For this edition of First Kiss Friday, I am sharing the first kiss between Reed Dumont and Celeste Fisher from my latest release Her Competition, a multicultural contemporary romance with a touch of Christmas.
Two sexy work rivals each want the prestigious promotion, but neither expects to want each other.
Driven and determined, Celeste Fisher won’t let anything stop her from anchoring the nightly news. She’s sacrificed a personal life, a love life, and left her Ojibway community to make it in the city. And if that means stomping all over her too handsome and too competitive rival to nail the position, so be it.
Casual dating and one-night stands are all Reed Dumont can spare while building what he covets most—his career. He’s not about to lose out to Celeste, no matter if he can’t keep his eyes off her sexy legs and admiring her just as sexy brain, because sitting in the broadcasting chair is another step up the ladder to thumb his nose at his poor Métis upbringing.
A crisis in a First Nations community sends the adversaries out on the road to cover the story. Snowed in at the hotel, rivals become humans, unable to deny their true private desires. But upon returning to the city, the new lovers face the biggest hurdle that could cost them their budding relationship when one gets the promotion and the other is left holding… frustration. Now they must decide what is worth fighting for: love or career.
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Multicultural Romance, First Nations Romance
Heat Rating: Level 3
Publication Date: October 25, 2024
Publisher: eXtasy Books
PURCHASE A COPY AT EXTASY BOOKS
“I want to ask you something.” Reed leaned in.
He leaned in too close, and Celeste caught a whiff of his cologne. The once roomy SUV was shrinking to the size of a can of her favorite wild Pacific salmon. She could even see his small pores and the smoothness of his skin. He must more than razor shave. Knowing his vanity, he probably waxed his face.
“There you go again. There’s that look.” His pronouncement was low enough to walk along her thighs and up her stomach.
Celeste recoiled.
“And that, too,” he murmured.
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Don’t think I’m being my usual egotistical shmuck self, as you like to think of me.” Before she could protest, he held up his finger. “But I catch you glancing my way every blue moon. Then you quickly stare at something else, but like you ate a bowl of rotten cabbage.”
Celeste sputtered. “Excuse me?”
“It’s true,” he continued on in the same caressing voice that slid all over her skin. “You really dislike me. You dislike what you see, even when you do like what you see. Tell me, Celeste, what have I done to earn your contempt? Remember, we’re playing our game. And I want a truthful answer. I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”
Her spine stiffened to an icicle. She refused to squirm any further away or she’d be pressed up against the passenger door. “You’ve got a one-track mind.”
“A one-track mind?” He quirked his perfectly angular brow that matched the sandy waves of his hair.
“Yes. One track. Job. One-night stands. Using people for what you can get from them.” She raised her chin.
“And you aren’t the same?” His lips with the pronounced Cupid’s bow lifted at the corners.
“I don’t use men for one night.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You have a very discerning taste. A man’s gotta work extra hard to… take you on a date.”
Oh, she knew what he’d refrained from saying, and the giddy warmth unfolding between her thighs needed a good stomping.
“Be honest. You asked a question, and I answered. And you didn’t like my answer, given the face you made.”
The wind was howling through the SUV. The radio continued to squawk on low. The dumb goosebumps kept creeping along Celeste’s skin.
“What were you thinking? Hmm?”
“How a woman would have to sterilize you before she kissed you.” You want honesty, eat that, friend.
He did flash his teeth this time. “Maybe I know I screwed up in the past. And maybe I refuse to screw up again. Sometimes we have no choice but to do what we do.”
His riddle baffled her. “Come again?”
“You’re right. I did mess up a perfectly good relationship. She dumped me when she realized she’d come second place to my job. She was like you in some ways. But not as tough.”
“Oh? You think I’m tough?”
“Harder than nails. You let a man know upfront what’s expected from him. And I know what you expect.”
“What’s the point of this conversation? We’re co-workers. Nothing more.” Dammit, fear was forcing words from her mouth she didn’t wish to speak. He was right. She was on the defensive, ready to tackle him before he got too close to… the end zone.
“I think we’re more than co-workers. The thing is, we don’t want to risk our jobs. Right?” Again, he quirked his brow.
“I’m not risking my future for anyone.”
“Anyone?” He leaned in closer.
Think about his lips being in the most intimate places with perfect strangers. Think about the STIs he probably got from sleeping around. Think about…
“Celeste… I never want to risk it all either.” His mouth that had possibly sampled every woman’s lips, and even the ones below the naval, was closing in on her. “But… ”
His mouth brushed hers.
She froze. Her brain had somehow switched off. All she could do was stare at his dark-brown lashes and taste the scent of coffee and cream, along with the softness of his skin. Holy hell, he was kissing her.
Maggie Blackbird 