Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!
Today we have a smooch from Christy McKellen but first
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Lyn M!
Can you please contact Barb: barb@barbaradeleo.com to receive your copy of The Wedding Wager
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from One Week With The French Tycoon
From holiday…to happy-ever-after!
Indigo Hughes spends her life taking care of everyone else. But after she's unceremoniously dumped, she finally puts herself first and books a holiday on the Amalfi Coast. Fine food, stunning views and time alone to heal her heart…bliss!
Instead, she's thrown together with tycoon Julien Moreaux! He's cynical, sexy and recently divorced—exactly the kind of man she should avoid. But big-hearted Indigo hopes to help Julien find his faith in love again—she just doesn't expect to find her own happy-ever-after in his arms!
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Lyn M!
Can you please contact Barb: barb@barbaradeleo.com to receive your copy of The Wedding Wager
And now for today's Sunday Smooch from One Week With The French Tycoon
From holiday…to happy-ever-after!
Indigo Hughes spends her life taking care of everyone else. But after she's unceremoniously dumped, she finally puts herself first and books a holiday on the Amalfi Coast. Fine food, stunning views and time alone to heal her heart…bliss!
Instead, she's thrown together with tycoon Julien Moreaux! He's cynical, sexy and recently divorced—exactly the kind of man she should avoid. But big-hearted Indigo hopes to help Julien find his faith in love again—she just doesn't expect to find her own happy-ever-after in his arms!
Hi LoveCats and thanks so much for having me here today.
This Sunday Smooch scene happens right after my hero, Julien, insists on buying Indigo, my heroine, some new boots when he sees how badly she’s limping after walking for miles in her trainers. (Her bag went missing at the airport at the beginning of her walking holiday). After a rocky start they’ve tentatively started to open up to each other—and are becoming increasingly aware of their mutual attraction. Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a problem for recently divorced Julien…
Indigo was aware of her heart beating hard against her ribcage as she tried to make sense of what was going on here. Why was he still here talking to her? Was it because he felt sorry for her? She hoped that wasn’t it.
‘Look, Indigo, I should apologise for being so rude last night at dinner.’
She couldn’t meet his gaze, the memory of the humiliation she’d felt burning through her once again. ‘Forget about it. It doesn’t matter.’
‘Yes, it does.’ He moved his head to the side, then bent towards her, waiting until he’d caught her eye before he spoke again. ‘Indigo, it does. I’m not normally so unfriendly; you’ve just caught me at a bad time.’
She gave him a shaky smile, cocking her head and splaying out her hands on either side of her. ‘Okay, I accept your apology.’
There was relief in his eyes and something else.
Her lips tingled as his gaze dropped to her mouth and her pulse rocketed.
He looked like—
—he wanted to—
—kiss her.
The thought lit a fire inside her, burning through her veins and turning her nerve endings into a crackling mass of need.
Ever since she’d laid eyes on him she’d wondered what it would feel like to have those strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close, comforting and sheltering her. And those wide, firm lips pressed against hers, smoothing away her loneliness.
The air felt thick with longing as his eyes met hers again. They seemed to darken as she parted her lips to drag warm, salty air deep into her lungs in an attempt to calm her erratic heartbeat.
Something seemed to be pulling her towards him, some strange magnetic instinct, and she took a micro-step forwards to maintain her balance, raising her hand to his face.
He let out a low, rough breath as her fingers connected with the lightly stubbled skin of his jaw and then suddenly Julien was no longer there in front of her, but far, far away.
Too far.
‘What—?’ She blinked in shock, stumbling forwards, dazed by the sudden desertion.
He was standing a few paces back from her now, shaking his head, his eyes a little wild. He held up a hand, his face a picture of remorse. ‘That’s not what I’m here for, Indigo.’ He shook his head, his expression heavy with regret and frustration. ‘I’m in no position to—’ He waved a hand in her direction, his movements jerky and agitated.
‘To what?’
‘Do this.’
‘I don’t even know what this is, Julien.’
He took another step away from her and rubbed a hand across his face. ‘I need my freedom right now, Indigo. I need to be alone.’
She snorted in angry frustration, every inch of her skin feeling hot and prickly. ‘It was just going to be a kiss. A bit of fun. It didn’t have to mean anything.’
If only that were true. Perhaps if it were then her voice wouldn’t sound as if she’d just been picked up and shaken hard.
To be in with a chance of winning a paperback copy of One Week with the French Tycoon (in a 2-in-1 with the wonderful Meg Maxwell) leave a comment about your most romantic holiday moment.
Amazon
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iTunes
Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Helen Lacey's Lucy and the Lieutenant will be posted!
This Sunday Smooch scene happens right after my hero, Julien, insists on buying Indigo, my heroine, some new boots when he sees how badly she’s limping after walking for miles in her trainers. (Her bag went missing at the airport at the beginning of her walking holiday). After a rocky start they’ve tentatively started to open up to each other—and are becoming increasingly aware of their mutual attraction. Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a problem for recently divorced Julien…
Indigo was aware of her heart beating hard against her ribcage as she tried to make sense of what was going on here. Why was he still here talking to her? Was it because he felt sorry for her? She hoped that wasn’t it.
‘Look, Indigo, I should apologise for being so rude last night at dinner.’
She couldn’t meet his gaze, the memory of the humiliation she’d felt burning through her once again. ‘Forget about it. It doesn’t matter.’
‘Yes, it does.’ He moved his head to the side, then bent towards her, waiting until he’d caught her eye before he spoke again. ‘Indigo, it does. I’m not normally so unfriendly; you’ve just caught me at a bad time.’
She gave him a shaky smile, cocking her head and splaying out her hands on either side of her. ‘Okay, I accept your apology.’
There was relief in his eyes and something else.
Her lips tingled as his gaze dropped to her mouth and her pulse rocketed.
He looked like—
—he wanted to—
—kiss her.
The thought lit a fire inside her, burning through her veins and turning her nerve endings into a crackling mass of need.
Ever since she’d laid eyes on him she’d wondered what it would feel like to have those strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close, comforting and sheltering her. And those wide, firm lips pressed against hers, smoothing away her loneliness.
The air felt thick with longing as his eyes met hers again. They seemed to darken as she parted her lips to drag warm, salty air deep into her lungs in an attempt to calm her erratic heartbeat.
Something seemed to be pulling her towards him, some strange magnetic instinct, and she took a micro-step forwards to maintain her balance, raising her hand to his face.
He let out a low, rough breath as her fingers connected with the lightly stubbled skin of his jaw and then suddenly Julien was no longer there in front of her, but far, far away.
Too far.
‘What—?’ She blinked in shock, stumbling forwards, dazed by the sudden desertion.
He was standing a few paces back from her now, shaking his head, his eyes a little wild. He held up a hand, his face a picture of remorse. ‘That’s not what I’m here for, Indigo.’ He shook his head, his expression heavy with regret and frustration. ‘I’m in no position to—’ He waved a hand in her direction, his movements jerky and agitated.
‘To what?’
‘Do this.’
‘I don’t even know what this is, Julien.’
He took another step away from her and rubbed a hand across his face. ‘I need my freedom right now, Indigo. I need to be alone.’
She snorted in angry frustration, every inch of her skin feeling hot and prickly. ‘It was just going to be a kiss. A bit of fun. It didn’t have to mean anything.’
If only that were true. Perhaps if it were then her voice wouldn’t sound as if she’d just been picked up and shaken hard.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Helen Lacey's Lucy and the Lieutenant will be posted!
Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver
Before I forget: "He looked like— —he wanted to— —kiss her." LOVED IT!
ReplyDeleteAs for that special memory, that would have to be our 30th wedding anniversary five years ago. My husband was actually off work (he worked continental shifts) that Monday, so we left home at 9 am and drove an hour away (holding hands while he drove everywhere), took a half-hour ferry to an island (and I read a romance while he wandered on the deck), drove around that island leisurely (pulling over whenever there were other cars so that we wouldn't hold up traffic), had a lovely lunch out (with my own homemade brownies/tarts for dessert in the car), toured around some more on the island, found a place to neck like teenagers (grin), took the same ferry back (and I read some more), had supper at a nice restaurant (with my butter tarts in the car afterward), took a different ferry back home for 15 minutes (ditto re book), stopped nearby for an ice cream cone treat, and got home by 9 pm (where I finished the book). I loved every minute of it.
Oh, Laney, that sounds absolutely wonderful! It has all the elements that would make it a perfect break away for me too. Thank you for sharing it with us.
DeleteI'm really pleased you liked Indigo's kissing line too :-)
Christy x
Hi Christy
ReplyDeleteI loved this story Indigo and Julien had such a fabulous journey in a fantastic setting :)
I think my most romantic holiday would have been a weekend away with hubby for our 25th wedding anniversary to The Blue Mountains it was fabulous
have Fun
Helen
I'd love to visit the Blue Mountains, Helen. Maybe one day... :-)
DeleteThanks for commenting
Xx
Hello, Christy, lovely to have you here and what a gorgeous smooch! Most romantic holiday moment...hmmm, got to be arriving in the mist and snow at the Scottish castle where we were spending our honeymoon... embarking on a new life with a lovely man and in the most romantic of places. A real 'pinch me' moment!
ReplyDeleteHi Louisa, thanks so much for having me here!
DeleteI've not spent much time in Scotland, but I'm itching to go and do a proper tour. It sounds like such a magical place.
X C
It's so lovely to have you visit us here at The LoveCats, Christy. And what a gorgeous excerpt! I'm thinking Julien won't be able to resist Indigo for too much longer. ;-) As for most romantic holiday moment, I think it will be hard to top spending our honeymoon night in The Dorchester and then flying out to Paris the next day. Happy sighs. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me here, Michelle, it's wonderful to visit the LoveCats.
DeleteI adore Paris. My husband took me there for my 40th and it we ate under the clock in the Musee D'Orsay, walked in the parks and shopped down the side streets of Saint Germain. It was glorious!
Xx
loved the smooch my most romantic holiday was many years ago after 5 children my Mother came to mind them while we went on a 2 week get-away wandering up & down the east coast------LynW
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing feeling to have that freedom just to wander after having kids isn't it, Lyn? My husband and I are very lucky in that our parents are happy to look after our kids for a week here and there so we can have some dedicated time together.
DeleteThanks so much for commenting. I'm really pleased you liked the smooch.
Christy x
Hi Christy, how nice to have you here with us at the LoveCats! Your smooch excerpt worked really well - I want to be there on the page with Indigo and Julien when they really kiss! My most romantic holiday? I think when my husband and I went skiing in Austria, just before our wedding, flying in from Australia and straight on the slopes. There was nothing much to do in that quiet Austrian village but go to bed early...
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful, Kandy-the perfect way to start a holiday ;-)
DeleteThanks for having me here.
x C x
Such a lovely smooch.
ReplyDeleteA holiday around the Whitsundays was very romantic. So many little islands to explore - no one else in sight.
That sounds wonderful, Mary. It's so rare to get a beautiful place to yourself. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteXx
Hi Kristy and welcome to the LoveCats! Thanks so much for sharing an excerpt. I'm sitting here with a smile on my face, imagining your couple falling in love on the Amalfi Coast!
ReplyDeleteI think my most romantic holiday moment was discovering my husband had booked the pair of us a trip away (without kids) from Australia to Auckland in New Zealand to celebrate a special anniversary. We don't normally give anniversary gifts and this was such a treat.
A surprise holiday is the best kind, Annie. What a wonderful husband you have!
DeleteThanks so much for having me here, it's a real thrill to be visiting the LoveCats.
Argh, sorry, Christy! My fingers are faster than my brain. Apologies for spelling your name wrong.
ReplyDeleteNo worries at all :-)
DeleteGreat excerpt, Christy.
ReplyDeleteI took my boyfriend (now husband) on a stay to Gleneagles in Scotland as a surprise holiday. While we were there the first snow fell...very romantic sitting by a roaring fire, in such a gorgeous hotel with snowflakes fluttering down outside.
Ooh, you just made happy shivers run up my spine, Jennifer! That sounds magical. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Deletexx
Hello Christy, this plot seems really interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy vacation was last year. My husband and I went on a vacation in a beautiful location in central Italy (where I live). We spent four unforgettable days. It was a place where you could be in contact with nature, quiet and peaceful. I loved it and hope to return soon.
That sounds absolutely wonderful, Poli. I'd love to explore more of Italy, it's such a beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting
Xx
Mine would be the Isle of Write? in Endland my husband took me me while we were in England I loved it. This sounds real good thanks
ReplyDeletePenney
I love the Isle of Wight, Penney. I spent quite a few happy family holidays there in my youth. The many coloured sands are so beautiful.
DeleteThanks so much for commenting.
Xx