Sunday Smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from A Risk Worth Taking by Zana Bell, but first ...

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

Congratulations, Cristal! Can you please contact Robyn at robyn-grady (at) hotmail (dot) com and she'll send you a copy of The Billionaire's Bedside Manner.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from A Risk Worth Taking by Zana Bell...


He doesn’t just want her.
He wants it all.
Any red-blooded American male would be all over Cressa Curtis. She’s gorgeous, she’s wild and clearly she’s open for a no-strings-attached adventure. But Adam Walker’s been there, done that. And now he wants more for himself. Even with his history, Adam still believes in love and family and marriage and the whole white picket fence—hardly what Cressa is offering. Besides, everything about the crazy Kiwi spells danger and distraction—two things Adam can’t afford to risk with his sights set on medical school. He’s only in New Zealand for a month.
Surely he can resist Cressa’s advances that long….

[Cressa is baffled by Adam. The Texan biker is clearly as attracted to her as she is to him. So why does he persist in trying to deny it? She’s offering him a no-strings passionate fling – surely every guy’s dream. But Adam, despite his bad boy looks, just won’t play. Bent on seduction, she takes him to a beautiful, secluded beach where, much to her fury, he dares to psychoanalyse her.]

Adam’s eyes held hers. “You know, I think under all your wild child crap is a strong, amazing woman waiting to come out.”

She didn’t know whether she’d just been insulted or complimented. She could feel the jut in her jaw, her smile both defence and attack. “Thank you, Dr. Freud. So tell me. Did you just take my photo to put on your Facebook page?”

She wanted to crack that control of his; that measured, measuring objectivity he was using to create a barrier. It looked like she succeeded when a slow smile, sexy as all hell, spread across his face. One hand came up to cup the back of her head, drawing her face inch by slow inch, closer to his. He leaned in, his features completely filling her line of vision. The waves breaking on the shore echoed the beat of her heart. When his face was just millimetres from hers, he paused, their breath mingling. Then softly, very softly, his mouth brushed hers. For a second she tasted the salt on his lips and then they were gone.

“No,” he said, his voice low and husky, “that photo was for me.”

Then the hand holding her head released her and Adam was already rising, picking up his towel in a movement that obscured his lower torso. The scar running along his spine was white against the brown skin, healed but clearly visible. He looked down at her and she blinked up at him, dazed. Disorientated. And burning for more. Adam’s smile was wry, his eyes once more objective as they looked directly into hers.

“When we first met, I admit there was a connection.” His eyes strayed to her mouth, then looked back into her eyes. “But nothing’s going to happen. I get that you are all here and now but you’ve got me wrong. I’m not like that at all. I’m flattered, I really am, but no more games. Okay, Cressa?”

She looked at him. His expression was reasonable but his body was taut.

“Okay.”

He eyed her. “What? No arguments?”

“Nope, I heard you. Friends, right?”

“Yeah, friends, for sure.” Still his eyes narrowed as she smiled up at him.

She reached out a hand. “Pull me up then.”

He took it and pulled her to her feet. The towel stayed firmly clutched to his midriff.

Friends? Yeah right. She didn’t know whether the day had been a step forward or two steps back but of one thing she was sure. Their dance hadn’t ended, whatever Adam might think. It was only just getting started.




To be in the draw to win a signed copy of A Risk Worth Taking, let Zana know,  

Which is your favourite beach?


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Rapunzel in New York by Nikki Logan will be posted!