Countess Curvy: A Curvy Girl's Earl

by Reed, Kristabel

Spinning the stool around, she hopped off. Her bare feet hit the hardwood floor, and she walked quickly across it to the door. The apartment smelled like the lemon chicken currently cooking in the Crock-Pot, and it lifted Audrey’s spirits. She pressed her eye to the peephole and looked out the door, her hand already on the knob.

  Her heart skipped a beat, and she forgot how to breathe.

  “Duncan.”

  She yanked open the door, and he stood there. His brown hair looked slightly disheveled, his suit jacket off and his sleeves rolled past his elbow. The black pants were immaculate as always, but it was his eyes that caught her. They looked directly at her, looking as if they could see through her.

  Audrey swallowed and promptly forgot how to speak.

  Over the last three weeks, she’d thought of various ways to begin a conversation with him. Most had “I’m sorry” and “I’m a fool” in them. All started with “hello.” But her throat refused to work, and her brain remained disengaged.

  “Hello,” he said, and his voice washed over her with that lovely velvety brush. “I’m new in town and was wondering if I could possibly borrow a cup of sugar?”

  Audrey blinked. And suddenly her lungs remembered how to breathe, and her brain finally remembered how to work. “What?” she asked, feeling rather foolish for it, and tried again. “What did you say?”

  That was no better. Apparently her brain wasn’t engaging on all cylinders.

  Duncan didn’t seem to mind. His smile curled her toes and warmed the parts of her that had been cold and lonely. All the air rushed out of her newly functioning lungs.

  “I just offered you a lame excuse so you’d open the door,” he said.

  Audrey found herself nodding, whether it was in agreement that the excuse was lame or the fact that she did have a cup of sugar he could have, she really had no idea. “What are you doing here, Duncan?” she asked, blinked again, and waved to the apartment next door. “Was all this you?”

  “Guilty!” he said, with not a trace of guilt in that smile. “I wanted to be near someone familiar in New York,” he added. His hands slipped into his pockets, and he rocked back on his heels. “But I must say, Granwood is having a grand old time with life in the Big Apple.”

  “You brought Granwood?” she asked.

  Audrey wondered if she’d stepped through the looking glass into another world. But no, her feet seemed to be firmly planted in her apartment. It was the rest of it that made her head swim. Duncan stood opposite her in her apartment building. Her brain couldn’t process that, but, oh, her heart most definitely could!

  “Yes,” Duncan said softer. He stepped forward and nodded. “I did. He and I brought a few things that would make my new apartment feel more at home. And since I plan on being here for a while, I thought turnabout would be fair play.”

  He stepped fully into the apartment, but Audrey hadn’t moved. Her bare feet were glued to the floor. Now she could feel his body, the heat that drew her to him. One hand rose to cup her cheek; his thumb stroked along her cheekbone and sent shivers down her spine.

  “You can show me your city,” he whispered.

  His touch sent liquid fire through her and did nothing to help her brain engage. “I can’t,” she stuttered the words out. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  “I don’t like to miss opportunities that can be life changing,” Duncan said, his entire body so intent on her. Audrey couldn’t look away. “Those are the most special ones.”

  “I’m not even sure what to say,” she admitted.

  “Tell me if you feel the same way.” His voice was heavy with need, not sexual need, though she knew he wanted her. No, Audrey knew that heaviness between them was of unspoken words and potential.

  “Tell me,” he continued, his hand still on her cheek. “I didn’t move here for crazy drivers and hotdogs on every street corner.”

  She closed the distance between them and wrapped her fingers around his wrist, leaning her cheek further into his touch. “Yes. It was worth it.”

  His mouth was on hers, hard and hot and demanding, and oh so perfect. Audrey forgot how to breathe again, but it didn’t matter. She wound her arms around him, felt his hardness against her, and had never wanted anything more in her life than she wanted him.

  Physically, yes, she wanted to remind herself why they fit together.

  But she wanted to hear his laugh, wanted to hear his voice as he told her about his city or his family or his latest business deal.

  She wanted him.

  “Yes. It is worth it,” Duncan reiterated.

  Audrey laughed and nodded. It was worth it all right. Duncan was worth it. How could he not be? He’d traveled all this way for her. It was the single most romantic gesture she’d ever heard of, let alone experienced. She was already ready to melt into a puddle of goo; instead, Audrey mustered her sassy confidence, gave Duncan her most heated smile, and quoted Mae.

  “I once heard it was best to love thy neighbor, especially if he happened to be tall, debonair, and devastating. It’d be that much easier.”

  She laughed again, feeling light and free and oh so happy. But then Duncan kissed her, and he being here, in New York, in her arms, was all that mattered.

  A Note to my Incredible Readers

  I hope you found this story as much fun to read as I found it to write! There are more Curvy Girls coming your way shortly. In the next installment, Boss Likes Curves, Sabrina discovers that you can find more at work than just job satisfaction and in the upcoming Curvy’s Cad, Eliza takes a trip to the Hamptons and finds more than sand dollars.

  And if you have enjoyed my stories, I’d greatly appreciate you sharing your views on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads. I’m always available through email if you have any comments, questions, or requests.

  If you’d like to sign up for my newsletter, I’m posting a short ménage story in monthly excerpts exclusive to the newsletter. You can also find me on Twitter, on my Blog, on Facebook, and pinning like mad on Pinterest.

  Also, if you are the daring type and Curvy is your first Kristabel Reed story; try one of my ménage tales. A little scandalous lust through history never hurt anyone...much.

  About Kristabel Reed

  Kristabel Reed lives on the East Coast and loves to explore the steamier side of historical romance. She loves all romances, but historical ménages particularly which add an element of danger and discovery not seen in contemporaries.

  She loves reading, watching old movies, random quotes, and anything Cary Grant.

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  To purchase: Regency Ménage Tales

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  ~5 Cups of Coffee from Coffee Time Romance

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  ~ 4 Stars, LAS Erotic Reviews

  Philip Thornton adored his new bride but found she was frigid in their marriage bed. Lillian did not know how to ease her fear of the bed until she was freed from her past. Aria was paid to educate and entice, but what she found was more than she ever dreamed possible. (m/f/f)

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  Hellfire Club Erotique Box Set

  Four previously released books: The Escape (m/m/f), The Masque (m/m/f), Aycliff’s Vow (m/f), and Devil’s Pawn (m/m). All set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. All part of the mysterious, and erotic, Hellfire Club.

  To purchase: Hellfire Club Erotique

  Coming July 2014: Boss Likes Curves: A Curvy Girl’s Billionaire VP of Development, Sabrina McKenna, has worked hard to get where she is with Gideon Hotels. When Gideon Marquez asks her to attend several important business functions, Sabrina agrees. It’s only after 2 months of these functions that she realizes they’ve been dating. And she’s fallen hard for her boss. Can Gideon convince her what he feels for her is forever? Or will Sabrina make a run for it? (Second in the Curvy Girl series an m/f romance.)

  To purchase: A Curvy Girl’s Guide to Love

  Coming September 2014: A Lady’s Temptations: A Winter’s Regency Ménage Sarina Hunt loved both Prescott Sinclair and Liam Trevelyan and refused to choose just one to marry. But when a vicious fire breaks out and strands them alone, she gives in to temptation and makes love with both men. However, when she arrives home she learns that her unwillingness to choose a husband means she now has to marry a man she doesn’t love. Will Prescott and Liam convince her to shun responsibility and marry one of them? Or will she be forced to honor an arranged marriage? (m/f/m This is my first het ménage!)