First Kiss Friday – Amazon Sunset by Marie Higgins

Today’s First Kiss Friday featured guest is Marie Higgins, author of Historical romance Amazon Sunset.  Welcome Marie!  Here’s the first kiss between Katrina Landon and Felix Knightly.

BLURB:  Katrina Landon’s life is about to change.  The wealthy father she has never known wants to meet her, but she has to travel from the slums of Boston through the Amazon rainforest to his plantation. As if that’s not bad enough, her guide is the handsome, self-assured, too confident for his own good, Mr. Knightly, who immediately stirs her temper.

Felix Knightly isn’t looking forward to escorting a spoiled rich girl through the jungle no matter how much her father pays. Yet when he meets her, he finds Katrina’s distracting innocence and charming demeanor unsettling. She makes it nearly impossible to concentrate on his job—a problem he’s never had around women. He’d rather fight off the fire ants, howler monkeys, and crocodiles than risk losing his heart to her, since he’s never met an honest wealthy woman.

As they delve deeper into the shadows of the rainforest, they discover they weren’t just wrong about each other, they were wrong about the dangers of the jungle. Someone wants them dead and they have to find out who and why before it’s too late.

Katrina didn’t know why her body refused to move and her mind declined to function. Although she didn’t want Felix in her room while she wore only a chemise, she secretly hoped he wouldn’t leave. She found it impossible to grasp the words to tell him to get out. Heaven help her, but the energy sparking inside made her feel alive. No other man had accomplished that.

He stalked her like an animal ready to attack its prey. When he finally came to a stop, he was mere inches from her nose. Resting his arm on the wall above her head, he leaned closer.

The breath hitched in her throat. The only thing moving was her heartbeat, and it hammered so fast she feared she’d swoon…and since she’d never swooned, this must be worst.

Without saying a word, his gaze devoured her, slowly moving over her face and neck and down to her hands. His azure eyes turned darker the longer he stared. Fast breaths, smelling like whiskey, exited his parted lips. She prayed he was not intoxicated. That type of man was harder to control.

He lifted his other hand to her face, and ever so gently ran his fingertips across her cheek then lower to her lips. She tried moistening her dry throat with a hard gulp, but it didn’t do the trick.

“So soft,” he whispered. “So tempting.”

At this point she didn’t know what she was more afraid of—him kissing her or her enjoying it and wanting more. But if or when he kissed her, she wanted him sober and alert. She knew what alcohol did to the minds of men.

Cupping her head, he lowered his mouth to her, gently brushing his lips across hers. Tingles danced over her skin, but she fought the sensations, reminding herself she wanted him sober!

She swallowed again and hoped to be able to speak this time. “Mmm….Mmm…” Oh, good grief! She couldn’t even utter the word mister! And why had her voice been so low, sounding so indecent?

A light chuckle shook his chest as he pressed his mouth against hers and sealed the kiss. The palm of his hand dropped from her face and slid down her neck, tenderly stroking her skin. Before she had a chance to react, he moved his hand across her shoulder and arm before sliding it behind her to pull her body closer. The shock of their bodies pressing together so intimately made her gasp. He took advantage of that moment to deepen the kiss. Her gasp quickly turned into a sigh.

Stars danced behind her closed eyes and the sound of harps hummed through her ears. The taste of his mouth wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be considering he’d been drinking. Now she wondered if he had consumed much at all.

With a mind of their own, her palms glided up Felix’s muscular chest. So strong. Curiously, she traveled her fingers up his neck and over his jaw. Indeed, this man was superbly built.

Sighing deeply, she relaxed more, allowing her frame to meld with his. Gently, she continued touching his magnificent body, sliding her palms around the thick cords of his neck. When she slowly moved her hands down his back, a low groan slipped from his lips. His arms tightened around her and he kissed her with urgency.

Heavens, this man could kiss! Never before had a man taken such liberties and shared something so personal with her. Yet it didn’t matter. She enjoyed every second of his attention. But just as she began to participate in the steamy kiss, his body stiffened. Within seconds he released her as if she were hot coals and stepped back.

The absence of his body against hers caused her limbs to shake. She couldn’t help but miss the comfort his hard frame had provided. Soon, the heat from inside her disappeared, chilling her. Embarrassed, she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to bring back a little warmth.

She stared deeply into his striking eyes, not wanting to look anywhere else. As he pushed his fingers through his hair, his expression changed from passion to confusion, and then to anger.

“Mmm…Mmm…Mr. Knightly,” she finally muttered, “I think you should explain yourself.”