Oct 23, 2017

Sunday Smooch with Stefanie London

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from but first 


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


Can you please contact ally@allyblake.com to receive your prize.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Trouble Next Door


McKenna Prescott is the queen of picking the wrong men. When her latest boyfriend dumps her, she decides to devote her time to “exploring herself” (read: drinking wine and ordering sex toys online) and starting her freelance makeup business. That is, until an embarrassing delivery mix-up puts her sexy, gruff neighbor in her path…


Beckett Walsh is married to his job…which is a deal-breaker for the woman he’s supposed to be marrying. Even worse, his would-be father-in-law has pulled support from Beckett’s startup and now Beckett stands to lose everything. But the gorgeous, crazy makeup artist from down the hall has an equally crazy but mutually beneficial idea: if he convinces his sister to hire McKenna for her high-society wedding, McKenna will teach him about what women want so he can get his fiancée back.


Scene set-up
McKenna is at Beckett's place after a particularly heinous family dinner, where her mother was up to her usual antics and making McKenna feel like crap.

Smooch  -

The tears threatened again, but she fought them back. There was still time to get out of here with the last of her dignity intact. It might only be a shred, but it was hers and she needed it. She held his gaze for a moment before attempting to stand. But Beckett’s hand reached for hers and she stilled. Frozen.

“If they can’t see what a kind and creative person you are, then f**k ’em.”

McKenna blinked. She hadn’t ever heard Beckett swear before, and it took her by surprise. But now that she looked closer, his expression wasn’t so hard to read after all. His eyes were like blue fire—shimmering and flickering with intensity. His mouth pressed into a hard line, his jaw ticking with effort. And his fingers wrapped around her wrist, burning through the thin fabric of her top.

He was angry. For her.

No one had ever been angry on her behalf before.

Her breath stuck in her throat.

He was closer now. When had that happened? While she was crying into her ice cream? The couch suddenly seemed small, like it was pushing them together.

“Maybe they’re right,” she said, a lump clogging her throat. “Maybe I am wasting my potential.”

They hadn’t said that exactly, but the message had been clear. Though whether it was because they thought her capable of more or because they simply couldn’t conceive that someone who shared their DNA wasn’t a genius,

McKenna wasn’t sure.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

I want to kiss you.

No. Wrong answer. But the thought hovered and tendrils of desire wound through her. Her breath hissed out between her lips like a silent yes. She wanted him. Badly.

“I…” She shook her head, trying to see through the fog. But it didn’t work. “I…”

She shifted on the couch, digging her knees into the soft, comfortable cushions so that she was closer to him. Her head and heart couldn’t align, the mixed signals clashing until it was all white noise.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, reaching her hand out to touch his face. His skin was soft, cleanly shaven. And damn he smelled incredible—like cologne and fresh cotton. “Or maybe I do.”

“McKenna.” His breath was warm against her palm, and she brushed her fingertip over the corner of his mouth.

He was still holding her other hand captive, like her touch had frozen him solid. But he wasn’t retreating, wasn’t backing away. Maybe he wanted it, too…?

The force with which his lips crashed down on hers took her by surprise, but she yielded. Quickly. Completely. He threaded one hand into the hair at the back of her head, cupping her skull. It was incredibly intimate. Possessive. He pushed his tongue between her lips and she almost groaned when it made contact with her own.

He was soft and hard. Demanding and coaxing. Perfect.

Stefanie is giving away an ebook copy of Trouble Next Door. To enter the giveaway, answer the following question:

Have you ever had a crazy neighbour? What did they do to drive you nuts?

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

16 comments:

  1. Hi Stef!

    Thanks for sharing this excerpt. Another book to add to my tbr pile!

    Fortunately I haven't had crazy neighbours and in fact most have been just brilliant. With the exception of a couple years ago who fought and screamed so much I actually thought one night when it suddenly went quiet that there'd been murder committed. Thankfully I was wrong.

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    1. Oh yes, we've had those ones too! Yikes, I can imagine the writer's mind would have wondered at all the silence hehe

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  2. Hi Stefanie

    Woohoo I am looking forward to this one I do love your stories :)

    As for crazy neighbours there have a been a few that have been annoying but not too bad but one of my friends has a crazy neighbour he walks into their front yard and used their tap instead of his own he has a few stuffed toy animals fixed to his roof to try and stop the birds from messing it and he throws any bits of paper over their side of the fence LOL thank fully he doesn't live next door to me :)

    Have Fun

    Helen

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    1. Oh no, your poor friend! The neighbour sounds like an interesting character lol

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  3. My crazy neighbor actually turned out to be a criminal. We live in a nice, middle class neighborhood. Debbie was my age, moved in to take care of her elderly dad, but she had a home business in "sales and acquisitions" of mind altering substances. The parade of cars those first 2 weeks was odd. Good thing the neighbor on the other side was a detective and took care of the problem....he arranged for all our kids to go roller skating and the police came to visit her while all the kids were skating. She got a nice long vacation in s state facility. ( And her dad was able to get into a Veteran's facility)

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  4. Gorgeous Smooch, Stef. The story sounds wonderful too, you always write such engaging characters.
    We've always had lovely neighbours. So we were totally unprepared for the neighbours from hell. We eventually sold and moved away to get away from them. The current neighbours are wonderful!

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    1. Aww thank you Kandy! That means a a lot :)

      It's such a shock when it happens, right? Most people are lovely, but then you get the odd ones that drive you nuts.

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  5. That sounds like the best kind of crazy, Stef! :-)

    I've been lucky with my neighbours (thankfully), and always enjoy our street Christmas party.

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    1. Oh a street Christmas party sounds fun! Lucky you :)

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  6. Our crazy neighbour had a parrot that screeched 'Get yer knickers off' followed by a wolf whistle. Mind you, he swears it wasn't him that taught the bird and it took him by surprise when he inherited 'George'. I was hanging knickers on the washing line the first time I heard it and was a bit spooked thinking there was a 'snowdropper' lurking behind the bushes. Once I knew, I thought it was hilarious and used to shout, 'Shut up George or I'll put your cover on.' Being the clever bird he was, he soon added that to his dictionary.

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    1. I'm actually laughing out loud, Pam!! What a funny character. My Nan used to have a bird that started imitating the dog's bark, and pretty darn close too! Gave everyone a fright LOL

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  7. I seem to attract crazy neighbours - as in truly nuts. With both neighbours that have been crazy, the tenancy managers have confirmed these people have psych issues. Side effect of the type of housing I live in.
    Excerpt is making me go, I need to hurry the hell up with my current review reading so I can get started on this book.

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    1. hehe glad the smooch is having the intended effect!! :D

      Ugh, that's frustrating about the neighbours. Sorry to hear it Lyn! :(

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  8. My neighbors run hot and cold. They aren’t crazy but I’d love it if they’d stop doing yard/house work at 7 am on a weekend.

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