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Wine, women, song, adventure, even scandal. Lord Chester pursued them all—and used the chase to outrun the pain in his past. But when his carousing endangers a young boy, he wonders if he must reevaluate his choices. The pain of Miss Julia Deering’s past keeps turning up in her present. She’s settled and content, now, though, as a lady’s companion, until the dowager countess’s notorious grandson arrives. They are charged with bringing Christmas alive for the boy, the dowager and a quiet house, but they’ll uncover some truths about themselves along the way. Will the magic of the season convince them to believe in themselves—and each other? |
Excerpt:
“You know, I’ve known some people who hold onto pain and resentment. They let it prick and drive them, but it rarely does any good, and in the end, it only makes them miserable.”
He stiffened, but she continued. “You say it is better to avoid and ignore the pain in your past, and yet it feels like the same thing is happening to you.”
She’d gone too far. He stood poker straight and his breath had begun to come quickly. She tried again.
“Don’t you feel a little better, after talking about it?”
He pushed away from the window and strode toward her. Her stomach lurched a little, in surprise and in nervous fascination at the odd look on his face. He marched up to her and grabbed her shoulders pulled her to a standing position. “I feel better looking at it through your eyes. Your lovely, luminous eyes that see the best in all around you.” He searched her face. “You meant it, didn’t you?”
She nodded as her heart rate ratcheted.
He let her go and turned away. But he looked back over his shoulder, as if he couldn’t help it. “Damn it,” he cursed.
It startled her. She had gone too far, perhaps.
He pivoted and suddenly he was before her again, and his hands were cupping her jaw. “I want you to know, I mean this.”
He kissed her.
Again.
Oh, but this was not the same. This kiss was not a tactic, nor a weapon. It was . . . sweetness. Light. His lips moved softly over hers. She savored the feel and taste of him and gripped him suddenly, when he shifted and slid his tongue into her mouth.
This was it, then. Her first real kiss. The sort she had craved. One that spoke of closeness and harmony. One that said Hello and Welcome and Look what we can do together.
She gave herself over to it. She pressed into him and he slid his arms around to her back. Warmth again. And glorious safety. And this time, it felt real.
His lips were soft, but the rest of him felt hard. She sent tentative fingers over his shoulders, felt the muscles contained by the layers of his clothes. She let her fingers drift higher, up and along his neck and into his disheveled hair.
She dug her fingers in and messed it up further.
A door slammed, not so very far away.
They froze.
Footsteps sounded on stairs.
Their lips parted.
“Miss Deering? Did you find that gown?”
“Susan,” she whispered. They broke apart.
“You know, I’ve known some people who hold onto pain and resentment. They let it prick and drive them, but it rarely does any good, and in the end, it only makes them miserable.”
He stiffened, but she continued. “You say it is better to avoid and ignore the pain in your past, and yet it feels like the same thing is happening to you.”
She’d gone too far. He stood poker straight and his breath had begun to come quickly. She tried again.
“Don’t you feel a little better, after talking about it?”
He pushed away from the window and strode toward her. Her stomach lurched a little, in surprise and in nervous fascination at the odd look on his face. He marched up to her and grabbed her shoulders pulled her to a standing position. “I feel better looking at it through your eyes. Your lovely, luminous eyes that see the best in all around you.” He searched her face. “You meant it, didn’t you?”
She nodded as her heart rate ratcheted.
He let her go and turned away. But he looked back over his shoulder, as if he couldn’t help it. “Damn it,” he cursed.
It startled her. She had gone too far, perhaps.
He pivoted and suddenly he was before her again, and his hands were cupping her jaw. “I want you to know, I mean this.”
He kissed her.
Again.
Oh, but this was not the same. This kiss was not a tactic, nor a weapon. It was . . . sweetness. Light. His lips moved softly over hers. She savored the feel and taste of him and gripped him suddenly, when he shifted and slid his tongue into her mouth.
This was it, then. Her first real kiss. The sort she had craved. One that spoke of closeness and harmony. One that said Hello and Welcome and Look what we can do together.
She gave herself over to it. She pressed into him and he slid his arms around to her back. Warmth again. And glorious safety. And this time, it felt real.
His lips were soft, but the rest of him felt hard. She sent tentative fingers over his shoulders, felt the muscles contained by the layers of his clothes. She let her fingers drift higher, up and along his neck and into his disheveled hair.
She dug her fingers in and messed it up further.
A door slammed, not so very far away.
They froze.
Footsteps sounded on stairs.
Their lips parted.
“Miss Deering? Did you find that gown?”
“Susan,” she whispered. They broke apart.
Reviews:
This story is so wonderful! Made me tear up more than once.
--NYT Bestseller Sabrina Jeffries
I love this series so much! Sweet characters are a hallmark of Deb Marlowe, and this nook is no exception. Perfect light read for a bit of joy.
--Gabrielle R.--Goodreads
I thought this was a nice, feel-good read with wonderful characters and a very sweet HEA. I enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it!
--Tracy at Flippin' Pages
This story is so wonderful! Made me tear up more than once.
--NYT Bestseller Sabrina Jeffries
I love this series so much! Sweet characters are a hallmark of Deb Marlowe, and this nook is no exception. Perfect light read for a bit of joy.
--Gabrielle R.--Goodreads
I thought this was a nice, feel-good read with wonderful characters and a very sweet HEA. I enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it!
--Tracy at Flippin' Pages
