Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!
Today we have a smooch from REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET but first
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Diana Tidlund
Can you please contact lsmackay (at) ts (dot) co (dot) nz to receive your copy of REUNITED...IN PARIS!
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Michelle Douglas
She's back in Calanetti...
After a vacation in paradise, Marianna Amatucci returned to her family vineyard determined to make a fresh start. But her plans changed in an instant when two blue lines on a pregnancy test revealed she'd returned with a souvenir!
When she finds the father, Ryan White, he's nothing like the laid-back surfer she met on the beach. In a tailored suit, he oozes masculine authority, and he's staying in the penthouse! What will walking into his high-flying corporate world mean for their baby...?
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Diana Tidlund
Can you please contact lsmackay (at) ts (dot) co (dot) nz to receive your copy of REUNITED...IN PARIS!
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Michelle Douglas
She's back in Calanetti...
After a vacation in paradise, Marianna Amatucci returned to her family vineyard determined to make a fresh start. But her plans changed in an instant when two blue lines on a pregnancy test revealed she'd returned with a souvenir!
When she finds the father, Ryan White, he's nothing like the laid-back surfer she met on the beach. In a tailored suit, he oozes masculine authority, and he's staying in the penthouse! What will walking into his high-flying corporate world mean for their baby...?
Scene set-up: Ryan is helping Marianna redecorate the cottage she’s decided to move into. In exchange, Marianna is going to help him learn what he needs to know about looking after a baby. Marianna is impressed with his plan of attack for her cottage…and, it has to be said, with him :). Ryan, however, is desperately afraid of losing control around her.
‘Have I said thank you yet?’ Marianna said.
Dear God in heaven, he couldn’t risk her kissing him again. ‘You have.’ To distract her from further displays of gratitude, he nodded towards the bags. ‘What have you got there?’
‘A lesson.’
He tried to pull his mind to the task in hand. Pay attention. He had to learn how to take care of a baby.
She reached into the nearest bag and, with a flourish, pulled out a…
He blinked and backed up a step. “Uh, Marianna, that’s a doll.’ He scratched the back of his neck and glared at her from beneath a lock of hair that had fallen forward on his forehead. He really should get it cut. ‘Don’t you think we’re a little old to be playing with dolls?’
She stared at that lock of hair and for a tension-fraught moment he thought she meant to lean across and push it out of his eyes. Hastily, he ran a hand back through his hair himself. She blinked and then shook herself. He let out a breath, his heart thumping.
She, however, seemed completely oblivious to his state. She dangled the doll—a life-sized version from what he could make out—from its foot, and smirked at him. ‘Ooh, is the big strong man frightened of the itty-bitty dolly?’
He scowled. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
A laugh bubbled out of her and she sashayed around the table still dangling that stupid doll by its foot. ‘Is your super-duper masculinity threated by a little dolly?’
He snaked a hand around her head and drew her face in close to his. ‘Tread carefully, Marianna.’
Her curls, all silk and sass, tickled his hand. ‘I’m holding on by a thread here. My so-called masculinity is telling me to throw caution to the wind. It’s telling me to kiss you, to take you to my bed and make love with you until you can barely stand.’ And then he told her in the most straightforward, vivid language at his command exactly what he craved to do.
Her eyes darkened until they were nearly black. Her lips parted and she stared at his mouth as if she were parched. The pulse in her throat pounded. If he touched his lips to that spot they’d both be lost.
He hauled in a breath. With a super-human effort he let her go. She made a tiny sound halfway between an outbreath and a whimper that arrowed straight to his groin. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. ‘You told me that if I do that—here in your real world—that I will hurt you, break your heart. I don’t want to do that.’
REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET is Book 3 in The Vineyards of Calanetti series and is set in Tuscan wine country. To go into the draw to win a copy of the book, answer this question: If you could visit any place in Italy, where would you go?
‘Have I said thank you yet?’ Marianna said.
Dear God in heaven, he couldn’t risk her kissing him again. ‘You have.’ To distract her from further displays of gratitude, he nodded towards the bags. ‘What have you got there?’
‘A lesson.’
He tried to pull his mind to the task in hand. Pay attention. He had to learn how to take care of a baby.
She reached into the nearest bag and, with a flourish, pulled out a…
He blinked and backed up a step. “Uh, Marianna, that’s a doll.’ He scratched the back of his neck and glared at her from beneath a lock of hair that had fallen forward on his forehead. He really should get it cut. ‘Don’t you think we’re a little old to be playing with dolls?’
She stared at that lock of hair and for a tension-fraught moment he thought she meant to lean across and push it out of his eyes. Hastily, he ran a hand back through his hair himself. She blinked and then shook herself. He let out a breath, his heart thumping.
She, however, seemed completely oblivious to his state. She dangled the doll—a life-sized version from what he could make out—from its foot, and smirked at him. ‘Ooh, is the big strong man frightened of the itty-bitty dolly?’
He scowled. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
A laugh bubbled out of her and she sashayed around the table still dangling that stupid doll by its foot. ‘Is your super-duper masculinity threated by a little dolly?’
He snaked a hand around her head and drew her face in close to his. ‘Tread carefully, Marianna.’
Her curls, all silk and sass, tickled his hand. ‘I’m holding on by a thread here. My so-called masculinity is telling me to throw caution to the wind. It’s telling me to kiss you, to take you to my bed and make love with you until you can barely stand.’ And then he told her in the most straightforward, vivid language at his command exactly what he craved to do.
Her eyes darkened until they were nearly black. Her lips parted and she stared at his mouth as if she were parched. The pulse in her throat pounded. If he touched his lips to that spot they’d both be lost.
He hauled in a breath. With a super-human effort he let her go. She made a tiny sound halfway between an outbreath and a whimper that arrowed straight to his groin. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. ‘You told me that if I do that—here in your real world—that I will hurt you, break your heart. I don’t want to do that.’
REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET is Book 3 in The Vineyards of Calanetti series and is set in Tuscan wine country. To go into the draw to win a copy of the book, answer this question: If you could visit any place in Italy, where would you go?
Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Stefanie London will be posted!
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
I don't care, as long as I'm with someone I want to be with (whether it's my husband, girlfriend, sister, etc.). Italy (and everywhere else in the world) is meant to be shared, in my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteOh, Laney, that's so true -- travel adventures should definitely be shared with a loved one. Just the fact of being able to nudge someone and point and say, "Look at that." :-)
DeleteLovely build up, Michelle! I can feel there's going to be a lot of tension with these two :)
ReplyDeleteIf I could go anywhere in Italy it would be Trieste, which is where my family is from. In fact, my parents landed in Rome this week and they'll be making the trip up to find the town where my grandfather was born :)
OMG! How exciting for your parents, Stef! Have you been to Trieste? If not, fingers crossed you get there one day. There used to a little Italian restaurant in my neighbourhood called Trieste and it was my and the DH fave restaurant. I've always thought of Trieste with affection since then. :-)
DeleteOh I really enjoyed this one Michelle and as for going to Italy I have read a lot of stories set in Tuscany and I would love to visit there but I would also love to see Venice :)
ReplyDeleteHave Fun
Helen
Can't tell you how glad I am that you enjoyed the story, Helen. Oh, and I'm with you as far as Tuscany goes. It sounds soooo romantic, doesn't it?
DeleteThis is such a delicious almost smooch, Michelle! The chemistry between Ryan and Marianna positively sizzles!
ReplyDeleteAs for places I'd like to visit in Italy - heaps! But to name just one, I'd like to visit Pompeii. I imagine it is a haunting, fascinating place
Also BIG, Sharon. Like, seriously, the site is massive!
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the smooch, Sharon. :-)
DeleteOh, Pompeii! What an amazing place that would be. Obviously we need to get AA to share her holiday slides. ;-)
Woo hoo that's so tense. What a great lead in and kiss.
ReplyDeleteI'd pick Sorrento if I was going back to Italy, followed by Florence. Then everywhere.
LOL, Sue. I think Tension is Ryan and Marianna's middle names in this book. ;-)
DeleteDear lord, Sorrento sounds divine. Mind you, everywhere in Italy sounds divine. And everyone I've ever met who has been to Florence rave about it. One day...
Fab smooch, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteVenice - every time! :-)
I am SO going to Venice one day, Amy. Annie West has made me very jealous with her adventures there earlier in the year. So many places to visit...I envisage good times ahead. :-)
DeleteI love history so I'd have to say Pompeii definitely.... (just glad I wasn't living there at the time..)
ReplyDeleteDiana, if you're a history buff then Pompeii definitely sounds like the place for you. Mind you, seems to me Italy has something for everyone. :-)
DeleteLovely thank you.
ReplyDeleteVenice for sure & Rome & Tuscany &....
You're welcome, Mary. :-)
DeleteAh, I wondered when someone would say Rome. Rome, Venice and Tuscany -- heaven's, doesn't that sound glorious? :-)
Hello Michelle, I'm Italian and I live in Italy, so the places in Italy I've seen several. I can say that there are so many beautiful places to visit (actually Italy is beautiful and all worth a visit), Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia Romagna (the region where I live), the islands, the mountains that are beautiful, the sea, or rather the 5 seas that surround it. But there is a place I want to visit and is Sardinia, where they are not yet gone.
ReplyDeleteFranca, Italy sounds so gorgeous and romantic (not to mention all of that glorious Italian pizza and gelato!). I MUST visit it one day. Oh, and, yes! Sardinia looks beautiful! I hope you get to visit it one day soon. :-)
DeleteGah! I began to read the smooch but had to stop because I've started this book and I'm not up to this bit yet. Spoilers! :)
ReplyDeleteSo I skipped to the end to read the question. Anywhere in Italy? Two of my family have been and I poured over the travel photos when they got back, so there are too many places I want to visit now!
Oops about the spoiler...but it's only an itty bitty spoiler. ;-)
DeleteAnd quite obviously you're going to have to spend months in Italy and see ALL the things. What fun that would be.
Tuscany - I've been to Florence but never explored the Tuscan countryside and I would l love to do that.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both, Laura! Marianna and Ryan visit Siena in the book...and now I SO want to go to Siena...and Florence. :-)
DeleteOh, I do love a Sunday Smooch! Although, I'm a little let down that after all that naugtiness there was no smooch.
ReplyDeleteThere are two places we would go to visit. I would like to visit the Vatican and I'm pretty certain Steve would like to go to Tuscany and spend a bunch of time there since he's such a wine guy. He is always talking about going to Tuscany and spending a month there, drinking wine and taking cooking lessons. We'll probably get fat on wine and pasta. :-)
LOL, Deanna. It was a bit mean of me to give a tease rather than a smooch. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh! Getting fat on wine and pasta sounds utterly perfect. I definitely think you and your Steve should go pay your respects at the Vatican and the go and laze about in Tuscany. :-)
I read somewhere that 1 glass of wine = 1 hour on the treadmill, so maybe I can use the wine to balance out the calories from the pasta! :-p
DeleteLOL, Deanna! That's the kind of exercise program I could aspire to. ;-)
DeleteI would like to go to Lake Como as I went there with the school when I was 16 (a longggg time ago) so would love to go back and revisit. I loved this book Michelle ... I like the series so far
ReplyDeleteOMG, Barb, the Italian Lake District looks unbelievably beautiful. It must've been amazing to see them at sixteen.
DeleteAw, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the book...and the series. :-)
Great Smooch, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteI love Italy but have never been to Portofino. Would love to go there.
Jen, I just went and googled Portofino. OMG! So now I'm thinking "research trip." That harbour and those pastel houses! I so need to set a book there. :-)
DeleteNo fair... that smooch finishes in just the wrong place. Oh well, the book is already on the to-read list.
ReplyDeleteAs for the question, Italy in general is on my to visit list, I haven't been able to narrow it down to specific places yet - the same with many countries I want to visit.
LOL, Lyn. It was a bit of a tease, wasn't it?
DeleteI know what you mean when you say you haven't narrowed Italy down to specifics yet. Every time someone mentions some place new in Italy, I go and check it out and immediately want to add it to my list. So much to see. :-)
Nice smooch. I would d go to Rome I guess.
ReplyDeleteTammy, I think Rome would be my first port of call too. :-) So many sights there to see.
DeleteMichelle, I'm so, so, so looking forward to reading this one! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAs for somewhere in Italy - too many places. But definitely Sicily some time and I hear Ravenna is lovely too.
Annie, doesn't Sicily sound exotic, romantic and a tiny bit disreputable -- all factors definitely in its favour. ;-) I just went and looked up Ravenna. Heaven's! The Bapistry of Neon made my mouth water! Yes, that's definitely a place to put on the must-do lists. Thanks for the heads up. :-)
DeleteHello Annie and Michelle, I can assure you that Ravenna is very beautiful, I have been there several times as I need to go there just an hour drive. It 'a city in Emilia Romagna, where there is sea, there are salt mines that were already used by the ancient Romans, it is the mausoleum of Dante Alighieri (the Florentine writer of The Divine Comedy), and there are many other monuments from the Roman, Gallic and Viking.
DeleteOh, Franca, you have me even more eager to visit Ravenna now! :-) It sounds wonderful.
DeleteWhat a terrific excerpt. I can just feel the tension and the sizzle. Can't wait to see how this plays out.
ReplyDeleteI think I would like to do the Tuscan wine country. All the touristy stuff sounds great but just the beautiful peacefulness would be wonderful.
Pleased you enjoyed it, Grandma Cootie. :-)
DeleteYou know, meandering through Tuscany at a slow and leisurely pace sounds like heaven.
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