Since line editing is done now and release is only a month away I finally got around to choosing the excerpt for Little Bird. I knew almost from the start this was the scene I wanted to use but I waffled a little due to it’s length. I think I’ve managed to pare it down without losing important context.
I hope you enjoy it!
Lee shut the door behind them and flipped the light switch. This cottage was identical to his in layout. Although being a rental, the furniture and decor were more spartan. Savannah followed him into the kitchen where he dropped her bags before tossing the keys on the counter and scribbling a number on a piece of paper. “There’s my number. Put it in your phone so you don’t have to fumble with it in an emergency. I don’t think they’ll be back this soon but you never know.”
Savannah nodded. Now that she was about to be alone out here, she was starting to feel a little scared. She gave him what she hoped was a brave smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I don’t suppose you’d consider leaving Toby with me, though?”
“He wouldn’t stay. Remember, he was the coward who ran off last time there was trouble.” Lee gave her a searching look as he lifted up the back of his shirt and pulled out the nine millimeter she had seen that morning. “I was serious earlier, though. I’ll leave this here for you if it would make you more comfortable.”
Savannah shrugged, trying to appear calm and collected. “You can leave it if you want. I don’t plan on needing it though.”
Lee took her arm in his hand and turned it over, his rough thumb softly caressing the delicate underside of her wrist as he placed the gun in her palm. Savannah shivered as she felt the metal, still warm from its prior position against his skin, and surprised herself when she heard her own breathless sigh. Suddenly she felt completely overwhelmed by his close proximity, the smell of him, the feel of his fingers on her wrist, the sound of his voice with that lazy southern drawl. When she found herself leaning toward him and wondering what he would taste like if she were to kiss him, she knew she was in very big trouble.
“Do you know how to use it?” As Lee spoke his lips twitched before turning up in a knowing smile. Savannah didn’t know how he could have guessed what she’d been thinking but that look, a little dangerous and a whole lot of sexy, definitely said he had.
“The gun?” Savannah cringed at the sound of her own voice, all fervent and yearning.
“Yes.” Lee’s quiet laughter rumbled beneath his ribs and Savannah realized with some shock she was leaning against him, her free hand on his chest. When had that happened?
Lee’s fingers tightened briefly around her wrist before he released it, plucking the gun from her hand. He twisted against her and she heard the clatter of the gun as he laid it on the counter. Turning back, Lee reached behind her, pulling out the ponytail she’d made that morning. As Savannah’s hair fell around her shoulders he dipped his head, his lips brushing over her jaw, his beard tickling her sensitive skin. Lee’s hands moved down her back, softly touching her, until he reached her waist where he pushed them beneath her shirt and settled them on the flare of her hips. The ends of his fingers slipped beneath the waistband of her shorts as his thumbs leisurely stroked her skin. His lips skimmed her neck, the combination of his warm breath and scratching beard giving her goose bumps, and she moaned in eager response. His mouth moved lower still, grazing Savannah’s shoulder and then her collarbone as he tugged on the bottom of her shirt.
When Lee’s tongue flicked against the small indentation at the center of her neck, Savannah came undone, pressing her hips against him as she gasped, “Oh, yes.”
“Yes, what?” Lee raised his head to look at her, not so subtly pushing against her so she’d feel his erection.
His question hung heavy in the air and Savannah panicked. What had she been thinking? She didn’t even like this guy and Mike had explicitly warned her not to become involved with him. And now here she was, not twenty minutes after Mike left, with Lee’s impressively large hard-on pressing against her stomach. Jesus, she’d made a mess of this.
“Yes, I know how to use the gun.” Savannah was dismayed her voice quaked as she spoke.
Lee gave her a curt nod and set her away from him as he bent to pick up her bags again. His voice was gruff as he said, “Good. I’ll just put your bags in your room and leave you alone to get some rest.”
Savannah retrieved the gun from where he’d left it on the counter and followed him into the bedroom. Lee turned on the light and placed her bags on the floor at the end of the bed. Stepping around him to put the gun in the nightstand, Savannah got her first look at the bed. She was pretty sure it was a king.
“Whoa!” Lee gave her a questioning look and she hastily added, “Oh, sorry, it’s just I have a twin bed at home. I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a bed this big before.”
Lee flashed a sexy grin at her. “Well, you’ve got my number. You just give me a call if you get lost in that big ol’ bed by yourself.”
Just like that, he gave her that seductive look again and goose bumps rose on her arms as she remembered the feel of his lips on her skin. She had to get a hold of herself or she would never make it through this unscathed.
With a deep breath, Savannah finally managed to sputter out, “Go home, Levon!”
Laughing, he turned and headed for the front door, calling over his shoulder as he went, “Goodnight, sweetheart!”
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