Aug 27, 2017

Retro Smooch with Stefanie London

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a retro smooch Stefanie London from but first 


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Katrina Whittaker.


Can you please contact to receive your prize by emailing Amy Andrews at amy(at)amyandrews(dot)com(dot)au


And now for today's Retro Sunday Smooch from Only The Brave Try Ballet. This book was Stefanie London's first ever novel, and it celebrated it's third anniversary this past July.

Step up, Grant Farley…not your typical ballet student! 

Football pro Grant Farley is nursing an injury and needs to get back into shape fast. Ballet wouldn't be his first or even his last choice, but he's desperate. Enter tantalizingly prim teacher Jasmine Bell one disapproving arch of her eyebrow and Grant knows he'll enjoy getting her tutu in a flutter!


But it's not only Grant's flexibility that Jasmine's pushing to the limit! He knows she feels the heat between them, so why won't she give in to it? Time to convince Jasmine that if she's brave enough to dance en pointe she can certainly handle a fling with him!


Scene set-up
Our hero, Grant, is an Australian Rules Footy player who is currently suffering with a recurring hamstring injury. Much to his horror, his physio has ordered him to take ballet lessons as part of his rehabilitation. Jasmine was a professional ballerina until a car accident ended her career in the Corps de Ballet for one of Australia's biggest ballet companies. Sparks fly when the charming professional athlete and the guarded ballerina go head-to-head in the dance studio.

Smooch  

‘Are you ready to do it on your own?’ Jasmine dropped down from the position so she was an inch or two below eye level with Grant. She tried to unscramble her senses, to focus on the lesson.

‘I can.’ His voice was low, predatory. ‘But don’t you think it’s much more fun when we do it together?’

The air between them was thick with electricity, its gravitation pull unravelling her sensibilities. She so desperately wanted to touch him. Her mouth was dry, anticipation making her pulse race.

He placed his hands over hers and Jasmine jumped at the way her blood pulsed harder and harder.

‘Why so jumpy? Are you uncomfortable being alone with me?’

‘No,’ she whispered.

The problem was she was far too comfortable as he stood close to her. All she wanted to do was melt against him. She envisaged herself pressing against his broad chest and sturdy thighs. Her entire body crackled with excitement as they stood, merely inches apart, in the empty ballet studio.

Why was she feeling like this? He was out of her league—in a league she never wanted to be a part of again. Ever, ever again.

He reached his hands up to her face, cupping the sides of her cheeks in his palms. It was the wrong thing to do; she shouldn’t be going down this path. But desire raced through her veins and filled her with irresistible warmth, overpowering logic. He was intoxicating.

Up close, she felt the pull of his hypnotic stare. The endless blue of his eyes made the rest of the world fall away. It made sense and reason evaporate. Her lips parted.

Grant drew Jasmine’s face to his in a swift and practised movement. Her eyes fluttered closed as his mouth came down. The soft fullness of his lips pressed hungrily against hers, his tongue hot and probing. Jasmine sighed into him. It had been so long since she’d been kissed, and a lifetime since she’d been kissed in a way that made her weak in the knees.

Grant moved one hand from her face, down the length of her arm, and snaked it around her waist, drawing her closer to him. Every inch of her burned as their bodies fused together, the thinness of their workout clothes mimicking the deliciousness of skin on skin. Her hands found their way into the wavy depths of his golden blond hair. It was thick and silken against her palms. Her fingers gripped tightly as he dipped her, demanding deeper access to her mouth.

His breath was hot on her face as his lips moved down her jawline to the slender column of her neck, each kiss searing her skin. He backed her up until she pressed against the wall of the studio, crushed between plaster and the hardness of him.



Stefanie is giving away a signed copy of 'Only the Brave Try Ballet.' To enter the giveaway, answer the following question:

Which sport do you think has the sexiest players?

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and another smooch will be posted!

24 comments:

  1. I couldn't say as I don't watch sports but the blurb is very interesting --makes for a good read---Lyn W

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  2. Fab smooch, Stef! :-)

    Hmm...well, as I'm a soccer fan, I'll say soccer. But the fact of the matter I'm not picky...most sportsmen look fit and, ahem, healthy as far as I'm concerned. ;-)

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    1. haha I'm much the same as you! They're all fine in their own way :D

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  3. I just read this book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. I had it on my wait list at the library for months!

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And big yay for libraries :D

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  4. Loved this story so much can't say I find any sport sexy lol But I do love my ballet ;)

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    1. Ballet will always have a soft spot in my heart, in fact I'm writing another ballerina heroine now ;)

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  5. I must admit to finding myself glued to the TV during the Olympics watching the swimmers as they impress in many ways.

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    1. They're so impressive, aren't they? I love watching the butterfly races the most. They're so fast and they move in a way I don't think I ever could!

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  6. Hi Stefanie

    I have this book and I love my sports at thr moment the rugby league players are good but cone summer it will be the cricketers 😀

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  7. Maybe rugby league ? :-)

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    1. I feel the rugby guys are going to get a few votes here :D

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  8. AFL has the sexiest players for me.

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    1. Lots of sexy hero-worthy guys in the AFL, for sure!

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  9. My fav athletes are tennis players. Lean and strong but not over-muscled. Roger Federer rules but he has competition especially from all those beautiful, flamboyant, occasionally moody Spanish players. When it comes to footy, league players beat out AFL (too tall) and union (too huge) - except for the All Blacks. I defy any woman alive not to go weak at the news in the presence of the All Blacks.

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    1. haha Laura, so true. The All Blacks are definitely worthy of a swoon. I love tennis players too - my husband played for years and used to coach the littlies. Plus it's just a great sport to watch!

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  10. Stef, thanks for sharing! What a great way to start the week!

    Oh, I can't choose. Swimmers, tennis players, footballers...this is obviously going to take more consideration...

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    1. Definitely requires some though...and possibly research *heads oto Google Images for "official" work business*

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  11. Up until recently I would have said that the sexiest sports players were in Rugby. However most of the players I consider the hottest have retired from NZ Rugby (and also happen to be married). I can still have this vicarious enjoyment via Amy Andrew's Sydney Smoke series though.
    Aside from that, I'm not sure what sport has the hotties anymore since my other regularly watched sport is motor sport, and those fireproof overalls don't leave much visible.
    Count me out of the drawing since I already own Only the Brave Try Ballet since I already own it and all of your published backlist. Must be time for a re-read soon.

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    1. Amy Andrews series is definitely good for that!! And yes I agree the overalls aren't the sexiest uniforms in the world, but I do enjoy watching some car racing. I'm quite fascinated by the history behind some of the big races.

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  12. Lovely smooch, Stefanie. I still have a copy of this book on my shelf - I love stories with dancers in them and this was your first for Kiss!
    Favourite sportsman to ogle? Definitely swimmers for me!

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    1. Thanks Kandy! It feels like a lifetime ago when I stared work on this book.

      Oh yes, love the broad shoulders of those swimmers :D

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