The Pleasure of Your Kiss

L
egendary adventurer Ashton Burke has roamed the globe for ten years trying to forget the spirited woman he left behind in England. His devil-may-care pursuits are interrupted, though, when he reluctantly agrees to retrieve his brother’s kidnapped fiancée from a sultan’s harem. Too late, he discovers his quarry is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart.

The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights. She quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril. In a journey both tantalizing and treacherous, Ashton and Clarinda resume the impetuous steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.

“Try a novel by Teresa Medeiros and you will swear it was written just for you.”

—Lisa Kleypas,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Few authors have Medeiros’s storytelling talents” (
RT Book Reviews
), which are on full display in this swashbuckling romance that tempts readers from the exotic intrigues of a sultan’s court to the glittering ballrooms of Regency London.

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“Teresa Medeiros is one of my all-time favorite authors.”

—SHERRILYN KENYON

“Nobody writes humor with more heart or passion with more pleasure.”

—CHRISTINA DODD

Praise for

THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID

“A sinfully sexy hero who is more than he seems; a strong-willed, intelligent heroine who is nobody’s pushover; and an engaging plot richly imbued with danger and desire all come together brilliantly.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“Few authors have Medeiros’s storytelling talents. From the first page to the last, she holds you enthralled with an enchanting plot, charismatic characters, and strong sensuality. It’s another deep-sigh keeper from a master!”

—
RT Book Reviews
(Top Pick!)

“Medeiros is a superb storyteller. Both primary and secondary characters are vividly three-dimensional; her plot is full of tasty twists, and Medeiros can pull every last emotion from the reader with tear-inducing scenes and laugh-out-loud dialogue.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

“Charming. . . . Readers will enjoy the appealing, self-reliant heroine. … Quick-paced, clever dialogue lightly sprinkled with Scottish slang moves things along.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“[A] funny, gently poignant historical that revitalizes the well-worn feuding families plot with wit, sizzle, and twists that turn expectations on their heads. A delightful diversion that deserves a sequel.”

—
Library Journal

“Medeiros is a premier novelist! An entertaining historical love story which mesmerizes by keeping the surprises and humor continuously coming.”

—Single Titles

“A beautifully written historical romance with all the right ingredients for a passionate, thrilling story.”

—Fresh Fiction

“An exciting historical with a hero that will make your heart skip a beat and a heroine who is as smart as she is beguiling.”

—Heart to Heart: The BN Romance Blog

“An adventure ride through the Scottish Highlands, with plenty of twists and turns, secrets, surprises, laughter, and sighs along the way. … I read it in one day, then turned around and read it all over again the next. It’s Teresa Medeiros at her finest!”

—The Romance Dish

GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART

“In her latest delightfully inventive novel, Medeiros writes with effortless grace and addictive wit about the importance of love and hope in every person’s life.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“A very clever love story for the technological age!”

—Fresh Fiction

“Exactly the book to warm you up on a cold winter’s night. Tender, funny, and poignant, this novel will make you laugh out loud one minute and reach for the tissues the next.”

—Kristin Hannah,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Measures out equal amounts of lightning-fast wit, wry intelligence, and haunting tenderness. Medeiros shows that in any era, by any means of communication, love will find a way.”

—Lisa Kleypas,
New York Times
bestselling author

“Medeiros gives her well-matched Twitter couple some very funny exchanges.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

“A shrewd depiction of romance in an era of instant connection. … The mysteries and questions Medeiros puts into play are timeless, and they give extra depth to this cleverly crafted tale.”

—
BookPage

“Quick-witted and romantically heartwarming.
Goodnight Tweetheart
is crazy good. I loved it from its first tweet to its last one.”

—Night Owl Reviews

“Exceedingly clever writing. … There is so much hilarity in this fun tale. …
Goodnight Tweetheart
is imaginatively unique and will touch the reader on a variety of levels.”

—Single Titles

“This novel is unique.…Medeiros expertly keeps the reader entertained to the very end.…A winner!”

—The Romance Readers Connection

These titles are also available as eBooks

Also by Teresa Medeiros:

The Devil Wears Plaid

Goodnight Tweetheart

Pocket Star Books A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2012 by Teresa Medeiros

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Pocket Books paperback edition January 2012

POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at
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.

ISBN 978-1-4391-5789-3 (print)

ISBN 978-1-4391-7073-1 (ebook)

To Doris Medeiros. I’m so glad God sent you
into my life along with your amazing son.
You have always been more than a
mother-in-law to me. You have been,
and always will be, my friend.

For my darling Michael, whose kisses will
always be the greatest pleasure in my life.

Acknowledgments

My heartfelt thanks to Lauren McKenna, Louise Burke, and Andrea Cirillo for giving me my creative wings and encouraging me to fly. Thanks to the entire amazing team at Pocket. You are simply the best!

Thanks to all of my beloved baristas at my local Starbucks. When I say I couldn’t have done it without you, I mean it! And a special thanks to Ashly Wickham for always serving me smiles with my coffee and asking when she can model for the cover of my next book.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

The Temptation of Your Touch