The Problem with Seduction - By Emma Locke Page 0,139
you,” as he plunged himself into her and pulled her toward him at the same time.
Her belly turned in on itself. The feel of him slick and filling her drew her full attention, until her ears echoed with words that could have been said to someone else. He thrust into her and she gripped his back. He held her so close to him it felt as though they’d been merged into one.
Had she missed him?
No. But she’d certainly longed for this.
There was a knock at the door. Her heart stopped. Roman paused. She knew one true, terrible moment of destruction. Of feeling that it was all about to come crashing down.
As if in a dream—no, a nightmare—Mr. Mowry and Mr. Strickett entered, followed by a third person.
Mr. Strickett’s wife.
Did you miss the novel that started it all?
He put her on a pedestal…
When Celeste Gray arrives in the sleepy village of Brixcombe-on-the-Bay, she thinks she’s one step closer to leaving her notorious past behind. She even suspects the deliciously handsome—if somewhat stuffy—viscount next door is developing a tendre for her. That is, until the day Ashlin Lancester learns she’s not the unassuming spinster she’s pretending to be.
Now she has farther to fall
After a decade of proving he is nothing like his profligate father, Ash is horrified to have given his heart to a Cyprian. He launches a campaign to prove his attraction is nothing more than a sordid reaction he can’t control. But he soon learns that unlike his father, he can’t find comfort in the arms of just any woman. He needs Celeste. When he takes her as his mistress, he’s still not satisfied, and the many late nights in her arms only make him want more…
Also by Emma Locke
The Trouble with Being Wicked
The Art of Ruining a Rake
Coming Soon
The Danger in Daring a Lady
The Importance of Being a Scoundrel
The Hazards of Loving a Rogue
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Darcy Burke
Secrets and Scandals Series
Her Wicked Ways
His Wicked Heart
To Seduce a Scoundrel
To Love a Thief
Never Love a Scoundrel (winter 2013)
Scoundrel Ever After (spring 2013)
To learn more about Darcy, her books, or sign up for her mailing list to hear about new releases, visit www.DarcyBurke.com.
Darcy Burke’s
Secrets and Scandals Series
Her Wicked Ways
To save his orphanage from collapse, Montgomery "Fox" Foxcroft leads a double life as a highwayman. Banished debutante Lady Miranda Sinclair is his salvation—until she rejects him. Out of options and falling for the heiress, Fox must risk what principles he has left and take advantage of her wicked ways—even if it ruins them both.
His Wicked Heart
Jasper Sinclair, Earl of Saxton, made a bargain with his devil of a father to marry a proper deb. Instead, he becomes entangled with a sometimes actress, Olivia West, who is determined to improve her situation. Destitute and desperate, she agrees to one night with Jasper, hatching a scheme to take his money and keep her virtue. However, Jasper uncovers her deception and vows to claim what he's owed.
To Seduce a Scoundrel
When debutante Lady Philippa finds herself in a potentially compromising situation, she’s “rescued” by England’s most notorious scoundrel, Lord Ambrose Sevrin. Despite his scandalous past, Ambrose vows to preserve Philippa’s reputation, but instead launches them both on a path to public and personal ruin.
To Love a Thief
Former constable Lord Daniel Carlyle thinks he's met the girl of his dreams, Jocelyn Renwick, until he catches her stealing from his mentor. Jocelyn vows to stop at nothing to recover her stolen treasures, but does that include risking a chance at love?
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Erica Ridley
Historical Romance Novels
(Kensington Publishing)
Too Wicked To Kiss
Too Sinful To Deny
Born To Bite
Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Love, Lust & Pixie Dust
Wands, Wishes & Genie Kisses
Fate, Fire & Demon Desire
To learn more about Erica, her books, or to sign up for her mailing list for contests, freebies, and new releases, visit www.EricaRidley.com.
Erica Ridley’s
Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Love, Lust
&
Pixie Dust
Daisy le Fey isn’t staying a wannabe pixie forever. As soon as she's a licensed Tooth Fairy, she’ll finally be on the Nether-Netherland ladder of success. All she has to do in order to trade in her homemade glitter wings for the real deal is complete her first solo assignment. Only that’s no sweet child asleep on the pillow. It’s a sexy man who refuses to hand over the tooth. Desperate to save her would-be career, she fights for possession. So what if her wand misses and turns the man’s assistant into a pumpkin. It could happen to the best of fairies!
Anthropologist Trevor Masterson needs his latest find to save his job from impending budget cuts. But then a blonde bombshell wearing glitter wings sneaks into his tent at midnight, claims to be some sort of magical being, and tries to fly off with his discovery. When Trevor chases after the tooth—and the girl—no amount of science can explain their attraction, or the chaos unraveling his carefully laid plans. But there’s no such thing as magic… right?
Dedication
For Lupe and Beth, my single girl-turned-mom friends.
You’re much braver than I am!
Acknowledgments
I wouldn’t have come up with the idea for Seduction without Lupe and Beth. One day we were single girls taking the town and the next day we were…so, so not. Now I know what it looks like when your life upends for the better. I wish you both many happy Mother’s Days and refrigerator doors covered in crayon hearts!
Special thanks to a couple who really took one for the team: Kimberly and Paul. Without your adorable kid, Oliver would still be a figment of my imagination. Thanks for getting around to the business of procreating, and then letting me babysit once in a while.
More baby help came from the lovely Leigh LaValle, who beta read Seduction between moments cuddling her new son. Martha Trachtenberg went the extra mile in her copy edits to give mom feedback (in addition to finding my many mistakes). And a surprise contribution came from my boyfriend, who has been wrapped around his nephew’s little thumb since day one. I’ve never seen anything as charming as Chris with a baby.
My amazing critique partners and fellow romance authors Darcy Burke, Erica Ridley and Janice Goodfellow keep me going every day. I can’t express enough appreciation for the distracting emails, soul-crushing critiques, forward-thinking business planning and enduring friendship you provide. You’re my best friends and my muse, rolled into one. Like a delicious jelly donut of inspiration.
Courtney Milan helped plotstorm the ending of Seduction and kept me company while I wrote it. And, as always, Máire Claremont cheered me on every step of the way. Go, THE DARK LADY, go! (Seriously, go buy this book now.)
I would still be mulling the idea of writing this book without my Plot Sisters Dona Sarkar, Kelli Estes and Lillian Fogg. When I tried to explain to them after The Trouble with Being Wicked why I couldn’t write Elizabeth’s story, they overpowered my excuses and made me do it anyway. I loved every minute of writing this book. I hope you enjoy reading it!
Morgan Sneed, my trusty beta reader, has decided to take my excellent advice and write a book of her own. You’re welcome, World.
Lastly, I adore my cover designer Carrie Divine at Seductive Designs. You are divine, darling. I can’t wait to make three more beautiful covers with you.
About the Author
Emma Locke is a writer and engineer living in the Pacific Northwest, where she loves hiking with her dog, hot yoga and every one of the annual 330 days of rain. Hiking and yoga give her time to plot, the lack of sun makes for perfect writing weather, and as for her day job, the dichotomy seems to work: her analytic side ensures her passionate, satisfying love stories don’t mulch under her bed, and her author side forces her to keep writing more.
You can Like Emma on Facebook at
Facebook.com/AuthorEmmaLocke,
Or follow her on Twitter
@EmmaLockeAuthor
or
Check out her books and appearances at
EmmaLocke.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Thank you for reading
Read on for an excerpt
Did you miss the novel that started it all?
Also by Emma Locke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Darcy Burke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Erica Ridley
Dedication
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Thank you for reading
Read on for an excerpt
Did you miss the novel that started it all?
Also by Emma Locke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Darcy Burke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Erica Ridley
Dedication
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
Thank you for reading
Read on for an excerpt
Did you miss the novel that started it all?
Also by Emma Locke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Darcy Burke
Other Intrepid Reads Authors: Erica Ridley
Dedication
Acknowledgments
About the Author