First Kiss and Giveaway with The Dazzling Regan Black

Hello and Welcome to CEWTNK!!  I am so thrilled to have Regan with me again!!  Today she is here to share an excerpt of her fabulous novel Matchmaker's Mark and the First Kiss that goes along with it!! I had the opportunity to review this fabulous novel and you can check it out here : http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/2011/10/matchmakers-mark-by-regan-black.html
Stay tuned afterwards to see how you can win your own copy!! Regan is also participating in my blog hop and has offered 3 lucky commenters a chance to win an earring and necklace set+ her e-book, and two other great books.  Click here to enter: http://www.reganblack.com/paranormal-romance-novels/a-little-naughty-is-good-for-you/.  And now take it away Regan!!

This excerpt is from The Matchmaker's Mark and showcases the first passionate kiss between Lily and Dare. Lily has returned to her flower shop after her brother Cade has trashed the place fighting a werewolf who'd been holding Lily hostage:

With her sleeves rolled up to put her shop to rights, Lily had to accept her mark in all its bigger and bolder glory. Was the mark why Dare hadn't kissed her? She was sure he'd thought about it, but he'd pulled away. The mark wasn't twitching right now, thank the gods, but it was gaining color, deepening as if she was in the process of layering a tattoo.

Everyone around her had their thing and seemed comfortable with it. Cade and Dare had the Elite Guard. The werewolf had growling and intimidation. She had flowers.

Damn that werewolf. His overbearing presence and infernal insistence that she wasn't good enough for him had put a spotlight on her perpetual solitude. Was it too much to hope for one decent boyfriend? How was she supposed to have any confidence when even a shape shifter didn't find her worthy?

Henry [the cat] strolled by, eyed her cautiously, and she wiggled her fingers with one hand while she dried her tears with the other. "I'm just being a girl," she told him. "It's not contagious." The cat turned on the purr, rubbing his face against her knee and hand. The comforting rumble and soft fur eased the ache in her heart a little.

"You know," she whispered to the cat, "I indulge in the goofiest fantasies. I saw Dare, the other elf," she clarified for Henry "and thought he might be the one." She pushed to her feet, letting the cat guide her to his food bowl.

"I know it's silly, but he's seen so much of the world, I thought maybe he'd be more open-minded about me."

Henry turned a tight circle at her feet as she poured cat food in to his bowl. "Do you know how many times I've researched these symbols and the Matchmaker legends? It's been an obsession. I need to forget about it. I'm just letting life pass me by."

Henry finished his kibble with all due haste and darted out the door, clearly unwilling to listen to more girlish nonsense.

And that's what she was indulging. Nonsense. So she had a human mom and a weird birthmark. She was done waiting for life to come to her, done being a pawn. Her shop gave her a purpose and work she loved, but she'd been waiting for Mr. Right to walk in, see her mark and say, "Hey look. I was meant for you!"

How passively pathetic.

In her mind, he'd be a tall, lean elf who could overlook her less than stellar DNA. Funny how her elf roots ruled her romantic and sexual preferences, when so many fine-enough human males had been interested. Though she'd dated, she'd always held something back from the men on this side of her life.

"No more," she muttered. I'll take a cruise, meet someone and just do the deed. That'll relieve the pressure." And if she never met the counterpart for her birthmark, she wouldn't have any regrets.

"The hell you will."

She spun, gaped at the imposing form of Dare standing just behind her, with a smug looking Henry twining between his feet.

"How? What?"

"He…fetched me." Dare's hands fisted at the thought of her 'doing the deed' with some unworthy stranger. He might not be much of an improvement on the concept, but at least he was her kind. Mostly.

He would never let her execute such a foolish plan. If she'd managed to sail away in search of… he couldn't even think it… Cade would've killed him.

"I don't see how anything about me is really your business."

"Where is Cade?"

"Out. How should I know?"

"I will stay until he returns." Dare watched as she got to her feet. Tracked her progress as she approached him, temper sparking like blue flames in her eyes. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

"You will not. You are not my keeper. I don't need another brother!"

"I hardly think of you as a sister." She opened her mouth again, but his blood roared in his ears. He captured her mouth with his. Gripping her arms, he dragged her closer until her breasts were crushed to his chest, the friction delightful as the breath sawed in and out of both of them.

Her mouth softened, welcoming his kiss. He reveled in her sweet taste. When her tongue boldly stroked his, he gasped, catching the scent of the roses she processed rather than the lilies she was named for.

She filled his senses, zeroed any hope of rational thought. He'd never been more grateful to be stupid.

His mouth fused with hers as his hands learned the truth of her shape, skimming over lean muscles and molding to her soft curves. Her hips, hot under his palms, were an answer to every male prayer.

But she was not for any other male.

She was for him....

website: http://www.reganblack.com

twitter: @ReganBlack

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReganBlack.fans

The Matchmaker's Mark on amazon: http://amzn.to/oQuURu

The first boy who kissed me 'romantically' made his move in Kindergarten. (Back then, our teachers and parents thought the chaste peck on my cheek in the middle of a school open house was adorable rather than sexual harassment). Decades later, when I first kissed the man I did marry, it was a blend of shock and delightful perfection. I knew he was the one for me!

As an author I love writing about kisses. From awkward to perfect, kisses can reveal so much about the characters.

As a reader, do you find yourself anticipating that scene where the characters first lock lips? And which type of kiss is your favorite: tender, possessive, or an awkward moment that turns into sigh-worthy?

Btw, there's no wrong answer to that question...so do tell!!


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