Romancing the Hop!

Welcome to starr words and Romancing the Hop!

There's a ton of blogs to visit during this hop and each one you visit is offering a prize of some sort. And when you leave a comment, you'll be entered for our grand prizes. Yep, each comment equals a chance to win:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Large Swag Pack

And from the comments here on starr words, I'll be drawing for a $10.00 Amazon gift card!

The linky with all the participating blogs is at the end of this post. Have fun and good luck!

And now, my favorite thing about romance...

Really? I have to pick a favorite? Shall I take a writer's easy way out? I love romance because I get to write romance and discover a happy ever after ending. (Okay, sometimes it's a happy for now ending, but that works, too.) No matter what trials and tribulations my characters face, whether personal insecurities, relationship woes or the villain set to destroy everything in his path, I know, somehow, my story people will prevail. Love will prevail. And isn't that what it's all about? (The Hokey Pokey comes a close second.)

Here's an excerpt from By Keltic Design, the first book of The Double Keltic Triad. Along with one of those destruction minded villains, Jaye and Allyn both face their fair share of internal issues. In this excerpt, Allyn's fears come to the forefront. Jaye discovers he's 13 years younger than she is.

He rocked back on his heels and took her hands in his when they slid from his shoulders to his chest. Holding her fingers over his heart, he kept his eyes tightly closed. Allyn tipped her head to one side and looked past him to the wall where her awards hung. Glaring in the spotlight of her fear was the certificate he had asked about earlier. The reason he knew how much older she was. Panicked, she struggled to move away.

“Don’t.” Allyn froze at the soft word. Jaye’s hands gripped hers more tightly. Easing closer, she tried to read the emotions behind his closed eyelids. It was minutes, hours, or heartbeats later when Jaye opened his eyes and smiled tentatively, looking so like a hopeful little boy she couldn’t restrain a smile in return.

The moon’s reflection glistened in his eyes when Jaye turned his face to the window. She knew the decision had been made.

Expecting nothing more than good-bye, she held her breath. She was prepared. Although she tried again to slip her hands from his, he held them firmly for a moment before he let them go. Her palms flattened against his chest just over his racing heart and tried to imprint the feel of him into her memory, storing it away before he left her.

His voice remained rough and husky even after Jaye cleared his throat. “If we were in a movie this would be where I carry you off to the bedroom.”

Allyn didn’t understand; she couldn’t have heard him correctly. She must have given him a strange look for he stepped back, disappointment filling his face and dulling his eyes. Allyn took a deep breath and an even bigger chance. “That would be foolish.”

Despondent, the faint hope still lighting his face faded and his shoulders slumped. Allyn thought her heart would break. Stepping close to lay one hand on his shoulder, she leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his arm. The soft stubble on his cheek tickled her lips as she brought them close to his ear. “I can walk.”

***

Thanks again for stopping by starr words! Don't forget to leave a comment. And hop on to these other blogs. Have fun!