Read Pleasures of a Tempted Lady Online
Authors: Jennifer Haymore
Tags: #Fiction / Romance - Historical
Pleasures of a Tempted Lady (45 page)
Her expression grew tight. Shuttered. “I’d like to skip that part, if you don’t mind.”
I raised a brow. This wasn’t going to work out between us if she demanded I skip all the good stuff. But I’d play along. For now. “All right, then. Where would you like to start?”
“With my escape.”
“Ah, so it
was
pirates, then.”
She gave a firm shake of her head. “No. I meant my escape from England.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” I said. “You’ll be wanting to stay in England. Your family is there.” I didn’t say it, but I was pretty sure the man who loved her was there, too.
“I can’t stay in England. You must help me.”
I clasped my hands on top of my desk. “Look, Meg. I really like your family, so I’m sitting here listening to what you have to say. But I’m a writer who writes happy, satisfying stories about finding true love and living happily ever after. Is that what you’re looking for?”
“No!”
I sighed. I’d thought not.
She leaned forward again, her palms flat on the desk. “I need you to write me out of England, because I need to protect my family, and…”
“And…?” I prompted when she looked away, seemingly unwilling to continue.
“And… Captain Langley. You see, as long as I stay in England, they’re all in danger.”
I fought the twitch that my lips wanted to make to form a smile. So she did know about Captain William Langley… and she obviously cared for him. Whatever danger she was worried about facing meant nothing in the face of the depth of love that might someday belong to William Langley and Meg Donovan.
“I see.” I looked into her eyes. “I might be able to make an exception this time. I will do whatever I can to help you protect your family.”
Note that I didn’t tell her I’d help her to escape. Or to get out of England.
A frantic, wonderful plan was forming rapidly in my mind. Yeah, I’d write her story. I’d “help” her keep Langley and her family safe. But once I did that, once I gained her trust, I’d find a way to make them happy, to boot. Because I’m a romance writer, and that’s what I do.
“Thank you,” she murmured, glassy tears forming in her eyes. “Thank you so much.”
I raised a warning finger. “Realize that in order for this to work, you need to tell me everything.”
She hesitated, her lips pressed hard together. Then she finally nodded.
I flipped up my laptop and opened a new document. “Tell me your story, Miss Donovan. From the moment of your rescue.”
And that was how I began to write the love story of Meg Donovan, the long-lost Donovan sister.
I truly hope you enjoy reading Meg’s story! Please come visit me at my website,
www.jenniferhaymore.com
, where you can share your thoughts about my books, sign up for some fun freebies and contests, and read more about the characters from PLEASURES OF A TEMPTED LADY.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Haymore
From the desk of Jill Shalvis
Dear Reader,
Ever feel like you’re drowning? In FOREVER AND A DAY, my hero, Dr. Josh Scott, is most definitely drowning. He’s overloaded, overworked, and on the edge of burnout. He’s got his practice, his young son, his wheelchair-bound sister, and a crazy puppy. Not to mention the weight of the world on his shoulders from taking care of everyone in his life. He’s in so deep, saving everyone around him all the time, that he doesn’t even realize that
he’s
the one in need of saving. It would never occur to him.
Enter Grace Brooks. She’s a smart smartass and, thanks to some bad luck, pretty much starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor working as Josh’s dog walker. And then as his nanny. And then before he even realizes it, as his everything. In truth, she’s saved him, in more ways than one.
Oh, how I loved watching the sure, steady rock that is Josh crumble, only to be slowly but surely helped back together again by the sexy yet sweet Grace.
And don’t forget to pick up the other “Chocaholic” books,
Lucky in Love
and
At Last
, both available wherever books and ebooks are sold.
Happy Reading!
Jill Shalvis
From the desk of Kristen Callihan
Dear Reader,
I’m half Norwegian—on my mother’s side. If there is one thing you need to know about Norwegians, it’s that they are very egalitarian. This sense of equality defines them in a number of ways, but one of the more interesting aspects is that Norwegian men treat women as equal partners.
Take my grandfather. He was a man’s man in the truest sense of the term. A rugged fisherman and farmer who hung out with the fellas, rebuilt old cars, smoked a pipe, and made furniture on the side. Yet he always picked up his own plate after dinner. He never hesitated to go to the market if my grandmother needed something, nor did he complain if he had to cook his own meals when she was busy. My grandfather was one of the most admirable men I’ve known. Thus when I began to write about heroes, I gravitated toward men who share some of the same qualities as my Norwegian ancestors.
Ian Ranulf, the hero of MOONGLOW, started out as a bit of an unsavory character in
Firelight
. All right, he was a total ass, doing everything he could to keep Miranda and Archer apart. So much so that, early on, my editor once asked me if I was sure Ian wasn’t the real villain. While Ian did not act on his best behavior, I always knew that he was not a bad man. In fact, I rather liked him. Why? Because Ian loves and respects women in a way that not many of his peers do. While he feels
inclined to protect a woman from physical harm, he’d never patronize her. For that, I could forgive a lot of him.
In MOONGLOW, Ian is a man living a half-life. He has sunk into apathy because life has not been particularly kind to him. And so he’s done what most people do: He’s retreated into a protective shell. Yet when he meets Daisy, a woman who will not be ignored, he finds himself wanting to live for her. But what I found interesting about Ian is that when he begins to fall for Daisy, he does not think, “No, I’ve been burned before; I’m not going to try again.” Ian does the opposite: He reaches for what he wants, even if it terrifies him, even with a high possibility of failure.
While Ian certainly faces his share of physical battles in MOONGLOW, it is his dogged pursuit of happiness and his willingness to love Daisy as an equal that made him one of my favorite characters to write.
Happy Reading,
Kristen Callihan
Contents
A Preview of
Confessions of an Improper Bride
A Preview of
Secrets of an Accidental Duchess
Praise for the novels of Jennifer Haymore
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Jennifer Haymore
Excerpt from
Confessions of an Improper Bride
Copyright © 2011 by Jennifer Haymore
Excerpt from
Secrets of an Accidental Duchess
Copyright © 2012 by Jennifer Haymore
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 constitute 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 [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
