Page 14 of Blackstone's Heart
The waiter walked up and Ethan gave his drink order and also ordered the chips and queso. "Always loved that stuff. Never did find a place that made it as good." Ethan grinned.
"Right? Even in New York they never came close." Krista agreed.
"Nick said you lived in New York up until last year?"
"Yep. After we graduated Jerry got a job for a publishing house out there, the same one that published my first bookDress Blues. So obviously it made sense to go with him."
"I saw the cover in your writing studio. It was impressive."
Krista took a sip of her coffee, then smiled. "That cover was my baby. I knew what I wanted and it took nearly six months before I got it right. To save on cost, Jerry and I went to the Photography club at the university. When it was submitted to the publisher they went nuts over it and put it to print right away. The novel had been approved, edited, revised, edited a second and third time by that point."
"How many times was the damned thing edited?"
"Oh, a total of three times. Not to count the hours and hours I did my own editing before sending it to the publishing house. Publishing a novel doesn't just end once the story is written. There's editing, copyediting, revision, and a whole host of things that make a good novel."
"Where did you come up with the title?" Ethan asked as their appetizer was brought out.
Krista fell silent. She wasn't sure how to tell him that he had been the inspiration for her hero in the book. Taking a deep breath, she decided to be honest. "Well, you had a big hand in that novel."
Ethan looked shocked at that. "Me?"
Krista nodded as she ate a queso covered chip. Polishing it off with the coffee. "Yep. My hero, Deckland Marks, was a Marine. After he was injured in Afghanistan, he got out and returned home. He becomes a PI. Anyway, he's asked to help on a FBI case, enter FBI Special Agent Sarah Mitchell."
"Wow. Sounds interesting." He commented.
"It was fun to write. Jerry was the first person who read it. After I finished a chapter he used to sneak onto my laptop to read it. By chapter four I just sent him each completed chapter to save us both trouble." She laughed.
"So, that's why the guy on the cover looks like me?" Ethan asked with a raised brow.
Krista shrugged. There was silence for a bit before she spoke again. "Ethan, the night you told us you were going into the Marines, why did you wait till then to tell me?”
Ethan sat his own coffee cup down and his eyes locked with hers. “Honestly, I was scared to tell you alone. I know, that’s weird to hear coming from me, but there you go.”
“Why? Ethan, we were always able to tell each other anything and everything back then. Did you think I was going to hate you or something? I would have supported that choice. I even told you that night that I wouldn’t have been mad.”
Ethan nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. “Krista, I knew that back then, but I was still too chicken shit to tell you alone. But looking back on that night, I should have told you alone instead of when I told everyone else. For that I am sorry.”
Krista reached out and took his hand in hers. “Ethan, you have nothing to apologize for. I just always wondered why.”
“So, is that why the guy on that cover looks like me and the girl looks like you?” He asked lifting a brow.
“I guess…I really don’t know why but well…oh hell take it however you want.” She stammered, feeling a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.
“You’re blushing Krista.” He laughed.
"Oh bite me Blackstone." She hissed, dipping another chip.
Ethan laughed even harder, yet Krista barely bit back a moan at the sound. His deep laugh was doing wicked things to her. Heat speared through her, her panties were becoming just a little wet and her nipples were throbbing. Had the man always had this effect on her? When he stopped laughing and looked at her, she felt her breath catch. There was no mistaking the teasing look in those grey-blue orbs that were now burning into hers.
"I just might have to read it." He winked.
"I can get you a copy if you want. Though I didn't take you for a romance guy." She teased, leaning forward just a little more.
"Hey, I was romantic when we dated."
It was Krista's turn to laugh. "I don't think taking me to Lake Travis just to get in my pants counts as romance Ethan."
"I don't recall you complaining when I had my cock in you." He growled as he leaned in closer and his voice dropping lower so no one overheard them.
