Sunday Smooch with Barbara Hannay

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from  Miracle at Bellaroo Creek, but first ...

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

Can you please contact Jennifer St George ...... jennifer_stgeorge (at) yahoo (dot) com to receive your copy of The Love Deception.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Barbara Hannay

One small town…

One big miracle!

Whoever said a broken heart was the end of the world had never met Milla Brady! In desperate need of a distraction, she sets her sights on reviving her parents’ bakery. But when a tall, handsome blast from her past turns up, Milla’s calm feathers are distinctly ruffled!

Ed Cavanaugh could only watch when his brother walked all over Milla’s dreams – he always knew she deserved better. So, seeing her looking beautiful and content, he promises not to leave Bellaroo Creek until he tells her what he wanted to say all those years ago…

‘I’ve missed you, bakery girl.’ 

I've missed you, too. So, so much.

If she let Ed kiss her now, she knew she would end up in bed with him, and oh, Lordy, she was melting at the very thought. But she also knew very well that she would end up more deeply in love with this gorgeous man. And how could she let that happen when there were still so many unanswered questions between them?

 With huge reluctance, she placed her hands firmly in the centre of his chest, holding him at bay. ‘Ed, we haven’t talked yet. You haven’t told me why you’ve come back.’

 He gave a choked groan.

 ‘It’s a fair question,’ she said defensively.

 His response was a wry, sad smile. ‘Milla, give a man a break. You’re standing here in nothing but a towel. You’re driving me wild, and you want to interrogate me.’

 ‘It’s not that I want – it – it’s just that –’

Her head was swimming. Her hands were still pressed against the brick wall of his chest, holding him away from her, but what she really wanted was to have him close again. Holding her.

And before she’d properly sorted her thoughts, Ed covered her hands with his own, folding them, holding them against his shirt. 

‘I have questions, too,’ he said softly. ‘I need to know if I still terrify you.’

She was sinking fast. ‘You don’t,’ she whispered.

He touched his lips to hers, just the briefest, softest brush… ‘What about now?’

 Already, she was halfway to meltdown. ‘No. Not scared.’

 ‘And now?’ he asked, drawing her into his arms. 

 Now, she was lost in a blaze of longing. She wanted his lips, his hands, his body.

 ‘Not afraid,’ she whispered in a breathy gasp as she slipped her arms around his neck, as she looked clear into his eyes and lifted her lips to meet his.

Their first mouth-to-mouth touch was magic. It ignited the fire she’d felt on the night of their very first kiss all those years ago. 

She felt no fear. This was the man who’d worked side by side with her today. The man who’d travelled hemispheres to be with her for this first important day. When he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, she couldn’t find a single reason to resist. She simply gave a soft yearning sigh and pressed her lips against his neck.

Ed lowered her to the bed and he looked down at her, and his eyes were shiny as he traced his fingertips over her heated skin, following the edge of the knotted towel.

‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll never forget the first time I saw you in London. I wanted to make you mine straight away.’

She knew she would cry if she thought about the wrong paths she’d taken, so she pulled him down to her and kissed him again, kissed him long and hard till the aching knot of tears in her throat eased. 

What's your favourite thing to buy from a bakery? 

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from ....... by Anna Campbell will be posted!