Chantel Rhondeau: Romancing Christmas ~ Story Excerpts ~ Season For Love

This week I've released the Romancing Christmas boxed set, with nine other great romance authors. 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

Season For Love by Chantel Rhondeau

The specter of death tempered by beautiful miracles is all in a day’s work for head nurse Tess Riggs and pediatric specialist Dr. Dash Brisson. But discovering Christmas is the season for love could be their biggest challenge yet.

Website: http://www.chantelrhondeau.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChantelRhondeau

~~EXCERPT~~

Tess sat in Dash’s car in her driveway. The horse-drawn carriage ride had been perfect, and she was reluctant to go inside her house and bring the night to an end.

“I had a really nice time.” She reached across the console to take Dash’s hand. “Thank you for tonight.”

He squeezed her fingers softly. “I have a confession.”

“What’s that?”

Dash lifted her hand to his face, kissing her palm and then pressing it against his cheek. “I don’t want to say goodnight.”

A flutter of excitement tickled Tess’s stomach. The smoothly shaved skin of Dash’s face beneath her hand made the tingles extend even further down. It had been a long time since she had male companionship.

Reluctantly, she shook her head. “I don’t either Dash, but if I don’t get out of this car and go inside right now, I might not be strong enough to do so.” She looked away from his sexy blue eyes. The heat coming off him was enough to melt metal, and she so badly wanted to indulge herself in his fire.

“Why do we have to be strong?” Dash reached across and stroked her knee, making Tess squirm even though she couldn’t feel his touch well through the thick coat. Just imagining it was enough.

“This is our first date. We can’t end up in bed together.” Yeah, right. She was saying the right words, but there was no conviction behind them.

“We’re adults, Tess, and we like each other. I’m tired of being alone. Invite me inside.”

Ever since their kiss, Dash had been careful not to touch her too intimately. It was obvious that he wanted to though, and boy, did she ever want him to.

But she couldn’t. Until earlier today, she thought she hated him. It didn’t matter that he had proven himself to be a kind, compassionate, and utterly sexy man. She had to maintain some semblance of being a lady, not a sex-starved maniac.

She blew out all the air in her lungs and shook her head. “Not tonight.”

Hurt passed behind his partially shuddered eyelids, but he nodded. “I’ll walk you to the door.”