Speaking of romance, how about a little taste from my debut romantic suspense, Whirlwind?  Here’s a reminder of the back cover blurb, to warm you up:

Love at first sight is a myth to aspiring journalist Melissa Williams, but when she meets Jason McAlister at a friend’s wedding, a Cinderella-like fantasy turns her no-nonsense world upside down. She sees in his penetrating blue eyes not just an evening, but a lifetime together that includes much more than a glass slipper and a kiss.

Realizing she shared a few salacious emails with Jason months ago, a humiliated Melissa loses herself in the crowd, thankful he doesn’t know who she is. But he does know””and with a gentle touch and a steamy kiss, he soon picks up their flirtation right where it left off.

As midnight strikes, Melissa succumbs to Jason’s sexy pull, unaware that a woman’s body has been discovered in the wake of the party. When evidence points to Melissa as the killer’s next target, the lines between fantasy and reality blur. She goes into hiding, charmed by one mysterious man and hunted by another.

Cinderella lost a shoe””Melissa could lose both her handsome prince and
her life.

The following excerpt captures one of the most romantic moments in Whirlwind, I think, and it doesn’t involve a gift or even a kiss.  Melissa Williams is falling hard for email buddy Jason McAlister, now that they’ve met in person.  The problem is, they’re at a wedding, and plenty of other girls have their eye on Jason too. At least Melissa has Jason’s full attention while he tends her injured hand:

The Excerpt

Jason manipulated my fingers, testing each one before having me make a fist. His movements were confident and graceful “” were his fingers really that long?

“You don’t feel any pain?” he asked.

“Not much. I’ll probably just have a little bruising tomorrow, that’s all.”

He picked up the napkin. “That’s what this is for.” He set the makeshift ice bag on the back of my hand.

I inhaled sharply when the coldness hit my skin.

“It’ll feel great in just a minute, promise.” He looked up and smiled, then leaned forward. My heart skipped a beat when his cheek brushed my hair. “I guess I get to play doctor with you after all,” he whispered.

With those words, the discomfort in my hand disappeared, erased by an embarrassed hot flash. Was my face burning because he’d remembered my tasteless emails or at the thought of really playing with Dr. Jason?

“Yeah, about that.” I cleared my throat. He was still hovering at my ear, so I tried not to shout in his. “I was just kidding, you know. I never thought “” “

“You never thought we’d meet in person,” he finished. With those words he extinguished my fire faster than ice ever could. He was already two steps ahead; he’d recognized that the real me didn’t live up to my online persona. I bit my lip. I wouldn’t wait for him to fabricate a reason to go find “Tee.”

“Yes, I guess so. You know, my hand is fine now. You don’t have to “” “

Before I could finish, he pressed his lips closer to my ear.

“This wasn’t the kind of doctor I was suggesting, you know.” His seductive lilt and hot breath catapulted me back into my fantasy. In my vision, his lips started at my ear, traveled down my neck “¦ across my col­larbone “¦ down to my “¦

Jason pulled away and stared at my frozen face, analyzing the idiotic expression that surely filled it. At first he scowled, then broke into a wide grin as my heart raced out of control.

Having been caught indulging my erotic imagination, I ducked my head and stared down at the drippy napkin between us. That’s when I saw his fingers under my wrist.

He’s reading my pulse! Cheater!

“Melissa, we’re going to dance. Have fun with the good doctor, okay?” Linda said as she and Chase rose.

I looked up to find Jason shaking with laughter. “Okay,” I said, gig­gling too.

“Did I shock you?” he asked when Chase and Linda were out of earshot. His smile faded a bit, and I saw just a hint of regret in his eyes.

“No “¦ well, yes, but not by what you said “¦ exactly.” I chewed the side of my mouth, having given away too much.

He moved a little closer, his eyes wide, expecting an explanation. It seemed I was destined to humiliate myself in front of him, and here was the latest opportunity. Would he vanish in a puff of smoke like every other dream?

“It’s just that “¦ “ I stopped, too ashamed to continue.

He stroked my palm, but it would take more than that to calm me this time.

“What? You can tell me. I’m not going to disappear, I promise.”

Can he hear what I’m thinking? I grabbed my drink and took a swig of the lime-flavored vodka. Fine, might as well get this over with.

“It’s just that you said it to me.”

I avoided his eyes, waiting for the “I was just being funny” line, but it never came. Instead, Jason pursed his lips and removed what was left of the ice from my hand. He took a fresh napkin and dried my skin, repeating his gentle massage. “There, how’s that?” he asked quietly.

“Wonderful,” I sighed, and his gorgeous smile returned.

My hand stayed in his until the waiter came to collect the empty glasses and dirty napkins. Before he did, he tapped Jason on the shoulder and spoke in his ear. I busied myself with my drink but didn’t miss the note that changed hands, along with a small, white piece of plastic “” a hotel key.

Jason nodded and the waiter subtly pointed at a table occupied by one of the women who’d sat next to me during the ceremony. When Jason’s eyes followed his arm, she immediately gave him a cute little wave and batted her eyelashes. He smiled briefly, pocketing the card and tipping the waiter.

As I’d suspected, Jason wouldn’t be sleeping alone tonight. Even if Tricia had managed to drop off the face of the earth “” if only “” the line behind her had already formed. I wanted to crawl under the table, tired of my emotional rollercoaster ride.

The waiter left, and Jason faced me again.

“So how many of those do you have?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

He inspected the tablecloth and actually blushed. “Do you really want to know?”

Is he embarrassed? How could he be after that display?

“Yes. No-nonsense, remember?” It would be better to end this delu­sion now, before it went any further. I’d already considered checking into the hotel, just so I could hand him a key. I was pathetic.

Jason reached into his right jacket pocket and retrieved not one, but four keys “” and a handful of notes, which he crumpled into a tight ball.

Damn. I’m such a loser.

“I see. So how do you know which key goes with which note?” I asked flatly. The number of propositions shouldn’t have surprised me; a girl would have to be both blind and deaf to not be attracted to Jason. His frankness with that fact did surprise me.

“I don’t care. I have no intention of ever contacting any of these women.” He set the ball of paper on a passing busboy’s tray and re-pocketed the cards. “I’ll drop these off at the front desk.” He looked at me again, anticipating the next question.

“So what’s in the other pocket “” underwear?” My words came out unnecessarily sharp, and I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth.

Jason’s eyebrows rose, along with the corners of his perfect lips.

“I’m sorry. That was rude. There’s no delete button in person, is there?” I shook my head and clamped my mouth shut before I could say anything else obnoxious.

He laughed. “No, I guess not.” Jason’s smile shrank, and he captured my gaze with his. “I only put important things in my left pocket,” he said, his smooth voice challenging me.

Now my eyebrows crept up. “Really “¦ “ The sarcasm slipped out before I could stop myself.

“Would you like to see?” He stretched his jacket toward me, invit­ing me to put my hand in and check for myself. I rolled my eyes when he waved the coat seductively.

It didn’t take long for curiosity to get the best of me, and I carefully reached into his pocket. I couldn’t feel a thing “” it was empty. His hand followed mine into the space, weaving our fingers together and sending my heart to my throat. “Only things I care about go in this pocket,” he murmured and gently pressed my hand a little farther in.

Again I had trouble breathing.

~~~

Whirlwind is available directly from Omnific Publishing, on Amazon, and even in the Coffee Time Bookstore.  Comment on this post and you might get your copy FREE!