Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel

by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

His actions will unleash a calamity worse than the Glen of Many Legends has ever seen.

  And every man, woman, and child there will be marked for doom.

  THE DISH

  Where authors give you the inside scoop!

  From the desk of Caridad Piñeiro

  Dear Readers,

  I want to thank all of you who have been writing to tell me how much you’ve been loving the Carrera family, as well as enjoying the towns along the Jersey Shore where the series is set.

  With THE LOST, I’m introducing a much darker paranormal series I’m calling Sin Hunters. The stories are still set along the Jersey Shore and you’ll have the beloved Carreras, but now you’ll also get to meet an exciting new race of people: The Light and Shadow Hunters.

  Why the change? There was something about Bobbie Carrera, the heroine in THE LOST, that needed something different and something very special. Someone very special. Bobbie is an Iraq war veteran and she’s home from battle, but wounded both physically and emotionally. She’s busy trying to put her world back together and the last thing she needs is more conflict in her life.

  But I’m a bad girl, you know. I love to challenge my characters into facing their most extreme hurts because doing so only makes their happiness that much sweeter. I think readers love that as well because there is nothing more uplifting than seeing how love can truly conquer all.

  Bobbie’s challenge comes in the form of sexy millionaire Adam Bruno. Adam is different from any man she has ever met and Bobbie feels an immediate connection to him. There’s just one problem: Adam has no idea who he really is and why he possesses the ability to gather energy. That ability allows him to do myriad things; from shape-shifting to traveling at super speed, to wielding energy and light like weapons. But these powers are challenging for Adam: as his abilities grow stronger, they also become deadly and increasingly difficult to control.

  Enter Bobbie Carrera. Bobbie brings peace to Adam’s soul. Adam feels lost in the human world, but in Bobbie’s arms he finds love, acceptance, and the possibility for a future he had never imagined.

  But before he can reach that future, he must deal with the present, and that means battling the evil Shadow Hunters and facing the shocking truth about his real identity.

  I hope you will enjoy the Sin Hunters series. Look for THE CLAIMED in May 2012, which will feature someone you meet in THE LOST. Not going to spill who it is just yet, but keep in mind I just love stories of redemption….

  Thank you all for your continued support. Also, many thanks to our military men and women, and their families for safeguarding our liberty and our country. THE LOST is dedicated to you for all the sacrifices you make on our behalf. God bless you and keep you safe.

  From the desk of Jennifer Haymore

  Dear Readers,

  When Serena Donovan, the heroine of CONFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE (on sale now), entered my office to ask me to write her story, I realized right away that I was in trouble. Obviously, there was something pretty heavy resting on this woman’s shoulders.

  After I’d offered her a chair and a stiff drink (which she eyed warily—as if she’s never seen a martini before!), I asked her why she had come.

  “I have a problem,” she said.

  I tried not to chuckle. It was obvious from the permanent look of panic in her eyes that she had a very big problem indeed. “Okay,” I said, “what’s the problem?”

  “Well—” She swallowed hard. “I’m going to get married.” I raised a brow. “Usually that’s reason for celebration.”

  “Not for me.” Her voice was dour.

  I took a deep breath. “Look, Miss Donovan. I’m a romance writer. I write about love, blissful marriages, and happy endings. Maybe you’ve come to the wrong place.” I rose from my chair and gestured toward the door. “Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to take the martini.”

  Her eyes flared wide with alarm. “No! Please… let me explain.”

  I hesitated, staring down at her. She seemed so… desperate. I guess I have a bleeding heart after all. Sighing, I resumed my seat. “Go ahead.”

  “I do respect and admire my future husband. Greatly. He’s a wonderful man.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “But, you see, he—” She winced, swallowed, and took a deep breath. “Well, he thinks I’m someone else.”

  I frowned. “You mean, you told him you were someone you’re not?”

  “Well, it’s not that simple. You see, he fell in love with my sister.”

  “O… kay.”

  Her eyes went glassy. “But, you see, my sister died. Only he doesn’t know that. He thinks I’m my sister!”

  “He can’t tell that you’re not her?”

  “I don’t know…” Her voice was brimming with despair. “You see, we’re identical twins, so on the outside we’re alike, but we are such different people…”

  Oh, man. This chick was in big trouble. “And you want to fashion a happy ending out of this, how?” I asked.

  “But I haven’t told you the whole problem,” she said.

  I thought she’d given me a pretty darned enormous problem already. Still, I waved my hand for her to elaborate.

  “Jonathan,” she said simply.

  “Jonathan?”

  “The Earl of Stratford. He’s a friend of my fiancé and the best man,” she explained. She looked away. “And also, he’s the only man I’ve ever—”

  “That’s okay,” I said quickly, raising my hand. “I get it.” She released a relieved breath as I studied her. I really, really wanted to help her. She needed help, that was for sure. But how to forge a happy ending out of such a mess?

  “Look,” I said, flipping up my laptop and opening a new document, “you need to tell me everything, okay? From the beginning.”

  And that was how it began. By the time Miss Donovan finished telling me her story, I was so hooked, I had to go into my writing cave and write the entire, wild tale. The hardest part was getting to that happy ending, but it was so happy and so romantic that it was worth every drop of blood and sweat that it took to get there.

  I truly hope you enjoy reading Serena Donovan’s story! Please come visit me at my website, www.jenniferhaymore.com, where you can share your thoughts about my books, sign up for some fun freebies, and read more about the characters from CONFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE.

  Sincerely,

  From the desk of Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  Dear Readers,

  Does a landscape of savage grandeur make your heart beat faster? Do jagged peaks, cold-glittering boulders, and cauldrons of boiling mist speak to your soul? Are you exhilarated by the rush of chill wind, the power of ancient places made of stone and legend?

  I love such places.

  TEMPTATION OF A HIGHLAND SCOUNDREL, second book in my Highland Warriors trilogy, has a truly grand setting. Nought is my favorite corner of the Glen of Many Legends, home to the series’ three warring clans. These proud Highlanders prove “where you live is who you are.”

  Kendrew Mackintosh and Isobel Cameron love wild places as much as I do. Kendrew boasts that he’s hewn of Nought’s soaring granite peaks and that he was weaned on cold wind and blowing mist. He’s proud of his Norse heritage. Isobel shares his appreciation for Viking culture, rough terrain, and long, dark nights. She stirs his passion, igniting desires that brand them both.

  But Isobel is a lady.

  And Kendrew has sworn not to touch a woman of gentle birth. Isobel is also the sister of a bitter foe.

  They’re a perfect match despite the barriers separating them: centuries of clan feuds, hostility, and rivalries. Bad blood isn’t easily forgotten in the Highlands and grudges last forever. Kendrew refuses to acknowledge his attraction to Isobel. She won’t ignore the passion between them. As only a woman in love can, she employs all her seductive wiles to win his heart.

  The temptation of Kendrew Mackintosh begins deep in his rugged Nought territory. In the shadows of mysterious cairns known as dreagan stones and on t
he night of his clan’s raucous Midsummer Eve revels, Isobel pitches a battle Kendrew can only lose. Yet surrender will bring greater rewards than he’s ever claimed.

  Kendrew does open his heart to Isobel, but they soon find themselves caught in a dangerous maelstrom that threatens their love and could cost their lives. The entire glen is at peril and a brutal foe will stop at nothing to crush the brave men of the Glen of Many Legends.

  Turning Kendrew loose on his enemy—a worthy villain—gave me many enjoyable writing hours. He’s a fierce fighter and a sight to behold when riled. But beneath his ferocity is a great-hearted man who lives by honor.

  Writing Isobel was an equal joy. Like me, she feels most alive in wild, windswept places. I know Nought approved of her.

  Places do have feelings.

  Highlanders know that. In wild places, the pulse beat of the land is strong. I can’t imagine a better setting for Kendrew and Isobel.

  I hope you’ve enjoyed watching Isobel prove to Kendrew that the hardest warrior can’t win against a woman wielding the most powerful weapon of all: a heart that loves.

  With all good wishes,

  www.welfonder.com

  From the desk of Sophie Gunn

  Dear Readers,

  Some small-town romances feature knitting clubs, some cookie clubs, and some quilting clubs. But my new series has something else entirely.

  Welcome to Galton, New York, home of the Enemy Club.

  The Enemy Club is made up of four women who had been the worst of enemies back in high school. They were the class brainiac, the bad girl, the princess, and the outcast. Now, all grown up, they’ve managed to become the best of friends. But they’re friends with a difference. They’ve promised to tell one another the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help them Gracie (the baker of the pies at the Last Chance Diner). Because they see things from their very (very!) different points of view, this causes all sorts of conflicts and a nuanced story, where no one has a lock on the what’s right or wrong.

  In Sweet Kiss of Summer, Nina Stokes is the woman with the problem, and she’s going to need everyone’s help to solve it. Her brother lost his life in the war. On his deathbed, he asked a nurse to write Nina a letter, instructing her to give his house back in Galton to his war buddy, Mick Rivers.

  Or did he?

  How can Nina know if the letter is real or a con? And even if it’s real, where has Mick been for the past two years, during which Nina tried everything to contact him to no avail? How long should she be expected to keep up the house in this limbo, waiting for a man who obviously takes her brother’s last wish lightly?

  So when a beautiful man claiming to be Mick roars up Nina’s driveway one summer afternoon in a flashy red car, demanding the house that he feels is rightfully his, every member of the Enemy Club thinks that she knows best what Nina should do. Naturally, none of them agree. The themes of friendship, duty, and honor run deep in Galton, and in Sweet Kiss of Summer, they are all tested. To whom do we owe our first duty: our family, our friends, our country—or ourselves?

  What I loved most about writing Sweet Kiss of Summer was that there was no easy solution for anyone. As I wrote, I had no idea what Nina would do about her dilemma. Mick struggled with an even thornier problem, as his secrets were bigger than anyone in the Enemy Club could imagine. I could understand everyone’s point of view. There is just so much to consider when you’re not only out for yourself, but for your country, your community, your family, and ultimately, something even bigger.

  I hope you’ll enjoy reading about these characters as much as I’ve enjoyed writing about them. Come visit me at SophieGunn.com to learn more about the small town of Galton and the Enemy Club, to see pictures of my kitties, and to keep in touch. I’d love to hear from you!

  www.sophiegunn.com

  Contents

  Front Cover Image

  Welcome

  Dedication

  A Preview of Sins of a Highland Devil

  A Preview of Seduction of a Highland Warrior

  The Legacy of the Dreagan Stones

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  The Dish

  Books by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  Praise for Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  Copyright

  BOOKS BY SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER

  Devil in a Kilt

  Knight in My Bed

  Bride of the Beast

  Master of the Highlands

  Wedding for a Knight

  Only for a Knight

  Until the Knight Comes

  Bride for a Knight

  Seducing a Scottish Bride

  A Highlander’s Temptation

  Sins of a Highland Devil

  Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel

  PRAISE FOR

  SUE-ELLEN WELFONDER

  “Few writers can bring history to life like Sue-Ellen Welfonder! For anyone who loves historical fiction, the books in the Highland Warrior trilogy are a true treasure.”

  —Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author

  “With each book Welfonder reinforces her well-deserved reputation as one of the finest writers of Scot romances.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  … AND HER NOVELS

  SINS OF A HIGHLAND DEVIL

  “4½ stars! Top Pick! The first installment in Welfonder’s Highland Warriors trilogy continues a long tradition of well-written, highly emotional romances. This marvelous novel is rich in love and legend, populated by characters steeped in honor, to make for a sensual and emotional read.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Sue-Ellen Welfonder has truly brought legends and love to life… I cannot wait for the next two.”

  —FreshFiction.com

  “A richly enjoyable story. Welfonder is a master storyteller.”

  —ARomanceReview.com

  “One of the finest books I’ve read in a long time. The characters are so rich and vibrant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder writes the most realistic descriptions of Highland battles. I was transported to the Glen and could almost smell the forest and the peat fires in the castles… I’m looking forward to the next story in the series!”

  —OnceUponaRomance.net

  A HIGHLANDER’S TEMPTATION

  “Sue-Ellen Welfonder has written a wonderful historical romance that will make readers feel as if they have gone back to the past.”

  —Midwest Book Reviews

  “[Welfonder] continues to weave magical tales of redemption, love, and loyalty in glorious, perilous mid-fourteenth-century Scotland.”

  —Booklist

  “4 Stars! A fascinating, intriguing story that will definitely stand the test of time.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  SEDUCING A SCOTTISH BRIDE

  “4½ Stars! Welfonder sweeps readers into a tale brimming with witty banter between a feisty heroine and a stalwart hero…. The added paranormal elements and sensuality turn this into an intriguing page-turner that fans of Scottish romance will adore.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “A great paranormal historical romance…. Fans will read this in one delightful sitting so set aside the time.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  BRIDE FOR A KNIGHT

  “[Welfonder] skillfully draws you into a suspenseful mystery with wonderful atmosphere.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Once again, Welfonder’s careful sc
holarship and attention to detail vividly re-create the lusty, brawling days of medieval Scotland with larger-than-life chivalrous heroes and dainty but spirited maidens.”

  —Booklist

  UNTIL THE KNIGHT COMES

  “Welfonder’s storytelling skill and medieval scholarship shine in her latest Kintail-based Scottish romance with magical elements.”

  —Booklist

  ONLY FOR A KNIGHT

  “4½ Stars! Enthralling… Welfonder brings the Highlands to life with her vibrant characters, impassioned stories, and vivid description.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  WEDDING FOR A KNIGHT

  “A very romantic story… extremely sexy. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the era and Scotland.”

  —TheBestReviews.com

  MASTER OF THE HIGHLANDS

  “Welfonder does it again, bringing readers another powerful, emotional, highly romantic medieval that steals your heart and keeps you turning the pages.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  BRIDE OF THE BEAST

  “Larger-than-life characters and a scenic setting… Welfonder pens some steamy scenes.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  KNIGHT IN MY BED

  “Exciting, action-packed… a strong tale that thoroughly entertains.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  DEVIL IN A KILT

  “A lovely gem of a book. Wonderful characters and a true sense of place make this a keeper.”

  —Patricia Potter, author of The Heart Queen

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2011 by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.