CRACK! Spit
out the gum, cut the chatter and eyes on the board. This is Sr. Julie Asumpta for
part 2 of our continuing course on romantic tension in our writing, and I don’t
want to hear any groans from the boys in the class, is that clear Walt and
Vince???
Last
semester, we covered Kiss-ology 101, so I suggest those of you who missed that
class take a refresher course here because I will fail you at the drop of a
hat, capiche?
THWACK! Mary
Connealy—put the gun away, now!
Everybody
else, listen up. Ruth Axtell and I taught a workshop at ACFW last year entitled
“A Kiss is NOT Just A Kiss: Romantic Passion in Our Writing” and since ACFW just ended yesterday, I decided it might be fun to do a refresher
course utilizing last year’s handout. For those A students who attended our
workshop last year at ACFW, rest assured there will be new material with
enhanced ideas and new excerpts from my upcoming books to keep you from falling
asleep. Again. For those D students
who did not attend our workshop,
consider yourself lucky. All of the material covered today should be fairly new
and—praise be to God—you can bone up on Kiss-ology without listening to me
sing!
KA-POW! Miss Logan Herne—I don’t
care if you are related to the Pope or not, you will put that chocolate and
those dime LI novels away right this instant or you will be excommunicated from
this class, is that clear?
All
right, students—shoulders straight, eyes on the board.
Fourteen “Suggestions” to
“Warm up the Pages with
Romantic Tension”
Last
semester’s course (Kiss-ology 101) covered points 1-8, so this semester’s
course (Kiss-ology 201) will cover points 9-15. Then in my October Seekers blog
(Kiss-ology 103), we’ll finish with point 17, The Caveman Kiss (which you don’t
want to miss!!) and excerpts of the TOP favorite kisses of the Seeker’s
PLUS—blow the whistle, Miss Hillman, please—the favorite kiss of one lucky
Seekerville commenter from Kiss-ology 101 and 201. So … let’s get started with
points 9 through 15, shall we?
1. Using Internal Male Dialogue
2. Making the Most of Touch and
Response
3. Maximizing Use of Beats
4. Utilizing Dual Point of View
5. Escalate Tension with Anger
6. Using all Five Senses
7. The Non Kiss
8. Cashing in on the Kid Factor
9.
Use Emotionally Charged
Words and Active Verbs to Enhance Mood
10.
Capitalize on the Element of
Surprise
11.
Expose Desire in an
Unwilling Character
12.
Implement the Concept of
Forbidden Fruit
13.
Effectively use Dialogue to
Escalate Tension
14.
The Accidental Kiss
15.
The Mental Kiss
16. The Caveman Kiss
9.)
UsING emotionally charged words to
enhance the mood of the scene. Here is a paragraph from A Hope Undaunted where Luke’s anger
manifests in dominance after Katie
slaps him. Notice that I used as many charged
words as I could (i.e. devour, consume, guttural, ravage, etc. all underlined
below) to enhance the drama of an already tense situation.
She tried to shove
him out of the way. “I’m going home.”
“Not yet,” he whispered, blocking
her in with a push to the wall …
In a catch of her breath, he
took her mouth by force, his late-day beard rough against
her skin. A faint moan escaped her lips and all resistance fled, burned
away by the heat of his touch, leaving her weak and wanting. His mouth roamed
at will, no longer gentle as he devoured her, ravenous against
the smooth curve of her throat, the soft flesh of her ear. With a guttural
groan, he jerked her close with powerful arms, consuming
her mouth with a kiss surely driven by the sheer will to ravage.
10.)
CAPITALIZE ON the element of surprise
for both the hero and heroine. Surprise is always fun, but never more so than in a love scene. It’s
fun to shock a hero and heroine with a kiss neither expects, because let’s face
it, catching a guy (and a gal) off-guard with a kiss provides top-notch
romantic tension. Here is an example of a surprise kiss from Winter Is Past by Ruth Axtell Morren, where the hero surprises himself—and the
heroine—with his first kiss. The moment of surprise is underlined.
He had seen her as the
comforter of his child. And lately he had come to see her also as perhaps the
only thing that stood between himself and insanity, like a steady rock in the
maelstrom of his life. He had fought with everything in him to avoid seeing her
as a woman.
But
he couldn’t anymore.
His
eyes traveled the length of her, comparing her freshness and honesty with the
artifices of the society women he’d just come from; he observed the rise and
fall of her breast, the heightened color of her cheeks, and with a certainty,
he knew that she was just as aware as he of their position as man and woman.
He
tugged at the knot of his cravat to keep himself from reaching for her and
kissing her until he forgot everything else. The very thought filled his
senses. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that if he took such
a step, he would never recover. Every instinct, every fiber of his being, told
him this woman was like no other he’d known.
(Kiss
follows. Sorry, you’ll just have to read the book…)
11.) Expose
desire in an unwilling character. There is something so emotionally
charged about a person whose romantic vulnerabilities are exposed (i.e. the
concept of still waters running deep). Dormant desire is a human condition we
all relate to and when it’s brought to the surface, sparks can fly. Here is a scene from book 3 in my Daughters
of Boston series A Passion Denied,
where the hero is attracted to the heroine, but refuses to admit it because he sees
her only as a little sister and good friend. But the heroine has other ideas
and implements a “plot” devised by her sister, Charity, to breach Brady’s
defenses with a kiss.
“Beth, are we okay?” He ducked his head
to search her eyes, then brushed her hair back from her face. A smile shadowed
his lips. “Still friends?”
Friends. A deadly plague only a kiss could cure.
Resolve stiffened her spine. “Sure, Brady … friends.”
He smiled and tucked a finger under her
chin. “That’s my girl. Now what do you say we pray about some of these things?”
He leaned close with another quick kiss to her brow, and in a desperate beat of
her heart, she lunged, uniting her mouth with his. She felt the shock of her
action in the jolt of his body, and she gripped him close to deepen the kiss.
Waves of warmth shuddered through her at the taste of him, and the essence of
peppermint was sweet in her mouth.
“No!” He wrenched back from her hold with
disbelief in his eyes.
Too
late. She had never felt
like this before. Years of seeking romance from flat parchment pages had not
prepared her for this. This rush, this desire … her body suddenly alive, and
every nerve pulsing with need. All shyness melted away in the heat of her
longing, and she pounced again, merging her mouth with his. John Brady, I love you!
A fraction of a second became eons as she
awaited his rejection. His body was stiff with shock, but no resistance came.
And in a sharp catch of her breath, he drew her to him with such force, she
gasped, the sound silenced by the weight of his mouth against hers. He groaned
and cupped the back of her head as if to delve in her soul, a man possessed.
His lips broke free to wander her throat, and shivers of heat coursed through
her veins. In ragged harmony, their shallow breathing billowed into the night while
his arms possessed her, molding her body to his.
“Oh, Brady, I’m so in love with you,” she
whispered.
Her words severed his hold as neatly as
the blade of a guillotine. He staggered to his feet, and icy cold replaced the
warmth of his arms. She opened her eyes and saw pain in his. She grabbed his
arm. “Brady, can’t you see? You love me too … not as a friend or a sister, but
as a woman.”
“God help me, Beth, I can’t love you that
way.” He stared like a zombie, chest heaving with jagged breaths that swirled
into the cool night air, drifting away.
Just
like her dreams.
Here
is another example of unwilling desire from Janet Dean’s wonderful novel, A Harlequin
Love Inspired Historical, Wanted: A
Family, where the heroine has reservations about a handyman she hired who
was passing through town. Once again, note that there is very little graphic
description (ie. involving mouth and other suggestive body parts):
He stepped closer and closer
still, until he stood mere inches away. Tiny gold flecks bordered the dark
mesmerizing pupils of his eyes glittering in the lamplight, and then settling
on her lips. And stayed.
“I see you every day. Every
day your beauty socks me in the gut. Not just outside, but inside too. And I
wonder what it would be like to hold you in my arms.” His Adam’s apple rose and
fell. “Do you wonder that too?”
She couldn’t look away.
Couldn’t speak. Could only nod.
“May I kiss you?”
Every rational thought fled
her mind as she looked into those clear pools of jade. And saw nothing
alarming. What if... What if Jacob Smith was the caring man he appeared? What
if she could trust and lean on him? What if God had brought Jacob here to mend
more than her house? To mend her hurting heart? Knowing Jacob would turn to Him
in God’s timing?
With all those questions
burning in her mind, Callie looked at Jacob’s lips, soft full, slightly parted,
waiting for her answer. The slight pressure of his hand under her jaw felt
right, as no touch ever had.
She wanted his kiss. Wanted
it badly. Refusing to heed the warnings churning inside her, she rose on
tiptoe, the only answer she could give. As she slid her arms around his neck,
her shoes clattered to the floor.
His lips captured hers.
Gentle, teasing, sending shivers down her spine and curling her toes inside her
stockings. He pulled her closer and she clung to him then raised both palms to
caress the sandpaper of his jaw. The pressure of his lips grew stronger,
bolder. She returned the pressure, her response to the man leaving her
weak-kneed and wobbly.
Jacob’s breathing grew
rapid, matching hers. Oh, when had she ever felt like this? His fingers splayed
in her hair, sending pins to the floor, unleashing her hair—and triggering her
faltering common sense.
Chest heaving, gasping for
breath, she pulled away from his arms. Like a starving man, his eyes devoured
her. Something passed between them, something unspoken yet powerful. So
powerful it frightened her.
She took a hurried step
back. “Goodnight,” she said then fled the kitchen, leaving her shoes and the
last remnant of her composure behind.
12.) IMPLEMENT
THE CONCEPT OF FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
Use the concept of “forbidden fruits” between the hero and heroine, so that
giving into temptation will carry a high price for either one or both. In this
example from A Man Most Worthy by
Ruth Axtell Morren, the hero not only
kisses the boss’s daughter—but an underage girl—and is promptly sacked.
“I’m
almost a woman now.”
He
raised startled eyes to her. Where had that thought come from?
Her violet eyes stared guilelessly into his. He kept his voice neutral, for fear of what she might read in it. “You have a few years yet.”
Her violet eyes stared guilelessly into his. He kept his voice neutral, for fear of what she might read in it. “You have a few years yet.”
With
another sigh, she lowered her gaze to the chess pieces.
Nick
followed suit, determined to keep his thoughts on the game. He waited for her
to move, his heartbeat thudding between his ears. What had she meant by that
remark? He mustn’t forget himself around her, he cautioned himself, as he found
himself doing countless times each day in her company.
“Checkmate.”
Amusement laced her tone.
His
glance jerked up. “What?” He followed her slim fingers, which held the queen
she’d just moved. “How is that possible?”
“See?” She gestured over the board. “If you move your king here, my knight will knock him off. If you move your king in the only other square, my other knight will get him.”
“See?” She gestured over the board. “If you move your king here, my knight will knock him off. If you move your king in the only other square, my other knight will get him.”
He
studied the only two possible moves available to his king, his brow knit. How
had she done that?
She
sat back with a satisfied sigh. “Maybe if someone had been paying closer
attention to his game, he wouldn’t have left himself open for attack.”
He
looked across to her laughing eyes. “Maybe if someone felt more comfortable
with her skills, she wouldn’t have to rely on distracting me with idle talk to
win the game.”
“I
won fairly and squarely. If you allow yourself to be so easily distracted, I
can’t be held responsible for your loss. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my queen
shall take your king to her castle and lock him in her tower.” She lifted both
his king and her queen off the board in one swoop.
Without
thinking, he seized her hand in midair. “My king will call out his legions of
knights to rescue him—”
She
giggled, pulling her hand away but he held it fast. “If you want your king
back, you shall have to pay the ransom,” she said with a thrust of her chin,
her laughing blue eyes glinting with challenge.
He
tightened his hold on her hand imperceptibly. “And what do you demand for the
release of my king?”
“A
kiss.”
13.) Effective
Use of Dialogue to Escalate Tension.
Nothing cranks up romantic
tension like anger, as indicated in this scene from A Passion Denied, where Marcy and Patrick O’Connor, who, by the way, have
the best marriage on the planet, get in a tense fight that is almost foreign to
their characters. Not only are anger and gruff action utilized to build the
tension, but at the end of the scene, short, bullet-fire dialogue without
speaker attributions or many beats is used to escalate it.
Marcy sat up and put a
hand to her eyes, squinting at the blinding light. “Patrick, have you been
drinking?”
His laugh was not kind.
“Yes, Marcy, I have. A man will often do that when he learns his wife has been
unfaithful.”
She pressed back against
the headboard, alarmed at the brutal look in his eyes. “That’s a lie! I have
never been unfaithful.”
“Not physically, I’m
sure.” His look pierced her. “At least, not until tonight.”
Fear paralyzed her. “I
fought him off, Patrick, I swear I did. He’s a liar.”
“Funny, he said the same
about you.”
He took a step forward,
and she cowered back. Her husband had never laid a cruel hand on her. But this
man was not her husband. “Patrick, you’re tired, and you’ve been drinking. Come
to bed, and we’ll discuss it in the morning.”
“Did you kiss him?”
“No, of course not!”
“Did he kiss you?”
She gasped for breath.
He gripped her arm and shook her. “Answer me!”
“Yes!”
His eyes glittered like ice. “Well, Mrs. O’Connor, and how do I
compare?”
Her laughter turned to squeals when she tried to get away, but he clamped a steel arm to her waist while he held the rag dangerously close to her neck. “Repeat after me, Marceline,” he whispered, eyes issuing a challenge. “Patrick, I’m a brat, I’m sorry, and I will never do this again.”
Pulse sprinting, she giggled, eyes flicking from him
to the rag in his hand, weighing her options. “And if I don’t?”
One dark brow jutted high as his smile eased into a
grin. “You won’t have to bathe tonight, darlin’.”
His words warmed both her cheeks and her temper.
“You wouldn’t,” she dared.
“Only one way to find out.” There was a bit of the
devil in his eye, the rag dangling precariously close to her neck
Marcy sucked in a deep breath. “All right, Patrick,”
she said, skin tingling with mischief and eye on the rag, “I’m a brat, I’m
sorry, and I … won’t promise—”
Lunging, she whipped the rag from his hands so fast, he never saw it coming,
christening him with dirty dishwater like Father Fitz christened babies in the
back of the church.
He hooked her waist before she could escape, and her
high-pitch giggles merged with his husky laughter as she flailed in his arms, a
death grip on the soppy rag thrashing over their heads. Dishwater flew every
which way while he tried to reclaim it, but Marcy hid it behind her back with
squeals of laughter. Locking her to his chest with one arm, he circled her
waist with his other, his breath warm on her cheek as he grappled to claim the
win.
Near breathless, she tried to wrestle free. “Give … it … up … Patrick,” she said, her words punctuated
by shrieks and shallow rasps, “you will … never, ever
win …”
Her words seemed to paralyze him, and in a single
heave of her breath, his body stilled against hers. She could feel the ragged
rise and fall of his chest, the hot press of his arm at the small of her back,
the wild hammering of her pulse in her ears. All at once, she was painfully
aware of his nearness, bare inches away from the dark stubble that peppered his
jaw. His hard-muscled chest was so close she could almost feel the dampness of
his shirt while the familiar scent of spices and pine whirled her senses. His
breathing was ragged like hers, warm and sweet with the faint scent of
chocolate from his chocolate cream pie, and when his gaze lowered to her lips,
heat coiled through her so strong, it sapped all moisture from her throat.
The silence roared like the blood in her ears as he stared, a battle
waging in his eyes that eclipsed to a dark fervor, shocking her when it quivered
her belly. “I will never give up, Marceline,” he whispered, his lips parted to emit shallow breaths. Fire singed when his
glance flickered to her mouth.
“T-take it …” she whispered, alarm curling in her
stomach. Dear Lord, had he meant to kiss
me? Prodding the rag to his chest, she pushed him away while heat throbbed
in her cheeks. She took an awkward step back, gaze on the floor as she buffed
at her arms with brisk motion. “Goodness, Miss Clara will have our heads,” she
said with nervous chuckle, unable to look at him even yet. “You win, Patrick—I
surrender.” She forced a casual tone and attempted to side-step him on her way
to the broom closet.
Her heart seized when he halted her
with a gentle hand. “Marcy …” His voice was somber and steeped with regret.
“I'm sorry …”
“For what?” A deep voice sounded from
the door, shattering what was left of Marcy’s calm.
15.)
THE ACCIDENTAL KISS. Come on, you know what I’m talking
about — the attraction is there, but the intent isn’t … until something as innocent as a kiss on the cheek sets passion
ablaze. In a second-tier love story from my April release Love at Any Cost, an
innocent thank-you kiss on the cheek turns in to far more between the widowed
matriarch and her brother-in-law — the fiancé she was once engaged to before he
cheated on her and she married his brother. Bundled in a blanket around an outside fire, Caitlyn McClare rises to thank her brother-in-law Logan with a kiss on the cheek for a tender and noble gift he'd just given her.
Peering up, Caitlyn gently braced his jaw with her
palm, eyes shimmering with gratitude. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more
than right this moment, Logan McClare, thank you!”
His heart seized when she pressed a kiss to his
cheek, and almost by accident, he turned into her touch, their lips so close he
could smell the hint of hot chocolate they’d enjoyed around the fire. They
froze in the same split second of time, and his pulse thudded slow and hard as
he waited for her to pull away. Only she didn’t, and heat scorched his body.
“Cait,” he whispered, barely believing her lips
nearly grazed his. He waited, not willing to push for fear she would bolt, but
when her eyelids flickered closed, his fate was sealed. “God help me, I love
you,” he rasped, quickly caressing her lips before she could retreat. The
moment his mouth took hers, he was a man hopelessly lost, bewitched by her
spell. She jolted in his arms as if suddenly realizing her folly, but he
refused to relent, his grip at the nape of her neck strong and sure, allowing
him a taste of the sweetest lips he’d ever known. A groan trapped in his
throat, and he devoured her, delving deeper with a passion stoked by twenty-six
years of denial and longing. “God, help me, Cait,” he whispered, voice hoarse
as he nuzzled her ear, “I need you in my life.”
He felt it the moment the winds shifted, pulse skyrocketing
when her blanket dropped to the ground and she melded into his arms. His mouth explored
with a vengeance, the frenzied beat of her heart throbbing beneath his lips as
he grazed the hollow of her throat. He skimmed up to suckle the lobe of her
ear, and his heart swelled with joy when a soft moan escaped her lips. Blood
pounding in his veins, he wove fingers into her hair to cradle her face. “Marry
me, Cait, please …”
Her eyelids fluttered open to reveal a glaze of
desire so strong, his mouth descended again, dominant and possessive until her
lips surrendered to his. “Marry me,” he repeated, his kiss gentling to playful
nips meant to coax and tease. “I need you, Cait … and I want you.”
In the space of a heartbeat, she hurled him away,
breasts heaving and eyes wild. You’re a devil, Logan McClare, always lusting
after what you can’t have!”
Sleet slithered through his veins. “No, Cait, it’s
not true—I want you because I love you.”
He reached for her, and she thrust back, fury
welling in her eyes. “You want me because you can’t have me. And once you had
me, you would just throw me away again, returning to your old habits of
carousing with women all hours of the night.”
“You’re wrong—let me prove it, please. Marry me.”
She shook her head, a scarlet curl quivering against
her neck. Her tone trembled with a violence that stunned. “I-don’t-want-you,
and I-don’t-need-you, do you hear?”
His anger surged, but he tamped it down with a
clamp of his jaw, his words as hard as hers. “Really, Cait? Why don’t you tell
that to the woman whose body just responded to mine?”
The lightening force of her slap shifted his jaw
clean to the right, the sound of it like a crack of thunder. “How dare you?”
she whispered, tears streaming her cheeks.
All righty then, that’s class for today, so your homework is
to leave a comment for a chance to win one of my books. Anyone who wants extra
credit, if you post a short sample of a kiss you’ve written, I will toss
your name into the pot for a chance to be included in Kiss-ology 103 in October
when I post a favorite kissing scene from each of the Seekers and YOU!!
So
… on your mark, get set ... PUCKER UP!
126 comments:
I get an A+ for being the first commenter being that I just got home from the conference, have done no unpacking and am here on seekerville, right???? Or maybe you should reward me a life.....
Great pointers and terrific insight!
Ahhhhhhh! You MUST make the book covers hyperlink to a place to buy them, my goodness. I found it of course, but still....SOOOOO so sooo unfair to tell me "(Kiss follows. Sorry, you’ll just have to read the book…)" That's just downright ornery!!!
Now all I want to do is go read. *pout*
Hi Julie:
The first thing I need to know is: when do you hold the hands-on (lips-on) workshop? Where’s the lab?
The next thing I need to know is: are you considered infallible when you speak ex-romanticata on matters of kissing and smooching?
Ideas for post-graduate kiss-ology
1. the mystic kiss: where you cease to exist as an individual and become one with the universe.
2. the transcendental kiss: this transports you to your true inner self and you 'know' yourself for the first time.
3. the occasion of sin kiss: this kiss is a venial sin.
4. the backfire kiss: as when Steven kisses Anne in “A Love Surrendered” to scare the young and inexperienced heroine away. It has the opposite effect. That kiss is all she can think about from then on! (Him too.)
5. the research kiss: in my WIP, “Stranded in a Cabin with a Romance Writer” the hero and heroine agree up-front that they will not kiss so as not to put their hearts at risk.
However, ‘research’ is allow as they are both working on romance novels.
Since the heroine is romantically inexperienced, the hero asks her to write the perfect kissing love scene -- as many pages as she likes. The hero will then execute the kiss exactly as written.
Immediately after the kiss the heroine is to write down her emotional responses. She writes a passionate ten-page kissing scene and the rest is history! (But not much gets written).
Vince
P.S. My nuns used yard sticks not little old rulers.
Vince, YOU are the reason I read the comments.
Sincerely,
Mary Virginia Ginny Vince Fan Club Groupie Munoz
NEW WIP
(Hero and heroine have taken his nephew sledding, nephew is on the phone to his mom as they get in the car.)
Sean continued to chatter as Matthew stepped toward Evie, reaching out a hand to touch her cheek. She was so soft, so warm. He slipped his hand behind her head, running his fingers up into her hair. Her eyes went half-closed. He could see a pulse jumping at the base of her throat, her lips parted slightly. He leaned in, promising himself just one kiss, just a touch. Her perfume was clean, light. He felt her hands up against his chest, and he slipped an arm around her waist, drawing her near. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.
“And they’re kissing. No, real kissing. Right now. Uh-huh… Still kissing.” Sean’s voice cut through the fog that was wrapped around his brain.
A tug on the back of his coat. “Uncle Matthew, my mom says to knock it off.”
Evie leaned back with a gasp, her hand to her mouth, eyes wide with laughter.
Matthew kept an arm around her waist and growled back, “Tell your mom she’s being bossy.”
Sean dutifully repeated the message. Evie shook with laughter, her face pink.
“She says if you can’t control yourself,” he paused, listening to his mother, “she can get a bucket of ice water ready.”
Evie broke down completely, laughing into the front of his coat, her shoulders shaking. He couldn’t help grinning. Little sisters. Always getting in the way.
“Uncle Matthew, what does that mean? Why do you need a bucket of ice water? Are you thirsty?”
Matthew felt his face go hot. “Tell your mom we’re being good now.”
Sean looked at them, little boy face screwed up in concentration. “He says he’s being good, but he’s still hugging her.” There was a short pause. “My mom says hands off.”
Can I say my head hurts!
I feel for poor Ruthy be told to put a LI down! I have to say thats about all I am reading right now and even they are taking about 2 weeks to read.
Oh my
Oh oh my
By the way,how does a nun know so much about kissing? Did we establish that?
Glad I started my day with this.
Vince, it's always fun to get your take on a situation.
Virgina, nice of you to share.
Melissa, I'd give you an A+, do you ever sleep? LOL.
I hope you all have a great day!
Jackie L.
Read this before breakfast. I now feel the need to eat my leftover Swiss chocolate for my morning repast.
Thanks, Julie the Passionate, for a great post. I am still working up to having my hero and heroine hold hands!
Virginia, I do love that scene. Kids have a way of making a kiss funny, illicit, and a whole bunch of other things.
Peace, Julie
Oh I am sighing all over the place alright!Be still my heart.
Good morning, Julie! I'm rushing to get out of the house but you know I just had to give you a shout , huh?
Awesome post. Every excerpt was good and I'm eyeing Ruth Axell books' very closely from now on!
Janet-- congrats on your scene too!
Good day everyone, I can't wait to come back and see what y'all have got to say about this
HUGS JULIE!
:-)
Ooooh, this is awesome!! I love all those points and like to use them too. *grin*
Thanks!
Oh, and hilarious about your pupils. No one ever said writers were good students *wink*
From my WIP, during a shave, we'll call it the "This is for your own good" kiss. Hero initiates. Teehee!
W-what are you doing?” Her stammer did nothing to ease the pulse hammering through him.
No, those wide eyes only beckoned him closer. To taste the forbidden. To know exactly what he was dealing with. “Are you afraid of me?” he rasped.
Her eyes held his, so deep, so full of mystery. “No,” she whispered.
The band inside his chest snapped and he reached for her, pulling her close, drawing her lips to his, searching yet careful, probing yet holding back.
Until he felt her resistance crumble.
When she responded, his emotions evaporated and he became voracious, longing, wishing for something that seemed so far beyond his reach. Home. The scent of sugars and sage swirled around him in a heady, pulsating rush
Oooh, Virginia, I love yours!!! It's so funny and cute! Perfect. :-)
Great stuff, Julie! You've certainly studied kissing and obviously practiced it, too.
Vince, my nuns never used rulers. Just sharp tongues when necessary. But mainly they were funny and sweet.
Wow Julie, Great stuff to wake up to. smile
And what wonderful students you have already.
Vince surely gets an A+ for extra credit.
Virginia and Jessica wrote delightful kiss scenes.
Hmm. This is going to be a great day. Have fun.
Too fun. :)
I'm trying to remember back to the different sections and I guess this would be in the surprise one except it isn't a surprise to the "kissers" but to the reader.
And it is the knowledge that the kiss happened, not the actual happening of the kiss.
“I was wondering why you’ve never tried to date Tecana.” Oh, my. Tact must not be my strong point. I really should work on that too.
His eyes sparked. “Who says that I haven’t?”
“What?” My mouth dropped open.
He tapped my nose with the pen in his hand. “You women think you know everything about each other.” He shook his head.
“But, you, I mean,” I stuttered. I would have known. Of course, I would have known. I looked into his gleaming brown eyes. Well, maybe I don’t know everything. “So, what happened?”
“That,” He said, quietly, almost sadly, “is something you’ll have to ask your roommate.” He wrote something down. “Your married friends have all been here to find out why I haven't snapped one of your single gals up but I don’t think it occurred to any of them that I’d be interested in Tecana. Mostly they thought you.”
I grinned at him. “I’m smart like that.”
“More like you know kissing me would be like kissing a sibling.” He smiled, seeming amused at the thought.
“And kissing Tecana wouldn’t be?” I had to check. I just had to.
“No. It’s not.” He cleared his throat, holding out a business card. “I put you down for an appointment next week. Your inspection is going to run out the end of this month.”
“Thanks.” I whispered. I moved automatically and took the card from his hand. “I’ll see you later, Adam.” I moved toward the door. I stopped when I heard my name. I turned slowly. “Yes?”
“Thanks for taking over the place of little sister in my life.” He winked, “That spot was glaringly empty until I moved here.”
“You’re welcome," I said and slipped out the door.
Ah, MELISSA ... teacher's pet for being first -- I have an apple on my desk for you, young lady. And, yes, that was rather rude of Sr. Ruth to toy with us like that ...
CRACK!! VINCENT ... two demerits for that off-color remark, young man!! We are talking lips only ... keep your hands on the desk. And "infallible"?? Hardly, young man -- I am not the Pope, after all, although in my classroom, I'm close ... OH MY STARS -- you've redeemed yourself with that "BACKFIRE KISS" -- straight A, and the "RESEARCH KISS" sounds very, VERY interesting ...
VIRGINIA ... that was absolutely AWESOME, young lady -- even made this crotchety old nun grin ...
Hugs,
Julie
AUSJENNY ... I have a secret for you. Sister sneaks LIs into her bed at night, but Ruthy doesn't need to know that ...
DEBRA!!! Nuns are people, too, you know, young lady, and I um ... read a lot of romance ... before I got the vocation ...
JACKIE, I agree -- A+ for Miss Jagears ...
Hugs,
Julie
JULIE ... you may ONLY enjoy your Swiss chocolate at recess if you share ...
GANISE ... playing hookey today, eh, young lady?? You are excused ... but only because I like you!! :)
MISS JESSICA ... you now go to the head of the class, young lady, with that lucious kiss ...
Hugs,
Julie
Monday morning and class has begun...what a start for the week.
Kissing and the know how, I loved reading the excerpts from books on kissing, how will I ever make it through the day now.
I never know what to expect when I open up this site to greet the Seekers. I will check back on the comments on this one-I am sure they will be good today.
one happy reader in Ga
Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
Thanks, CARA and SANDRA ... always love it when my fellow "sisters" show up in my classroom. ;)
NMETZLER ... VERY nice, young lady!! Just the right about of tease to conjure up a mental kiss ...
PAULA ... thank you for coming by, young lady, and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
Hugs,
Julie
Perfect timing - scene in progress in work in progress is planned to end with first kiss between hero and heroine.
Now here's hoping I don't overthink it.
Melissa, you rock getting over here so soon!!!
Oh my stars, Lessman...
Ganise was CORRECT... we need fans. I can get myself one of them there Ja-pan fans!!! Aya Carumba, woman....
Must catch my breath!!!
Wow! No need for coffee after this morning's class. I'm awake! =)
Loved all the examples, teacher. And students.
Here's mine from my current WIP. The Accidental Kiss.
She swung her leg stiffly over the rail, gathering her skirt in one hand to keep it out of her way as she climbed down.
“Good morning.”
Her eyes flew up to see Nic walking toward her, and her foot slipped off the rail. She dropped the fistful of skirt, wildly grabbing at the fence post to steady herself, but she was too far off balance. The ground rose to meet her, and she braced for the impact.
It came. But not quite how she’d expected.
A warm, solid body inserted itself in the path of her fall, strong arms wrapped around her rib cage, and when the world stopped moving, she found herself nose to chest with Nic.
Heart racing in her ears, she didn’t move. Breathing in the fragrance of damp earth, soap, and freshly shaven skin.
A hand slid up to her shoulder. “Are you hurt?”
Rose lifted her head, the slight movement the breaking point for her hastily pinned-up hair. It collapsed around her neck and ears, but she ignored it, distracted by the eyes so near her own.
Black lashes framed the coffee-colored orbs that watched the hair tumble from its moorings. His hand trailed around her neck, reaching to touch the wavy strands with his fingers.
Abruptly realizing she was still on top of him, she tried to push herself off.
His arm tightened around her waist halting her movements. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” He watched her intently, his fingers sliding into the loose hair around her face.
“I…I am?” No one had ever called her that.
“Mmm hmm.” He tugged her head down, and before she could blink, his lips touched hers.
The shocking heat of his mouth against her lips made her shiver, and she gasped.
Cold air replaced the searing caress as he rolled to one side, depositing her on the ground.
“I’m sorry.” He sat up, running his hand over his face. “I don’t know what came over me. You looked so pretty with your hair around your face, and I…” His voice trailed off. “Anyway. I’m sorry.” He stood, not meeting her eyes as he helped her up.
Rose planted her worn leather shoes and took a deep breath. Her first since she’d tumbled off the fence. “Am I really?”
“Are you what?” Nic thrust his hands into his pocket, still avoiding her gaze.
She couldn’t hold back the question. “Am I pretty?”
“No.” He looked at her then and a hand unburied itself from its hiding place to touch her cheek lightly before falling slowly to his side. “You’re beautiful.”
Rose’s heart had clenched at the short “no,” but now it swelled until she thought it might burst out of her chest. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his coat.
Half a second later, his arms surrounded her. “What’s this for?”
“No one’s ever said that to me before.” She choked over the words.
“Then they’re either blind or fools. Because you are.” His voice was clipped, almost angry.
She pulled away to look up at him. His nearly black eyes roamed her face, pausing on her lips, and his head lowered just a fraction.
She held her breath.
He blinked and hauled his head up.
“I, ah.” He eased back.
One step.
Two.
“I’d better get my things together. I have to leave soon.”
“I’ll fix some food for you.” But none for herself. She’d never be able to swallow it past the ache in her throat.
Mr. Nicholas De La Fontaine needed to leave before she handed over every last piece of her heart.
That was AWESOME!!!!! Your new books look FANTASTIC!!!!!
Just a little bit more to wait for ALS!!!
Quick question. Will A Light in the Window be out in paperback? I don't have e-books.
Jacinta Rose Swindell
magenta321mysteryreaderATgmailDOTcom
I knew who wrote this post the moment I saw the title. Julie, you are developing a kissing reputation. :) I can't wait to see what happens at next years ACFW. Surely there will be a KISS-OLOGY 301 or 401! I like number 5. I may have to have my characters practice in my next series, when I write a next series.:) Maybe I should post Snoop and Witt's kisses on my blog to warm things up. MAYBE you should make this a new reality show, Julie. It would draw as much attention as Dancing With The Stars. Love this post. Great fun and great ideas.
Smiles!
Jill
Ruth Axtell's books are just amazing, aren't they, Julie? I just finished reading her new Regency, Moonlight Masquerade, and it is wonderful! Ruth is the queen of romantic situations and romantic tension between characters. Yay me, I got an advance copy of her new book! It doesn't come out until the spring. There is a smokin' hot kiss in that one. Loved it.
And you, Julie. As you know, you are the queen of kisses and "real" romance. Thanks for the tips for ramping up the romantic tension! (And I missed seeing you at the conference! So sad I missed getting a hug from you. :-( You have to be there next year!)
Well...Julie certainly knows her kissing.
Virginia - Love it. So cute.
Jessica - Very nicely done.
Nmetzler – I feel for your heroine.
Clari – I’m thinking Rose has already handed over her heart.
Here is an excerpt from my latest WIP. A surprise kiss followed by an almost kiss.
“Ray?” She flipped the chain and opened the door. Propped in the doorway, he held several boxes in front of him. His wink sent her pulse into an erratic dance. “Surprise.”
The boxes in his hands came into focus and she recognized several children’s board games. “You? You’re the surprise play date?” He nodded slowly. “Scheduled by Mrs. Maxwell?”
“Yep.”
No Michael or his horribly nosy mother. She could study for her exam. Ray wouldn’t mind. He’d entertain Trevor while she hit the books.
A sense of gratitude washed over her. She stepped toe to toe with her savior and framed his face in her hands. “Thank you.” His smile vanished as she pressed her lips against his. A buzz sounded from the kitchen and she pivoted on her heel. On her way to rescue the cookies, she glanced over her shoulder. The look of surprise on Ray’s face prompted a fit of giggles. “Come in and close the door.” She escaped from his hungry eyes into the kitchen.
What was she thinking? Kissing Ray? The wave of warmth from the oven did nothing to cool her already heated cheeks. She switched off the oven and turned to find the object of her musings grinning down at her.
“Can we try that again while my hands are free?”
“No.” She didn’t pretend not to know what he was referring to. Hoping her jello knees wouldn’t collapse, she stepped around him and deposited the baking sheet on a cooling rack. “It was a onetime thing, but if you play nice with Trevor while I study you can have some cookies and milk.”
Ray reached around and tugged off her oven mitts. “I’d rather have another kiss. A real one.”
The strength in his arms promised a secure safe haven and she turned toward them. The edge of the ceramic counter top bit into her back but the intensity in his eyes held her captive. His kiss wouldn’t be a quick peck on the lips. Her heart thundered in her chest as she wrestled for an answer. There was right and wrong or there was here and now?
“Cindy?” His raspy voice breathed her name, soothing the lonely ache inside her soul. He waited for her acceptance but she couldn’t grant it. Nor could she turn away.
Melanie - I'm sooooo jealous. I can't wait to read Moonlight Masquerade. And super congrats on the Carol Award.
Links to the books! Good idea, Melissa. Thank you!!
LOL, yeah, Debra, I'm with you.
How does that head to toe covered little nunster know so much about HEAT???
Julie Hilton Steele...morning repast reminds me of Harrison Ford in Morning Glory. Have you seen it?
How was your trip??
Whoa, Julie, be still my heart!!! Your excerpts rock!! Thanks for the wonderful points to ponder.
Thanks for including the kiss scene from Wanted: A Family. LIH champions a gentler kiss, but gentle can radiate romance.
Glad you enjoyed the scene, Ganise.
Love all the excerpts in the comments!!!
I brought cheese blintzes with cherry sauce. Yummy.
Janet
Jessica Nelson!!! I am fanning myself after that KISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
!!!!
Julie has been called away for a family emergency. She may be back later so allow the Seeker Sisters to take over the class room.
Frankly, we rock at takeovers.
Julie's release A Light In the Window is only available at this time in e format. But you can download it and read it on your computer.
Ooooooh, these are so good! Clari, Jessica, nmetzler, and Bridgett...
Now I want to go write kiss scenes and I have to get school sgarted! WAH!
Seriously, Virginia,
I agree.
I love the days Vince comments.
JULIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my stars.
Thank you for teaching us all you know, m'dear! You are the queen of kissing scenes!!!!
I need to get reading here in a bit. Because I have a whole book full of Julie smoochies to read still.
And I gotta find one to beat the ones posted up there - because those are smokin'!
It's getting warm in here! Here's a first kiss from my wip:
Out in the barn she saddled Chester. If those men were the horse thieves Jacob would want to know. It wouldn’t take long to ride out to his camp and warn him.
Lost in thoughts of Jacob and their last shooting lesson, she let her horse take the lead. In just a few weeks time she'd come to trust him. Comfortable in his presence she’d shared more with him than… well anyone really. She’d miss him when he finished his job. She wiped the back of her hand across her cheek.
The muffled sound of hooves on soft ground and the low rattle of bit-chains broke her concentration. She hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings, until they’d ridden into a wide opening of the gorge. By the time the rumble grew loud enough to break through her jumbled thoughts, it was too late.
Laura and her mount became engulfed in the wild herd. All around them horses raced along the valley floor. Pounding hooves sounded like thunder. Hunched over, she held on tight to the saddle horn as the panicked animals bumped against her legs, threatening to knock her off.
In the distance, men wearing dark bandanas over their faces fired into the air. They waved pieces of cloth overhead, urging the drove into a frenzy. Laura’s shoulders ached till she didn’t believe she could hold on much longer. A shudder rippled through her, what if she fell? She tightened her grip and prayed.
She sensed a change in the horses. They slowed as if undecided on which way to turn, pressing closer together as more shots were fired. The confused animals moved against one another, forcing Laura’s horse to the outside.
A rider appeared in front of her. He didn’t wear anything to shield his identify. Sun in her eyes, she couldn’t make out who it was, but froze at the sight of the six-gun in his hand.
There were no other horsemen in sight, but occasional gun fire sounded from somewhere in the distance. A cloud crossed over the sun, dimming the glare enough to reveal the rider’s face. “Jacob!”
The lawman stilled before putting away his gun and then prodded his mount into a gallop. “What are you doing here?”
He grabbed the bit-chain of her bridle and led the two horses down the steep side of a narrow ravine. On safe ground, his eyes met hers and held for a beat too long. Jacob’s rugged features softened with concern. He touched her face, slowly caressing her cheek. Time stood still as he leaned closer and slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her with such sweetness. His lips, soft and warm, like a dream. She closed her eyes. The moment lasted forever, but was over too soon.
Jacob released her and pulled back. He led the way to a shaded spot away from the stampede. “Wait here!”
Julie - so sorry to hear about your family emergency - praying for whatever's going on.
So a smooch from my historical... Zachariah lived with his aunt and uncle before they died and he'd taken a weird stump in his aunt's favorite spot and turned it into a chair for her to sit in. If that makes sense. The h/h have been married for a few months but are finally beginning to acknowledge there could be feelings involved. So here we go:
#
Rebekah stood, running her fingers lightly over the still fairly crude back to the chair. When she turned, he didn't give time for second thoughts or protests but with his good hand he cradled her face, his thumb running over her cheekbone once before his fingers pressed into her hair and he leaned down toward her. Down and down. Until his lips connected with hers.
She gave a soft mewling sound and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back until the only two things left in the entire world was the two of them.
And fire being stoked in his belly.
Kindled by the hand holding and now fanned into flames.
His other arm went around her waist and held her tightly to him as the kiss slowed from near frantic to a slower, gentler exploration of the explosion of feelings between the two of them.
It wasn't until the first drops of rain turned to a gentle deluge that the fire was quenched.
But they didn't move. Though the rain fell in sheets, the clouds weren't so thick as to cut out all light. He could see confusion in her eyes. And with confusion came fear and desire and something else he couldn't quite define.
"Yer getting wet, Missus Short." The husky sound of his own voice shocked him, though he figured it probably shouldn't have. Not given the way he'd just been kissing his wife.
Rebekah took a deep, shuddering breath and pressed her fingers to her lips for a moment as she stared up at him. The rain continued to pelt down as they stood there for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally, he shrugged out of the jacket she'd made him wear to the dance and swung it around her creating a bit of an overhang to protect her head from getting even more wet.
"I believe you're too late. I'm already soaked to the bone." A small smile played across her face. "It's going to take a year to get the tangles out of my hair as it is, so thank you."
Her hair.
He reached out and twisted one of the strands around his finger. "I like yer hair."
Her head dipped and he was sure he could see a bit of a blush on her cheeks. "Thank you."
"I'll help ya with it if I can. It's gotta be hard to reach it to get all the tangles out when it's all hanging down your back." What possessed him to offer, he didn't know. If he'd thought holding her hand to be strangely intimate, what would helping her with her hair be?
"Thank you, but it's not necessary." The blush crept down into her neck.
Rain dripped off the front of his hat as he bent forward to kiss her again. "Who said anything about necessary?"
Right now I'm interrupted reading and wondering if Chester (in Jamie's excerpt) is a horse...
Or the hero.
She's saddling him.
I'm kind of concerned. ;)
Vince, I think she might be considered EXCOMMUNICATO as a nun, LOL!
Sister Julie Assumpta...
Oh my gracious. Hey, did you guys know that Assumpta is an Irish saint??? I had thought she was Italian... Nope. Celtic.
I love a good kiss.
My nuns did not use rulers or yardsticks but then....
Clearly I'm much YOUNGER than Vince, LOL!
Oh my stars, post-grad kiss work.
Isn't that Harlequin Silhouette????
Just thinking out loud.
Had to come back and read all the comments again. Love 'em!
Virginia: I love the humor the little boy adds to the kissing scene. :-)
Jessica: Hoo Whee! I LIKE the "this is good for you" kiss.
nmetzler: Fun surprise non-kiss. I wanted to keep reading!
Bridgett: Love the spur of the moment kiss. I was grinnin'!
Jamie: You made my heart race with your action scene. I knew there had to be a kiss somewhere, but I love how it surprised me. :-)
Carol: One word: SMOKIN!
LOL I didn't know how far back to go. A little more info might have helped.
Aww, Julie, you will ALWAYS be the Queen of Kiss!
I'm I the only one or did anyone else feel like every single kiss method needed to be incorporated into each book?? LOL!!
Fantastic mini-course, Julie dear. And I love how it's being taught by the master of SWAK!
Great post, Julie. Love the examples!
I'll have to come back to read comments and examples from the comments. Hubby just got home for lunch.
I'm loving all the excerpts and the advice! It's making my day at work MUCH more entertaining and intersting. Of course it means I'm not getting as much done as I should.
I'll need to check when I get home for one of my kiss scenes from one of my various WIP. But I think I may be able to pull one from my completed, unpublished, novel.
This is some class, Julie. So many ways to kiss. But it's not the kiss as it is the prelude to the kiss, isn't it? Really helpful for you to break it down this way.
I'm working my way thru these kisses with recovery time allotted for the heat factor.
Whoa! Virginia love it!!!!!
Virginia (should we be calling you Ginny??), I love your scene!! How fun! :)
By the way, it's fun to be back here after meeting some of you in person for the first time!! I'm so glad I was able to go to conference this year.
Clari, loved yours as well!
Hey Melanie, First of all MEGA CONGRATS ON WINNING THE Y/A CAROL AWARD AT ACFW!!!! Third time's the charm, eh?
Thanks, too, for your kind words on my books. I'm excited that you got to read the ARC for Moonlight Masquerade (I hope it was the final, edited one, though).
It was fun rereading Julie's kissing scenes--she is a master!--and I enjoyed reading yours Janet D. Nice! Great to have some of you others posting some of your excerpts. Hope to see some of you at ACFW next year!
Bridgett, I love it! Love the teasing. Love how he went after another kiss. :)
Have to run, now! Will read more later. Thank so much for all of you who are sharing!
Oops, just saw my comment to Jessica got eaten. Loved yours too, Jessica!
Bridgett Henson you had me at hello...
Oh my stars, that was so beautifully done that I'm CHEERING her on, saying, KISS HIM!!! KISS HIM!!!
I'm dying to know more!
Ah, Clari....
I'd give him a piece of my heart, too. Oh, dagnabbit, that was simply and beautifully put.
Brava!
Great post!!
marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com
Heard "You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not?" while running some errands. Had to come back here to check in!
Don't know if that song fits the criteria but it is good at setting the scene....
Peace, Julie who brought enough chocolate to share.
Praying Julie's family emergency turns out okay.
A Harrison Ford movie I haven't seen, Tina? I am deeply in your debt.
The trip was fabulous. All those marvelous pictures you see are totally accurate. The chocolate is that fabulous. The hiking trails are too many to walk in a lifetime. And the trains, the trains.
Okay, I will stop now. Met folks from Arizona, Colorado and California who were reminded what the color green is when it comes to grass and trees!
Thanks for asking.
Peace, Julie
Carol.... *WHEW* Have to get myself a bucket of ice water....
Very nice!
Love all the KISS scenes.
Anyone want to gather for chit-chat about 9 PM this evening? Oh, wait, I'm not in Dallas any more.
So great seeing all the Seekervillagers at ACFW! Congrats to Melanie! That ACFW Carol Award is so, so beautiful. Hope it survived the flight home to Alabama and arrived in tip-top shape.
Did everyone have a safe trip home? The first plane Missy and I were on had a "component problem" that needed repair. We caught the next flight but had to wait about an hour in Atlanta until our luggage finally arrived.
Is anyone else having a hard time getting back to work?
Hi Julie and everybody!
Oh my stars! (to quote a favorite Ruthy-ism) This is some post to start the week with! But I'm ready to play -
I think you might call this an accidental kiss. This is my Ruthy story - she's a bit snarky and very independent. In this Amish historical, she and Levi have a marriage of convenience, but she's set the ground rules: separate bedrooms (because she doesn't realize he really does love her). But when they're visiting her parents...well, you know...they are together for the first time.
BTW - the baby in the scene is adopted :) Can't you see our Ruthy jumping in to adopt an unwanted baby girl?
Levi woke with a start, his internal alarm clock waking him at 3:00 as always. He lay still, enjoying the warmth of the bed. Warmer than usual…. Sometime during the night he had pulled Ruthy toward himself and they slept snuggled together like…like married people ought to. He nuzzled her hair, taking a deep breath, but didn’t move. Once he left, or once she woke, the spell would be broken, but for now he would enjoy every moment of holding his wife in his arms.
Grace stirred in her cradle at the foot of the bed. Ruthy moved in her sleep and turned her face toward him. Her hair had loosened from the braid and curled around her cheek, pulling a groan of longing from him. He hesitated, then rose on his elbow and leaned over her. He kissed her lips gently. One kiss, and then he'd go out to help with chores. But she responded, bringing long banked coals roaring into life and he let his lips linger. Ach, how he loved this woman.
Hi Julie,
Great post as usual. Here's my sample. The hero is a friend who, while comforting the heroine, goes a bit further than a friend!
"All at once, she became acutely conscious of his strength, the band of steel his muscled arms formed around her, his lips in her hair, whispering words of comfort.
In that moment of awareness, something changed between them. She felt Jason’s lips moving to her cheek, then slowly downward, inch by silky inch, until they neared her mouth.
Her heart seemed to stand still in her chest, and her breath stalled in her lungs. He hesitated a fraction of a second before he touched his lips gently to hers, as if experimenting to see how she’d react. Her body began to hum, like a thread of electricity moved through her.
Somewhere through the haze of grief, passion sparked. Reaching up, she entwined her arms around his neck, plunging her fingers into the thick mass of his hair. She kissed him back with a fervor long held in check—the result of years of repressed longing. Her heart raced, her knees sagged like they were made of rubber. She thought she heard him groan, and then, just as quickly as it had started, he pulled his mouth away.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I’m glad you did,” she whispered."
Love all these kissing scenes!
Cheers,
Sue
ACH, JAN! Love it. I'm reaching for that fan our Ruthy mentioned earlier.
Be still my heart!!!
Great seeing you at ACFW!
Hugs.
Cheers back to you, Sue!!!
Loved how "her breath stalled in her lungs." Very nice. I've got saggy knees just thinking about their kiss.
Hi Debra:
You asked this question:
“By the way, how does a nun know so much about kissing?”
As ‘my’ Sister Mary Assumta was fond of saying, “Never assume a nun didn’t have a life before she entered the order.”
Some of ‘my’ nuns grew up with eight to nine older brothers. They would know what a boy was thinking even before he thought it. And a few of them could beat two boys at basketball while still wearing their habits and clunky nun shoes.
Nuns may dress alike but I would say there is more variety among nuns than there is in the general population.
Vince
P.S. I hope Julie’s family emergency is something like someone needing a ride somewhere. Please let it be so.
Hi Ruth:
If Chester is not a horse, then Laura might well be the bride who wore spurs. I think I see a trend here. I might even have to join Tina Pinson and those other fans who are chomping at the bit to read more. : )
JAMIE: you wrote a great action scene. I could feel and hear the horses. You can sure write a compelling stampede. I even felt my arms getting tired. I wanted to follow Jacob back to see what happens. I hope you publish this.
Vince
P.S. Ruth, my wife saw that four layer Red Velvet cake last night and she said it cost her four Weight Watcher’s Points to just look at it! And that Red Velvet really is red. You did a great job last night. Thanks.
Hi Virginia:
A fan club! It’s like a dream come true! I feel very rewarded for just visiting here today. In fact, I’ve been writing my ‘rewarding the reader’ post for October and I must say your kiss scene is a great example of rewarding the reader on many leves.
Of course, there is the reward of sensual interest, then there is the reward of all the senses mentioned, and to cap it off, there is the reward of humor and anticipating the next witty comment – which comes. You can sure keep a reader reading with this kind of writing.
When you get this passage in a book, let me know. I’d like to use it as an example in my Rewards Per Page book.
Vince
Hi Tina:
Please don’t tantalize me. “A Light in the Window” is not available until November 9th – unless you know of a secret place to buy it.
This is the second time I’ve had to reread Jan Karon’s “A Light in the Window” just to sooth my anticipation after thinking I could actually just go download Julie’s book.
Vince
P.S. Important: tonight is the start of the new Castle season!!! Will they KISS?
Hi Cara and Ruth:
I had nuns until my senior year in high school. Back then, (BC -- before birth control – I am older than Ruth) if a nun could teach, she would often be drafted into teaching even if she was not in a teaching order. I think I saw almost every order of nun there was – at least in that part of the country. Sometimes the playground would look like a nun convention.
The ‘sticks’ all depended on the individual nun. Not the order and not the school. We had one nun we called Sister Mary Teddy because she spoke softly but carried a big stick. (That was her reward for teaching kids like us history).
The nuns may have had sticks but they didn’t have to use them very often. To sass a sister offended the teacher, upset the principal, showed disrespect for God, and probably got you a physical correction from your father when you got home! Of course, there was always the threat of being expelled and being sent to public school where the thugs would kill you. Discipline was almost absolute. Thank God.
Vince
When I read your post, Julie, I kept hearing the lyrics, 'A kiss is just a kiss, a smile is just a smile.' How unromantic and yet it's the soundtrack behind one of the most romantic movies - Casablanca!
Great kissing scenes everyone. Such an important part of our books. Thanks for sharing!
Two of my favorite nuns were Sister Grace Alma and Sister Ignatio. I still remember them fondly.
Virginia Carmichael according to Melissa Endlich congratulations are in order!
Congrats to new @LoveInspiredBks author Virginia Carmichael for her 4.5 star RT review for debut Nov book!
I'm not sure which is more impressive - the 4.5 stars or Melissa Endlich tweeting it.
Hi Clari:
I just love ‘accidental kisses’ when there is believable strong physical contact prior to the kiss. Your scene was ideal. I was into the scene.
I’ve had only one accidental kiss in my life but it was like it happened yesterday. I was dancing for the first time with a very attractive girl and all of a sudden she was squeezing me for dear life. I thought she was being passionate (it was a slow dance) and as she dipped I kissed her. As it turned out, she slipped on a spilled drink on the title floor and was falling.
Talk about two surprised people!
Unfortunately, the kiss didn’t go anywhere. She had a steady! This is absolutely true and anyone can feel free to use a similar event in their WIPs. I can even tell you that, “A Theme from a Summer Place” was playing!
Those accidental kisses can pack a lot of power!
Vince
Thank you, Ruthy!
Thank you, Vince! :-) I love your accidental kiss story.
Jamie, WOW!
Virginia got a 4.5* review!?! AWESOME!
Congratulations, Mary Virginia!
Vince,
Thank you. I hope the book gets published too. :) It's under serious consideration... has been for over five months.
I'm afraid I'm more comfortable writing action scenes than kissing scenes. Maybe if I spend some time studying Julie's work I'll be able to improve on the romance. (It's kind of important when you want to be a romance author)
I'm hoping Julie's family emergency is of the non-emergency kind!
Virginia, I am looking forward to you book release. I love your writing style! Makes you feel you are right there.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's kiss scenes! They are all fantastic and left me wanting to read more!!
Here is my first kiss scene, even though they are technically married...
Sitting there staring into the fire, Harper wished Seth would come sit beside her and just hold her. They were man and wife, if only on paper. But her pride would not allow her to ask him to hold her. She'd all but begged him to stay in Gracewood, with her and Avery. To be a real family. She had her answer.
She rose to go to her bedroll and past Seth, to bid him goodnight. As she drew even with him he caught her hand and pulled her to him. He tightened his arm around her waist so they were body to body and he was saying something in her ear that she couldn't make out. The combination of his warm breath and unshaven cheek aginst her's had her closing her eyes and had her mouth hovering next to his. But when his words finally registered her blood turned cold. Her eyes flew to his and the breath she had been holding came out as a gasp.
"Harper, I don't know how many there are, but Im going to pull my gun with you blocking me from their sight. As soon as you hit the ground I'll start shooting. Stay low and get to your horse. Head to town and don't look back."
When she started to protest, he wispered, "Avery needs you." She nodded.
Her world was spinngin out of control but stopped when he his lips touched hers. He ended the kiss and looked into her eyes for what seemed like forever but must have been only an instant. She didn't have time to interpret its meaning. She felt him draw his gun.
"Now Harper, go!"
As she threw herself to the ground and before the first shot rang out, she realized the message had been "Goodbye."
I'm loving reading everyone's kisses! Such fun!
But still keeping Julie in my prayers...and hoping the family emergency is a minor one!
Gracious, where's my fan? With all of the kissing going on here, it's no wonder our frost melted in such a hurry this morning. Great post, Julie, and I promise to be good...especially with you wielding that ruler. :)
Oh merciful heavens -- why are the kissology classes always on the most impossible days for me???? I need to go to Guidance and get them to switch my timetable around!
Read this post in delicious snatches all day...and part of the evening...while I worked. D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! I'm near to swooning and it's awfully hot in here. Haven't had a chance to read the comments yet. I may be up to midnight!!!!
Well, I certainly learned a lot by reading this post! This makes me want to read a juicy romance (Christian fiction, of course).
I'm praying for you, Julie, for your family emergency.
Reading some comments while I have a little time.
Virginia- Very well written. I laughed out loud, seriously!
Jessica- Yes ma,am, write on!
Good stuff, Nmtezler!
Yeah, Ruthy..fans, girl! Knew we'd need plenty of 'em. :-)
Aww.. Clari!!Be still my heart. =) When's the book coming out??
Bridget-- OH SO LOVELY!! Seriously.
Jamie- It 'was over too soon' alright! Whoo-hoo!
Melanie, I've read a kissing scene from Ruth Axwell book on Julie's last post. I'm definitely interested in reading more!
Heard Julie H.S needs prayers... sending plenty and hugs!
JULIE LESSMAN and EVERYONE THANK YOU FOR SHARING!! So good. So romantic...I like!
Sigh
:-)
Oh, sorry it's Julie L who's having the family emergency?!
God have mercy. Sweet friend I'm trusting Jesus to work it all out for good, right now!
Sending love and prayers!
Thank You Lord because we trust in You.
Carol- Heat!
So good, huh, Audra? :-)
Jan!! LOVE! When's the book coming out??
Oh Susan, you're good!
Aww...Donna. :-( Poor Harper! My, you definitely have the talent too. Wow, do they get a chance at a happy ending??
So glad everyone's enjoying this fun activity!
Hello, everyone,
My deepest thanks to my Seeker buds for picking up the slack today and for the patience and kindness of our dear Seeker friends in understanding my situation.
My Aunt Julie, whom some of you have heard me mention a lot and for whom I am primary caretaker, is at death's door, and we are holding vigil until God takes her home, my cousin and I, around the clock, so all prayers appreciated for her peaceful passing.
Thank you so very much.
Hugs,
Julie
Oh and congrats again, y'all!
Melanie, Nancy, Tina, Kathleen, Virginia and all the other finalists and winners on Saturday!
Hopefully you had the chance to read the comments and see how excited we were for you!
All the best in your writing journeys, everyone! Please keep on.
Oh sweet JULIE! Jesus must be ready to welcome home.... praying so hard and sincerely sweet friend!
God is near. I trust that.
HUGS TO YOUR FAMILY!
Hope you can feel His arms around You right now!
Thank you, Lord. We trust in You.
Hallelujah. It will all work out for the good of those who love Him.
Much love and hugs!
Julie, I am so sorry to hear about your Aunt Julie. You know we will all be praying for her, you and your cousin.
Prayers for all of you, dear Julie and for Aunt Julie as well. Love you my sweet friend!
Julie, I'm so sorry! (((hugs))) and prayers going up for you and yours.
Ganise, Thank you. I haven't sold this story yet. I'm hoping my editor will like it once I send it to her.
Oh Julie, it is so hard to say goodbye to a dear loved one...praying for her peace and yours, and restful comfort from the Lord for you all.
Oh, dear Julie. So sorry to hear about Aunt Julie. You know my prayers are with you and the family.
Here's a scene from my novel. I think the kiss in this one is built on tension. This is a scene between two of my minor characters- Marie and Todd. Marie has just come from a visit with my heroine, Callie, for a dress fitting. And on the way home and even into their home, Todd and Marie have an argument.
“I’ll have you know that Callasandra Taylor is the first person in this town to reach out to me! She saw a hurting heart and didn’t care about my past! We’ve been living here for six and a half months and in that time, she’s the only one who has attempted to get to know me! Don’t you dare walk away! You’ve had no idea what it is like for me in town! Every time I go into one of the shops, people stop talking. I feel their resentment of me just because of my past! I have no idea how they’ve managed to hear about my past because I know that you wouldn’t have breathed a word about it and neither have I. Yet, the women in the community treat me like a leper just because I’m so young! You realize that we’ve been married for almost eighteen months, and Callie is the first friend I’ve had since the day that you married me! You say that you don’t want me to anything to do with Callie, but I won’t be able to follow that. She’s my friend- the only friend I’ve got here and I refuse to give up her friendship just because my husband thinks she’s worse than a harlot! It wasn’t too long ago that I was almost a harlot, remember? I admit that I know nothing about being a wife. I know I’ve tried, but I seem to be a failure,” with these words Marie started sobbing uncontrollably.
Todd watched in stunned silence as Marie sank into a chair by the table. He had never known that rumors were flying rampant about her reputation. His heart turned over as he realized the truth to her words. Callie was her only friend.
“Marie, sweetheart,” he said using the endearment for the first time. “Maybe I am wrong about Mrs. Taylor. When we first met her, she seemed to be genuinely grieving her husband. And come to think of it, I doubt that Pastor Cameron would have taken her into his home with impressionable children around if she’s really what Mrs. Lane said she was.
“As to your being a failure as a wife, nothing could be further than the truth. You are not a failure. You are a beautiful woman with whom I am blessed to share my life. You are my helpmate, my confidant, my friend, and I hope that someday you’ll come to love me as much as I love you.”
Marie’s sobs ceased as she took in what Todd just told her. Lifting her head from her arms, her large brown eyes met the deep pools of his eyes. She was surprised to see tears standing in his brown eyes. She felt the carefully built wall around her heart begin to crumble as she held his gaze. She saw in it that he was sorry for hurting her, yet the stronger emotion was a love that warmed her soul.
“Would you repeat that last part again,” she whispered.
A smile broke out on Todd’s face as he said, “I hope that someday, you, Marie Catherine Graham, will come to love me as much as I love you.”
“You love me,” Marie asked in a barely audible voice.
“So very much,” he replied gently.
“Oh, Todd,” she cried as tears started to fall unchecked down her cheeks.
Todd couldn’t stand to be apart from her any longer. He knelt beside her chair, gently drew her to her feet, and then wrapped his arms around her holding her tightly to him.
“Shh,” he crooned gently to her hair as he rubbed her back. “I’ll never give you a reason to doubt my love again. I love you so much!”
Marie pulled back in her husband’s embrace and met his eyes.
“Todd, I need to tell you that I love you too!”
As soon as the words left her lips, she found herself crushed in Todd’s embrace. He lowered his head moving closer to her lips. With a small sigh, she closed her eyes as she felt his lips on hers. She didn’t realize that her arms had left her side and were now behind his neck pulling him closer and closer.
Sorry for the formatting on my post.
ANd Julie I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt! Praying for peace for your family.
Oh, I'm so sorry about your Aunt. Will keep you in my prayers.
Here is my excerpt from my WIP which is on the back burner while I finish my new one. The heroine is a nurse and she believes the hero is a German spy.
"Elsie, I am not a good man and have never pretended to be one. But I am not a murderer and if I killed anyone it certainly wouldn't be you. I am mad enough to...."
He had placed his hands on her shoulders as he spoke and had drawn her forward in a quick movement that brought her face a hairsbreadth away. For a few seconds he stared down at her eyes with there half doubting- half shocked expression and at her lips which were trembling ever so slightly as if about to speak.
But she didn't for in that instant he bent his head and kissed as he wanted to do the night before.
She gasped in surprise but the warm tide of feeling that those velvet soft lips evoked went to his head. The faintly medicinal smell still clung to her but it seemed so much a part of her he had come to welcome it.
His arms went around her waist and pulled her close. She struggled faintly but when he pressed her lips more insistently with his own she went limp. There was an instant's pause and then she kissed him back and Victor knew he wasn't the only one overwhelmed by the flood of feeling.
Suddenly she pulled herself away and stood staring at him trying to catch her breath. Her gaze was full of shock and anger and found himself thinking, "Goodness she is priceless."
"That was most improper, sir."
His grin rather resembled a school boy who had just put a frog in his teachers desk; unrepentant and happy.
"No, I have never said I was. And I don't think you are either. Didn't you ever get caught kissing a doctor in the linen closet?"
Praying for you, Julie.....your Aunt and cousin, too. May you feel HIS arms around you.
Love you,
Jackie S.
Oh, Julie. Praying for peace and comfort for your family!
Oh Julie Praying for you all I know what you are going through and I know what is ahead (Im still there) Praying for peace for you all and enough strength for the day.
Julie,
So sorry to hear that your aunt is failing. She's bounced back so many times. Praying for her and for all of you.
Sue
Had to come back and read all the excerpts I missed earlier.
Great stuff, everyone!!!
Julie, I'm praying for you Aunt and your family.
Vince, Great job helping us out today. You did super with all the kiss stuff. Words from an expert????
Julie, Praying sweetie.
Great kiss scenes today. wowza
Julie:
As my prayers go out to you and your aunt, I am reminded of a passage in “A Love Surrendered” which moved me more than any other in all six books:
“Resting her head on Patrick’s shoulder, Marcy wished this evening could go on forever, precious moments in time when her family cleaved together in an unbreakable bond. Oh, Lord, how many more Christmases will we have together? Placing a protective hand on Patrick’s leg, she pushed melancholy aside to revel in the here and now, when life was as it should be, a joyous celebration of heart and soul.”
It would be hard to express this better.
Hi Sandra:
You asked:
“You did super with all the kiss stuff. Words from an expert????"
If reading over 1,200 romances makes one an expert, then I’m one. Other than that I’m just a philosopher with a creative imagination. : )
Vince
Ahh Julie, A sad time for the family -you are in our prayers and thoughts as she leaves this old earth for a better place.
God be with you.
Paula O
So many wonderful kisses!! I love the love.
Two comments if you please.
1. Five senses? No, sorry, there are six senses. And the one you're missing is most involved in even a near kiss. In fact, you can't even read this comment without that sixth sense working properly. And in all the examples of his post that sixth sense is present and accounted for. What is it? (This is not a trick question.)
2. Perhaps this next one is Kissology 103, but the most obvious romantic tension in my reading is metaphor, which your example of the chess game in the MAN MOST WORTHY is a good example. It's also called subtext.
You gave some good kissing tips! Love to win your book
I believe subtext is the hardest thing to consistently put in a scene. And I think it should be in each and every scene.
I wonder if others have subtext in their first drafts or is it easier to insert while editing.
Julie, am praying for you and your family as you go through this difficult time!!!!! Love you, my friend!!!
Good morning, all.
My aunt passed away early this morning and is now home with Jesus, so thank you so very much for all of your prayers and kind words of comfort. I feel as if I have an extended family here, which means more than I can say. You and The Seekers are true blessings in my life.
Hugs,
Julie
I'm super late on this one, and I'm sorry for that. I have a kiss to post. It's a scene I wrote yesterday between a young man and woman who've been the best of friends as long as they can remember, half in love with each other since they were preteens, and who've recently discovered grown-up passion for the first time (They're 16 or 17, I haven't decided which). Her parents are ill, and his - as close friends and nearest neighbors have offered to let her stay with them. She's not sure it's a good idea.
~~~
"Don’t you see? After that day at the creek, I just don't think we should be together that much."
Cal leaned back, his gray eyes meeting hers. "Don't you trust me?"
"No."
"Well...all right then." He dropped his arms and stepped back, hurt and anger flashing across his face before he schooled his features. "Maybe you should find somewhere else to stay."
"Don't be like that." Carla pouted and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I don't trust me either." She sighed when he put his arms loosely around her and kissed the top of her head. His chest rose in a deep breath, and she knew he was smelling her hair again. She sighed again and closed her eyes, perfectly content.
She didn't know how long they stood there before her hands began stroking the strong, lean planes of his back. He nudged her chin up and his lips met hers briefly in the sweetest kiss. She followed him when he would have broken the contact, and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him back to her. For a moment he seemed to explode. He deepened the kiss, and pulled her to him in a vice-like grip she couldn't have broken if she wanted to. She didn't want to.
His father's voice floated through the open window, but Carla didn't really register it until Cal's hands moved to her face, and he finally broke the kiss.
We love you Julie! So much.
Glad to know that your Aunt is safe Home with Jesus and I'm praying that He will comfort you and your family.
Hugs,
Ganise
I'm not a writer, but I'd love to win "A Love Surrendered".
Kelly from CA
Sis456@aol.com
I just finished reading "Winter is Past" and the excerpt posted is a small flame compared to the inferno of the remaining kissing scene. WHEW!!!
Thank you for sharing it and the opportunity to win a book.
aimmesser@yahoo.com
so, are you tired of hearing from me, one is is not writing, but a readaholic? i would love to win your novel.
Jules, I am so so sorry about your aunt, but like you said, she's with her Savior now and that's a great place to be :) That must ease your heartache some, though she will be dearly missed I'm sure.
I decided I was going to be brave and put in a kissing scene I'd written. Now you've known me awhile and I've NEVER put any of my writing in here lol. I know it's not that good and my perspectives are all messed up I think, but I'm open to suggestions from all you wonderful ladies :) Backstory: set in Paris, two lovers, he goes off to war. When he returns, her family meddles (they dislike him) and he's under the impression that she's moved on while he was gone. While walking by the Seine, he sees her and they're reunited. This takes place after that. So here goes nothin' lol:
The bells of Notre Dame chimed out majestically as she gazed at the scarlet sunset, longing for this day to continue. Beside her stood her love, tall and proud, unafraid of holding her close. There, his hand gently brushes her hair from her neck as she turns to face him. It sure is easy to get lost in those clear blue puddles of eyes. Without a second to think, he cradled her neck and dipped her back before capturing her lips with his. Her eyes fluttered closed as she melted into him. As they came out of their embrace, she whispered, “Welcome home, l’amour.”
Okay, that's all I've got. Don't be too harsh! Lol....I have a few pieces to this story. Cheryl read one for me awhile back and wanted me to keep working at it, so I do when I get ideas lol. It's actually based on the song Claire de Lune.
Anyway, my sincerest condolences to you and your whole family, Jules!! Much love,
Hannah
hccelie[at]gmail[dot]com
Thanks so much Sister. This information is fantastic.
Jan
Wow, I have no words! And the comments here have amazing kiss scenes as well! =)
jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu
I'm sorry to hear about your aunt, *Ms.* Julie --even from online, I could tell you guys were close. Praying for your whole family, but glad to know she's with Jesus now. <3
I have so much to learn when it comes to kissing scenes. Goodness. *sigh*
Ginger
ginger dot solomon at gmail dot com
Got to save this Julie so when I get back to my wrting I can use your great tips.
I still have fuzzy brain from my 27day stay in hospltal and going through rehabilitation. So glad to be back home with my 5 kitties.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
im not sure when the deadline to post was, but i wanted to add my kissing scene. its a little long, but i can only say that the reason is that this is my first time ever writing a kissing scene. i get most of my inspiration (since ive never had any experience in that area yet) from your books, and francine rivers. theres are probably more, but thats all i can think of for now. anyway, here goes
Even as I write this, I still can’t believe it actually happened! And IT happened at school. I was getting my books out of my locker when behind me, someone said my name. At just one word, I knew exactly who it was. And even though I adored his British accent, all of the feelings I had Friday night returned with vengeance. I stayed facing my locker, pretending I was still looking for something and with an I-could-care-less voice asked him, “What do you want Carter?” He said that he wanted to talk to me about what happened at the dance. His slightly pleading voice made me want to do whatever he wanted of me, but I harshly shoved that thought away. He wasn’t going to disarm me with his charm. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I said. He suddenly grabbed me by my elbow and turned me around so fast I barely realized what had happened. My books flew from my hands and fell to the floor around us. He put one arm above my shoulder and with the other arm on my waist, pushed me forward till my back was flush against the locker behind me. I suddenly became aware of how close we were and realized that I actually liked having him there. Feeling that my body was betraying me and that things could soon go the way I HADN’T planned them, I started talking. “What's there to talk about? I saw with my own eyes, as did everyone else at the party, that you obviously preferred Cassandras company to anyone else’s! If you think that you can march in here and..” And the rest was cut off as Conner, who was patiently waiting for me to shut up, leaned forward and presses his lips to mine. At first, I was too shocked to do anything, but as soon as I got to my senses, I pushed him back and sputtered “how dare you?!” He grinned and said, “You wouldn’t shut up.” Then he came forward and kissed me again. This time, I didn’t struggle. He wound his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. My hands seem to reach up for his shoulders of their own will. As his lips touched mine for the second time, I sighed and relaxed against him. He murmured against my lips, “How could you not know? I did it all to shock you to your senses. When you wouldn’t listen to whichever way I tried, I did the one thing I was sure would catch your attention. Make you jealous.” I smiled as he talked and kissed me by intervals. “I’m not ready to forgive you yet,” I said with a smile. “Let’s see what I can do to change your mind,” he whispered in my ear.
I'm coming into this WAY late, but I wanted to say how sorry I am about your aunt, Julie. :-(
Really enjoyed the post AND the comments! I'll share one of my kissing scenes in the morning if I remember. Oh, yeah, it is morning here - 1 AM. I really need to go to bed. Stayed up too late reading comments. *G*
Bet you thought I forgot, huh? I know I'm WAY late, but I wanted to share one of my favorite scenes. It still needs some edits but this is one where I used kids. The twin girls are Holly's nieces. And Riley is their 9 yo brother. She is babysitting when Dax returns from a walk.
----
“Dax, catch her,” Holly shouted, seeing one of the twin girls dart for the back door as he stepped inside.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he leaned down and scooped up the wiggling, giggling four-year-old, who squealed in delight when he swung her up in the air. Not to be left out, the other four-year-old danced around him demanding, “Me, too. Me, too.”
Holly watched, heart squeezing, as Dax played with identical little redheads, who squealed and dissolved into peals of carefree laughter. The scene brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t remember her father ever playing with her like that. Unlike her father, Dax would never leave his child to feel unloved.
Unbidden, an image superimposed itself over the scene before her. Dax playing with twin girls who bore his dark hair and green eyes. A lump lodged in her throat and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Was it really possible? She wondered. Or was it just her imagination taunting her with what could never be?
Before she could decide, that laughing green gaze suddenly connected with hers. Laughter rippled into something different. Something fiery and oddly determined. With a child captured under each arm, he crossed the floor and stopped in front of her.
“You better stop looking at me like that,” he growled softly. The heat in his eyes banked only slightly.
“Like what?” Her voice choked. Had her thoughts been as apparent on her face as his words implied?
“Like you see the same future I do,” he replied softly, his gaze intent. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flamed. He grinned. Then, before she could recover, he leaned down and kissed her.
“Ew, Uncle Dax is kissing a girl!” came a thoroughly disgusted young male voice.
They glanced down at Riley’s grimacing face, looked at each other and laughed heartily.
“One day you’ll understand, kid.” Dax’s gaze, holding a world of promise, captured hers briefly, before two wiggling little girls pulled his attention away. “Why don’t you lock that door while I corral these goofy things?”
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