Jan 30, 2011

Sunday Smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Walk On The Wild Side by Natalie Anderson, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Kylie Griffin!


Congratulations, Kylie! Can you please contact Tracey O'Hara at

tracey (at) traceyohara (dot) com

and she'll send you a copy of Death's Sweet Embrace.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Walk On The Wild Side by Natalie Anderson...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There’s nothing like a kiss! As in real life, kisses in stories often herald the turning point in a relationship – sometimes they’ve been waiting so long to happen it’s such a relief, sometimes they’re playful and passionate and fun and sometimes, they’re a result of a pent-up mess of emotions – anger, frustration and desire…


One crazy afternoon on the beach...
A fling with sinfully hot champion snowboarder Jack Greene isn't Kelsi Reid's normal
behaviour... but one glimpse of his wicked blue eyes has Kelsi throwing caution to the deep blue sea (along with her clothes!). After all, who better to go crazy with than a man who deserves a gold medal for his prowess on the slopes and in the bedroom...? Then Kelsi crashes down with a terrifying bump - of the baby kind. They couldn't be worse matched - Jack is Mr Right-Now, while Kelsi craves stability. But it's hard to keep your feet on the ground once you've met the man who turns your world upside down...


“It’s going to be fine,’ she smiled but it wasn’t a natural one. “It’s all going to be ok.”

“Oh?” He stopped. She still had her back pressed against the window, as far away from him as possible.

“Sure,” she nodded. “I have a good job. I have no worries financially. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be doable.”

Somehow that didn’t make h
im feel any better. Now she was suggesting she didn’t even want his money? Ridiculous. Doing it alone wasn’t easy – even with only one child. His instincts sharpened – body becoming even more battle ready. “What will you do with the baby?”

“When it comes I can keep working from home. Later I can return to the office part-time and work my hours back up as it gets older.”

“You’ve thought all this through,” he said, not keeping the sarcasm out.

She looked cool. “Funnily enough, I haven’t been able to think of much else.”


Okay so he knew it was the twenty-first century and all and there were plenty of working mothers out there, plenty of solo mothers too, but there was that basic instinct in him now rearing its
head up from the cave it had been born in, saying the man ought to provide for his woman and child. And there was another instinct rising too, threatening to override everything – his need for this woman – pushing him to do the thing he’d been dreaming of for ever. “And where did you see me fitting in with this?”

“I don’t.”


“Pardon?” Jack couldn’t control the snap of his muscles.


“I already said you don’t need to worry about it.” Kelsi looked away from the wild expression in his eyes. “I c
an manage just fine on my own.” And she could. And she would.

“Really.” He looked furious. “Ok, let’s say, for a second, that that’s true.” He walked towards her, his anger surging ahead of him in an invisible cloud. “Let’s say you can manage just fine on your own and you don’t need me.”


Kelsi froze, despite her instinct screaming at her to run. And then it was too late. He swiftly pulled her into his arms – lifting her right off her feet. Her heart thundered at the feel of his hard strength pressed so close to her. And it almost beat right out of her chest as his mouth descended.


Her whole body convulsed as his lips pressed hard on hers. It was anger she tasted, but also passion. And she couldn’t do anything except put her arms around his neck and hold on. She tried so hard to stop the spinning inside but she couldn’t contain the response, couldn’t stop herself softening, opening for him and feeling the rush of desire for more. He was all strength, all passion. And all fury.

She shuddered deeply again as he ravaged, showing her no mercy, kissing her until she succumbed c
ompletely – not just to his desire, but to her own. Until suddenly she kissed him back as keenly and as wildly. Until just as suddenly she panicked and pushed him away hard.

He dropped her and she gasped.


“What do we do about that?” he demanded.

Kelsi quickly took three paces away, her emotions tossed about like corks on a stormy sea. What was he thinking kissing her like that? “You think complicating
this even more is a good idea?” she demanded shakily.

“It’s that co
mplicated already, I don’t think this is going to make much difference.”

“You’ve got to be ki
dding.”

“I still want you.”



Want to know what happens next? Just leave a comment to be in the draw for a signed copy of Walk on the Wild Side!

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal by Rachel Bailey will be posted!

19 comments:

  1. Congrats on being book of the month Natalie. Have got to say the new Riva covers rock! Have noticed them big time in every shop I go into, they certainly stand out on the shelves, here's hoping that means big sales! x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Natalie

    WOW that kiss is filled with emotion and passion loved it I will be looking for this book I need to read the whole story

    Have Fun
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fabulous kiss, Natalie! I absolutely HAVE to read their story, to see what came before and goes after!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Niiiiice!!! Great tension and love her independence! And congrats on book of the month!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great kiss Natalie. Am really looking forward to reading their story. Great cover. Congrat's.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, Natalie, I just lurrvve complicated! :-)

    Fab kiss... and now I'm dying to find out what happens next!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hot kiss! Like Michelle I love complicated. Sounds like a great read.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, my. That was *intense*. Might just be wandering off to the shops now to pick up a copy of that book...

    ReplyDelete
  9. One scorching hot kiss! wow!

    I found this intriguing line in Unbuttoned By Her Maverick Boss, "What will you do, Sophy, play it safe or WALK ON THE WILD SIDE?"

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi everyone! Glad you enjoyed the kiss - and yes, it DOES get complicated...
    I'm so glad you like the new covers - they certainly are eye-catching!

    and Mel, yes she is independent - I loved that about her.
    Nas - LOL - I don't get to title my books - but I think most of my heroines have taken a walk on the wild side... must be something about my heroes!?!?!?!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Read this on ereader a few weeks back as always I loved your story telling Natalie. The cover was ace and the kiss a sensation.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Liking the look of the new Rivas and liking the sound of a Walk of the Wild Side. Good luck with the new series!

    ReplyDelete
  13. *on.... ON The Wild Side... Scheech!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Natalie

    Really liked the kiss between Jack and Kelsi. I really want to see what happens after this particular kiss.

    Jack seems like a really interesting guy especially being a snowboarder which you don't see that often as an occupation for characters.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really enjoyed the excerpt and I'd love to read the rest. I like the Riva covers.

    seriousreader at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Woohoo! Hot kiss, Natalie! I can't wait to find out how Kelsi and Jack work out their differences!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Intense...but, Natalie, aren't your stories always just...that?!
    Also great conversations - always. So real!
    That's what makes them stand out and why I like them so much. And, ahem *whispering*, do I get a long happy bit at the end??
    Brigitte

    ReplyDelete
  18. Awesome Natalie. A snowboarder.. *sigh*...

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm so late back to here guys - so sorry (blame the current book) - but Clare - yay you on winning :)

    Aine -thanks so much I'm so glad you enjoyed the story.

    Amanda- yeah, his career was so much fun to research - I watched way to many Youtube clips of hot snowboarders!!!!!

    Linda- thanks - and yes, the covers are cool - I've just seen my next and i LOVE it - might have to put it on my blog!

    Brigitte - so lovely to see you - yes, I think there's a nice length happy bit at the end for you in this one :) Hope so anyway!

    ReplyDelete