Inevitable Lies

I'll be releasing Inevitable Lies June 8. Romantic suspense is kind of a new genre for me, hope you will enjoy checking this one out...

Detective Luis Richter longs to go places, and become ‘somebody’. But lately he’s being doing not much of either. Between meaningless misdemeanors and boring office gossip, his hometown of Munich is hardly the hub of criminal activity. Until, Luis’s humdrum life is turned upside-down when an international case involving big money and deadly intent lands in his lap, the main victim in all this a wealthy heiress by the name of Joy Evans. Luis is in search of adventure. Joy is in dire need of love. But destiny works in mysterious ways. What happens when the unexpected has a way of confirming the past, and a destiny neither even dreamed was possible...

I'll be releasing Inevitable Lies June 8. Romantic suspense is kind of a new genre for me, hope you will enjoy checking this one out...

“An hour later, Joy sat stirring her spoonful of honey into a freshly made mug of piping hot ginger and mint tea. They were in a small half-empty cafe on the outskirts of Lindau. Joy was buried deep in thought, as a smile traveled across her face.
"What?" Luis asked, returning from retrieving his cafe latte from the counter, his eyes passing from the latte to Joy and back to his smart phone still dangling in his hand.
"Oh, nothing," she mused.
"Come on, out with it," he said, sliding onto the bench next to her until their shoulders gently collided.
Well, at least close proximity is no longer a problem, Joy thought.
"Well, I was just wondering… thinking, rather… that it’s kind of funny how such unusual circumstances can lead to moments like this."
"Like what?" he asked, looking baffled.
"Well, sitting here, with you… two strangers, murder, intrigue, grief, I don't know,” she whispered. “I mean, the list is getting ridiculously long, don't you think? But, everything still has this everyday feel to it, coffee, tea. It feels strange that's all, like I've known you a long time."
"Yup, it's been pretty bizarre, but in a good way. I mean, your case was the most worthwhile work I've had in a long time. I was kind of feeling at a dead end lately. That's before I met you and having you piss me off considerably! What’s more to tell…” he smiled.
"I know, we got off to a poor start, huh?" Joy smiled.
"A poor start? That's an understatement, don't you think? Try terrible!"
"OK, terrible," Joy laughed. "But now? Surely things have improved just a little?" She batted her eyelashes.
"Ever so slightly," he teased back, as Joy shrugged in defeat, rolling her eyes, only to have Luis raise a warning finger.
"OK, OK, I'm trying.” She flicked his finger away impatiently. “So, tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Anything! I mean, new things to add to what I already know like police detective, English mother, German father, younger sister… I mean, we’ve got all of this time to kill."
"Time?" he smirked, amused about her take on things, while taking a sip of his latte. "Well, what do you want to know?"
"Why don't you continue telling me about your life?" Joy blushed a little, feeling embarrassed by the fact that she was evidently prying.
Truthfully? Joy wanted to know everything about Luis Richter. Right down to the real nitty-gritty stuff, like whether or not he had anyone special in his life, of the female variety.
"My life?" he asked smiling, pretending to be taken aback by Joy's forthrightness.
"Yes, your life."
"It was normal, hardworking, bordering on boring, especially lately," he grinned. "That's until…"
"You met me." Joy flushed. She sighed, remembering the bliss she had felt upon waking that morning to find herself wrapped in a mutual caress, all warmth and muscle. Feeling brazen, she decided to cut straight to the chase.
"OK, so are you married, or in a relationship?" she blurted out.
"Married? Now where the hell did you get that idea?"
"Oh, I don't know." Joy blushed deeper, dropping her gaze. "OK, maybe not married, but aren’t all you handsome types usually taken? And you do always seem to be busy with that phone."
Luis tilted his head to one side, and looked intently at her.
"Well, so now I'm handsome all of a sudden?" he shot her a mischievous smile. "I do believe that that is the first compliment you’ve ever paid me, Miss Evans."
"Joy. And don't forget that I also showed you my gratitude earlier."
"Yes, gratitude," he nodded with a chuckle, locking eyes with Joy, green to green.
Is he flirting with me?
"I’m on the phone a lot because I happen to have this job to do,” he paused. “But, to answer the other part. Yes, I do have a special woman in my life, who I’m incredibly close to." He watched Joy as she tugged her hair-tie from her wrist, casually scooping her hair back into a ponytail, trying to look distracted. "But besides my sister, Sophie," he continued, still eyeing her intently, "who is usually a pain in the ass at the best of times, no, there is no one else." He chuckled.
"Oh, your sister?" Joy exhaled, nodding, trying to rid herself of the emotional roller-coaster ride she had just been on which went something like, disappointment, surprise, relief!
(Copyright © 2016 L. S. Bergman)