First Kiss Friday – Midnight Shadow by Laurel O’Donnell

Here’s the first kiss from my bestselling medieval romance novel, Midnight Shadow!  Midnight Shadow is one of the novels featured in the new boxed set Tall Dark and Medieval!

Terran seized her shoulders and slammed her up against the blacksmith’s shop.  “Enough!” he roared.  “Enough of your insults.  I have endured them from your father and grandfather, even from Dysen.  But I will not tolerate them from you.”

Bria’s mouth dropped open for only a moment before her shock vanished, replaced by fury.  She opened her mouth to reply, but Terran slammed his open palms on the wall on either side of her.

“I said enough!”

For a long moment, Bria could do nothing but stare at him.  And slowly, a realization came to her.  She was alone with him.  And he was close — very close.  His hands were on either side of her, effectively trapping her.  His lips were but inches from hers.  Her eyes scanned his face, his rugged square jaw, his sensual lips, his dark eyes.  Lightning lit the sky above, but Bria barely noticed except for the reflection in his eyes.  Was that remorse in them?  Or was she imagining it?

He leaned closer to her until his face was beside hers, almost cheek to cheek.  Bria stiffened.  What was he doing?  But she didn’t protest.  His hair brushed and mingled with hers.  “I didn’t mean to kill him, Bria.”

She felt a soft wave of hot breath on her neck, but his words were so soft Bria wasn’t sure he’d spoken them at all.  She turned her head to try to see him, and he shifted his gaze to look into hers with eyes that seemed a little lost.

In the next moment, he was brushing his lips against hers, seeking, exploring.  She was unsure of what to do and found herself frozen, half wanting him to kiss her, half wanting to flee.  His touch was gentle, almost soothing.  Not at all what she had expected.

He pulled slightly back to look into her eyes, studying them as if waiting for her to deny him.

But she couldn’t.  She didn’t want to.

He cupped her neck and pulled her to him, claiming her lips with a more urgent need.  A fierce, reckless desire seared through her.  His arms pulled her tight against the length of his body.

Her world spun out of control.  He coaxed her lips open to his exploration and when his tongue entered her mouth, warring with her own, Bria felt the ground rumble beneath her feet.

He kissed her fully, expertly exploring every part of her mouth.  Then he pulled slowly away, ending the kiss, leaving her weak and confused.

He stepped back, taking his strength and support with him.

Bria’s knees buckled and she almost fell, but he reached out to steady her.  Humiliated and awed by her reaction to his kiss, she expected to look up and see him laughing at her.  But when she gazed into his eyes, she found no laughter there.  He appeared just as baffled as she.