"The First Kiss" and A Suprise Giveaway

Hi, readers!  I wanted to alert you to the fact that yesterday was the one year anniversary of the release of UPON YOUR RETURN.  To celebrate this momentous occasion, I'd like to do a giveaway.  I am willing to give away up to five e-books of UPON YOUR RETURN if you comment at the end of this post.  That means we could potentially have five winners!  Please feel free to tell me if you want a copy of the book and any past Valentine's Day moments you'd like to share.

Being that it is Valentine's Day, what better day is there for a romance writer to talk about love?  Thinking about this special day reminds of the "first kiss".  That's right.  The first kiss.  If you have a significant other, I'm sure you remember it in the finest detail.

I'll share mine with you, if you're interested.  Back when I met my fiancé, we had both decided to take things slow.  That's what happens when you go through a couple of crappy relationships.  So, we kind of danced around each other for awhile, unclear about signals and all that.  We got into some conversation and I said, "Well, you haven't even kissed me yet."  And then he looked at me and smiled.  Lord, that smile. And those eyes.  I don't think I've ever been affected by a man like that before him.  

So, that went on for awhile.  He walked me to my door.  We were standing on the porch.  The stars outside were so bright and the night was perfect as well, not too cool and not too hot.  And he leans down and kisses me.  Oh.  My.  God.  That was simply the best kiss ever.  I'm talking fireworks and the knock-your-socks-off kind of kiss.  My mind was completely blown.  I'd never had that kind of kiss.  It was perfect.  He took his time, and I kissed him back, of course.  We said our goodbyes and when I went inside, I probably didn't come back to myself for a full ten minutes.  I was floating! 

Needless to say, this is the man I've spent years loving through ups and downs in our lives.  We both suffered financially and experienced deaths in our families.  It's been a lot to handle.  But, through all of that, one thing stayed true.  Our hearts, our connection to one other.  I couldn't have asked for a better man to lean on or to love.

Well, so that was my first kiss with my soul mate.  I would also like to treat you all to a teaser of a first kiss from a work in progress.  Don't forget to comment on the post for a chance to win a free copy of UPON YOUR RETURN.  

Here is the teaser.  Enjoy!

Adrienne couldn’t look away no matter how much she should.  His dark gaze was sympathetic and yet there was something more.  A bright glint lightened his eyes.  Was it desire?  Robert used to look at her that way, but he was such a gentleman, he’d never acted on his feelings entirely except for the occasional brief embrace or chaste kiss on her forehead.

            The tension between them dropped away until there was a comfortable moment of silence, and the look between them heightened into something more.

            Her heartbeat thudded softly, and her lips parted as she looked up at him.

            He touched her cheek and then her jaw, caressing it with his thumb and fingertips.  With a gentle grasp on her chin, he pulled her towards him by degrees.  Her gaze dropped to his lips and she caught her breath as she knew his intent.  His lips moved onto hers and she sighed into the kiss.  He was patient, steady as he kissed her, allowing her the chance to reject him if she wished.  But, she did not.  His arm encircled her, pulling her tighter against him and she rested her hands on his chest comfortably.  He sought her essence, dipping his tongue, meeting hers in a very pleasurable moment.  She murmured in encouragement, lifting her arms to loop them around his neck.  She kissed him back gently, trying to keep up.  Her breasts felt sensitive as she lay against him.

            Christian pulled back slightly, looking at her with a slight smile on his face.  He caressed her cheek once more.  “I didn’t want to startle you.”

            “You didn’t.”

            He nodded.  “Good.  I’ve been wanting to do that since I met you.”

            “You have?”

            He grinned, then sobered a little.  “You’ve never been kissed like that before, have you?”

            She shook her head.

            “That’s what I thought.”

            She frowned.  “Did I do something wrong?”

            “Not at all.  It was perfect.”

            Perfect.  That was the right word for what she’d felt.

 

Giveaway Book

 

Blurb:  Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society…

Leave your comments below for a chance to win!  Please tell me about your "first kiss" as well!