Saturday, November 27, 2010

Excerpt: Duty and Devotion

Alright, here's my first excerpt for Duty and Devotion, which will be released by Desert Breeze Publishing June 2011. Duty and Devotion is about sisters, Nettie and Rinny Matterville, who head off to war. Along the way they discover true love can be found even in a time of conflict. Nettie learns true love isn’t always obvious; sometimes it’s right in front of your face. Rinny learns that love at first site can and does happen, but the real challenge is keeping it.

Just a reminder: The following excerpt is unedited and will vary upon edit and publication.

EXCERPT

Sitting down to her music, Rinny meditated a few moments on her mood and decided upon upbeat and romantic. She pulled up a retro-romanticism Mendelssohn composition, one full of drama and energy. The notes flowed from her lips easier than any words ever could. All the passion and sensuality she buried during her average day released through her body and out the trumpet. Rinny displayed a depth of emotion and innermost truth through the composer’s musical elements and harmonies.

On the last note, she leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the moment of accomplishment. She’d booked the room for two hours. It was a great space in the arts and entertainment wing, which used to be part of the civilian city. Since it was a temporary take-over, the militia left it as-is. The owners continued to run it for soldiers on off-duty.

She looked up through the glass wall to see Lieutenant Gubvre. He gestured to the handle with an inquisitive expression. She sat the trumpet down on its holder and waved him in.

“You and I shouldn’t keep meeting like this,” she joked.

He smiled and shrugged, then clasped his hands behind his back. She realized this was a habit of his and for some reason it was appealing. The height of him was refreshing to someone who was always taller then everyone. From her sitting position, the feeling was exaggerated. By his posture, she could tell he came from an upper class family. Not from the Earth region, like her, but somewhere more exotic by his accent. Possibly the Saturn Rings.

“Yes. Well, I was passing through to see the painters and spotted you.” He released a hand long enough to gesture towards the music sheets. “I didn’t realize you played. You play well?”

A sound proof room, he wouldn't have heard her. Rinny patted the chair next to her. After he sat, she picked up the trumpet, pressed for another musical piece, and started playing. After the first few bars, she closed her eyes and continued. She relished the feeling of power that rose in her as she made what so many couldn’t. Felt from it what so many weren’t able too. The notes created a whole world just for her and a select few. She’d loved playing in the concert group and suddenly realized she’d missed it.

Halfway through she stopped, opened her eyes, and looked at him with a grin. It died on her lips. The intensity in his eyes flared the heat in her system. She lost her breath as she watched him look towards her lips and then back at her eyes.

“Don’t stop,” he whispered. “Please.”

Unable to trust her words, she picked the song back up. She closed her eyes again, but this time to keep her concentration. His gaze unnerved her, sending the attraction she felt into overdrive. She felt him draw his chair closer, his knee lightly tapped hers. Only years of experience enabled her to finish the song. For a moment, she kept her eyes closed.

They fluttered open when his fingers lightly grazed along the side of her face. Her breath caught and started again, more shallow. They stopped at her chin before sliding to the back where he grasped the nape of her neck. He looked over her hair, her face, her eyes, then at her mouth before drawing in. The kiss was soft, exploring, and perfect. Rinny let the breath seep out as she leaned in and it deepened. Then it was over and he stood.

“I’m…this…” he seemed to search for words. Stumbled over himself. His hands gestured. His eyes looked a little wild. Rinny stood, turned to put her instrument up.

“It’s okay Lieutenant. It was unexpected. No one needs to know it ever happened.” She turned her head back towards him, where he stood rigid. “Our little secret.”

Matterville, this would just be impossible. War is not a time to start a relationship.”

The anguish on his face softened her anger. He meant it, and she knew it was the right decision. “I know. It’s okay.”

She took his hand for a fleeting second, squeezed, and then released. He nodded awkwardly and left.

~~~

Okay, well there is my first excerpt to you all. Hope you liked it. This has been such a fun journey getting to publication and I can't wait to see it all together and released. If you'd like to know more or to see other books by Desert Breeze Publishing, click on the link below:

Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok
Author Page: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/ARNorris/Page.bok

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