First Kiss Friday – Playing For Keeps by Cynthia Owens
Today’s First Kiss Friday featured guest is Cynthia Owens, author of contemporary romance Playing For Keeps. Welcome Cynthia! Here’s the first kiss between Katie and Lucas.
“Katie—” he abruptly changed the subject—“do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you right now?”
She shook her head in confusion, a few stray curls blowing into her eyes. She smoothed them back with a trembling hand. “I…I don’t—”
“More than I’ve ever wanted to kiss anyone.”
“Lucas…I–”
“Will you let me?”
She stared at him for a long moment. He didn’t speak, didn’t move to touch her, though every inclination screamed out that he must have her now. Finally, she reached out to take his hand, curling her small fingers around his larger ones.
“Yes,” she said at last. “Yes, I’ll let you kiss me. I want that too.”
Her shy confession went straight to his heart, his head, his loins. He wanted to take her in his arms, crush her to him, devour her mouth with his own. But instinct warned him to go slowly. Katie wasn’t a woman to be rushed. She needed tenderness and consideration and caring.
With aching gentleness, he brushed his lips against the softness of her mouth. She made a small sound, a tiny murmur of satisfaction, and moved closer. She still held his hand, and her cool fingers against his heated palm sent a jolt of desire rocketing through him.
He pulled his mouth away just a tiny bit. “Katie.” He grasped her other hand and pulled her arms up and around his neck. “Kiss me, Katie.”
Her fingers stroked the back of his neck, his shoulders, exploring the contours and sending shudders of pure pleasure through him. He nudged her lips apart, and they blossomed under his mouth as naturally as a flower opens to the sun.
Passion exploded between them.
She was amazingly responsive. Wanting desperately to lose himself in her softness, he gave a low growl and molded her against him.
“You smell like flowers,” he murmured, his mouth a breath away from hers. “You taste like peaches and honey.” He traced her lips with his tongue, his hands caressing her hips, absorbing her startled shudders. “And you feel like heaven.”
He slipped his tongue inside her mouth and hesitated, gauging her reaction. She gave a low moan, shivering deliciously in his arms.
“Lucas,” she whispered, a moment before her tongue darted out to meet and mate with his.
Her fingers burned into his flesh like tender flames as she stroked him, caressed his nape and shoulders. Her hands moved over his back in little searching circles, urging him ever closer. He groaned as he reluctantly pulled his mouth away.
“Katie, you’re so sweet. The way you respond to me…” He shook his head in wonder. “It’s incredible. Your scent, the way you feel in my arms, the way you taste. I want to drown in your softness. I want to revel in your fire.”
Her cheeks flushed the color of a newly-opened rose. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with passion—a passion he longed to unleash. “Stop,” she whispered, even as her fingers stroked up and down his forearm, sending quivers of exquisite agony through every muscle. “I can’t think when you talk like that.”
