I have this thing about saying ‘yes’. I do it frequently, and with abandon.
Skydiving on a whim? Yes.
A last minute getaway to Ireland? Yes!
Agreeing to a marriage of convenience with sexy and arrogant Luca Rossi for two years? Um…yes?
It should have been a simple arrangement. Luca needs a wife to clean up his image as the new CEO of Rossi Motors, and I need my mother to stop trying to fix me up on terrible dates. In two years, we’ll part amicably, no attachments or hard feelings. Anything that happens between us will be outside the confines of our arrangement.
And by anything, I mean falling into Luca’s bed. Which I also do frequently and with abandon.
But nothing is ever as simple as it seems. It isn’t long before I fall for my motorcycle-riding, dirty-talking, sexy-as-sin husband.
I know I should be careful. This is just temporary, after all, and Luca and I want completely different futures.
The thing is, when I’m with Luca, all I want to do is say, ‘yes’, no matter how reckless that would be.
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Julia Wolf writes sexy rockers, broken bad boys, snarky heroines, and bad ass women. She’s a firm believer in happily ever afters, no matter how rocky the road is to get there.
Julia lives in Maryland with her husband and three crazy, beautiful children. When she’s not writing romance, she’s reading it. Some of her favorite things are, in no particular order: goats, books, coffee, and Target.
Genre & Tropes: Steamy Contemporary Hockey Romance/Forbidden-Secret Romance
Cover Design: Ben Ellis with Pilcrow Design
Blurb:
Being the center of attention is the worst but being the center of his world feels pretty damn good.
Cora Monroe has spent her life in the spotlight thanks to her family’s name, and a tragedy that devastated her. She’s always hated the attention, but never more so than when her last relationship blew up in her face, and in the media. All she wants is to lay low. But she’s at loose ends and not even her career brings her joy anymore. Until she catches a glimpse of the most gorgeous man she’s ever seen, just as the elevator doors close.
Nathan Talbot is a solid second-line hockey player who’s finally getting his shot as captain of the new expansion team. He’s determined to prove he’s up to the task of leading a team. That means keeping his attention on the ice, not on the owner’s beautiful and intriguing sister.
Once they meet face-to-face, the spark between them is instantaneous and neither of them canβor wants toβresist. But all eyes are on Nate. A relationship with him would thrust Cora right back in the public eye, the last place she wants to be. And Nate can’t afford to blow his big chance. If he was smart he’d walk away. But every time he sees her, being smart seems overrated. He just wants her.
Can Cora ignore the media frenzy and grab onto happiness with both hands or will she let the doors slide shut again and walk away alone?
“If you only read one novel by Stephanie (though youβll be depriving yourself if you donβt read them all), read Center Ice! The friendships, family relationships and romantic relationships suck you in. Give me MORE!!!”
“Stephanie has outdone herself with this new series filled with hot hockey players looking to prove themselves, three young owners, and as always a whole lot of steam with a generous side of hockey!”
“Binged in 1 day…. OMG I love reading a hockey book by a hockey-loving author. It comes thru the pages so smoothly you don’t even realize it’s not hockey season!!”
Stephanie Kay has always loved a good romance, and she got hooked on the dirty ones at the tender age of 14, when she told her mother that if the cover wasnβt a bodice ripper, then there was no sex in the book. As an avid mystery reader, her mother never checked to see if Stephanie was lying. Twenty-plus years later, Stephanieβs most prized possession is her Kindle, and she may have a Hallmark movie obsession.
She lives in New England with her musician husband, energizer bunny daughter, and perfect writing companion pup. Itβs a constant adventure with very little sleep.Stephanie loves to hear from her readers. Please sign up for her newsletter for upcoming releases and exclusive excerpts. You can also email her at stephanie@stephkaybooks.com or find her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. For more information, please visit her website, www.stephkaybooks.com. You can also join her reader group on Facebook, Stephanie Kayβs Sassy Readers, and discuss books, romance, dessert, and hockey butts.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes an all-new novel, The Setup, in her Single in Seattle series, featuring Keaton Williams!
Iβm a sucker for pretty things. Give me a roaring engine in a souped-up vintage muscle car with cherry red paint and brand-new leather interior, and thatβs about as pretty as anything I could ask for. Iβm a simple man, who doesnβt need or want the kind of wild celebrity that my father has. I restore one-of-a-kind vehicles and sell them to the highest bidder. Usually, that bidder just also happens to be a celebrity.
But no matter how often my cars steal the spotlight, staying out of it is my number one priority.
Which is why Sydney Sterling is absolutely out of the question.
Sheβs a country music superstar. Sheβs in the spotlight. People canβt get enough of her.
It doesnβt matter that our one night together was hotter than a full throttle muscle car, or that sheβs the most incredible woman Iβve ever met.
I. Need. To. Stay. Away.
And I was doing a great job of just that until our friends set us up on a blind date, and now here I am, sitting across from the only woman who made me want more. How am I going to handle the fact that the rest of the world wants her almost as much as I do?
And do I even have a choice in the matter?
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Kristen Proby is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over seventy published titles. She debuted in 2012, captivating fans with spicy contemporary romance about families and friends with plenty of swoony love. She also writes paranormal romance and suggests you keep the lights on while reading them.
When not under deadline, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and their fur babies, riding her bike, relaxing with embroidery, trying her hand at painting, and, of course, enjoying her beautiful home in the mountains of Montana.Β
Saying “I Do” to her boss seemed like a harmless solution to a potentially harmful problem. But the only problem now is that she wants the marriage to be real.
When Marissa Barrett finds herself in a dangerous situation with her family, she needs help. Fast. Normally the queen of problem solving, this is one instance where she just can’t seem to find a solution on her own. All she wanted from her boss was help finding an attorney. But before she knows exactly how it’s happened, they’re standing in front of a justice of the peace.
Patrick Donovan would do anything to help Marissa. After all, she’s been helping him run his business for years. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t wildly attracted to her, but there was no way he would ever act on it. Plus, with his meddling family looking to see him settle down, the last thing he needed was any kind of romantic relationship. But when Marissa turns to him for help, suddenly he sees a way to do it that benefits them both.
One year of marriage. That was the agreement.
But everything’s negotiable, right?
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Samantha Chase is aΒ New York TimesΒ andΒ USA TodayΒ bestseller of contemporary romance that’s hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than seventy titles under her belt – including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017! She’s a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80’s rock. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 30 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Miranda Storme once gave her body and soul to Gavin Luciano, but he took her love and walked away without a word. Now he’s back. He may look even sexier than he did three years ago. His kisses may still burn in her memory. And his arrogance hasn’t changed since he states his intentions to reclaim her. In his bed. Still, as an established food critic who ends up in his restaurant, there’s only one thing on her mind. Revenge…
The restaurateur…
Gavin Luciano walked away from the family business and his lover years ago. He thought power and money would make him happy. Now he realizes his mistake and comes home to right his wrongs. He has three months to make his family’s struggling Italian restaurant successful, and a bad review is Gavin’s worst nightmare. But this isn’t just about the meal. He’s finally realized what he left behind and is determined to spend the next eight weeks proving himself to Miranda in the kitchen…and in the bedroom. This is one dish she won’t be able to refuse.
But when he learns about Miranda’s secret, will a second chance at love be too late?
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Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Her family keeps her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. Her passions include horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wineβnot necessarily in that order. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty books in contemporary romance fiction. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website at www.jenniferprobst.com. Join her newsletter to receive a free book at www.jenniferprobst.com/newsletter.
Do you believe in fate? Yeah, me neither until the sexy Navy SEAL I hooked up with three years ago suddenly reappears back in my life in the form of one of my best friends’ older brother. And now, they want me to share a room with him in the Keys.
βCan you share a room with Jesse tonight?β
How could I say no?
What Greg and Cooper didnβt know was Jesse and I met three years ago in Madrid. And when I finally hooked up with the handsome Navy SEAL, our night turned into a weekend of the best sex of my life. Jesse made me see stars twenty-four hours a day. We had a connection, but our timing wasnβt right. He was going back to America, and I was headed back to Italy to play soccer.
It was all for the best because I didnβt do relationships. Especially with a man nine years older and the total opposite of me. But I never forgot him, even though I tried.
Fast forward three years later, and we find ourselves thrown back together again in Portland. Iβm the new kicker for the Portland Pirates and Jesse Evans has reappeared in my life. And just as fate would have it, my dream hookup is Cooperβs older brother, and heβs moving his security firm to Portland.
Would he remember me? Did that weekend three years ago affect him as much as it did me?
I guess time would tell when we shared that room in the Florida Keys.
Roughing the Kicker is a bisexual age gap and opposites attract MM Sports Romance and Book 6 in The Package Deal Series.
βDo you mind sharing a room with Jesse? It would only be for the night. Theyβll have the other one ready tomorrow.β
I bit the inside of my cheek. Think Dom, think. But nothing useful came to mind except images of Jesse Evans naked. What was I supposed to say? No?
I inclined my head and somehow managed to form words. βSure. Uhβ¦ no problem.β
βAre you sure?β Greg held my gaze, searching my reaction for any indication that I wasnβt okay spending the night with that hot fucker. And honestly, I wasnβt sure I was.
Still, I swallowed and just let the first thing I could think of fall out of my mouth.
βYeah, itβs fine. I was just worried. I have sleep apnea and I might snore. Thatβs all,β I laughed maniacally. βDonβt wanna keep him up or anything.β
Donβt think about him being up. Donβt think about him being up.
Greg blew out a breath. The look of relief on his face would have been comical if I wasnβt a massive ball of nerves, but there was no way Iβd burst his bubble. He and Cooper didnβt have to invite me, but they did. And I needed to be gracious and not bust a nut right here in the airport. Or get on the next available flight back to Portland.
βOh, yeah, okay. Iβm sure itβll be fine. Jesse was in the military, so Iβm sure heβs used to all kinds of noises at night.β
I tried to control the squirming, but I couldnβt stop myself from fidgeting. I tried tamping down my raging, overwhelming lust for the former Navy SEAL . βYeah. Yeah, okay.β
Greg clapped me on the shoulder. βThanks, man. We really appreciate it.β With that settled, he walked away and went over to talk to Marcus.
Jesse Evans was the hottest man Iβd ever seen. He had muscles for days. Muscles I wanted to lick, andβno. Couldnβt go there or Iβd be sporting a huge boner. It seriously wasnβt fair for one man to be so damn tempting. He was tall and dressed like a runway model, with his perfect blond hair and his perfect smile. And then there was his commanding tone that just did it for me. I felt like I might have a heart attack right here at the airport and he was nowhere around to resuscitate me with vigorous mouth-to-mouth. Iβd die right here on the floor of the airport before I could get my hands on him.
Dropping my head back, I stared at the ceiling and prayed to Saint Rocco to protect me from myself tonight. All I wanted to do was to climb him like a tree and rub myself all over him.
I bet he could make me cum just by looking at me with that piercing and smoldering look that said hold your ass still while I rim you till you lose your damn mind.
And I would, too. Iβd hold still and let him have his wicked way with me in any goddamn position he wanted. God, now I was hard.
Fanculo la mia vita. Fuck my life.
*****
Review:
This is a good chance for returning readers to catch up with the rest of the guys, see Dom get his chance at love, and be introduced to what comes next. It’s low angst, insta-love, and STAH-EEMY (!)
There were a few things I had problems with – mainly around what happens in the second half of the story. Things that I felt weren’t realistic (or maybe that weren’t handled correctly, because I could see it happening in real life) but as a conclusion to the series I’m glad that we got the chance to see Jesse & Dom’s HEA.
*****
Author Info:
Rheland Richmond
For as long as she can remember, Rheland’s had her nose stuck in a book, getting lost in the world of someone else’s creation (She still does). Her love for writing came from her love for reading. She could never have one without the other.
Writing has always been a hobby and a cathartic experience for her. There are many stories lost to the never to be completed or published pile but needed to be written at the time.
She’s just a girl that loved stories so much she decided to write hers.
Rheland would love to hear from her readers and learn more about y’all. So if you get a chance… Get in touch.
Emerson Beckett is new to the publishing world. As an avid sports fan and lover of well-written M/M romance books, Emerson loves her new career as an author of gay romance. Itβs even more fulfilling for her when she can combine the two.
The journey to becoming an author started with an idea while reading on the sofa. That idea became an email that ultimately resulted in Emerson using those teacher skills to edit novels for three phenomenal MM romance authors. The third referral led to an opportunity to co-write a book series with one of the most genuine and kindest people sheβs ever had the pleasure of knowing- Rheland Richmond. Emerson is the co-author of The Package Deal Series, which includes The Quarterback Keeper, Pass Interference,Unnecessary Roughness, Two-Point Conversion, Illegal Motion, Ineligible Receiver, and one more upcoming book in the series. She plans to release her first solo book in 2023.
Besides being a retired teacher and author, Emerson lives in North Carolina and has been married to the same man for 32 years. She is the mother of three beautiful adults, one of whom is proudly part of the LGBTQ Community and completely responsible for her addiction to MM Romance. Even though the kids no longer live at home, they filled the empty nest with an Australian Shepherd, three cats, and a cute bunny rabbit.
Emerson would love to hear from her readers. So if you get a chance… Get in touch.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the story of two wine enthusiasts who ride the ups and downs of love in the vineyards of Tuscany.
Beginnings of Forever
The D’Angelo’s Book 3
by Catherine Bybee
Blurb:
Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreamsβa vineyard to run, a woman to marry. But a three-week vineyard tour in Italy could set him back on track.
For Emma Rutledge, wine is in her blood. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family are only intent to push her out of it. But that’s fineβshe’s got a plan.
When Gio and Emma meet on a wine tour in Tuscany, their shared aspirations fuel an undeniable chemistry. Returning home to California, they work toward setting up Emma’s vineyard and a label of their own. But when Emma receives a life-altering diagnosis, she worries it’s all been for nothing.
As Emma works to cement her family legacy while dealing with this unexpected challenge, Gio tries to convince her that their future isn’t just wine.
It’s each other.
Praise for Beginning of Forever
“BEGINNING OF FOREVER was such an adorable + funny + sweet + sparky + just beautiful Italian/Californian wine love storyβI loved it!” βBJ’s Book Blog
“Oh, be still my heart!! I love how Catherine Bybee tells a love story. The D’Angelo’s are pure love and support β¦ They lead from the heart and it’s beautiful.” βSusanne Scott, GoodReads Reviewer
He handed her back her license. βNo. Itβs much greater than that. Two people from the same part of the world, meet in a different part of the world, who both had birthday gifts that put them in the same place at the same time. Some might call that a sign.β He knew she was listening.
βWhat kind of sign?β
βThat we were meant to meet.β He leaned forward, stared into her eyes.
She paused. βYouβre suggesting romantically.β
βI didnβt say that . . . but now that you mention it.β He liked that her mind went there right along with his.
βDid you forget about the part where youβre looking for βthe oneβ and Iβm not looking at all?β
Gio couldnβt help it. He looked at her lips and wondered briefly how she would taste. βMinor crossroads, bella,β he said.
She shook her head. βYouβre one hell of a flirt.β
βSays the woman who asked me if her butt looked good in her pants.β
βItβs okay. Iβm a patient man.β He wasnβt, actually . . . but the white lie sounded good to his ears.
βIs that your way of saying youβre going to wear down my defenses?β Emma asked.
βIβm sure as hell going to try.β
Her cheeks lit up, her smile didnβt falter. βMen never talk to me like you do.β
βIβm not like other men.β
βAnd if I tell you that youβre wasting your time?β she asked.
βItβs my time to waste.β
She blinked several times. βIt was the bathing suit, wasnβt it?β
It was his turn to laugh. βA vision that will come up every time I close my eyes.β
βI wasnβt looking for a compliment.β
βYes, you were. But no, cara, the swimsuit, while a bonus, is not what is prompting me to try.β She intrigued him on every level.
βDonβt say I didnβt warn you.β
βDuly noted.β
*****
Author Info:
Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total she has written thirty-nine beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series. Learn more about Catherine and her books at www.catherinebybee.com.
My husband died one year after our wedding, casting me as the charity case in my small Alaskan town.
Since then, everyoneβincluding my big familyβtry to keep me busy as if that will stop the haunting memories from resurfacing.
Do I know itβs time to move on? Of course, but thatβs easier said than done.
Then Van Adler rides into town. His bad boy vibe complete with his motorcycle and tattoos causes my body to fill with need for the first time since my husbandβs death.
To make matters worse, heβs the one who answered my ad for a roommate. Sharing the close quarters of our two-bedroom apartment means I have to set some ground rules like keeping his rippled abs covered. Soon we become friends, heβs making me dinners, and weβre binge-watching television shows all night.
The more our lives intertwine, the more I start to fall for him. Leaving me wondering, can you find the love of your life twice in one lifetime?
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I feel like this one needs a little bit of a warning. As I moved through it, I felt like I’d missed out a little by not reading a lot of Piper Rayne books. Not so much from missing the first in the Lake Starlight series but The Baileys series. This is a HUGE family and there is a lot that has happened to get to the point where this generation is finding their own HEA. It’s not required reading but I will say I felt a little confused by some of the references to how the misc parents got together. If that’s going to bother you, I’d suggest adding a few books to your TBR pile π
Having said that, I did enjoy getting to know Van and Brinley. Brin has been a little stuck since her husband died four years ago. It doesn’t help that she lives in a small town so it’s hard to escape the label of “widow”. She’s not really put herself out there, but she’s definitely not been pushed. Until Van.
Van isn’t the bad boy that the title implies – he’s caring, brave, and dedicated to his job. He’s patient when Brin needs it but he’s there to help her to be more daring, to be more herself and not who she thinks she should be. His support and encouragement of her is pretty awesome.
But while I liked the two of them, there was something just a bit missing for me from what I expect in a Piper Rayne story. The characters are interesting, their romance works, and I love all the assorted side characters … I don’t know. It’s a darn good story, it’s just not spectacular and that’s the norm when I pick up one of their stories. Others seemed to have loved it so maybe it was just me … regardless, it’s definitely worth a read no matter what.
*****
Author Info:
Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write “heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle” about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they’re married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they’re both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
He leads the league in scoring. My heart won’t give him another shot.Β
He leads the league in scoring. My heart won’t give him another shot. I swore I’d never come back to Denver. I’d never trust the wrong man again. But here I am, back in the same place as the bad boy athlete who broke my heart. Clay rules the basketball court, and now he’s gunning for redemption. But I’m not the same girl who fell for the man behind the all-star image and reputation. He made me want him like I’ve never wanted anyone. He made me feel like I was the only thing that mattered. A single look can make me ache. A whispered promise in his gruff voice makes my chest tight. Clay’ll do anything to prove we’re worth another shot.
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I am NOT a fan of books that end on cliffhangers. Well, at least not if I have to wait for more books to be released before I can get to the end π I picked up Game Changer without knowing that it was a part of a trilogy, and I almost didn’t give it a shot but by the time I put it down I was so glad I did. Shot Taker picks up basically where the last book left off and we get to see what happens when Nova comes back to Denver & into Clay’s orbit.
While this is definitely the middle part of the story, without the excitement of the introduction or the satisfaction of a HEA, I enjoyed getting to know both Clay and Nova better. Nova is still that mix of sunshine & vulnerability, but she’s also developed a bit more grit. The implosion of her relationship with Clay really hurt her and she’s using that to her advantage. She’s going after what she wants with her art and she’s also going to make Clay work for another chance if he wants one.
Clay’s connection to Nova has changed him as well. It has him looking at more than just his goal to get to LA and has him evaluating the man, friend, & teammate he has been up to this point and whether that’s who he wants to be going forward. I’m really enjoying seeing him grow into a bit more than the grumpy (as$) baller that Nova first met.
Being the middle of the story there is a cliffhanger leading us to the last book, but I was really pleased with the lack of serious angst in this one. While there is some work that has to be done to get Clay & Nova back together, it wasn’t drama for drama’s sake and instead moved us forward to what will hopefully be a HEA. I’ll be interested to see where Lawson goes from here because I feel like, to get a full third book, there is going to have to be more drama to come. I have faith though that she can make it work.
*****
Author Info:
Piper Lawson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of smart and steamy romance.
She writes women who follow their dreams, best friends who know your dirty secrets and love you anyway, and complex heroes you’ll fall hard for.
Piper lives in Canada with her tall and brilliant husband. She’s a sucker for dark eyes, dark coffee, and dark chocolate.Β
New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp invites you back to Stonecliffe for a second adventure! Action and romance ensue on this adventurous trip through the beautiful English countryside.
A Rogue at Stonecliffe
A Stonecliffe Novel
by Candace Camp
ISBN: 9781335513106
Publication Date: June 27, 2023
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Blurb:
When the love of her life left without any explanation, Annabeth Winfield moved on despairingly, knowing she’d never have a love as thrilling as her first ever again. Sloane Rutherford was roguish and daring, but as Annabeth grew up, she realized that their reckless romance was just a passing adventure, never meant for stability. Twelve years later, Annabeth is engaged to someone new, ready to start her life with a dependable man.
That’s when Sloane returns. And he brings with him a serious warning: Annabeth is in trouble.
After spending the last dozen years working as a spy, Sloane thought he’d left espionage behind him. But now a dangerous blackmailer is after Annabeth. Sloane offers to hide his former lover at Stonecliffe, the Rutherford estate, but stubborn Annabeth demands to be part of the investigation. As the two embark on a dangerous and exciting journey, memories of their past romance resurface. Sloane and Annabeth aren’t the wide-eyed children they used to be, but knowing they’re wrong for each other makes a nostalgic affair seem very right…
Sloane Rutherford wasnot a man who hesitated. He made his decisions, for good or ill, and he lived with them. But today he sat slouched at the breakfast table, food untouched, turning a note round and round in his hand, unable to make up his mind. Should he go to the wedding or not?
Actually there was no question whether he should do it; clearly he should not. The question was whether he would. The event itself didnβt figure into his thoughts. While he was surprised and faintly pleased by the fact that Noelle had invited him, he held most of his own family in disregardβ¦and they looked on him with even less liking. Estranged wasnβt the word for his relationship with the Rutherfords. Shunned would be more like it.
So, no, he had no interest in the wedding itself, no reason to go, and normally he would have tossed the invitation in the ash can. But what drew him almost painfully to attend was precisely the thing that set up an equal ache of reluctance inside his chest: she would be there.
βAnnabeth?β Marcus said from the doorway.
Sloane glanced up, startled, and scowled at his father.
βSo youβre reading minds now? One would think you would have done better at the card tables.β
βYes, wouldnβt one?β Marcus replied amicably, and strolled across the room. βSadly, it didnβt seem to work that way. And your problem didnβt take much intuition. Itβs written all over your face.β
Marcus settled into a chair across from Sloane. Clad in his dressing gown and soft slippers, Marcus looked every inch the indolent aristocrat that he wasβhis luxurious white mane of hair combed back stylishly, his jaw smooth from his valetβs shaving, and his dressing gown made of the richest brocade and cut to fit perfectly. Even if he looked somewhat more worn than his age from years of reckless living, he was still a handsome man.
Sloane wondered if his father might catch the eye of some wealthy widow who would take the man off his handsβ¦but no, Marcus was equally banned from the tonβmore because of Sloaneβs history than his own numerous vices.
βWhat are you doing up so early?β Sloane asked, ignoring Marcusβs comments. βYou usually donβt stir from your room until ten or eleven.β
βUnfortunately the only appointment Harriman had available was at the ungodly time of nine. Itβs quite difficult to get in to see him on such short notice.β
βAh, your tailor. That would be enough to pull you out of bed.β Sloaneβs mouth quirked up. Marcus was still a peacock at his age. No doubt the bill the tailor sent Sloane would be enormous, but Sloane didnβt mind. Heβd far rather spend his money on his fatherβs fashion than on some of Marcusβs other habits.
βBut I wonβt complain. I was lucky he was able to make room to see me.β
βI expect heβs grateful that I pay your bills on time, unlike most of his aristocratic clients,β Sloane said dryly.
βAnd Iβll have the entire afternoon to enjoy the prospect of the wedding,β Marcus went on.
βA wedding?β Sloane asked skeptically. βYou look forward to weddings?β
βNot everyone is as much of a hermit as you are. Some of us find social occasions agreeable.β
βIβm not a hermit.β
βMmm, yes. No doubt thatβs why you spend so much time alone, brooding. Cornwall suits you perfectly.β Marcus picked up the cup of tea the footman had just set before him and took a sip, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. βBut this wedding, I must admit, offers rather more entertainment than the usual one.β
Sloane made no response. The last topic he wanted to discuss was this wedding.
But his father needed no reply. He went on, βFor one thing, there is Noelle, the lovely bride herself, and the potential of gossip over her scandalous past.β
βI canβt see how running from Thorne is any scandal,β Sloane interjected. βAnyone with sense would do so. I find it far stranger that she stopped.β
Marcus chuckled. βYes, he is a dull one, isnβt he? But I suspect Noelle livens him up. Still, the wedding offers more excitement than that. Lady Lockwood can always be counted on to cause some sort of contretempsβ¦though hopefully she will not bring her dog. Of course Lord Edgerton will be there. I believe he annoys her ladyship even more than her first son-in-lawβwho knows what barbs she will cast his way?β He paused, then added, βAnd just imagine the stir if you show up.β
Sloane grunted and slid back from the table, standing. βWhich is precisely why I am not going to the wedding.β
βOf course not. Thatβs why you havenβt tossed out that invitation. Why you were sitting there mooning over it when I came in.β
βI wasnβt mooning over anything. I was justβ¦β He trailed off his sentence with a grimace.
βYou were just contemplating whether facing down your relatives outweighed the prospect of seeing Annabeth Winfield.β
βI donβt give a tinkerβs damn about facing my relatives.β
βAhβ¦then itβs whether seeing Annabeth is worth the pain.β
βDonβt be absurd.β Sloaneβs voice held little conviction, and he turned away, walking over to the window. He crossed his arms and gazed out at the street below. A moment passed, and he said in a quiet voice, βIt would be foolish to see her.β
βNo doubt.β Marcus let out a sigh. βThe foolish things are always the ones you most desire.β
βIβve done well enough not seeing her for eleven years.β Being out of the country most of that time had helped. But even since he returned to England, Sloane had avoided Annabethβwell, maybe there was that one time when he first returned and heβd stood outside Lady Lockwoodβs house in the dark to get a glimpse of Annabeth coming down the front steps and getting into a carriage. With Nathan. Sloaneβs lips tightened at the thought.
It had come as something of a shock to see her at Stonecliffe two months ago. He had not realized that she and Lady Lockwood were visiting or he wouldnβt have gone there.
But as he had stood in the entryway with Noelle and the others, a door had opened down the hall, and there she had been: her soft brown hair in a little disarray, her face faintly flushed from activity, carrying a basket full of flowers. And in the moment, he couldnβt speak, couldnβt move, could only stare. She was as lovely as ever. And he was as dumbstruck as ever.
Heβd turned and left like someone had shot at him. He wasnβt sure whether he even tossed a goodbye to Noelle and Carlisle. And bloody Nathanβof course heβd been there. That moment had disrupted Sloaneβs carefully nurtured indifference, and even after his heart stopped beating like a madmanβs and heβd reminded himself that heβd gotten over her years ago, he had not been able to keep his mind from going back to Annabeth time after time. Like a tongue returning to a bad tooth.
Behind him his father said, βWhy do you continue like this? Why donβt you go to see her, tell her how you feel?β
Sloane snorted. βIβd have to fight my way through the butler and probably Lady Lockwood, too, to talk to her.β
βIβve never known you to avoid a fight.β
βMaybe not. But I canβt fight Annabeth. And sheβs the one who hates me.β
βHow do you know that?β Marcus persisted. βSheβs never married in all this time. She has no money, of course, but a sweet, pretty girl like that? Sheβs bound to have had plenty of offers.β
βNo doubt.β Sloaneβs jaw tightened. βBut that doesnβt mean sheβs been pining after me. I broke her heart. I knew I was breaking her heart. And the fact that I broke mine as well wouldnβt have made her feel any better or despise me any less.β
βWhy donβt you tell her the truth?β His fatherβs voice turned sharp, his usual affability gone. βExplain what you did. Why you did it. Tell her that bastard Asquith blackmailed you into it.β
Sloane whirled, his eyes flashing. βI canβt tell her that. The truth would cause her just as much pain now as it would have then. I knew when I did it that I was sacrificing her love for a lifetime. I just thought my lifetime wouldnβt last very long.β
Letting out a disgusted noise, Sloane started out of the room. Before heβd taken two steps, there was a furious pounding at the front door. Frowning, he turned toward it. The pounding continued, along with someone shouting his name. Sloane reached the entry hall just as the footman opened the door and began an indignant dressing-down of the boy before him.
But the boy on the doorstep paid no attention and shoved his way past the footman, calling again. βMr. Rutherford!β
βTimmy.β Sloane strode toward the door, alarm rising in him. βWhat is it? What the devil areββ
βItβs the docks, sir. Mr. Haskell sent me. Youβve got to come quick. The new warehouse is on fire.β
Candace Camp is a New York Times bestselling author of over sixty novels of contemporary and historical romance. She grew up in Texas in a newspaper family, which explains her love of writing, but she earned a law degree and practiced law before making the decision to write full-time. She has received several writing awards, including the RT Book Reviews Lifetime Achievement Award for Western Romances. Visit her at http://www.candace-camp.com.
Romantic Reads and Such 