ExcerpTuesday: Ginger Simpson

Ginger and I have known each other online for a few years. I'm happy to welcome her to my blog today.

A hurricane! Just what Linda Morrison needs to welcome her to her new home in Florida. Fearing her recent purchase may end up a bundle of sticks, she’s relieved when a hero swoops in wearing a yellow slicker and offering help. Carlos Mejia is eye candy for sure, but she needs those muscles to help board up the window. Together they ride out the storm raging outside, but inside there’s more than a little electricity in the air.


Here's the excerpt:
Linda sat on the couch and hugged herself against the chill. She’d lit more candles to compensate for the covered windows and watched as Carlos knelt at the fireplace and held a match to the paper covering on her store-bought log. “I’m glad I picked up a few of those while shopping. I didn’t really expect to need a roaring fire in Florida, but I like the ambiance sometimes.”

The compressed wood caught fire and small flames flickered beyond the screen. Carlos came and sat next to her. “You’re shivering.” He tugged the afghan off the sofa’s arm and covered her.

She snuggled down and pulled her legs up under the crocheted blanket. “I think it’s more from fright than the cold. I can’t imagine a stronger wind than what we just experienced.” Carlos rubbed his arms. “It is colder than normal. Bet you think I’m pretty silly for wearing a tank top.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it.” She lied. Like any woman in her right mind wouldn’t think about those ‘guns’ and having them around her.
“It wasn’t this chilly when I got dressed this morning. I’d planned on going to the gym.”
“Well, I appreciate that you came here instead. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She curled her knees under her body then adjusted her cover. “So tell me about yourself.”
“Not much to tell. I spent some time in the army, trying to be all I could be, like they advertise, but it didn’t work — don’t much like taking orders. Got married and divorced after finding myself hitched to a woman who could out-bark any drill sergeant, and I’m living with my sis to help her out. Her husband passed away a couple of years back.”
Linda lowered her eyes. “I heard.” She lifted her gaze. “It’s one thing to be left alone, but with a child…”

“What about you?” Carlos swiveled sideways and rested in the vee where the sofa back and arm met.
“It’s a boring story. I got married in my mid-twenties, but my husband wasn’t content with only one woman in his life. I stayed with him, hoping maybe counseling would help, but it didn’t.