In 1934, life in Brookburn, Indiana, is quiet, simple, and peaceful, but young dreamer Levi Beckerman yearns for more. When the carnival shows up for the Fourth of July, he’s entranced by its many temptations. None is more seductive than the charismatic barker, Sebastian Gustineau.<br><br>Seb’s been a part of the carnival for almost a decade. Once, it provided him the escape he needed from a life he thought he didn’t want, but now, he craves things it can never offer. Flitting from dusty town to dusty town, he loses himself in pretty dalliances. Levi seems like the perfect distraction, until a single conversation convinces him that preserving Levi’s innocence and way of life is more important than his momentary satisfaction.<br><br>However, his plan to discourage Levi goes horribly wrong. When Levi’s family is threatened, Levi fights to protect them, doing what he can to hide the secrets he’s sheltered his entire life. The only person he trusts is Seb. He just isn’t sure if the growing bond between them is enough to save them all.

A Simple Charm

“I’m sorry,” Levi said softly from behind him.


As much as his heart jumped at the sight of Seb in the doorway, Levi didn’t want to have this conversation with him now. His head ached, and his eyes felt like they’d been scrubbed with sand, but more than that, he didn’t want to face Seb’s disapproval.


Seb didn’t want to talk to him, either, if the speed at which he’d tried to walk Dr. Kraft out was any indication.


He stood just inside the tent, more unkempt than Levi had ever seen him. His hair had come free of its lacing, strands blown wildly around his angular face, while his waistcoat hung open, sweat soaking through his shirt. More perspiration gleamed across his forehead and cheeks, skin reddened from the heat, but it was his eyes, darker and more feral than they’d even been the night they’d shared, that unnerved Levi the most.


“What on earth do you have to be sorry for?” Seb said.


Chapter 45