Title: A Gypsy’s Kiss
Author: Susan Griscom
Genre: NA Sports, Supernatural Romance
Editor: Michelle Olson
Cover Designer: The Perfect Pear Cover Design
Blurb:
2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Silver Metal Winner
There was no denying his remarkable skill with a hockey stick,
But it was his talents off the ice that caught Breena's eye.
Breena Cassidy
Cursed with what could be one of the worst supernatural abilities imaginable, Breena has never had the luxury of falling in love. Hell, she's never even held a guy's hand. At only twenty-two years old, she's just about given up on the whole love thing. After all, when you can see twelve hours of someone's future by a simple touch, and they, in turn, can see what you see, well... relationships are sort of out of the question. Her gigs performing psychic readings at parties, and the occasional one-on-one private appointment are just about Breena's only connection with people. No matter how much she might wish otherwise.
Hawk Covington
Hawk's hard body and skill have earned him a starting position on the Pioneer's college hockey team. But it's not his talent with a hockey stick that's the most remarkable. His gorgeous two-colored eyes not only draw the attention of every female on campus, they also allow him to track people and objects. But when he suddenly finds himself stalked by a stranger, he seeks out the help of the rumored, "campus gypsy" for help.
Despite his vow to stay single and play as many college women as he can while the fun lasts, Hawk can't ignore his attraction to the lovely and spirited Breena. And she can't get the hunky star hockey player out of her mind once a single touch of his hand reveals something utterly strange. Surrounded by mystery, they realize that fate has brought them together for a reason, but can they stay alive long enough to recognize the depth of their feelings for one another?
This is Breena's story. She was a child in all three books of Whisper Cape. She is now grown up with a story of her own, but you won't find any spoilers to Whisper Cape in A Gypsy's Kiss. 18+ due to adult situations.
Susan Griscom writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She's hooked on sexy romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course.
She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence.
She lives in Northern California in wine country and one of her favorite weekend excursions is wine tasting with the love of her life. Together, she and her romantic husband have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.
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For a Friday night, the visitors to the arena’s ice rink seemed a bit sparse. That was just fine by me. It would afford me more opportunities to take Breena around the ice without having to dodge other novice skaters.
“I don’t know about this, Hawk,” she said as I laced up her skates for her. I’d rented her a pair of the rink’s, no doubt dull and worn out figure skates, while I wore my own hockey skates. If she decided she liked skating after this, we could see about getting her a pair of her own someday. Listen to me, talking as if we’d made plans for a long and blissful future together. Maybe I needed to have my head examined. The life of a hockey player, on the road all the time, not much time for commitments to a relationship. That was another reason why I’d never been in one. I could see it eventually, someday in the future with someone like Breena Cassidy, but for now I’d keep it just friends. I did like the idea of discussing abilities with Breena though.
“You’ll be fine. I promise not to let you fall. Remember, I can see where you’re going before you even get there.” She gave me a strange look, and I hoped she hadn’t taken that the wrong way. Her “creepy stalker guy” comment from last week surfaced to the front of my mind. “I mean, if you’re going to fall, I’ll know it ahead of time.”
“Right.”
“Come on, Gypsy.” I took her hand in mine. Was this awesome sensation going to happen every time we touched? The prospect of kissing Breena exploded in my mind, as well as a dozen other things I’d like to do with her, and I had to check those thoughts before my jeans became too tight to skate.
I put my other hand around her waist and helped her onto the ice. She was a little shaky, and her left foot slid out from under her, but I held on tight and righted her before she could fall. Ice was hard and cold, and I didn’t want her first experience skating to be a bad one. We made it around the rink three times without her falling. I could have held on to her waist for hours, but if I wanted her to learn to skate, she’d need to learn to balance on her own. “I’m going to let go of your waist now.”
“No!”
“It’s okay. I have your hand. And I’m quick. I’ll catch you before you fall.” She skated along beside me while I held her hand. I showed her how to move her feet, and by the fifth time around the ice, she was doing it on her own. “Are you sure you’ve never skated before?”
“Positive. That’s something I think I would remember.”
A slow song came on over the PA, and I grabbed her right hand with my left and snuck my right arm around her waist as I skated backward. We glided in time to the music, her skates mimicking mine as we danced around the ice as if we were in an old-time movie. I didn’t want the song to stop, but when it did, I reluctantly let her go. We made our way around the rink several more times until Breena complained that her feet were getting sore. I had to give her credit for lasting as long as she had in those cheap, overused skates.
I helped her get her skates off and then took my own off. We stood at the same time, facing each other. A sparkle of ice gleamed on her cheek and I smoothed it away with my finger. Her plump, red lips beckoning me to kiss them, the urge too irresistible to deny. I leaned down and skimmed my mouth over hers. She didn’t move. I wanted to taste this girl like I’d never wanted anyone else before. I gently pressed my lips to hers again. Her lips parted, accepting. When our tongues met, the sensation screamed through every cell of my body. I almost lost control of myself in the middle of the arena. What was it that she did to me? Why did she make me feel this way? Whatever it was, I wanted more, and she moaned a little as I explored her mouth, taking in every nuance, every little sensation. I could tell kissing wasn’t something she did very often. In fact, I thought maybe this was her first, considering she hadn’t been able to have any skin contact with anyone before me without exposing her ability. I didn’t want to stop, but I managed to pull away. I stared at her face, her eyes still closed, her lips still puckered. I waited anxiously for her reaction. Finally, she opened her eyes and smiled at me.
“Hey, Gypsy,” I whispered and brushed away a loose strand of her hair. “Was that the first time you’ve ever been kissed?”
“No!” she blushed. “Well … yes. I mean … because of my ability, I’ve never been able to get that close to anyone before.”
An overwhelming influx of grief came over me as I thought about the lonely life she’d had to live up until now, never being able to touch or be touched. So many emotions came from touch. Then I immediately felt like a heel. I didn’t want to hurt this girl. I liked her. But kissing her had been the wrong thing to do. Particularly because she’d never had the opportunity before. I may have just stepped into something I had a feeling required a whole lot more commitment than I intended. I wasn’t looking for a relationship. Not the way she would want. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“Don’t.” She turned away from me, but I got right back in her face. There was no way I was letting her walk away after that beautiful kiss. I liked this girl and wanted to get to know her. She was someone I could talk to. Someone I could share things with that I couldn’t mention to other women. I may have rushed things a bit with the kiss, but damn, she turned me on.
“Breena, I didn’t know. I didn’t know it was your first time. Really.”
“I shouldn’t have told you that, and I don’t need your pity,” she said and walked away from me.
“Damn it, Breena. Wait!” I grabbed her by the arm. “Believe me, pity is the last thing I want to give you.”
“What do you want from me, Hawk? Why did you come to me last week for a reading? Was I just some sort of experiment to you? To see if you could get the “weird” girl to succumb to your charms? Well, congratulations. Now let me go.”
“No. I won’t let you go. Not until you understand. I came to you for help. Really. I honestly believe that someone is stalking me, and I thought you could help me figure out who it is. Especially since my own ability isn’t helping me. But you’re so … so damn beautiful. I couldn’t help myself.”
She sighed and lowered her head as if in defeat. I let go of her arm and she turned toward the door.
I hurried up beside her. “Are you really mad?”
She continued walking, not saying anything.
“What? Now you’re not talking to me?”
She shoved the heavy glass door open and stepped out into the chilled night air. Inhaling, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. The lightweight jacket she had on was no match for the cold front swooping in. I went to put my arm around her, but she shrugged it off and headed toward her car. I guess she hadn’t liked the kiss as much as I had. But man, it sure felt as if she’d loved it.
“Okay. So, you’re not talking to me. I can handle that. I get it. But I still need your help, and I’m not going to apologize for kissing you.”
She gave me a stern glance as she unlocked the car. She quickly got in behind the wheel, and I slipped into the passenger seat. She stuck the key in the ignition and started the engine. The car boomed with silence. I couldn’t take it.
“For the record, that was the first time I’ve ever kissed a gypsy.”
I caught the hint of a smile on her face as she backed out of the parking space.
I grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and spent most of my childhood summers in Smithfield, Virginia. I’m not sure where my love of words comes from, but I’ve loved books since I was a child and I’ve loved writing stories for as long as I can remember.
My parents wanted me to do something practical–be an engineer, a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant. But I always dreamed of doing something completely different. I knew I wanted to be a writer, even if it took a bit of time for me to get to that point.
It led me to spend more time writing stories than studying physics and chemistry in high school. It’s what led me study literature and then work on an MFA in Creative Writing at Virginia Commonwealth University. And when I finished my master’s degree, love led me away from the US and brought me to Sweden.
So what do I write? I write about relationships, about love. I often write about interracial relationships. I like reading stories about people who are different, who see past the differences and fall in love. And those are the stories I also enjoy writing. I write stories for people who know that love comes in many colors.
