Days of Rakes and Roses
Page 11
Sudden hope lit her expression. “Does that mean you’ll let me go?”
This time he laughed openly. “Not on your life.”
Her spiking fear might send her scarpering. He curled one hand around her shoulder, bare under her flimsy bodice. At the contact, something inexplicable arced between them. When startled pansy eyes shot up to meet his, he tumbled headlong into soft brown. She trembled as his hold gentled to shape the graceful curve of bone and sinew.
“What are you waiting for?” she forced through stiff lips.
He should be horsewhipped for tormenting her, but still curiosity was paramount. He raised his other hand to her jaw, angling her face. This close, he could make out each individual eyelash and the gold striations in her rich irises. Her nostrils flared as though she took in his scent just as he took in hers.
Or perhaps she was so frightened, she struggled to breathe.
“The question is whether debauching my enemy’s sister-in-law has quite the same cachet as debauching my enemy’s wife,” he murmured.
“You bastard,” she hissed, her breath warm across his face.
He smiled as dread lit her eyes. “Precisely, belladonna.”
Slowly he bent to place his mouth on hers. Her rain-fresh scent flooded his senses, made him giddy with anticipation. She didn’t move away and her lips remained sealed, but the satiny warmth intoxicated him.
He slid his lips against hers in what was more the hint of a kiss than an actual kiss. Even as arousal pounded through him, insisting that he take her, that she was here to be taken, he kept the contact light, teasing. Nor did he tighten his grip on her shoulder to keep her under his mouth. The agony of suspense bordered on the delicious as he waited for her to wrench free, to curse him for a scoundrel. But she remained still as a china figurine. Except the subtle heat under his lips belonged to a woman, not unresponsive porcelain.
Before more than a second passed, he raised his head. Astounding how reluctant he was to end the unsatisfying kiss. He dragged in an unsteady breath and struggled against the powerful urge to kiss her properly. There mightn’t be much cachet in fucking Lord Hillbrook’s sister-in-law, but he had a grim feeling that wouldn’t stop him.
Her eyes were wide and dark with shock. Because he’d kissed her? Or because for a fleeting instant, she might have enjoyed it?
“Why the hesitation?” Her tone was raw. “Get it over with.”
He tapped her cheek with a chiding index finger. “I haven’t had my dinner yet,” he said mildly and released her.
She staggered but found her balance with impressive speed. Breath escaped her parted lips in unsteady gasps. He preferred her outrage to her vulnerability. Against his will, her vulnerability ate at his ruthlessness like rust on iron. “Won’t you join me?”
She regarded him with well-deserved hatred. “I’m not hungry.”
“Pity. You’ll need your strength later.”
He let that sink in while he sat and rang the bell. Mrs. Bevan appeared with astonishing speed. She’d probably been listening at the door. Entertainment at Castle Craven was so lacking, he hardly blamed her.
“You may serve dinner, Mrs. Bevan,” he said with a cheerfulness that earned him a puzzled glance from his housekeeper.
“Aye, maister. And for yon lady?”
Miss Forsythe remained standing where she had when he’d kissed her. She was back to looking like a marble statue, but now that he’d touched her, he knew she was flesh and blood, all right.
“Two?”
The girl didn’t react. Good Lord, had that kiss silenced her clever tongue? He hoped to coax her into using it again. Not for idle conversation.
He addressed Mrs. Bevan. “No, for one. Please show the lady to her room. Mr. Bevan can serve my meal.”
“Aye, maister.” The woman shuffled out and after a brief hesitation, the girl collected her meager luggage and followed.
Jonas wished he could be there when Miss Forsythe discovered that in this ramshackle pile, her room also served as his.
Don’t miss Anna Campbell’s critically acclaimed Sons of Sin series.
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WILL A WEEK OF SEDUCTION…
Desperate to save her sister’s life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.
… SPARK A LIFETIME OF PASSIONATE SURRENDER?
Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?
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IT TAKES A LADY…
Brilliant scholar Genevieve Barrett’s secret identity as the author of her father’s articles is her greatest deception—until her father’s handsome new student arrives on their doorstep. Genevieve recognizes him as the masked intruder who earlier tried to steal a priceless gem from their home. Keeping the seductive stranger’s identity hidden is a risk, but she’s got secrets of her own to keep.
… TO CATCH A THIEF
Sir Richard Harmsworth fakes a rakish façade to show society that he doesn’t care about his bastard status. Yet haunted by his unknown father’s identity, Richard believes the Harmsworth Jewel will prove he’s the rightful heir. Intent on seducing the stone away from its owner, Richard finds himself face to face with a beauty more breathtaking than any jewel. But even as she steals Richard’s heart, Genevieve will be in greater danger than her coveted treasure…
Also by Anna Campbell
Sons of Sin Series
Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed
Praise for Anna Campbell
“Seven Nights in the Rogue’s Bed is a lush, sensuous treat. I was enthralled from the first page to the last and still wanted more.”
—Laura Lee Guhrke, New York Times bestselling author
“No one does lovely, dark romance or lovely, dark heroes like Anna Campbell. I love her books.”
—Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author
“Campbell’s enthralling story is complex and passionate and readers will experience a delightful sense of satisfaction from watching Campbell’s characters grow in stature and emotional understanding. Quite a book!”
—RT Book Reviews on My Reckless Surrender, 2010
“It isn’t just the sensuality she weaves into her story that makes Campbell a fan favorite, it’s also her strong, three-dimensional characters, sharp dialogue and deft plotting. Campbell intuitively knows how to balance the key elements of the genre and give readers an irresistible, memorable read.”
—RT Book Reviews on Midnight’s Wild Passion, 2011
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Contents
Title Page
Welcome Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About the Author
An Excerpt from Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed
You Might Also Like…
Also by Anna Campbell
Praise for Anna Campbell
Newsletters
Copyright Page
Copyright
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2013 by Anna Campbell
Excerpt from Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed copyright © 2012 by Anna Campbell
Cover design by Diane Luger. Cover illustration by Judy York. Typography by Ron Zinn.
Cover copyright © 2013 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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ISBN 978-1-4555-7628-9