Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 04/11/21 ~ A Countess of Convenience ~ “Why Have You Come Here?”

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !

This week I’m continuing with A Countess of Convenience, book 1 of my new series, Captivating Countesses, which released at the end of March!

BLURB:

Following a tragic accident, an unconscious Judith Harper is returned to her childhood home to die. Miraculously, she awakens but to a horribly changed world in which she finds her husband dead and her world upended.

Judith must regain her strength, not only to reclaim her life but also to right a terrible wrong–a feat which may require her to marry again, and quickly. But not only is Judith not ready for another husband, a marriage before her year of mourning is up will ruin her in London society. 

Still, if she hopes to have her life back, she may have to risk the scandal and make a marriage of convenience…but to whom?

John, Lord Haxby has loved Judith since childhood, and because of that he stood aside while she married another eight years ago. Now she is free of her odious husband, he hopes he can persuade her that he is the only man who can make her truly happy. However, he discovers Judith is more than interested in Lord Farringdon, the man who saved her life. Can he stand aside once more and watch the love of his life make a grave mistake, or will he step up and show the woman he loves he is not a convenient solution to her problem, but the perfect one?

I’ve  continued on from last week’s snippet. Judith and John are traveling to London, using two of the housemaids as chaperones for Judith. Earlier in this scene, Judith asked John a very leading question, but they left it without an answer. Now, after she’s gone to bed, Judith is feeling guilty that she teased John. So she’s gone out to his room, in just her night gown, to talk to him.  As she’s knocking, someone comes into the corridor. John whisks her into his room. I’ve skipped a couple of paragraphs. We are in John’s POV.

EXCERPT:

The white garment that he had rightly deemed a nightgown, and which on another woman would’ve been unremarkable, seemed almost indecent on Judith. The rounded neckline showed the tops of her breasts, unfettered by a corset, and through the thin cotton material, he could see a hint of her darker nipples.

John swallowed hard and licked his lips, parched even though he’d just taken a large swallow of brandy.

Her hips swelled where she sat in the chair, her gown lying bunched between her legs, outlining the shape of her thighs…bringing to mind what lay beneath that thin fabric at their apex and John had to suppress a groan. Thank goodness the garment flowed over her legs so he could see no further—until he came to her bare ankles and small feet. All the brandy in the world would not erase the sight of her thus. “Judith,” his voice seemed to come from a long way away, “why have you come here?”

“To apologize to you, John.”

Perhaps his faculties had gone missing. “Apologize for what, my dear?”

And a little more for good measure…

“For…for…” Judith seldom had trouble expressing herself. The transgression of which she spoke, therefore, must be grave indeed to bring out a stammer. “For teasing you earlier.”

Of all the things that might’ve come from her lips, those words were the last ones he’d have imagined. “Teasing me?”

“When I asked if there was something I could do for you.” Her voice had dropped so he could scarcely hear her.

“Ah.” As if the fire suddenly blazed anew, sweat popped out on John’s brow and his cock surged forward as if eager to answer the question. “I believe I take your meaning. Think nothing of it, my dear.”

By God, he wished he could think of anything else. Her low, sultry voice, coupled with the image of her seated in that chair, now seared on the inside of his eyelids, wreaked havoc in his breeches.

A Countess of Convenience  is still available for the pre-release price of $2.99 on Amazon, B & N, Kobo, and Applebooks.

A Return to Life is finally available on Amazon for FREE  and on Smashwords , B & N, Apple, and Kobo for free as well. This is the first chapter of A Countess of Convenience.

But don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

Captivating Countesses series

by Jenna Jaxon