The Hungarian
by Stephanie
Burkhart
BLURB:
Katherine
Archibald is in search of a grand adventure.
A
young woman in late Victorian England, she wants to open up a bookstore in
London and travel Europe hunting down rare books. Love isn't on her map.
Enter
Matthias Duma. The Hungarian count captures Katherine's attention like no other
man before him with his unusual gold-malachite eyes, his exotic features, and
his command of the night sky.
After
a night of intrigue during Katherine's birthday, she discovers the map does
include love in the legend, but will the map lead her to Budapest and the dark,
brooding Hungarian she's just met?
Available at:
Excerpt:
The door squeaked open and Katherine peeked over the top of
her book. A tall, muscular man walked in wearing a white button-down shirt and
holding his blazer. He paused, as if surprised to find her, and then walked
toward the window, his stride easy. He moved with wolf-like prowess, his long
legs taking cool, calculated steps as his unusual eyes surveyed her. Katherine
bit the inside of her lip, returning his measured perusal with one of her own.
His silence was unnerving, yet intriguing.
His eyes drew her to him -- malachite green with a gold ring
around the iris. Dynamic. Expressive. Even now, as he looked at her, they
softened and grew translucent. He stopped in front of the window and casually
threw his blazer onto a nearby chair as if he owned the room.
"Hello," he said.
"Hello."
"You're staring."
"I am? I thought you were staring at me."
He chuckled. "Perhaps I was admiring you."
"Me?"
"Who else is here?"
Katherine pursed her lips as her insides warmed from the
deep silkiness of his voice. He smiled and walked to her chair, slowly gliding
around it, tracing his finger over the leather headrest, skirting her curly
hair.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"And who is inquiring?" She tried to sound cool
and composed, but she had to fight the nervous temptation to play with her
hands.
"Romeo, perhaps?"
"Then my name is Juliet."
A teasing smile graced his lips as he walked out from behind
her chair and glanced at a bookshelf before turning to look at her again.
"Would you fall for Tristan?"
"Only if my name were Isolde."
He walked over to a wooden table near the window and ran his
long finger over a clay mock-up of Excalibur lodged in a stone. "What do
you think of Arthur? Do you think it suits me?"
"Only Guinevere would believe your name was
Arthur."
He crossed his arms, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
"Would you believe my name was Matthias?"
"I might, if--"
"If what?"
"If I knew more about you."
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Stephanie
Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD.
She was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. After serving 11 years in the US Army she
currently calls Castaic, California her home. Stephanie was married in Denmark
in 1991 and has two young sons. She adores chocolate, is addicted to coffee and
enjoys early morning walks. She's also
an assistant den leader for her son's Cub Scout den and is a Boy Scout mom. She
writes paranormal, contemporary, and steampunk romance and has two children's
books published with 4RV Publishing.
FIND ME ON
THE WEB AT:
An interesting excerpt.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Sounds like a interesting book, would love to read it
ReplyDeletedebbiec1313@yahoo.com
Great excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt, thanks.
ReplyDelete