Smex Scene Sunday

We’re going old school with a trip down memory lane. Nora Robert’s romance suspense novels have always had a place of honor on my book shelves and have provided continuous enjoyment. Whenever I need a break or just some comfort, I can grab one of Robert’s books and settle in for an engaging and familiar ride.

Today’s smex scene comes from one of my favorite Nora Robert’s books-Carolina Moon. A perfect blending of suspense, humor, action, and sorrow makes this book one of my all time favorites. So much so I have replaced my copy many, many times. Set in a small southern town, a young lady comes back to face her past and to right a wrong that changed her life forever.

Heroine: Tori Bodeen. Ostracized as a child for her family and her gift of sight, Tori left town, vowing never to return.

Hero: Cade Lavelle. The town’s golden boy. He had no use for Tori as a child but seeing her all grown up has him reconsidering his future and her place in it.

“I liked the way you looked today. All tidy and crisp. All calm and cool on the outside. Always makes me wonder what’s going on under the surface.”
“I was nervous.”
“It didn’t show. Not the way it’s showing now. Defenses down, Tory. I want them down. I’m going to take advantage of it.”
“Cade, I’ve got nothing in me.”
“Then why are you trembling?” He tugged the band from her hair, heard the quick catch in her breathing. His eyes stayed on hers, watching the irises darken as he combed his spread fingers through her hair and unwound the neat braid. “Why aren’t you stopping me?”
“I … ” Was that her knees going weak? She’d forgotten that could be such a lovely sensation. Surrender wasn’t always weakness. “I’m thinking about it.”
He smiled then, a lazy slide of amusement with power at the edges. “You just keep right on thinking. I’ll keep right on taking advantage.” He undid the first button of her shirt, then the second.
[…]

“I’m out of practice.”
He flipped the third button open. “Thinking?”
“No.” Her breath came out on a shaky laugh. “I’m very good at thinking most of the time.”
“Then think about this.” He gave her shirt a little tug to pull it from the waistband of her slacks. “I want to touch you. I want to feel your skin under my hands. Like this.” He skimmed them up her sides, down. Her stomach quivered when he unhooked her slacks. “No, keep your eyes open.”
He leaned forward, caught her chin in his teeth. A brief nip that shot an ache down the center of her body. “Since you’re out of practice, I’ll just guide you through. And I want you looking at me when I touch you.”
Look straight ahead, he’d told Hope. And had steadied her.
“I want to look at you,” she told him.
He lowered the zipper, slowly, knuckles grazing against her. Her own low moan echoed like thunder in her ears.