Jul 13, 2014

Sunday Smooch with Rachel Bailey

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from  Rachel Bailey but first,


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Lyn!


Can you please contact michelle (at) michelle-douglas (dot) com to receive your copy of Her Irresistible Protector.



And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Nanny Proposition:




Two babies…one scandalous secret!

Discovering he's the father of an orphaned newborn rocks botanist Liam Hawke's world. But that's where nanny Jenna Peters fits in—a single mother herself, she immediately works her magic on his newborn daughter. Soon Liam himself can't resist being spellbound by this beauty.

Jenna tries to keep her irresistible boss at arm's length but it's a losing battle. Once Liam finds out who she really is, she'll have to say goodbye to the man she loves and their unconventional family…unless the seductive single dad makes her a proposition this undercover princess can't refuse!








Scene set-up
It's late at night and Jenna has just taught Liam to feed his new daughter. The baby has brought up a little bit of milk on his shirt, so she tells him to take it off so she can put it out to be washed. 


Smooch  -


Jenna took the baby, whose eyes were already closed, rocked her a few times to make sure, then laid her in the crib. “Good night, beautiful,” she whispered.


When she turned around, she was confronted by Liam’s bare chest. He was standing several feet away, but he was all she could see, and a tiny spark of electricity shot straight through her. He was balling the shirt in his hands and looking around the room, probably for the dirty clothes basket, which gave her precious moments to observe him unnoticed. She took advantage of them without thinking.


His chest was solid with faint lines of definition and a sprinkling of dark hair. Her fingers itched to test the strength of the muscles there, to feel the crispness of the hair. Then she realized he’d stilled. She raised her gaze to his face only to find he was watching her. Her stomach fluttered. He took an infinitesimal step forward, as he reached out to stroke the side of her face then cup her cheek. His gaze fell to her mouth, and the nerve endings in her lips sprang to life, tingling. Yearning.


This was wrong, she knew it was wrong, yet in this moment she couldn’t bring herself to care. All that mattered was Liam, and he was close, so close that her heart battered against her ribs.


He lowered his head, ever so slowly, until his lips brushed hers. Delicious warmth spread through her body and she couldn’t contain the moan that escaped her throat. When his mouth settled more firmly and his tongue touched hers, she knew she’d reached heaven.


She fell into the kiss—into Liam. His heat and scent. Sensation danced across every nerve in her body. She reached up, touching his bare chest with her fingertips, and she felt a shudder rip through his body. The shirt he’d been holding fell to the floor as one of his hands snaked out to press her fingers more firmly against his skin, the other to wrap around behind her, hauling her against him.


This kiss was more than anything she’d ever experienced—more intense, more uncontrollable, more glorious. Just more. And she’d never get enough. Of the kiss. Of Liam. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and she would have melted into the floor if he hadn’t been holding her up.




I have a copy of The Nanny Proposition (which is up for pre-order here and will be on the shelves on August 5) to give away to one commenter, so tell me, do you like romances with babies? If so, tell me one of your favourites!

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from J.K. Coi will be posted!


Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

29 comments:

  1. Very nice smooch. I like romances with babies. I do not have a favorite though

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    1. Tammy, I like them too! But I'm with you - I can't think of my favourite - there are too many. :)

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  2. Ooh, sensational smooch, Rachel. I can feel the heat between Liam and Jenna from here! *fans herself*

    I think romances featuring babies can be fun. Two of my favourites are from Marion Lennox -- 'Princess of Convenience" and "Tom Bradley's Babies." That said, I adored your "What Happens in Charleston" (I know it's a child rather than a baby, but still…). Can't wait to read "The Nanny Proposition" -- it sounds fab!

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    1. Michelle, I *love* Tom Bradley's Babies! Puppies and babies - just melted my heart. :)

      Aw, thanks for the comment on What Happens in Charleston... That was such a fun book to write.

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  3. OMG! Super hot smooch! I can feel the heat!

    Congrats on the new release! Sounds awesome!

    Nas

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    1. Thanks for the congrats, Nas. Glad you liked the smooch - I posted you a copy a few days ago. It should be there any day now. :)

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    2. Thank you so much Rachel. Looking forward to reading it. Love babies and small cherubs in stories.

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  4. Fabulous smooch, Rachel. Liam and Jenna sound great together!

    I love a secret baby romance.

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    1. Jen, I think secret babies can be hard to pull off, but when they're done right, they're fabulous. I've only done one (The Blackmailed Bride's Secret Child) but it was such a fun brainstorming session (with our own Barbara DeLeo) coming up with the reason the baby was secret. Maybe it's time I did another one... :)

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  5. Fantastic smooch, Rachel! I absolutely adore books with babies (or kids in general). I love when a hero/heroine and their child find that special someone to complete their little family. It makes the HEA even more amazing :)

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    1. Lauren, I think you've hit the nail on the head about why I like babies and kids in romances - it's about completing that special family which deepens the HEA. Thanks for the comment!

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  6. Hi Rachel - great smooch! I love books where the hero is learning to be a dad....makes him both vulnerable and strong...the perfect combo. So looking forward to reading The Nanny Proposition :)

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    1. Helen, I love that combo too! Vulnerable and strong - perfectly said. :)

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  7. Hi Rachel

    Loved that smooch I started reading this one last night and am loving it I have just got home from my romance reader lunch and will be sitting down very soon and falling back into it :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Hey, thanks, Helen! So glad you're loving it. :) Hope the smooch hasn't been too much of a spoiler if you're not up to that part yet!

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  8. Romances with babies are fun. I love how lives are shaken up to the nth degree. A baby makes such a huge difference to relationships.

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    1. Mary, yes! You're totally right about babies shaking up lives. And when we're talking about a hero who's used to being in charge of his own life, that can be so much fun to watch. ;)

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  9. Gorgeous, gorgeous, Rachel! You know how much I love Liam and Jenna! I'm a big fan of stories with babies. They add an extra tenderness to a story and it's lovely to see a big strong hero coping with this mini-human!

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    1. Sharon, you played such a vital role in bringing Liam and Jenna's story to life - they're in your debt!

      Oh, yes, the extra tenderness in the story. That can't be underestimated!

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  10. As usual, I enjoy the quick-witted banter in love stories, whether there's a baby or not.
    The story that comes to my mind is Ann Evans' BEST FOR THE BABY. I enjoyed the humour, I liked the conflicting yet realistic feelings both felt, and I wished the story could have continued farther into their future.
    The baby element brought out the conflicting feelings, but the author wrote the romance so well otherwise too. My kind of book.

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    1. Laney, I haven't read Best For The Baby, but from your recommendation, I'm going to track it down. Thanks!

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  11. Ooh, Rachel, that's one hot kiss. Definitely enjoy stories with babies.

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  12. I loved that kiss! There's just something heart tugging about a guy with a baby, and when the shirt came off...look out! LOL

    Marcy Shuler

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    1. Lol, Marcy! And yep, once the shirt came off, things changed for sure. :)

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  13. I really like book with babies, great excerpt!

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    1. Glad you liked the excerpt, Cindy! I loved writing Liam and Jenna's story. :)

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  14. Yay, thank you Michelle.

    Rachel, do I need to choose just one... I like books with babies but I seem to have loved all the ones I've read. Likely because they have all been written by great authors.

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    1. Congrats on your win, Lyn! I love Michelle's books, so I know you're in for a treat.

      Lol about having to choose just one - I know how you feel!

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