Welcoming Jasmine Black to the Author Spotlight

ALL FOR AN ANGEL

All For An Angel Excerpt:

What the hell? This can’t be happening. “Ma’am, I need to see your license and registration.” The officer pointed his flashlight at her breasts. “You’ve got to be joking.” Amy Bradshaw laughed.

“This is no laughing matter. Speeding is a crime, and I’m going to have to write you a ticket.” The officer opened his book, but left the light turned on the same spot.

She shifted in her seat, uncomfortable about his gaze on her breasts. “A ticket? For three miles over the speed limit?” She had been working double shifts three days a week, for the last month, saving to move from that roach infested hole the landlord called an apartment.

With the speeding ticket last week, her car needing tires and now this impending ticket, all her hard earned money would be gone. “Gabe, does this have anything to do with the fact you asked me out not ten minutes ago, and I turned you down?” She rolled her eyes and hoped it was too dark for him to see.

“Again,” he muttered.

“What?” What was he talking about and did he have to pull her over on Main Street? Even at night, the whole town would recognize her car. “You turned me down again. License and registration.” If her luck didn’t change, she’d never be able to move out of that hell hole. She gripped the steering wheel, willing herself to maintain her poise. “Please don’t do this. My insurance will go through the roof, and it’s hard enough to put food on the table for Angel and me.” The six foot, solid steel man flinched at the mention of the three foot, pudgy-cheeked girl. Oh, why did I bring up Angel? She should have just given him the documents he wanted and kept her mouth shut. But then her cash would be gone, and she’d have nothing as a deposit for that apartment on the nicer side of Seawell. The small Indiana town had grown fast over the last few years, making good affordable apartments a rare commodity.

Gabe wandered around her car, checked the lights, and then came back. “I’m going to have to ask you to step out of the car.” His voice stayed calm and in control even though she could see the pain on his face.

She wanted to argue her case more, but instead she shoved open the car door and stepped out. Her baby waited with the sitter and needed to be tucked in bed. She didn’t have time or the strength to go through this again. Going on a date with Gabriel Hawkins, a.k.a. Hawk, was out of the question. It hurt having to say no to him over and over, but she didn’t have a choice. Too much was at stake to risk it. The night breeze blew across her exposed skin and cooled her. She’d only been in her car a few minutes but without air-conditioning it was stifling. He flashed the light inside her beat-up old Pinto and cleared his throat when the beam landed on the stained car seat. She despised what her past mistake had done to him. As he riffled around, she couldn’t help but stare at his muscular arms and tight butt in his uniform. Nor could she stop the thought of running her fingers through the short brown curls growing at the nape of his neck. The curls were sexy when he let his hair grow out.

“If you need some cash to get you through—”

“No, no. I did okay with tips tonight, and I couldn’t ask you for money. Lou’s the one who’s behind on child support.” Behind? Hell, that man had never paid one dime. Plus, she didn’t have a court order to make him pay. She’d been stupid and naïve to leave his name off the birth certificate. But she’d been in denial, praying to God Gabe was the father, even though it was impossible.

He stopped looking through her car, slid his flashlight into a loop on his pants and took her by the arms. “He doesn’t pay? Wait till I find that no good . . . I can’t believe we have the same blood in our veins.”

“Gabe, don’t start a fight with your brother. Promise me?” She looked into his eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat, but she knew the color by heart. Sky blue when he laughed and a deeper ocean blue when he was angry. She guessed they were the darker shade right now.

“He should help you. It’s not right that you have to work double shifts at the diner while he’s off having fun as if he has no responsibilities. Or at least none he’d acknowledge. Let me take you to dinner Friday and for once have someone wait on you. I’ll even forget the citation.” He dropped her arms and closed the ticket book he hadn’t written in.

Jasmine Black also has two upcoming releases in anthologies with Coming Together. One in Al Fresco to be released on Earth Day in April, and a second, Against the Odds, in June. Proceeds goes to benifit charity.

Thank you to Jasmine Black for being in the Spotlight!

Visit Jasmine Black at her blog www.jasmineblackromance.blogspot.com
Jasmine Marital Affair from Mystic Moon Press
All For An Angel from Mystic Moon Press