Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!Today we have a smooch from No Stranger To Scandal by Rachel Bailey but first ...
the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Mary Preston
Can you please contact louisageorgeauthor (at) gmail (dot) com to recieve your copy of The Last Doctor She Should Ever Date.
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from No Stranger To Scandal!
Decorum Vs. DestinyShe might be the stepdaughter of one of the most powerful media moguls in Washington, but Lucy Royall is no pampered princess—she's making her own way as a junior reporter. But when congressional investigator Hayden Black accuses her stepfather of criminal wrongdoing, she shows her family loyalty and takes Hayden on. Then, as things heat up, the sexy single dad takes her to bed! Talk about a conflict of interest. Will their illicit passion turn into something more lasting, even in the face of controversy so huge it rocks a nation?
Scene set-up: [Lucy is working late at night in Hayden's hotel room, helping him to solve the mystery of who is behind the phone hacking scandal. She's also been trying to ignore the heat that's between them because of their conflict of interests.]
He riffled through a pile of reports until he found a chart she’d drawn two nights ago. “Tell me again about who was supposed to be managing Ames and Hall.”
She scooted over to his sofa and looked at the chart illuminated in soft lamplight. Heat emanated from his body. “This is the line of responsibility.” She reached across and touched a fingertip to the paper he held, and as she did, the sensitive underside of her wrist grazed lightly over crisp hairs on his forearm. A shiver ran up her spine.
She heard a sharply indrawn breath and looked to see his gaze locked on her, his eyes darkened with the same need she felt. For a charged moment, neither of them moved, and the only sound she heard was the pounding of her heart. He was so close—a whisper away.
“Lucy, we can’t.” His voice was torn from his throat.
Hearing he was as close to the edge as she was had the opposite effect from what he’d intended. She’d never been good at following rules, or doing what she was told. The day’s stubble on his cheeks beckoned, and she ran her fingertips across it to see what it felt like, what he felt like. His jaw was clenched so hard that a muscle in the corner jumped.
“I’ve been wondering what it would feel like to touch you,” she said, watching the path her fingers traveled over his jaw. “In fact, I wished for it.”
He winced as if in pain. “You should be more careful about what you wish for.”
“I was careful,” she murmured. Her fingertips feathered along the strong column of his throat. “I’m wishing for it again right now.”
He stilled, his only movement the rapid rise and fall of his chest. “I swear,Lucy, you’d try the patience of a saint.” His gaze fell to her lips. “And I hate to admit it, but I’m no saint.” Finally, his hands crept under her hair to cradle the nape of her neck, lightly massaging, sending a spray of fireworks across her skin.
“No regrets yet,” she said, though she wasn’t sure her voice was strong enough for him to hear. He leaned in, his body tense, and his lips brushed across hers, the softest of caresses, yet enough to leave her trembling.
“Hayden,” she whispered with all the need inside her. A shudder ripped through his body. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her, the warm pressure of his mouth like nothing she’d ever felt. When his tongue moved against hers, the shimmering heat exploded inside her, and she crawled onto his lap. It still wasn’t close enough. At last, after all these days of hoping and nights of dreaming, Hayden was kissing her. Hungrily. Gloriously. And she was melting.
She scooted over to his sofa and looked at the chart illuminated in soft lamplight. Heat emanated from his body. “This is the line of responsibility.” She reached across and touched a fingertip to the paper he held, and as she did, the sensitive underside of her wrist grazed lightly over crisp hairs on his forearm. A shiver ran up her spine.
She heard a sharply indrawn breath and looked to see his gaze locked on her, his eyes darkened with the same need she felt. For a charged moment, neither of them moved, and the only sound she heard was the pounding of her heart. He was so close—a whisper away.
“Lucy, we can’t.” His voice was torn from his throat.
Hearing he was as close to the edge as she was had the opposite effect from what he’d intended. She’d never been good at following rules, or doing what she was told. The day’s stubble on his cheeks beckoned, and she ran her fingertips across it to see what it felt like, what he felt like. His jaw was clenched so hard that a muscle in the corner jumped.
“I’ve been wondering what it would feel like to touch you,” she said, watching the path her fingers traveled over his jaw. “In fact, I wished for it.”
He winced as if in pain. “You should be more careful about what you wish for.”
“I was careful,” she murmured. Her fingertips feathered along the strong column of his throat. “I’m wishing for it again right now.”
He stilled, his only movement the rapid rise and fall of his chest. “I swear,Lucy, you’d try the patience of a saint.” His gaze fell to her lips. “And I hate to admit it, but I’m no saint.” Finally, his hands crept under her hair to cradle the nape of her neck, lightly massaging, sending a spray of fireworks across her skin.
“No regrets yet,” she said, though she wasn’t sure her voice was strong enough for him to hear. He leaned in, his body tense, and his lips brushed across hers, the softest of caresses, yet enough to leave her trembling.
“Hayden,” she whispered with all the need inside her. A shudder ripped through his body. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her, the warm pressure of his mouth like nothing she’d ever felt. When his tongue moved against hers, the shimmering heat exploded inside her, and she crawled onto his lap. It still wasn’t close enough. At last, after all these days of hoping and nights of dreaming, Hayden was kissing her. Hungrily. Gloriously. And she was melting.
You can grab a copy of No Stranger To Scandal from eHarlequin, Amazon, B&N, or it's on the shelves in stores now. But today I'm giving away a copy to one person who leaves a comment. Tell me, when was the last time you did something you knew you shouldn't? :) Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from You Me and a Family by Sue Mackay will be posted!
Oh my....
ReplyDeleteOh my, oh my, oh my!!!
The clean answer for this question would be a couple of weeks ago when I played competitive badminton even though I had an injury. Sometimes a person feels better afterward, but this time I didn't.
I can't give you my other answer (grin).
Wow - I am clean living now. I cannot think of anything. Now I feel boring.
ReplyDeleteLucy wasn't the only one melting I'll tell you now.
ReplyDeleteI'm always doing things I shouldn't. Nothing major, but life is for living.
Laney, badminton is fun, but not with an injury! Not surprised you didn't feel better afterwards. (And I love that it was your clean answer. :))
ReplyDeleteNothing, Tammy? Not even eating an extra chocolate when you were already full? Or sneaking an extra few minutes in bed when you should have been getting up in the morning...? Anything? :)
ReplyDeleteMary, I like your philosophy. Life is for living!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Looking at the foil wrapping on my desk I'd say eating that chocolate Easter egg.
ReplyDeleteLol, Fiona! I've been doing a fair bit of that lately too... :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm I was taken in by the story excerpt Rachael and the 2 lovely covers ... not sure which one I like better.
ReplyDeleteSomething I shouldn't ... gosh that's all the time - either sinful treats or a visit to a book-store (real or on-line) hahahha
But really, I made some vanilla slices a few weeks ago, just like my mum used to. They were 2" square, and so yummy I forgot myself and ate 2.
Maryde, yes, visits to bookstores! I hadn't thought about that one, but it's a goodie. And now there are the physical bookstores and the online ones - double the trouble...
ReplyDeleteHomemade vanilla slice like your mum used to? I think that's one time you're absolutely allowed a second slice. :)
arrehrruughhhrraaaeow (inarticulate drooling noise). Scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel - awesome smooch! The last time I did something I shouldn't? Tonight.... watching The Voice instead of finishing current MS. Now off to Amazon to get myself a copy of No Stranger To Scandal. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat smooch, Rachel. And for me it's the chocolate I hide in my office desk that gets me into trouble but how can I resist? Boring really when the worst I do is eat too much chocolate. Time to get a life!!
ReplyDeleteRos, you have such a way with words! I might borrow that one sometime. :)
ReplyDeleteHelen, I watched The Voice tonight as well - I'm totally hooked!
ReplyDeleteSue, snap! I hide chocolate in my writing desk too. It tests my patience but it's such a delight when I dig into the stash. ;)
ReplyDeleteContinued reading a book, even when it was already late at night
ReplyDeleteWow, talk about heat--Lucy and Hayden are scorching hot, Rach! Nice. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for doing things I shouldn't. Oh dear. There are too many to count, but one of my worst is curling up with a good book when I should get up off my butt and go for a walk. I'm afraid the lure of a good book is always stronger than the desire for exercise.
bn100, oh, yes! In fact, I did that last night. And maybe most nights... :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, yep, I think the lure of a good book is sometimes too powerful to even attempt to resist. I think you need to accept you're powerless to its thrall and simply curl up and read, guilt-free. ;)
ReplyDeleteSuper scene, Rachel! I love Lucy and Hayden's chemistry!
ReplyDeleteHey, what fun to read everyone's "wickednesses"! LOL I identify so much with them... but the one that really leaps out is bn100's reading longer than I should! I've had some hideously late night's doing that and nearly made myself late for work on more than one occasion! So great to know I'm not alone in this!
Oh, Sharon, I'm the same - in fact, I think it might be something many of us here have in common! It's almost like a book hangover, isn't it? When you're dopey the next day from sleep depravation after reading too late...
ReplyDelete