Kimber Chin

“What is it?” Mindy asked the manager as she hurried into the restaurant. The first thing she noticed was the quiet. It was never this quiet. Her stomach dropped. Or empty. It had to be bad. The restaurant was always slower on a Tuesday but to be completely empty? “Was there a fire?” The disaster all owners feared.

“No, no,” she was assured. “We just need your answer on something.”

“But…” Mindy followed her. Where was everyone? “Our guests?”

“The restaurant has been rented out for a private function tonight, remember?” said over her shoulder.

Right. Mindy relaxed. But shouldn’t that function have started? It was six o’clock. “Did we run out of something? You know you don’t need an answer from me for that. You have approval to-”

“She isn’t the one asking the question, Mindy.” Gary stood, perfection in a black suit, white shirt, dark tie.

Mindy stopped short. “You had business tonight.” That’s why they couldn’t spend the evening together.

Why were there flowers on the tables? And classical music, not top forty, playing softly?

“I do have business.” He took her left hand. “Serious business.” He dropped to his knee and Mindy’s heart dropped with him. “Life changing business.” He fumbled around in his breast pocket, taking out a blue box. His hands were shaking. “Mindy, you know I love you…” A pause. “And your meatloaf.” A grin. “But mostly you. Would you feed me for the rest of your life?” He opened the box. A diamond winked back.

For the rest of her life. Forever with Gary. Mindy gave him a nervous, wet smile. “I will. I will.” And she was being swung up, into his arms, his lips on hers.

There was clapping and cheering from the kitchen. “We have zee love,” a big voice boomed, “now for zee food!”

• » Comments (0)

Here is an excerpt from Flawless, my February 2010 release
(and yes, the killer is Tavos Santos, the knife wielding vigilante from Invisible)

“Excuse me.” She rested a gloved hand on his sleeve. Was that a flinch? No. His face was like granite as he turned to face her. This man would never flinch.

“Fuck,” he said under his breath. “What do you want?” Louder. The grating language offset by a deep, low voice, the sound touching the very depths of her.

What did she want? Looking in his flat brown eyes, she knew. To live. To love. To…

“This.” Grace plucked the toothpick away from his lips and, before fear overwhelmed the impulse, she leaned forward, into his warmth, and brushed her mouth against his.

His lips were hard. Unyielding. Like him. Like fate.

She didn’t know what she had expected. Not that. Disappointed, Grace withdrew to the safety and coldness of her own personal space. She had expected more. She took a pen out of her purse. Didn’t matter. Number four. She crossed it off the list. It was done.

“Fuck.” A hand gripped her waist, spinning her and the stool around. His face fierce. He was going to kill her now. Right here, in public. For daring to kiss him. Grace opened her mouth to scream, only to have it covered with his. She struggled. His hand gripped the back of her neck, not allowing her to retreat, hard lips grinding down, his body slamming against her, knocking the wind, the fight out of her, allowing his tongue inside.

It was hungry. Primitive. Deadly. Was death by kissing possible? Her body sagged against his, all resistance gone. Her right hand crept up, around his shoulder and into his hair. He was so lean, hard, not an ounce of softness in his body. A finely trained weapon. To be used against her.

She didn’t die. He stepped back, a dazed look in those eyes. She touched the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue, tasting…blood.

“Fuck.” The killer ran a hand through his shiny black hair, smoothing down the tuft she had clenched. “Fuck.”

• » Comments (5)