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Culture Shock by Ginger Simpson

Tag Line: Faulty wiring can cause a lot more than a power outage.

Log Line: Cynthia Freitas moves to San Francisco for a new job and more excitement in her life.  What she doesn't bargain for is only being able to afford an apartment in a rundown building with a serial killer lose in her neighborhood offing women who look like her. A shocking kiss shared with her handsome law enforcement neighbor sends her on a whole new adventure...saving Alex before he becomes the next look-alike victim.

crimson stain caught his attention. "Oh my God, what's wrong?"Despite his heart climbing into his throat, he managed to draw in a deep breath. The cause of the blood dawned on him, he was having a period. "Oh for Christ's sake, I don't believe this." He looked upward. "Why do you hate me?"
The annoying alarm sounded. Alex awoke with a terrible stomachache. Not the start to the day he had hoped for since he spent all evening helping Cynthia clean up the mess from the break-in and crimson stain caught his attention. "Oh, my God, what's wrong?"

listening to her berate his actions. Hopefully, the crime had been the act of a random burglar. He'd

worried all night it might have been more, but his concern at the moment was this awful pain. He

grasped his belly as the aching intensified.

Forcing himself out of bed, he stumbled to the bathroom. When he used the toilet tissue, a 

Luckily, he wasn't totally ignorant. After all, he'd lived with a woman before, and there was

absolutely nothing that wasn't advertised on TV these days. Nothing was sacred. How many times had he been forced to watch tampon commercials and other feminine hygiene products?

Rummaging under the sink, he searched for whatever it was Cynthia used during her monthly.

He found the very item he'd seen advertised so often. Pulling a cylinder from the box, he grimaced and began reading the instructions on the back of the carton.

He squinted at the small print. "Warning: Do not insert cardboard cylinder." That seemed rather

obvious to him, but then hairdryers came with warnings not to use them in the bathtub or shower.

Obviously there were some ignorant people in the world.

But ... what the hell did he do with the string? He dangled the tampon in the air and studied it for

a moment, then following the diagram, he propped one foot on the closed toilet lid, but hesitated. "I can't do this" How did a woman...especially one with long talons ?"  

Reality gave him a stern reminder. Using the tampon was a necessary evil given his situation.

With clenched teeth and squinted eyes, he probed for an opening and inserted the cotton torpedo, leaving the string dangling for removal. A queasy feeling seized him, and he plopped down on the commode.

This was the last time he was going through this torture. He had to find a way to get back into his own skin and the comfort he missed so much.

***

Cynthia stopped by on her way to work and found Alex, still clad in a bathrobe and, curled in a

fetal position on the couch. She arched a brow at him. "Why aren't you ready to go?"

He glared up at her. "You started your period. My stomach is killing me."

"Oh, is that all?" She clucked her tongue against her teeth. "It's called cramps. Now you know

what it feels like. Get up and get dressed."

He adjusted his position and closed his eyes. "I'd prefer not to. I think I'm dying."

She bent over and shoved her face close to his. "No one ever died of cramps. Get up!"

"I can't," he whined.

"You're pathetic!" She straightened and shook her head. "Good thing you aren't pregnant. I've

always heard that if men were the child bearers, every family would only have one. I don't think you'd live through the first birth. I never realized what a wimp you are."

You can find this book along with others by Ginger at http://www.amazon.com/author/gingersimpson