Welcome, fabulous Readers, to my First Kiss Friday blog. Please welcome my guest Collette Cameron who has an excerpt from her novel Once Upon a Midnight Dream. Isn’t this cover just dreamy? We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

He leaned over and snatched three biscuits off the plate. As he bit into the crisp, spicy sweetness, his attention fell on the correspondence Lilly had tossed onto the table in her haste to reach Eddy. 

Slowly straightening, Zander lifted the top letter.

“From Cambridge,” he muttered beneath his breath, a hint of something Lilly could not identify, rendering his voice husky. 

He glanced between Lilly and the rectangle he held between his thumb and forefinger. 

“I was on my way to my office to open it, when I heard Eddy’s cry.” Why Lilly felt the need to explain herself mystified her. 

Zander nodded but remained silent. 

Could he be as concerned as she was? 

“I fully intend to share the contents with you, Zander.” 

She swiped a tendril of hair that had come loose away from her face. 

And there she went again. 

Her tongue seemed to have taken on a life of its own and jabbered away without her permission. A most disturbing development, and one she must put an end to at once. 

Was he as worried as Lilly that whatever was written on that paper would send their worlds upon their heads? 

That they had no more control over what happened next than they did the sun rising and setting on the horizon each day? 

Zander dropped the letter, and then the cookies onto the table. 

Before Lilly knew what he was about, he gathered her into his arms and drew her against his hard chest.

His lips hovered above hers. 

“That letter may well tumble us tail over top. So, before you open it and everything changes, I want to kiss you, Lilly.” 

He grazed a finger over her cheek, the contours and planes of his beloved face taut with suppressed desire. 

“Will you let me, Lilly? Let us share this one moment? Mayhap, the only one we shall ever have?”

She should say no and pull away from his embrace. 

It is what an upright, moral woman would do without hesitation. Without regret or recrimination.

What Lilly should do and what she wanted to do wrestled for domination, but the outcome was predetermined. 

Because Zander was right.

The contents of the letter would likely leave her floundering in a jumble and, by all that was holy, at least she would have his splendid kiss to remember him.

For the kiss would be splendid. Spectacular. Glorious.

How could it not? 

“Yes, Zander.” 

Was that breathless, sultry voice hers? 

“Kiss me.” 

* * *

Still in the dining room 

A satisfied groan throttled its way up Zander’s throat as he captured Lilly’s mouth in a searing kiss. He honestly did not know what he would have done if she had refused. 

The joining of his and Lilly’s mouths was everything he had dreamed it would be and more. 

So much more.

His pent-up desire threatened to ignite them into a blazing conflagration. And by God, he would willingly burn to cinders for the opportunity to hold her and taste her mouth. To say with his caresses and lips what he dared not voice. 

Lord, was there ever such a magnificent woman?

She had become so beautiful and cherished to him; he hardly noticed the light smattering of pox scars on her face. 

Though it was unwise, and someone could interrupt them at any moment, he pressed her nearer, one hand between her shoulder blades, and the other at the small of her back. 

Twining her arms around his neck, she molded her soft, sweet lips and luscious body to his, giving as much as she took. Though obviously a novice at kissing, she eagerly explored his mouth, mimicking his movements. Her little sighs as she pressed into him almost drove him over the edge—past the point of retreat. 

Somewhere in the house, a longcase clock chimed twice. 

Careful. Caution.

This was madness.

He must stop.

For Lilly’s sake and his. 

Dredging up every ounce of his self-control, Zander lifted his mouth from hers and set her away from him.

Her lips, moist and full, glowed cherry-red from his fervent kisses. 

She appeared so ravishing and alluring, so muddled and bemused that he fisted his hands to keep from hauling her back into his arms and finishing what he had started—to hell with decorum and the servants’ delicate sensibilities.

But Zander was a gentleman.

He might not know his name or where he came from, but at his core, he knew he was an honorable man. 

More importantly, Lilly was a lady, and he would not treat her like a dockside harlot and take her upon the dining room table. 

Imagine the scandal. 

Her eyes wide and still slightly dazed, Lilly put two shaky fingers to her lips.

With a single glance, anyone with an iota of common sense would comprehend what had occurred between them. 

“I…I did not know a kiss could be like that,” Lilly whispered, dazed.

Most kisses are not, darling. 

Unrepentant masculine pride roared through Zander’s veins. 

Out of sheer preservation against giving into his baser instincts, he tore his gaze from her and picked up the letter. “Shall we see what it says?”

Shifting her befuddled attention to the small rectangle, she gave a reluctant nod, the lock of blonde hair bouncing near her temple. “In my office, though.” 

Because she wanted to protect his privacy, or because she did not want to chance a servant seeing her response? As stalwart as she had shown herself to be these past weeks, Zander still suspected the latter. 

They strode in silence to her office. 

Was she reliving their torrid kiss? For he sure the hell was.

Shoulders squared, chin up, she marched slightly ahead of him.

Why did it feel as though this was a march to the gallows?

Despite the somberness of the moment, Zander could not help but admire her composure and strength. 

And the marvelous sway of her plump derriere. 

A delectable derriere he yearned to smooth his hands over, preferably sans her clothing. You are a hopeless libertine. 

---

Once Upon a Midnight Dream
Chronicles of the Westbrook Brides, Book 10
By Collette Cameron®

A Romantic Opposites Attract Mystery & Suspense Family Saga Regency Romance

His forgotten past might shatter her future…

Captain Layton Westbrook has lost everything—his identity, his past, and the life he once knew. Left battered and near death after a violent attack, he awakens in a quiet countryside school, his mind a blank slate. Haunted by fragmented memories and a single vow never to trust again, Layton finds himself drawn to the serene presence of the woman who saved him. But shadows from his past are closing in, and danger may strike before he can uncover the truth.  

Lillibet Granger has dedicated her life to Kelston Hall Children’s School, nurturing orphans with the love she never knew. As the illegitimate daughter of a viscount’s sister, her position is precarious, but her compassion and quiet strength have earned her respect. When she finds an injured man on the school grounds, her instincts urge caution, but his vulnerability stirs something deeper. Yet Lilly knows better than to dream of love—a plain, practical woman like her has no place in a hero’s world.  

As Layton’s memories begin to surface, so do threats that could destroy everything Lilly holds dear. The future of her beloved school hangs by a thread, and Layton’s hidden identity could be the key to saving it—or the cause of its downfall. In a world where trust is fragile and love demands the ultimate risk, will they defy the odds and seize a second chance at happiness? Or will the secrets they hold tear them apart forever?   

Buy Link: Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP1BFGBK

About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling author Collette Cameron® is renowned for her captivating, humorous, and heartwarming Scottish and Regency historical romance novels. With over 65 published titles, over 1.4 million books sold around the world, and multiple writing awards to her credit, Collette is a well-known author in the world of historical romance. Readers love her witty and relatable characters including daring rogues, dashing scoundrels, and the strong and spirited heroines who capture their hearts. From the rugged highlands to the refined drawing rooms of Regency England, Collette’s novels will transport you to another time and place, where love and adventure are just a page away.

Collette’s Sweet-to-Spicy Timeless Romances® are the perfect escape for readers looking for romantic escape, poignant inspiration, engaging humor, and entertaining stories.

Based in the Pacific Northwest, Collette is surrounded by the lush greenery and rainy skies that inspire her writing. She dreams of one day splitting her time between the Pacific Northwest and Scotland. In the meantime, she indulges in her love of all things cobalt blue, dachshunds, chocolate, and of course, crafting her next historical romance.

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