Sunday Smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a fun smooch from Dating and Other Dangers by Harlequin author Natalie Anderson, but first ...

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


Congratulations, Kez! Can you please contact Nikki Logan at

nikki (at) nikkilogan (dot) com (dot) au

and she'll send you a signed copy of Rapunzel in New York.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Dating and Other Dangers by Natalie Anderson ...

 Nadia Keenan's first date Dos and Don'ts:
 
1. Do boost your confidence by looking hot.
2. Don't put out until at least date two.
3. If the man is trouble  (however sexy!) do report all on womanbwarned.com

After being trashed on Nadia's website, serial dater-and-dumper Ethan Rush is about to put Nadia's rules to the test!

He's determined to change her mind about him.
She's determined to prove him for the cad he is.

Let the battle of the dates begin...

So Nadia has been out on the first date with the loathed Ethan – you’ll have to read the book to get the low-down on what happened while they were out! But at this point, he’s escorting her home and, fuelled by too much sugar and a little too much wine, Nadia has been thinking the ‘snake’ will make the first move – she’s read all about practiced touches online, so she’s been really looking forward to shooting him down. Only it doesn’t happen…and surely not, she can’t be feeling disappointed?!

Where was the move? Where was the ‘best sex’ those women had talked about?

The cab pulled over and Ethan got out, paying him off. He glanced and saw her surprised expression. “I’ll see you to your door and then walk.”

“I’m not inviting you in for coffee,” she said, stupidly hurt by his impersonal politeness.

“I’m not expecting that,” he answered, like he couldn’t care less.

And he couldn’t, could he? Anger surged again as she realised this guy was totally not interested. Why not? Why wasn’t he when, according to all reports, he slayed any female who had the misfortune to slide across his path?

He rested his hand on her back as she turned to walk up her path. Anger burned hotter when she felt again the electric effect that one touch had. His hand was all she could feel. Impotent emotion clogged her throat as she blindly stepped forward. 

But because she felt that touch so acutely, she felt the stroke of his thumb upwards across her spine – the slow intimate sweep. The smallest of signals.

Oh thank goodness, there it was. Satisfaction slammed into her. The man couldn’t help himself. Finally he was going to go with some of his moves. She walked slowly now, enjoying the thrill of him moving so close behind her, smiling as she imagined her refusal scene. She’d keep it polite tonight, but playful too – to give him the illusion of possible success in the next date or two.

But in reality it was impossible. For sure. 

She unlocked her door and flicked the switch just inside the door so light spilled from the room out onto the path. Then she turned to say goodbye, her smile impossible to contain.

He really was very tall up there, still in the shadows, looking down at her. She could tell he was smiling too – but suddenly she knew it wasn’t a lust fuelled smile. It was that amusement again. Was he laughing at her? Her certainty of success faltered.

“Thanks for an interesting evening Nadia,” loaded with irony.

He was laughing. She’d been wrong about that touch. He wasn’t going to do it – no move, no kiss. There was nothing. She felt piqued. And disappointed. And disappointed anger swamped her. She was not going to let him go without scoring a point of her own.

“I’ll see you Sunday,” he said in farewell.

 Just before he turned she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and stood on tiptoe as high as she could. 

And pressed her mouth to his. 

He froze. Didn’t pull away but didn’t respond either. So she worked a little harder, stroking his lower lip with her tongue. A faint response then – the smallest flinch of his muscles. But it was so faint she let go and stepped back, suddenly aware she’d made a massive mistake.

“What was that for?” he asked, somehow closer despite her retreat.

“Curiosity,” she flipped back at him, frantically thinking up her defence. She’d crashed out of the floating feeling now. “I wanted to know if you’re as amazing as they all said.” 

She felt his muscles firm even more and he loomed closer still.

“And the verdict?”

“Not as hot as I’d been lead to believe.”

 “But I thought one of your top tips on first dates was not to get too hot.”

“You were playing by my rules?”

“What, you thought you were playing by mine?” He laughed, she could feel the vibrations in the scarce space between them. “You really have no idea.”

 “Don’t patronise me.”

“But, darling, you don’t just lean in and stick your tongue down a guy’s throat.”

Mortification and the hated goose bumps made her skin – and soul – painfully sensitive. So she covered with mock incredulity. “Are you giving me kissing advice?”

He was a jerk – she hadn’t stuck her tongue down his throat and he knew it.

“A little lesson in seduction if you like,” he stepped even nearer. “I think you need it.”

She tried to push him away but he was a mountain in front of her now – immovable and impassable. Her hands were tiny on his chest, her fingers instinctively curling into the fabric of his shirt.

“To begin, Nadia,” he said softly and with light sarcasm. “Less is more.”

“Is that right,” smarting she snapped, tipping her chin high to glare into his eyes, deliberately digging her nails into his skin now. 

He leaned closer, resting his hands on the wall behind her as he bent, his words whispering across her face. “Anticipation is everything, didn’t you know?”

“It’s only everything, if the end result is a disappointment,” she said caustically. “If the end result was all as amazing as it’s meant to be, then the anticipation would be forgotten in the heat.”

“Oh you’re wrong,” he smiled. “You need to live moment by moment,” his head lowered. “It’s much more fun.” He paused, his mouth a millimetre from hers as he gently instructed. “You start with lots of soft, teasing touches.”

His lips brushed hers lightly, just the once. But the second she went to snap back at him he did it again. Then again and again and again. Until it was lots – like he’d said. Not deep hungry kisses but slivers of rich sensuality that made her open her mouth for more before she’d thought to stop it. Then she couldn’t think at all – she only wanted to move closer for more.

But he kept them light. Lifting back as she tilted towards him. 

“Uh huh,” he teased. “You keep it the same – don’t go deeper until she’s begging.”

With one hand he played her like an instrument, gliding one finger after the other across her neck. Not making music, but pleasure, with gentle touches. But she knew the strength was there.

And she wanted it.

To be in the draw to win a copy of Dating and Other Dangers, tell us if you have a date-gone-wrong story – or even a little embarrassing ‘Oh no’ moment from a date.

On my first date with the guy who’d become my husband, he took me to a lovely restaurant and it was super delicious! But when I went to the powder room after the main I saw I’d somehow splattered droplets of sauce all over my top.

Happily, my display of gluttony didn’t seem to put him off… so share a moment if you have one, or just leave a comment to be in to win!


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Christmas at Candlebark Farm by Michelle Douglas will be posted!