Sunday Smooch with Jennifer St George .....

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from The Convenient Bride by Jennifer St George, but first ...

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


Can you please contact Helen Lacey on mail (at) helenlacey(dot) com to recieve your copy of His-And-Hers Family


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Jennifer St George ........

Sienna De Luca will do anything to save her family's hotel, and ruthless Italian businessman Antonio Moretti knows it. With problems of his own, he proposes a marriage of convenience and plans to use Sienna to secure his next business deal. But things don't go quite according to plan.

In keeping with her part of the bargain, Sienna travels to Venice to be with Antonio, who introduces her to a life of great luxury and opulence. Antonio thinks he can manipulate her at his will, but he soon realizes he has seriously underestimated Sienna, her intelligence, her skills, her courage – and her beauty. Unexpectedly, Sienna gets too close and when she discovers his dark secret, Antonio's perfectly planned life begins to unravel.

Scene set-up: [Sienna de Luca and Antonio Moretti have just left their wedding reception. It’s a marriage of convenience and Sienna’s discovered the marriage is to deceive Antonio’s own family, so she’s furious. But, she’s finding it harder and harder to fight the growing attraction between them. Now, she finds she can’t undo the buttons of her wedding dress…]

 ‘Ah … I need a little help.’ Sienna turned and pointed to the buttons holding her prisoner.

         He leant back in his chair. ‘I knew that kiss wasn’t an act,’ he said, running a finger over his bottom lip. ‘If you want to sleep with me, you only have to ask. There’s no need for these little games.’

Heat burst from her cheeks. Fury and indignation mingled in her blood, the toxic mix making her shake. Only her good upbringing prevented her from marching across the room and slapping his face.

       ‘Forget it,’ she said, storming back into the bedroom. She shut the door, only just managing not to slam it. Arrogant, self-absorbed pig …

Marching to the phone, she dialed.

       ‘Housekeeping,’ a bright voice answered.

The bedroom door opened. Damn, why hadn’t she locked it? Antonio strode into the room. She turned her back on him.

       ‘It’s Sienna De—’

‘Moretti,’ his smooth voice whispered in her ear.

        Sienna Moretti.

‘I’d like —’ She couldn’t quite remember why she’d called.

        Antonio took the phone from her hand and dropped it back in its cradle.

‘What do you think —’ she demanded, her harsh words and icy glare having no affect.

        Without a word, he took her by the shoulders and spun her around. His fingers quickly flicked free four buttons of her gown.

She opened her mouth to give Antonio a serve, but instead, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. She hadn’t realised how constricting the dress had been. She breathed deeply for what seemed the first time that day.

        ‘Thanks,’ she said quietly over her shoulder. She reached around, hoping now to be able to finish the job herself, but fate was not on her side.

‘Let me.’ Antonio languidly undid another couple of buttons, his fingers gentle as he slowly released the pressure of her cream confinement.

        ‘Antonio —’

‘Ssh,’ he whispered in her ear. His lips brushed her bare shoulder.

        The air rushed from her lungs and she made to pull away. She couldn’t control her body’s response to his touch. His arms wound about her, preventing her escape and drew her back against his chest. Her bottom settled against his hard thighs. He kissed the nape of her neck.

‘This is our wedding night,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘Let’s not fight.’ He freed another couple of buttons.

        ‘I wasn’t the one —’

He kissed the skin between her shoulder blades and her body shuddered in response.

       ‘D-don’t …’ She closed her eyes as he trailed kisses down her spine as he exposed her body inch by inch. She forced herself not to gasp each time he touched her. Breathing proved more and more difficult as desire pumped through every cell in her body. Rationally she knew she mustn’t want this. But a deep longing possessed her. She’d been fighting alone for so long.

No love.

       No passion.

No life.

       Making love with her husband – that would be the most natural thing in the world.

The few remaining buttons came free quickly under his deft hands. He ran his hands up her back to her shoulders and turned her. All her defenses collapsed as she yearned for his lips on hers. His body crushing hers.

        Now. Now. Now.

She wanted him to take her before reason drove sense into her lust-filled body.

        He cupped her face in both hands.

‘I want you to say it,’ he rasped, his dark eyes flashing with molten heat.

        ‘What?’ she breathed, almost blind with longing.

‘You want me,’ he ground out. ‘Say it.’

        She hesitated for a heartbeat. ‘I want you.’

His lips crushed hers and her world exploded as desire and aching escaped the tight control she’d imposed. He tasted of chocolate and whisky. She wound her arms about him and ran her hands over his muscular back. His tongue probed and thrust, exploring her deeply. The kiss became frantic as need drove her to want more and more. She tangled her fingers in his hair and drew him closer.

        ‘I want to see you,’ he growled against her mouth as he slid his hands up her body past her breasts. Her nipples hardened under his fleeting touch. He gripped the shoulders of her dress and slid it from her body.

Funny things always seem to happen at weddings. 
Share a wedding story for a change to win an eCopy of The Convenient Bride.

 

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a
smooch from Man Drought by  Rachel Johns will be posted!