Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!
Today we have a *RETRO* smooch from Michelle Douglas but first
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Devika Fernando.
Can you please contact annie (at) annie-west (dot) com to receive your copy of The Sheikh's Princess Bride
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from First Comes Baby...
Meg always dreamed of having a family, but when she learns her baby-window is closing, there's only one person who can help. For Ben, helping Meg become a mother is an easy decision. But soon he doesn't want to be just their baby's uncle. Can he convince Meg that he can be a real father?
Scene set-up: Meg and Ben have been best friends since they were lonely ten year olds. They're each others family, and they have no intention of risking their relationship to a momentary lust. But as their desire for each other grows, it becomes harder and harder to resist. Especially on a warm summer night, walking along a beach with the scent of salt and frangipani in the air...
He pulled her in close for a hug. She clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth as she forced her arms around him to squeeze him back for a moment. She started to release him, but he didn’t release her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and bit her lip until she tasted blood. It took all her concentration to keep her hands where they ought to be.
And then his hand slid down her back and it wasn’t a between-friends gesture. It was…
She drew back to glance into his face. The hunger and the need reflected in his eyes made her sway towards him. She planted her hands against his chest to keep her balance, to keep from falling against him. As soon as she regained her footing she meant to push him away.
Only, her hands, it seemed, had a different idea altogether. They slid across his shirt, completely ignoring the pleasant sensation of soft cotton to revel in the honed male flesh beneath. Ben’s chest had so much definition. His heat branded her through his shirt and his heart beat against her palm like a dark throbbing promise. The pulse in her throat quivered.
She tried to catch her breath. She should move away.
But the longer she remained in the circle of Ben’s arms, the more the strength and the will drained from her body and the harder it became to think clearly and logically.
And beneath her hands his body continued to beat at her like a wild thing—a tempting and tempestuous primal force, urging her to connect with something wild and elemental within herself.
She lifted her gaze to his. A light blazed from his eyes, revealing his need, an unchecked recklessness and his exaltation.
‘I’ve been fighting this all night,’ he rasped, ‘but I’m not going to fight it any more.’
He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled it back until her lips lifted, angled just so to give him maximum access, and then his mouth came down on hers—hot, hungry, unchecked.
His lips laid waste to all her preconceptions. She’d thought he’d taste wickedly illicit and forbidden, but he didn’t taste like whiskey or leather or midnight. He tasted like summer and ripe strawberries and the tang of the ocean breeze. He tasted like freedom.
It was more intoxicating than anything she’d ever experienced.
Kissing Ben was like flying.
A swooping, swirling, tumbling-in-the-surf kind of flying.
Do you remember Harry and Sally's argument in When Harry Met Sally? What do you think? Do you believe men and women can be just friends?
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Devika Fernando.
Can you please contact annie (at) annie-west (dot) com to receive your copy of The Sheikh's Princess Bride
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from First Comes Baby...
Meg always dreamed of having a family, but when she learns her baby-window is closing, there's only one person who can help. For Ben, helping Meg become a mother is an easy decision. But soon he doesn't want to be just their baby's uncle. Can he convince Meg that he can be a real father?
Scene set-up: Meg and Ben have been best friends since they were lonely ten year olds. They're each others family, and they have no intention of risking their relationship to a momentary lust. But as their desire for each other grows, it becomes harder and harder to resist. Especially on a warm summer night, walking along a beach with the scent of salt and frangipani in the air...
He pulled her in close for a hug. She clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth as she forced her arms around him to squeeze him back for a moment. She started to release him, but he didn’t release her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and bit her lip until she tasted blood. It took all her concentration to keep her hands where they ought to be.
And then his hand slid down her back and it wasn’t a between-friends gesture. It was…
She drew back to glance into his face. The hunger and the need reflected in his eyes made her sway towards him. She planted her hands against his chest to keep her balance, to keep from falling against him. As soon as she regained her footing she meant to push him away.
Only, her hands, it seemed, had a different idea altogether. They slid across his shirt, completely ignoring the pleasant sensation of soft cotton to revel in the honed male flesh beneath. Ben’s chest had so much definition. His heat branded her through his shirt and his heart beat against her palm like a dark throbbing promise. The pulse in her throat quivered.
She tried to catch her breath. She should move away.
But the longer she remained in the circle of Ben’s arms, the more the strength and the will drained from her body and the harder it became to think clearly and logically.
And beneath her hands his body continued to beat at her like a wild thing—a tempting and tempestuous primal force, urging her to connect with something wild and elemental within herself.
She lifted her gaze to his. A light blazed from his eyes, revealing his need, an unchecked recklessness and his exaltation.
‘I’ve been fighting this all night,’ he rasped, ‘but I’m not going to fight it any more.’
He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled it back until her lips lifted, angled just so to give him maximum access, and then his mouth came down on hers—hot, hungry, unchecked.
His lips laid waste to all her preconceptions. She’d thought he’d taste wickedly illicit and forbidden, but he didn’t taste like whiskey or leather or midnight. He tasted like summer and ripe strawberries and the tang of the ocean breeze. He tasted like freedom.
It was more intoxicating than anything she’d ever experienced.
Kissing Ben was like flying.
A swooping, swirling, tumbling-in-the-surf kind of flying.
Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and another smooch from Michelle Douglas--this time from The Millionaire and the Maid--will be posted!
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
Oh Michelle
ReplyDeleteI loved that story what a beauty :) and I love the cover of the of the release of mother in a Million beautiful
Yes I do think that a man and a woman can be friends although I think often not always though that more can come of it and friends to lovers is a great story line :)
Have Fun
Helen
Thanks, Helen. :-) And, yes, I have to agree...that anthology cover is rather beautiful.
DeleteOh, and I'm with you! I LOVE a friends-to-lovers storyline -- so much history and tension there and so much to lose if they don't get it right. They're one of the happy ever afters, though, that I utterly believe in.
Beautiful story - wondering how I've never read it before though.
ReplyDeleteI do believe men and women can be friends... however it can be challenging.
It was published back in May 2013, Lyn, which might be why you never came across it. Mind you, it was a free ebook in Aust and NZ last year so it might be possible that it's on your Kindle. ;-)
DeleteYes, I think you're right that there can be particular challenges to different sex friendships. I guess like any relationship, communication is key.
Hi Michelle. What an enticing story! Love the tension in this one.
ReplyDeleteAs for men and women being just friends - definitely! A couple of my oldest friends are male and they're just as important to me as my women friends.
Oh, yes, Annie, things do get a bit tense between Meg and Ben (one of the joys of the writing life ;-) )
DeleteYay! for a firm believer in male and female friendships! Like you I have male friends who are important to me too. It can certainly be done.
"Kissing Ben was like flying" ..... Happy sigh!
ReplyDeleteI think men and women can be friends. And now you've made me want to go and watch When Harry Met Sally again. One of my fav ever movies. But... Must. Write. Maybe a treat for when I hit my word count today?
Seems there's more of us who believe men and women can be friends than don't, which I think is a good thing. :-)
DeleteOh, and that's another snap in our Twins column, Amy. When Harry Met Sally would be in my top 5 all-time favourite movies. Definitely a nice carrot to dangle once all of that writing is done. :-) Good luck with hitting your word count!
Just realised the cricket is on though and I still have 2k to go!
DeleteRun, Forrest, run!
DeleteA gorgeous scene. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elizabeth. :-)
DeleteVery interesting this plot of your book. I think that if a man and a woman are friends from childhood is very likely to remain friends even as adults, although maybe when they become adults may find that their bond is much deeper and can become a real couple. In two of my friends this happened, as children were close friends and then as adults were married and after so many years are still happily together and have children.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I think you're so right, Franca. When 2 people have known each other for a long time, they probably share the same values and the same things are probably important to them. Your 2 friends sound very romantic. :-)
DeleteOh yes. definitely believe men and women can be close friends. Sometimes they can be closer than other relationships. I love this premise.
ReplyDeleteAs a reader, I love a good friends to lovers story too, Sue. I think it's gift of a premise for us writers. :-)
DeleteLovely scene, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe men and women can be friends. And I love When Harry Met Sally. Such a classic.
Thanks, Jen.
DeleteOh, and When Harry Met Sally! Isn't it a gem? :-)
I don't believe men and women can be just friends. One of them always has a wish for more, even if it is never veerbalised.
ReplyDeleteOoh, go you, Laura for being the lone voice of dissent here! You know, lots of friends to lovers story do seem to have an element of unrequited love to them, so you could be onto something. :-)
DeleteI have both male & female friends so all good --Lyn
ReplyDeleteI'm of the persuasion that all friends are to be cherished, Lyn -- both the male and female. :-)
Delete