Page 29 of Wicked With You
Intent on supporting his family, Tristan seeks employment, only to fall for a woman he knows he cannot have. Lady Lilliana is everything he could possibly dream of in a life partner. But pursuing her could spell disaster for them both. Because the last thing Tristan needs is the complication he’ll have to deal with if she discovers he’s not who he claims to be.
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I am pleasedto share with you an exclusive excerpt from my latest book A MATTER OF TEMPTATION. Readers are enjoying Mina and Simon’s story and I cannot express how happy my heart is about it. Continue reading for your sneak peek!
A little about A Matter of Temptation…
Miss Wilhelmina “Mina”Crawford is desperate. Having been ruined in the eyes of society years ago for one foolish, starry-eyed mistake, she spends her days secreted away at her family’s crumbling estate, helping her brother manage the land but not able to truly live life the way she’s always dreamed. When her brother admits to just how dire their finances have gotten, she takes it upon herself to procure employment…but the only one who will even consider the scandalous idea of a female secretary is the brilliant, ruthless, and infuriating Earl of Creswick.
Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, needs help if he wants to finally pass the reform bill he’s been championing for years and secure the vote for England’s most vulnerable constituents. Too bad help comes in the form of a woman with breathtaking nerve, fiery red hair, and a sense of humor to match.
Now temptation—disguised as a lovely, clever-mouthed devil—lives and works under Simon’s very roof. And Mina finally feels as though she’s truly living life to her wildest dreams. But even the most incendiary of kisses can’t incinerate Mina’s past…or the shocking secret that could ruin them both.
Simon takes Mina to the beach and then almost made love to her in the carriage!
The earl took her to Southend-On-Sea, a wonderful seaside resort that was made popular several years past by the visit of Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Living in Hertfordshire, Mina heard of it but had never taken a day to visit. A realization that seemed so silly now. Southend-On-Sea beach stretched for several miles along endless dark golden sands, with a wooden pier that seemingly ran never-ending out into the ocean. The sea was an icy blue-gray, moving in small frothy waves that dashed against the beach. It looked chilly and not very inviting but reached as far as she could see, where looming dark clouds hovered. Near to the pier was a railway station that appeared to have little to no passengers passing through today. Her boots sank into the wet sand as they strolled closer to the incoming waves.
“We are the only foolish ones by the sea today,” she said, tugging her cloak tighter around her and peeking at the overcast sky.
“Nonsense. We are the only brave ones.”
The sea breeze rolled over the land with a distinct nip, and the wind bracing her was fresh and invigorating. Unexpected delight cascaded over her senses. Mina held her arms open and turned her face to the sky. Though the rays of the sun were barely felt, it was still a glorious sensation. They strolled along the beach without speaking, each to his or her own thoughts, yet Mina felt contented.
Somehow, she had never realized how much she held back from trying to live, always hesitating as a form of self-protection. A fear that she might encounter the bounder she had eloped with and had been forced to hit over the head with a chamber pot, grateful that it was one of the new enameled metal ones and so had not broken. The fear that she might venture to London and stir that old scandal and affect her brother’s chances, fear that she might let loose that wild, irrepressible heart of hers once more and fall to an even greater ruin. That fear was no longer in her heart, simply because she could have died that day.
Mina cast the earl a sidelong glance, noting that he seemed even younger than before, with no frowns of intense concentration upon his face. “Do you come here often, Simon?”
How odd it felt, his name upon her tongue.
“No. I’ve driven by but have never stopped.”
That he would take time away from his work stunned her. “Why did you agree today?”
Silence lingered between them, and she wondered if he would answer.
“I thought you understood this was payment for the hazards you suffered while working for me. Yes,” he said drolly. “You are still fired.”
Mina laughed. “Am I truly?”
“Yes.”
“You could have merely compensated me, Simon. There was no need for you to personally accompany me.”
Say it, she silently entreated, wanting him to admit desiring to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. He might appear indifferent and composed, but there were times she felt the burning heat of his regard.
“I am already to pay you an astronomical sum and still hire another secretary.”
She faltered. “You are still to pay me?”
“Yes.”
“I cannot take your charity, my lord,” she said, her pride fiercely stung. “I will not. I shall earn that money fairly or not at all.”
She looked away from his steady gaze, hating the ache of tears suddenly burning the back of her throat. Mina did not want his pity or charity. Never that.
Simon reached out and touched her chin, drawing her back to face him. “Very well, Miss Crawford, very well.”
A breath shuddered from her. “Thank you.”
