Last Lines Blogfest

Today is the Last Lines Blogfest! Check out the others over here at Lilah Pierce's blog. Thanks, Lilah, for hosting this!

Edited to add: Charity Bradford is hosting a 50 Followers Blogfest today, too. I didn't think I really had anything good to contribute to her theme of baking, but, hey, my characters below do discuss eating. It's just that the steaks end up in the fridge for the following night. If anything, I just wanted to give a little shout-out to Charity's Blogfest and help a friend out. ;-)

This was really hard to choose what to post. Some of my best last lines gave too much away. But I finally decided on this, an excerpt from PURPOSE, book two of my series.

“Wow, you look…” Owen was caught off guard when I called for him. I flashed him my best smile. He narrowed his eyes and said flatly, “You’re not going anywhere.”

I tried to act casual. “Of course not. I was just tired of looking like a frump. I feel good. I finished the book.”

He smiled. “Great! Now we wait for it to be published and let it do its thing.”

“But we can celebrate now,” I said suggestively.

He looked surprised, the sapphire eyes wide, eyebrows raised. “You and me?”

“That’s all we have right now, right? Why not? If you get some steaks and the trimmings, I’ll cook. And we need some wine, of course.”

He frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We need to be completely alert.”

I pretended to pout. “Just a glass. Just for a toast to the Amadis and whatever it is they have planned.”

He studied my face. I really wasn’t trying to seduce him. Honestly. I just needed him to disappear for a while…just long enough. I smiled warmly at him.

“Okay,” he finally agreed. “You stay here. I’ll be back in ten or fifteen minutes.”

I followed him out the door and watched him walk down the driveway, into the brush and disappear. As soon as he was gone, I jumped into the Ferrari and took off, my heart pounding with anxiety and fear. I’d left the keys in there earlier, knowing I needed every second I could get when the opportunity arose. I sped down the highway, clearing as much distance as possible before Owen returned and found me gone. Guilt pierced my conscience when I thought of him searching for me. But I had to do it. At least he wouldn’t be left heartbroken and helpless like I had been. I just hoped he wouldn’t immediately guess where I headed, but would think I went after my family. Because once he knew, he would be there in a flash.