The 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest (and a teaser from The Last Echo!)

So in honor of the 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest, I decided to share a little teaser from The Last Echo with y'all. It's spoiler-free, so no worries...just a good old-fashioned, no-kiss, tension-filled moment between Violet and Rafe:


“What took you so long? I’ve been here for half an hour. I’d’ve gone in without you, but I have no idea what I’m looking for.” Rafe scowled as she joined him outside The Mecca, his arms crossed impatiently.

The cloudless sky overhead gave the impression that the day should’ve been brighter, sunnier, but instead it just felt cold and empty. Like a vast gray wasteland.

Violet felt a twinge of satisfaction. She liked that she knew something he didn’t. “Sorry,” she tried, but didn’t sound nearly as repentant as she should have. “I ran into some friends.”

He looked at his watch. “Some of us still value other people’s time.”

She rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling like she had some idea why he wasn’t winning any charm contests. “Whatever. Don’t be such a baby. Besides, it’s not like you had anyplace better to be, or you wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to meet me in the first place.”

“Or,” Rafe said as he reached out to get the door for her, holding it so she could go in ahead of him, “I want to catch this sicko.”

Violet faltered. Of course that was it, she chided herself, embarrassed for thinking otherwise. Why else would he be wasting his Saturday with her?

She felt unsettled as she stepped inside and surveyed the art wall and the congested tables and chalk menu. That artsy appeal Violet had felt just a day earlier was lost on her now, tainted with what she thought she knew, what she hoped to confirm by being here today.

“So? This is it, huh?” Rafe asked, but his eyes were on Violet, not on the café.

“Why?” Violet stepped closer to him. “Do you sense something?”

He shot her an amused look. “Do I sense something? Really, that’s the best you can do? Do you want me to check for evil spirits while I’m at it?” He smirked. “I was only asking because you said this was the place.”

“Whatever. You don’t have to be such an ass,” Violet told him, her cheeks burning. “I was just thinking that maybe . . . you could,” she stammered. “Maybe you might feel something?”

Rafe tipped his head closer, until it was right next to hers, and suddenly she was far too aware of him. Of his lips and the blazing blue of his eyes. He quirked an eyebrow at her, just one. “I have to actually touch something to feel something. Just FYI.”

“Oh?” Violet said, nodding.

“Yeah. That’s pretty much how it works.”

“Do you want to?” she breathed. “I mean touch something?” Her heart was racing, slamming so violently it felt like a sledgehammer, and she worried it might actually crack a rib.

He inched the tiniest bit closer, his breath mingling with hers. “I do,” he said softly, his voice barely a whisper as his daring blue eyes held hers . . . longer than they should have.



I won't tell you what happens next, but I will say poor Violet gets put through the wringer in this book!