The Stanhope Challenge - Regency Quartet - Four Regency Romances (48 page)
Read The Stanhope Challenge - Regency Quartet - Four Regency Romances Online
Authors: Cerise Deland
Tags: #Fiction, #Historical, #Regency, #Romance, #boxed set
“In both cases, you saved me,” she declared as she rang a finger down his cravat.
“You took initiative to save yourself with what means you had to hand. Many women would not have even tried. You did. You endured. And I am proud of you. Immensely proud of you.”
“I want that to be so.”
He clutched her hand and held it to his heart. “I have never lied to you, Sirena.”
She gave him a tremulous smile. “That I do know.”
“Good.”
“I wanted you to be proud of me. But more, I wanted to be proud of myself.”
“You should be.”
She grinned, relenting. “I am learning.”
He beamed at her. “I want you to marry me, darling, because I love you. Because you’re a good sailor. Because you are sweet and wise, and strong.”
“And how am I in bed?” she shot back, wickedness dancing in her eyes.
He caught her close. “Tell me you’ll marry me, and I’ll demonstrate how good you are in bed. How good we are together.”
She circled her arms around his shoulders. “I’ll gladly marry you, Mister Stanhope.”
With a whoop of delight, he gathered her up in his arms and headed for the stairs. “You will never be sorry. But I must say, have you gained weight on Moira’s cooking?”
“Take me upstairs, Mister Stanhope, and I will tell you why I am getting fat.”
Two hours later, the American captain and his future wife, the duke’s daughter, descended the stairs to announce to the proprietor, Ray Drummond, his wife Moira and the two other patrons in the common room that their wedding would be in London next week. The captain bought two rounds of ale for all, because he said, he was soon to become a husband and a father. “And my child will have my wife, my name and my attention, I swear to you,” he promised his betrothed with a hot kiss that had the group clapping, “as long as I live and breathe.”
The End
A Few Words of Praise for Cerise’s Books
“If you like a steady flow of love, tenderness, and sex, sex, sex, you’ll get your fix…”
TOP PICK by Night Owl Reviews for Lady Varney’s Risque Business
“I adore a good red-hot reunion romance, and Lady Varney’s Risquè Business definitely fits the bill. Cerise DeLand perfectly blends lust and longing in this sizzling charmer of a tale. Kitty and Justin steam up the pages like there’s no tomorrow, but it’s their love for one another and the sadness of their initial separation that truly makes Lady Varney’s Risquè Business memorable. At times, it seemed that hints of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION flavored Lady Varney’s Risquè Business.... The obstacles blocking Justin and Kitty’s road to happily-ever-after aren’t insurmountable, but they aren’t easy to overcome either. Ms. DeLand kept me avidly reading Lady Varney’s Risquè Business, eager to see how Kitty and Justin’s love story would turn out. Though I won’t spoil what happens, I will say that I finished Lady Varney’s Risquè Business a well-satisfied reader. If you like your historical romance with lots of spice, then Lady Varney’s Risquè Business is the story for you.” Romance Junkies
“The story line is wonderfully put together and gives you just enough for this novella. If you are looking for an erotic tale…this is for you.” Lady Varney’s Risquè Business review by NocturneReads.com
About Cerise’s erotic adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility: “There is difficulty in comparing the two stories, without taking from the obvious talent and cleverness of DeLand’s writing and plotting. In what would have been shamefully scandalous behavior from either of these women in their own time, the cleverness of the character’s curiosity and openness in their discussions, and the readily apparent enjoyment in the steamier scenes brings a solidity to these characters that keeps this version separate from, yet wholly informed by the original. Jeep Diva Reviews
“
Hard Drivin’ Man for anyone that dreams of the “what ifs” and then gives fate a free hand.”
4.5 cherries by for Hard Drivin’ Man
“…written a very stirring story of friends becoming lovers and the challenges that only love will overcome.”
5 stars by
You Gotta Read Reveiws
for A Long Time Comin’
“DeLand is a brilliant story teller, melding the perfect combination of energetic plots, sizzling love scenes along with vivaciously witty dialogue that enhances her characters journey…”
5 Feathers by Saucy and Sinful for A Long Time Comin’
“DeLand is a brilliant story teller, melding the perfect combination of energetic plots, sizzling love scenes…[and] witty dialogue…”
Saucy and Sinful Reviews
*
Look for her Regency Romps
LADY VARNEY’s RISQUE BUSINESS
RENDEZVOUS WITH A DUKE
MASQUERADE WITH A MARQUESS
ESCAPADE WITH AN EARL
CHARADE WITH A VISCOUNT
AFFAIR WITH A BARON
DELIGHT WITH A GENTLEMAN
*
About the Author
What’s a gal to do if she loves to cook, hates to dust, lives to read and travels often to Paris, Florence, London, Tokyo and all points east and west?
Ah.
She becomes an author who writes about those romantic places with credibility. And if your sweet tooth craves spies, pirates, bodyguards and gutsy women of today and yesteryear, then she is the author you crave for smoldering erotic encounters and delicious love affairs!
Her name? Cerise DeLand.
A Top 20 Best-selling author on Amazon and many other book lists, she has won countless 5 Star Reviews and numerous awards for her digital romances and 18 print novels of mystery, mainstream and romance. Her books have been chosen for book clubs, including Featured Selections of The Mystery Guild, Doubleday and Rhapsody.
Busy lady. Happy writer.
Find Cerise:
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http://cerisedeland.blogspot.com
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Table of Contents
Lord Stanhope’s Improper Proposal
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Lady Featherstone’s Fervent Affair
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Epilogue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
The Bastard’s Passionate Prize
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
A Few Words of Praise for Cerise’s Books
About the Author