Exchange of Hearts Teaser

Less than a week to go to the release of Exchange of Hearts, and here is a teaser extract.

Blurb:

Eighteen-year-old Harrison Haddon has grown up alone. Surrounded by wealth, nannies, and material things, all he craves is the approval of his father. Sent away to the boarding school his father and grandfather attended, it’s assumed he will follow in their footsteps from Sydney’s prestigious Ivy League school straight into medical school.

But Harrison doesn’t want to be a doctor.

He dreams of music and classical piano. His only true happiness, his escape from the world expected of him, is dismissed by his intolerant and emotionally detached parents.

Levi Aston arrives from London for a three-month student exchange program. Free-spirited and confident in who he is and what he wants to do with his life, Levi convinces Harrison not give up on his dreams.

But convincing Harrison not to give up on his family might not be so easy.

Teaser Extract:

One afternoon after school, we walked down to the little supermarket not far from campus. It was the usual place boarders went to pick up snacks, drinks, and magazines. When we walked in, we found a few other guys there, Carson being one of them.

“Not here,” I told Levi.

He nodded in understanding but seemed a little disappointed. And as we scouted through the aisles, it just so happened that Carson was there by himself.

Levi looked at me, but I shook my head no.

To his credit and my relief, he didn’t say anything, or do anything, and we bought our stuff and went back to our room.

“That was the perfect opportunity!” he told me, dumping his things on his bed. “God, I could have had some fun with the cucumbers.”

When I didn’t laugh at his joke, he looked at me. “Harrison, what’s up? Are you starting to have second thoughts?”

“It’s not that,” I said.

“Then what is it?” he questioned.

“Nothing,” I lied. “It’s just….” I didn’t finish. I couldn’t finish.

Levi walked over to stand right in front of me. “It’s just what?”

I shook my head and took a step back from him, trying to put some distance between us.

“It’s just what?” he said again, taking another step toward me.

“Um,” I swallowed thickly, taking another step back. “Every time you… do something to piss Carson off… you….” God, I couldn’t say this.

“I what, Harrison? Just tell me and I’ll stop it.”

“No,” I blurted out. “I uh, I don’t want you to stop it.”

His eyes widened. He was confused, curious.

Oh, God. Oh, fuck. I could feel myself blush right down my neck. Considering what I’d said already, I may as well just finish and completely die of embarrassment. “Every time you do something to make Carson jealous… you… youmakemehard.”

He blinked.

And I wanted to die.

He blinked again. Then a slow spreading smile took over his face. “I make you hard, huh?”

I breathed out shakily and nodded. “When you lean in and whisper… when you touch me….”

He was grinning now, right in front of me. I couldn’t move; even if I could have made my legs work, I was backed in against my bed.

“Harrison,” he said softly. He lifted his hand toward my face. “Can I touch you?”

I couldn’t speak, so I swallowed and nodded. Then ever so softly, he touched his fingers to my cheek. He mumbled, and I could barely hear him over my pounding heart. “So beautiful.”

I found myself smiling shyly at his words. God, I was never embarrassed like this with Carson, but something about Levi made me nervous. He was so close to me. His body, his face, his eyes, his mouth.

“I want to kiss you,” he whispered.