by Cheryl Holt
“Well, I would, and any decision would be between Charles and me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have a father now, Libby. Your father will pick your husband, and in my view, it should be me. I simply have to approach him and ask for your hand.” He puffed himself up, seeming officious and annoying. “Which is precisely how I will proceed if you don’t immediately agree to have me. Just say yes, and we can avoid all the drama.”
“You can’t bother Charles about it!”
“I will—if you don’t start obliging me.”
“Ooh, you’re such a bully.”
He grinned. “Yes, and I especially like bullying you. I’m amused by how your glorious blue eyes flash with temper when you’re angry with me.”
“Don’t ply me with compliments. They won’t work.”
“They won’t? Then how about this? Fish and Simon—the two people you care most about—will be residing at Roland. It’s next door to Barrett. If you stay in London, won’t you miss them?”
“I already miss them, and I can’t imagine how I’ll stumble forward without them. I’ve never been on my own before.”
“If you were with me at Barrett, you’d be able to see them all the time.”
“It’s cruel of you to drag Fish and Simon into the discussion. You don’t play fair.”
“I’m desperate, so I’m prepared to pursue desperate measures.”
He walked over to her, and to her consternation, he dropped to a knee and clasped hold of her hand. There was only one reason a man put himself in that position, and her trembling grew even more pronounced.
“Lucas Watson,” she scolded, “what are you doing?”
“You know what I’m doing. Now hush.”
“Don’t do this. Don’t force me to refuse you.”
He scowled ferociously. “You’re not refusing me. Remember: If you don’t behave, I’ll tattle to your father.”
“You’re insane.”
“Yes, very possibly, but if I’ve tipped off my rocker, you pushed me off it.” He leaned in and kissed her again, just a quick brush of his lips to hers, then he said, “I have loved you from the moment we met.”
“You couldn’t have. You’re a confirmed bachelor. Such a demented notion would never have occurred to you.”
“I explained the situation, didn’t I? I thought I was dying from a peculiar malady, so the truth didn’t dawn on me until much later. How could I have guessed it would turn out to simply be a terrible case of loving Libby Carstairs?”
It was such a pretty comment, and she was flummoxed by it. A few chinks in her armor began to appear. When he was sweet, when he was wonderful, it was so hard to keep her distance.
“I might love you too,” she grudgingly confessed, “but with my admitting it, you better not tease me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, so would you be silent and listen to me?”
“I would, but you never get to the point.”
“I’ve fought with myself and pretended you were a passing fancy.”
“If I recall correctly, you asked me to be your mistress.”
“I will always be deeply ashamed of that lurid proposition.” His tone and expression sobered. “I have traveled the globe and honorably served my country. I have resigned my commission and journeyed to England to assume my spot as head of the family. Our name is renowned throughout the kingdom, but it was tarnished by my brother. I’m rebuilding what he squandered.”
“I realize that, so I can’t fathom why you’re suggesting we wed. It’s why I’m sure you’ll regret it in the morning.”
“Hush, Libby! I’m sharing something important.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t care about my reputation. I don’t care about tamping down rumors or living a quiet, dreary life in the country. If that sort of existence means I can’t have you too, then I’ll give it up without a backward glance.”
She laid a hand on his cheek. “I’m notorious, and scandal follows me. People glom onto me—men especially—and won’t let go. I’m fascinating and exotic, and I’m very independent. I carry on however I please. How would you stand it?”
He drew her hand from his cheek and kissed the center of her palm. “I will tarry off to the side, watching over you as your most steadfast friend. I will cherish and protect you until my dying day. I’m not claiming I’m much of a catch—”
She cut him off. “Don’t denigrate yourself to me. You’re a fine man.”
“But I offer you what I have: my name, my home, and an exalted role as my countess. Say yes, Libby-Henrietta. Be my wife.”
“Would you demand I cease my performing?”
Gad, was she actually considering his wild scheme? If she would ask such a question, she must be. Obviously, she was as deranged as he was.
“I would never tell you what you could and couldn’t do,” he said. “I wouldn’t be that foolish. You wouldn’t heed me anyway, would you?”
“I’d heed you—if you ever voiced a remark that didn’t annoy me.”
“You’re Little Libby Carstairs. You’re the Mystery Girl of the Caribbean, and you’ll always be her. Even if you become Lady Barrett, even if you become Mrs. Lucas Watson, you’ll always be Little Libby and Little Henrietta. I could never take any of that away from you, and I’m certain your fawning admirers wouldn’t permit it.”
He was still on his knee, prostrate before her, and gazing at her with such affection.
The few weeks they’d been acquainted, where they’d misbehaved so egregiously, had been the best of her life. If she rejected him, when would she ever again be that content? He would be lost to her forever.
He was offering her what she craved. A devoted husband. A beautiful home. And someone to love. Someone who would love her back.
Why wouldn’t she consent? Why wouldn’t she reach out and grab Luke Watson? Why wouldn’t she keep him for her very own?
He dug into his coat and pulled out a ring. It was a simple gold band with a gorgeous sapphire stone in the middle that exactly matched the color of her eyes. He slipped it onto her finger, and it fit perfectly. As she stared down at it, she decided she would never remove it. Not ever.
“Libby-Henrietta,” he said, “will you marry me? Will you be my bride once and for all? Will you make me the happiest man in the world?”
She delayed as long as she dared, until he glowered and squirmed. When he grew too impatient, he clasped her waist and gave her a firm shake.
“Answer me, you tempting vixen. Stop being such a tease.”
“Yes, Lucas Watson, Lord Barrett, I will marry you. I will be your bride. I’ll try to make you happy, but it’s more likely I’ll drive you mad on a very regular basis.”
He smiled and she smiled too, then he rose and lifted her up too as he asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“You can’t get cold feet later on. I won’t allow it.”
“Let’s don’t worry about me,” she told him. “You’re the bachelor in this crazed duo. If anyone gets cold feet, I’m betting it will be you.”
“You figure it will be me? Why would it? I’ll have you, Libby Carstairs, as my wife for the rest of my days. I’m predicting I’ll never have a dull moment.”
‘I promise you won’t.”
“Shall we elope to Scotland like Penny and Simon? I’m afraid if you have an opportunity to reflect on this, you’ll change your mind.”
She studied him, reveling in how handsome he was, how dashing, how marvelous. “We don’t need to hurry off to Scotland. I’ll never change my mind.”
“Swear.”
“I swear,” she said.
Then he was kissing her, twirling her in circles until they were crashing into the furniture like a pair of drunken fools. Finally, he released her, and he was
grinning, preening.
“I knew I could convince you,” he arrogantly said. “I never had any doubt about it.”
“I won’t argue the point,” she replied. “With you, I never stood a chance. Not from the very start.”
THE END
“Best storyteller of the year . . .”
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“OMG! I just started reading this series yesterday. It was hard for me to close my Kindle and go to bed. So, so good!”
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SOMEONE TO WED
SOMEONE TO CHERISH
SOMEONE TO LOVE
MY SCOUNDREL
ALWAYS MINE
ALWAYS YOURS
ALWAYS
JILTED BY A ROGUE
JILTED BY A SCOUNDREL
JILTED BY A CAD
FOREVER
FOREVER AFTER
FOREVER MINE
FOREVER YOURS
ONLY MINE
ONLY YOU
HEART’S DEBT
SCOUNDREL
HEART’S DEMAND
HEART’S DESIRE
HEART’S DELIGHT
WONDERFUL
WANTON
WICKED
SEDUCING THE GROOM
LOVE’S PERIL
LOVE’S PRICE
LOVE’S PROMISE
SWEET SURRENDER
THE WEDDING
MUD CREEK
MARRY ME
LOVE ME
KISS ME
SEDUCE ME
KNIGHT OF SEDUCTION
NICHOLAS
DREAMS OF DESIRE
TASTE OF TEMPTATION
PROMISE OF PLEASURE
SLEEPING WITH THE DEVIL
DOUBLE FANTASY
FORBIDDEN FANTASY
SECRET FANTASY
TOO WICKED TO WED
TOO TEMPTING TO TOUCH
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
FURTHER THAN PASSION
DEEPER THAN DESIRE
MORE THAN SEDUCTION
COMPLETE ABANDON
ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
TOTAL SURRENDER
LOVE LESSONS
MOUNTAIN DREAMS
MY TRUE LOVE
MY ONLY LOVE
MEG’S SECRET ADMIRER
THE WAY OF THE HEART
Someone to Love
Copyright 2020 by Cheryl Holt
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
ISBN: 978-1-64871-195-4 (Print version)
ISBN: 978-1-64871-193-0 (E-version)
Copyright 2020 by Cheryl Holt
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CHERYL HOLT is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author who has published over fifty novels.
She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.
Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She is considered to be one of the masters of the romance genre. For many years, she was hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance,” and she’s also revered as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.
She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at www.cherylholt.com.
