And Now for Something Completely Different
I thought we'd celebrate Saturday with a couple of sexy snippets from three different books and then give a couple of books away at the end of the day...so here we go with today's rules. Read the three excerpts, and then leave me a comment with your name, email, and which book you'd like to have if your name is selected. We'll go with three winners today...
Highland Shift (Highland Destiny, Book 1)
Elena MacFarland wonders what everyone else knows about her new farm that she doesn't, and whether she'll live long enough to find out. Betrayed by her fiancé and the powerful Worthington family, Elena fights back and negotiates a comfortable settlement with one small caveat: she must live in Scotland for two years. One kidnapping and two attempts on her life later, the darkly arrogant Scot, Faolan MacGailtry declares himself her new protector and moves into her farmhouse. Major problem? He was present at all three incidents. Elena decides to follow the adage to keep her friends close and enemies closer--but which is he? One by one, Elena uncovers Faolan's darkest secrets: his Druid heritage, his connection to her past, and finally, the deadly curse that is powerful enough to destroy them both.
The Excerpt:
Elena was physically exhausted from the travel and emotionally drained from the humiliation of her story. After talking for what seemed like hours, she’d certainly told Faolan enough to make a personal connection. Would that be enough for him to let her go? Elena kept her eyes on the road, but she sensed his gaze on her. They didn’t speak again except for his terse directions once they arrived in Inverness.
Elena tried to sort through her muddled thoughts. Somewhere along the way, she’d forgotten to think of him as a kidnapper. After all, he now knew more about her than anyone else in Scotland. More than anyone, anywhere, really. When she saw the Hilton right in front of them, she realized he’d seen her safely to her destination. She pulled to the curb, but Faolan stared into the rain, his expression unfathomable.
She watched her traitorous hand as it reached up to gently touch his face, “Are you okay?” The moment Elena touched his face, a bolt of electricity shot up her arm and coursed through her body, straight to her core. Her breath caught in her throat, and her gaze lingered on his firm, luscious lips. If he kissed her she knew she’d be lost forever. At that thought, Elena’s lips parted and she unconsciously wet them with the tip of her tongue, an invitation as old as the ages.
Faolan turned to face her, a fierce, haunted look in his eyes. Then his expression changed to something hungrier and need seemed to smolder between them. “Elena,” he whispered hoarsely. Then his mouth was on hers, and she thought no more.
His kiss was gentle. He reached to cup her face in both of his hands, caressing her cheek with his thumbs. Her mouth parted on an exclamation of surprise, and his tongue darted past her lips as he deepened the kiss. Faolan loosened her hair, and her raven curls spilled down her back. Threading his fingers through the silken strands, his kiss turned urgent as he pulled her even closer, and the console pressed into her side.
He kissed her with such suddenness that her brain was ten steps behind her body. His tongue thrust in, then retreated, gliding in an intimate rhythm. Elena leaned toward Faolan, getting as close as possible to his broad, warm chest and moaned softly into his mouth. Her fingers splayed across his stomach, and she slid her hands over his powerful muscles that rippled under her touch.
Elena’s body sparked to life, heedless of the circumstances that brought them together. A reckless abandon fueled her kisses. She laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled him closer. He groaned, and Elena felt the heady power of a woman who knows she’s desired. She was being devoured and had no will to stop him. His kisses claimed her, and she wanted him to keep kissing her until her last breath.
Breathing heavily, he pulled back slightly and nibbled on Elena’s lower lip before running kisses along her jaw to her neck. With his face buried in her hair, he whispered her name once more, “Elena.”
Then he pulled away from the embrace, opened the door, and walked away without a backward glance. Faolan disappeared into the mist as though he were nothing more than a figment of her imagination.
Rescued: Three's Allowed
Elizabeth Ashford tries to escape her wife-beating husband before he kills her, by running into the wilderness near a highway rest area. Michael Enwright is a self-made millionaire and expert in high tech security. At the first rest stop of his long overdue sabbatical, he sees the fleeing woman and intervenes, saving Elizabeth’s life, while nearly losing his own.
When Michael’s help is misinterpreted, he ends up handcuffed and face down in the dirt before Elizabeth can set Sheriff Graeme Kennedy, her former lover, straight. In order to protect Lizzie, Graeme is forced to work with Michael and brings both of them to his cabin for protection.
Now Graeme finally has Elizabeth under his roof, right where he’s always wanted her. So why is he jacking off to visions of the drop dead gorgeous and take-charge Michael? Some things never change.
The Excerpt:
Graeme looked at him with his big dark eyes and Michael found himself staring into them, getting lost for the longest of minutes. With a jerk he broke the eye contact and turned his head away.
Strong fingers grabbed his arm. “Don’t turn away from me, Michael. Please.”
That one word stopped him, and he turned back to face Graeme. “What do you want from me, Graeme?” he said, his voice a harsh whisper in the night.
Graeme stood, cupped his face, then tilted it up slightly, as if he were memorizing every feature. Then he slowly lowered his mouth.
Michael knew this would be no mere brush of the lips. He should pull away. This wasn’t him; he didn’t kiss men. If he let this happen it would change who he thought he was. He needed to stop it. God help him, he needed it.
He raised his mouth and met Graeme’s kiss, lips closed, and eyes wide open.
Graeme’s eyes closed, and he hummed faintly in a sigh. Michael started to pull back, but Graeme kept his face cradled and rubbed his lips gently, and the kiss spun out. Firm lips giving gentle kisses and the scratch of beard where there’d never been roughness before.
Michael had a moment of clarity, and he wondered what in the hell he was doing. Then Graeme pulled back, ran a tongue over Michael’s lips.
“Open for me, Michael,” he said, breath a whisper against his mouth.
As if compelled, Michael’s mouth relaxed, and Graeme thrust his tongue inside. Their tongues met in a clash of wills, hungry to taste each other. Michael could taste Elizabeth there as well. His mind felt far away, no room for thought, only room for feeling, only room for this kiss. Graeme’s arms wound around his waist, and slid up his back, to wind into his hair.
A groan of desire rent the night, Graeme’s or his own, he no longer knew. He sucked on Graeme’s tongue, pulling him deeper into the kiss. Graeme plundered, seeking, giving. Finally, Graeme pulled back and, with a small moan in the back of his throat, he began to nibble and nip at Michael’s lips.
Christ! He pushed away from Graeme, breathing hard, unsure where to look. He’d felt the telltale wetness on his stomach from one of their cocks and realized he’d been pressed intimately against Graeme. The thoughts swirled in his mind, a confused tangle, with no beginning, no end.
I’m naked, I kissed him, I’m fucking hard as stone.
Ty Hard (Willow Spring Ranch, Book 1)
Tyler has used Don't Ask, Don't Tell as a shield against the truth since he was seventeen. Now, Ty finds himself cut loose from his Navy career after months of rehab from a debilitating head injury. At a loss as to what to do with his life, he travels to Willow Springs Ranch in Arizona to visit his surrogate father, only to arrive minutes after his oldest friend's death. Ty must come to terms with the loss while he fights to keep the PTSD from pulling him under. The last thing he's ready to think about is his growing attraction for another man.
Rancher Cass Cartwright's relationships never last more than a few hours, and that's just the way he likes it. Now he's in danger of doing the one thing he swore never to do: fall in love. Can Cass convince Ty to let go of his past or will sabotage at the ranch kill their love before it has a chance to grow?
The Excerpt:
Ty had found his bag near the bedroom door and dressed in the dark, moving quietly while taking inventory of how he felt. He’d been so sick yesterday afternoon, he knew there was no way they’d had sex, but why was the cowboy in bed with him? He’d watched the handsome face for a long minute and fisted his hands against an urge to stroke Cass’ strong brow, so relaxed in sleep. What would it be like to wake every morning in the arms of a man you loved?
“Feeling better?” The deep voice slammed into him, startling Ty from his thoughts and making him jump. He turned from the pile of sliced mushrooms and lost his breath in a woosh.
Cass stood in the arched doorway, wearing only a pair of faded jeans that fit like a second skin. He was all long, wiry muscle, classic washboard abs, and a trail of dark brown hair that led straight to the single open button at the waistband of his jeans.
“Uhm, yeah,” Ty managed and then tore his gaze away from the feast in front of him. “Thanks for uhm…everything.”
“Hmm…What are you doing?” Cass asked sleepily.
“Making breakfast. I figured what with Gibby…” his voice trailed off, and tears filled his eyes. He turned back to the cutting board so Cass wouldn’t see his weakness.
“It’s okay to cry, Tyler. I’m going to miss him, too,” Cass said, then strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind.
Ty stiffened. Damn, what was wrong with him? Cass was just trying to be nice and offer comfort in their shared grief. To his shame, he felt his dick harden. There wasn’t much room to maneuver away, since he was already standing close to the counter. He took half a step forward, to try to put a little space between them.
Cass moved with him, pulling him even closer, and he could feel the press of all that bare skin through the thin layer of his tee shirt. They stood that way for several long heartbeats and Tyler closed his eyes and imagined taking the comfort of that embrace to another level. Something gentle brushed across his hair and he allowed himself the fantasy of accepting a lover’s comfort.
With his eyes closed, savoring the moment, he almost didn’t realize the strong fingers that tilted his head to the side were real. Then lips brushed lightly against his neck, his cheek, and finally, soft as a whisper, against his lips.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ty said angrily and pushed himself away from Cass.
Stepping back, Cass looked at him appraisingly for a minute. Then he licked his lips and with a slow, wicked smile, he said, “Tasting you.”
“Well, stop it,” Ty said, but there was no heat behind his words.
“My mistake,” Cass grinned, not looking the least bit sorry.
There you have it... 3 very different first kisses.
This isn't a vote, although feel free to share your favorite kiss among these or any other first kiss you'd like to share :)
Be sure to leave your name, email, and which book you'd like if you're one of the winners.
Want to buy one now? Visit my page at Amazon: Laura Harner Store
Don't forget to leave a comment for the grand prize tomorrow of the entire Three's Allowed Series PLUS a $10 Gift Card from All Romance eBooks.
Be sure and visit all the other great authors this weekend!
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