Oblique by Adrian J. Smith

Title: Oblique

Author: Adrian J. Smith

Genre: F/F Romance

Release Date: August 1, 2016

One decision changes everything Kara holds dear to her heart.

Kara Barton makes a leap of faith decision after discovering her pregnancy and moves to the middle of nowhere Kansas. Being a photographer, she knows she can find work almost anywhere she wants, but making what is left behind after tragedy a life is harder than she ever imagined. 

When she meets Tiny, a dark-eyed native to the Western Plains, her plans and life vision are thrown off track. With secrets tangled together, she stumbles through her first year in Kansas, hoping she can make it to the end of the year without too many mistakes left in her wake.

 

She let the tension in her shoulders roll back out of her muscles and tried to relax. Sissy was her younger sister. Fourteen years younger, but they had managed to form a friendship and sisterly bond she wasn't sure would have happened for anyone else. "So, at Logan's this girl pretty much fainted in one of the aisles."

"And you just happened to be there?" Sissy asked, flipping her silky hair over her shoulder.

Jaclyn had always been jealous of her looks. Where she was tiny and scrawny and could easily pass for a boy if she wanted, Sissy was curvy and voluptuous in all the right places. "Yes, I just happened to be there buying my dinner. Anyway, Dale didn't know what to do, so I had to intervene."

"Ahh, playing the hero. And was this lass pretty?"

Jaclyn pursed her lips. Her cheeks reddened and her chest heated. Before she could respond in either the affirmative of the negative, Sissy was pushing at her shoulders.

"Oh my God, she was, wasn't she?"

Jaclyn nodded.

"Come on, Tiny. Spill the details."

"Ugh, you know I hate that."

"Spill!"

Taking a deep breath, Jaclyn leaned back into the couch again as she flicked her tennis shoes off her feet and curled her legs under her body. "Nothing much. She said she got dizzy and tried to sit down. I think she sat down harder than she expected to."

"And you did a medical exam?"

Jaclyn gave Sissy a short look. "Get your head out of the romance novel, Lenora. That's not how it works in the real world."

Sissy clicked her tongue and shook her head. "That's how it happened with me and Dougie."

"Dougie and me," Jaclyn corrected.

"Shh. It can happen anyway."

The crash shook the aisle. Jaclyn spun around and looked toward the end of the store as far as she could see. Cans of soup rolled around on the ground. Saying nothing to Donnetta, Jaclyn stepped forward and down the aisle, keeping her eyes open to anything. There was a commotion, and while she wanted to help with whatever it was, she also really wanted to go home to her lonely bowl of cereal and veg on the couch for a few hours.

Dale leaned over a woman who was pressed against the end cap. She was beautiful with dark locks of hair and a heart shaped face, but she was pale as a ghost. Dale was mumbling crap at her, trying to figure out what to do. He glanced up and sighed in relief when he saw Jaclyn standing there.

“Good. Tiny’s here,” he said to everyone who was gathering around.

Jaclyn put a hand to her chest in mock wonder before squatting down and reaching for the woman’s wrist. “Ma’am?”

Her eyes popped open, and jade green shone back. Jaclyn bit her cheek and nodded.

“Hi. I’m Tiny,” she said, using the nickname she hated, but everyone was standing around and wouldn’t know who she was if said her legal name. “Wanna tell me what happened?”

“I—I’m fine,” she whispered. Her eyes scanned the small crowd, and if it was possible, she grew even paler.

Jaclyn shifted her hand on her wrist and checked her pulse. It was racing, but she couldn’t tell if it was because of embarrassment or something else. “You’re obviously not fine. You’re on the ground.”

“I’m fine,” she said, sternly. “I got dizzy and tried to lean against the cart or the shelf, but I guess I missed.”

“Well, you managed to sit.”

The grin Tiny gave her made her stomach twist again. Kara fisted her hand tightly when Tiny leaned forward. She knew what was going to happen. They had eye contact the whole time. Her heart rapped in her chest, and she swallowed, knowing with each millisecond that passed Tiny was getting closer and closer. As Tiny leaned in, Kara drew in a sharp breath.

Their lips touched. Kara made a noise in the back of her throat, but even she wasn’t sure if it was a protest or a moan. Tiny didn’t press forward more, just a light brush of lips against lips. Kara blinked and closed her eyes, feeling as though something clicked on inside her. Hormones flooded her body, tingling from her pregnancy-tender breasts down to her stomach and lower.

Even if she wanted to stop herself, she wasn’t sure she could have. Listing her own body forward, Kara pressed into Tiny’s. Her once fisted hand moved so she grabbed Tiny’s thin hip and held on while her tongue dashed out for a taste of grease. Their embrace was slow. Kara made it as slow as possible, a tug-of-war waging inside her chest.

Tiny’s hand tangled in her hair, fisting the strands tightly before releasing. Kara’s tongue met Tiny’s, and she was glad Tiny was letting her lead the kiss as much as she wanted to. Guilt poured into her heart as she continued, and clenching her eyes tightly, Kara pulled back and left Tiny’s warm mouth. Breathing heavily, she kept her eyes shut for a few more seconds before backing away entirely and leaving Tiny to fend for herself on what had just happened.

She knew she should explain. But she couldn’t. Tears threatened to spill over her cheeks again, but she managed to blink them back and away before Tiny cupped her cheek and pecked their lips together once more.

“I should probably get going,” Tiny whispered, her dark eyes clouded with something Kara couldn’t make out.

Just hours before she’d been worried about a stranger coming to her house and now she was kissing one. Beating herself up over her own stupidity, Kara nodded. “Yeah, I have more boxes to unpack.”

“If you need any more help, don’t hesitate to call.”

“Okay,” Kara muttered, looking down at her fidgeting hands in her lap.

Tiny reached over and placed one of her hands on top of Kara’s, squeezing lightly. “I mean it. Call me any time.”

Adrian J. Smith, or “AJ” as she is often called, is a part-time writer with an epic imagination, sharp wit, and kind heart that gets her into a bit of trouble when it comes to taking in all the neighborhood stray cats. Being obsessed with science fiction, Smith often goes off on tangents about the space-time continuum. She is also a part-time lunatic with a secretive past. It’s been rumored that she was once a spy for the government, but anyone who has gotten close enough to know the truth has never lived to tell the tale. When traveling around the world on various classified tasks, Smith requires the following be provided: buffalo jerky, mimosas, and eighty-six pennies. This is all we know about the reclusive woman.

 **SPOILER FREE**


This was a hard story for me to read without having so many emotions tied up into it.  What lies behind this cover will take you on one's journey.  But when it plays out in the end will make your heart smile!  This is a well written book with characters that you can't help but love.  A first time for me with this author!  And now will be a returning to read more from this author!


*received for an honest review*


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