Today marks the return of an old friend. Alicia – Cia to the word – is one of my oldest author friends.  Not only is she a wonderfully talented authors, she a great friend who’s always there to help.  Today she’s here to talk about the magic of a first kiss and how much it connects readers to the character. She’s also come with a free copy of her latest book, Picked At The Peak, to give away. Read on to the end, after the excerpt for details on how to win.

Guest Author: Alicia Nordwell

First Kiss Clips!

Okay, first off… I have to thank Andy for letting me crash his blog to promote my newest eBook, Picked at the Peak. Read on to the end, because I’ve details of the contest at the bottom of the post. For this promo, I thought this time I’d do something a little different. Picked at the Peak is one of those stories where I tried to write the characters into the same stage of life as me age-wise. I like to mix it up though, and often vary the ages of my characters from late teens to early forties. One of the things that nearly every single of my stories has, though, is a brand new romance.

Now, that’s not something I can claim to have recent experience with, lol. My first real boyfriend when I turned sixteen became my husband thirteen years ago. I think part of my fascination in bringing two characters together is remember that moment through the distance of time. Those jittery feelings discovering your feelings, and if they match the other person’s, the torturous but titillating task of ‘are you or aren’t you’ inspires me.

Then… then, we have the kiss. What about you? Do you remember yours? I still remember my first kiss, and of course, my last first kiss. I try to use all of my experience (*coughs* No, I won’t say exactly how much, lol) when I write those moments into my stories.

That moment can come from two teens flush with new love:

Tap stood up suddenly and leaned over the bed, carefully cradling Dane’s face with his hands. He locked eyes again, trying to get Dane to see him, to see how he really felt. “I’m not joking,” was all Tap said before he gently stroked his mouth over the soft lips he had been craving since the moment the two had met. He pressed his lips against Dane’s twice, three times before he let out a sharp breath and slid his hands down onto Dane’s neck and gently pressed him into the pillow. Tap flicked his tongue across Dane’s mouth in a quick swipe before he pulled back to smile in a sweet, gentle way that Dane had never seen before.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

Dane was unable to say a word.

* * *

Or new intimacies between old friends, now lovers, that’s been planned forever but just. can’t. wait. another. second like:

He stood close enough I could feel the heat of his body. I’d planned on kissing him at midnight but … I yanked Mack close, one hand on his neck and the other against the small of his back.

“I’m tired of the teasing,” I growled.

Mack raised one eyebrow. “So?”

A week of being too sick to do anything about the bulge that kept growing in his jeans made me impatient. Our teeth clicked together as I shoved my tongue in his mouth, tasting and exploring every inch.

His hands clutched my shoulders as Mack kissed back. It was every bit as good as I’d imagined but now my pants were too tight. My cock ached as I rubbed against him, feeling the ridge of his erection.

“Bedroom.”

*  *  *

Or the chance taken between two new friends when you’re not quite sure if that kind of affection is welcome:

With thanks to my friend Jason. Without him this picture wouldn’t have been possible.

Jason just stared, and then looked at Sean, tears in his eyes. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes I did,” Sean insisted, “It’s true. You saw this even before I did, without you I would never have taken this picture. You’ve come to mean a lot to me, and I wanted to say thank you in a special way.”

With that Sean did what he had wanted to do almost since he first met Jason. He grabbed the back of Jason’s neck and going up on tiptoe he laid a soft kiss on his mouth. It was just a gentle brush against those enticing lips but when he moved back their eyes met and locked, both holding the promise that kiss offered.

That’s just a few of my favorite kisses in my stories! They’re a lot of fun to write, infinitely variable depending on the characters and the situation they’re in. Do you have a favorite kissing scene?

Synopsis:

Aislin was surrounded by his extensive, but close-knit, family his whole life. He was the younger brother or the cousin they needed to protect and the kid’s favorite uncle, but he was never just Aislin. His overbearing family rarely listened to him, so sure they knew best. His adult years had all been about proving that the accident that damaged his leg as a teenager didn’t limit him.

He started a microbrewery business, bought a winery and decided to have… a baby.

The news shocked his family and friends, but he was determined to be a single parent. Not that Aislin wouldn’t love to have a partner, but dating never really worked out for him. It didn’t matter if he was gay, or single, or had a handicap. He was more than prepared.

He was not expecting the drastic change the next nine months would wreak on his life.

Excerpt:

Lander let the water overflow the wine glass he’d been rinsing. “I see.”

Aislin took the glass and then shut the dishwasher. “That’s it, it’s full. Just leave the rest of those in the sink, and I’ll do another load in the morning.” He winked. “Just don’t tell my mom.”

Lander laughed. “Maybe I’ll hold it over your head as blackmail.”

Aislin handed him a blue towel to wipe his hands on after he’d dried his own. “What exactly do you plan to blackmail me for?”

Lander’s eyes twinkled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Aislin leaned in a little. “Yeah,” he said quietly, “I do.”

Lander’s eyes widened a little and the corner of his mouth curled up. “Well. I guess I could be persuaded to keep your secret. You could convince me.”

“And how do I do that?”

Lander took a step forward, very much in Aislin’s personal space, but Aislin didn’t move. The feather-light touch of Lander’s calloused thumb across his lip felt like a brand sliding across his sensitive skin.

“Can I kiss you?”

Had Lander really just asked him that? Aislin didn’t speak and disappointment filled Lander’s gray blue eyes. Aislin could almost feel the distance falling between them.

He grabbed the edge of Lander’s vest and pulled him close before he could step back. “Sorry, don’t go. Just a little in shock, I think.”

Lander looked confused. “In shock?”

“I didn’t expect you to want to kiss me, much less ask my permission. I’m not very good with stuff like this.”

“Well then don’t say anything. Just nod.” Lander’s voice was like a low caress on its own. He leaned so close to Aislin that the puff of his breath was hot against his lips. “Can I kiss you now?”

Aislin strained forward and managed the smallest of nods just before Lander’s lips landed on his. For all of Lander’s restraint asking to kiss him, he had none in the act. One hand went around Aislin’s waist to pull him close and the other tilted his head back a little farther as Lander kissed him firmly.

The feeling of Lander’s wet tongue swiping across Aislin’s lips made him open them, giving the large man what he wanted. Aislin could taste the sweet tang of wine lingering on Lander’s tongue as he kissed him back, letting their tongues slide and tangle together until the need to breathe forced them to part.

“Holy hell, Aislin, you can kiss.” Lander stared into his eyes, their lips barely separated.

Aislin was flushed with warmth. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“I didn’t expect you to want to kiss me, much less ask my permission. I’m not very good with stuff like this.”

“Well then don’t say anything. Just nod.” Lander’s voice was like a low caress on its own. He leaned so close to Aislin that the puff of his breath was hot against his lips. “Can I kiss you now?”

Aislin strained forward and managed the smallest of nods just before Lander’s lips landed on his. For all of Lander’s restraint asking to kiss him, he had none in the act. One hand went around Aislin’s waist to pull him close and the other tilted his head back a little farther as Lander kissed him firmly.

The feeling of Lander’s wet tongue swiping across Aislin’s lips made him open them, giving the large man what he wanted. Aislin could taste the sweet tang of wine lingering on Lander’s tongue as he kissed him back, letting their tongues slide and tangle together until the need to breathe forced them to part.

“Holy hell, Aislin, you can kiss.” Lander stared into his eyes, their lips barely separated.

Aislin was flushed with warmth. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

* * *

Contest:

Mmm… first blushes of looooove. LOL Okay, for the contest it’s super simple. Just share your favorite kissing scene. Doesn’t have to be from any of my stories, either. Do NOT forget to leave your email! Tomorrow morning I’ll announce the winner of their free copy of Picked at the Peak in the comments here, then contact them via email.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Gay Authors

All Romance eBooks

Author Links:

Blog: Cia’s Stories

Facebook: Cia’s Stories

Twitter: @AliciaNordwell