Sunday Smooch with Cathryn Hein

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Heart Of The Valley by Cathryn Hein, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- cecilia 83!



Congratulations, cecilia!

Can you please contact Louisa George on louisageorge32 (at) gmail (dot) com
and she will send you a copy of Waking Up With His Runaway Bride.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Heart Of The Valley by Cathryn Hein ...

Brooke Kingston is smart, capable and strongwilled ­ some might even say stubborn ­ and lives in the beautiful Hunter Valley on her family property. More at home on horseback than in heels, her life revolves around her beloved ‘boys’ ­ showjumpers Poddy, Oddy and Sod.

Then a tragic accident leaves Brooke a mess. Newcomer Lachie Cambridge is hired to manage the farm, and Brooke finds herself out of a job and out of luck. But she won¹t go without a fight.

What she doesn’t expect is Lachie himself ­ a handsome, gentle giant with a will to match her own. But with every day that Lachie stays, Brooke’s future on the farm is more uncertain. Will she be forced to choose between her home and the man she’s falling for?

One tender touch, one exquisite kiss, and the grief Brooke had been clinging to so tightly subsided. It still throbbed in the background, but the edges were dulled. They no longer cut blades through her heart. Instead, as Lachie took the kiss deeper, her spirit swelled, ballooned by something marvellous, something rapturous and hope-filled.

Multiple times in her love-drunk hazes she’d imagined kissing him, but not once had she imagined it would be this magical. He’d started tentative, careful, just a light brush of her mouth, as though testing her sincerity, and she’d melted against him, wanting more. Sensing her need, he’d responded, cupping her face as he pressed his mouth harder against hers. Now, he kissed with a hunger that turned her inside out and drowned her in feelings of love, lust and desperate, insistent want.

And God, was it right. Perfectly, wonderfully right.

His hands slid down her neck, across her shoulders and down her bare arms, knuckles brushing her sides, each touch electric. He kissed his way across her cheek, warm, excited breath heavy in her ear as he nibbled at her lobe then left it to kiss a trail down her neck. He nuzzled the neck of her T-shirt aside to place fluttery kisses on her collarbone. Eyes closed, she arched her back, panting with pleasure as she let the glory of it swallow her.

He nuzzled his way back up to her mouth before drawing back to look at her intently. ‘Are you really sure about this?’

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

‘No. I’m serious. I need to know.’

‘I’m positive, Lachie. Absolutely,’ she brushed her mouth against his, ‘positively,’ sucked at his lower lip, ‘positive.’

She meant it. Heart and soul meant it. She loved him, and if the tragedies of the year had taught her one thing, it was to give and show her love, not hide it, because tomorrow could see it snatched away. Every hour, every minute, every second needed to be treasured. And even if this was only one night – a display of kind-heartedness and sympathy on his part – at least she’d have it to cherish and remember.

‘If you change your —’

She pressed her finger against his mouth, shaking her head. ‘No more worry. No more talk. Just do.’

"Heart of the Valley takes place in the very romantic Hunter Valley, where the landscape is so magnificent you can't blame Lachie and Brooke for wanting to kiss! What place inspires the romantic in you? Leave a somment to be in the draw to win a signed copy of win a signed copy of Heart of the Valley." (Australian residents only)


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Every Boy's Dream Dad by Sue Mackay will be posted!