Ahh, the kiss . . . affectionate peck . . . spine-tingling tease . . . soul-scorching lip lock . . . Anyone seen the movie Cinema Paradiso? Remember how the movie man, Alfredo, had to cut out all the kissing scenes from the movies, and then he put them all together on a reel for Salvatore? It’s a great montage of kisses!
Here’s a kiss reel of literary smooches! Enjoy! 
♥ Reed leaned closer, his breath warm on her cheek. She braced herself for a friendly peck, but when her eyes fluttered shut, his lips grazed hers. Hovered there, and when she thought her legs might give out, Reed caught her arm and pulled her slightly toward him, his lips covering hers again.
He threaded one hand into her hair while the other tipped her chin.
Sparks exploded in her brain, and she grabbed hold of his arm. All of her senses came alive and responded to the unexpected deluge.
A long moment later, he pulled back and brushed a thumb across her cheek. “See you in about an hour.”
Kristen couldn’t speak but managed a nod. As soon as the door closed behind him, she collapsed against the sofa and ran a finger along her bottom lip. That kiss…Oh, man. The chances of her getting any writing done this weekend just dropped from unlikely to who-said-anything-about-writing? — The Story Between Us/Sweet contemporary romance by Darlene Deluca https://www.amazon.com/Story-Between-Us-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B08DCVKMWV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=darlene+deluca&qid=1612996833&s=books&sr=1-1
♥ “This is the proof we need. Oh, Tom. Thank you!” Becky grasped his shoulders and lifted on her toes, aiming for his cheek.
Instinctively, he turned his head and their lips brushed in a brief kiss. Simmering desire roared into a full-blown bonfire. But she jerked away before he could get his arms around her and draw her into the flames with him.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she stammered.
“I’m sorry you didn’t mean to as well.” — Tom Sawyer Returns by E.E. Burke https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Sawyer-Returns-New-Adventures-ebook/dp/B08S9RF6TQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=K39HI2UMGFX8&dchild=1&keywords=ee+burke&qid=1613157930&sprefix=EE+Bur%2Cstripbooks%2C168&sr=8-1
♥ “I…You…” He groaned and pulled her toward him, brushing his lips against hers. They were soft, giving, like everything about her. After the intractability of his father, he welcomed the change.
He needed the change. But he needed Dina more.
She gripped his elbows, and he kissed her. She tasted like wine and chocolate. His hands memorized the outline of her body beneath her sweater. In a corner of his mind he wondered if his hands distracted her as much as hers distracted him. Because hers currently played with the hair on the back of his neck and sent chills along his spine.
The thought came to him in a rush of panic. Like everyone else he’d ever cared for, she would leave him.
He leaned forward, determined to make her stay. The gearshift dug into his rib, but he ignored the jab, needing to get closer. Pulling her against him, he traced kisses along her jaw. He nuzzled the skin behind her ear, smiling as she gasped. When her mouth opened, he plunged his tongue inside. She stilled before her tongue met his. — Learning to Love/contemporary romance by Jennifer Wilck On sale for 99 cents through 2/19 https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Love-Serendipity-Book-3-ebook/dp/B07J49V5SP
♥ Mandi leaned toward him, opened her mouth, and wiggled the pretzel on the tip of her tongue.
The invitation in her eyes stole his breath like a punch to the solar plexus. He moved in, ready to retrieve the pretzel. Just as their breath mingled, she quickly drew it back into her mouth. He helped himself to a handful of curls and landed a hard kiss on her lips instead. “You are a tease,” he said near her ear. “And you’ll pay for it.”
Laughing, she grazed his hand with her fingers. “Come on. One more dance then we go?”
Her whisper-soft touch sent an electrical current buzzing across his skin. “Yeah,” he managed. — Something Good/contemporary romance by Darlene Deluca https://www.amazon.com/Something-Good-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00J8UN1GI/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=darlene+deluca&qid=1612998121&s=books&sr=1-3
♥ If Allison had ever imagined she would kiss Shane again in this lifetime, she would have imagined it this way. So sweet she wanted to die, so hard she tasted the need and the loneliness that bubbled up in both of them.
A sigh escaped her, and only drew him closer, and then he slipped the robe from her shoulders. He kissed her there and in the curve of her neck. When her knees buckled, he caught her and lifted her as if she was a wisp of marshland mist, a will-o-the-wisp. He sank onto the sofa, cradling her. She curled into his lap, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him again with all the heart of the young girl who’d first fallen in love with Shane McBride. — Will o’ the Wisp/ contemporary romantic suspense by Lucy Naylor Kubash http://lucynaylorkubash.com
♥ “I can’t date the parent of one of my students.”
“What?”
His eyes narrowed as they bore into her.
“Is that a school policy?”
She looked away. “No. It’s not an official policy. But it’s not the way I operate.”
“Kate, I’m not married. It’s not like we’d be having an affair or something.”
“It just doesn’t look right, and I don’t ever want any suspicion of favoritism or inappropriate behavior.”
“Ah. I see.” He was quiet for a moment.
When she finally looked up, his mouth claimed hers. Heat surged through Kate, and her mind reeled as his lips moved over hers, warm and searching.
His hands pressed her back, and he stepped closer, deepening the kiss.
When he abruptly pulled back, she tightened her grip on his arm, dazed and unsteady.
“Might be time to re-think your position,” he said, lightly brushing his thumb against her lips.
Her lips were still buzzing when he closed the door behind him. — Unexpected Legacy/sweet contemporary romance by Darlene Deluca https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Legacy-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00AW5NTC4/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=darlene+deluca&qid=1612999943&s=books&sr=1-7
♥ She examined her face in the bathroom mirror. She appeared as she felt—wasted. As she splashed cold water on her face, she heard knocking at the door. Drying her face and hands, she shuffled to the door and peered through the peephole. She opened the door and feasted on the sight of Aiden’s tall, powerful body looming above her.
Without hesitation, Aiden wrapped an arm around her waist. As he closed the door with his foot, he gathered her to him and buried his face in her hair. Leila held on, burrowing close. On auto-pilot, she tilted her head. He captured her lips in a long drugging kiss as he buried his hands in her hair. For a few minutes, her world righted before she remembered where she was and why she was there. Breaking the kiss, she pulled away. She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. — Gravity by Mona Sedrak https://books2read.com/ap/8Yo0OQ/Mona-Sedrak
♥ She drew herself up to full height, which was middling tall for a woman. “Noah is your brother,” she began, “If you can’t be bothered—”
“Oh, I’m bothered, Miz Bramwell,” he said. “I’m tired and I’m hungry. I’m paying you to take care of—”
“And I’m telling you your brother needs your discipline,” she said, taking a step closer.
He stepped toward her also. “If you calm down and tell me what he done—”
“It’s did, Mr. Pershing. What he did was—”
At her correction, Zeke saw red.
Her dark eyes glared at him and her mouth curved in a pout.
So he kissed her. — My Hope Secured/historical fiction by Theresa Hupp https://www.amazon.com/My-Hope-Secured-Frontier-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B07ZQM7SWP
♥ “Janet,” he said, “you don’t want to get involved with me.”
“I do,” she said. She bent her head and kissed him, gently at first. Then, as he began to respond, she slid her hand under his shirt and rested her palm on his warm, solid chest. She felt his heart beating.
When at last she drew away, Wes looked at her for a long moment. Then he put his hands behind her head and pulled her back down to him. — Stranger in the Storm/romantic suspense by Patricia McAlexander https://patriciamcalexander.weebly.com
♥ I held her close. She stroked my hair. With a thought I flipped the lights off; with another closed the wing of the piano. In the moonlight, I laid the woman of my dreams on top of the nine-foot concert grand, and I kissed her.
Breathing ragged, heart pounding, I stood back to worship her. I kissed her beautiful long neck, losing all consciousness except the wonders of her and the wonder that she was at last with me. I trailed my lips to her collarbone. She groaned, softly pleading.
Isabeau was trembling, her pupils so dilated her lavender blue eyes looked black. — Sinners’ Opera/Paranormal Romance (Vampire) by Linda Nightingale https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X3RSRXQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6
♥ She leaned to kiss his cheek. An innocent gesture—until he suddenly turned to face her. Her lips landed firmly upon his.
Danielle should have backed away…should have resisted the temptation to explore.
An explosion of tingles ignited from the tips of her curled toes to her fingertips as she received an immediate response. He tasted delicious. — Kissed By Winter/Sweet Contemporary Romance by Darlene Fredette https://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Winter-Redford-Falls-Novel-ebook/dp/B08DZ6ZW2V/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Darlene+Fredette&qid=1613157289&s=books&sr=1-3
♥ She had so not expected this, was totally unprepared for the way her body heated at his touch. His tongue swept into her mouth, stroking her tongue over and over until her knees turned to water and she had to grip his biceps to stay upright. He tasted hot, and a little desperate. Desperate for her. Her body arched toward him, his thumbs leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
He stopped kissing her and she wanted to whimper in protest, to beg him not to stop. He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing heavily as his hands gripped her hips.
“Don’t go.” His voice was a rough whisper. “Stay with me tonight.” — To Heal A Heart/small town contemporary romance by Jana Richards https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Heart-Masonville-Book-ebook/dp/B0875SLGK6
♥ With his hands on her shoulders, Lane leaned in then planted a kiss on her cheek. That’s all he intended to do, but it was out of his control. As if some magnetic force surrounded them, they were propelled toward each other. He couldn’t pull away. And neither did she. Another second, and his lips found hers.
Her hands gripped his arms, and he deepened the kiss, his lips moving over hers with need and urgency, oblivious to everything around them.
When she let out a soft whimper, he broke off the kiss and pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. —Something Good/contemporary romance by Darlene Deluca https://www.amazon.com/Something-Good-Darlene-Deluca-ebook/dp/B00J8UN1GI/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=darlene+deluca&qid=1612998121&s=books&sr=1-3
♥ I walked him to the door, resolved to say good night and for once not mean goodbye. I didn’t want him to go.
“Stay.” I laid my head against his chest. “We can sleep on the Castro.”
His shudder was rewarding.
“If you only knew how long I’ve wanted to hear you ask me. Jesus.” He laughed, a shy embarrassed sound that gladdened my heart. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this.” He took a deep breath. “We shouldn’t. Not tonight.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not sure we’d be doing it out of love.” He looked at me with a question in his gaze. “I don’t want us to make love because we’re afraid.”
I frowned, my heart heavy, my spirit desperate to disagree, but unable to.
“Okay.” I sighed, but still clung to him. “Not tonight. But soon. And for the rest of our lives.”
“Soon. And for the rest of our lives.”
He cupped my face in both his hands then kissed me in our mutual agreement. Equal parts of nervousness and desire quivered in my belly. I liked the sensation, felt warmed as I imagined what soon would be like. — Haunted Serenade/gothic romance by Anna M. Taylor https://amzn.to/3aXifyu
♥ Elmer slid his truck into a spot outside Margot’s apartment building, switched off the ignition, and sucked in a deep breath. Normally, he’d just ask for a good-night kiss. No big deal. But something about this tough little pixie urged caution and patience. Tonight, she’d loosened her armor just enough to glimpse the vulnerable softness beneath. If he wanted to see more, and he really, really did, he’d have to go slow.
He took her hand and paused. When she didn’t pull away, he raised it to his lips. But before he could make contact, she made a funny grunting sound deep in her throat, tugged him close, and planted a wet smooch right on his mouth, her lips as soft and succulent as a ripe peach. For a second he froze. Then lust stomped on the gas. He crushed her against his chest and claimed what she offered.
Rain pattered on the cracked windshield. In the darkness outside, the tires of passing cars hissed on wet asphalt. Inside, only the sound of their shallow breathing and the pounding of his heart, so damn loud she must surely hear it.
Without releasing her, he pulled back just far enough to gaze into her face. Her deep blue eyes gleamed under the streetlamp’s feeble light.
Her lips parted. “Wow, I uh…wow.” A deep blush painted her cheeks. — Love, Art, and Other Obstacles/contemporary romance by Sadira Stone https://books2read.com/u/bar2RP
♥ John smiles and cups the back of my head and we fall into a kiss. Our tongues dance together in sort of a slippery, erotic tango. I move closer to him and grasp his arm. I’m falling fast and hard and I don’t know how to stop myself. Not that I want to.
He pulls away first and holds my face between his hands. Then he kisses the tip of my nose. His lips travel to my cheek, my chin, and end at the nape of my neck, leaving me a hot, melting blob.
“Ace,” he whispers, we haven’t known each other long, and I know it might sound crazy, but I think I might be falling in love with you.”
Did I hear him right? My blob-self melts to a puddle on the floor. I pull it together long enough to say, “Thanks,” and pour myself out the door. — Cherokee Summer/ YA Romance by Susan Antony https://www.amazon.com/Cherokee-Summer-Susan-Antony-ebook/dp/B07L7GLGRG/
♥ Shay turned to leave, but before she could walk away, Aden grasped her arm and pulled her to his chest.
“Uh-uh, no leaving before I get a kiss goodbye.”
Not one for PDAs, Shay glanced around. The coast was clear. She reached around his neck and pulled him in, giving him a fierce, swift kiss, then stepped back.
“Hey,” he complained, trying to get her back.
“I’ve got to go.” She giggled and danced out of his reach. — Rock House Grill/Romantic Suspense by D. V. Stone https://www.dvstoneauthor.com/
♥ Catalina dove into the pool. Barely disturbing the surface, she cut through the water. Her hair flowed across he shoulders, tickling her with a feather’s touch. Five minutes passed. She looked to her left and saw Bonhomme resting against the side of the pool, elbows propped on the tile gutter. She swam a few more laps, then stopped and dipped her head back into the water.
She waded toward Bonhomme. He reached out, pulled her close and held her with warm comforting hands. He placed a thoughtful kiss on her lips, moving to her neck and back to her lips again. He tasted her, then pulled away. — Return of the French Blue/suspense/women’s fiction by Pamela Boles Eglinski https://www.amazon.com/Return-French-Blue-centuries-International-ebook/dp/B008BDBKTS
♥ He stepped closer, cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs resting on her cheeks, his exploring fingers spread into her hair.
He bent forward and kissed her on the lips. His long hair tickled her face, and intensely aware of his hard body, she let his strength call to her. His gentle tone tugged on heartstrings she never knew she possessed, and the sweet warmth of his touch lured her to lean into his hand. This close, his eyes were intense flecks of green, brown, and gold trapped within a black ring.
If he used magic on her, she didn’t care. All thoughts of the Guardians vanished. Nothing mattered. Only them. Only Cress. He created a longing in her that overshadowed everything else.
Her heart quickened and pulsated in a nice way. Maybe she could add lover to their relationship. A delightful shudder of anticipation rippled through her. — Woman in the Woods/ Fantasy romance by Darcy Carson https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Woods-Dragons-Return-Book-ebook/dp/B082S77VQ9/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=darcy+carson&qid=1613068531&sr=8-4
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Alas, this year it’s a virtual event. But, hey, that means more people can tune in, and you can do so from the safety of your own home! I’ll be discussing my writing journey, the women’s fiction and romance genres, and featuring my newest release, “The Story Between Us.” The panel highlights four different authors writing a variety of styles and genres.
I was feeling bummed about this, of course, as are a lot of people who had to cancel cruises, weddings and other fun events. I’m not really complaining. I know it’s the right thing to do, and I want us to kick Covid-19 to the curb. Still, it’s hard to not feel a little sad.
Happily, I’m ending the decade with seven published books, an essay in an anthology, a new romance in the queue with The Wild Rose Press publishing house, and works in progress that include a women’s fiction story, a general romance, and a Christmas romance.
darlene deluca 