A kiss from… Home Before Sundown by Barb Hannay

In my latest single title romance Home Before Sundown I’ve used two of my favourite storylines – friends to lovers and a reunion. Bella and Gabe grew up on neighbouring cattle properties, but it wasn’t until Bella had been away at university that she and Gabe became lovers. Things went wrong (as they do) so it’s several years later when they’re reunited, and the story includes quite a few memories and flashbacks, including this memory for Bella of their first kiss…

‘Look. A Simpsons’ sky,’ Bella said, pointing.

‘A what sky?’

‘You know the beginning of The Simpsons, when the title goes up and there’s a pretty blue sky with white fluffy clouds?’

‘Oh, yeah.’ Gabe chuckled. ‘You’re right. A Simpsons’ sky. I like that.’

The sky was especially blue and beautiful that day, but Bella was far more interested in Gabe lying beside her, all bronzed and muscular and manly. Whenever she stole a glimpse his way, she was filled with longing that made her skin feel too tight.

At uni, she’d tried to fall in love with other guys, with next to no luck, and now she was scared she would give in to her impulse and throw herself at Gabe and make a fool of herself.

She had to be careful. Gabe was her long term project. If things worked out the way she hoped, they’d be together forever – so she was terrified of making a mistake that could spoil everything.

If they ever got together, Gabe would have to make the first move. So, to stop herself from doing anything foolish, Bella quickly told him about the crazy word game that one of her housemates had introduced.

It wasn’t the first time she’d brought home one of these games. Last Easter, it had been a metaphor thingy that involved choosing the kind of furniture a person was most like, or the time of day, or whatever.

Bella had decided that Gabe was a double bed, late afternoons, an electric guitar and rocky road chocolate. He’d told her she was a kitchen stool, early mornings, Country and Western music and a bunch of white grapes.

She hadn’t been too pleased about the kitchen stool, but he’d said it was because she was slim and leggy, so she’d forgiven him.

‘With this game, you give a line of dialogue,’ she said. ‘But the joke’s in the verb at the end.’

Gabe frowned. ‘Sounds like an English exam.’

‘It’s not really.’ Bella told him her favourite. ‘I’m at breaking point – she snapped.’

She couldn’t help smiling when she said this, and although Gabe groaned, she insisted on telling him another one. ‘I’m bursting with anger – she exploded.’ Bella giggled now. She loved these. ‘It’s time to eject – the pilot ex-planed.’

Gabe groaned even more loudly at this one. ‘You’ve spent a whole year at uni, and this is the best you can come up with?’

Bella pouted a little, thinking of names to call him as they lay there, looking up through the branches.

And then Gabe said super-lazily, ‘Okay. How about this one? I’m going to kiss you – he lisped.’

Bella was sure her heart stopped beating.

She knew Gabe was just getting into the swing of the game and he wasn’t actually going to kiss her, but his words still sent her into orbit.

‘Not bad,’ she said shakily. ‘But lisped isn’t quite right.’ Now her heart was galloping so fast, her voice was squeaky and breathy. ‘It’s pretty good, though. Lisped is almost like lips, and I guess you were trying to –’

She stopped talking when she realised how close Gabe was.

He was resting his weight on one elbow, as he leaned in closer. ‘How about – I’m going to kiss you – he mouthed?’

‘That –’ Bella gulped. ‘That’s pretty close.’

But she couldn’t laugh, couldn’t even smile, because she knew what was going to happen now. This was it! The moment she’d been waiting for, the big moment she’d dreamed of and longed for and prayed for. The moment she’d feared might never happen…

Gabe kissed her and his lips were warm and dizzyingly wonderful.

‘Wow,’ he whispered.

‘What?’

‘Nothing… I can’t kiss you and have a good vocabulary at the same time. Just… wow.’

‘Are you going to kiss me again?’

‘Might have to.’

Home Before Sundown is available in print in Australia and New Zealand and as an ebook in all other countries.