STEPPING STONES: AN EXCERPT
I’m excited to share an excerpt from Stepping Stones, a YA Fantasy Romance, which is the first book in the Stones Series. I’ve worked so hard for this story – it’s the one that really started it all for me. It even has a weird cult following among my friends…basically, it has to be shared, one way or another, and I’m determined to make that happen. Onna and Everett are like family to me. I love these characters and I hope you will too! Enjoy!
He sat on the opposite side of the classroom, but he might as well have settled on Onna’s lap. Everett’s presence was like an elephant in the room, demanding to be noticed, appreciated, and fawned over. And fawn they did.
Slush Guy had a group of girls three deep surrounding him. Several times his laugh rose over the noise, drawing her eyes like a high powered magnet, and every time she glanced at him, he was looking right back at her.
She gritted her teeth and snagged a notebook from her bag, unable to decide what irritated her more. Slush Guy, with his too loud chuckle and gorgeous, finely muscled body, the chattering, idiot girls surrounding him, or the fact that her best friend had become a traitor by leading the group interrogation.
“You’re so tan,” Hunter purred, tracing a line on his forearm.
“I’m Italian,” Everett said.
“Mmm,” another girl said, flicking her ponytail and jockeying for a closer spot by nudging Hunter with her hip. “Does that mean you can cook?”
He flashed a grin. “I’m Italian.”
Onna thought about all the Italian things she knew, the Coliseum, tiramisu, Venice, wedding soup, that cathedral in Milan, Lamborghinis, sausage…
Everett looked up, amusement carving his features. He’d taken off his sunglasses as soon as they’d entered the building and stowed them in the front pocket of his shirt. His eyes were vivid moss green, almost too bright to be natural. He smiled and she looked away.
Damn him and his damn gorgeous eyes. Damn him, damn him, damn him. She angled her shoulder so that he couldn’t see her face.
The final bell rang and Everett’s admirers took their seats, dejected. Everett turned toward the front and procured a pen from the pocket of his khakis. Hunter slid in next to Onna, who scowled. “Welcome back, Brutus.”
“You can et tu, Brute me any day if it involves that guy.” Hunter leaned close to Onna, filling the air with cotton candy scented perfume. “Did you see his eyes? They’re freaky green. Freaky and sexy—like jolly ranchers, I could just lick them or something.”
“You have a tongue obsession,” Onna pointed out.
Hunter smirked, the teacher started class, and Onna tried to forget about Everett Gallo and his delicious, candy colored eyes.
