Enchanter
by
Kristy Centeno
Leah Parker is furious when she finds out she’s been paired up for a class project with deadly silent, tough as nails, and incredibly intimidating Brandon Morris. Though she’s known him for years, Leah has made it a priority to stay away from him for a reason. As they are forced to spend time together however, Leah comes to find that there is more to Brandon than what meets the eye.
When a series of unexpected events forces Brandon to reveal his true identity, Leah suddenly finds herself fighting to come to terms with who he is and with the fact that by fulfilling his destiny she will come to lose the only guy she’s ever loved. As a family secret is unveiled and old threats possess new risks, they both have to find the strength to do what is expected of them. Even if that means losing each other in the process.
Love brought them together. His bloodline threatens to pull them apart. Will Brandon choose duty over love? Or will other forces far beyond their control separate them first?
Brandon tore his lips away from mine so he could explore my neck, nipping and nibbling as he traveled the length of it. Deliberately, gently, passionately, he kissed a path down my skin and paused only when he reached my naked shoulder. “So soft,” he murmured, the hoarseness of his voice forcing my body to break out in goose bumps.
My fingers intertwined in his hair, forcing the long locks out of the black bow keeping it neatly tied at the nape of his neck. As soon as it came loose, his dark hair cascaded around his face like a curtain, making him look like some exotic creature of the night.
“Brandon…” I glanced up at his pale blue eyes, admiring the beauty of them. “Kiss me… please.”
He immediately obliged, devouring my lips with so much intensity it caused my knees to wobble. Heat, fast and powerful, spread through my body in rapid sequences as our tongues playfully toyed with each other and our bodies touched. I moaned when the feel of his strong, hard, and warm body pressed against mine. I did enjoy his masculinity and how wonderful it felt to have his hands massaging my back.
Feeling the need to explore, I untangled my fingers from his long mane and slowly allowed my hands to glide down his neck, and to his upper torso where they paused just over his pectorals. The tips of my fingers slowly slithered over his hard-as-steel chest and there they lingered for a while, exploring, touching, and feeling. Ever so slightly, they lowered to his abs, which despite the jacket and white shirt, I detected to be just as defined as the rest of him.
My greedy fingers worked their magic over Brandon, who immediately groaned and pulled away from me. His breath was ragged, his eyes filled with lust, his body language tense.
“Leah… I…”
A movement over his left shoulder caught my attention and I no longer focused on him or on what he was saying.
“Brandon, I don’t think we’re alone anymore,” I murmured as another flash of whiteness rushed from one side to the other, some ten to fifteen feet from us. It was too dark for me to determine who it was, but I was certain of one thing: we were being watched.
Can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I’m a mommy of four wonderful children, an avid reader, and passionate writer. I enjoy spending time with my family, watching TV, and listening to music.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
In all honesty, I always wanted to write books, but I never really considered the full extent behind being a novelist. I do something that I really love and have a passion for so to me writing is more of a hobby.
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
Normally, I write during the late evening’s hours when my kids go down for the night. During the day I’m usually too busy, but when I finally sit down to write I need a notebook, pen, Nookcolor, and an ice cold bottle of water in case I need a drink.
What would you say is the most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
For me, the most challenging part of writing is hitting that dreaded writer’s block. It does not happen often, but when it does, I find myself unable to bulldoze my way through it.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Enchanter is a tale about a young woman rediscovering not only herself, but her feelings when it comes to her unorthodox classmate. By being paired for a class assignment not only are they forced to admit how they really feel about each other, but together they must figure out a way to keep forces beyond their control from destroying them both.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I was rocking my toddler to sleep one night when all of a sudden these images flashed behind my closed eyelids. At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of them but eventually, as I pictured not only the characters but what they were going through, I decided to write everything down on my notebook.
It wasn’t until a few days later however, when I decided to begin the process of putting what I’d seen and mixing it up to where it actually made sense. Once I had those ideas in order, I immediately began writing the manuscript and quite frankly didn’t stop until a little over a month later.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
I am currently working on the sequel to Enchanter, as well as two other sequels to other published work I have out.
Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.
We left Nelson’s house shortly after Brandon promised the older man that he would take care of Natalie. The drive back to Direct City was long and uncomfortably quiet after our exchange with the Enchanter elder and his adoptive daughter. There was a lot on our minds, but very little we wanted to share with each other. I, for one, could not summon the motivation to come up with a suitable topic of conversation because I knew that no matter what we started talking about, the dialogue would eventually drift to Natalie. And I wanted to avoid that at all costs. Besides, I was too afraid to talk lest my emotions be revealed through my shaky voice.
Thankfully, the twenty-minute drive calmed me down and reinforced my belief that Brandon and Natalie belonged together. By wanting to stay beside him, I was just making it worse for the both of us. It was time to let go and allow for him to get used to what the future held for him.
“Leah? Are you okay?” Brandon’s voice startled me straight out of my thoughts.
I was so deeply distracted by my clogged-up mind that I had not even realized that we had arrived at my apartment building and the car had stopped moving. “Oh, um… yeah, I’m fine.” I sat up straight and looked out the window. “Why do you ask?”
“It was a long drive, and you haven’t said a word since we left Nelson’s house.”
“I guess I’m just tired,” I lied. “Maybe even overwhelmed. This week has been kind of crazy for me.”
“Is that all?”
“What else could there be?”
“I was hoping you’d tell me.”
“There is nothing to tell.” I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. “Except maybe that Natalie is nice and she seems to have already accepted the fact that you two were meant for each other.”
“I don’t want to talk about her.”
“Why not? You like her. Or did I misinterpret the whole holding hands thing?” I tried my best not to sound jealous, but hell, I failed miserably.
“Yes, I like her. She’s nice, sweet, and willing.”
“Good for you, then.” I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned heavily against the seat.
“But she’s not who I want.”
“But she’s—” All other words were cut short when his lips descended on mine. Caught off guard, my eyes shot open and I tried to sit up straight, but Brandon’s persistence kept me locked in place.
Brandon’s way of silencing me caused my blood to rush throughout my entire body in rapid torrents. At first, I tried pushing him away, but the more I squirmed underneath him, the more his kiss intensified. I felt I should run away, but I found that I did not want to escape the sweetness of his caress. I needed this closeness as much as he did – wanted it perhaps more than he did.
Brandon moaned as his tongue invaded my mouth, forcing my body to break out in goose bumps at the primitive sound. As we kissed, my mind kept trying to tell me to fight back, to resist his alluring charms, but I found myself ignoring that little voice of reason and giving into the amazing sensations his lips were guilty of evoking within me. There was no way I could battle the torrent, and even if I could, I simply did not want to. I gave in completely and drowned out the world and all common sense.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I hate to say this—especially since at some point in my life I managed to squeeze time during my busy week to read at least two books—but I haven’t read much lately. I have no clue what amazing books I might miss out on because my everyday life is so hectic right now.
Have you ever used anyone from your real life encounters in any of your books?
Not yet. I might in the future though. I have met a few people in my life that left quite an impression. This might inspire some character along the way.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself while you were writing?
It might sound a little cliché, but I actually realized that my imagination has no limits. Then again, with writing fiction there’s no need for limitations as long as the plot is done right.
As a child, Kristy used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, she gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.
Writing has always been a passion of hers but she never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most and so she decided to give it a shot. As it turns out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that move the stories along in one way or another.
As she keeps achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between four children and a very understanding husband.
Kristy will be giving away 5 eBook copies of Enchanter during her tour.
For a chance to win please fill out the Rafflecopter below.
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