LoveCats DownUnder

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Sue MacKay. 


A December to Remember

Arriving in Laos, Dr Ellie Thompson is determined to look to the future. The last thing she expects is to come face-to-face with her past, in the shape of her one-time best friend Dr Luca Chirsky - or to find him so very attractive!
Luca knows first-hand that love doesn't last, and he won't surrender his emotions to anyone. But after four years apart he's looking at Ellie with new eyes. And this time he knows that one Christmas kiss will never be enough...

KISS SCENE SET UP: Luca and Ellie are strolling through Vientiane after dinner with friends, and discussing their past and things are slowly being relieved that neither knew about the other despite being close friends, when all of a sudden it's too much and they're in each other's arms.

KISS SCENE:  

Luca twisted out of her hold, reminding her he was with her. He’d remained silent for so long her mind had taken a trip into things she didn’t need to be thinking about right now. Had her question about missing home hit a chord? Should she press the point? Once she would’ve. But there were years between then and now. She went for the easy option. ‘You’ve gone quiet on me.’

‘I don’t have a home to miss. Angelique and Johnny have their own lives to lead that apparently don’t include me. Auckland is my home town, always will be, but it’ll be there whenever I choose to return.’

‘Hell, Luca.’ That sounded incredibly sad and bleak. Where was the man who was always happy and making jokes, always acting as though he didn’t have a worry in the world? Had he been leading a double life? But then she hadn’t known about his father, or lack of one, until tonight either. She stopped to look up at him, only just seeing his facial expressions in the star-studded darkness. The sadness for him grew into something else, roiling through her so that she wanted to reach out and touch him deeply, to show he wasn’t alone, that she cared. ‘I will never let you out of my life again.’

His jaw moved as he swallowed. He was staring at her, his eyes unblinking. When he spoke his voice was low and loaded with emotion. ‘Thank goodness for that. It’s been too long, El.’

Way too long, and the worst thing was that she hadn’t even noticed until today. Reaching out to him, she was going to hug him, as she used to whenever they’d celebrated an exam pass or lost a patient or felt a little lonely. But then Luca’s arms were tugging her in against his body, his head dipping so that his mouth found hers. With his lips on hers, his tongue slipped inside her mouth.

Ellie breathed deep, drew in Luca, a mix of beer and chilli and hot male. Of safety and—hot male. Surrendering to the need clawing through her, she focused on kissing him back and hoping she was wiping away that sadness that had been rolling off him in waves.

Then as suddenly as it started the kiss ended. Luca abruptly dropped his arms and stumbled backwards. ‘Ellie, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Look, that door to our right is your room. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ And he was gone, racing back the way they’d come, out onto the road and still he didn’t slow down.

‘Thanks very much, Luca. You’re sorry? Talk about taking a knife and cutting into me. You’re sorry for a mind-blowing kiss that I reckon you were enjoying as much as I was?’

But she was talking to the night. Luca was way beyond hearing her. Staring around the dark grounds, she could only sigh with relief that the lights were out. Doubtful anyone had seen them kissing. But her heart wasn’t letting her off that easily. It pounded hard and fast while her hands shook and her skin tightened with need. Luca. What had they done? Whatever it was, she wasn’t sorry. But she should be. She’d been kissing the man when only minutes before she’d acknowledged she never wanted to let him out of her life again. Way to go, Ellie. No one kisses a friend like that, with that intensity and emotion. It was sexy; very, very sexy. And her body was suffering withdrawal already. Which meant the future of their friendship was now in jeopardy.

 

 

Friendship to romance -  I loved writing this story and making it so hard for Luca and Ellie to resume their friendship when love is sparking between them.

 

Do you think friends can become lovers?

I have a copy of A December to Remember to give away.