But not one who stood out if Hammersley had to approach Rexton regarding generating interest in her. He wasn’t quite comfortable with the notion of giving the girl false hope regarding his intentions, but if he kept his interest casual perhaps no harm would be done. “Once I dance with her, mamas are going to think I’ve announced my stepping into the marriage market. It’s going to create some inconvenience as I’ll be fending off ladies for the remainder of the Season, which has only recently begun.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.”
But was it fair to the girl? He’d do all in his power to bring a quick end to the farce and find a proper gent for her. “Oh? How might you go about that?”
“Black Diamond. You can take him to stud.”
“Thrice.”
“Damn it, man, do you know how valuable that stallion is?”
“I do indeed.” Since the Arabian had soundly beaten Rexton’s best stallion in several races. “I want at least three progeny off him.”
“Two.”
Which had been Rexton’s price all along. “Two it is.”
“But not until my niece has a viable suitor. You have to play at courting her until someone makes it a point to beat you.”
That would be a further inconvenience, as he doubted many gents would even consider that they could beat him. His was one of the most powerful families in Great Britain. But to have Black Diamond breed with his Fair Vixen would be worth it. He had little doubt the mingling of those bloodlines would produce a champion. “Consider it done.”
“Excellent. However, our agreement must remain between us gentlemen. I don’t want her hurt, so if it becomes known to her, our bargain becomes null and void.”
He was well aware ladies had tender feelings. “I would expect no less.”
“Come along then, let me introduce you to Gina. Who knows? You might just decide she’s the one for you.”
He seriously doubted that, but he was a man, after all, and ladies did interest him. “Should that happen, it won’t nullify our agreement.”
“Absolutely not. It will simply make our arrangement all the tidier.”
A Letter from the Editor
Dear Reader,
I hope you liked the latest romance from Avon Impulse! If you’re looking for another steamy, fun, emotional read, be sure to check out some of our recent and upcoming titles.
For fans of historical romance, we have a fabulous new male/male novel from Cat Sebastian! The Lawrence Browne Affair is a beautiful love story about an earl hiding from his future and a swindler haunted by his past. New York Times bestselling author Tessa Dare claims, “Cat Sebastian has a place on my keeper shelf!” … will she have a place on yours?
If you like rock stars, look no further than Havoc by Jamie Shaw! This novel is “romantic perfection” (New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris) and features a sexy drummer who just wants to find The One. I dare you not to fall in love with Mike Madden and Jamie’s amazing cast of characters in his band, The Last Ones to Know.
And last but not least, mark your calendar for the release of Christy Carlyle’s next Victorian historical romance! A Study in Scoundrels is the enchanting story of a proper English woman who moonlights as the mysterious author of popular detective novels … and her delicious romance with a scandalous actor! Christy’s writing is witty, sexy, and wildly entertaining! Preorder it now and tell us what you think when it comes out next month.
You can purchase any of these titles by clicking the links above or by visiting our website, www.AvonRomance.com. Thank you for loving romance as much as we do. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Nicole
Editorial Director
Avon Impulse
About the Author
LORRAINE HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals, press releases, articles, and computer code, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s prestigious RITA. Her novels have appeared on the USA TODAY and New York Times bestseller lists.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Also by Lorraine Heath
An Affair with a Notorious Heiress
The Viscount and the Vixen
The Earl Takes All
Falling into Bed with a Duke
The Duke and the Lady in Red
Once More, My Darling Rogue
When the Duke Was Wicked
Lord of Wicked Intentions
Lord of Temptation
She Tempts the Duke
Waking up with the Duke
Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman
Passions of a Wicked Earl
Midnight Pleasures With a Scoundrel
Surrender to the Devil
Between the Devil and Desire
In Bed With the Devil
Just Wicked Enough
A Duke of Her Own
Promise Me Forever
A Matter of Temptation
As an Earl Desires
An Invitation to Seduction
Love With a Scandalous Lord
To Marry an Heiress
The Outlaw and the Lady
Never Marry a Cowboy
Never Love a Cowboy
A Rogue in Texas
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An excerpt from An Affair with a Notorious Heiress copyright © 2017 by Jan Nowasky.
when the marquess falls. Copyright © 2017 by Jan Nowasky. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.
Digital Edition MARCH 2017 ISBN: 978-0-06-249687-4
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-249688-1
Avon Impulse and the Avon Impulse logo are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America.
Avon and HarperCollins are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
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