RED CARPET KISS
by Melissa Brown
After penning a series of bestselling novels, Eleanor Riley vowed to leave her past—and the man who broke her heart—far behind. As the creator of one of television’s most beloved dramas, Elle couldn’t have written a better comeback for herself. But her success doesn’t leave much room in her life for romance…until Luke Kingston enters the scene.
Luke, a stunningly handsome star, is set to play the latest love interest in Elle’s show…but he’s got his eye on Elle, and she can’t deny their sizzling chemistry. Then Elle has a chance encounter with Troy Saladino—the man who had been the love of her life—and suddenly a million old feelings are rushing back.
With two gorgeous men pursuing her, Elle can’t decide who holds the key to her heart: her new love or her old flame. Will her choice bring her happiness—or more heartbreak?
“I wish I
could read your mind right now.”
Troy
leaned in across the table, his eyes boring into hers. “I don’t think you’re
ready for that.”
Elle felt
bold, as if she had nothing to lose. Her breath was quickening as her eyes
remained fixed on Troy’s. “Try me.”
Troy
lowered his voice to a whisper. “Right now, I’m thinking about how good your
lips would taste. I’m thinking about how much I want to pay the check, walk out
of here, and press you up against the bricks of the building.” He paused for a
minute. “Should I go on?”
Elle had
a sudden awareness of her own heartbeat; her fingers tingled with the need to
touch and be touched by the gorgeous man on the other side of the table. Those
eyes, those soulful brown eyes, focused on hers as if she were the most
beautiful creature on the planet.
“Yes,”
she whispered.
He
glanced around briefly before continuing. “I’m thinking about pressing you
against that brick wall, and unbuttoning your blouse. I’d take my time, savoring
the look and feel of you as I opened each one.”
Elle
swallowed hard, her palms began to sweat, and her nerve endings stirred beneath
her skin. Their hands were still enmeshed on the table, and she realized
Troy was
now stroking her palm with his fingertips. That simple touch left her craving
him, as much of him as she could possibly obtain. She wanted to make the table
vanish, to push it all aside, eliminating all distance between her and the man
who was making her heart pound out of control.
“What
else?” She parted her legs slightly, feeling completely enveloped in her need
for Troy.
“I’ll pay
the check and then I’ll tell you. How does that sound?”
“Good.”
Troy
released her hand and rose from the table. He walked to the other side of the
restaurant, where their waiter happened to be standing. He pulled him aside,
opened his wallet, and handed him a bundle of cash. Then, with a cocky grin, he
joined Elle, who managed to stand despite her wobbly and weakened knees.
When he
took her hand and led her outside, Troy did exactly what he had described
inside. The brick felt harsh against her back, but it didn’t matter. All she
wanted was to touch and explore every inch of Troy’s body. His lips crashed
against hers. One hand cupped her ass as the other toyed with the collar of her
blouse.
“God,
I’ve missed you,” she murmured between kisses as Troy unbuttoned the first
button of her blouse. “I’ve missed this.”
“Shhh,”
Troy whispered, popping the next button, exposing the lace of her bra. His
fingertips danced over the exposed fabric, tickling her sensitive skin,
creating a delectable shiver down her spine. His lips pressed again to hers,
and immediately Elle opened her mouth, inviting him in. He deepened the kiss,
stroking her tongue with his own in determined yet gentle strokes. Arousal
built within her as her hands roamed his back, his neck, his hair.
“Should
we go somewhere . . . somewhere more private?” Elle asked, suddenly aware they
were in public when she heard the voices of people walking past the restaurant.
“Your place, maybe?”
“No,”
Troy answered.
“No?”
“I think
we should say good-night.”
“You
can’t be serious.” Elle’s vision became clouded, and her throat ran dry.
“I think
we should take things slow.”
“You call
this slow?” She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. She planted her feet
in a wide stance, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “What’s going on,
Troy? Are you still pissed off? Is this all a game to you?”
Troy ran
his fingers through his hair. “No, of course not. You know me better than
that.”
“Maybe not.” Her fingers
fumbled to button her blouse. She felt ridiculous, foolish, like Troy was
playing with her emotions. Turning her on only to walk away from her. She’d
felt that
ten years ago; she didn’t want to feel.
I'm a fan of author Melissa Brown. Her stories are deep, emotional and passionate and Red Carpet Kiss is all of that and more. The story follows Elle as she navigates her past and present and must decide where her heart truly resides. Her story started off slow for me and I wasn't sure if Elle was a character I could identify with, but I soon found myself wrapped up in her story and feeling her conflicting emotions as though they were mine. I'm not a fan of love triangles, but in this story, it worked and I didn't mind it all. I give the story 4 stars; steamyness is moderate.
Melissa Brown was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended the University of Illinois and is the mother of two fantastic kids. She's an avid reader who enjoys making handmade gifts for her family and friends, as well as baking and painting. Melissa has an unhealthy obsession with pop culture. She speaks fluent movie quotes from the 1980s (John Hughes = genius), reads celebrity gossip magazines and never misses an episode of Scandal. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense and young adult novels.All of Melissa's books are currently available exclusively through Amazon.com and are part of the Kindle Unlimited Program.
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