This week I’m sharing another snippet from my Regency Christmas romance, Hearts Beneath the Mistletoe.
I’m continuing the scene from last week where Alec has taken Jenny aside after he witnessed her and Somersby under the mistletoe out in the woods. She tells him her feelings for Lord Somersby are none of his business, to which Alec replied, “Considering we are betrothed, I think it’s very much my business.”
(Very creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules.)
He leaned toward her, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her head.
His looming presence addled her senses, leaving her breathless and scattering her thoughts like a whirlwind did autumn leaves. He was so close if he moved one more inch their lips might meet. What would it feel like to have Alec’s lips on her skin, her hair, her lips? The breath she’d been holding escaped and she sank back against the wall, her head bumping the rough stones as she raised her face to his. She stood transfixed, his mouth becoming her whole world as they moved closer.
Alarm bells sounded in her mind as he closed the tiny gap between them; she shot her hand to his chest and pushed with all her might, trying to propel him away from her. “You promised we would not marry,” she said as her whole body shook with the effort of fending him off. Especially difficult as deep down, a small but insistent part of her longed to feel the touch of his lips.
“If I need to marry you to keep you from making a wretched mistake, I’ll do it.”
BLURB for Hearts Beneath the Mistletoe:
Jenny Crowley has been duped! At her eighteenth birthday celebration her parents announce that instead of having the London Season she’s dreamed of for years, Jenny has been betrothed from birth to Alexander Isley, son of family friends and heir to a title. A distraught Jenny refuses point-blank to marry Alec, and when her aunt offers to whisk her away to a Christmas house party, complete with many eligible young bachelors, Jenny jumps at the chance to enjoy a variety of entertainments, be courted, and perhaps fall in love.
Alec Isley is between a rock and a hard place. He desires a marriage with Jenny no more than she does, but when his family’s dire financial status is revealed, he follows Jenny to the house party in hopes of convincing her to marry him after all. When he discovers who else is courting her there, Alec is frantic to keep her from making a dreadful mistake. Struggling with new-found feelings for his childhood friend, can Alec convince her of his love in time to save her from being ruined under the mistletoe?
Hearts Beneath the Mistletoe is available exclusively at Amazon for .99!
I will be out of town next weekend, so I won’t be visiting you all. Therefore, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays and I will see you on New Year’s Eve!
Books in The Handful of Hearts series:
And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.
Hmmm…under the mistletoe in the woods sounds like a good way to ruin her reputation. She best stay alert. Great snippet. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Whew. Is it hot in here??? Very emotional scene. She definitely sees him differently now.
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That’s an intense scene!
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Since I know nothing about the other man (yet) I can only say… I hope neither of them make a horrid mistake.
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What a scene and done so well leaving us in wonderland. Loved your book.
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“He leaned toward her, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her head.” I know this is a cliche thing that happens in basically every book that has romance in it, but I love it! It makes everything so much hotter! Great scene!
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Now that was a great scene! Lost myself in the story…loved the snippet.
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She doth protest too much! What a delightful confusion you’ve established for her.
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Fabulous snippet. The sexual tension was superb. Tweeted.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
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Thank you, Daryl! Yes, it’s fun to find places for sexual tension in a sweet romance. 🙂
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Hm, it does sound like she’s open to the idea of marriage, or at least, a bit of kissing!
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Definitely to the kissing, it seems! 🙂 Thanks, Christina!
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Really well done. Looks like a great series too. Congrats.
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Thank you, Lyn! Glad you’re enjoying my snippets! 🙂
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You’ve done a good job of establishing two men as her potential targets.
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Thank you, Ed. 🙂 Love triangles are a great conflict device.
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