Excerpt & Giveaway: The Duke And The Lady In Red by Lorraine Heath
The
Duke and the Lady in Red
Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James #3
Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James #3
By:
Lorraine Heath
Releasing
April 29, 2015
Avon
Blurb
Sparks
fly in the finale of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James Place
series, as the last wicked rogue meets his match.
When
Rosalind Sharpe gains the attention of the deliciously wicked Duke of
Avendale, she’s torn between her distracting attraction to the
notorious rogue and the knowledge that he—rich as Croesus—is the
perfect target for a deception that will put her swindling days
behind her.
However,
Avendale is no fool. After he discovers the tantalizing lady packing
up to leave London with his coins in tow, he confronts her with a
scandalous proposition: she can have all the money she requires…for
a week in his bed.
Desperate
for the funds, Rose agrees, but on one condition: he must never
question her motives. Avendale quickly sees beneath her mask and
discovers she is more than passion and pleasure—she is everything
he has ever desired. But claiming her requires he unveil her secrets
and lose her forever. Unless he can put his own dark past aside and
risk everything for a chance at love.
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Excerpt
#8
His
dark eyes never left hers. She was acutely aware of his blatantly
assessing her. Every strand of hair, every eyelash, every blush.
Which was only fair as she was assessing him. Not a strand of his
dark brown hair was out of place. Sometimes when the light hit it
just so, she thought she detected shades of red in it, but mostly the
dark had its way. She suspected it dominated all aspects of his life.
Nothing
about him seemed light or carefree. Everything was intense. While
others conversed and smiled at their partners, he merely studied
every line and curve. She could tell that he preferred the curves.
She was accustomed to that when it came to men. Her bosom was her
finest asset, and she took great pains to show it off. She’d long
ago shed the mantle of timidity.
His
face was comprised of hard lines and harsh angles. He would never be
considered beautiful, and yet there was beauty in the ruggedness of
his features. Handsome, manly. Appealing. He appealed to her in ways
no other man ever had.
That
made him very dangerous indeed. She kept a wall between herself and
men. They were to be used, then discarded. She didn’t think this
man would be easily tossed aside. She needed to escape his company as
quickly as possible, while she could. She was far too attracted to
him. That would not suit her purposes at all. He would not suit.
The
final strains of the waltz drifted into silence.
“That
was lovely,” she said. “Thank you. I shall leave you to enjoy the
remainder of your evening now.”
His
eyes narrowed. “I thought we had agreed to two dances.”
“I
don’t wish to dominate your time.”
“There
is no one else I would rather dominate it. Is someone expecting your
company?”
She
should say yes. But then he would no doubt keep an eye on her to
discern who was of interest to her. She didn’t want him observing
her. Best to give him a bit more time tonight and then move on. “No.”
“Then
it seems another dance is in order.”
The
music began. Another waltz. Did the orchestra know naught but
waltzes? Did her skin have to welcome the press of his hands? Did she
have to feel his touch cascading through her entire being? She was
not usually so affected. It was at once disconcerting and exciting to
have these reactions to his nearness. What was it about him that
affected her so? It was more than his handsome features, something
deep within him that was calling to something in her, something that
had been dormant, that was awakening. She needed a distraction from
these unsettling thoughts.
“Where
is your estate?” she asked.
“Cornwall.”
Yes,
she could see that. His being part of the rugged coast. Perhaps he
was even descended from pirates. She could well imagine thievery and
plundering in his heritage.
“You’re
not one for conversing, are you?” she asked.
“Not
with words, no. I prefer other means of communication, especially
when a lady is involved.”
She
was losing her edge with him. She didn’t know how to get it back.
“That sort of communication deals only with the surface. There is
no depth to a relationship of that nature.”
“I
care for only one sort of depth.”
His eyes smoldered with his innuendo and she nearly stumbled.
Author
InfoLORRAINE
HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the
University of Texas, she wrote training manuals and computer code,
but something was always missing. After reading a romance novel, she
not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her
writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing
about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous
industry awards, including RWA’s RITA® and a Romantic Times Career
Achievement Award. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New
York Times best-seller lists.
Giveaway Time! a Rafflecopter giveaway
What a gorgeous cover! I really need to try her out.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting THE DUKE AND THE LADY IN RED!! Anna, this one has been getting AMAZING Reviews!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt and for the spotlight. I too love the cover for Lorraine's book - very stylish and sexy
ReplyDelete