Terri
Bet you weren’t expecting to hear from me again!
This is just a quick note to let you know that Sizzling Duke Summer is out now!
My contribution is The Duke’s Revenge, and it’s a tension-filled romp about a house party, a lake, and a duke fixated on (you guessed it) revenge. But also kissing.
Gwen is supposed to win the affections of a lecherous earl, but instead she finds herself dangerously charmed by a ruthless duke, who could her undoing—or her salvation.
Either way, you know she’s going to have a good time.
To tempt you, here’s a little snippet from their first meeting.
“Are you not afraid of me?” he asked when she didn’t move. “You ought to be, you know. A maiden encountering a lone gentleman in the woods.” His smile flashed, quick and cruel. “I could be a monster.”
She tilted her head. “Or you could be a man.”
“Could I not be both? A monster wearing a man’s face?”
“What makes you a monster?”
“Hm.” His hand shot out, faster than she could follow, and he took hold of her chin, tilting it with gentle fingers. If she had wanted to break free, she could have done. Ought to have done. His gaze dropped to her lips, and at her acquiescence, his smile widened. “This,” he whispered, and he brought his mouth down on hers.
A kiss.
Gwen sucked in a sudden, deep breath, and the man took advantage of the slackness of her mouth to slide his tongue inside, hot and wet. She ought to have hated it—she did, she truly did, she had to have done—but a small part of her burst alight at the sensation. His kiss lit the fuse, and now she exploded with new sensations. The gentle pressure of his mouth, the soft warmth of his lips, the way they moved slowly, unhurriedly, against hers.
As if he knew she would not pull away.
He had sensed her weakness, and like an asp, he had struck.
And she was… Oh, heavens above, she was enjoying it. More than that. Tingles ran from the place they were in contact all the way to her feet. The warmth was intoxicating, and she wanted more—to learn what would happen if she tilted her head or deepened the kiss or pressed closer to him. His fingers were still on her chin, but they were no firmer than before, certainly doing nothing to hold her in place.
Finally, her mind caught up with her body, and she stepped free, raising a hand and bringing it in a stinging slap across his cheek. Her own cheeks burned, and although he had not touched her dress, she felt hopelessly disheveled.
“How dare you?!” she hissed.
Rather than angry, he looked amused by her blow, although already, his cheek was reddening where she had struck it. “Rather like that, I’m afraid. I did warn you I might be a monster.”
Fortunately for everyone involved, Gwen ends up kind of liking all the many ways in which he’s a monster, and he finds a little softness in his heart just for her.
Yes, I love writing rakes falling hard and fast and being gentle for one (1) woman only. It might just be my new obsession.
Sorry not sorry.
ANYWAY, this truly is my last newsletter of the month, I SWEAR. Sizzling Duke Summer is full of fab authors with other equally fab novellas, so read them all, enjoy your favourite authors and discover some new ones, too! There’s something for everyone.
If you decide to read, I hope you enjoy The Duke’s Revenge. As always, let me know.
Terri x
