The little maid shepherded the boy out of the room and down the hallway, spouting copious advice about his new duties as she went.
“I see a question in your eyes.” The woman settled a hip on the side of his bed. “You don’t know me, do you, Nate?”
“I do. I know you. Your heart is so big there’s room for everyone in it, even those who don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do for them.” He squeezed her hand and closed his eyes, willing himself to remember her name. “I know you’re afraid to dance in public and you can’t play the piano worth shooting. I know you want to please everyone around you so badly, you forget to please yourself.”
“That last part is not true. I’m entirely too willful. Everyone says so and—”
He silenced her by reaching up to cup the back of her head and pull her down for a kiss. Memories of a vigorous tussle with this luscious woman careened through his mind, sending his blood singing. A name echoed through his brain, all right and true.
“Georgette,” he whispered. “You’re my Georgette. The bane of my existence and the love of my life. I don’t deserve it, but if you could love me a little in return—”
“Oh, Nate, do shut up. I wouldn’t know how to love you a little. I can only love you with all I am.”
The world went all wet and warm and smelled deliciously of violets as they kissed each other to a new sort of oblivion. When he started to reach under her hem, she pushed away from him.
“No, Nathaniel, we can’t. The doctor says you’re to keep quiet and not overexert yourself.”
“Bollocks! Can’t a man shag his future wife without some doctor nattering about it?” he demanded.
“Your future wife?”
“Yes.” He palmed her cheeks and felt himself tumble into her wide hazel eyes. “I don’t deserve you, but you’ll make me the happiest man alive if you say you’ll marry me.”
She threw her arms around him and peppered his face with kisses.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said when she finally let him come up for air. “Now, why don’t you practice a little wifely obedience and bolt the door so I can love you to exhaustion in peace?”
She tilted her head at him. “What if the doctor is right?”
“He’s not,” Nate said as she went to throw the bolt. “But if he is, I’ll die a happy man.”
Authors’ Note
In 1817, the royal succession was in an uproar when Princess Charlotte died along with her newborn son. The Prince Regent would never father another legitimate heir, since he and his wife were not only estranged, she was past bearing. So the three unmarried sons of King George III embarked on the “Hymen Race Terrific,” as the London tabloids called it, in an effort to marry and then beget a child who might one day wear the crown.
Three royal dukes were in contention. Adolphus Frederick, the Duke of Cambridge, is the one featured in One Night with a Rake. He was the tenth child of King George III, and the youngest surviving son. As a spare heir, the Duke of Cambridge pursued a military career and was wounded and captured during the Flanders Campaign in 1793.
When the opportunity to perhaps put his own issue on the throne came up, even Cambridge didn’t like his chances since his older brothers would likely succeed him. He devoted a good bit of time trying to arrange a bride for William (the Duke of Clarence from Waking Up with a Rake). After he settled matters for William, Cambridge married his second cousin, Augusta, in June 1818. They were blessed with three children, but none of them ascended to the throne because one of his royal brothers beat him to fatherhood.
But that is a tale for another duke…
Acknowledgments
No book is the work of a single mind. Connie and Mia would like to thank a few people who were instrumental in bringing this story to life. First, their editor, Leah Hultenschmidt. She always knows what questions to ask to make a manuscript better. Next, their tireless agent, Natasha Kern. Because she works so hard on the business end of things, Connie and Mia are free to revel in the joy of making things up! Thanks to Ashlyn Chase, critique partner extraordinaire, and Marcy Weinbeck, their beloved beta-reader whose taste and sharp eyes Mia and Connie depend upon. There are myriad talented folk at Sourcebooks who deserve hearty thanks: Skye Agnew, Danielle Jackson, Kim Manley, cover artist Judy York, and many others. Connie and Mia couldn’t do it without you!
And they also can’t do without their wonderful readers. Thank you for taking their stories to heart and bringing your imaginations along for the ride. If you’d like to visit with either of them, please contact them through www.conniemason.com or www.mia marlowe.com. They’d love to hear from YOU!
Are You In Love With
Love Stories?
Here’s an online romance readers
club that’s just for YOU!
Where you can:
• Meet great authors
• Party with new friends
• Get new books before everyone else
• Discover great new reads
All at incredibly BIG savings!
Join the party at
DiscoveraNewLove.com!
Sins of the Highlander
by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe
ABDUCTION
Never had Elspeth Stewart imagined her wedding would be interrupted by a dark-haired stranger charging in on a black stallion, scooping her into his arms, and carrying her off across the wild Scottish highlands. Pressed against his hard chest and nestled between his strong thighs, she ought to have feared for her life. But her captor silenced all protests with a soul-searing kiss, giving Elspeth a glimpse of the pain behind his passion—a pain only she could ease.
OBSESSION
“Mad Rob” MacLaren thought stealing his rival’s bride-to-be was the perfect revenge. But Rob never reckoned that this beautiful, innocent lass would awaken the part of him he thought dead and buried with his wife. Against all reason, he longed to introduce the luscious Elspeth to the pleasures of the flesh, to make her his, and only his, forever.
“Ms. Mason always provides a hot romance.”—RT Book Reviews
www.sourcebooks.com
Lord of Fire and Ice
by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe
His duty is to fulfill her every desire…
Brandr the Far-Traveled has seen the world and a good many of the beautiful women in it. His bed skills are the stuff of steamy legend, his sword sings death, and he can call up fire from thin air. No one in a hundred years ever thought he could be enslaved through trickery and forced to wear the iron collar of a thrall—least of all him.
Until all she desires is him…
Katla the Black isn’t just called so for her dark, silky hair. His new mistress has a temper as fierce as a warrior’s and a heart as icy as the frozen North. But inch by delicious inch, Brandr means to make her melt…
“Intriguing and absorbing… There are several surprising twists and lots of passion and fighting to keep the reader hanging on every word.”—Long and Short Reviews
“Compelling with a rich narrative, strong characters, and nonstop action.”—RT Book Reviews
For more Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe, visit:
www.sourcebooks.com
Waking Up with a Rake
by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe
The fate of England’s monarchy is in the hands of three notorious rakes.
To prevent three royal dukes from marrying their way onto the throne, heroic, selfless agents for the crown will be dispatched…to seduce the dukes’ intended brides. These wickedly debauched rakes will rumple sheets and cause a scandal. But they just might fall into their own trap…
After he’s blamed for a botched assignment during the war, former cavalry officer Rhys Warrick turns his back on “honor.” He spends his nights in brothels doing his best to live down to the expectations of his disapproving family. But one last mission could restore the reputation he’s so thoroughly sullied. All he has to do is seduce and ruin Miss Olivia Symon and his mili
tary record will be cleared. For a man with Rhys’ reputation, ravishing the delectably innocent miss should be easy. But Olivia’s honesty and bold curiosity stir more than Rhys’ desire. Suddenly the heart he thought he left on the battlefield is about to surrender…
For more Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe, visit
www.sourcebooks.com
Between a Rake and a Hard Place
by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe
Look for the third installment in Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe’s saucy, sexy Regency Rakes series, coming soon from Sourcebooks Casablanca.
Wealthy heiress Serena Osborne feels like a pawn in a political chess match with her father determined to sacrifice her on the marriage altar. The Duke of Kent is negotiating for a bride, and the wickedly appealing Sir Jonah Sharp is sent to woo Lady Serena on the duke’s behalf. It only muddies the waters when she succumbs to Jonah’s charm. Repeatedly. But Jonah has a secret agenda—to prevent the marriage at any cost. When Serena is kidnapped in a desperate attempt to force the royal betrothal, Jonah realizes his new agenda is to secure a bride—for himself.
For more Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe, visit:
www.sourcebooks.com
About the Authors
Connie Mason, who started her romance-writing career after she became a grandmother, once told 48 Hours that she does her best work in bed. That work being writing, of course! For her newest releases, Connie has teamed up with Mia Marlowe, a rising star of steamy historical romance. Mia learned about storytelling while singing professional opera. A classically trained soprano, she knows what it’s like to wear a corset and has had to sing high C’s in one, so she empathizes with the trials of her historical heroines.
Connie lives near Tampa, Florida, and Mia lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Credit for putting these two authors together goes to their editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, and their agent, Natasha Kern, who saw the creative potential in this pairing. Both Connie and Mia write sexy, adventurous stories with alpha heroes to love. They hope you’ll enjoy the melding of their styles as much as they enjoyed collaborating to bring their new stories to life.
Connie Mason & Mia Marlowe - [Royal Rakes 02] Page 27
