said, his mind not fully understanding what the fuck was going on. Had she said “we?”
His pulse pounded in his veins like molten lava under his skin. Luke sat back in the chair, waiting to see how everything would play out. Like a kid waiting to unwrap a present on Christmas morning, he tried to contain the growing excitement and nerves that merged together inside. High heels clicked on hardwood and Jillian enter the room. The two women shared a mischievous look before Jillian approached the window.
“Hi, Luke,” the petite redhead’s voice waffled over the phone.
“Hi, Jillian.”
Dryness parched his throat, as though he’d been stranded in the Sahara for a week. But no way in hell was he leaving to get a drink. He stared from his wife to his neighbor and back again. A pink satin slip painted Jillian’s trim figure. The two women turned to each other, and a moment stretched on. Neither moved, and Luke held his breath. He sat forward to the edge of the seat. His penis throbbed against the confinements of his pants.
Silence crackled over the phone line, and he felt like he was right there in Jillian’s living room with them. Callie turned her wide mocha eyes from Jillian and locked with his. He melted in their warm depths. They stared at each other for a moment before he found his voice. “It’s okay, honey. If you don’t want to, just come home.”
Emotion he couldn’t read flashed in her beautiful eyes. Her soft curls swung around her face as she shook her head from side to side. “No, I want this.”
Across the distance, she gave him a little wink, and his heart battered almost painfully inside his chest. Her hand slowly rose and brushed aside long locks of hair that hung over Jillian’s shoulder. His fingers clenched into a fist, gripped the armchair. Watching this show of seduction was driving him crazy with desire. An equal mixture of strange frustration and impatience swirled in his gut. He wanted them to continue. His mind urged them on as he sat and stared transfixed out the window. His penis pulsated, and blood rushed to his core. Sweat gathered at his hairline and he swiped it away. For once he didn’t have control of the situation, and the sudden release of power surged through him. He liked it.
Hell, he liked it a lot.

****

I hope you enjoyed this snippet and will be back next month for more!

Happy Reading,

Kendal

Excerpt Monday site!

EM - Melody's Song

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

This is a scene from my YA called Melody's Song. Melody is packing before her big assignment: to help mortal Nathan Peterson find his true career path.




I sat on my bed trying to focus on the checklist I’d scribbled down. Toothbrush? Check. Laptop? Check. Self-doubt that I could actually succeed at this assignment? Double check.
Cassie and Art stood at my open closet. Almost every piece of clothing I owned lay in a heap on the floor at their feet. They were arguing over a buttery yellow sundress.

“Why would she need a dress?” Art asked.

“In case they go out somewhere nice,” Cassie fired back, tossing the dress toward the small pile of clothes they’d agreed upon.

“Like a date?” Art snorted. “This isn’t one of our field trips, Cass. This is an assignment.”

“She might need to cozy up a bit with the Charge.”

I pretended to concentrate on my checklist, letting them fight. My fingers slid under the front flap of Nathan’s folder, pulling out the glossy headshot.

“Cozy up? That is not allowed,” Art hissed between clenched teeth.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, dummy. The rules are a bit grey on flirting, and whatnots.”

I stared at Nathan’s pink lips, thinking about grey areas and whatnots.

“You two are so boy crazy, I swear.”

“What about you? You can’t stop obsessing over Lisa. If I hear one more comment about Lisa, I’ll monkey bite you so hard your arm will be bruised for a month.”

“Oh no, you won’t! Melody will protect me.” Art darted across the room and jumped on the bed. His big arms grabbed me around the waist and pulled me off the bed. In a tangled mess of limbs, we crashed to the floor.

“Get off me, jerk. You deserve a monkey bite!” My fingers formed pinchers and sought out any bare skin I could see. They clamped down, and twisted the wad of flesh caught between them. Art screeched like a girl, and Cass howled with laugher above us.

“Not nice, Mel. Not nice.” Art got up and sat at my computer desk, sulking and rubbing a patch of bright red skin.

Cassie and I ignored him and went back to packing. “Did they give you any instructions on stuff you’d need?”

By “they” she meant the Senate. She hadn’t referred to them as the Senate since I told her about my assignment. “No, not really. They gave me some petty cash. I guess I’ll just buy whatever I need.”

“Are you nervous?”

Why lie? “Yes.”

“You’ll do great.” Cassie gave me an endearing smile. She always had the utmost faith in me.

“Thanks. I just wish I knew what they were thinking. This is big.”

“Huge.”

“Enormous,” Art piped in. “Gigantic”

Cassie giggled. “Mammoth”

“Okay! I get it.” Talk about beating a dead horse.

“Colossal,” Cassie whispered under her breath. I flung a teddy bear at her.

“Ohio U, right?” Art asked, typing away at my computer’s keyboard.

“Yeah.” I glanced over at the screen, watching him navigate around the University’s website. I had to concentrate to stop from throwing up.

“And they didn’t say why they were sending you?” Art turned in the desk chair pinning a curious look at me. Cassie stopped trying to stuff my makeup case into the jam-packed suitcase. Talk about calling out the elephant in the room.

“No.”

“And this is about this guy taking the wrong major or something like that?”

I nodded, keeping my attention focused on my checklist.

“Not exactly Love worthy if you ask me.” Art muttered under his breath.

“Shut up, you idiot. Mel will do great. This is just to get her feet wet. Right, Mel?” Cassie tone was filled with hope.

“Sure. Maybe.” I flung a shoe I didn’t want into the corner. It hit the wall with a thud and landed on a pile of discarded clothes.

“But why you?”

My mind felt like an over-saturated sponge, unable to concentrate on anything. I’d been racking my brain since this afternoon trying to figure out that exact question. I wouldn’t be surprised if ooze started to leak from my ears soon. “I don’t know. They didn’t elaborate.”

“But—”

“I don’t know,” I snapped, cutting Art off before he could ask another question I didn’t have an answer too.

“Mel.” Cassie’s calming voice soothed my frizzled nerves. “We’re only curious.”

My head felt like it was being pinched between the forefinger and thumb of a giant. “Sorry, Art.”

“It’s okay.” Art turned back to the screen, studying the campus’ site. “Hey, did you know they have an on-site bar? Are they giving you a fake I.D.?”

I pulled the Canadian driver’s license I’d been given and flicked it toward him.

“Nineteen? That blows. Twenty-one and you could have drank.”

“Not everyone’s goal in life is to become a lush and toss up in a shrub, Art.” His face reddened at my not so subtle reminder of the end of summer bash. I’d never seen anyone look so ill. His skin literally took on a pale sea-foam green tinge.

A soft knock interrupted whatever response about to form on Art’s lips. My mom stuck her head in the room. “All packed?”

“Almost.” I watched Cassie struggling with the zipper on my bulging suitcase.

“Grandpa is downstairs. He wants to see you.”

“Down in a minute, Mom.”

I waited for her to leave before glancing at Cassie and Art. They both acted weird around my Grandpa. I got that he was Cupid. Yeah, couldn’t exactly forget that fact. But still. “I’ll be back soon.”

My two best friends shared a look, but neither said anything. I gave an exaggerated eye roll and headed downstairs. Maybe Grandpa would be in a less evasive mood then earlier.

****

I hope you enjoyed this section of Melody's Song!
Happy Reading!

Kendal

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.