May 22, 2011

Sunday Smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from The Man Behind the Badge by Sharon Archer, but first ...

the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is -- Ju Dimello!


Congratulations, Ju! Can you please contact Anna Campbell at

anna (at) annacampbell (dot) info

and she'll send you a copy of Midnight's Wild Passion.

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Man Behind the Badge by Sharon Archer...


However hard city-girl and new-doc-in-town Kayla Morgan tries, she can’t resist being impressed by the law-enforcing Tom Jamieson! But taking a bullet in the line of duty has made cop Tom rethink his work hard, party harder lifestyle – will he ever let Kayla see the real man behind the badge?

[Set-up: Kayla is the doctor-on-duty at a High Country camp draft weekend. Everything about the event is a first for her, including spending the night in a tent. Tom's family has a traditional barbecue on the Saturday night and Kayla has agreed to go. As far as she's concerned, regardless of how attracted she is to Tom, the dinner is not a date!

Tom walks her back to her tent afterwards and this is their first kiss...]



“Kayla?” Tom stepped closer to her, felt the heat of her body reaching out to his. “I’m going to step out of line.”

She looked up at him. He felt the small shudder that shook her. “Are you?”

“Yes.” He ran his finger tips up her arm. “What are you going to do about it?”

“N-nothing.”

Lifting his free hand slowly, he cupped her face, feeling the soft skin against his palm, the cool silk of her hair across his fingers. She tilted her head, offering her mouth to him.

He could fe
el the tension in her, watched as her lips parted slightly and she bit down on her bottom lip for a tiny second then released it so it plumped back up.

He leaned forward slowly, gave her time to stop him. Her eyelids drifted shut. Over the thunder of his heart, he heard her quick shuddering breath.

And then his lips touched hers, pressing gently and everything else became irrelevant. The sensation was
electric, exquisite. He rubbed his mouth across hers slowly, backwards and forwards. The sweet softness gave under the pressure, inviting, making him want more than he should on a first kiss.

Eyes shut, he savoured the explosion of taste. Delicious. Exciting.

Her fingers wrap around his wrist. Flexing once, twice, as though she was debating whether to tug his hand away
. But in the end she just held him as though anchoring herself.

He drew her bottom lip into his mouth with a gentle suction and ran his tongue over the succulent flesh. Then reluctantly let it go.

Pulling back sl
owly, he struggled to surface. Kayla didn’t move for a long moment, her mouth stayed offered up to his, swollen, inviting. Unbearably tempting.

Her eyes opened. He heard the shaky breath she sucked in, saw her breasts rise and fall. He clenched his jaw with the effort of not plunging back to take more. He wanted to bury his fingers deep in her hair, use both hands so he could tip her head and take their kiss to a whole new level. Pull her under
into the tide of excitement that was raging through him, threatening to sweep him away.

But he had to resist. He wasn’t in this for a quick tumble. He wanted more, wanted it all. This was for keeps. The thought crystallised. She was what he wanted for his future.

Reining in his lus
t, he pressed a kiss to each corner of her mouth and stepped back.

“Let’s get you into your tent.” His voice was hoarse.

“M-my tent?” She sounded as dazed as he felt.

“Yeah. While I still
remember my promise to behave,” he muttered as he bent to unzip the door. His fingers fumbled with the tab but after a moment he had it open. “There you go.”

“Th-thanks.” She stepped into the tent. “Goodnight, Tom.”

With a sense of desperation, he quickly zipped the door closed before he could disgrace himself by begging.


The Man Behind the Badge is out in the UK in May 2011, Australia/New Zealand in June 2011, and USA in June 2011.

To be in the draw to win a signed copy, simply answer this question!

Do you remember your first kiss?

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced -- and a smooch from Prince of Scandal by Harlequin author Annie West will be posted!

36 comments:

  1. Sharon

    Whoo Hoo what a kiss I am soo looking forward to reading this one
    As for my first kiss LOL I remember when I was in 2nd grade there was this boy I really liked and he came around to my place on his bike after school one day and gave me a kiss before he went home it happened soo long a ago I don't remember his name LOL

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  2. Hi Sharon,

    What a kiss. And it's their first yet! Wow! What will happen next? Can hardly wait to find out!

    Congratulations on the release of THE MAN BEHIND THE BADGE!

    I guess if my first kiss had been spectacular, I would have remembered...but sadly no! Lol!

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  3. lovely smooch Sharon, so much feeling =)

    My first kiss - honestly can't remember it was so long ago LOL!!! I do remember my first 'real' boyfriend had a bristly jaw and his kisses weren't soft(g)

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  4. Yay! I get to read Anna's book!

    Wow Sharon :) What a scorching kiss! I loved the way he asked her permission ;) Just fab!

    And of course, I remember my first kiss ;) (See, technically I answered the question, LOL, by keeping it within PG 13) ;)

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  5. Thanks, Helen!
    After much working out, my dh and I think you'd have been about 7 or 8 years old in second grade. Would that be right? I'm more familiar with the old New Zealand school system.
    Anyway, how sweet that he cycled around to your place to plant a kiss on you!
    :)
    Sharon

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  6. Thanks, Nas! LOL on your first kiss fading into the mists of time! Actually, I don't remember my *very* first either but I have photographic evidence. I was in a pusher and my mother tells me the boy's name was Paul!
    :)
    Sharon

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  7. Bristly jaws! Mel, I remember the painful scratchiness with my very first real boyfriend, too! I guess it's the combination of super-sensitive teenage-girl skin and the not-so-good shaving skills of a teenage boy! Not a comfortable combination!

    :)
    Sharon

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  8. Ju, congratulations on winning Anna's book - you are in for a fantastic read!

    Oooo, very discreet about your first kiss! Wicked! LOL

    I'm so glad you like Tom and Kayla's kiss!
    :)
    Sharon

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  9. Hi Sharon!
    I can't remember exactly how old I was - and if my children ask I tell them I was 18 - but it was during a game of spin the bottle in the laundry room in Scott Braunstein's basement. Ahhhhh. Those were the days!

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  10. Sharon, I devoured this book like chocolate in a couple of hours. It's a real winner - and I LOVE Tom! Gosh, he's one of your most gorgeous heroes. Congrats. Lucky Kayla, is all I can say! Lovely first smooch too!

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  11. Wendy, I'd forgotten all about spin the bottle! Oh, the delicious excitement and dread of it! LOL

    18? Check! I won't spill the beans to your children! ;)

    Hey, you're joining us in July for a Sunday Smooch! We're looking forward to it!
    :)
    Sharon

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  12. Tom! Yay! I was lucky enough to read Tom and Kayla's story chapter by chapter as it was written and I developed a bit of a crush on the strapping Tom. Glad he's finally here for everyone to meet!

    My first kiss was dreamy. =)

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  13. Anna, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book and that you loved Tom! I think he's my new fave of my heroes so far.

    :)
    Sharon

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  14. Thanks, Rachel! :D You helped me keep Tom in line!

    Oooo, nice about a dreamy first kiss!
    :)
    Sharon

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  15. Ooh! Love it, Sharon! Can't wait to read this book. (And I LOVE the title, by the way!)

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  16. Oh Sharon - what an addictive first kiss. I so hope there'll be a lot more of it :)

    I agree with Emily, great title and your pink-cover heroine is very Reece Witherspoonish, isn't she!

    Love starting Sunday this way :)

    *Nikki*

    Oh, PS, I have got myself in trouble by posting about my first kiss before. Simply bc I maintain it was the best kiss ever (and it wasn't my DH's...) so I'd best stay silent on that point.

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  17. I love this Sunday Smooch even if it's still Saturday night where I am. I am about to go soak my weary body after gardening all day.

    I'm afraid my first kiss has faded into oblivion. I do remember my first French kiss and my not so wonderful reaction to it. However I found out later that French kissing wasn't all bad ~ just needed the right partner. Does anyone know why it's called French kissing?

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  18. Ooh-eee, Sharon! That is a scorching first kiss. I can't wait to read the book!

    According to my family, I had a thing going on with the boy next door when he and I were about four or five. I don't remember much of this time. I think my family is pulling my leg. I had to laugh at Wendy's comment, because the first kiss I *do* remember happened when I was played spin the bottle, aged 12-ish. :)

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  19. Hey, thanks, Em! I think it's a great title - I'm allowed to say that because I didn't think of it! LOL Not even the slightest hint of medical romance, though, is there!
    :)
    Sharon

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  20. Thanks, Nikki! A smooch is a lovely way to start a Sunday, isn't it! Actually, you're right about the Reece Witherspoonish look - (happy sigh) - I really love that cover!

    LOL on your belated kiss discretion ... though you know, if you told here, it would only be between you, me and the world wide web!
    ;)
    Sharon

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  21. Yay, Kaelee - how lovely to hear you're enjoying our regular Sunday Smooch column!

    LOL on your first French kiss! Yep, *definitely* helps to have the right partner! Great question about why it's called French kissing... I Googled but there doesn't seem to be a clear answer.

    It sounds like you've earned that relaxing bath! We did some gardening yesterday - actually whipping the jungle in the backyard into some sort of order - very satisfying!
    :)
    Sharon


    ,

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  22. Hi Sharon, lovely Smooch and lovely cover for THE MAN BEHIND THE BADGE.
    I distinctly remember my first "grown up" kiss--apart from the one from a boy when I was six years old that was accompanied by a proposal!--when I was 14 at a local dance.
    I remember it so well because when I got home from the dance my mother was waiting up for me and I told her all about it. I was mocked mercilessly by my friends for telling my mother. Funny thing is though, when my daughter had her first kiss she told me about it and it was a very sweet moment.

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  23. Thanks, Vanessa!

    Ah, young love and the unfairness of the older members of the family remembering things we're sure weren't true! LOL! I adore your boy-next-door story!

    And your first kiss is another spin-the-bottle memory! I remember feeling terribly daring on the few occasions when I played!

    :)
    Sharon

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  24. Hi Sharon,

    Now that's what I call a smooch! Great reading, but I'm so frustrated as I want to read on. By the way, I love the title: 'The Man Behind the Badge' - it intrigues me straight away. Looking forward to reading this one!

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  25. Thanks, Kandy!
    Hey, your first proposal at six years old! Now that's precocious!

    I think it's just lovely that you shared you first kiss experience with you mum! It sounds like your only mistake was telling your friends who obviously didn't have a such great releationships with their mothers!

    And your daughter hers shared with you - that's really special!
    :)
    Sharon

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  26. Thanks, Annie! I'm tickled pink the kiss makes you want to read on!

    Hey, you're here with us next Sunday for a Smooch from Prince of Scandal - I'm really looking forward to that!

    :)
    Sharon

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  27. Ah...first kisses. My very first - on the cheek - was from Grant Someone in grade one. Yes, very daring! First real kiss at 13 - another 'when I count to three, everyone kiss' situation. I kissed my dh first about a month into dating. He was too much the gentleman and taking too darn long =)
    Love your characters first kiss, Sharon. You do emotion so well =)

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  28. Ooh, what a heavenly first kiss, Sharon. Can't wait to read on!

    First kiss? Ooh, I can't kiss and tell... but it did take place on a trampoline. :-)

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  29. Thank you, Robbie!
    Oooo, I like your chaste first kiss from Grant. And your dh sounds like such a gentleman - definitely a keeper!
    :)
    Sharon

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  30. Thanks, Michelle!
    Hey I like the visual of your first kiss on a trampoline! My mind boggles! I know you possibly (?probably) weren't jumping at the time but it's so much fun imagining it that way! What an exercisse in precision timing!
    ;)
    Sharon

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  31. Yes Sharon I was about 7 years old and I remembered his name LOL Neil couldn't remember this morning but do this evening

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  32. Lovely scene Sharon.
    I remember dishwasher face and lizard tongue. Never again. Not even if you paid me.
    Cathleen Ross

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  33. Wow what a kiss!!

    I guess my first kiss would have been at a teen party playing spin the bottle. We played all kinds of kissing games at these parties. I thought it was such awesome fun.

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  34. Ooo, Helen, I'm so pleased you remembered the name of your seven-year-old beau! I hope young Neil held on to his romantic ways!
    :)
    Sharon

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  35. Thanks, Cathleen!
    Dishwasher face and lizard tongue - fantastic description! Ewww! LOL So you don't want to turn back the clock then!
    ;)
    Sharon

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  36. Thanks, Virginia!
    Another spin the bottle kiss! It was a bit of a rite of passage, wasn't it! Great fun as long as the darned bottle pointed at the boy your wanted to lock lips with!
    LOL
    Sharon

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