Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. I’m so glad you could join us. My guest today is Belle Ami who has an excerpt from her novel London Time. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading, my lovelies.

Excerpt: (Colin has been waiting all night to dance with Emily at Countess Brisbane’s ball.)

The vision of her stimulated every cell in his body and he could not wait to take her in his arms. He bowed to her and held her gaze. The smile she gave him made his heart leap. He hoped it was the only smile she’d given this night that meant something to her, for it meant everything to him. 

Colin led Emily to the dance floor. With one hand on her waist, he took her other hand and held it in his. The orchestra struck up the introduction to Johanne Strauss’ The Blue Danube waltz, and Colin spun Emily around the room to the rhythmic three-four tempo. He longed to hold her close against him while they danced, but etiquette forbade the touching of bodies. Of course, it was sometimes unavoidable on a crowded dance floor. But expert dancers like him managed to brush up against a willing partner all the same, which was incredibly satisfying and provocative. He was titillated by her nearness and a yearning to possess her took hold.

Emily’s warmth radiated against him. She had danced without stopping most of the night and her cheeks were pink from her exertion. A lovely blonde curl had escaped her updo and he wondered if anyone would notice if he ran his fingers over the glossy lock of hair. Her beauty was mesmerizing, and Colin couldn’t take his eyes off her glowing face and her winsome smile.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Emily?” His voice sounded raspy to his own ears, from the passion she evoked. He cleared his throat and smiled.

“I am, Colin. Are you?” A pool of warmth settled inside of him that she’d chosen to address him with the same familiarity as he had her. “It was just another ball, until now.”

“Are you saying you are a lover of the waltz?”

He knew she was teasing him, but he would have felt the same way even if they were dancing an infernal polka. Holding her in his arms felt like a necessity akin to breathing. A part of him wanted to do something impossibly daring. It isn’t the waltz, I’m in love with, it’s you… He caught himself before he stumbled. My God, where did that thought come from? He’d just vowed to himself that it was too soon. Stop fooling yourself! You were a goner from the moment you met her. The thought made him dizzy since it was something he hadn’t admitted even to himself until now. He cleared his throat again. “I believe I am saying that I’ve been waiting all evening for this dance with you, and now that I’m holding you in my arms, whatever came before doesn’t matter. Only this moment with you matters.” It was as close to speaking aloud what he felt in his heart, and he hoped it would be enough for now.

Her fair complexion flushed pink, registering his compliment. “All evening, I have listened to one man after another express their admiration and intentions, but if I am honest, hearing my greatest critic rhapsodize over me takes me by surprise.”

“Come, Emily, I am not your greatest critic. Are we not good friends?” He almost kicked himself. Can’t you do better than that, you idiot? She looked away for a half-second, but he caught the hurt in her eyes, and he felt even more of a heel. She turned back to him with a small smile.

“I know you value our friendship, but you are not exactly one to give out compliments like a kindly grandfather who hands out candy to his grandchildren.” 

The last strain of the violins rose in a crescendo and Colin, not wanting the dance to end, contemplated doing something daring, something he would never have done before Emily had come into his life. He wanted to show her just how much she meant to him.

He danced her outside to the balcony. Danced her down the steps to a lower terrace until he found a spot of seclusion. He wanted nothing more than to continue holding her, but he released her, and they stood facing each other, trying to catch their breaths. If she chose to leave him and return inside, it would pain him, but he would not hinder her.

A refreshing breeze caught the errant curl that had escaped earlier and, without thinking, he lifted it and gently ran his fingers through it. He easily imagined that silky hair spread across his pillow. Instead of protesting his boldness, her hand cupped his and her warm touch on his skin set his heart racing. The fragrance of her perfume intoxicated him, and he inhaled deeply, filling his senses with her. In the same manner that heavenly bodies exert gravitational pull, Colin and Emily’s bodies swayed toward each other and in a slow-motion dance of desire, their lips met, and his overwhelming need directed his arms about her. He crushed her against his length, enveloping her until her body arched against him with glorious submission.

There was no space between them, and their lips met in a searing kiss. She opened like a flower to him, and his tongue probed the delicious taste of her. In an instant, he was lost in the heart-palpitating sensuality of the moment. It was so much more than he imagined it would be.

He shouldn’t be comparing kisses, but the heat that settled in his groin signaled that kissing her was better than anything he’d ever experienced before. It wasn’t the kiss of a naïve girl, but the kiss of a fiery woman who wanted more, and that made her more bewitching. And more mysterious…he released her, his heart pounding against his ribcage, his breathing coming in gasps. Their foreheads rested against each other. It is not often that your dreams are surpassed.

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London Time (Lost in Time series book 1)
By Belle Ami

Can a cynical fashion editor in modern-day Manhattan find true love in Victorian-era London?

Emily Christie, a British ex-pat fashion editor in NYC, yearns for the kind of love depicted in literature and art. When Emily and her two “besties”, Jenee and Gabriella, attend an exhibition of Renaissance artist Marco Allegretto at the Met, Emily can’t help but be drawn into the ethereal beauty of his trio of paintings, The Three Stages of Love. Each painting features Allegretto with his muse and lover, a beautiful and mysterious woman with long red hair. Although her identity was lost to the winds of time, she was the inspiration for the heroine in The Time Traveler’s Lover.

The bestselling novel devoured by Emily and her friends in their book club tells the heartrending story of Iris Bellerose, a young woman in World War II Paris who is flung back in time to Renaissance Florence where she meets and falls in love with Allegretto.

If only the novel were true!

When Allegretto suddenly comes to life in the first painting and takes Emily’s hand, she’s stunned right down to her Manolos. But Emily is shocked beyond imagination when Allegretto flings her back in time to Victorian-era London, where she quite literally lands at the feet of Colin Remington, the heir to the Marquess of Danbury.

Colin is investigating a series of grisly murders of young women, one of whom was his fiancée, Daphne Carmichael. Emily, who bears a striking resemblance to Daphne, is shaken by this strange coincidence. Desperate to unravel her predicament and desperate to stop the murders, she and Colin join forces.

But how will Emily manage her growing feelings for the impossibly attractive Lord Remington, and how in blazes will she ever get home?

Buy Links: 

London Time:  https://www.amazon.com/London-Time-Lost-Book-ebook/dp/B0B44W537B

Paris Time:      https://www.amazon.com/Paris-Time-Lost-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKTWDL1L

Tuscan Time:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWSLXS2M

Author Bio:

Belle Ami writes breathtaking international thrillers, compelling historical fiction, time travel, mystery, and sexy historical romance. The satisfaction of combining multiple genres into a cohesive story sets Belle’s pulse racing. It’s what she loves to read and what she loves to write. Her innovative storylines weave together history, world issues, fast-paced action, and unforgettable characters. Top it off with a spoonful of sensuality and characters who breathe with passion and life, and you know you’re reading a Belle Ami book. Whether you drink coffee or tea or pour a glass of wine, kick off your shoes and settle in for a great read with unforgettable characters and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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