First Fight Friday: Skating at Somerset House : Love London Series Book 1 by Nikki Moore

Goats solve their differences head-on. They don’t give the silent treatment or yell, they butt heads, and then it’s over.

Cowboy Marvin has learned humans resolve issues differently especially those romantically involved. His curiosity sparked, he has invited authors to stop by on Fridays and share the first fight out of their latest book.

Fellow Harper Impulse author  

Nikki Moore 
      
        
     is here for ...

First Fight Friday 

with a scene from 

Skating at Somerset House 
Love London Series Book 1

There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating.

Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice.

Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide…

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Holly and Jasper watched in silence as a man wrapped up to the max with a face like a British thundercloud under a beanie hat slipped and lurched around the rink, arms flailing, even though every few feet he was using the wall to steady himself.

From the look on his face, Jasper was embarrassed. Heck, Holly felt embarrassed, but it was for Jasper's dad on his behalf, rather than not wanting to be seen with him. 'Well, at least he's trying,' she said from corner of her mouth, 'he might get better.'

'Ummm…' the boy gave her a doubtful look.

But bless, you had to give the guy points for being here for his son, and making a bit of an idiot of himself in the process. Maybe he just wasn't very fit. He looked a bit bulky and soft around the middle. Or perhaps he didn't have good balance. Shame he wasn't a child; otherwise he could use one of the penguin skating aids available for the younger skaters in the separate area down the South Wing end.

Right. Two birds with one diplomatic, tactful stone then. 'Come on,' she gestured the boy to follow her, 'let's go ask him about you trying something a bit more adventurous. Hi, there!' Her tone was friendly as she skated up behind the man, but unfortunately it unnerved him. Whipping his head round, his feet scissored, arms wind-milling. Trying to find his centre of gravity but failing, his legs started to slide in opposite directions. 'Oops!' Acting on instinct, Holly moved in, threading her arms under his to hoist him up, leaning forward for balance. 'Woah, there you go. I've got you.'

Practically spooning the guy upright wasn't the most professional way to help and she might get a telling off by the Front of House Manager, but it was the best she could do at short notice.

He didn't reply, just made a grunting sound and shook his head.

With his back plastered to her front and bum tucked into the curve of her hips, she realised he wasn't as bulky as he first seemed; it was the never ending amount of layers he was wrapped in. No wonder he was having issues, his upper body was totally constricted. No, he wasn't soft around the middle; he was actually quite nicely built.

'Okay?' she asked a little breathlessly. Untangling their arms, she steadied him with a firm hand and glided them over to the side, checking to make sure Jasper was still with them. The little boy gave her a reassuring nod, keeping pace.

'No, I'm not okay,' the guy spat as soon as he was hanging on to the wall, 'you scared the crap out of me!'


The girl took a step back at his tone, emotions flickering over her face; astonishment, irritation, simmering anger, settling at last on blank politeness. Pale blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail, she had glacier blue eyes, creamy skin and was girl next door pretty, but everything about her screamed winter. He preferred the hot Latin type. Women with curves and smouldering dark eyes. Not women who looked like Taylor Swift's slightly taller twin. The loose purple tabard - Ice Marshall in white script across the front - worn over some kind of waterproofs was hardly sexy. She could be straight up and down under there. Not that it mattered.

'I'm sorry if I startled you,' she said, every word coated with frost. 'But perhaps I can talk you through some skating tips?' Looking pointedly at Jasper, who was gazing up at Noel with a puzzled expression.

Noel realised what he'd said and the way he'd said it, and gritted his teeth. First he'd had to be publicly rescued, then he'd spoken to his rescuer like a spoilt five year old. That wasn't okay. Frustration tumbled through him. He wasn't getting any better at skating. And there was a funny hitch in his stomach at having a woman plastered up against him for the first time in two years, since- Stop. There was no way he was going to think about her now.

'I'm sorry if I was rude,' he glanced at the girl apologetically. 'And thank you for the offer…?'

'Holly.'

'Holly. But I'm not interested in getting any better.' Shaking his head. 'I might be here tomorrow, but after that I don't plan to come near an ice rink for a really long time.'

She giggled, then bit her lower lip, teeth straight and white except for a slightly crooked canine. It was a tiny imperfection, but somehow appealing.

He cleared his throat, raising one eyebrow, 'Are you allowed to laugh at customers?'

'S-sorry,' she choked, covering her mouth, 'probably not, I just- ahem,' she dropped her hand, smiling, 'you just sounded so pained. I had a fleeting thought … I wondered if you were traumatised.'

'Yeah,' he drawled, elbowing aside the mental note his treacherous brain had made about what an appealing shade of pink her lips were, 'I'll be seeking compensation from Somerset House to fund some counselling sessions.'

Her smile widened, eyes twinkling. 'It would be a conflict for me to give evidence on your behalf,' she joked, 'but you definitely seem like you could use them.'

'I'll let you know how I get on,' he grinned back, then fell silent. Why was he flirting with her? She wasn't his type, and the last thing he needed was a woman complicating things. 'Anyway,' he muttered, 'I'd better get on.' He turned away to pull himself along the edge of the rink using the wall. 'Come on, Jay.'

Copyright © Nikki Moore
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Skating at Somerset House by Nikki Moore

There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating, so working as an Ice Marshall at London's Somerset House is a dream come true.

Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice, so taking his godson to Somerset House is his idea of the nightmare before Christmas!

Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide…

With a forty foot Christmas tree, an assortment of well meaning friends and relatives, and a mad chocolate Labrador, will this festive season be one to remember … or forget?

Skating at Somerset House 
Love London Series Book 1
Amazon ~ Google Play ~  ITunes ~ Nook

AND

Remember more books in the #LoveLondon series are coming soon!

Released over December 14 to May 15 by HarperImpulse;

Bk 2, New Year at The Ritz (Short Story)

Bk 3, Valentine's on Primrose Hill (Short Story)  

Bk 4, Cocktails in Chelsea (Short Story)

Bk 5, Strawberries at Wimbledon (Short Story)

Bk 6, Picnics in Hyde Park, (Novel)

Want even more from Nikki?

Check out her First Fight Friday for Crazy, Undercover, Love

Buy Crazy, Undercover, Love on Amazon 

About Nikki: 

Nikki Moore lives in beautiful Dorset and writes short stories and sexy contemporary romances. A finalist in several writing competitions including Novelicious Undiscovered 2012, she graduated from the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers' Scheme after four years and and has contributed to their magazine Romance Matters. She has far too much fun attending the annual RNA conference and has previously chaired a panel and taken part in a workshop at the Festival of Romance.

She blogs about some of her favourite things – Writing, Work and Wine – here and believes in supporting other writers as part of a friendly, talented and diverse community. You can find her on Facebook or on Twitter and she invites you to pop in for chats about love, life, reading or writing!

Thanks for sharing Nikki!