Too Close to Touch

BOLD STROKES BOOKS

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What Reviewers Say About BOLD STROKES Authors

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KIM BALDWIN

“
A riveting novel of suspense
seems to be a very overworked phrase.

However, it is extremely apt when discussing Kim Baldwin’s [
Hunter’s
Pursuit
]. An exciting page turner [features] Katarzyna Demetrious, a bounty hunter…with a million dollar price on her head. Look for this excellent novel of suspense…” –
R. Lynne Watson
,
MegaScene

“
Force of Nature
is an exciting and substantial reading experience which will long remain with the reader. Likeable characters with plausible problems and concerns, imaginative settings, engrossing events, and a well-tailored writing style all contribute to an exceptional novel.

Baldwin’s characterization is acutely and meticulously circumscribed and expansive. It is indeed gratifying to see a new author attempt and succeed in expanding her literary technique and writing style. Kim Baldwin is an author who has achieved both.” –
Arlene Germain
, reviewer for the
Lambda Book Report
and the
Midwest Book Review
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ROSE BEECHAM

“…her characters seem fully capable of walking away from the particulars of whodunit and engaging the reader in other aspects of their lives.”
–
Lambda Book Report

“When Jennifer Fulton writes mysteries, she writes them as Rose Beecham. And since Jennifer Fulton is a very Þ ne writer, you might expect that Rose Beecham is a Þ ne writer too. You’re right…On the way to a remarkable, and thoroughly convincing climax, Beecham creates believable characters in compelling situations, with enough humor to provide effective counterpoint to the work of detecting.” –
Bay Area
Reporter

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RONICA BLACK

“Black juggles the assorted elements of her Þ rst book with assured pacing and estimable panache…[including]…the relative depth—

for genre Þ ction—of the central characters: Erin, the married-but-separated detective who comes to her lesbian senses; loner Patricia, the policewoman-mentor who Þ nds herself falling for Erin; and sultry club owner Elizabeth, the sexually predatory suspect who discards women like Kleenex…until she meets Erin.” –
Richard Labonte
,
Book Marks
, Q Syndicate, 2005

“Black’s characterization is skillful, and the sexual chemistry surrounding the three major characters is palpable and deÞ nitely hot-hot-hot. If you’re looking for a more traditional murder mystery,
In
Too Deep
might not be entirely your cup of Earl. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a solid read with ample amounts of eroticism and a red herring or two, you’re sure to Þ nd
In Too Deep
a satisfying read.”

—
Lynne Jamneck
, L-Word.com Literature

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GUN BROOKE

“Course of Action
is a romance…populated with a host of captivating and amiable characters. The glimpses into the lifestyles of the rich and beautiful people are rather like guilty pleasures.…[A] most satisfying and entertaining reading experience.” –
Arlene Germain
, reviewer for the
Lambda Book Report
and the
Midwest Book Review

“
Protector of the Realm
has it all; sabotage, corruption, erotic love and exhilarating space Þ ghts. Gun Brooke’s second novel is forceful with a winning combination of solid characters and a brilliant plot.” –
Kathi
Isserman
, JustAboutWrite

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JANE FLETCHER

“
The
Walls of Westernfort
is not only a highly engaging and fast-paced adventure novel, it provides the reader with an interesting framework for examining the same questions of loyalty, faith, family and love that

[the characters] must face.” –
M. J. Lowe
,
Midwest Book Review
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LEE LYNCH

“There’s a heady sense of ’60s back-to-the-land communal idealism and ’70s woman-power feminism (with hints of lesbian separatism) to this spirited novel—even though it’s set in contemporary rural Oregon.

Partners Donny (she’s black and blue-collar) and Chick (she’s plus-sized and motherly) are both in their 50s, owners of the dyke-centric Natural Woman Foods store, a homey nexus for
Sweet Creek
’s expansive cast of characters.…Lynch, with a dozen novels to her credit dating back to the early days of Naiad Press, has earned her stripes as a writerly elder; she was contributing stories to the lesbian magazine
The Ladder
four decades ago. But this latest is sublimely in tune with the times.”

–
Richard Labonte
,
Book Marks
, Q Syndicate, 2006

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RADCLY
f
FE

“…well-honed storytelling skills…solid prose and sure-handedness of the narrative…”
–
Elizabeth Flynn
, Lambda Book Report

“…well-plotted…lovely romance...I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!”
–
Ann Bannon
,
author of
The Beebo Brinker Chronicles
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ALI VALI

“Rich in character portrayal,
The Devil Inside
by Ali Vali is an unusual, unpredictable, and thought-provoking love story that will have the reader questioning the deÞ nition of right and wrong long after she Þ nishes the book.…
The Devil Inside
’s strength is that it is unlike most romance novels. Nothing about the story and its characters is conventional. We do not know what the future holds for Emma and Cain, but Vali tempts us with every word so we want to Þ nd out. I am very much looking forward to the sequel
The Devil Unleashed
.”

–
Kathi Isserman
,
JustAboutWrite

TOO CLOSE

TO TOUCH

Visit us at www.boldstrokesbooks.com

TOO CLOSE

TO TOUCH

by

Georgia Beers

2006

TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH

© 2006 BY GEORGIA BEERS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

ISBN 1-933110-47-3

THIS TRADE PAPERBACK ORIGINAL IS PUBLISHED BY

BOLD STROKES BOOKS, INC.,

NEW YORK, USA

FIRST PRINTING: JULY, 2006

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. NAMES, CHARACTERS, PLACES, AND

INCIDENTS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE AUTHOR’S IMAGINATION OR

ARE USED FICTITIOUSLY. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS, EVENTS, OR LOCALES

IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL.

THIS BOOK, OR PARTS THEREOF, MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY

FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION.

CREDITS

EDITORS: JENNIFER KNIGHT AND STACIA SEAMAN

PRODUCTION DESIGN: STACIA SEAMAN

COVER DESIGN BY SHERI ([email protected])
Acknowledgments

I am very lucky to have a terriÞ c band of proofreaders/friends.

My sincere thanks to Stacy Harp, Steff Obkirchner, and Jackie Ciresi.

Their suggestions, nitpicks, and general opinions continue to help me make my stories into the best they can be, and their warm and loving encouragement keeps me going whenever I falter. I couldn’t ask for better cheerleaders.

I owe special thanks to my good friends in the medical profession: Amy Ziberna, Nancy Valentage, and Radclyffe, for answering the questions I had regarding medical details I know nothing about.

Thank you to Jennifer Knight, editor extraordinaire, for her valiant attempts to teach me the ins and outs of point of view, her lessons on smoothing out the ß ow, and her suggestion that characters nodding seventy-eight times in one book might be construed as overkill. I’m working on them all, Jennifer. I promise.

Gratitude upon gratitude upon gratitude to Radclyffe and the amazing staff of Bold Strokes Books. I’m a very lucky woman who is honored to be included in a group Þ lled with such talent, determination, and love for the genre.

My eternal, loving gratefulness to my partner and wife, Bonnie Mowry. She is the most loving, sacriÞ cing, and supportive partner any woman could want and she treats my dream of being a full-time writer as her own, working and forgoing in order to make it happen. It is by no small effort from her that this book is in your hands now.

Dedication

To Bonnie

My heart, my soul, my inspiration . . .

TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH

CHAPTER ONE

The Black Widow in Rochester, New York, was a pleasant surprise as lesbian bars went, and Gretchen Kaiser was happy to have found the place. It had a classy feel to it that many such establishments lacked, and the crowd seemed a bit more sophisticated than the average bunch of local college-age dykes. The bar itself was made of wood and brass, and the stools were actually
not
riddled with scratches or falling apart.

Gretchen suspected that happy hour during the week might feature more than a handful of business suit–clad women, an opportunity she might want to check out once she got settled in. Despite its air of reÞ nement, the Widow still boasted the standard lesbian bar necessities: the pool table in the back, postage stamp–sized dance ß oor across from the bar, jukebox blaring Melissa Etheridge in the corner. Gretchen felt welcomed, warm, at home.

She sipped the last of her Dewar’s on the rocks in unhurried relaxation and watched Christy, the pretty bartender, as she took care of a group of four women she obviously knew. It was fairly early on a Saturday night, but the crowd was slowly increasing in size and Gretchen was glad she’d commandeered the corner stool. The view was perfect. She was able to enjoy her drink, appreciate Christy’s need to bend over and retrieve beer from the under-the-counter refrigerators, and take in the lesbians of this new city. Her new city.

“How you doing on that, hon?” Christy’s auburn hair was pulled back into a ponytail, rebellious wisps wafting around her face. Her complexion was peaches-and-cream smooth, with a sprinkling of freckles that trailed across her nose and surrounded a little diamond

• 13 •

GEORGIA BEERS

stud in her left nostril. She looked pointedly at Gretchen’s near-empty rock glass. “Can I get another for the birthday girl?”

“That would be great, Christy. Thanks.” Gretchen smiled at the title.

She’d arrived over an hour ago and the bar was practically empty, so she’d started up a conversation with Christy. It hadn’t been long before the scotch had loosened her tongue and she was pouring out her story in typical dump-it-on-the-bartender fashion. The fact that the entire day had passed and her father hadn’t called to wish her a happy birthday in her new place was something she was trying hard to forget.