by HELEN HARDT
He looked up at her, his eyes blazing. He opened his mouth to speak, but she placed her fingers on his soft lips.
“And after that, I’d like to try the…other entrance.”
“God, are you sure?”
“Very sure. I want to experience everything with you.”
Daniel moaned softly as he took her mouth, his capable hands ridding the rest of her body of the gown. He showered her face and neck with light fluttery pecks, pausing at her ears to suck on her lobes and tease her ear canals with his tongue. Lily shivered, running her fingers through his blond locks and moaning his name softly. Daniel made his way down to her breasts and ravished them, tugging on her nipples until she arched off the bed, her fingernails digging into the hard muscle of his shoulders.
“God, how I’ve missed you, Lily,” he rasped, kissing and biting her inner thighs.
He pushed his tongue into her pussy and tugged on her swollen flesh, sucking it into his mouth. Lily grabbed his head and laced her fingers through his silky hair, grinding into his face harder and harder.
“Daniel,” she moaned. “Now, Daniel, I need you!”
He kissed her belly, her breasts, her mouth. She reached down and clutched his cock, his breath blowing short puffs against her neck. She led him to her opening, which was warm and wet, ready to receive him.
From the wall opposite the bed, the serene face of St. Praxedis watched over them.
The End
Available Now:
Rose in Bloom, the story of Rose and Cameron.
Author’s Note
Johannes or Jan Vermeer van Delft, born in 1632, was a Dutch genre painter. His most famous painting is Girl with a Pearl Earring.
When Vermeer married Catherina Bolnes in 1653, he converted to Catholicism, which might explain his interest in the subject of St. Praxedis. The painting may be Vermeer’s earliest surviving work. It was only recently conclusively attributed to Vermeer.
The Duke of Lybrook is a fictional character, so of course he never owned St. Praxedis. It was discovered in 1943 in a small New York auction room and was most recently sold in 2014 at Christie’s in London on behalf of the Barbara Piasecka Johnson Collection Foundation. Who knows where it was in 1853? Perhaps it was hanging in a ducal residence near Bath.
After his death in 1675, Vermeer was overlooked by most art collectors for nearly two hundred years, until a French critic re-discovered him in 1866. However, I like to think that a young lord might have purchased one of his works around 1850, and that a young lady, enamored with art, might have discovered his talents and become fascinated with his life and work.
Message from Helen
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Lily and the Duke. If you want to find out about my current backlist and future releases, please like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/helenhardtauthor. I often do giveaways, as well.
If you enjoyed the story, please take the time to leave a review on a site like Amazon or Goodreads. I welcome all feedback.
I wish you all the best!
Helen
Also by Helen Hardt
Sex and the Season:
Lily and the Duke
Rose in Bloom
Lady Alexandra’s Lover (coming soon)
Sophie’s Voice (coming soon)
Bakervsille Saga:
Cowboy Heat
Cowboy Lust
Cowboy Passion
Daughters of the Prairie:
The Outlaw’s Angel
Lessons of the Heart
Song of the Raven
Snow Creek Series (coming soon):
Craving
Obsession
Possession
Discussion Questions
1. The theme of a story is its central idea or ideas. To put it more simply, it’s what the story means. How would you characterize the theme of Lily and the Duke?
2. Discuss the relationship between Lily and Rose, and compare and contrast it with what you know about the relationship between Daniel and Morgan.
3. How do you suppose Daniel’s life would have differed had his father and Morgan lived? Do you think he and Lily would have found each other and married? Why or why not?
4. Discuss Lily’s personality. Why do you think she finds such magic in the mundane? Discuss what she might have found fascinating about a cricket chirping and a weed in the garden. And what about Daniel’s hair and eyes? Do you think they’re truly as amazing as Lily suggests? Or is she looking through the eyes of love?
5. Helen Hardt calls this series of novels Sex and the Season, a Victorian version of Sex and the City. Draw parallels between Lily, Rose, Alexandra, and Sophie and Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda of Sex and the City. Which characters are similar and in what ways?
6. Get online and pull up an image of Vermeer’s St. Praxedis. What do you think Lily sees in this painting? Knowing her, why does she enjoy Vermeer’s work so much? Why do you think Daniel purchased the painting?
7. Who defies convention and authority more, Lily or Alexandra? How so?
8. What did you think of Lily’s decision to sleep with Daniel? When did you first realize that Lily had feelings for Daniel? And vice versa?
9. How did you feel when Lord Ashford told Lily she was marrying the duke? What did you think of Lily’s reaction at a time when most young ladies of the peerage would have been thrilled with such a match? Discuss arranged marriages. Some countries still practice arranged marriage today. What would you do if you were forced into marriage?
10. Discuss the relationship between Daniel and his mother. Maggie seems like a loving person, yet she sent her younger son away when he was seven because her husband thought it best. Taking into consideration the era, what might have gone through her mind at that time? What might have gone through Daniel’s mind? Do you feel Daniel has forgiven his mother? Why or why not?
11. Lily mentions that she and Rose suffered advances by Lord Ludley when they were young, yet they never told anyone. Why do you think they stayed silent? Do you think they are scarred by these encounters? Why or why not?
12. Do you think Lily and Daniel’s marriage will be successful? Why or why not?
13. How are Lily and her mother alike? How are they different? What kind of relationship do you think Lily and her mother had while Lily was growing up?
14. This book is full of colorful supporting characters: Lord Evan Xavier, Thomas Jameson, Cameron Price, Lady Ashford, and Lady Amelia Gregory, to name a few. Discuss the roles of these characters. What is their purpose in the story?
15. Rose and Cameron have a story coming next. What do you foresee in their future? What do you think will happen to Lord Evan?
Acknowledgments
I wrote Lily and the Duke in 2007. When I completed it, I went to the internet for resources and was blessed to find the Colorado Romance Writers. I attended their conference in May 2007, and I haven’t looked back since.
Lily and Daniel were my guinea pigs—the hero and heroine in my very first romance novel. I entered the story in a few contests and received valuable feedback. My critique partners at the time, whom I met through CRW, also offered great advice. I revised the story once, and then again. And then again. In the meantime, I worked on my craft and published twenty-plus other stories. But Lily and Daniel always lurked in the back of my mind, waiting for their day in the sun.
After the last of many revisions, that day has finally come, thanks to my good friend Meredith Wild, who introduced me and my work to the men and women at Waterhouse Press. Thank you to David Grishman, Jonathan McInerney, Shayla Fereshetian, Kurt Vachon, and of course, the one and only Meredith Wild. I appreciate your confidence in me!
Thank you to my amazing editor, Michele Hamner Moore, for your diligent work and research.
Thank you to the many contest judges who pointed out places to make the story stronger.
Thank you to my former critique partners—Monica Kaye, Tricia Leigh Wood, Viola Estrella, and Cari Quinn—for all yo
ur help with this story and others.
Thank you to the wonderful members of Colorado Romance Writers and Heart of Denver Romance Writers who have inspired me over the years.
Thank you to my family and friends who have believed in me.
And thank you to my readers for helping me get this far. I hope you love Lily and Daniel as much as I do.
About the Author
Helen Hardt's passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award winning author of contemporary and historical romance and erotica, she’s a mother, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family.
Helen loves to hear from readers.
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