Bonus Content
Crescendo
CHAPTER 1 DELPHIC BEACH, MAINE PRESENT DAY
PATCH WAS STANDING BEHIND ME, HIS HANDS on my hips, his body relaxed. He stood two inches over six feet tall and had a lean, athletic build that even loose-fit jeans and a T-shirt couldn't conceal. The color of his hair gave midnight a run for its money, with eyes to match. His smile was sexy and warned of trouble, but I'd made up my mind that not all trouble was bad.
Overhead, fireworks lit up the night sky, raining streams of color into the Atlantic. The crowd oohed and aahed. It was late June, and Maine was jumping into summer with both feet, celebrating the beginning of two months of sun, sand, and tourists with deep pockets. I was celebrating two months of sun, sand, and plenty of exclusive time with Patch. I'd enrolled in one summer school course—chemistry—and had every intention of letting Patch monopolize the rest of my free time.
The fire department was setting off the fireworks on a dock that couldn't have been more than two hundred yards down the beach from where we stood, and I felt the boom of each one vibrate in the sand under my feet. Waves crashed into the beach just down the hill, and carnival music tinkled at top volume. The smell of cotton candy, popcorn, and sizzling meat hung thick in the air, and my stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten since lunch.
"I'm going to grab a cheeseburger," I told Patch. "Want anything?"
"Nothing on the menu."
I smiled. "Why, Patch, are you flirting with me?"
He kissed the crown of my head. "Not yet. I'll grab your cheeseburger. Enjoy the last of the fireworks."
I snagged one of his belt loops to stop him. "Thanks, but I'm ordering. I can't take the guilt."
He raised his eyebrows in inquiry.
"When was the last time the girl at the hamburger stand let you pay for food?"
"It's been a while."
"It's been never. Stay here. If she sees you, I'll spend the rest of the night with a guilty conscience."
Patch opened his wallet and pulled out a twenty. "Leave her a nice tip."
It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "Trying to redeem yourself for all those times you took free food?"
"Last time I paid, she chased me down and shoved the money in my pocket. I'm trying to avoid another groping."
It sounded made up, but knowing Patch, it was probably true.
© 2010 Becca Fitzpatrick
Crescendo
Crescendo—the sequel to Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush—takes the fallen angel tale to intense new heights, as the hand of danger closes in on Nora Grey.
Despite starting a relationship with a guardian angel and surviving an attempt on her life, things aren’t going well for Nora. The secretive Patch has begun to pull away, and Nora can’t figure out what’s going on. And lately, Nora’s been plagued by visions of her father, driving her to find out what really happened the night he was murdered.
The deeper Nora delves into the mystery, the more she questions if her Nephilim bloodline isn’t behind her troubles. Her guardian angel should be a godsend. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can imagine?
Hardcover : 432 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster ( October 19, 2010 )
Item #: 13-184536
ISBN: 9781416989431
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.25 inches
Product Weight: 18.0 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Copyright © Bookspan. Doubleday Book Club® is a registered trademark of Random House. Used under license. Unauthorized use prohibited. All rights reserved.
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