Friday Excerpt: From New Book

A scene from my just-published novel Breath(e).

Word Count: 436

Later that week Ethan and Elizabeth worked side by side in the red-tinged darkness. They worked well as a team immediately. Each time Elizabeth needed something, it seemed Ethan was already prepared with whatever it was. She passed him dripping wet papers and he hung them on the drying line. He let her hand brush against his as she handed them to him and she felt an energy sizzling between them. Her lower body felt like it was slowly melting, a candle dripping from the flame of attraction. She could hardly mix the chemicals correctly because she didn’t want to take her eyes off him. All she could think about was wrapping her arms around his waist, pushing him against a wall and pressing her lips on his.

When the last picture was finally done Elizabeth put her hands on her back and stretched. She and Ethan were sitting side by side on wooden stools and looking over at their handiwork, pictures hung around their heads like clothes on a line. They had worked late into the night.

“Maybe we should go get something to eat,” Ethan said.

There would be no better opportunity than this. If she wanted to transition whatever was starting between them from friendship into something more she had to decide right now. They had so much chemistry, it would be crazy to refuse to date him just because other men had hurt her. If she really did shut herself down from dating completely then she might miss the perfect opportunity, the right man for her.
More than anything in this moment she wanted to go out with Ethan. But she couldn’t do that without being honest. She couldn’t imagine dating someone who didn’t know that what most other girls would be uncomfortable with was the thing that made her want him the most. It wasn’t fair to keep that from him. He had to know the truth before he decided if he wanted to go on a date. She had learned that from her experience with Stewart. She had tried to conceal her sexuality from him and when he found out it had really frightened him.
Ethan was still looking at her.

“Listen, Ethan, I need to tell you something.” Elizabeth licked her lips.

Ethan sighed and smiled a small, resigned smile. “Right,” he said, and he reached down to pick up his crutches, hoisting himself up. “Don’t bother, I know you don’t feel that way about me, I’m just the crippled guy you hang out with to make yourself feel like a good person. Got it.”

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