Oct 23, 2016

Sunday Smooch - Melanie Milburne

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Melanie Milburne but first 


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


Can you please contact amy(at)amyandrews(dot)com(dot)au to receive your copy of Swept Away by the Seductive Stranger.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Unwrapping His Convenient Fiancée.




The perfect lie… 

Violet Drummond can't face another office Christmas party as a singleton, but charismatic family friend Cameron McKinnon seems like the perfectly platonic "plus one" for the festive season. Until he reveals his plan to make Violet his convenient fiancée!

Wealthy architect Cameron sees this charade as the perfect escape hatch from the unwelcome attention of an important client's wife, but soon fake feelings shift to real attraction…

There's only one thing Cameron wants to unwrap on Christmas morning—the staid suit from Violet's lush body—and he's willing to push the boundaries of their agreement to accommodate his growing desire…



Introduction

Thanks so much for inviting me to blog about my next release. So lovely to be with you again!  

A few months ago I was asked by my editor to write a Christmas story. After writing over 70 books I can’t believe I hadn’t done one until now, especially when I love everything about Christmas. Sorry for mentioning the C word in October! But I have already seen Christmas decorations in the shops and I am in the process of making my pudding and cake. I know, I know, I know. Way too organised. Don’t hate me too much. J

I decided on a friends-to-lovers plot and Violet and Cameron were the perfect candidates. Violet is dreading attending her office Christmas party because of an incident at a party when she was a student in her first year of university. Cameron is desperate to shake off the unwelcome attention of an important client’s wife so offers to be Violet’s ‘date’. But a mischievous tweet about them being ‘engaged’ on Twitter goes viral and Violet and Cam have to pretend to their families (just so everyone’s Christmas isn’t spoilt) that they are officially a couple.
Here’s their first kiss just after Cam offers to take her to the office party…

Smooch  -

Violet took a step backwards to enter the building but stumbled over the first step and would have fallen if it wasn’t for Cam’s hand shooting out to steady her.  

‘You okay?’ he asked with a concerned frown.

 Violet looked at his stubble-surrounded mouth that just moments ago had been against the smooth skin of her cheek. Had he felt that same sensation ricochet through his body? Had he wondered in that infinitesimal moment what it would feel like to press his lips to hers? Not in a brotherly kiss, but a proper man-wants-a-woman kiss? She sent the point of her tongue over the surface of her lips, her breath hitching when he tracked every millimetre of movement. Keep it light. ‘For a moment there I thought you were going to kiss me,’ Violet said with a little laugh.

The navy-blue of his gaze turned three shades darker before glancing at her mouth and back again. But then his hand dropped from her arm as if her skin had scorched him. ‘Let’s not go there.’

 But I want to go there. I want to. I want to. I want to. Violet kept her smile in place even though it felt like it was stitched to her mouth. ‘Yes, that would be taking things too far. I mean, not that I don’t find you attractive or anything, but us kissing? Not such a great idea.’

  There was the sound of heels click-clacking behind her and Violet turned to see Lorna coming back. ‘Silly me. I forgot my phone,’ Lorna said and with a sly smile at Cam added, ‘Aren’t you going to kiss her and let her get back to work?’

  Violet sneaked a glance at Cam but instead of looking annoyed at Lorna’s comment he smiled an easy smile and reached for Violet’s hand and drew her against his side. ‘I was just getting to that,’ he said.

  Violet assumed he would wait until Lorna had gone back into the building before releasing her but Lorna didn’t go back into the building. She stood three steps up from them with that annoying smirk on her mouth as if daring Cam to follow through. Cam turned his back to Lorna and slipped a hand under Violet’s hair, cupping the nape of her neck, making every nerve beneath her skin pirouette.

  ‘You don’t have to do this…’ Violet whispered.

  Cam brought his mouth down to within a whisker of hers. ‘Yes, I do.’

  And then he did.

   Cam pressed his lips to Violet’s mouth and a bomb went off in his head, scattering his common sense like flying shrapnel. What are you doing? But he didn’t want to listen to his conscience. He had wanted to kiss her from the moment he’d walked into that café earlier and now her annoying workmate had given him the perfect excuse to do so. Violet’s mouth tasted like a combination of milk and honey, her lips soft and pliable beneath his. He drew her ballerina-like body even closer, his body responding with a fierce rush of blood to his groin. Her small breasts were pressed against his chest, her slim hips against his, her hands gripping the front of his jacket as if she couldn’t stand upright without his support. Hell, he was having trouble keeping upright himself, apart from one part of his anatomy.

  It’s time to stop. You should stop. You need to stop.

 

I hope you enjoy my first Christmas story. I have a signed copy (all regions) for a reader who answers the following question: Apart from world peace, what do you want most for Christmas this year?


 Happy reading,

Melanie xx


Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Kandy Shepherd will be posted!

In the meantime, if you'd like to order a copy of Unwrapping His Convenient Fiancée, you can do so here.





Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver


32 comments:

  1. I want everyone as healthy as can be in our household - and driving their own vehicles. In Aug/16, my husband and another bicyclist crashed into each other (they couldn't see each other around some tall columns), whereby he broke his right hip socket (and hopes to start walking on it again by Oct 31/16). In Sept/16, my son was off work for a week in pain from his compressed disk flaring up, and he's awaiting the results of his MRI yesterday. In Oct/16, my son ran into the back of my daughter's car (skidding on wet pavement for a yellow light); both were fine, but my son's car was a write-off (because the airbags deployed and it was an old car) and my daughter's car is awaiting a replaced bumper.
    I am tired of being the "designated driver" in our household, as my husband isn't allowed to drive yet and my 6'4" son doesn't fit well into the driver's seat of our only car - so maybe I should add into my wish list that I'd just like to get more than one proper night of sleep per month (as MY work involves late-night self-employment, my son needs to be driven to work early in the morning (and brought home at suppertime), and my husband usually meets friends for breakfast/coffee daily).

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Oh, Laney! So much drama to deal with! It's amazing what we women have to cope with, isn't it? I hope your husband is well on the mend soon.
      Thanks for taking the time to post a comment.

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  2. Hi Melanie

    Woohoo on this smooch I loved this story and this part is fabulous I can highly recommend this story :)

    What I want for Christmas this year is just fun family time with my children and grandchildren it is noisy and there are lots of laughs when we are together and this year we will be at one of my daughter's places and she has a poll so fingers crossed the weather is good and we will be swimming :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Helen, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
      Christmas is all about family, isn't it? You are the front and centre of yours, I can see!

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  3. just want to enjoy Christmas with family & friends --- I always enjoy reading books by Melanie & the smooch sounds like another winner--------Lyn W

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    1. The best Christmases are the ones with both family and friends present. The more the merrier!
      Thanks for posting!

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  4. Gorgeous smooch, Melanie. I love a friends-to-lovers story and UNWRAPPING HIS CONVENIENT FIANCE sounds fab.

    What I'd love for Christmas is more time! Wouldn't that be nice. :-)

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    1. I hear you, Michelle! Time is always short, especially at this time of year. Where did this year go! 😱

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  5. I love friends-to-lovers too, Melanie! One of my favourite tropes!

    What do I want for Christmas.... to make the perfect plum pudding! :-)

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    Replies
    1. You do friends to lovers so well, Amy.
      I am making my pudding right now. It is a great recipe and never fails. Hope I haven't jinxed myself now! 😊

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  6. Ooh, nice smooch! For Xmas, for my guys and me: good health and joy in our work. And a.super trip to Venice next yr. We re saving up.

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    Replies
    1. Ooo! Venice is one of my favourite places. You will love it!

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    2. Got out two of your oldies to re-read: the blackmail pregnancy and the fiorenza forced marriage. You've written so many I wonder if you can even remember these.

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  7. Melanie, this book sounds just the sort of reading I'd love in the lead up to Christmas! Thanks for sharing.

    What I'd like for Christmas has to be time with family and friends, a good book and then, after the celebrating, some quiet time to curl up and read.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annie, I have a special love of the friends to lovers story trope. My husband was my big brother's friend! They were at university together but doing different degrees. 😁
      Hope you get a good rest at Christmas! 🌲

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  8. First of all Thank you Amy for the book :D World peace would be nice. I love Christmas because we are all together as in family, but all of us can't be there, living in different states and some other issues. So to have everyone together would be nice and also that my Mother has another good year after fighting off cancer twice and going well, yay :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jan!
      Best wishes to your mum. Every day is precious when someone is battling cancer.

      Delete
  9. To win the lottery. My daughter will start college in August. Melanie welcome to the Love Cats

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    1. We all want to win the lottery, don't we, Tammy?
      I bet you will miss your daughter when she goes to college. I cried for a week when my first born left home- but happy tears were in there too!
      Thanks for the welcome!

      Delete
  10. Sue Gerhardt GriffithsOctober 23, 2016 at 2:51 PM

    That sounds like a very nice read and the smooch was lovely and smoochie.

    For Christmas this year I would just like to have a happy and fun time with hubby, my daughter and her husband and maybe a book or two (not the I need more) and maybe most of all for all the lonely people to be surrounded by someone that care's about them!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sue.
      I love inviting a few Christmas orphans over. It makes it special for everyone then.
      And who says you can have too many books?!!!

      Delete
  11. Hello Melanie, I'm glad to read you here.
    For Christmas I would like for my family's health, for me I want so many books and why not, a short holiday in a seaside town where there is warm.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Franca,
      You should come to Australia for Christmas! 😊
      Thanks for posting!

      Delete
  12. A lovely smooch!!

    I'd like a new set of back steps, but I'd hope to find them in place and not under the Christmas tree.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, that would be a hard present to wrap and put under the tree!
      Thanks for posting! 😄

      Delete
  13. since my strokes 2 years ago I just want my whole family together thats it..no gifts

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    1. Hi Diana,
      I'm so sorry to hear about the strokes you've had. I hope you are feeling much better, but I know how hard it can be coming back from something like that.
      Good health is the only gift we should ever want, isn't it?
      I hope your family get together is perfect for you.

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  14. Fantastic sounding story Melanie. The blurb sold me before I read the smooch.
    I have an intense hate for Christmas things in October... but for some reason, I don't have that problem with books. I suspect that may be to do with the fact that most Christmas books are set in North Hemisphere winter and since we Kiwis and Australian's don't get that, it doesn't feel like it's any more wrong in October, November or December etc.

    Being unrealistic, I'd love to win lotto for Christmas.
    If I must be realistic, for my family to actually pay attention to my gift wishlist - they can manage to separate Christmas and birthday (only a week apart) yet somehow after 30 something years they still can't seem to pay attention my wishlist.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lyn,
      I hear you on the early Christmas push! I get panicky when I see decorations and stuff in October.
      I hope you enjoy the book!

      Delete
  15. Love the smooch ! I just want Christmas. Can't wait! The traditions, the joy ... it's just the nicest time of year.

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    1. Hi Clare,
      It is a nice time of year, isn't it? But I have to say the Northern hemisphere Christmas has the edge on our southern one. My four years living in Scotland ruined Aussie Christmas for me. Although, living in Tasmania where we can have snow in December does make up for it!

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  16. My Christmas Wish is coming true this year, as I will be spending it with my first grandchild, Spencer. He will be 6 months old and it is going to be fun seeing him react to the holidays!Praying that plans for this don't get thwarted!
    I love Christmas romances. There's something very magical about the season, and since you wrote it, it should be great!

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