Crowning Glory October 2010 excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1 (unedited)
Coming April 2011. Pre-order your copy.

Without a test, there can be no testimony. Karyn Wallace reminded herself five minutes after she agreed to a date with Levi Tolliver. She wasn’t Cinderella, and Karyn doubted the widower would be her Prince Charming.

Yes, she was affected by the most beautiful dark chocolate eyes she had seen in her lifetime. They were hypnotic, even camouflaged behind designer glasses, which were angled perfectly on his chiseled nose. Levi’s skin was a blend of chocolates: dark, milk, and white, which created a creamy undefined tone. His thick, black wavy hair and thin mustache were nice touches, but it was Levi’s dimples that seemed to be on standby, waiting for his lips’ command to smile.

Buffed at—she guessed about—five feet, eleven inches, Karyn wasn’t intimidated by Levi’s height as he towered over her petite stature. “You might as well surrender to what God has stirred between us,” Levi stated as if he had sealed a business deal after his seventh visit and counting in a month to Bookshelves Unlimited where she worked as a kid specialist bookseller.

Suspicion set in. What does he know about God in my life? At twenty-seven, Karyn was too old to play games. Sometimes the devil injected the word God into conversations as bait to Christians so they would believe they’ve found a kindred spirit. Where was Levi’s spiritual allegiance? She didn’t have time to test the waters to see if she could survive another relationship gone awry. The memories of one bad relationship had a way of lasting a lifetime.

When he moved intimately closer, his lashes mesmerized her, catching Karyn off guard. “Deny the attraction, Karyn.”

She hated dares. Bluffs got people into trouble, hurt, or sometimes killed. Karyn blinked. Now, she was getting carried away. Anchoring her elbows on the table in the store’s café, Karyn nestled her chin in her hands. She took pleasure in delaying her response. After all, he was interrupting her dinner break.

“I’m attracted to flashy cars, white kittens, black-eyed peas, and—”
“Me,” he interjected as a fact.

Karyn refused to confirm or deny his assumption, but she silently admitted she was enjoying their banter. There was something intoxicating about a person who oozed confidence. Despite her outward boasting, building her self-assurance was—at times—an inner struggle. Shrugging, she continued as if she didn’t hear him.

“Although I don’t own a flashy car or a white kitten, I can put away some black-eyed peas.”
“Your preferences are noted.” Levi lifted a brow and held it in place to make sure he had Karyn’s attention.

Only after she became impatient did he soften his features and smile, offering his sidekick dimples for her pleasure.

“My Buick LaCrosse is new, but not flashy. My daughter is allergic to cats, and my mother can throw down on any beans, peas, or greens.” A dimple winked as he stretched his lips into a lazy grin. “For the past four years, my spirit has laid dormant, waiting on a word from God. Now, all of a sudden, with no warning, I got a message plain enough that even a caveman could read it.” He snickered.

Karyn smirked. “I’ve seen those GEICO commercials, and I’m not impressed.”