Chantel Rhondeau: Excerpt - Heating Up The Holidays

This week I've released the Romancing Christmas boxed set, with nine other great romance authors. During our first day of sales yesterday, we've shot up the charts and have been #1 in Holiday Fiction!! To kick off this release, once a day over the first two release weeks, I'll be posting an excerpt from each story. Take a look and then go buy this awesome set, priced at just 99 cents for its introduction! Grab it now before the price rises! Now, for today's book excerpt:

Romancing Christmas: 10 Love Stories to Spice up the Holidays ~EXCERPTS EDITION~

Multi-author boxed set
Release Date: November 3, 2014
Genre: Holiday Romance
Cover Artist: http://www.bellamediamanagement.com/

~~Blurb~~

Do you like your Christmas nice...or a little naughty? Bring the season into your heart with love stories to match your mood. This boxed set from 10 of today’s hottest romance authors will warm your heart even on the coldest night.

~~Purchase Links~~

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple iBooks
KOBO

Heating Up the Holidays by Marcia James

When Chris Spencer returns home with his daughter, he's not looking for a second chance with his first love. And the last thing Nicky Paxton needs at Christmas time is her high school heart-breaker. But thanks to a hairless dog and a lonely child, they might get their Christmas desires.

Website: www.MarciaJames.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarciaJamesAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Marcia_James

~~EXCERPT~~

Nicky heard Chris mutter something under his breath, but she kept walking from the kitchen to the foyer of her home. If he didn't want to leave, he shouldn't have ended what was the sexiest damn kiss she'd had in thirteen years. Of course, she had no plans to actually let the too-honorable-for-his-own-good man walk out her front door. He was back in town to stay, and she was staking her claim on him tonight.

She stopped by the main staircase and hung his leather jacket on the mahogany newel post. Then wiping the huge grin off her face--something Chris wouldn't appreciate under these circumstances--she turned to meet his disgruntled gaze. "Thank you for the pizza and wine."

Chris nodded. His expression was pleasant, but a vein ticked in his temple.

Gesturing to the snow-battered windows in her nearby living room, she continued. "Looks like the weather's gotten worse. Could be a dangerous drive back to your place. Did you say Holly is sleeping over at your parents' house tonight?"

He nodded again, a mix of hope and amused suspicion flickering in his eyes. Maybe she wasn't so skilled at presenting a poker face.

"Well," Nicky glanced at the nails of one hand in an exaggerated show of nonchalance, "then I guess you have two choices." She met his gaze again, her lips curving despite her efforts to control them. "You can put on your jacket and head out, your virtue intact. Or...you can come upstairs and show me your tan lines."

He made a grab for her and she danced away, laughing. Chris put his hands on his hips and smiled. "You had me going there, brat. I thought you were throwing me out." He pointed to the floor in front of him. "Come here and kiss me."

"Like I'd take orders from some surfer-dude lawyer." Whirling, she charged up the staircase with Chris on her heels. Nicky made it almost halfway to the second floor before he caught her and lifted her into his arms. It was like flying. The autumn of their senior year, he'd chased her, picked her up just like this, then thrown her laughing into a pile of leaves they'd raked together. Those had been such wonderful times. Tonight they'd make even better memories.

She circled his neck with her arms as he took the rest of the stairs two at a time.

When he reached the upstairs hallway, Chris asked, "Which room?"

Nicky tugged on the hair at his nape. "Put me down before you get a hernia."

Lowering his head, he nibbled her ear. "You're a flyweight, Nickels. And unless you want our first time together as adults to be against this wall right here, you better tell me which room."

A delicious full-body shudder ran through her, one that literally knocked off her fuzzy slippers. "Why don't we save the wall 'til next time." She pointed down the dark corridor. "Last room on the right."