First, congratulations to Fran S. for winning the contest yesterday on my Facebook Page. She won a signed paperback of First, I Love You. I’ll be having more contests while we wait for Third time’s The Charm, so don’t worry if you didn’t have time!

Between now and then, let’s get back to reliving some fan-favorite moments from First, I Love You and Second of All. This one is going out to Caroline, another huge James and Kiki fan who tells me this is her favorite moment from Second of All:

She felt a fissure of awareness that made goose bumps on her skin and she somehow knew he had shifted his brooding gaze to her profile. She waited for him to say something, but the limo remained silent. She felt him shift ever so slightly towards her then the car began to slow.

“We’re here, Miss Downey,” Kevin said through the intercom.

“Thank you, Kevin,” Kiki answered, slipping her heels back on.

She glanced at James and saw he was frowning menacingly at his jacket across from him. It was both exciting and off putting at the same time. Exactly who was he mad at? Her? Her family? Poor Kevin? Ugh, she was so tired of worrying about everyone else’s feelings. When Kevin opened the door she got out and marched into the lobby without waiting for James. She pretended like he didn’t exist as they rode in the elevator to their sensibly priced room (as sensible as one could get at a five star luxury hotel – a hard won victory on her part over his stubborn pride). She could tell he was still sending her intense almost predatory looks, but if he wasn’t going to communicate, why should she?

Kiki heard the hotel door thunk closed behind them and the snick of the security bolt as she walked forward and started taking her heels off. She hadn’t made it but three steps in when James grabbed her arm and twirled her around. She looked into his eyes, startled, and gasped a little as he yanked her towards him, crushing his mouth to hers. She could taste the alcohol from his drinks on his lips and reflexively put her arms around him as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her madly.

James hitched her up around his waist and pressed her up against the wall of the hotel room, one hand making its way under her dress and yanking her underpants down a bit. Her head felt sandwiched between the wall and his mouth, his tongue as demanding as his fingers on her pelvis. She dug her fingernails into his arms and wrapped her legs around him, trying to both get a better grip and a bit more freedom. Instead he pressed his torso even more against hers, and she could feel the gun from his holster against her side and the badge against his belt. He scooted her up a bit then dropped his grip on her waist, and undid his pants as her legs slowly listed down. She held onto his shoulders with her hands, and managed to gasp out between kisses,

“James!”

He ignored her and finished dropping his pants, then grabbed her legs back up around his waist. His mouth crushed against hers again, almost painfully in its possessiveness and his hands grabbed her hands and pressed them above her head against the wall.

–Copyright 2012, Genevieve Dewey