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Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Reluctant Duke Excerpt


Colin tugged Annabelle to her feet, staggered the few feet to the bed and collapsed on top of the covers. He kissed her mouth and buried his face into her hair, seemingly embarrassed.
“Thank you.”
Annabelle giggled happily.
“You shouldn’t have done that for me though, it’s not right.” Colin whispered into her ear, still hiding in her hair.
Annabelle pulled back and made him look her in the eye.
“So you believe only whores can give their men pleasure like that?”
“I would not know my love, I have never had that done to me before. I just did not think ladies did that sort of thing.”
“Oh Colin, you forget, I’m not just a lady, I’m your wife. My mother told me that everything you do to me I can do to you and you had brought me pleasure that way before. So I reasoned that it was possible to do it for you too.” Annabelle laughed happily again and kissed his shoulder.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Christmas Kiss

I have recently finished a sweet regency romance with a Christmas theme.
I wanted to enter the First Kiss Competition the RWA runs but because I am a published
author, I cannot...
Therefore I will post what I was going to enter here.
Enjoy:


After a stilted dinner, Ellie made her way back to the evening sitting room. Smoothing her skirt down with hands that were shaking was hard, she hadn’t realized. Never one to entertain the notion of ‘nerves’, Ellie had not realized they could affect a person so much.
She lifted her hand and pushed open the door, hoping, nay praying, the housekeeper had done what she had asked for.
The warmth of the room touched her skin as she stepped into it, the roaring fire giving off much needed heat.
By the fire, Robert stood tall, his shoulders broad and proud.
Ellie’s breath hitched, how did one single man make her feel like this?
She walked over to him slowly. She was very quiet, yet he turned as though he knew she was coming.
His face showed no surprise, he just nodded politely.
“Good evening young lady.”
Her mouth kicked up into a smile when she curtseyed. Robert called her young lady to distant himself and to remind her of their age gap. It wasn’t very effective. She loved that he had a personal nick name for her.
“Good evening Sir. How was the rest of your day?”
“Well thank you.”
Ellie looked up and saw the mistletoe, flushing with pleasure. He was going to kiss her, she needed him to kiss her. On the cheek, on the forehead, she honestly didn’t mind. Some sort of affection, a sign that he felt something for her.
“I love mistletoe Robert, don’t you?”
She looked back at his startled face. He looked up and groaned a very ungentlemanly noise.
He backed away, shaking his head.
“Ellie, please don’t.”
Ellie’s disappointment was so keen she brought a hand to her belly to stifle the pain.
“But it’s Christmas.”
She looked at him and he turned away, his hands, clenched fists behind his back.
Ellie groaned in a very un ladylike sort of way and walked to the opposite side of the room. Why was he fighting her so much?
Her father walked in at that exact moment.
“Good evening. Goodness Ellie, what is wrong?”
Her father frowned; looking from her to Robert’s turned back, then returning to her. His eyebrows were raised and he looked suspicious. She needed to diffuse the situation, though she didn’t want to miss out on Robert’s kiss either.
Ellie sighed and wiped the true frown off her face. She smiled sadly whilst trying to ignore the knot of fear in her belly.
“I stood beneath the mistletoe and asked Robert to kiss me for Christmas, and he wouldn’t.”
Her father frowned even more.
“That is not very lady-like Eleanor. Robert is a guest in our home and my personal friend.”
She pouted, like a true little girl and focused on her father. She didn’t want him knowing just how much she wanted a true kiss.
“I realize that papa, but I have never been kissed, ever. I am twenty years old and I thought for just Christmas I could.”
She dropped her head, embarrassed when true tears sprang to her eyes. Saying the words aloud made it so much more real. She wasn’t a young girl anymore. She had never cared that other men had not tried to kiss her, or court her properly. She had never cared for any of them. It hadn’t mattered, not then.
“Robert, you really shouldn’t have said no. It’s only a harmless Christmas tradition.”
Ellie looked up and saw her father staring at Robert’s back. His hands relaxed out of their fists and he turned, his face unreadable. When he began walking towards her Ellie couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t be, could he? She wasn’t even standing under the mistletoe anymore.
He sighed and reached for her hand. Their warm skin touched and her hand tingled, the feeling almost burning her. He guided her back to her original place in front of the fire, under the mistletoe.
An unshed tear slid down her cheek when she looked up into his face. He was so handsome, so considerate. She didn’t know how she would ever find another man who she wanted as much as she wanted him. He reached up and wiped the tear away with the pad of his thumb. The caress tender, loving somehow.
“Don’t cry Ellie.”
He cupped her face in his hands and stepped into her father’s line of sight. Ellie looked down, waiting for the lips that would soon caress her forehead.
“This is just for Christmas.”
Ellie waited for him to lean forward but instead he applied gentle pressure and her head came up. She looked into his eyes, puzzled. His words made sense, but his eyes didn’t seem in accord. They were burning with an emotion she had never seen before.
Robert’s eyes flicked over her face for a moment then he dropped his head and pressed his lips against hers. Shocked, Ellie froze for a moment. His lips were soft but their pressure constant as he held her still and kissed her. Ellie’s head swam as pleasure filtered through her whole body. This was exactly what a kiss should feel like, her eyes slid closed.
Robert stepped back, abruptly parting their lips and leaving her tingling.  Her eyes sprang open. He was looking at her like her father looked at a good meal. It made her heat in an uncomfortable way.
Then she remembered that her father was still in the room. She turned and located him, sitting on his chair in front of the fire.
“Better Ellie?”
She nodded, still dazed and walked towards her father. Her lips felt swollen, tingly. She wanted to reach up and touch them, but wouldn’t dare.
“Yes father, thank you.”
Her father looked up at his friend and a strange look passed between them. Robert flushed and walked away to gather the whiskey decanter. What was going on?
“I think it is time for bed Ellie.” Her father’s tone stopped her when she moved to sit down. Looking up, she watched him take the glass of whiskey from Robert and he nodded in the direction of the door.
Afraid for Robert, she looked up to see him frowning. Then he too smiled and tilted his head towards the door.
Confused and still worried for Robert, she curtseyed to them both, then moved over to kiss her father on top of the head.
Her lips touched her father’s balding crown and she looked up into Robert’s grey blue eyes. He smiled, more fully this time and she turned to walk away.
Ellie felt a sinking feeling of guilt. She may have pushed a little too hard for her Christmas kiss.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Reluctant Duke excerpt


“I’m going to have our baby Colin,” Annabelle admitted, standing up and moving towards him. Colin stood immediately in reflex. Annabelle reached for his hand and pulled it to her distended belly.
Colin swallowed uncomfortably but allowed her to bring his hand to her belly. That first touch of his hand on the hard bump that concealed and protected his child brought a lump to Colin’s throat. He brought his other hand up as well and held his child with both hands. The baby moved in response and Colin felt the telltale shift of flesh. Startled he dropped both hands away.
Annabelle laughed, pulling his hands back to her, “He’s just happy you’re here Colin.”
“He?” Colin asked gruffly, drawing Annabelle onto the chaise lounge so they could sit together.
“I have decided it’s a boy.” Annabelle stated, obviously brooking no argument.
“Alright,” Colin sighed, “I have missed you so much” as he brushed the hairs at the nape of her neck with his fingers.
Annabelle could not stop the instant tingle in her belly at his words and the sharp change in her body’s awareness as it recognised him.
“I have missed you too,” Annabelle moaned as Colin’s mouth descended, capturing her mouth in a kiss so sweet and gentle that it brought tears to her eyes.
After a moment Annabelle tugged him to his feet.
“Let me show you my bedroom,” She told her husband, confident in his need for her she decided it was time that she showed him how much she wanted him

Monday, February 4, 2013

Current sweet story excerpt

This is my current wip- work in progress
A sweet Christmas themed Regency story written for an Ellora's Cave submission call



Palming a juicy pear from the breakfast room, Eleanor slipped out the front door and all but ran to the stables.
She bit into the flesh, groaning as the juice ran down her lips and onto her chin. To taste fresh fruit again, to smell clean air. It was a pleasure that could not easily be put into words. London was so stifling, their food so extravagant and often French.
Not looking where she was going until it was too late, Ellie tripped over something and tumbled to the ground.
“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry.”
Ellie was apologizing before she had even got back up again. The something she had fallen over was actually a person sitting on the hill looking over the pond.
The older gentleman chuckled and awkwardly got to his feet.
“I should be apologizing to you young lady, not the other way around.”
He held out both hands and she used them to lift herself up. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, almost grey actually. Why hadn’t she met this person before?
“No, truly. It was my fault.”
He let go of her hand and Ellie felt the loss of the warmth keenly, how unusual a feeling.
“I haven’t introduced myself. I am Robert Blakely.”
Ellie held out her hand, anxious to feel his fingers on her bare skin again.
“Eleanor Sommers.”
She curtseyed as elegantly as possible on a hillside, the gentleman smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“You are William’s daughter.”
She smiled, who else would she be?
“Of course. Are you the friend my father spoke of last night?”
Robert Blakely nodded and indicated that she should sit on the blanket he had been resting upon.
Eleanor sat and patted the area next to her. His eyes narrowed slightly but he did sit down next to her looking a little rigid.
“Miss Sommers…”
“Oh, call me Ellie, please.”
A small smile lifted his generous mouth up.
“Robert.”
His name was beautiful and his voice matched. Lovely tones, soothing. She smiled up at him, feeling relaxed.
“Of course, thank you Robert. Tell me why you are up so early.”