
A little sneak peek into Bayou Beauty!
Hey Babes!
Our spotlight is shining on the amazing Lexi Blake (one of our favorites) and her upcoming release –ย Bayou Beauty!ย Check out the excerpt below…ย
Rene was staring down at her. โCan I kiss you, Sylvie?โ
โWhat?โ
โIf weโre awkward, no oneโs going to believe us. Weโre getting married in the morning. We should at least practice kissing.โ
โMaybe weโre one of those private couples who donโt ever engage in PDA.โ
โNo. Weโre affectionate. Iโm going to model our fake marriage after your parents. Your parents were affectionate. I remember how your daddy used to chase your momma around the house.โ
He was right. They would be expected to be comfortable with each other if their plan was going to work. And she would have to stay here for a while.
Danger. So much danger, and yet she couldnโt deny that she wanted to know. Maybe sheโd made too much out of that night back in college. Maybe their chemistry had been an illusion, the hopes and dreams of a lonely girl with a crush on a boy sheโd known forever. โYes, you can kiss me, but itโs only for practice.โ
Those generous lips of his kicked up in a devilish grin. โI havenโt kissed anyone in a couple of years. I might need a lot of practice.โ
Years? That reminder of how hard life had been on Rene made it easier for her to go up on her toes and tilt her head back, offering her lips up to his. โItโs been years for me, too.โ
His expression went soft and his hands went to her waist. โThen weโll figure it all out again together.โ
His lips descended on hers and she knew sheโd been wrong in that moment. Her whole body went soft in his arms and she had to wrap herself around him to stay standing, because suddenly the only thing that mattered in the world was that kiss.
He moved cautiously, his hands tightening and his body slightly tense, but his lips were soft. He explored her mouth, lightly dragging his lips across hers. He was patient, giving her all the time she needed to relax into the kiss before she felt him gently pull at her bottom lip, the sensation going through her body like lightning.
It didnโt take much for the kiss to go from cautious to carnal. When she sighed and opened her mouth, he accepted her invitation without hesitation. All thought fled the minute she felt his tongue slide along hers, an invitation to dance.
Oh, she wanted to dance with him. So badly. It wasnโt that she hadnโt kissed anyone since him. She had, but there hadnโt been this wildfire passion that ran through her veins when sheโd kissed her last boyfriend. There had been sweetness and familiarity, but not this sense of coming home.
Passion and comfort. That was what Rene Darois was for her. He was excitement and safety, all wrapped in a gorgeous man package that got her heart racing every time she saw him.
She was about to be his wife.
She took a step back. If she didnโt, she might fall into his bed tonight. She had to take a deep breath and worried he could actually hear her heart pounding. โOkay, I think weโve got that down.โ
โI donโt know. We might need more practice, but I agree itโs enough for tonight.โ
His breath was slightly shaky, proving he hadnโt been unmoved. โSylvie…thank you.โ
Her heart threatened to melt, because that reddish blond hair of his was always perfect, and now it was slightly messy, and she could see the young man heโd been in his green eyes, the one whoโd happily slept on a sleeping bag in her grandfatherโs ratty old cabin and got up in the early dawn hours to spend time with an old man.
โIโm happy to do this for you.โ She frowned at her next thought. โBut I have to tell my mom. Iโm not sure how sheโs going to handle it.โ
โSheโs going to put a love spell on me and threaten to whammy me if I hurt you.โ
Rene did know her mom. Her mother would be thrilled by the idea of putting one over on Charles Darois. She would view it as a grand adventure and throw herself into the con. โThe good news is she puts all her love spells in jasmine tea. Itโs pretty tasty.โ
A grin crossed his face. โGood to know.โ
Bayou Beauty
Love returns to Louisiana’s Butterfly Bayou in a new small-town contemporary romance sure to charm hearts, fromย New York Timesย bestselling author Lexi Blake.
Sylvie Martine was prepared to take Washington D.C. by storm, but she put that dream on hold when her beloved hometown of Papillon, Louisiana, needed her most. Now Sylvie’s the mayor of the tiny town on the bayou that holds her heart. But for Sylvie, this can only be a pit stop on the way to bigger and better things. The last thing she needs is an old love to resurface and threaten her goals.
Rene Daroisโs whole life has been about serving his familyโno matter how much it hurts. Heโs used to sacrificing for his large extended family and the company his grandfather created. But he canโt believe the latest demand: he needs to find a wife and quick or he could lose it all. It would be a horrible situation. But he has just the solution: his high school sweetheart. Sylvie is everything he wants in a wifeโsmart, funny, and caringโand he planned to woo her anyway.
Now he just has to convince Sylvie that their love is worth it all, or he and the bayou will lose her forever.
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