“That’s true,” Leila admitted with a mischievous tip of lips. “You caught me. Okay, so what am I thinking? Hmmm. I’m thinking…you’re cute, in a rugged sort of way. I’m thinking you’re a little drunk.”
Carson nodded. “Keep going. I’m not arguing yet.”
Leila’s fingers were plucking at a loose string on the collar of Carson’s shirt, and then they were playing with a lock of his hair at his neck. It was an odd intrusion into personal comfort zone; touching someone’s hair was a strangely intimate thing. He didn’t mind. “I’m thinking…I like you, and I’m hoping you’ll ask me out. There. How’s that for embarrassing yourself? Admitting that to the guy you’re interested in goes against every rule of the dating game I know.”
“I’ve never been too interested in the dating game anyway,” Carson said.
“Me neither. That’s part of the reason I moved up here,” Leila said. “I know I’m avoiding your original question, but…I don’t want to talk about that just yet.”
Carson nodded. “Fair enough.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” Leila asked. “Or a wife?”
Carson shook his head. “Nah. Would I be here, talking to you like this if I did?”
“You’d be surprised what some guys will do, even though they’re with someone.”
Carson shrugged. “You’d be surprised how much it takes to surprise me. I’m a homicide cop, remember? I’ve seen just about everything. What I should’ve said was, I wouldn’t be here like this, with you, if I was with anyone else.” Carson had been about to kiss her, but the moment seemed to have passed with the turn in the conversation.
“Well that’s good. I wouldn’t like to have any surprises come up later on.” She glanced down, saying. “If there is a ‘later on’.”
“Why wouldn’t there be?”
“Well, I left you a pretty big opening to ask me out, but you didn’t.” Leila bit her lip, chewed on it, scratched at a stain on the leg of her jeans.
Carson cursed himself for being so dense. “Yeah, I guess I missed the boat on that one. Is it too late?”
“You’ll never know until you try,” Leila said.
“So…do you want to go out with me? For dinner? Sometime?” Carson was fumbling. He took a drink of water and tried to clear his head. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right. Lemme try again. Leila, would you like to have dinner with me?”
Leila shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You’re funny,” she said, a teasing grin on her face. “Yes, Carson, I would. I’m off this Tuesday.”
She was slipping forward again, touching her lips with her tongue, an invitation in her eyes. Or at least Carson hoped it was an invitation. He swallowed his nerves and let himself fall forward, touching his lips to hers, slowly and hesitantly, giving her every chance to pull away, to tell him he’d misinterpreted. She didn’t. Instead, she moved her hand from her leg to his, the other on his shoulder and moving toward his neck, pulled him closer to deepen the kiss.
Her breath was cold, like a winter wind, and her lips tasted like cherry chapstick with a hint of rum and Coke. He felt a rush of excitement run through him at her response, an absurd joy that she was kissing him back. Carson would have sworn that a breeze had kicked up to blow through his hair, ruffling his shirt and skirling Leila’s long raven-black hair to tickle his face. His eyes were closed as he kissed her, so he didn’t see it, but that’s what his senses told him.
Then, he felt a quick, sharp pang of pain blast through the back of his skull and darkness leaped up to swallow him. As he faded into unwilling unconsciousness, he heard Leila shrieking and cursing, and he fought to keep his eyes open, but it was no use.
The world went black and silent.
About the Author
Amber Sweetapple is a sassy mama to 5 wild and wonderful kids. She enjoys long evening walks in her suburban Detroit neighborhood with her writer husband Jack Sheppard. Her other favorite things are singing, chocolate, good wine, and writing her hunky husband into her stories. She also likes belly dancing, watching Real Housewives (don’t judge!) and cooking dinner for her family in her crockpot. Oh, and cupcakes. Please feel free to contact her at [email protected]. Emails from readers are always welcome.
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. You can also follow me on Twitter: @AmberSweetapple, or find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmberSweetapple. I love to chat with my fans.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Now
Chapter 2: Then
Chapter 3: Now
Chapter 4: Then
Chapter 5: Now
Chapter 6: Then
Chapter 7: Now
Chapter 8: Then
Chapter 9: Now
Chapter 10: Then
Chapter 11: Now
Chapter 12: Then
Chapter 13: Now
Chapter 14: Then
Chapter 15: Now
Chapter 16: Then
Chapter 17: Now
Chapter 18: Then
Chapter 19: Now
Chapter 20: Merging
Chapter 21: Ending
Djinn and Tonic (sample chapter)
About the Author
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Now
Chapter 2: Then
Chapter 3: Now
Chapter 4: Then
Chapter 5: Now
Chapter 6: Then
Chapter 7: Now
Chapter 8: Then
Chapter 9: Now
Chapter 10: Then
Chapter 11: Now
Chapter 12: Then
Chapter 13: Now
Chapter 14: Then
Chapter 15: Now
Chapter 16: Then
Chapter 17: Now
Chapter 18: Then
Chapter 19: Now
Chapter 20: Merging
Chapter 21: Ending
Djinn and Tonic (sample chapter)
About the Author
Jack and Djinn Page 23