April of Enchantment (Sweetly Contemporary Collection)
Page 18
He kissed her then with tender promise, molding his lips to hers with gentle strength. When he lifted his head again, the gold flecks in his eyes were bright.
“And what of you, Laura? The miniature and the keepsake of Lorinda’s hair that Jean carried all his life stand as proof of what he felt for her, and in her diary she writes plainly of how she loved him. But though Myra was certain you are in love with me and despite the fact that you wore my rose, I still don’t know how you feel.”
Her violet-blue eyes held a deep, unshadowed stillness as they met his dark, demanding gaze. “I love you. Justin. It seems sometimes that I always have.”
He caught her close once more. It was some time before he released her, some time before the silence of the rose-and-cream room was broken.
“It seems Crapemyrtle is without a mistress,” Justin said, his voice musing, soft with affectionate certainty. “Since you have arranged everything else so satisfactorily, I wonder if you could see to a replacement for me?”
She smiled, tracing the cleft in his chin with the tip of one finger. “I think I can manage that. I have just the person in mind.”
“I’m hard to please,” he warned. “She must be intelligent; have perfect taste; love roses, old houses, antiques, and look like Lorinda, who lived a hundred and forty years ago.”
“No problem,” she murmured.
“On second thought, never mind. I’ll arrange it myself.”
Quiet descended. Outside, a gentle night wind drifted through the live oaks and swirled about the rose garden, stirring the slumbering scent of the old-fashioned blossoms. In its breath it carried the sound, soft and tantalizing as a ghostly dream, of shared laughter.
About the Author
Since publishing her first book at age twenty-seven, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Blake has gone on to write over sixty-five historical and contemporary novels in multiple genres. She brings the story-telling power and seductive passion of the South to her stories, reflecting her eighth-generation Louisiana heritage. Jennifer lives with her husband in northern Louisiana.
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To find out more about Jennifer’s books, see the Steel Magnolia Press website at www.steelmagnoliapress.com.
Purchase Steel Magnolia Press ebooks direct from Amazon.com at: http://smarturl.it/smp.
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Subscribe to Fresh Leaves, the Steel Magnolia Press newsletter, to be notified of new releases and subscriber-only specials: http://eepurl.com/gCgrX.
(You can also subscribe from the Steel Magnolia Press website.)
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Jennifer would love to hear from you! Other places to connect with her:
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Twitter: @JenniferBlake01
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Enjoy 5 More Romances In
THE SWEETLY CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION
http://smarturl.it/smp
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The Abducted Heart
He called her a stowaway. She called him a kidnapper. What better way could a romance start?
Anne Matthews, delivering a catered dinner to Ramón Castillo’s private plane, is surprised as it takes off for Mexico with her still aboard. But she’s incensed when dynamic, wealthy Ramón assumes she’s a fortune hunter with an unusual method of getting close to him.
Anne fully intends catching the next plane back to the States. But a series of weird mix-ups force Ramón to offer her a job as his temporary fiancée. Although drawn to the handsome Mexican and his rich and fascinating Aztec heritage, Anne has serious misgivings about the game he plays. To fall in love is certainly against the rules…
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Bayou Bride
Piracy of the Heart
Sherry Mason fully intended to refuse the plea of her weak-willed friend, Paul Villeré, that she be his pretend fiancée during a visit to his Louisiana home. Let him stand up to his arrogant older brother Lucien, and refuse to marry the girl chosen for him! But that was before she received the late-night phone call from Lucien, heard his scathing opinion of her character and relationship with Paul.
Still, she underestimates Lucien’s determination to prevent her appearance at the family gathering — until he spirits her away to an isolated bayou mansion. To submit to this abduction is impossible; Sherry makes every effort to thwart Lucien’s plan. But how can she escape the unwilling desires of her own heart?
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Captive Kisses
A stolen moment
Kelly is delighted to accept the offer of a friend’s family summer place on a Louisiana lake for her much-needed vacation. On arrival, however, she discovers the house already occupied by a darkly handsome stranger named Charles, his associate, and an elderly man who appears to be their prisoner.
Retreat is impossible; Kelly is forced to join the trio. Charles is charming and considerate beyond most crooks, but a ruthless captor; all attempts to escape his guard are futile. Yet as time wears on, Kelly questions the secret that holds them there, and yearns to believe Charles is worthy of love…
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Love at Sea
Passport to Love
Maura’s great aunt is injured in an accident just before the two are to set sail aboard the Athena, and insists her niece go on without her. Maura can still gather background material for her famous aunt’s next romantic novel while enjoying a tropical island vacation.
Maura might not have agreed if she’d known the devilishly handsome owner of the shipping line, Nikolaos Vassos, would be on board. The arrogant Greek is everywhere she turns, in both calm and stormy seas, and seems to suspect her of some sort of literary sabotage.
How can she concentrate on island romance when her thoughts keep turning to a Greek lover?
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The Snowbound Heart
Script for Romance…
Stranded after an accident during a blizzard, Clare Thornton takes shelter at the mountain home of movie star Logan Longcross. She’s far from welcome as the reclusive actor is convinced she’s another adoring fan invading his privacy. Both Clare and Logan are determined she will leave as soon as the roads are clear.
That is, until producer Marvin Hobbs shows up right behind the snow plow, convinced he’ll find his wife, Janine, in Logan’s arms.
When Janine appears on cue, Clare is suddenly cast in the part of Logan’s fiancée. Clare and Logan must give flawless performances, or the movie deal Logan and Marvin are negotiating will fall apart. Logan is a superb actor, leaving Clare breathless. But it was never in the script for her to fall in love...