Feb 13, 2011

Sunday Smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Rebel With A Cause by Natalie Anderson, but first ...

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


Congratulations, Helen! Can you please contact Rachel Bailey at

rachel (at) rachelbailey (dot) com

and she'll send you a copy of Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Rebel With A Cause by Natalie Anderson...



Office gossip...

It's well known that rugged tycoon Lorenzo Hall comes from the wrong side of the tracks, and that opposites attract... Apparently one glimpse of his pristine new assistant Sophy Braithwaite had Lorenzo itching to undress her - we wonder if she's as prim and proper as she looks! Of course, to Sophy, her smouldering boss should be off-limits, but it's easy to see how Lorenzo's criminally hot body and the dangerous twinkle in his eyes could tempt her to break all the rules...



Tired. That was her problem. Tired and frustrated and overwhelmed. And he wasn’t helping – towering over her like this, tormenting her all the time. She looked straight down to the floor as tears sprang at her eyes. “Forget it.”

“No,” he took her chin in firm fingers and tilted her head back up so he could see her face. A half-swallowed growl sounded. “You’re really upset.”

“My wounded pride will get over it,” she snapped, cross with her stupid weakness. “I don’t care what you think. I’m here to do a job. Now I’m going to get on with it.”

“Not until I apologise.”

“I didn’t think you’d be the type to say sorry.”

“And you think I’m the one making assumptions?” His eyes glinted but the smallest of smiles appeared. “Ok, I don’t say it often. But when I do, I mean it.” He stroked her jaw. “I’m sorry.”

“Its fine,” she shrugged, too crushed to accept it with good grace and determined not to let that smile have its usual disabling effect. “I don’t care what you think about me.”

His smiled deepened just a touch. Okay, so she was protesting too much.

She sighed as a flicker of good humour returned to her. “Don’t get big-headed about it. I care too much what everyone thinks about me.”

“What you think matters to me too.”

Okay, so now his niceness was making it worse. Embarrassed, she shifted. “Look, just forget it.”

“No,” his grip tightened. “I’m going to make it better. I’m going to do it anyway. It’s been on the cards for days. You know that.”

She froze, her body rendered immobile with anticipation overload. All she could do was gaze up at him – drowning in his eyes, yearning for that beautiful mouth to touch her.

And then it did.

A butterfly-light brush of lips on skin – a shade too close to her mouth to be a safe kiss on the cheek. And he lingered too long for it to be safe too.

“Better?” His question almost inaudible, but she heard it, felt it as his lips grazed her as he asked.

“No.”

The smallest of pauses as they stood – intent hovering. Only a couple of inches separated their bodies, only a millimetre separated their lips. She could feel his heat, and smell his fresh soapy scent. A tremor ran through her as anticipation almost broke her nerve. Suddenly he moved – that merest fraction, the littlest drop to her mouth. His lips were warm, and they clung.

Her eyes closed, her body blanking everything so it could focus only on the touch. His gentleness so unexpected, the rush of sensation pierced through her.

A moan – was it her? The softness, the slowness, the sweetness overwhelmed her. She trembled again and his hands tightened. This wasn’t enough.

And then it was over.

She couldn’t breathe. She saw his eyes zooming in on her. Jet black now. Intense. Beautiful. Time and motion stopped for a moment that felt like infinity. Her every nerve was wired, waiting, wanting. Would he come back – would he kiss her again?

“No,” he said roughly, stepping back. His hands dropped – leaving her suddenly cold. “You were right. I was wrong.” He walked out the door. “I really am sorry.”


Poor Lorenzo gets to feel a whole lot sorrier as his relationship with Sophy grows all the more complicated… To be in the draw to win a signed copy of Rebel With A Cause, just leave a comment below!


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Moon Thrall by Mel Teshco will be posted!

26 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed the excerpt. I've been reading Harlequin Presents for many years and I still enjoy them as much as the day I started. I can't wait to read this one.

    seriousreader at live dot com

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  2. Good excerpt. Can't wait to read Rebel With a Cause.

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  3. The more I read about this book the more anxious I get to read it (it is on my saving list) it sounds like another masterpiece Natalie thank you for sharing the excerpt with us and thank you for the wonderfull contest

    All the best
    Desere

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  4. I read this last summer and loved the dynamic between those two. The excerpt reminded me how good it was I must look it up on my ereader and have another date with Lorenzo ;)

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  5. Hi Natalie,

    OK, I get it! REBEL WITH A CAUSE is UNBUTTONED BY HER MAVERICK BOSS!

    And I have enjoyed reading about Lorenzo and Sophy and their super volcanic kisses!

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  6. Whoo Hoo I so loved that excerpt I have to read the book can't wait.

    Thanks all for the win from last week I am doing the happy dance here this morning

    I am off into the City this morning for lunch with a great group of romance readers always a great day

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  7. Nice excerpt! Now I want to read it :)

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  8. Natalie, that kiss was *beautiful*! I am so buying this book. :)

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  9. Sounds like these two have some sizzling chemistry. It's definitely on the TBR list as all of your books always are!

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  10. Hi She - I hope you do get the chance to read it, Lorenzo is one of my all time fave heroes to have had the pleasure of writing :)

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  11. Hi Desere! I hope you do get to get your hands on it... you never know with the luck of the draw - fingers crossed! :)

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  12. Hi Aine - so thrilled you enjoyed it :) Lorenzo still comes visiting my mind at odd times actually - not that that's a hardship, lol!!!

    Actually, in all seriousness, some of Lorenzo's background was grounded in real experiences (not mine) - I wanted him to have his happy ending so badly.

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  13. Nas - YES! And I was just getting to my emails to answer you when I saw you here first! Mills & Boon retitled it for the North American release - hence the confusion!!!

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  14. Hi Helen - yay you on last week's win - fun!!! Hope you have a great time at your lunch!

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  15. Hi Kaetrin - so glad you enjoyed it... there are more kisses to come in that story... a LOT more! ;)

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  16. Hi Rachel! Aw yay - pleased you liked it. This book sailed thru with absolutely no editorial revisions whatsoever - no wonder it's a fave of mine ;)

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  17. Hi Erin - yes they do have chemistry - or should that be CHEMISTRY - but its a reluctant experiment for Lorenzo - because, yup, it all blows up in his face... ;)

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  18. Great excerpt.Can't wait to read this book.Awesome,Awesome,Awesome!!!

    dlynnpen@aim.com

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  19. Love the anticipation in this scene, Natalie! Fabulous stuff! And as for Lorenzo -- verrry nice!

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  20. Hi dlynnpen - thanks for commenting :)
    And you too Mel and Emily!!

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  21. Great excerpt, Natalie. I didn't realise they re-titled books - do they do that often?
    Jo

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  22. Hi Joanne! Yes they do it sometimes for different markets - I've had a couple of re-titled... can get a bit confusing unfortunately, so they don't do it all that often... not sure on the reasons - but its something to do with marketing!!! Great to see you here :)

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  23. Hi Natalie --
    Great smooch! The anticipation is awesome. Another great read for the teetering TBR pile!

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  24. Love a rebel story and one who can tease like that... oooh.

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