A favorite scene I’ve written is the first kiss between the hero and heroine from my standalone western romance novel, Into The Land Of Shadows. It takes place in Tuba City, Arizona Territory, in 1893. Ethan Barstow and Kate Kinsella have been fighting an attraction as they team up to find Ethan’s brother, Charlie, who’s disappeared. Charlie happens to be Kate’s “fake” fiancé, and while she has her reasons for not telling Ethan the truth, it puts Ethan in a dilemma regarding his feelings for her.
As this scene unfolds, Kate has escaped her captors—three bumbling ruffians who are using Kate to lure Charlie and his potential copper mining location into the open. There’s no question in Ethan’s mind that he would rescue her.
****
Kate moved around a trading post but sensing a presence from behind, she jerked her head around and stared. A four-legged creature ran past, disappearing.
With a hand on her chest, she struggled to calm her breathing. It was just a dog.
She peeked around the building and saw Clive walking down the street carrying his gun. Rufus wasn’t in sight. She needed to find a place to hide but most establishments looked closed.
Movement to the left caught her eye. Joe Tohonnie? Maybe she hadn’t dreamt him after all.
The shadow moved across the street and disappeared behind a blacksmith building. Kate ran to the other side of the street, hunching over to hide herself. Once she made it to the blacksmith, she glanced around.
“Joe?” she whispered. “Mister Tohonnie? Is that you?”
No answer but the wind. Kate began backing up toward the rear of the building, dread gripping her stomach. She swallowed hard, feeling uncertain. Staying close to the structure, her heart wouldn’t stop pounding and her hands were clammy from fear. She swallowed hard again then turned to run but was caught short, letting out an involuntary gasp when the four-legged creature cut her off with a growl.
The animal’s yellow eyes glowed by the light of the moon and he watched her with rapt attention, his body poised for attack.
A wolf.
Another low growl emanated from deep in the animal’s throat and Kate fought the urge to flee. The wolf’s head easily came to her chest; he would have no trouble chasing her down and ripping her to pieces. The gash on her face would pale in comparison to what he would do to her.
A commotion from behind startled her. Someone grabbed her, and in a frenzy Kate fought back, kicking and straining against the iron grip the man exerted around her waist. His hold loosened and Kate fell to the ground. She grabbed a loose board, and screamed as she swung it around, hitting the man’s leg. But he didn’t go down. She scooted backward and scrambled to her feet. The man grabbed her this time, facing her. Thinking it was Clive or Rufus, she continued to struggle.
“Katie! Katie! It’s me. It’s Ethan.” He held her tight against the building. A sob escaped from deep inside her throat, a maelstrom that matched the wind roaring in her ears, and then Ethan’s mouth was on hers.
Hot, insistent, devouring. She molded into him, her lips and tongue hungry for the sudden and consuming contact. She pushed her body against his, clinging to his broad shoulders, desperate to be closer still.
He didn’t abandon me.
His mouth crushed hers and she felt on fire, head to toe.
“Rufus, you find her?” Clive yelled in the distance.
Ethan broke the kiss, and Kate reeled back against the building. “Let’s go,” he said and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind the blacksmith building.
“Wait.” She tugged his hand to stop him. “There’s a wolf.” Her voice shook—either from the men chasing her, the wolf challenging her, or the man who had just devastated her defenses with one kiss. She could take her pick. She’d had a busy day.
“He’s with me,” Ethan said quietly.
Learn more about Into The Land Of Shadows.