Today’s snippet theme is Character Sketch. Below is part of an exclusive feature I posted to my chat group last year. It is called Between the Pages a sort of inside look into what the characters are thinking and feeling. There were various part for the characters, excerpts and so on. Giving you the heroine’s perspective of her hero. It is long so placed it behind a link. Enjoy.
Between the Pages
Conquering Jazz
Heroine Perspective
By: McKenna Jeffries
Copyright © 2008 by McKenna Jeffries
All rights reserved.
Below is the Heroine Perspective, a conversation with Jasmine Hamlin from Conquering Jazz. This is not an excerpt from the novel but a look at what Jasmine is thinking.
*****
A conversation with about JASMINE. “JAZZ” HAMLIN, about REESE BRYANT
Sitting on her sofa in her living room Jasmine Hamlin leans forward sinking her fingers into her hair as she speaks about Reese.
“How can I resist a man who knows me so well that I can’t make a choice to either run for my life or rip his clothes off and just take him? Oh god why is he such a delectable temptation. Damn it Reese Bryant should wear a label that says in big neon red letter. “Beware to sexy to be handled without combat gear.”
Raising her head and dropping her hands, her chocolate brown eyes furious Jasmine crosses her arms across her chest as her bare foot starts to tap against the lush carpet.
“Reese thinks he is slick trying to romance me like were going to be a couple. All I wanted was S-E-X. SEX . Hot mind-blowing sex. And that’s what I got but now with these little romantic gestures of his. He thinks I don’t know what he is doing.”
In agitation, she rises and starts to pace back and forth before the couch.
“He thinks that with time he can show me what we can have. It won’t work. ”
In a voice soft with despair, Jasmine leans against the couch her hands gripping the arm tightly.
“I can’t let him in. It costs too much to care. He knows why but does he accept it. NO. ”
Anger leaks onto her face as she strides around the room.
“What more must I do to let him know that I can’t… won’t let myself open for that type of pain? He can never be mine.”
In a voice soft with longing.
“No matter how much I long for it to be that way.”
Stopping abruptly Jasmine shakes her head furiously and yells.
“NO. I can’t even think like that. Stick with the plan Jazz. Sex and that’s it no strings attached. No matter how hot, delicious and …”
A grin of satisfaction curves her full lips as she tugs on the collar of her shirt.
“Whew… Umm… where was I?”
Leaning against the wall next to a bookcase Jasmine has a thoughtful look on her face.
“Ahh… yes. Reese and I can only have one think and that is a purely physical relationship. Although he won’t admit it he know that is for the best. I’ll just have to get him to my way of thinking.”
With a walk of pure confidence Jasmine come back and sits on the couch. Shaking her head, she laughs.
“I’m even ashamed to think I had any doubts of what we have. Let me just tell you I’m not usually like this. Not to brag but I’m confident in what I want and know how to get it. Hamlin women all are. I had to be growing up with my brothers and not to mention so many male Hamlin’s running around. In my family females are out numbered and unless you want to be railroaded and coddled until you go insane you learn to stand up for yourself. Hamlin men are notorious for being over protective and over bearing. Only if you let them which of course I don’t.”
A smile of pure wickedness curves her lips as she leans forward.
“I know the Hamlin men especially my brothers are afraid of what type of revenge I will take when they interfere in my life. I do enjoy torturing them with it. Can you imagine what they would do if they found out about Reese and me. I shudder to even think of it. They think they know what is best for me and go to any length to get it. My brothers have no idea about Reese and I and that’s the way I plan to keep it. If only Reese would give up on this idea of us being more…”
Leaning back on the couch Jasmine stares up at the ceiling then back down as she said in a decisive tone.
“There will be no more. I want Reese but I can’t afford to need him anymore than I do already.”
She slaps her hands over her mouth and her eyes widened as she realizes what she said. Shaking her head Jasmine lowers her hands.
“I need to get my mind clear of all of this. I can’t think like this. I won’t think like this.”
Standing she grabs, her keys off the table and jingles them in her hand before heading across the room towards the door. Looking down she groans as she sees her bare red polished toes. Returning to the sofa, she looks behind it and spots her shoes. Slipping in her feet, she turns and goes back towards the door. Suddenly she stops turns around and flings the keys across the room. With firm steps, she advances back towards the couch.
“Hamlin’s do not run away from any problem. We face it and do what needs to be done.”
Jasmine walks across the room to the windows and looks out. Her breath catches at the sight of Reese in a charcoal gray suit coming out of his front door across the street. He looks up and waves, she waves in return as he gets into his car and drives away. Staring after him a few moments Jazz turns from the window pain on her face and fear in her eyes.
“No matter if we like it or not.”
Now for an excerpt of Conquering Jazz.
Excerpt of Conquering Jazz
I can’t enjoy the damn movie. I don’t understand why I can’t stop thinking about him. Snap out of it. He is your friend. You share almost everything. Except sex! Oh, there’s the problem. But I can have sex with him. Oh, stop it! Get that out of your mind. Sex! There it goes again! What would I say?
“I want you–naked, sweaty, on the floor, the wall, or anywhere I can get you.” The words were out before she even realized she’d spoken aloud.
She looked into his shocked face, horrified. “Please tell me I did not say that out loud.” She felt her cheeks heat in mortification.
A roughish grin spread over his face as Reese replied, “Yes, you did.”
“I didn’t mean it. I’m in a huge nightmare. Forget I said it.” Jasmine covered her eyes, bending her head forward.
“No, I won’t forget it.” His voice deepened, sounding even sexier.
“You always had a mean streak in you. I don’t know why you can’t give me a break and do something I say for once,” she rambled through her splayed fingers.
Reese reached over, lifted her hands from her eyes, then put them over her mouth, gazing at her. She was startled by the desire she saw etched on his face.
“Jazz, stop. You said it, and if you would let me reply: I agree.”
Her eyes widened as Reese slowly let go of her hands.
She stared at him, dumbfounded. What do I do now? She breathed in and out quickly. Fear choked her.
“Jazz, are you hyperventilating on me? Say something. Come on, don’t lose it on me. I’ve been waiting for this for two years.”
“Why? When?” she croaked.
“When what?” he asked. Jasmine stared at him. He stared back at her with a look that dared her to say it, and she never backed down from a dare.
“When do you want to do it?”
“It? You can do better than that. Tell me what you want, and I might answer you,” Reese arrogantly replied.
“Sex! All right? Sex! There. I said it! You are so frustrating. Happy now?”
Smugly, he replied, “Yes, I am. Now.”
“Now what? You want to torture me some more?”
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh. You mean, ‘now’?” She was looking into his heated hazel eyes. Only, they were no longer hazel, but had liquefied into a steaming topaz. The desire she saw in them took her breath away. Shaking her head, she backed away from him. Nodding, he followed her. Recovering from her surprise, she stopped backing up and stood her ground.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m an ice cream cone you can’t wait to lick up and down.”
“I don’t want to lick you up and down.”
She released a quick breath.
“I want to eat you whole.”
Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.
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