Jun 19, 2011

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!

21 comments:

  1. I loved that Zana great smooch I look forward to reading this one

    As for a favourite beach I would have to say Bondi here in Sydney

    Have Fun
    Helen
    Congrats Cristal

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  2. Helen, when I went to Sydney, Bondi was closed!!! Major road works in the area. Still, I can look forward to it another trip. I did fall in love with Manly, however.

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  3. Hi Zana,

    I love Piha beach in Auckland...no..no Mission beach...or can I add more? Once we went up North, there was a lovely beach we went to...there are just so many!

    In Fiji we have a lovely beach named Natadola Beach, you can google, it'll come up! Then there's Denarau.

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  4. Kaanapali beach in Maui! So pretty there!
    You Sunday Smooch sounds good!!
    Jacque' Spillman:)

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  5. Zana that was an amazing tease of a kiss, there's plenty there to get a red-blooded girl going ;-)

    One of my favourite beaches is Ladies Bay at Kawau Island. It's one of the few places on the Island you can swim at all tides.

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  6. Zana, I love that kiss! It's not quite there, but it's soooo much. =)

    Favourite beach? Basically any beach in Queensland or NSW - down the eastern side of Australia. Though, the northern end of NSW and the bottom half of Qld are particularly special, like Byron Bay, and the Sunshine Coast beaches.

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  7. I can see I'll have to start a list of fabulous beaches for future holidays.

    Thanks Nas, for the tip about Fijian beaches. We are thinking about a trip there next year so will have to follow up your suggestion of googling.

    As to Kaanapali, Jacque, I can well imagine it is lovely. I really enjoyed researching surf beaches for my first book and Maui had some beauties.

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  8. Zana I loved that!! Very tantalising kiss, left me wanting more =))

    Favourite beach - too many to list!

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  9. Toni, I love Kawau Island, the House and the animals. I can see on my next visit there, I'll have to check out Ladies Beach.

    Rach, Aussie beaches are legendary. When we drove from Sydney to Noosa, we spent the whole trip saying, "We could live there" and "Now that's a really great place". Which is why, of course, you have so many Kiwis over there :)

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  10. Delighted the kiss left you wanting more, Mel. Yeah, I know what you mean about too many to list. It's like when people ask "What's your favourite book?"

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  11. Oooh! Fun! Looks like they're in for an interesting courtship, Zana!

    Favourite beach? That's a hard one! Um ... I'd have to say Wharariki, which is wild and rugged and remote and has archway islands and caves and baby seals swimming in the rock pools.

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  12. Wharariki? Em, I don't think I've ever heard of it. Where is it? Rugged and remote - sounds like a good description for a hero!

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  13. I love the role reversal in this story, Zana. It sounds very intriguing!

    Favourite beach? Choosing just one is too hard, though I will say that Blackhead Beach, Hallidays Point (NSW), holds a dear place in my heart.

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  14. Smashing kiss, Zana! Cressa's going to have to work hard to get her man! Adam's powers of resistance are going to be tested to the max!

    When I lived in Auckland, I was very partial to Bethells Beach... Murawai and Piha too! But I bet they've changed HEAPS since I was there last! LOL

    Here in Australia there are some awesome beaches... Fraser Island is fabulous. Cable Beach in Broome and there's an amazing shell beach in WA. Ah, beaches! Love 'em!
    :)
    Sharon

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  15. Zana, I *love* your smooch. Your hero sounds gorgeous and what a wonderful cover!

    My fave beach is maybe Kings Beach here in Caloundra. A long stretch of white sand and fabulous surf. We love having lunch at a cafe called Salties *right* on the beach. Heavenly!

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  16. Hey Michelle, great to hear from you and I'm glad you enjoyed the role reversal. It was fun to write.

    Sharon and Robyn, thanks for the support. Sharon, you're a Westie!!! The Aussie beaches all three of you mention sound wonderful. Now that my son has moved over there, I'll have excuses to go to Aus and do some explroing.

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  17. Hi Zana
    I'm going to be boring and vote for a beach nearby me on the West Coast of Scotland in Ayr. It's gorgeous but probably doesn't get as much sun as some of the lovely Australian beaches mentioned. I guess the best way to describe it is 'windswept'! But I still love it

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  18. Hey Scarlet

    I LOVE the West Coast of Scotland. I worked in the hotel at Crinan one summer and lost my heart to the whole area. It's all so wild and beautiful - and yes, windswept!

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  19. Since I'm landlocked I don't really have any beaches close by but the one that I have visited the most is Long Beach, British Columbia. It probably fails into the category of windswept as well. It a part of Pacific Rim National Park in Canada and it's lovely to sit and watch the tide come and go.

    Your smooch is a bit of a teaser Zana. I do have both your books already. Loved the first one and now after reading this smooch I'm going to have to read the second one soon.

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  20. Zana,
    Nice sizzle in that tiny kiss. What a fabulous scene! Their romance sounds like so much fun.

    You ask hard questions, Zana. I live near Seven Mile Beach on the south coast on NSW. It's a beautiful long beach but not the best swimming spot. Jervis Bay a bit further south has gorgeous beaches. I'm fond of Hyam's Beach - great for snorkelling and swimming. Then there's Green Patch... Honeymoon Bay... Summercloud Bay. Oh, too hard!

    Cath

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  21. Okay Catherine, now you're just making me jealous! What a great choice you have.

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