Memories of a First Kiss / Guest Post by Linda Joyce / Giveaway

I am pleased to welcome my guest today, Linda Joyce. She is talking about first kisses and her wonderful books: Bayou Born and Bayou Bound. Take it away, Linda!

Let me say right up front, if you leave a comment, you’ll be entered into the giveaway: an eBook from Amazon of Bayou Born: Book 1 in the Fleur de Lis series. 

AND THE WINNERS ARE  . . . Elaine, Kelly, David, Gina, and Crystal! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Now about kissing...

I remember my first kiss from my first real boyfriend. Imagine a humid night on the bayou beneath a single light on a long, wooden dock. A lanky boy, all summer tanned with a mop of blond hair leaning against a railing, one knee bent, his foot resting on a rung of metal. Me thrilled...and afraid because he is “older” by a few years, being all of seventeen.

He tugs my hand, pulls me closer. I glance over my shoulder before turning to face him. Behind me, beyond the dock and crushed, oyster-shell alley, beyond the walls of the only bar-and-grill on the island, laughter from my family, particularly my father, floats my way. I have an inkling about what’s about to happen to me on the dock, and if my daddy finds out, there’ll be hell to pay.

It’s not like my parents gave me rules and said I couldn’t have my first kiss until I was sixteen or date until I was seventeen. No, instead, they told me I had to wait until they said it was okay. I might have been waiting until I was thirty, but that night, under a half-moon with croaking frogs sounding like a symphony to me, I summoned my fourteen-year-old courage and took matters into my own hands.

I let the boy pull me closer. A current jumped between his hand and mine. He rested his hand on my hip, a very intimate gesture to me. With the other hand, he cupped my cheek. In my mind, I was a star in a movie. I tried not to faint. His lips very lightly touched mine. A full swoon almost had me melting into him. No bones left in my body.

Then, my brother and cousin appeared from the darkness. “I’m gonna tell!” they both shouted and ran away into the darkness laughing. Fear took hold of me...and it wasn’t until almost the end of the summer I gathered my courage to try a kiss again.

QUESTION: When and where and with whom did you share your first kiss?

In Bayou Bound, Biloxi Dutrey’s not had good luck with men. As a photographer, she’s used to capturing images of people in love, though the emotion eludes her. She’s been contracted to take photographs for the local department of tourism and believes some aerial shots would help show the beauty of the Pearl River, the dividing line between Mississippi and Louisiana.

Here’s an excerpt from the story in Nick Trahan’s point of view.

While standing in front of the doors, he could see her eyes. He wished he’d invited her to his house for a drink and some music. He wasn’t ready for the evening to end.

“Dinner was wonderful. Thank you, Nick. I had a great time. The Chateau is an interesting find.” Biloxi held out her hand. She wanted a handshake?

Grasping her hand and pulled her close. “Say ‘yes, Nick,’” he whispered close to her ear.

“To flying?” she whispered back, her breath quickening.

“To flying. And this.”

He cupped her face with his hands. His thumbs caressed the soft smoothness of her cheeks. He bent and touched his lips to hers. When she didn’t resist, he deepened the kiss. Everything about her felt right. The form of her body molded to his. Her arms circled his waist. She kissed him back. She was warm and smooth and heaven in his arms.

Want to know more about Biloxi and Nick?

Biloxi Dutrey grounds her jet-setting photography career and returns to Mississippi when she learns her family home, Fleur De Lis, is headed for financial ruin. She plans to save it by scooping up the job of Keeper. But that means breaking tradition, and her family isn't cooperating.

Veterinarian Nick Trahan is new in town and wants folks to stop matchmaking. He won't settle for just a pretty face. He wants the perfect woman, one who believes in family and commitment—the exact opposite of his parents.

Nick rescues Biloxi during a raging storm, but the squall is tame compared to the tempest between them. Soon they experience the backlash from the long-standing feud between their families. If Biloxi surrenders her dreams for Fleur de Lis and toes the line with tradition, will she also be forced to give up on "forever love" due to the hate their families still harbor?

Bayou Bound is book 2 of the Fleur de Lis series and will have a release date real soon. Book 1 is Bayou Born. There you will meet Biloxi’s look-a-like cousin, Branna Lind, and learn about their tug-of-war relationship.

Ready to meet this large, extended bayou family? You could consider starting with Branna’s story, Bayou Born.

BOOK LINK:

Amazon

Linda Joyce is an award-winning writer. Her Louisiana roots run deep, and they’re intertwined with her Japanese heritage. She currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and three dogs: General Beauregard, Gentleman Jack, and Masterpiece Renoir. After eleven years, Beau and Linda still struggle for their place in the pack. Beau thinks Linda is his pet. Linda writes romance with contemporary heroines on a journey of self-discovery.

You can find Linda here:

Website: http://www.linda-joyce.com

Blog:  http://lindajoycecontemplates.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LindaJoyceAuthor

Twitter: @LJWriter  https://twitter.com/LJWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6950241.Linda_Joyce

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