Wednesday, September 7, 2016

PRE-ORDER BLITZ!

Cuffed & Claimed

  What's better than an Alpha man in uniform? Ten of them. Turn up the heat with ten BRAND-NEW law enforcement stories from some of the hottest USA Today, Amazon, and International best-selling romance authors around. These commanding men in uniform will fulfill your every sinful fantasy, and leave you panting for more. Featuring stories by: Caitlyn O’Leary, Daisy Philips, Elle Boon, Fiona Archer, Holly Roberts, Jenika Snow, Lori King, Lynne St. James, Sherri Hayes, and Sydney Lea  

http://cuffedandclaimed.com

CuffedandClaimedFLAT

Preorder for 99 cents!

 
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  Her Hearts Protector by: Caitlyn O’Leary It’s the worst case scenario for David Sloane as a Military Policeman. An earthquake has rocked Las Flores, leaving devastation in its wake. The local government leans heavily on David to lead the manhunt to recapture the escaped convicts. In the midst of the chaos, former army nurse Sarah Kyle arrives with the International Aid Workers. As David comes face to face with the woman he’s never forgotten, danger continues to escalate as the desperate prisoners do anything they can leave the island. When conditions deteriorate will these former lovers survive, let alone have the happily ever after they deserve?
  Arresting Submission by: Daisy Philips Cat Conroy had fallen for a bad boy before and it hadn’t ended well. Scott Weston was trouble with a capital T. He claimed to be a CPA but in Cat’s experience, accountants rarely carried guns to work. Undercover FBI agent Scott loved Cat from the moment he met her. Unfortunately, the lies he had to tell were driving them apart. Would she be able to forgive him when the truth finally came out?
Delta Rogue by: Elle Boon Hailey’s tired of seeing men she considers her brothers nearly killed. The Navy was the one place she considered home, until now. Maddox is used to playing cat and mouse, his job is to keep the United States safe from terrorists. However, the ends always outweighed his own needs. Only this time, with Hailey’s life hanging in the balance it wasn’t the same. As threats escalate, and Hailey is placed under his care 24/7 will he be able to keep things professional? Or will it all fall apart as secrets are uncovered and the threats are closer than either thought?
    In His Custody by: Fiona Archer English teacher Mercy Jones has sworn off men, especially the edgy ones. So why does the new substitute history teacher have to be dangerous, raw, and challenging—on every level? His uncompromising masculinity and questioning mind captivate Mercy, tempting her to risk her heart. Detective Aidan Shaw is a cynical bastard. But when working undercover to eradicate a high school drug network, Aidan meets an intelligent, feisty blonde. Mercy’s warmth and generous spirit awaken a part of him buried deep for too long. But as he closes in on the criminals manipulating innocents for profit, the stakes grow ever higher.
  Street Justice by: Holly S. Roberts Street Justice combines a sexy alpha cop, a bohemian woman with a heart of gold, and a half-Shepard half-Poodle mix with a leg-humping need to prove who’s top dog in the neighborhood. With suspense, humor, and steamy romance Street Justice will have your alpha-cop fantasies on full alert.
  Yes, Sir by: Jenika Snow Brittin I had no choice but to come back. I knew I’d run into Law, my bear-shifting ex, and the man I still loved. I thought I could move on. I was wrong. Law Brittin is the only woman I will ever love. She is it for me, even if she broke it off. I screwed up when I lost her, and I spent the next two years regretting it. Now she’s back, and it’s my chance to show her I can be the man she deserves.
    The Lawman’s Lover by: Lori King A divorcee whose broken dreams are buried so deep she can’t remember where she put them. A Deputy Sheriff with a mountain of responsibilities weighing him down. A fling. No strings attached. No plans for the future. Until someone’s heart gets broken. Find out how Deputy Colby Bricker and waitress Elizabeth Newcomer take their shared past and build a new future, in this sister story to the Crawley Creek Ranch Series.
  House Arrest by: Lynne St. James Ethan Price thought a job as a small-town police detective in Willow Haven would be easy after five years as a pilot in the Air Force. Then a rash of break-ins puts the entire department on alert and the woman he loves at risk. Anna Taggart is smart, stubborn, independent, and doesn’t think she needs anyone. Having her heart broken before, she refuses to give in to her feelings for Ethan no matter how hard he pursues her. Will Ethan be able to convince Anna life is too short not to love?
  2
Seducing the Detective by: Sherri Hayes When Detective Janey Davis is sent to the small town of Liberty to consult on a recently discovered John Doe, she’s paired up with Deputy Kyle Reed. She’s run into his type before—handsome, overly confident, and he has the ladies fawning all over him. It should be easy to resist her attraction to him. If only someone would tell that to her heart.
  Dirty Liars by: Sydney Lea Undercover FBI agent Nikolai has been treading a fine line between right and wrong for the last few years and everything he has worked for is thrown into utter chaos the moment he risks it all to save Harper. Harper’s life has just been turned upside down, and now she must rely on the one man who has been lying to her from the moment they met. Can they overcome all the dirty lies told between them?
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

RELEASE DAY!! LAST CHANCE by @LPDover




Last Chance: A Second Chances Novel 
by L.P. Dover
Genre - Romantic Suspense

Cover Designed by - Regina Wamba with Mae I Design

BUY THE BOOK

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2bw2Xmk

ABOUT THE BOOK

One last chance.

That's all Luke Collins, local bad boy and motocross champion, has to not only find his redemption, but win back the girl he lost. He'll stop at nothing to make her his, even if it means playing dirty.

Lara Jacobs doesn't want her heart broken again and refuses to give Luke a second chance. After he left her after their one night stand, she ran right into the arms of her close friend, Grayson Moore. He's always loved her, and he's determined to make her see he's what she needs.

However, in life nothing goes as planned and tragedy strikes. After a fatal accident nearly claims Lara's life, she's left inside a world she can't remember. Her memories are gone, including those of the men vying for her heart. Grayson sees her loss as a possibility to forget her love for Luke, but Luke sees it as an opportunity to start over. All he wants is one last chance to show her that she's the one he's been in love with all along.

*** An updated version of One Taste (prequel to Last Chance) has been included at the beginning of the book with all new scenes. ***



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.

She loves to write, but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.

Dover has written countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters series, the Society X series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.



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Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Blog Tour! KARMA BOX SET by SAMANTHA JACOBEY



✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.✫ღ˚ •。* ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。
✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫★ *˛ ˚♥ * ✰

˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ *˛˚ KARMA BOX SET BY SAMANTHA JACOBEY ˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ 

..✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.✫ღ˚ •。* ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。
✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫★ *˛ ˚♥ * ✰。
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legacy.jpe  minion.jperevenge.jpe


Blurb: 

The Magical Adventure continues! 

If you liked the Summer, Dark and Forgotten Angels in the first segment of the Summer Spirit Novella Series, you are going LOVE what happens when Karma gets involved. Are they a race of ancient beings, here for the benefit of mankind? Or is a group of marauders poised and ready to strike us down when we least expect it? Charlie must find the truth and his inner strength for any hope of freeing Clarisse and ending the battle… (New Adult) 

Buy Links: 

KARMA’S MINION - http://amzn.to/2agFMLW
KARMA’S REVENGE - http://amzn.to/2aIp2RT
KARMA’S LEGACY - http://amzn.to/2aN67U2

THE KARMA SET - http://amzn.to/2avqgiM






angel set.jpe
                             
 
     

No one EVER had a summer romance like this. When Charlie visited another plane parallel to our own, he discovered that Summer Angels and Dark Angels battle over the fate of man. Faced with choices no one should ever have to make, his adventure has been fraught with twists and turns, with life and death hanging in the balance. His guardian, Clarisse, is the half that makes him whole, but sinister forces conspire to do more than simply keep them apart. Find out if they can stand up to the powers that be in this THRILLING MAGICAL ADVENTURE!!! (New adult) 

Summer Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… What would you do if you discovered Guardian Angels are real? 

Charlie and his parents had planned a fabulous summer vacation; the last one before he heads off to college. Things go mysteriously awry when the young man meets Clarisse; he finds himself separated from his parents and on a different sort of holiday. 

Caught up in a strange adventure with the slender blonde, Charlie learns right away that things are not what they seem. She easily convinces him that her magical powers are real, and introduces him to a world mankind has only dreamt of. Promising to have him reunited with his family soon, the girl takes him on a gallery walk of life, using her abilities to give him a summer vacation he will never forget... and then again, may not even survive. 

Dark Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… Can your Guardian Angel simply walk away? 

Charlie and his girlfriend met last summer, after his awakening from a near death experience. Their love grew while his body healed, and after a few short months, he had come to believe she was the girl of his dreams. But Donna has a secret; one she had never intended to share with the love of her life. 

While Charlie’s physical being had lain in a hospital, his spirit had traveled to another dimension - her world - where the forces of light and dark collide. When he had returned to the living side of consciousness, Clarisse stole Donna’s body, claiming it and giving herself a second chance at life and love. Of course, people who die are meant to stay dead, and there will be rough times ahead as Keeper, head of the angels, decides how to put things back in order... 

Forgotten Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… Can love transcend death for a Guardian Angel? 

When Clarisse took her own life, she wanted to spare Charlie’s suffering at the hands of Gous. He watched her die in a most gruesome fashion, and had to learn to live without the girl of his dreams in the physical sense. Instead, he managed to maintain contact with her, and brought new meaning to the term ‘long-distance relationship.’ 

In the weeks following their separation, Charlie returns to his home town. A commanding presence, the temptation to meddle in the lives of those around him becomes overwhelming. as does Clarisse’s desire to interfere with his. Tempers flare, and the girl flees, leaving him at the mercy of Gous and the dark path that lays before him. By a twist of Fate, Charlie’s world spins further out of control, and he sets off to find her on what could be his road to redemption. Will their love survive when he discovers the truth about his abilities? Or will the powers that be finally claim their forgotten angel... 

Magical guardian Angels…. 

SUMMER ANGEL -http://amzn.to/1LTkNPc
DARK ANGEL –http://amzn.to/1RhfYmu
FORGOTTEN ANGEL- http://amzn.to/2attTp0

THE ANGEL SET - http://amzn.to/1rWYYHq

samantha.jpg

Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations anywhere at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.

I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SamJacobey
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GEB5LX0
Goodreads -https://www.goodreads.com/aut…/show/7335383.Samantha_Jacobey
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SamJacobey
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/samanthajacobey/
Fan Club / Street team -https://www.facebook.com/groups/518336211610077/


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NEW RELEASE! AN UNFORTUNATE VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE by RJ LAWS

An Unfortunate Victim of Circumstance Final Cover2

Published August 9, 2016

by: RJ Laws

 

Blurb:

Sheila can't seem to catch a break in life, at least not a permanent one.  Just as soon as things seem to even out for her, the other shoe drops.  Sometimes, you have to make life bend to your will, before it crushes you.

 
http://amzn.to/2aGVeRRhttp://amzn.to/2b8LqFe

About This Literary Chef:

RJ Laws is a quiet person who recently decided to take the plunge into the literary world.  He resides in the Southeastern area of the US.

Contact:

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

COVER REVEAL: PERFECT RAGE (Unyielding Book Three) by @nashodarose

Perfect Rage  

COVER REVEAL
PERFECT RAGE NASHODA ROSE AMAZON KINDLE EBOOK COVER

Book Title: Perfect Rage (Unyielding Book Three) 
Author: Nashoda Rose 
Genre: Erotic Romance 
Release Date: TBA 
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Goodreads

Pre-Order Exclusively at iBooks


The third and final installment in the Unyielding series from
New York Times bestselling author Nashoda Rose.
This is Connor’s Story.
Blurb TBA


***WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE BELOW***

excerpt

“Perfect Rage”
Excerpt Copyright © 2016 by Nashoda Rose


The porch boards creaked behind me. I spun, but not fast enough and a hand clamped over my mouth. I was yanked backward to land against a hard chest then dragged into the darkness of the far corner of the porch where the light failed to illuminate and a tree concealed us from the street.

My scream came out muffled and barely audible.

“Shhh,” he murmured against my ear.

Connor?

His warm breath wafted over the side of my neck and goose bumps popped along my skin. But it wasn’t from fear, well maybe a little, but it was more an awareness. Like my body awakened to his touch.

“They put a man on you.”

Ernie. He’d seen Ernie. Connor managed to get by an ex-navy SEAL. It shouldn’t surprise me. He excelled at being invisible. But the question was had Ernie seen him?

“He’s good. Took two hours before I had the chance.” And he’d always been patient. “You going to stay quiet if I remove my hand?”

I did my best to nod, but his grip on me was constricting and I only managed a slight dip of my chin. His hand slid from my mouth to the curve of my neck where his fingers enclosed, not harsh, but with purpose.

His rough whisper rumbled, “Can’t leave yet. Tried to. Bike found its way back here.” His body stiffened. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

Oh, God. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears pooled. I was uncertain what he’d do to me right now. He was on edge, but I couldn’t stop the overwhelming need to curl into his arms and take his pain away.

His body stiffened and his forearm across my breasts squeezed. I whimpered under the pressure, but didn’t struggle.

“I’m sorry. Fuck, I’m so sorry about your family, sweet-baby.”

My breath locked and a tear teetered then fell. Wetness trailed down my cheek. I hadn’t heard him call me that in eleven years and it was as if I were back there with him, falling in love all over again.

His fingers splayed on my neck gently applied more pressure. It wasn’t restricting, but it was controlling and I knew he’d easily cut off air if he wanted to. But I trusted that Connor would never willingly hurt me.

It was the graze of his lips on the edge of my jaw that sent my heart rocketing and my belly into a perpetual whoosh. Confusion and desire clashed as my body and mind fought against one another.

“You should’ve chosen me,” he murmured.

I had chosen him. Everything I’d done was me choosing him. But that wasn’t what he was talking about.

“You should’ve chosen me,” he repeated then nibbled on the lobe of my ear, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. “Why? Why didn’t you kill me instead?”


“Perfect Rage” 

Coming Soon.

*excerpt subject to change.

meet the author

brim

Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave.

When she isn't writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dogs at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction—books.
social media
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PERFECT RAGE NASHODA ROSE AMAZON KINDLE EBOOK COVER

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Monday, December 28, 2015

SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY! Heir to the Duke by Jane Ashford



Title: Heir to the Duke
Author: Jane Ashford
Series: the Duke’s Sons, #1
Pubdate: January 5th, 2016
ISBN: 9781492621560

Book 1 of The Duke’s Sons series

From bestselling author Jane Ashford comes a brand new series of sparkling Regency Romance

Blurb

Life is predictable for a Duke’s first son
As eldest son of the Duke of Langford, Nathaniel Gresham sees his arranged marriage to Lady Violet Devere as just another obligation to fulfill—highly suitable, if unexciting. But as Violet sets out to transform herself from dowdy wallflower to dazzling young duchess-to-be, proper Nathaniel sets out to prove he’s a match for his new bride’s vivacity and daring.

Or so he once thought…
Oppressed by her family all her life, Lady Violet can’t wait to enjoy the freedom of being a married woman. But then Violet learns her family’s sordid secret, and she’s faced with an impossible choice—does she tell Nathaniel and risk losing him, or does she hide it and live a lie?


About This Literary Chef

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. Her historical and contemporary romances have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Twenty-six of her new and backlist Regency romances are being published by Sourcebooks. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She is currently rather nomadic.

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/222MBai 

Meet the Gresham's

Jane Ashford’s latest release, Heir to the Duke, comes out this January! To celebrate, we invite you to get to know Alan Gresham, one of the six sons of the Duke of Langford, and to check out an excerpt from the book. To learn more about Alan, the youngest of the brothers, pick up a copy of Jane Ashford’s prequel novel, The Bargain.

Full Name: Alan
Occupation: A scientist, scholar at Oxford University
Height: 6’ 2”
Hair Color: Auburn
Eye Color: Blue
Age:  24

How would you describe yourself? (100 words or less)
I am a scientist. I study the nature of light. I have a passion for knowledge.

If your brothers had to describe you, what would they say?
A fellow with his head in the clouds. Intelligent but sometimes unintelligible.

What is your favorite way to spend your time?
In my laboratory, or with my wife. Both are equally engaging.

What’s one piece of advice you would give the newlyweds (Nathaniel and Violet)? 
Always say what you really mean. This may cause friction from time to time. Possibly a great deal of friction. But communicating clearly is worth it in the end.

If money was no object and you had no commitments for the next two months, what would you do?
I would travel to Germany to speak with fellow scientists there and learn more about their work. I’m sure my wife would enjoy such a journey. I think she would. Perhaps. This would be a good example of the necessity for clear communication. I would ask her first, of course.

An Excerpt:
Nathaniel Gresham, Viscount Hightower, stirred in his sleep. His hands groped for bedclothes, found nothing. Sensing wrongness, his consciousness rose through layers of befuddlement and wisps of dreams. He opened his eyes to find a gaping maw of three-inch fangs inches from his throat.
“Aah!”
Nathaniel threw up his arms to shield his face and twisted to the side. The convulsive movement brought him right to the edge of a large four-poster bed, and he scrambled to avoid falling three feet to the floor. He twisted in the opposite direction and struck out at the sharp, yellowed teeth. They did not snap shut on his forearm or lunge into his face once more. Indeed, they did not move at all, except sideways under his blow. There was no snarl or slaver, no spark of rage in the shiny eye behind the fangs. Nathaniel shoved them farther away and sat up.
He was stark naked, on a large bed stripped bare of linens, covered only by a moth-eaten gray wolf skin. The wretched thing’s head had been carefully placed on his chest, to ensure the rude awakening. His hips still rested under its hindquarters. Molting fur peppered the bed. The mere sight of the ancient pelt made his skin itch. Revolted, he pushed it all the way off and moved to the foot of the bed, struggling to get his bearings. This wasn’t his bedchamber. The blue-striped wallpaper was alien, the furnishings unfamiliar; the windows with their slant of early morning light were in the wrong place. Then he remembered. He was staying at the Earl of Moreley’s country house, because tomorrow—no, today—he was to marry the earl’s daughter at their local parish church.
Nathaniel glared at the wolf skin, then rubbed his hands over his face. This was what it meant to have five brothers—five younger brothers—on one’s wedding day. Or rather, on one’s wedding eve, a night they’d insisted upon marking with bowls of rack punch. Had it been three? Or had he lost count? No wonder they’d kept filling his glass, if they had this prank planned. Where the devil had they found a wolf skin in a strange house? And hadn’t he told his father, when Robert was born in his sixth year, that four sons were quite enough? Even for a duke, six sons were excessive. At this particular moment, Nathaniel thought that his parents might have been content with just one.
He rose, stretching stiff limbs and marveling that he had only a mild headache. Revenge on his brothers would have to wait for another day. Today, he was getting married. He was doing his duty to his name and his line, pledging himself to a woman who would be an admirable duchess when their turn came—may it be far in the future. The match was eminently suitable. All society acknowledged its rightness. And despite Violet’s irascible grandmother, the occasional bane of his existence, he could have no complaints.
Indeed, why had the word even occurred to him? No one had rushed him into marriage. He had enjoyed a plenitude of seasons in London and a number of agreeable flirtations and liaisons with delightful females. Though they had never spoken of it, he was aware that his parents had given him every opportunity to fall in love. But the passion that had overtaken them in their young days had not befallen him. He wasn’t sure why, but once he’d passed thirty he concluded it never would. He’d had more than enough time to observe that such a bond was rare in the circles of the haut ton.
Nathaniel stretched again, his bare limbs a bit chilly. This marriage was certainly not a penance. He liked Violet very much. They’d been acquainted for years. He did not know whether she’d had other offers, but he supposed that she too had waited for love to find her. They had that in common. They were also well suited by background, had similar tastes, and enjoyed the same even temperament. When he’d decided that the time for marriage had come, he’d simply known that she was the proper candidate. He expected their union to be gracious, harmonious, and ideal for the significant position they would someday be called upon to fulfill. And now it was time to stop wool- gathering, put on his dressing gown, and begin this momentous day.
Nathaniel walked over to the oaken wardrobe on the far wall and opened it.
It was empty. All his clothes had disappeared.
He stared at the bare hooks. This part of the prank would be Sebastian’s doing, he imagined. It had his next younger brother’s touch. Nathaniel met his own gaze in the mirror set into the wardrobe door, and acknowledged the spark of amused annoyance in his eyes. His brothers had a fiendish facility for complicated jests.
The figure in the glass shook its head. All the sons of the Duke of Langford were tall, handsome, broad-shouldered men with auburn hair and blue eyes. Sebastian was the tallest. Robert the wittiest. Randolph was acknowledged as the handsomest, James the most adventurous, and Alan the smartest. But he was the eldest, and the heir.
For as long as he could remember, Nathaniel had felt the weight of his destiny. The others said it was a burden to have everything done ahead of them, but he’d felt the onus of being the pattern, setting up the expectations, being the son visitors scrutinized the most. He would be the next duke; he must show he was worthy. Thus, he kept a tight rein on his wilder impulses. Instead, he was the one who came to the rescue when one of his brothers went too far, kicking up a lark.
And so now, he did not slam the empty wardrobe shut, but simply closed it. He would leave it to his valet to straighten this out. He wanted hot water for washing, and then clothes, and then breakfast. He went to ring for Cates, and discovered that the bell rope had been removed. He could see the wire to which it had been connected, near the ceiling, twelve feet up. It must have taken two or three of his brothers to reach so high.
For a moment he just stood there, staring at it. This final touch would be Robert’s idea, no doubt. He’d always been the most ingenious, the brother who added the crowning climax to a prank. Robert would be the one to set the others guffawing—describing their elder brother slinking through the corridors of the Earl of Moreley’s house wrapped in a wolf skin, like some sort of demented ancient Celt. Even Nathaniel had to smile at the picture. How would Violet’s fierce stickler of a grandmother like that? And all the other near and distant relations visiting for the wedding? He’d barely met most of them. Perhaps he’d twine some ivy from outside the window in his hair and attempt a Gaelic war cry.
Nathaniel laughed. Truth to tell, it was a splendid prank, unfolding like a puzzle box upon its hapless victim. All that remained was for him to wiggle out of the trap so cunningly set.
He eyed the windows and considered pulling down some of his almost-mother-in-law’s elaborate draperies to wrap about himself. But one panel would trail behind him like a coronation robe. The picture was little better than the wolf skin. Perhaps he would just wait until Cates arrived on his own. It couldn’t be too much longer. In fact, judging by the sunlight, his valet ought to have appeared well before now. Where the devil was he?
As if in answer to this thought, there was a knock at the door.
“Nathaniel?”
The voice was the last he expected. “Violet?”
“Are you all right? James said you needed to speak to me most urgent—” The door opened, and Nathaniel’s promised bride looked around the panels. “Oh!” Her mouth dropped open.
Nathaniel—stark naked, next to a bed sporting only a rumpled wolf skin—braced for a shriek, a shocked retreat, babbled apologies. But Violet just looked at him. Indeed, it seemed as if she couldn’t tear her eyes away. He could almost feel her gaze traveling along his skin, as if it left trails of warmth. He saw something stir in those gray eyes, something he’d never observed before, and his body began to respond to the possibility of much more than he’d expected from his suitable marriage. Respond all too eagerly.
Nathaniel moved over behind the bed. “My brothers’ idea of a joke,” he said with a gesture toward the wolf skin.
Violet blinked. Color flooded her cheeks, and she looked away. “How did they...?” Her voice was rather choked.
“They are endlessly inventive. They stole my clothes as well. Would you have someone send Cates to me? I would ring but”—he pointed to the bell wire—“they were quite thorough.”
Violet glanced at the denuded wire, swallowed, and gave a quick nod. “Of course.” In the next instant, she was gone.
“Well, well,” murmured Nathaniel to the wolf. “That was interesting.”
His days of being capable of interest long past, the wolf made no reply.