It's Another Launch Party in the Lair

by Beth

His Secret Agenda, my third book for Harlequin Superromance hits shelves this month! Break out the bubbly, unwrap the Cabana boys and settle in for some serious revelry, chandelier swinging and rowdiness :-)

His Secret Agenda is the third book in my Serenity Springs series. Here's the back cover blurb:

Sometimes you have to break the rules. Even your own.

Stay focused and never get involved.

Dean Garret is about to break the number one rule of undercover work. And it’s all because his new “boss” is as pretty as a professional cheerleader and has a do-gooder’s heart. Who can resist that combination? Still, Dean suspects Allison Martin is hiding something behind her dazzling smile. That something being the runaway mother and son he’s been hired to find.

To get the job done, he needs to gain Allie’strust. Only, the lawyer-turned-bar-owner isn’tcooperating. But she can’t remain immune to his good ol’ boy charm and sexy drawl forever. Because Dean never fails. And he’ll do anythingto solve a case. Even if it means he has to break all the rules.

I had so much fun writing this book! When I get an idea for a new story, there are a few things that I know right away: my characters names, the internal conflict keeping them apart, the black moment and my very favorite part of all romances, THE FIRST KISS!

Here's a quick peek at Dean and Allie's first kiss:

Finally, his mouth brushed against hers, a feather light kiss that drove a tingle of awareness and sharp, aching need through her body.

He pulled back and stared down at her. Okay, so curiosity had got the better of them.

No harm done.

She smiled up at him as she stroked the back of his neck, the silky ends of his just-this-side-of-too-long hair. “We still have at least four minutes left. I think you can do much better than that.”

Humor lit his eyed even as they darkened with desire.

And she knew that desire was real—even while she suspected it was as unwanted for him as it was for her.

Then he kissed her again. He kissed like he’d done everything else so far this evening. Slow. Easy. And with great skill. As if he had all the time in the world to learn the texture of her lips, the taste of her, the way she fit against his body. His tongue swept across the seam of her lips. But not even the rasp of his tongue against hers could break the spell he’d put her under.
She groaned and pressed her breasts against the solid planes of his chest.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her so that her high heels came off the floor. He slid his other hand into the hair at the nape of her neck, his fingers loosening her knot of hair as he massaged her scalp, tilted her head and deepened the kiss.

Dear Lord she hadn’t realized one simple kiss could be so…dangerous. To her peace of mind. Her sense of what she could and could not control.

And most importantly, to her willpower.

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the danger passed. Though he still held her flush against him, she had the sensation of him pulling away. While she would’ve sworn his earlier kisses had been driven by passion, the touch of his lips on hers now felt…deliberate. Practiced.

Contrived.

And things only get more complicated...and interesting...for them both from there ;-)

My favorite First Kisses in books are ones that take either the hero, the heroine or better yet, both by surprise. Such as in Nora Roberts' The Heart of Devin MacKade when Cassie gives Devin a friendly peck and he (having loved her for years) practically devours her. Same thing with Ethan and Grace in Rising Tides.

In TV and movies though, my favorite First Kisses are ones that have been a long time coming. Where the sexual tension has been building and building until BAM! The hero and heroine can't keep their hands (or mouths *g*) off of each other. Some of my faves are Gerard Butler and Emily Mortimer in Dear Frankie, Sandra Bullock and Aidan Quinn in Practical Magic and Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis in The Witness :-)

What is your favorite part of a romance? The build-up and sexual tension to that first kiss or love scene? The first declaration of love? Or maybe the resolution? Do you have any favorite First Kisses from books, TV or movies? Two commenters will each win a copy of His Secret Agenda!