Magick and Moonlight – Excerpts
A great weekend read…excerpts from
Magick and Moonlight by Marie Lavender. Enjoy!
Excerpt 1
He cleared his throat. “Is there a reason I found you naked out there? I mean, you lost your clothes somehow, right?”
The secret smile she gave him made his throat feel dry. “Do you want me to lie?”
“Of course not.”
“The ritual was best practiced in the nude. Skyclad rituals are very
common, you know. The Goddess tells us, ‘You shall be free from all
slavery, and as a sign that you be truly free, you shall be naked in
your rights.’”
He lifted a brow. “Even if that were the case, you didn’t walk there naked, did you?”
“Didn’t I?”
Maybe she was crazy after all.
“I didn’t walk at all.”
He thought she might be saying that she was transported by magic.
Yep, she was batty as hell. He was so not touching that one. He
cleared his throat again.
A sharp cry startled him and instinctively, he reached forward and
grabbed her when she started to fall. Unfortunately, she ended up right
in his arms.
Or maybe it was fortunate after all. With her luscious lips so
close, he could almost taste her. And her scent…dear God, she was
intoxicating, like a mixture of night air and jasmine. “You all right?”
he managed.
She nodded. “My foot caught on a rock, I think.”
“Is it bleeding?”
“My foot or the rock?” Her cheek dimpled.
He laughed. “Your foot, of course.”
“No, I don’t think so. It’s all right.”
“Good.” He realized his mistake immediately. Some strange instinct
caused him to keep her close. Stepping back would be a crime and she
was seductive. Knowing she was naked underneath his coat didn’t help
anything. She was way too accessible. Heedless of the costs, he
plunged a hand into the soft waves of her dark hair and lowered his
mouth to hers.
She tasted like wine, potent and sweet. He explored her mouth
slowly, allowing her the chance to pull away or slap him. He knew he’d
deserve it. He’d never stolen a kiss before, and he couldn’t think why
he’d done it now. But, she tasted delicious. And her body felt so good
against his. He groaned and drew her closer. When she moaned in
return, he kissed her deeply and moved a hand down her back. His hands
wanted to roam further, but he held himself in check. If he was a real
gentleman, he’d pull away now. Reluctantly, he did.
He drew back and tried to get his libido back under control. “Ah…sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” He swept a hand through his hair.
He thought she looked just as shaken. But she smiled a little. “It’s okay. No harm done, right?”
“Right.”
Excerpt 2
When his truck was gone, she released a long sigh. She also felt
strangely bereft, though she had no idea why. She shrugged it off.
Maybe she was simply tired. It had been an eventful night.
She removed the coat and lifted it to her nose without thinking. It
carried his scent, of cologne and something very male. It made her feel
warm. She carefully laid the coat on a table, then moved upstairs to
locate something to wear. At the closet, she paused.
She thought of Ethan Hamilton. He had only been wearing jeans, a tee
shirt and hiking boots. He had looked really good though. Ethan wore
his hair long on top in dark brown layers. His blue eyes were very
compelling. The moonlight had caught the color so perfectly, she had
wanted to drown in his gaze. He was tall and muscular, built very
well. And dear Goddess, his kiss was really something. She had never
felt like she had when he’d kissed her. There was such passion, such
power in his embrace. She had nearly lost herself in the moment.
But, why had she told him what she was doing out there? That was so
stupid. She wondered if she’d momentarily lost her mind. The man made
her want to be completely honest. And that was just crazy. Sure, he
was a cop, or a former cop – she wasn’t sure – but, that didn’t mean she
had to give him full disclosure.
She had told him her secret. The implications really hit her then.
She could be found out. What if he told someone? Her grandmother had
told her to be careful for a reason. Her business might suffer because
of it. What if something worse happened? What if they ran her out of
town? Or institutionalized her? Panic could make people crazy.
This wasn’t good at all.
For a chance to win a copy of Magick and Moonlight, enter Marie’s giveaway.
Winner will be chosen Sunday morning 7:00 AM CDT
Visit tomorrow for more information about author Marie Lavender and her books.
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