Mischance (Corsets and Carriages)
Page 22
But would she desire him in the same way? Her behavior toward him during her fever told him yes. She might not be able to articulate her passions, and might even try to keep them repressed, but there was no denying the need that had been kindled. He knew that flame, once lit, was never truly doused again. It would be up to him to show her she had nothing to fear. To make certain her future was not tainted by the ugly specter of the past. He would need to earn Catherine’s trust, make her see him as more than a rescuer from a watery grave. Gently he picked up the hand that lay on top of the covers, admiring the slender fingers resting in his palm, grateful that, in her sleep at least, she did not pull away from him. Taking advantage of the fact she was ignorant of his presence, Rian carefully raised her hand and pressed his lips against the soft skin.
“No matter what horrors are hidden in your past,” he whispered to the sleeping girl, “trust me with your future, and I promise I will always keep you safe.”
And when he felt her hand move, slender fingers curling around his own, he told himself it wasn’t his imagination creating the answer he yearned for. Catherine applied enough pressure to tell him she heard his words…and would hold him to his vow.
Resolve
Corsets and Carriages
Part Two
The exciting continuation is available for preorder now!
“I am not so naïve that I don’t know what happens between a man and a woman when they are lovers.”
In the sanctuary of Rian Connor’s magnificent ancestral estate, Catherine Davenport struggles to remember who she was before he found her wandering practically naked on the docks of London. She has little memory of the vicious attack that brought her there, but she can’t deny the feelings Rian awakens in her. In danger of losing her heart to a man tormented by the dark secrets of his own past, Catherine questions what an innocent like her has to offer such an experienced man of the world.
“You have no idea what you are doing to me—how much I want you, how much I need you!”
On the night of his brother’s wedding ball, Rian proves exactly how much he wants his beautiful young protégé, only to be lured by his former mistress into committing the ultimate betrayal. For Isabel Howard will stop at nothing to do away with Catherine and destroy her future with the man they both desire above all others…
Meet the Author
Carla Susan Smith owes her love of literature to her mother, who, after catching her preteen daughter reading by flashlight beneath the bedcovers, calmly replaced the romance book she had “borrowed” with one that was much more age appropriate! Born and raised in England, she now calls South Carolina home where she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband, awesome son, and a canine critique group (if tails aren’t wagging then the story isn’t working!). When not writing, she can usually be found in the kitchen trying out any recipe that calls for rhubarb, working on her latest tapestry project or playing catch up with her reading list. Visit her at www.carlasmithauthor.com
Table of Contents
Cover copy
Books by Carla Susan Smith
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Meet the Author