Life in
the small town of Emerald Springs, Washington, is anything but slow and
peaceful. An old feud between former business partners Whitman and Sanders
keeps competition on a high burner, fueling resentment, renewing rivalries …
and love. Now someone is trying to bring down Emerald Tea Farm, and it’s up to
both families to protect their future while still wrangling over the past.
Daniel Whitman has a plan to turn the family resort into
an exclusive eco-friendly resort, but his family thinks the timing is wrong.
Undaunted, he heads off to Australia to investigate an award-winning spa. He’s
immediately attracted to marketing manager Rochelle Harris but pushes it aside
to concentrate on business.
After growing up with a mother who frittered away every
penny her father earned, Rochelle’s only goal is to become financially secure
without relying on anyone. Her innovative ideas put her resort at the top of
its field, and she doesn’t need a sexy, attractive American distracting her
from her plans.
The more time they spend together, the more the
attraction grows. Then a disaster back home has consequences even Daniel’s not
prepared for. Rochelle is left to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams.
Can either of them start their lives over or will circumstances beyond their
control force them both to take a risk and trust again?
Excerpt:
Rochelle waited for Daniel to return to the balcony. She’d
originally thought his offer meant in-the-bedroom type of dessert. She
certainly hadn’t expected him to get up, go back into the room, and actually
bring out food.
“I saw this on the menu and was intrigued by it.”
He was carrying a plate with a meringue confection topped
with fresh whipped cream, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Her mouth started watering.
“Oh you’re going to love it. Pavlova is delicious. It’s my
favorite dessert, and I have to stop myself from ordering it each night.”
“Great. I was hoping you’d say you liked it.” He gave her
look that suggested he had something wicked in mind, and it involved the sweet
concoction in his hands. “I thought we could share.”
She couldn’t stop the shiver of anticipation traveling
through her body, and it wasn’t from the thought of eating Pavlova. “Sounds
great,” she croaked.
He sat down next to her, holding the plate in one hand. “Do
you want some more wine before we start?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.” She didn’t think she needed anything
to make her lightheaded; she was halfway there.
His movements were precise as he dipped the spoon into the
dessert, scooping up a generous portion of the layers and holding it out to
her. She leaned in, and as delicately as she could, closed her lips around the
spoon before sliding them off. The smooth cream was the first thing to hit her
taste buds, and it was quickly followed by the berries’ tartness and then the
combination of the meringue’s gooiness and the crispiness of the outer shell.
She closed her eyes and moaned. It was so delicious, and this was the reason
she didn’t order it every night. When she swallowed and opened her eyes, they
locked on Daniel’s.
“Wow,” he whispered and stuck the spoon in to give himself a
taste of the treat. She reached and closed her fingers over his.
“Let me.” She took the spoon from him and held it up for him
to taste. Their eyes remained locked on each other. She watched the play of
sensations across his face: the slight flaring of his eyes when he tasted the
creamy mixture; the slight grimace when he bit into the berries; the look of
absolute bliss when he finally swallowed the sweet concoction.
“I can tell why you love this. Words can’t describe it.”
“I
know. Now feed me more,” she demanded with a laugh.
With each mouthful they
shared over the next few minutes, Rochelle wanted to reach
over and kiss Daniel. There was something extremely sensual
about watching another person enjoy your favorite dessert.
“Last mouthful,” he said mournfully as he held out the spoon
toward her.
“You have it.”
She wasn’t sure what he had planned as he put the
plate on the small table to the side.
He moved closer to her until his leg was brushing up against
hers. The warmth from his body ignited the sensual fire that surrounded them.
57
“How about we share it?”
With his free hand, he gently cupped the back of her head.
He brought his face closer until their lips were almost touching.
Her tongue darted out to lick a drop of cream that was
threatening to fall. Daniel groaned, and the next instant the spoon clattered
to the ground and he had his arms around her, his lips meshing with hers.
She wasn’t going to fight him. This was what she wanted. Had
wanted all night since their first kiss when she walked into his suite. She
climbed onto Daniel until she was straddling his legs. She dug her fingers into
his hair, deepening the kiss. Her dress had crept up and she reveled in the
feeling of his hands tracing lightly up the back of her thighs until he was
cupping her ass.
She pulled her lips away, breathless from the heady rush of
emotions that had enveloped her.
“I want you, Daniel,” she whispered against his lips.
Summoning the courage to ask something she’d never voiced before in her life,
she took a deep breath. “Make love to me.”
Thank you Nicole for including me in your blog tour! Daniel's Decision is the second book by Nicole that I have had the privilege to read. When I first began reading romance I read those small harlequin romances and Nicole's books remind me of those. They are a quick read, that include a little angst, a little insta-love, and a lot of romance. The majority of this story is set in Australia and with the descriptive text, you can visualize yourself in the Australian rain forest. Who knew Australia had a rain forest?! Nicole writes relate-able characters that are mature; where the angst isn't petty or ridiculous, and is always settled quickly. While the Emerald Legacy Series books are stand alones, you will catch glimpses of other characters from the previous books. I give Daniel's Decision 4 stars and the steamy-ness level is moderate with a few tasteful scenes.
To Purchase on Amazon: Daniel's Decision
About the Author
On her very first school report her teacher said ‘Nicole
likes to tell her own stories’.
It wasn’t until after the birth of her first child and
after having fun on a romance community forum that she finally decided to take
the plunge and write a book.
Nicole writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you
one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. She enjoys
taking two characters and creating unique situations for them.
Apart from writing Nicole is busy looking after her
very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, and two fabulous kids. She
also enjoys watching sports and, of course, reading.
You
can visit Nicole at her website www.nicoleflockton.com
or follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/NicoleFlockton
and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NicoleFlockton?ref=hl. Sign-up
for her newsletter here http://nicoleflockton.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=027e33e71494440b9403da0d1&id=215ef7fa1b
Comments
Post a Comment