by Cheryl Holt
“Have me, Georgina. Marry me. Please? Give me something to live for. Give me something to call my own. Give me yourself and this child we’ve created together. Let me dedicate myself to making you happy.”
It was such a pretty speech and she was shocked by it. When such tender sentiment had been voiced, when such remarkable words were on the table, how could she ignore them? How could she refuse him?
He dipped down and kissed her. She reacted instinctively, her arms going around his neck, her torso leaned into his. Though it had only been a few months since they’d embraced, it felt as if years had sped by. She might have been drowning and he’d thrown her a rope. She might have been roaming in the desert and finally found an oasis.
He kept on and on, gradually knocking down all the barriers she’d erected. He’d been bruised and battered and unfairly abused for most of his life. He was a hard man, a difficult man, a man with ghosts and demons that plagued him unmercifully.
He could be cold and callous, but he could be wonderful too, could be kind and loyal, and he was begging to devote himself to her. Hadn’t his heart’s debt been paid?
She could provide friendship and succor, compassion and comfort, and in return she might just get what she craved. She’d get him and his child and a family of her very own.
Eventually he drew away, and as he stared down at her, his gaze was so warm and affectionate that her knees nearly buckled. If she wed him, he might gaze at her like that every day until her last day.
“Yes,” she murmured.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I will marry you. I will ride to Gretna Green and visit Radcliffe Castle with you. I will meet your substitute mother, Anne Blair. Then I will go anywhere you ask me to go—so long as I can always remain by your side.”
His handsome face broke into a smile. “Do you mean it?”
“Of course.”
“I won’t let you change your mind.”
“I never will, and I won’t let you change yours.”
Suddenly boots sounded in the hall, and they glanced over to see Kit enter the room.
“I thought you two might be in here,” he said.
“You’ve always had the worst timing,” Damian told him.
“I had to be certain you didn’t kill each other.”
“Nobody’s killing anybody,” Georgina scoffed.
“Actually,” Damian said, “we have news that might surprise you.”
“What is it?” Kit inquired.
“I asked Georgina to marry me.”
“And…?”
“She said yes.”
“That’s not news,” Kit replied, “and I’m not surprised. If her answer had been any different, I’d take a switch to you.”
“I tried to refuse,” Georgina confided, “but he wore me down.”
“She didn’t have much choice,” Damian pointed out. “She’s in a bind, and there’s not exactly a line of husbands willing to have her in a hurry. She had to stoop pretty low to settle on me.”
“The poor girl,” Kit mused. “I hope she won’t live to regret it.”
“Regret it!” Georgina huffed. “I never will.”
“I never will either,” Damian said. “She ensnared me the very first moment I laid eyes on her. It simply took me a bit of time to realize it.”
Georgina sighed with delight. “I’m glad you did.”
Kit grinned at Damian. “You’re so stubborn. I can’t believe you came to your senses.”
“Why wouldn’t I have? She’s giving me everything I need, but didn’t know I wanted.”
“How about you, Georgina?” Kit asked. “What’s your opinion?”
“He’s giving me everything too, and I’m the luckiest person in the world.”
Damian shook his head. “No, I am.”
“Maybe we both are,” she said.
“Maybe we are,” Damian agreed. “In fact, I’m sure of it.”
THE END
Don’t Miss the Other Books in Cheryl’s ‘Lost Lords’ series
HEART’S DELIGHT
HEART’S DESIRE
HEART’S DEMAND
SCOUNDREL
HEART’S DEBT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHERYL HOLT is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon “Top 100” bestselling author of over forty novels.
She’s also a lawyer and mom, and at age forty, with two babies at home, she started a new career as a commercial fiction writer. She’d hoped to be a suspense novelist, but couldn’t sell any of her manuscripts, so she ended up taking a detour into romance where she was stunned to discover that she has a knack for writing some of the world’s greatest love stories.
Her books have been released to wide acclaim, and she has won or been nominated for many national awards. She has been hailed as “The Queen of Erotic Romance” as well as “The International Queen of Villains.” She is particularly proud to have been named “Best Storyteller of the Year” by the trade magazine Romantic Times BOOK Reviews.
She lives and writes in Hollywood, California, and she loves to hear from fans. Visit her website at www.cherylholt.com.
Praise for New York Times
Bestselling Author Cheryl Holt
“Best storyteller of the year...”
Romantic Times Magazine
“A master writer…”
Fallen Angel Reviews
“The Queen of Erotic Romance…”
Book Cover Reviews>
“Cheryl Holt is magnificent…”
Reader to Reader Reviews
“From cover to cover, I was spellbound. Truly outstanding…”
Romance Junkies
“A classic love story with hot, fiery passion dripping from every page. There’s nothing better than curling up with a great book and this one totally qualifies.”
Fresh Fiction
“This is a masterpiece of storytelling. A sensual delight scattered with rose petals that are divinely arousing. Oh my, yes indeedy!”
Reader to Reader Reviews
Praise for Cheryl Holt’s “Lord Trent” trilogy:
“A true guilty pleasure!”
Novels Alive TV
“LOVE’S PROMISE can’t take the number one spot as my favorite by Ms. Holt—that belongs to her book NICHOLAS—but it’s currently running a close second.”
Manic Readers
“The book was brilliant...can’t wait for Book #2.”
Harlie’s Book Reviews
“I guarantee you won’t want to put this one down. Holt’s fast-paced dialogue, paired with the emotional turmoil, will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end.”
Susana’s Parlour
“...A great love story populated with many flawed characters. Highly recommend it.”
Bookworm 2 Bookworm Reviews
BOOKS BY CHERYL HOLT
HEART’S DEBT
SCOUNDREL
HEART’S DEMAND
HEART’S DESIRE
HEART’S DELIGHT
WONDERFUL
WANTON
WICKED
SEDUCING THE GROOM
LOVE’S PERIL
LOVE’S PRICE
LOVE’S PROMISE
SWEET SURRENDER
THE WEDDING
MUD CREEK
MARRY ME
LOVE ME
KISS ME
SEDUCE ME
KNIGHT OF SEDUCTION
NICHOLAS
DREAMS OF DESIRE
TASTE OF TEMPTATION
PROMISE OF PLEASURE
SLEEPING WITH THE DEVIL
DOUBLE FANTASY
FORBIDDEN FANTASY
SECRET FANTASY
TOO WICKED TO WED
TOO TEMPTING TO TOUCH
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
FURTHER THAN PASSION
DEEPER THAN DESIRE
MORE THAN SEDUCTION
COMPLETE ABANDON
ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
TOTAL SURRENDER
LOVE LESSONS
/> MOUNTAIN DREAMS
MY TRUE LOVE
MY ONLY LOVE
MEG’S SECRET ADMIRER
THE WAY OF THE HEART
ISBN: 978-1-944787-24-0 (E-version)
ISBN: 978-1-523838-85-1 (Print version)
Copyright 2016 by Cheryl Holt
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Thank you.
Cover Design Angela Waters
Interior Format by Day Agency