gifted
Empath by Bonnie Dee: A gift or a curse? Jordan
Langley’s every touch of other human beings transmits
their deepest feelings to him. Detective Lauren Sadler blocks
her emotions so she can do her job. When a murder case brings
them together, will Lauren yield to the power of the most intimate
exchange she’s ever known?
For nearly two years, Jordan has lived like a hermit, avoiding
the world that affects him too deeply. He had spent his life
dealing with his “gift” of empathy until a traumatic
event drove him into seclusion. Now a friend needs his help
to reach an autistic boy who has witnessed a murder.
Lauren Sadler, the detective on the case, believes in Jordan’s
ability after seeing the results of his touch on the boy. She
doesn’t count on how that touch will influence her. In
the midst of the investigation, the couple shares a passionate
night. But Lauren’s not ready to open up to deep intimacy
when her trust in herself has been shattered.
Solving the murder and coming to terms with love will challenge
them both, bringing each to a new awareness of what they have
to offer each other and the world.
Obey Me by Paige Cuccaro: Sophie Merlo’s
uncanny nose for news has led her into the path of a brutal
serial killer. Now she’d be happy just to survive the
week. Alex thinks he’s being set up in a string of murders,
and he’s sure Sophie’s hiding something that could
clear him.
Caught in the middle of a century-old feud between two rival
vampires, there are only three things Sophie knows for sure:
One of them is a killer. The other wants to take her to bed.
If she can’t figure out who’s lying about what soon,
her career hopes could vanish. Right along with her last drop
of blood.
Reviews
Karen Scott's Blog, Reviewer Azteclady, 7.5 of
10
"The sexual pull (of the main characters) is stronger than
their fears, but is it strong enough to build a relationship
on? Is the emotional vulnerability worth the potential joy?
Of course these are not original questions, but staples in romance—and
in literature. Ms Dee manages to make them fresh for me."
Mrs. Giggles Reviews, 90
"He (the hero) doesn't wallow in self-pity, he tries to
take steps to live a life that is as normal as possible, so
this doesn't make him an emo martyr to me. Instead, he's a darling
tortured hero who wears shining armor. Lauren is a good heroine
too. Her job fast makes her cynical about people, but she doesn't
let that turn her into a whiny idiot. She and Jordan are two
of a kind in that both of them are afraid of getting close to
other people."
Joyfully Reviewed, Reviewer Chris
The characters are well-drawn with believable motives and neither
hero nor heroine do things just to further the plot along (no
TSTL heroine here, hurrah). If you want a short mystery with
a bit of sex to whet your appetite, you can’t go wrong
with Empath.
Fallen Angel Reviews, Heather, 4 angels
Ms. Dee's writing is as flawless as ever and the plot is riddled
with suspense. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. I
have to hand it to an author who has the ability to pull that
off with style and finesse. If you're looking for a dark and
intriguing mystery with a good romantic twist, this is the book
for you
ExCerpt
The woman walking down the hall toward them was beautiful.
Her brown hair was pulled into a casual ponytail, but clear
hazel eyes in a perfectly oval face gave her the aspect of
a Renaissance painting of a saint. Her angelic features contrasted
with the grim set of her mouth and tight jaw.
Avenging angel, Jordan thought.
She tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear and held
out her hand, one raised eyebrow expressing her curiosity
about Jordan. “I’m Detective Lauren Sadler.”
“Jordan Langley. I’m an old friend of the family.”
Jordan couldn’t refuse to take her hand. During the
few seconds of contact, he felt a potent mix of feelings pour
from her: tension, frustration, suspicion, uncertainty and
an unexpected spike of sexual arousal. By the time he withdrew
his hand, he knew Lauren Sadler was awash in self-doubt and
conflicting emotions waged war within her.
Frowning, she rubbed her fingers against her palm and turned
to Danny. “I’ve finished questioning Celia if
you want to take her and Mike to your house. I can’t
get anything out of him in his present condition.”
“My nephew wouldn’t be easy to question on his
best day, but he can communicate in his own way.” Danny’s
tone was brusque. “Jordan’s here to help.”
“Are you a psychologist, Mr. Langley?” Her keen
eyes narrowed slightly, assessing him.
“Not exactly. I’m just…” Jordan
trailed off, unable to come up with a single good reason to
explain his presence.
“Look, you can ask about his credentials later. For
now, I just want to get Mike calmed down, and if Jordan can
do it…”
Sadler glanced back and forth between them. “All right.”
Danny led the way into his nephew’s room.
Jordan took a deep breath, bracing himself for an onslaught
of traumatic emotions.
****
Who the hell was this guy?
Lauren followed behind Stipe and his tall friend, her eyes
drawn to the breadth of Langley’s shoulders and the
shock of shiny black hair that straggled messily over his
collar.
More importantly, why was she about to let him talk to her
witness? She’d made no headway with the boy over the
past few hours. His own mother couldn’t get him to stop
rocking and muttering numbers. This guy, Jordan Langley, had
already admitted he wasn’t a psychologist, so what business
did he have here, what connection to the McKenzie family,
and could that connection make him a suspect?
Last, but not least, why was she checking out his ass? She
was in the middle of a murder investigation, her one witness
incapable of speech. This was no time to be staring at long
legs and narrow hips in loose blue jeans.
Lauren turned her attention to Mrs. McKenzie and her son.
Celia sat cross-legged on the floor, near but not touching
the boy. He was staring at the floor, only the top of his
sandy blond hair and a slice of his profile visible. He was
small for a ten-year-old. Or at least Lauren thought so. She
didn’t know that much about kids. Mike’s shoulders
were hunched and he rocked slightly back and forth, exactly
as he’d been when she’d left to talk to Warren,
the head of the forensics team.
Stipe squatted beside his sister, resting a hand on her
back. “Jordan’s here.”
Celia glanced up at Langley. “It’s been a long
time.” From her expression, she was as perplexed as
Lauren about why he was there.
For that matter, Langley himself seemed uncertain. He swallowed
and clenched his hands lightly at his sides. He gazed at Mike,
who continued muttering equations and making calculations
with his rapidly moving fingers. Celia had explained this
mental exercise was his touchstone, his method of achieving
calm in the midst of chaos. How did Jordan Langley intend
to reach through the protective shield of numbers and contact
the boy?
Langley was one of those loose-limbed, gangly men who appeared
to be uncomfortable in his own body. He lowered himself to
the floor near Mike, folding his long legs awkwardly. A few
moments passed before he extended a tentative hand and touched
the boy’s bare forearm.
Lauren waited for Mike to jerk away. He hadn’t accepted
anyone’s touch, not even his mother’s, batting
at her hands when she tried to console him, but now he went
perfectly still. The rocking stopped. The murmured numbers
stopped. Time seemed to stop. The room became so silent Lauren
could hear quiet breaths hitching in and out of the boy’s
chest.
Langley’s long, angular face was pale beneath the
shock of dark hair that fell across his forehead. His eyes
were partially closed and a frown drew his thick brows together.
His mouth was grim and his jaw flexed. Tension radiated from
his body.
What the hell is going on here? Lauren’s
gaze darted to Detective Stipe, whose gaze was riveted on
the pair, and to Celia McKenzie. The woman’s eyes widened
as she witnessed the transformation in her son.
The boy’s fingers, ticking off patterns only he understood,
slowed and stilled. His unfocused stare sharpened and he turned
to look at Langley, as if the man were the only other person
in the room.
The silent communication passing between them made Lauren’s
skin prickle. She neither believed in nor dismissed the idea
of psychic powers, but it was clear something beyond the realm
of normal was happening.
