Welcome Today's Featured Author
Ginger Ring!!!
The
Gangster’s Kiss
By
Ginger
Ring
John O’Malley’s
sister is missing. All the clues of her disappearance lead to Hayward
County, Wisconsin and the crooks and questionable sheriff that reside
there. Pretending to be one of them, John takes a job as bodyguard
for the sheriff’s beautiful sister, Grace. It seems like the
perfect way to investigate their crimes and corruption, but when
someone threatens to kill Grace, the job proves harder than he
thought. Is she an innocent witness to a crime, or just as guilty as
everyone else?
Grace Sullivan
just wanted a normal life: find a good man, get married and have a
family. She has had enough of looking the other way while her brother
hides behind his sheriff’s badge to conduct shady dealings. Hiring
a gangster named John to watch her is the final straw. When a face
from the past threatens her life, she is forced to put her life in
John’s hands, but as time goes on, all she really wants is to be in
the gangster’s arms.
Excerpt
The hair rose on
the back of his neck. He licked his lips and smirked. She was spying
on him. Her silhouette outlined a second floor window. A slight
breeze nudged the curtain now and then to reveal the color of her
nightgown. It looked to be a pretty, pale pink or peach shade of
satin and lace. He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his
hair. Her name suited her. She was as elegant and graceful as a
dancer he’d once seen.
Eryn had dragged
him, kicking and screaming, to a play. The dancer’s arms and legs
swayed with the music. The vision in his mind didn’t compare to
Grace though. She was one of a kind. A woman way out of his league.
His bare feet sunk
in the thick grass as he crossed the yard to sit on the bench in
front of the barn. No doubt she was following him with her lovely
blue eyes. He had moved into the living quarters above the garage.
The heat in the small room was stifling. Way too many thoughts
circled in his head, and he couldn’t get any sleep.
Babysitting the
sheriff’s sister was not part of the plan. Mickey had found out
that Eryn was somewhere in the Hayward County area and he figured
working for the sheriff, the man that he was told, knew everything
that was happening in his jurisdiction. Was Grace knowledgeable about
things like her brother or just an innocent bystander? He had yet to
find out. At least she was a pretty thing. Pretty? She was a doll.
Excerpt
2
They finished
eating but their conversation lasted into dusk. The mosquitos drove
them inside where they continued to talk. He volunteered to wash the
dishes while she dried. John was a lot smarter than she thought. He
was quite well educated, in fact, but why was he here? Again, her
lack of trust kicked in.
“Well, I think we
have everything done.” John wiped his wet hands on a flour sack
towel and gave the room the once over.
“Yes.” She
gazed up. “Thank you for helping.” Her heart was aflutter. It was
just the two of them alone. Her eyes fell to his lips. What would it
be like to be touched by them? A few evening birds still crooned
outside by the bird feeder and the buzz of a bee could be heard.
He rested one hand
on the kitchen counter and reached to tuck a loose strand of blond
hair behind her ear with the other.
“Good night.”
John grabbed his hat off the table and headed to the door. “Get
some sleep. We have a driving lesson tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes.”
Grace shadowed behind, her fingers locked behind her back. “Good
night, John.”
He paused in the
doorway. “Lock the door behind me.”
“I will.” She
gripped the door handle in her hand and leaned on the door frame.
“I’ll be right
outside, in case you need anything,” he halted before going down
the steps, “or, in case you just want to stare at me some more.”
Why, the man was impossible, but he made her laugh.
“You flatter
yourself, Mr. O’Malley.” She giggled and those butterflies took
flight again.
He stepped closer.
“But what if I steal something?” he ribbed.
“I trust you.”
Did she just say that? Her heart skipped a beat.
He stood close, so
close she could feel his warmth. He didn’t wear any fancy cologne
but yet smelled fresh, like the outdoors. It was a clean, pine scent,
and definitely all male. Her fingers itched to touch his strong jaw
but she couldn’t move. She could feel the pounding of her heart in
her ears.
“Then we are
making progress.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, leaned in, and
kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, Princess.” Goose bumps rose on
her arm. She couldn’t move. Her eyes closed. Would he kiss her
again? Her lips parted. His boots sounded on the steps. She opened
her eyes and watched him cross the yard to the garage.
Grace sighed as she
her bodyguard disappeared in the dark.
“Lock the door,
Grace!” John yelled from somewhere in the shadows.
She rousted herself
from his spell and locked the door. The lights turned off, she danced
around the kitchen with just the moonlight to guide the way. Her feet
waltzed across the living room until she stubbed her toe on the leg
of a chair. Grace stopped. She was acting like a schoolgirl, giddy
from her first kiss. Well, she had about as much experience as a
schoolgirl. The number of kisses she’d had could be counted on one
hand. She was a mature woman. She needed to act like one. Who was she
kidding? Her feet ran up the stairs as fast as she could go.
In the darkness of
her room, she slid on her peach satin nightgown and sat in the window
seat. Was he out there watching her? Keeping her safe? A chill ran
down her spine. Was Killian gone? She really needed to tell John
about him.
Something moved by
the tree line. Why would John be over there? The lights above the
garage came on and she saw John opening the window of her room. She
dropped behind the curtain. He didn’t need to know she was spying
on him, even if she was.
Activity by the
trees caught her eye again. She tried to focus but there wasn’t
anything there. It must be a raccoon or opossum. She pulled the pink
chenille bedspread back and climbed in bed. John had whispered for
her to have sweet dreams. Her lips turned up at the corners. She
would surely be dreaming of a tall Irishman and there would be
nothing sweet about them.
About the Author
Ginger Ring is an
eclectic, hat-loving Midwestern girl with a weakness for cheese, dark
chocolate, and the Green Bay Packers. She loves reading, playing with
her cats, watching great movies, and has a quirky sense of humor.
Publishing a book has been a lifelong dream of hers and she is
excited to share her romantic stories with you. Her heroines are
classy, sassy and in search of love and adventure. When Ginger isn't
tracking down old gangster haunts or stopping at historical
landmarks, you can find her on the backwaters of the Mississippi
River fishing with her husband.
Beau Coup
Publishing http://www.beaucoupllcpublishing.com/ginger-ring/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/GingerRings
Other
Books from Ginger Ring
The Gangster’s
Woman myBook.to/TheGangstersWoman
Red Roses Black
Orchids http://mybook.to/RedRosesBlackOrchids
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