First Kiss February – Redeemed by LH author Jill Hughey

Today’s Special First Kiss February featured guest is Jill Hughey, author of historical romance Redeemed.  Welcome Jill, my fellow Love Historicals author!  Here’s the first kiss between Doeg and Philantha.

He’d never stopped watching her, and his stiff expression had altered from neutrality to shock to something that looked like fear. Or perhaps it was disgust. His throat actually worked as though he was trying to keep from vomiting.

In an instant all her hopes came crashing down. What had she been thinking? If a tired old man hadn’t desired her enough to bed her properly, what were the chances this perfect male specimen would? She had to get out of this room, out of this house, as quickly as possible. “It does just get worse and worse, does it not?” she whispered brokenly, not even expecting him to understand. She turned to leave. He stood abruptly.

“Stop,” he barked. “Stop talking and wait a minute.”

She waited, facing the door, her hands wringing in front of her. If you have to think about it just let me go, she wanted to scream.

“Look at me,” he ordered in a gravelly voice.

She closed her eyes, her fortitude nearly depleted by his rejection and her yet again broken dream. Gathering the last of her courage, she slowly pivoted to face him. The emotion on his face stunned her. He no longer looked angry or afraid or disgusted. His eyes were wide. He held his left arm tightly against his stomach. If she’d had to choose a word, she would have said he was vulnerable. But how could that be?

“You are saying,” he began gruffly, “that you wish to carry my children. That you would expect to…to receive me in that way.”

She was not sure if he was indignant or surprised, but he sounded so brittle that she was afraid to speak, afraid that she would say the wrong words. Yet this was a moment for only truth between them, regardless of the answer he hoped to hear. Hesitantly, she nodded. “I will not marry if I cannot expect to be treated as a wife in that way.”

He watched her for a moment, his keen blue eyes probing hers as though testing her resolve. Finally, he cleared his throat. “That is your only requirement?”

“Yes.”

He stared at her some more, and breathed as if having just run a race. His hands were tight fists, the knuckles white with the strain of controlling a strong emotion he kept carefully veiled from her. Finally, he gave one curt nod. “As you wish,” he affirmed, his voice oddly strained. “I will endeavor to…to give you a child.”

Joy erupted in her heart despite his obvious reluctance toward the endeavor. She could not hold back a ridiculously large smile. “Really?” she breathed.

He frowned, indicating that she should not expect him to speak the words aloud again. But nothing could dampen her happiness now. She wanted to shout to the rooftop but managed to temper her voice to an excited babble. “Then my answer is yes! Yes! I will marry you! I will!” Her heart pounded and sweat prickled under her arms. She would get another chance. Another chance to live her life, not just as an observer but with her own marriage, her own children, her own household. Children! Her smile grew and grew.

He blinked several times as she beamed at him like the village idiot. She forced herself to soften the smile, then felt tears well in her eyes as the two of them stared at one another across the desk, snared in a moment of intimacy and promise. To her it seemed a good time for them to share a kiss but he did not stir, so she walked cautiously around the desk to him. She gripped his large left hand with both of hers, then rose on tiptoe to invite his kiss. His arm supported her easily as she balanced against it, and his hand felt warm and strong beneath hers. He studied her face for a moment, as though making certain this was what she really wanted.

He finally bent forward, slowly and carefully. She adjusted the tilt of her head until their lips met. He just brushed across her mouth with his smooth lips, stopping at the corner of her mouth. They stood that way for several seconds in the quiet as they grew accustomed to this new intimacy.

To Philantha it felt more sacred than any ceremony in a church. And it was pleasant. He smelled good and he felt good, with his restrained strength and reassuring size. A little bubble of excitement burst in her abdomen as they stood in silent affinity. He would be her husband, and she his wife. She only hoped that someday he might derive some pleasure from her as she already did from him.

LINKS

Amazon Any region – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007FDRV0M

Barnes and Noble  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redeemed-jill-hughey/1109753932?ean=2940014366120

KOBO  http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Redeemed/book–UJLsF55W0ubaPL0oiNM9A/page1.html?s=PAAEr4Sco0OpPH9vRnZpag&r=1

Apple  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/redeemed/id537392586?mt=11

Smashwordshttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/164695

Createspacehttps://www.createspace.com/title/3846746