Kissing Stone
Ellora's Cave
Genre: Paranormal
ISBN #9781419922558
Book Length: Novella
Buy the eBook

Kit Bauman has lusted after Jax for as long as she's known him but she knows she'll never act on it. She refuses to risk their friendship for a few nights of what promises to be really great sex. When a little man in an Irish knick-knack shop sells her a "magic rock", she finds herself saying things she never thought she'd say, and doing things she'd only dreamed of doing—all of them with Jax. But the magic will wear off...

Previously released as part of the Irish Enchantment Anthology.



Excerpt:
“How can I help you today?”

“Oh, I really don’t need anything.” She looked around at the sweaters and silver that decorated the store. And there’s probably nothing I can afford. “I just ducked in to escape the rain,” she said, a bit sheepishly.

“Well, that’s fine then, but I’m thinkin’ I can interest you in something that might change your life.”

That seemed like a mighty big goal for an Irish knick-knack shop but Kit smiled.

“Come in and tell Murphy what brought you here today.”

“Uh, nothing. I mean I was just out walking and…” She let her voice trail away as she wandered toward the counter and the little man behind it. She tried to smile but it was a half-hearted attempt.

“Now, lass, you look like a woman with troubles. You can share them with ol’ Murphy here.”

Even knowing he couldn’t possibly care about her troubles or that ranting about the situation wouldn’t help, she found herself telling him all that had happened.

“So, what does your young man say about all of this?”

“My what?” She shook her head in confusion. “Oh, a boyfriend. I don’t have a boyfriend, or anything.”

Murphy stepped back and stroked his chin as he observed her. “That’s odd because you have the aura of someone in love. Or on the verge of love.”

Kit choked on the thought. “On the verge of love? I just want to be on the verge of not making a fool of myself on national television.”

He stared at her for another long, penetrating moment.

“I think I have the perfect thing for you.”

He ducked down behind the counter. Soft crashes and thuds reached her from the other side. She looked at the door. The rain had stopped. She could make a run for it before he stood up. But he had been kind enough to listen to her ramble.

“Here it is. I was afraid I’d lost it and then I’d be in a world of hurt now, wouldn’t I?” He straightened. Dust covered his hat and the tip of his nose. “This will be fixin’ all your troubles.”

This turned out to be a piece of…rock. Green rock, appropriate for an Irish store, but still, it was just a piece of rock.

“Uh, thanks, but you know, I don’t need any rocks right now.”

“This is no ordinary rock.” He leaned forward and his voice dropped to a whisper. Kit found herself leaning in to hear him. “This is a piece of the Blarney Stone. The real Blarney Stone, not that one tourists smooch all the time.” He leveled that strangely observant gaze at her. “Do you know the legend of the Blarney Stone?”

She smiled. “I do, actually. I deal with legends every day. I believe the tale goes that a man—“ She waved her hand vaguely in the air. “I can’t remember his name, kissed the stone and was able to keep the queen from taking his castle.”

“Not just that. He was able to persuade her, convince her. That’s what this stone does.” He held up the green rock. “You kiss it and you’re given the gift of gab, persuasive eloquence.” He kissed the rock and placed it on the counter. A strange glow surrounded it for a moment but when Kit blinked, the light was gone.

Great, now I’m hallucinating.

“Now, as you can imagine, I wouldn’t sell this to just anyone.”

Kit had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. The man was really getting into this sales pitch. Well, she wasn’t having it. She didn’t need any more knick-knacks cluttering up her house.

“Believe me. It’s a special prize for a special person. Someone who will use it wisely. It’s a powerful stone but used properly, you can find the most powerful gift.”

As she listened, she couldn’t help but stare at the stone. His words settled into her head. The stone was pretty and it wouldn’t hurt to have it around the house. She could use it as a talisman—to give her confidence when she needed it. Like that feather they gave the elephant to convince him he could fly.

“I think it’s made for you, lass. The stone itself is calling you.”

She could almost feel it. Something deep inside her wanted that stone. Kit nodded. “I’ll take it.”

Murphy’s smile contained a whiff of triumph but Kit ignored it.

“How much?” As she said the words, a soft voice reminded her that she wasn’t going to buy this stone. Somehow that didn’t seem to matter now.

“Fifty dollars.”

For a chunk of rock he probably picked up in the street? She ignored the logical sentiment and opened her purse. Mentally slapping herself for being silly, she wrote a check for the amount and collected the stone.

“It will bring you what you most desire.” He looked around, his head snapping side to side as if he was sure he was missing something but didn’t know what. He clicked his fingers and disappeared behind the counter again. He popped up almost immediately and slapped his hand on the counter. “And you’d better take those.”

Kit looked at the four cellophane wrappers.

“What? You give out free condoms with every purchase?” That was taking promoting “safe sex” a little too far.

“Not every purchase but this is special.” He reached beneath the counter. “Take these as well.” Two more condoms joined the pile.

Six condoms? Why would he think she needed one, let alone six? “Uh, I haven’t used six condoms total in the past two years.”

He winked at her. “I have a feelin’ that’ll be changin’.”



Reviews:
Coming Soon