Rogue Countess (40 page)
It wasn’t hard to feign attraction to him.
He must have noticed for he took a small step forward, tested her as she hoped he would. She snapped her head up and met his gaze, let there be fear in her eyes and something else as well.
His lips pressed together in a thin line. He would not make this easy, this attack.
“Thank you for the salve.” She wondered if he noticed that her voice shook. Truly, she shook everywhere with nerves. Her breaths came in little puffs as fear bound her lungs. “The ointment tastes like honey and calendula.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip.
He glanced away, but not before she saw the slight tightening of his posture. The hollows of his cheeks deepened, the jut of his jaw became more pronounced.
She stood up tall, drew in a full breath and pressed her breasts against the worn fabric of her gown. His gaze flashed down.
“Ah, I see how it is.” Radford crossed his arms. “You are playing your last card, and not a very original one at that.”
He called her bluff, but it did not matter. One way or another she would escape. She would be free or she would be killed.
When you walk on the wild side of society, the greatest danger could be to your own heart.
Scarlet Kisses
© 2012 Tish Westwood
Passions Unveiled, Book 1
Alyssum Rosewood has just come to a shocking realization. Her life is boring. Visions of spinsterhood dancing in her head, she dons a dramatic red gown and sneaks out to attend Lady Brook’s infamous masquerade ball, where a gentleman sweeps her into his arms and steals a kiss that reveals a passion she never dreamed existed. But then she learns his identity—the reckless and improper Viscount Lambert, her overprotective brother’s best friend
.
Robert Lambert finds the lady in red captivating. Her kiss quickens his heart and her innocent yet wicked touch sets his body on fire. But she slips from his grasp and flees before he can remove her mask. Come hell or high scandal, he will find his fiery little temptress
.
Certain Robert will be horrified to learn she is the woman whose shocking behavior aroused his lust, Alyssum desperately tries to hide the truth deep in her heart. But with every look, every touch, every kiss, she comes ever closer to throwing caution to the wind
…
Warning: This book contains a hidden love, a possessive brother, scoundrels and fistfights. A scarlet gown, ladies sneaking into taverns and a heroine who has just been awakened into the world of pleasure.
Enjoy the following excerpt for
Scarlet Kisses:
Robert looked over the crowded ballroom and saw Jackson grinning down at his Rosy. He turned his gaze and found Tucker leaning against a white column while stroking the back of his hand down Lavender’s arm. She stared up at him, giggling and blushing.
Robert exhaled sharply. He needed to stop looking for Alyssum and go win his wager. He shifted his gaze, looking for the bold scarlet dress. He had spotted her throughout the night, constantly surrounded by gentlemen.
Walking through the room, he saw three red dresses but none belonging to Scarlet.
He walked out onto the balcony but he found it empty. Just as he was about to turn and go back inside, he spotted a woman in the corner, hiding in the shadows. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and he saw her leaning against the railing. It was Scarlet. With another quick look around for any signs of guests, he walked over to her. As he made his way over, he stripped off his gloves and tucked them into the inside of his coat pocket.
Alyssum heard the footsteps of someone approaching her. By the clomp of the shoes on the balcony, she knew it was a gentleman. Hoping it wasn’t one of the men she had already met tonight, she slowly stood straight but kept her back to him. She held the railing with her gloved hands.
The gentleman stopped behind her. She held her breath. His shoes scuffed the stone floor then she felt the brush of his coat against her back. She exhaled and found her breath shook.
Alyssum gasped under the soft caress of fingers on her exposed back. She felt her skin tingling and responding. She remained still, wanting his touch. Her cheeks burned at her wicked behavior. She felt the gentleman step closer, his coat brushing her bare back. She then felt his warm breath at her ear.
The man raised both hands and smoothed them over her shoulders slowly, as if he didn’t want to frighten her. He gently swiped her hair over one shoulder, dragging the waves behind her ear then across her neck.
Alyssum exhaled on a gasp as she felt his mouth touch her neck. His hands were warm and gentle as one rested on her shoulder and the other held her nape lightly. His lips were soft and firm as he led a trail of kisses up her neck. Her eyes drifted shut as his tongue swept over her skin. She felt her stomach somersault. Her breath shook with each draw of breath she took. She gasped again with a mixture of shock and pleasure as he began to gently suck her neck. She felt a change in her body. Her skin became sensitive to his every touch. She became hot. Her dress was too tight. Her breaths became heavier as she felt an ache begin between her thighs. His fingers at her nape stroked as his mouth sucked. Alyssum gasped for breath now. She had never felt these sensations before. She wanted more. She needed to touch him, feel him. She ached with want.
Robert felt her yielding to his touch. He had to be careful not to scare her away. She may have dressed provocatively, but every young lady in that ballroom was a proper miss. Lady Brook didn’t invite harpies to her balls. Only the toast of the ton were invited.
He took hold of her arms and turned her around to face him. She arched her back and her breasts pressed against his chest. He stared down at her parted lips. He could hardly see her in the shadows, so he felt. He lowered his head and kissed the curve of her jaw, then her cheek, then the corner of her lip. Her breath fanned his lips before he fused their mouths together softly. He skimmed his hands along the softness of her cheeks and cupped her face. He tilted her head and slanted his mouth over hers. He seized her mouth in a hot, wet kiss. With her lips already parted, he thrust his tongue inside the warmth of her mouth and tasted her.
The kiss started slow and gentle, but with each passing second he felt the change in his Scarlet. She was no longer the innocent, but was now the eager student. He gave her his tongue and she suckled it. He groaned in pleasure. His breathing became heavier as the kiss spun out of control. His hands slipped from her face, captured her hips and brought her against him. He couldn’t get enough of this woman. Where had she been hiding? She was incredible. This woman was his dream. Fiery, aggressive and addictive. His slid his hands down and grabbed her buttocks. He pulled her forward and ground her against his hardened shaft. She gasped and fueled his passion.
Alyssum gripped her masked man’s coat in her fists. She kissed him hungrily, even wildly.
She felt a rush of heat sweep over her body. Her deep moans caused him to kiss her harder, deeper, so she moaned again and again.
She could hardly believe what she was doing, but it felt too good to stop. She couldn’t pull away, wouldn’t.
In her eagerness for him, she reached up and grasped the back of his neck. She rubbed her body against him and couldn’t stop the moans of pleasure rising within her. This was what she had come for. This perfect kiss. This perfect embrace. Body afire with passion, she clutched her masked gentleman and refused to let go. She loved the feel of his strong, hard body against her. She loved his mouth, his kiss, his touch. He grasped her buttocks in his hands and rocked her against the hard length of him. She squealed in surprised but wasn’t afraid. With exhilaration racing through her veins, she pushed against him, wanting to feel every inch of him.
Rogue Countess
Amy Sandas
A passion neither of them wanted…and neither can deny.
Anna Locke was once young, naïve and infatuated with the handsome Jude Sinclair. Until the charismatic “gentleman” showed his true colors by abandoning her on their wedding day.
In the years since, she has transformed herself into a confident, successful woman, independent of her errant husband’s aristocratic family in every way but name. When Jude unexpectedly returns demanding a divorce, she quashes the butterflies he still elicits, and resolves to show him she won’t be so easily cast aside.
Jude has come home to assume the responsibilities left to him upon his father’s death, and to finally end the marriage into which he was tricked. To his surprise, Anna is no longer an awkward, skinny girl with a furtive gaze. She has become a lush, enigmatic vixen with dark eyes that shield secrets she seems determined to keep.
In their intimate war of wills, the heat of bold desire flares into passion—and casts light on a shared past tangled in lies and blackmail. But until Jude can win her trust and learn the truth, there will be no destroying the obstacles that loom darkly between them…and the love that should have been theirs.
Warning: This title contains a shockingly revealing sapphire gown, highly improper behavior at a masquerade, a tangled web of deception, and perhaps most scandalous of all, a fiery passion that flares to life between a husband and wife who have been estranged since their wedding day.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
Cincinnati OH 45249
Rogue Countess
Copyright © 2012 by Amy Sandas
ISBN: 978-1-61921-080-6
Edited by Heidi Moore
Cover by Kim Killion
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: July 2012
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