Tag Archives: First Kiss Friday

First Kiss Friday with The Earl Takes A Wife

18 Friday Oct 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday, my lovelies! Today it’s my pleasure to give you an excerpt from The Earl Takes A Wife that is currently available for pre-order. In this scene, Adrian has just given Celia a necklace for her 18th birthday and she kissed his cheek. Read on and enjoy, gentle readers.

Excerpt:

Her impulse to bend forward to kiss Adrian’s cheek may have been an innocent enough gesture in her mind, yet her heart apparently thought differently, given its rapid rhythm. Could he hear the staccato sound that betrayed her feelings for him whether she voiced them aloud or not? Surely he could, since he was standing so close. Was she the only one who felt as though the world was tipping, as if his mere presence made her head spin?

She should step away. She should distance herself from the man who caused such reckless behavior. She should mumble an apology and flee into the ballroom as fast as her slippered feet could carry her.

Yet here she stood, even daring to step closer when she felt the slightest pull from Adrian’s hand on her elbow. It was so subtle that Celia could easily mistake such a harmless touch as nothing. Instead, she hoped he desired her closer. Her reaction to the gift may have been her undoing. She was unsure her heart could stand much more.

He took several steps backward, plunging himself into the shadows of the night, but not releasing her hand. Fool that she was, Celia willingly followed his lead. Not caring she was no longer in sight of those who may be watching, her spirits soared knowing Adrian… yes, Adrian… wanted to steal a few moments alone together.

Had she not dreamed of this moment for months since they were first introduced at Hollystone Hall? His sister Miranda’s words that Celia should make Adrian jealous in order to win him were but a small memory. She had told Miranda months ago that she could not resort to such a ploy and such unladylike behavior, that it was not becoming of a genteel lady. Miranda had laughed, telling Celia sometimes harsh measures were needed in order to obtain what the heart desired.

Clearly such foolery had not been necessary, because here she was with Adrian. He led her into the dark of his own accord and not because she made him jealous with another. A brief glimpse of the marquis flashed in her mind, but she brushed away the image of his face, knowing she had made no commitment to the man despite her father’s wishes. Phillip did not own her heart, and he never would. It belonged to Adrian from the first moment she had seen him.

Lost in her thoughts, Celia realized they had not gone far, and for that, she was grateful. She could still easily make a hasty escape if necessary, especially if they heard someone approaching.

Adrian gently maneuvered her against the brick of the manor in the shelter of a trellis filled with ivy vines. He placed his body as a protective shield so she was efficiently hidden. Her mind worked furiously. Had he done this before with some other willing lady? Was she just another conquest?

His long fingers reached out and took her chin, tilting her face upward so she could do nothing more than stare into those mesmerizing blue eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted into a sensual grin, and Celia was lost to everything but him.

“Adrian…”

She blurted his name as though they were already lovers and felt a blush color her face crimson, hoping he could not see it in the dim light. Her hands moved of their own accord to tentatively touch his waist. At her apparent encouragement, he stepped even closer until she could feel the very heat of him against her young trembling body. His hand slid to her cheek; the thumb rubbed a gentle pattern as if to calm her, but she was anything but calm. The anticipation of his kiss was going to kill her.

A heavy sigh escaped him. “You should leave.” His voice was strained as though he was struggling within himself.

“Yes… I probably should.” Her hands crept upward to finger the buttons of his waistcoat, the floral pattern in deep contrast to the rest of his dark attire. A mental image from her dreams of undressing Adrian on their wedding night startled her, and she quickly shifted her hands to the edge of his jacket as if holding onto him might give her strength and the support she needed to remain level headed.

His breath was warm against her temple when he placed a soft kiss at her hairline before he touched his forehead to her own.

“You are not leaving,” he murmured, his hands moving down her arms as if she needed warming. His voice was low and husky, causing her flesh to shiver in anticipation of the unknown.

“I cannot,” she managed to croak out, while she tried to find a way to breathe. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew she must flee but she ignored the warning, especially when her stomach flipped as his arm swooped around her waist.

“Why not?” he asked, pulling her closer so there was no doubt left in her mind that he wanted her. She may be young, but she certainly understood the fundamentals of what might happen when she took the hand of a rake and plunged into the coolness of the night.

Celia wound her arms around his neck, touching the curling edges of his brown hair. God only knew how much she had been dying to do that since Hollystone Hall. She swallowed hard and rushed onward, her fate sealed to this man whether he knew it or not. “Because I have dreamed of your kisses from the day we first met,” she confessed, her words louder than she intended, as though such an admission should be shouted for all the world to hear.

Adrian muttered something beneath his breath before he gave her a little shake. “I made you a promise I would behave as a gentleman,” he growled. But he did not let her go, and his face showed an internal struggle.

His voice made her shiver yet again, but she kept her place within his embrace. “I would expect nothing less.”

He took her face into the palms of his hands in order to study her reaction to his touch. She covered one of his hands with her own. “If we stay out here, I have no doubt I will break my vow,” he replied.

“Then, before I lose my nerve to ask you…” Celia hesitated only an instant before she rushed on in an urgent plea, “…kiss me, Adrian. Kiss me like—”

…you love me, she finished inside her head when he cut off her words; for she could not speak when Adrian did just that. Kissed her. Right there. In the moonlight. With half of Society but a breath away.

His kiss was demanding at first. She had no idea what to do with her mouth, since this was her very first kiss. He must have realized that fact because everything changed between them. He softened his lips on hers as he possessed her mouth, but still, their situation was charged with an unseen energy that Celia never wanted to end.

Unsure what to do, she at first stood as still as one of the marble statues in her uncle’s garden. A gentle urging from Adrian encouraged her to open her mouth and follow his lead. A willing pupil, she allowed the master to teach her what he enjoyed, and she discovered that she enjoyed it, too.

He easily slipped his tongue inside. Warm fire erupted in her veins, while her tongue tangled with his. A low moan escaped her, unbidden but easily detected in the silence of the night. A tell-tale sign of the true depth of her feelings for the man who kissed her senseless.

Nothing had ever prepared her for the heady rush of sensations that enveloped her whole being. His arms tightened around her. She clutched at him like she was starving, and only Adrian could satisfy her cravings. Nothing mattered. Not the ball. Not her sisters. Not Phillip. Not even her father. If Adrian could kiss her like this, then surely he, too, must care for her. Did he love…?

“Celia!”

They tore their lips apart as the sound of her name continued to echo off into the night. Her breathing heavy, she melted into Adrian’s arms, placing her head upon his chest while she heard his own heartbeat running wild. He was just as affected as she was.

The Earl Takes A Wife:
A de Courtenay Novella (Book Two)
By Sherry Ewing
Release Date: October 29th
Pre-order for only $0.99

It began with a memory etched in the heart.

Lady Celia Lacey is too young for a husband, especially man-about-town Lord Adrian de Courtenay. But when she meets him at a house party, she falls in love and cannot get him out of her mind. Will he ever think she is old enough to become his wife?

Adrian finds appealing innocent Lady Celia Lacey impossible to forget, though she is barely out of the schoolroom and a relative by marriage. If they are constantly in each other’s company, then how can he move on without her?

His sister’s deceptions bring them together but destroys their happiness. Can they reach past the hurt to the love that still burns?

Buy Links:

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Amazon AU | Amazon BR | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon ES | Amazon FR | Amazon IN | Amazon IT | Amazon JP | Amazon MX | Amazon NL | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Jules and Mia

20 Friday Sep 2019

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It’s First Kiss Friday and it’s always a pleasure when I can bring back my dear friend, Jude Knight. When we get to celebrate a new release, well… that’s even better. We hope you enjoy this excerpt from Unkept Promises. You’re going to just love this book! Happy reading and enjoy.

Seven years after he wed her and left, they meet again

The child bride Jules left in England has changed. She is all grown up and here, uninvited, in his Cape Town house. As they work together to nurse his dying mistress and look after his children, he begins to see that he needs to change as well. In the following excerpt from Unkept Promises, they finally have their first kiss.

Excerpt:

Another piercing look, remembered anguish blazing from his eyes. “It could have been so different.” He put the brandy down to rise and take the two steps needed to drop to his knees at her feet, his hands reaching to frame her face. “I have nightmares, thinking about what I might have come home to, if you had not arrived. I can’t imagine how I would feel now, leaving port knowing that I had to depend on hired servants for the safety of my family. I can never thank you enough.”

He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, and she put her arms around him, hugging him close. “Ah, Jules. I have only done what I thought right. Besides, I love them. I do not need thanks for looking after the people I love.”

He lifted her chin and began kissing the tears from her cheeks. She shifted so that a kiss fell on the corner of her mouth, and he pulled back a little, but only to say, “It was the luckiest night of my life when I was captured by smugglers and locked up with you.”

Disappointed that he had stopped, she grumbled, “You didn’t think so at the time.” This seduction would never happen if she left it all to him. She summoned her courage and put her hands on his face to keep it still before pressing her mouth on his. He’d better take the hint, because she had no idea what she was doing.

His lips froze, and she almost pulled away, and then, thank goodness, they softened on hers and began to move. Was that his tongue, sweeping across the seam of her mouth? Those were certainly his teeth, nibbling at her lower lip until she gasped at the wonderful sensations that reverberated through her whole body, and would have gasped again when his tongue invaded her mouth, except her mouth was full and she could manage nothing more than a strangled moan.

He clearly took that as approval, for he deepened the kiss, pressing her back against her chair, his body firm against hers, his face angled to allow him to invade even deeper. No. Not an invasion, for she had invited him in. His tongue retreated and then returned, retreated and returned, until she took the hint and allowed her own tongue to follow his. Ah. This invasion could be reciprocal, and she could make him moan, too.

She applied herself enthusiastically to mimicking his actions, learning what he taught, sinking deeper and deeper into the sensations he created.

A timeless period later, Jules ended the kiss; not releasing her but drawing back enough to meet her eyes, his own hot. “Sweet Mia, even then I could tell you’d make a rare woman. Brave, clever, caring. I saw all of that. I knew you’d be pretty, too.”

She wanted to trust he meant it, but it was a little much to swallow. “How can you say that? I look like a boy!”

Jules’s laugh was disbelieving. “Never! A boy?” His hands rounded her body to run over her breasts, paused briefly to cup them, brushed over her nipples which had somehow become so hard that they ached, then skimmed down to her waist. He spread his thumb and fingers to span her waist on both sides. “I can almost touch my fingers together. You are perfect.”

Did he really think so? “I barely have any curves at all,” Mia protested.

Jules pressed a quick kiss to her mouth, as if to stop her words. “I beg to differ.” He moved his hands, one scooping under her buttocks and half lifting her from the chair, the other coming up to once again cup a breast, the thumb rubbing back and forth across the nipple. “Look. Beautifully curved.”

She could barely think as his movement both relieved and intensified the near pain in her nipple. “So small!” she pointed out. “Gerta–”

Another firm quick kiss. “Does not belong between us. Mia, do you not know I have been lusting after you since I arrived home?” Kiss. “Feeling bad about it, too, when at the beginning I thought you had moved Kirana out of her room and dismissed Maureen. I felt the lowest of dogs to desire such a woman.” Kiss. “But as I learned the truth and got to know you, admiring you more and more each day, my desire grew.” His hand kept moving, and the other pulled her closer, until she was plastered to his body, groin to groin, the hardness behind his falls rubbing close to the place of sudden, desperate need. Beguiled, she shifted against him.

“Ah, Mia,” he groaned, “can’t you tell what you do to me? Sleeping in the room next to me while I lie awake, night after night, imagining you are in the bed with me and I can, at last, worship you with my body as I promised so long ago?”

His mouth was on hers again, and his lips, his tongue, his teeth, his hands, his hard body, all drove her to a place where she no longer knew where she was and barely who she was. She only knew that she yearned, hungered, ached—and that Jules could answer that need.

Then he pulled away, and she reached after him before her mind registered what he’d already heard—a burst of conversation as the kitchen door opened and shut again, and then footsteps approaching.

Jules was already back in his seat, his brandy glass in his hand. His hair was ruffled, his neckcloth half untied, but he had shrugged his coat back on as he crossed the room. She caught a glimpse of red swollen lips before he raised the glass to cover them.

She pulled her shawl over a bare breast she didn’t remember Jules exposing, and grabbed her own glass, just as Fortune came through the room on his way to check on the door.

Unkept Promises

She wants to negotiate a comfortable marriage; he wants her in his bed

Naval captain Jules Redepenning has spent his adult life away from England, and at war. He rarely thinks of the bride he married for her own protection, and if he does, he remembers the child he left after their wedding seven years ago. He doesn’t expect to find her in his Cape Town home, a woman grown and a lovely one, too.

Mia Redepenning sails to Cape Town to nurse her husband’s dying mistress and adopt his children. She hopes to negotiate a comfortable married life with the man while she’s there. Falling in love is not on her to-do list.

Before they can do more than glimpse a possible future together, their duties force them apart. At home in England, Mia must fight for the safety of Jules’s children. Imprisoned in France, Jules must battle for his self-respect and his life.

Only by vanquishing their foes can they start to make their dreams come true.

Not your usual Regency: Jude Knight writes historical fiction with a large helping of romance, a splash of Regency, and a side order of suspense.

Buy links:

Books2Read: books2read.com/UnkeptPromises

Jude’s Bookshop: https://judeknight.selz.com/item/unkept-promises

About Jude Knight:

Have you ever wanted something so much you were afraid to even try? That was Jude ten years ago.

For as long as she can remember, she’s wanted to be a novelist. She even started dozens of stories, over the years.

But life kept getting in the way. A seriously ill child who required years of therapy; a rising mortgage that led to a full-time job; six children, her own chronic illness… the writing took a back seat.

As the years passed, the fear grew. If she didn’t put her stories out there in the market, she wouldn’t risk making a fool of herself. She could keep the dream alive if she never put it to the test.

Then her mother died. That great lady had waited her whole life to read a novel of Jude’s, and now it would never happen.

So Jude faced her fear and changed it–told everyone she knew she was writing a novel. Now she’d make a fool of herself for certain if she didn’t finish.

Her first book came out to excellent reviews in December 2014, and the rest is history. Many books, lots of positive reviews, and a few awards later, she plans to keep publishing until she runs out of years.

Website and blog: http://judeknightauthor.com/

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First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield

30 Friday Aug 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Any day that I can welcome back my dear friend Caroline Warfield is always a good day. Dangerous Works is the story of Georgiana and Andrew who were in love long ago. Upon his return to Cambridge she coerces him into helping with her translations—ancient Greek poetry by women. At this point in the story they have been working together for some time. When he astonishes her by suggesting she publish her work, she eventually agrees, but only on condition they do it jointly, that he be her collaborator rather than her teacher. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

“We. You said ‘we.’” Her generosity struck him like a cannon shot. Rush of desire at the sight of her radiant face would have buckled his knees had he been standing. He was grateful he wasn’t.

He reached up to draw her closer, unable to stop himself, and she bent her head to his hand. Lilac scent flooded over his defenses when she lowered her joyous face to his. He brushed her lips with his once and then again with feathery touch.

She drew away slightly. Her eyes, wary but welcoming, never left his. He watched for the slightest sign of rejection or denial while he rose from the chair and moved his head with exquisite slowness to touch her mouth again. She closed the distance and brushed his lips with hers. Her innocent response was all the permission he needed.

He slid one hand up her neck to cup her chin, tipping it toward himself. His thumb brushed her cheek, and his long fingers feathered the edges of her hair. He used the other hand to pull her close until their entire bodies touched, until he could feel her breasts pressed against him and the curve of her hip under his hand. It was as he remembered it, as he longed for it. His mouth moved over hers softly at first and then became more demanding. Her immediate surrender held no reservation. He deepened the kiss; she opened to him completely.

It rapidly became impossible to stand.

Dangerous Works
by Caroline Warfield

A little Greek is one thing; the art of love is another. Only one man has ever tried to teach Lady Georgiana Hayden both. She learned very young to keep her heart safe. She learned to keep loneliness at bay through work. If it takes a scandalous affair to teach her what she needs to complete her work, she will risk it. If the man in question chooses not to teach her, she will use any means at her disposal to change his mind. She is determined to give voice to the ancient women whose poetry has long been neglected.

Some scars cut deeper than others. Major Andrew Holden returns to Cambridge a battle-scarred hero. He dared to love Georgiana once and suffered swift retribution from her powerful family. The encounter cost him eleven years of his life. Determined to avoid her, he seeks work to heal his soul and make his scholarly father proud. The work she offers risks his career, his peace of mind, and (worst of all) his heart. Can he protect himself from a woman who almost destroyed him? Does he want to?

Even poetry is dangerous when you partner with the love of your life. In Regency, Cambridge, it can lead a lady quickly past improper to positively scandalous.

It is ***FREE*** with Kindle Unlimited or you can buy a copy at:

US https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

Canada  https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

EuroZone https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

India https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

Australia https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00N9KHDWQ/

About the Author

Traveler, would-be adventurer, former tech writer and library technology professional, Caroline Warfield has now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, and divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy.

She has works published by Soul Mate Publishing and also independently published works. In addition she has participated in six group anthologies.

For more about the Dangerous Series and all of Caroline’s books, look here:

https://www.carolinewarfield.com/bookshelf/

 

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing

16 Friday Aug 2019

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Thanks for stopping by my blog for another First Kiss Friday. Today I’m taking you back to my bestseller Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book Two). This novel continues the story of Katherine & Riorden de Deveraux from my first time travel, For All of Ever. They’re my favorite characters and with a brand new gorgeous cover, my readers still get a 5 Star story to sweep you away to medieval England. Enjoy this blast from the past and although this isn’t the first kiss this couple have shared, it is the first kiss for the second half of their story. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Katherine held the bed post and stroked the heavy wooden frame, almost reverently, as if to memorize the feel of it beneath her fingertips. Rough in places, it wouldn’t always remain this way. She smiled in remembrance of the first time she had seen this room.

The chamber really hadn’t altered all that much from now to when she was in Bamburgh with her friends more than eight hundred years in the future. Some of the furniture may have changed over time, but she still marveled that their placement was exactly the same centuries from now. She leaned her forehead on the dark oaken post and closed her eyes. She could still feel the utter despair of when she had first seen Riorden here in this chamber. She remembered reaching out to touch him, yet he had been nothing but a shadow of what could have been if only Time had not played such a horrible hoax on them.

The sharp sound of a trunk closing as the lid dropped into place brought her back to the present, and she watched in fascination as Riorden ran a hand through his mussed, shoulder length hair. He reached for a goblet of wine and took a sip until his attention immediately flew to her over the cup rim. There was such intense longing in his gaze that Katherine’s heart flipped, as it always did whenever he looked at her in such a manner. She knew he was reliving his own disquieting memories of her in his chamber as a ghost.

They continued to watch one another, transfixed by the haunting nightmare they had once shared. The image he presented, however, was so reminiscent of their past ghostlike encounter that a small thrill went through her, knowing he was really standing right before her in the flesh. She could touch him anytime she so wished, and forevermore would she be grateful that Time had bended to their most heartfelt desire. It wasn’t every day that fate brought her a gorgeous chivalrous knight to call her very own. She had waited her whole lifetime to find him, and she would take advantage of such a gift!

His eyes traversed up and down her body until a lazy grin developed on his face that generally was Katherine’s undoing. Since she could stand the handsome distraction he presented no longer, she shortened the space between them. Her eyes never left his as she came to stand before him. Taking the goblet from his hand, she took a small taste where his lips had but recently met the edge and placed the cup carefully on the table. The heady wine slid down her throat, warming her stomach. It was nothing compared to what he was unintentionally doing to her emotionally. The room grew hot, and yet still they spoke no words. He looked down at her from his towering height. His eyes told her what he wanted, but she only gave him a seductive smile.

She expected to be ensnared in his embrace and taken to their bed. He surprised her when instead he held his palm face up to her, and she knew for certain he, too, had been reliving the experience of their past encounter. With her shaking hand, she placed her own palm face down to hover but inches over his. She shivered when tingling sensations rushed up her entire arm. It was still there…that connection between them that even Time would never separate.

She could almost hear his thoughts. They mirrored her own. A small jolt of excitement went racing through her body when she began running her hands up his muscled chest. They halted when she tugged at the barrier of his shirt that was in the way of the prize she sought. She licked her lips in anticipation of how she really wanted to spend their last afternoon at Bamburgh.

Her hand slowly skimmed upward to caress the nape of his neck. His skin was warm beneath her touch. “Kiss me, my dearest Riorden,” she said in a husky whisper.

With the slightest pressure from her fingers to encourage him, he leaned down to place his lips on her own. This kiss was no different than any other he had given her over the past month. It was just as explosive, setting her entire being on fire, and had her begging for more than just his mouth on hers. Was it just her, or did he seem to breathe life into her very soul?

She yanked at his tunic so she could further explore his skin with an urgency born of almost sheer desperation. He groaned, making quick work of the garment by pulling it over his head and tossing it onto the floor. She began to lightly trace the lines of firm stretched skin on his stomach until he grabbed her hands as if he already couldn’t stand the effect such a small act of pleasure had on him. He crushed her into his arms with his own sense of eagerness, and Katherine felt as if she had died and gone to heaven. Such a cliché of a term, but there really was no other way to phrase how this man made her feel.

Riorden’s hands tore at the fabric of her gown, and she heard, more than saw, the ripping of the neckline that surely was beyond any form of repair now. She could have cared less, especially when she felt his hands reaching beneath her bodice like a bloody pirate after a coveted treasure sunk beneath the waters of the deep blue sea. He easily captured her breasts in his hands and leaned down to tease her nipples with his tongue until they were taut little buds in his mouth. His lips made a trail up her neck until he nipped at her earlobe, making goose bumps explode up and down her arms and spine. Good God Almighty! She was about to crawl out of her skin, she wanted him inside her so desperately.

His tongue darted out now and then, adding to her agony until she heard him begin to murmur in his deep baritone voice what she could only assume were words of love. She wouldn’t know, since he spoke them in Norman French.

“Riorden?”

“Aye, my love?” he answered but seemingly gave no thought to halt the blinding kisses he continued placing on her neck and the white mounds of her breasts.

“I can’t understand you.”

She watched him as he looked up, momentarily confused until it dawned on him. He gave her a wicked smile and pressed himself against her. His manhood was rigid with his own need, and she felt it throbbing against her.

“I want you.”

It was a simple statement that rushed to her heart, making her feel flushed and giddy at the same time.

Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck
A Quest Through Time Novel (Book Two )

The story of Katherine and Riorden de Deveraux from For All of Ever continues on in: Only for You

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that true love conquers all only after the battle is over…

Katherine de Deveraux has it all or so she believes when she begins her life with her husband Riorden. But as she begins to settle into her duties as the Countess of Warkworth Castle, she finds that an easy life is not only difficult but downright dangerous to her well-being.

Consumed with the haunting memories of his father, Riorden must deal with his sire’s widow who just happens to also be his ex-lover. Yet how could he know just how far Marguerite is willing to go in order to have the life she feels they were truly meant to live?

Torn apart by circumstances neither Katherine nor Riorden could ever imagine, Time becomes their true enemy even while Marguerite continues her ploy to keep Riorden at her side. With all hope lost, will Katherine and Riorden find a way to save their marriage and have their happily ever after ending, or will Katherine be whisked back to where Time truly feels she belongs?

Buy Links: 
Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Apple Book | Kobo |
Amazon AU | Amazon CA |  Amazon MX | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Kilby Blades & a Giveaway!

09 Friday Aug 2019

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It’s another First Kiss Friday and my guest today is fellow San Francisco Area Chapter of Romance Writers of America member, Kilby Blades. Be sure to read down to the end to be in the running for an eCopy of Kilby’s story. Happy reading and enjoy this excerpt from The Secret Ingredient, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“What the fuck am I doing wrong?” Cella asked bluntly, still in a bit of a foul mood from that afternoon.

Cella looked back and forth between the two pots of Bolognese sauce sitting on the front burners of the stove. The left had been cooked by Max, the right cooked by Cella. Both worked off of a recipe found in her grandmother’s book. The sun had long since set, and through his windows she saw only faint hints of the shoreline through the darkness. Her tasting spoon sat, forgotten, in her hand.

“Do these not look the same?”

He nodded affirmation, but she was already on a tear.

“Smell the same?”

Another nod.

“Did we not go through each and every ingredient together?

He nodded again.

“Have we not tried this experiment twice?”

“We have.”

“Then why does your sauce still taste better than mine?” She looked up sharply. “Don’t laugh at me, Max!” she warned.

“I can’t help it.” He chuckling through sweeping breaths.

Sighing dejectedly, she flopped down on her stool. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong,” he soothed, tugging the end of her ponytail that had long-since fallen out of its bun.

“But there must be something you’re doing, that I’m not.”

It wasn’t a bad theory that Cella was simply off. She didn’t cook well when she was in a bad mood.

“I’m going to share a family secret with you. Do you want to know what it is?”

She nodded her head lightly, in a question. Whereas his mood had been joking just moments before, she could see that he was about to speak in solemn truth.

“The secret ingredient is love.”

For all the love lost between she and Liz that day, it served only to sadden her. Cella was pretty sure she had to fire her agent.

“What if I’m fresh out of that?” Her voice caught slightly at the end.

He knew what was bugging her. He’d remained silent as she relayed the entire sordid tale on the bike ride home.

“Then I’ll put in enough for the both of us…just until you get yours back.”

She swallowed, still facing the sauce.

“Can you show me?”

He reached toward the stove, placing his hand on hers where it lay upon a long wooden spoon. Lifting their hands in tandem, he placed the spoon into Cella’s batch. Slowly—so slowly—he stirred their hands as he stepped in closer behind her. He closed his eyes as he bent his head lower. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was inhaling the scent of her hair.

“Close your eyes, Cella.” His voice held gentle command.

They stirred a rotation.

“Now, think of who you’re cooking this for, what a gift this will be to all who taste it, what a gift it is to have plenty of food to eat…”

Their hands kept stirring, with Max’s guiding, but Cella’s slowly taking over. He continued his tutelage.

“Think of the people you like sitting down to a meal with—people you love and people who love you…”

She exhaled shakily, then relaxed. She liked the way her substantial figure fit into his, the way one of his hands had fallen to her hip. For what seemed like minutes, they stirred. She found herself lost in his scent, in the heaven of their bodies so close, in the intimacy of their shared breaths. Though they kept their pace steady, some energy was building between them, working them towards something more, something she’d begun to want more fiercely with every minute they spent together.

“Can you feel it?”

“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper.

“Tell me how it feels.“

“Like nothing I’ve felt before.”

“Now, taste it,” he whispered, lifting his hand from the spoon.

Cella’s eyes remained closed but her ears were keen to the smacking of her lips.

“No offense, but it’s better than yours.”

He kissed the top of her head and murmured, “Twice as much love…”

*****

Max spent much of that night wondering what she might have done if he had kissed her over a batch of Bolognese. It marked the third time he nearly had in as many days. She’d looked entirely too appealing day-before-yesterday, soaking wet and laughing as they’d washed his dog. That same night when they’d headed to Kaito’s for karaoke, they’d gotten a bit handsy after two sake bombs. There was no way this would hold for another two weeks.

“Change of plans.” Cella’s voice held command as she breezed into the kitchen the next morning. “We’ll do Tiramisu tomorrow. Today it’s Capezzoli di Venere.”

He blinked, wondering whether he’d gotten the translation right.

“Nipples of Venus.” She busily removed ingredients from her bag, not meeting his gaze. “Roman chestnuts in brandied sugar.”

Her eyes held something he hadn’t seen before.

“It’s a difficult dish.” She ignored the fact that he had yet to speak. “The sugar has to be molded so it forms a hard shell on the surface, but stay so soft inside that you have to lick out it’s creamy middle. The candied chestnuts are finished with salt, which makes them a bit savory. Placing them in the sugar can be tricky. I’m putting you in charge of tweaking the nipples.”

Holy fuck.

But he followed her lead.

“So, tell me.” he asked cautiously, once they got started. “What led to this change of heart?”

“Tiramisu is so predictable.” Her voice lost some of its muster. “I thought maybe it was time I took a risk.”

She stopped measuring out sugar, refusing to meet his eyes again as she stared down at the scoop.

“Does that scare you?”

He knew they weren’t talking about recipes and cookbooks. Vanilla extract sat motionlessly in his hand.

She laughed ironically. “Everything scares me, Max. I thought you figured that out.”

He set down the bottle.

“Do I scare you?”

She didn’t laugh this time. “You scare me most of all.”

Since we’re being honest…

“You scare me, too.”

He held his breath to hear her response. When she set back to measuring her sugar, he knew none would come.

They worked in silence, Cella molding the sugary mixture, with Max handling the delicate confections like glass. After he set the chestnuts, she used a fine brush to seal the assembly with caramelized liqueur. They spent the next half hour silently cleaning up after themselves as their concoction set in his chiller.

“Time to taste,” she proclaimed when the timer went off.

She retrieved the tray. He picked up two pieces—so carefully—before placing one in her delicate hand. Their eyes remained locked as each one took a bite. It was the size of a bonbon—his teeth sliced into half, his senses rejoicing in the drunken sweetness that melted across his tongue.

“They’re perfect,” she breathed. He watched as her lips curled into a beatific smile.

His second bite was less guarded—he took out the base but left the nipple. He wanted to save the chestnuts for last. Watching as she devoured the rest of hers, Max followed her lips as they moved. Lazily, he fed himself his last bite. At some point, he noticed that her eyes were fixed on his lips.

“You missed a spot,” she whispered, extending her finger to point to the corner of his mouth.

He let his own finger run the length of his bottom lip before licking it with the tip of his tongue.

“Did I get it?”

She shook her head, eyes still glued to his mouth. “No.”

Before her finger could reach his mouth, he sealed his lips to hers.

Her kiss was hungry, and surged his desire as her tongue lapped at his mouth. Max was certain that it was not as hungry as his. Before he could contemplate what he was doing, he’d grabbed her by the waistline fold of her apron and pulled her close. Their tongues stroked deeply, urgent licks of fire, each of their mouths refusing to let go. Her soft moans caused him to pull her in closer as his arousal stiffened impossibly. With the sounds that he made, she tightened her grip where her twined fingers pulled on his hair. God, did that turn him on.

“Cella…”

She nuzzled his neck, and he gulped, gripping her hip with one hand and the counter behind him with the other. His hold on her hip was tight and he no longer knew whether he was holding her at arm’s length or pulling her in.

“Do you want to stop?” she asked.

She licked his ear and he shuddered. “No.”

“Do you want this?”

Her breath was hot on his ear. “God, yes.”

She dove in for another kiss, which he eagerly met, covering her lips this time without hesitation. The next thing he knew, he had untied her strings and her apron was on the floor.

“I want to make a slow meal out of you, Marcella,” he crooned, leaning in deeply to kiss her lovely neck.

They were against the counter; Cella bowed back to receive him, exposing to him her luscious expanse. He pushed her shirt up and over her head, revealing a lacy, green bra, its pattern and hue in the likeness of vines of cascading ivy. More gorgeous than the pretty thing that had teased him from beneath the edge of her shirt was her ample bosom heaving gorgeously from above the intricate top.

Freeing an itching hand, he slid his fingers from her hip up her pillowy flesh until her more-than-a-handful weighed magnificently in his palm. He gloried in their buoyant substance, in their perfection—they were just like risen dough. When her nipples pebbled he lowered his teeth to her opposite breast, grazing the tip with a playful bite.

“Next time,” she commanded, after letting loose a strangled groan. “Make a slow meal out of me next time.”

The Secret Ingredient
by Kilby Blades

TV chef Cella journeys to an idyllic seaside town to write an Italian cookbook. She’s also mourning a failed restaurant project, dodging her predatory agent, and finding respite from soul-crushing fame. When she learns that her next-door neighbor, hot doctor Max, is the nephew of a famed Italian restaurateur, she convinces him to help her write the book.

But guilt-ridden Max botched his own attempt to become a chef—a failure that’s left his late aunt’s gorgeous restaurant sitting empty for years. When the heat between Max and Cella burns hotter than the flames on the stove, how will they say goodbye at summer’s end?

Buy Links:
The Secret Ingredient on Amazon
The Secret Ingredient on other platforms

Kilby Blades Bio

Kilby Blades is a 40-time-award-winning author of Romance and Women’s Fiction. Critics laud her “feminist romance”. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was awarded an RSJ Emma for Best Debut Author in 2018.

When she’s not writing, Kilby goes to movie matinees alone, where she eats Chocolate Pocky and buttered popcorn and usually smuggles in not-a-little-bit of red wine. Kilby is a mother, a social-justice fighter, and above all else, a glutton for a good story.

Other Background
  • Winner of the 2018 Stiletto Award
  • Finalist in the 2019 Sexy Scribbles Contest
  • Finalist in the 2019 I Heart Indie Awards
Social Media Links

 

GIVEAWAY: To be in the running for Kilby’s giveaway, leave a comment telling us how old you were when you got your first kiss? A random comment will be generated as the winner of an eBook.

First Kiss Friday with Mary Morgan & a Giveaway!

02 Friday Aug 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my friend Mary Morgan who is sharing the first kiss scene from her novel Dragon Knight’s Ring. Be sure to leave Mary a comment to be in the running for her giveaway and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“The first time I saw ye was in the hills near Urquhart. I was attempting to calm said beast.” He pointed to Ciar. “He was fierce in the beginning. Yet, ye ambled over to him singing a tune. Ye have always had a way with the animals. Your voice soothes them.”

“And that’s how we met, right? Ye did share this, but was there more?” Meggie handed him another spoonful of the meat mixture.

“Aye. Ye followed me down to the loch, and we talked for many hours. It was the start of our kinship.”

She rested her chin on her knees. “For how long, Adam?”

“Several summers.” He watched her closely, trying to gage her thoughts.

“Hmm…we were in a relationship.”

Baffled by her word, he shrugged. “I dinnae ken your meaning.”

“Were we a couple? Was I your girlfriend? Sweetheart?”

Adam took his thumb and captured a lone bit of food near her lip. Popping the tasty piece into his mouth, he heard her indrawn breath. “Ye were mine, Meggie. Stubborn, defiant, strong, and ye embraced each day with love for all.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“Ye left.” Standing, Adam moved away. Never a patient man, he wanted to blurt out everything, shake her into remembering. Frustration slithered inside of him. Walking over to an old oak, he braced his hands against its rough bark. He heard her approach, but kept his back to her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and then surprised Adam by placing her arms around him.

Her touch seared straight to his soul, fracturing a place within his heart that had been sealed since her death. He broke free from her embrace and turned around. Grasping her face with his hands, his eyes roamed over her features. Seeing her lips part, he could no longer control the man that longed to taste what had been stolen from him. His entire being seemed to be filled with waiting, and he grew weary of the fight.

Lowering his head, his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips. Then he brushed a feather light kiss on her mouth. It was divine bliss when their lips touched. “Do ye want me to stop?” he asked, breathing the words against her cheek.

“Nae.”

Reclaiming her mouth, Adam crushed her to him. This time, he devoured her soft lips and drank in their sweetness, slipping his tongue inside her mouth. Her moan slid deep within him, and he trembled. His emotions whirled and skidded. Unable to stop, he turned her against the tree, cupped her breast with one hand, and deepened the kiss. His cock throbbed to be inside her—to be one with her again.

She grasped his head and leaned more into him. Her mouth demanded more of his, and he plundered deeply. When her hands slipped under his shirt, he growled in pleasure. Breaking free from the kiss, he lifted her and carried her to the blanket. She sprawled back onto the blanket, and his hand caressed her curves. As he gazed at her flushed face, he saw neither fear nor hesitation in her eyes. “Tell me what ye want, Meggie? For if I continue, I fear I will not be able to hold back.”

DRAGON KNIGHT’S RING,
Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 5
By Mary Morgan

Death destroyed their love. Yet, can a trio of Fenian warriors roll back time to reunite two lost souls?

Crusader, Adam MacFhearguis is on one last quest to the standing stones in Scotland where he seeks to bury the past. However, a silent prayer sends him to an unknown future and to his beloved Meggie. When he uncovers a shocking revelation, Adam questions everything about the woman he thought he knew and loved. He may have traveled the veil of ages, but time is now his enemy.

Margaret MacKay lives a life in the future without the memories of her past—her death. When Adam arrives at her door confessing he knows her, she is confused and wary. With each passing day, she yearns to learn more from this stranger. Yet, when a truth is revealed, can she trust the man to unlock the chains from her mind and heart?

Will love free the bonds to unite the two lovers who were doomed centuries ago? Or will evil finally claim victory over the Dragon Knights?

Buy Links ~

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Knights-Ring-Order-Book-ebook/dp/B01HDWY8S2/

BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-knights-ring-mary-morgan/1123986946?ean=2940158146312

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/dragon-knight-s-ring

Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-knights-ring/id1133781893?mt=11

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Dragon-Knights-Ring-Audiobook/B07FKX59C6/

Author Bio ~

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

 
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

Connect with Mary at these places:

WEBSITE/BLOG:  http://www.marymorganauthor.com
TWITTER:  http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor
FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/MaryMorganAuthor/
GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:  http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Morgan/e/B00KPE3NWI/
PINTEREST:  www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/marymorgan2/
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-morgan
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-morgan-2634a77a/
BOOKGORILLA: https://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00KPE3NWI/mary-morgan/kcc

Giveaway: Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of DRAGON KNIGHT’S RING.  

First Kiss Friday with a RONE Finalist!

07 Friday Jun 2019

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I’m still flying high knowing that One Moment In Time became a finalist for InD’Tale Magazine’s RONE Award earlier in the week. With that in mind, how about the first kiss scene between Edmond and Roselyn? Happy reading my lovelies, and thank you again for voting for my story!

Excerpt:

Edmond opened his eyes and found himself gazing into the face of an angel. Emerald pools, green as the Scottish moors, stared back at him with an expression of wonder. He reached out to lightly caress her cheek just to ensure she was real. She trembled beneath his touch and he thanked God Roselyn had awoken once more.

Swinging his legs down to the floor, he stood and reached for her hands to help her to rise. Her beautiful face wore a confused frown, and without thought he acted on the urge to assure himself she was real and on the mend, bringing her into his embrace. He knew in his heart his gesture was inappropriate; he should not be so bold, especially considering all that she had been through, but he could not resist.

Stepping back as he should became impossible when she returned his affection by placing her arms around his waist. As if they had a will of their own, his hands made their way up her arms and into her glorious curling hair that cascaded down the length of her back. It felt like the softest silk to his touch and a lock coiled around his fingers taking possession of him.

He took her chin in his fingers and tilted it up so he could see the face she had been hiding in his chest. Once more staring into her eyes, he saw her lips tremble and wondered how sweet they would taste. Leaning forward, he came to within a breath and hesitated. But only for one second. At last, he brought his mouth down to hers in a gentle first kiss.

 

One Moment In Time:
A Family of Worth, Book Two

One moment in time may be enough, if it lasts forever…

When the man Lady Roselyn Anne Winslow has loved since she was a young girl begins to court her, Roselyn thinks all her dreams have come true… until the dream turns into a nightmare.

Lady Roselyn is everything Edmond Worthington, 9th Duke of Hartford, could ask for in a wife and he is delighted to find she returns his love… until he loses her, not once but twice.

From England’s ballrooms, to Berwyck Castle and a tropical island that is anything but paradise, Edmond and Roselyn face ruthless enemies who will do anything to tear them apart. Can they recover their one moment in time?

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Barnes & Noble  | iBooks  | Kobo

Amazon AU  | Amazon BR  |  Amazon CA  | Amazon DE  |Amazon ES  | Amazon FR  |  Amazon IN  |  Amazon IT |  Amazon JP |  Amazon MX |  Amazon NL |  Amazon UK 

First Kiss Friday with Lynn Winchester

24 Friday May 2019

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It’s First Kiss Friday and today I’m welcoming a new author to my blog, Lynn Winchester. Lynn is sharing her first kiss scene from her story Katrona’s Keeper. We hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

To his surprise, Katriona reached over and put her hand on his knee. Electricity shot through her hand and into his leg. It took everything he had to not shoot up in his seat and cry out at the sensation.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to know the joy of having brothers and sisters. I only had sisters, but they have been my biggest blessing.” Again, that wistfulness made an appearance, and he had to wonder what had brought it on. “But, you aren’t all on your lonesome now. You have me, and I can be your closest friend, your most—er—intimate companion, your champion, and your soul mate.”

She’d stumbled over that bit about “intimate companion,” but the fact that she’d spoken of it at all had his heart racing. Perhaps she wouldn’t want to put off their wedding night. His gaze dropped from her bright blue eyes to her pouty, lush lips, and then further down before snapping back up to her face. She was flushed, her eyes now wide, and her lips open to allow her quick breaths to escape.

“Race…” she murmured, her breathing quickening. The hand on his knee slid down to his thigh. He stiffened, all of his body flexing at the feel of her so close to him.

“Yes,” he croaked.

“I believe in doing what needs doing,” she said, her voice dropping. “And I think we need to be doing something else…” Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips and all his thoughts tumbled into the pit of his stomach.

He didn’t need to ask her what she meant. With his heart pounding in his chest and his blood singing through his veins, he leaned in, sliding his hands up Katriona’s arms. She shuddered beneath his touch. A slow smile formed on his face; he liked that she was affected by him, for he was affected by her, utterly. His hands cupped her flushed face, and he pulled her to him, she leaned in, too, her eyes watching him as he drew closer. There was a heat in her blue eyes, turning them from cornflower blue to sapphire. Finally, he pressed his lips to hers—they were so soft, so much softer than he could have ever imagined, and they gave beneath his. She stiffened at first, no doubt unused to men’s kisses, but he took his time, closing his eyes and enjoying the contact. She was warmth and deliciousness rolled into one, like an apple tart straight from the oven. He brushed his lips over hers, and she moaned, finally melting into him, and he mentally crowed at her surrender. He deepened the kiss, taking each breath and holding it in his own body.

Every inch of him felt tight, every beat of his heart thrust hot blood through him.

He’d waited long enough.

Breaking the kiss, he sucked in gulps of air, forcing his mind to stop spinning. Katriona’s face was still flushed, but her eyes were hazy and her lips were pouty and kiss-swollen.

He liked her like that.

“I wanted to talk with you about our weddin’ night, and I was willin’ to wait until you were ready, but I have a feelin’ you’re about as ready as I am,” he said, his voice husky.

Her eyes cleared but remained trained on him, there was a certainty there he appreciated.

“Oh, I’m ready alright,” she answered, her voice silky and sensual in its raspiness. Sliding her hand into his, as if giving him the ticket to heaven, she pinned him with her heated gaze and nodded.

Not needing another sign, he clasped her hand tightly. Race stood up on shaky legs, pulled her up beside him, and escorted his wife to their bedroom.

Blurb:

Determined to create something that will leave a legacy, Katriona Wigg heads west to Dry Bayou, Texas, where she plans to marry a man she’s never met. Being a mail-order bride isn’t ideal, but she doesn’t have a choice. Offered a chance at something extraordinary, Katriona is willing to do whatever it takes to make her dream a reality, even marry to get the money she needs to build her own vocational school.

But if her new husband thinks he can tie her down, he is in for fight of his life.

Race Tucker has spent years watching the people around him find love and contentment, and when the bug finally bites him, he does what any overly busy ranch foreman does—he sends for a mail-order bride. To have and to hold, to keep and to provide, Race believes he has what it takes to be a fine husband. But he doesn’t know what to do with the woman who arrives in town to marry him—a woman more at home in trousers than dresses. A woman more than capable of bringing him to his knees.

When their marriage starts to get rocky, can these two opposites find a middle ground? Or will Katriona’s keeper let her go?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M7KPHSV

Bio:

Lynn Winchester is the pseudonym of a hardworking California-born conservative, now living in the wilds of Northeast Pennsylvania. Lynn has been writing fiction since the 5th grade, and enjoys creating worlds, characters, and stories for her readers.

Lynn writes charming, romantic romance that focuses on the growth of the relationship and the power of true love. Lynn’s historical western Dry Bayou Brides series is a highly acclaimed, bestselling sweet romance series. Keep an eye out for her upcoming releases.

When Lynn isn’t writing, she is running a successful editing business, reading whatever she can get her hands on, raising her four children, making sure her husband is happy, and binge watching shows on Netflix.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/LynnWinRomance

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/LynnWinWesterns

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lynn-winchester

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15570319.Lynn_Winchester

First Kiss Friday with To Love A Scottish Laird

29 Friday Mar 2019

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There’s nothing better than a First Kiss Friday unless its a First Kiss Friday with a new release! Today I’m featuring your’s truly with an excerpt from To Love A Scottish Laird that released yesterday. A prequel to If My Heart Could See You, I just know you’re going to enjoy Catherine and Douglas’s journey to finding love. Be sure to read all the way to the end to see what I have on sale through the weekend. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Catherine fought against the urge to completely surrender to Douglas and his all-consuming kiss. She should not be allowing him such a liberty. She should be voicing her outrage at the close proximity of their bodies. But when his lips slid against hers, she was completely lost.

If only Douglas knew what he was doing to her. She was not experienced with the intimacies between a man and woman. Oh, she understood the fundamentals of the act of kissing but had only been given meaningless pecks on the cheek. But this…  A whole new world opened up to her, and she rejoiced in what Douglas brought out in her!

Her arms wound their way up his neck, and she played with the length of his hair. In turn, he all but crushed her to his body but ’twas not unpleasant. Nay! Her body begged for something she could not understand. Parts of her began tingling as if she was coming alive for the very first time, and she never wanted it to end.

When Douglas’s tongue skimmed across her closed mouth, she gasped. Apparently, ’twas just the opportunity he was looking for! His tongue began playing with her own. A low moan escaped her and only encouraged him to take her deeper into what could only be described as sheer bliss. Catherine felt as though she was soaring into the sky like one of her birds. But this was so much better!

His arm tightened around her waist, and she finally became aware of the unmistakable form of his manhood pressed intimately to her body. By the Blessed Virgin! What was she doing?

Catherine emerged from the abyss of pleasure, snapping back to a reality that would possibly become her worst nightmare; wed to a man who would probably control her every move. Douglas was a complete stranger, no matter how handsome. She was concerned about losing the freedom she had grown accustomed to.

He must have sensed some change in her, for his grip loosened as he broke the kiss. Catherine felt the loss immediately and almost stepped forward for them to continue. Her heart felt as though ’twould beat its way out of her chest, and she was pleasantly surprised when it appeared Douglas felt the same. Their kiss had revealed many things to Catherine. First, Douglas certainly knew what he was doing when it came to kissing. Second, she began to think mayhap ’twould not be so difficult to be this man’s wife.


To Love A Scottish Laird:
De Wolfe Pack Connected World

On sale for $0.99 through the weekend!

Sometimes you really can fall in love at first sight…

Lady Catherine de Wolfe knows she must find a husband before her brother chooses one for her. A tournament to celebrate the wedding of the Duke of Normandy might be her answer. She does not expect to fall for a man after just one touch.

Laird Douglas MacLaren of Berwyck is invited to the tournament by the Duke of Normandy. He goes to ensure Berwyck’s safety once Henry takes the throne. He does not expect to become entranced by a woman who bumps into him.

Yet, nothing is ever quite that simple. Not everyone is happy with the union of this English lady and a Scottish laird. From the shores of France, to Berwyck Castle on the border between their countries, Douglas and Catherine must find their way to protect their newfound love.

Buy Link: Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UbuMKB

Or read it for #FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

And just so you can continue enjoying the MacLaren’s and my Knights of Berwyck series, I’ve put If My Heart Could See You on sale through the weekend so you can get both stories for only $0.99 each! Come fall back into time…

Click on the book tab above for all the buy links for If My Heart Could See You!

 

 

First Kiss Friday with guest R.L. Merrill

15 Friday Mar 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my dear friend R.L. Merrill who will be giving you some info on her trilogy and, of course, an excerpt. Take it away, Ro!

Thank you, Sherry, for having me on your blog today. We’re going to go back in time a little…This week is the 4th birthday of my novel Teacher. The characters in this trilogy have been so near and dear to me, as well as my readers, that I was tickled to bring them back in my new series from Dreamspinner Press, the Forces of Nature Series. In the first book, Hurricane Reese, Jesse is mentioned in the epilogue as the choreographer for Reese and Toby’s new musical, and then in book two, Typhoon Toby, Jesse and Danny end up playing peace-and-matchmakers. Today, however, I’m taking you back to book one and this adorable couple’s first kiss. It happens quite late in the book due to a series of complications: Jesse is Danny’s home instructor. He hires her to help him earn his high school diploma as he recovers from vocal cord surgery which could have potentially destroyed his music career. For two-thirds of the book, he can’t speak, forcing them to use texts, notes, and whispers in order to communicate. It’s enough because these two fall madly in love despite some pretty heavy obstacles. They’ve had a couple of falling outs by this point and in this scene, she’s coming over to work with him but she’s no longer able or willing to hide her feelings for him.

Excerpt:

I made myself get in the car and drive, telling myself I could do this a hundred times before pulling up at his curb. I got out slowly and trudged up the driveway. Nora opened the door and squealed.

“Jesse! You were beautiful last night! Connie and I saw the show! I am so proud of you. You got skills, baby!” She hugged me and it brought a faint smile to my lips.

“I’m glad you guys got to see the show. Weren’t the kids great?”

She stopped smiling and said, “Yeah, the show was fantastic.”

She frowned. “You ok?”

I choked back a sob and looked back at my car. “Nora, I don’t think I can do this today. Can you please tell Danny that I’ll come tomorrow? I can’t—”

Danny flung the door open, took one look at me then picked me up and carried me inside. I tucked my head into his shoulder and cried my heart out. He brought me into the library and sat me on the couch, kneeling next to me on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Danny, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep coming over here and pretending I am just doing a job with you. I promise I’ll find a replacement to get you through the rest of your credits and I’ll pay you back the money. I just can’t do this anymore. I quit.”

Danny took my hands in his and whispered, “Good.”

Startled, I looked up at him. “What do you mean, ‘good’?”

A smile formed on his lips. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, raspy voice, “Good. I’m glad you won’t pretend anymore.”

I pulled my hands from his frantically and put them over his mouth. “What are you doing?! You’re not supposed to be talking!”

He took my hands in his again and held them to his chest. That deliciously deep voice said, “The doctor cleared me Friday. I’ve been waiting to have you alone to tell you.”

My eyes locked on his and his smile just about knocked me out. I reached out and touched his throat and giggled. “It’s not how I thought you’d sound,” I whispered and he took my hands in his again.

“Jesse, I wanted to wait until I could speak to tell you…I love you. I love you so goddamned much that I don’t want to stop saying it. I want you to quit. I don’t want you to be my teacher anymore. I want you to be mine.”

My hand clutched my chest to keep my heart from falling out on the floor. It was pounding so hard I thought I would burst. “But what about your diploma? You have to finish!”

“I will finish, but not with you as my teacher. You’re mean anyway.”

I gasped at him in shock and moved to smack him, but he grabbed my hand, placing it on his chest over his heart.

“Didn’t you hear the first part? I love you, Jesse! I’ve loved you since that first weekend when you fell into my arms in that very doorway. Or maybe it was that night you didn’t back off when I challenged you at the restaurant. I haven’t decided but the point is, I fucking love you.”

I smirked, sniffled, and took a deep breath. “Well, since you put it that way, I fucking love you too, Danny Black.”

He exhaled a relieved breath and pressed his forehead against mine. It felt so good to tell him, to remove the weight from my chest. Instantly I felt like I could breathe better.

“I am so goddamn glad you said that. I’m going to kiss you now. I’ve waited too goddamned long to kiss you.”

And then his lips were on me, his mouth was on me, and his hands were everywhere. I grasped the sides of his face and kissed him back with the same intensity. He tasted so good and he was so insistent that we were almost fighting each other trying to get closer. We pulled back laughing and he kissed me gently on the lips.

“Wow,” was all I could say. I’d had dreams about kissing Danny, but they didn’t compare to the real thing. His desire for me was barely contained. I could feel his muscles tensing under my hands as I ran them over his shoulders and back.

“Danny, are you sure about this?”

“We’ll figure it out. I’m not stopping my work.” His eyes were serious and I was relieved he wasn’t giving up on his goal. I figured we should make a plan.

“I think we should go see my boss tomorrow and tell her what’s going on. We’ll take her all you’ve done so she can evaluate it and maybe she can help us find another teacher to oversee your grades. I’ll still help you, but I won’t sign off on your grades.”

His eyes searched mine, thinking about what I proposed. “I like it. Now we need to go tell the Warden because I’m not taking my hands off of you for the foreseeable future.”

Teacher by R.L. Merrill

Thank you for joining me today. If you’d like to check out Teacher – The Hollywood Rock ‘n’ Romance Trilogy, you can find links as well as all kinds of info about my books on my website at www.rlmerrillauthor.com. You can also sign up for my newsletter-y thingie to keep up with my shenanigans and tomfoolery. Huge thanks to Sherry for being a gracious hostess. Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance…

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