historical-romance

It is a truth universally acknowledged that one only comes up with clever, cutting remarks long after the other party is happily slumbering away.

Getting the poison to them is more difficult than it should be. I cannot just slip it into their food, they eat with the rest of the household, and as much as I dislike everyone here, I am not willing to poison them all. At least not yet.

You are an exceedingly beautiful mystery, one that intrigues me and one that I plan to solve.

Sometimes people do misguided things for the most honorable of reasons.

He had an overwhelming urge to take possession of her lips, silencing any mention of another man__ name.

Her breathing came faster, evidenced by the repeated rapid swell of her breasts against the low-cut bodice. Before he could let his thoughts circle around once more, he cupped the elegant line of her jaw in his palm. Her eyes widened. __re you going to kiss me?_ she whispered. Instead of answering, he lowered his mouth to the luscious warmth of hers.

This is an education on seduction,_ Delilah said in a reverent tone_ Ariana let her gaze skim across the silk wall hangings and shrugged. ____e not ever kissed a man._ ... Truthfully, she had not. She__ been so fixed on her attempts to placate her parents in the hopes they might pay her the slightest bit of positive attention, she had not so much as considered kissing any man. Delilah__ fingers touched Ariana__ chin, feather light, and tilted her face toward hers. __t is the most delicious thing. Close your eyes and I will tell you of it._ Obediently, Ariana closed her eyes, hoping if she did as she was told, the lesson would end sooner. It was an awkward sensation to sit in the ridiculous pillow-laden room with one__ eyes closed. __elax,_ Delilah said in a velvety tone. __isten._ Ariana let her muscles slacken. __magine a man, tall and lean with muscle._ Delilah__ voice was quietly intimate. Hypnotic. __e__ staring at you as if you were the only women he__ ever seen. Truly seen. The only woman he__ ever wanted. The desire for you burning in his eyes._ Hazel eyes rose to the forefront of Ariana__ mind, a sharp jaw shadowed with a day__ growth of beard. Connor. She swallowed. __is arms come around you,_ Delilah continued. __o strong, so warm. They offer you a protection unlike anything you__e ever felt and make you wish you could melt into his embrace for the rest of your life._ In Ariana__ mind, Connor__ arms wrapped around her. But she didn__ shy from his touch _ she welcomed. It. The chill of the room ebbed into a pleasant heat. __our eyes meet. His fingers touch your face and his breath whispers over your lips. He lowers his head and you close your eyes just as his mouth touches yours, warm and demanding._ Ariana__ heart quickened and her breathing went almost ragged. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she flicked her tongue over her lips. __is body is a wall of strength against you, holding you upright, as your knees feel as though they will buckle. Then his tongue strokes yours, velvet fire and heady seduction._ Ariana drew a shaky breath_.

Her lips found his and a stab of exquisite desire shot through him. This is what he's been waiting for all this time. Not a stolen embrace. A gift, freely given. One that he would keep forever in some small part of his soul.

He had won. He could release her at any time. But her lips... those soft, sweet petals were parting tremulously at the touch of his tongue, and she was granting him entry to the warmth of her mouth. He thrust boldly inside, wanting but one taste of her. Only one.

Listen to the earth, Feel the fire. Allow the power to flow through ye.

She opened her eyes and touched her lips, as though he had just kissed them. She could taste him.

A man from the wood. A stranger from afar. He will break the curse by a hundred kisses...

She clambered to the shoreline. Numb and shaken, she began to dress. It wasn__ easy as she fumbled with slick fingers to put dry clothes over wet skin. She instantly regretted her naked swim. She pulled on her long-sleeved white chemise first. She faced the forest, away from her rescuer. He quietly splashed to shore. His lifeblood burned into her back. He wasn__ far behind, but he stopped. She refused to look at him until she was fully clothed, not out of embarrassment of her nudity, but for what had just happened. He released a groan and mumbled under his breath about wet boots. His voice was not one of her father__ soldiers. When she put the last garment on, her brown wool work kirtle, she squeezed out her sopping hair and swept her hands through the knotty mess. She fastened her belt and tied the lacings up the front of the kirtle. Blood returned to her fingertips, and she regained her composure. Belated awareness struck her, and she leaned down and searched through her bag for her dagger. She spun around. She gasped as she saw the man sitting on the stone-covered shoreline, his wet boots off. Confusion and the hint of a scowl filled his strong-featured face. She staggered back, caught her heel on a stone, and fell, dropping the dagger. Dirt and pebbles stuck to her wet hands and feet, and she instinctively scrambled away from him. His glower, iridescent dark blue eyes, and disheveled black hair were not unfamiliar. Staring at her was the man she had seen in her dream _ it was the man from the wood.

Glen Shiel, Socttish Highlands, 1296Strife abounds. King Edward of England has invaded the southern strongholds of Scotland and is pressuring King John of Scotland to abdicate. Several Scottish nobles, called Claimants, vie for his throne. The Cause divides the country, as each clan must choose and support a Claimant. Many contenders seek fortune and power, but a few seek Scotland__ independence. Only by a great force can this be achieved. However, the road to independence is fraught with those that wish to see the Cause crushed, at any cost.

For every woman, there is that one man who could get her to go anywhere he wanted her to go, do anything he wanted her to do__each into her soul and turn her whole world on its ear__hallenge everything she thought she believed. Highlighted by 24 Kindle users

I have always wondered what it is like to be kissed._ She snapped her mouth closed at such an outrageous confession, but it was too late.__nd?_ he whispered back.She frowned. __nd what?__is lips arched in a wicked smile. __ow was the experience?___ncredible,_ she couldn__ stop herself from answering. __o much more that what the novels depict.__is grin broadened, tempting beyond reason. __hat tempts me to do it again.

I__ fine. I__ not even all that hungry. I__ much rather explore the book shop.___ood first, books after,_ he said sternly, not liking the dark shadows of fatigue beneath her eyes. Who knew when she__ last slept? __nd then we should rest early.

Justus?_ she whispered. __ know it is not ladylike for me to ask, but I very much would for you to kiss me again._ Those sensuous lips of his curved in a smile that made her belly flutter. __ee, you are my counterpart, for I was just going to do just that.