For this edition of First Kiss Friday, I am sharing the first kiss between Raven Kabatay and Jude Matawapit from Sanctified, book three in The Matawapit Family series, an enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance.
In the midst of a battle for leadership at their Ojibway community, two enemies of opposing families fall in love…
After suffering a humiliating divorce, infuriated Catholic Jude Matawapit bolts to his family’s Ojibway community to begin a new job—but finds himself thrown into a battle for chief as his brother-in-law’s campaign manager. The radical Kabatay clan, with their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, will stop at nothing to claim the leadership position and rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion once and for all, which threatens not only the non-traditional people of the community, but Jude’s chance at a brand-new life he’s creating for his children.
Recovering addict Raven Kabatay will do anything to win the respect and trust of her older siblings and mother after falling deep into drug addiction that brought shame and anger to her family. Not only does she have the opportunity to redeem herself by becoming her brother’s campaign manager for chief—if he wins, she’ll have the reserve’s backing to purchase the gold-mine diner where she works, finally making something of herself. But falling in love with the family’s sworn enemy—the deacon’s eldest son, Jude—will not just betray the Kabatay clan. It could destroy everything Raven believes in and has worked so hard for.
Genre(s): Multicultural, Contemporary Romance, First Nations Romance, Adult, Inspirational.
Heat Rating: Level 3
Publication Date: September 20, 2019
Publisher: eXtasy Books
They were hiding in the church basement for a reason—to avoid gossip. Her family hated his family. He couldn’t even tell her about being Darryl’s campaign manager for the election, because her brother was running for chief.
“What is it, Jude?” she whispered.
Her supple words caressed the shivers along his back, caressed the ache in his pants threatening to bulge, caressed his hands holding the cup.
Enough of torturing himself. He set the cup on the table and leaned in, clasping his fingers.
Her black eyes studied him, a hint of curiosity lurking in their dark depths.
“I’m going to kiss you, Raven, if I may.” The pounding of Jude’s heart battered his chest. Was he downstairs in the basement at Jennifer Mayman’s birthday party, ready to kiss her because she’d boldly dared him to as a gift? With the way his stomach lurched, his intestines twisted, and his blood raced, he was again a silly twelve-year-old ready to experience his first kiss.
“I…I…” Raven’s slanted eyes widened. “I never had a guy outright ask me.”
“I’m asking.” Jude heaved out a racing breath.
Raven set aside her coffee. Her slim socked feet glided against the floor. She also leaned in, wetting her lips. “Yes.” The word was a delicate hiss.
Jude shifted to his knees and snuggled between Raven’s spread legs. He set his hand on her thigh that quivered beneath his palm. The heat from her crotch warmed his stomach. He glided his other hand behind her neck. Raven’s ultra-long false eyelashes fluttered. He gazed at perfectly applied makeup. A light dash of shadow on her lids. A darker and heavier application in the crease. And a glittering golden-white shade beneath her black brows. Gorgeous. Damn, she was sexy with the tipped liner running across the bottom of her lids.
He slid his mouth along Raven’s puckered lips. A sweet sensation dribbled down his back. The lushness of her flesh and the moistness of her skin seemed to skim his spine. The heat of her breath dusted the dip below his nose, even caressed the small indent.
She moved her lips in rhythm with his slow strokes.
The door burst open, and a shot of icy wind followed.
Jude jumped to his feet. Raven yanked her knees to her chest.
Maggie Blackbird 