Scandalous Summer Nights (29 page)

There was a long list of reasons why she shouldn’t let him.

She was a lady; he was a stable master.

She was gently bred; he bred horses.

She was expected to marry a gentleman; he came from a long line of servants.

And yet, in spite of all that, she placed her hands on his chest and lifted her chin, inviting him to kiss her. It was, perhaps, the most daring and reckless thing she’d ever done.

Charles was worth it.

“Rose… I…” He wrapped his hands around her wrists, his face clouding with regret. “This is… tempting. But there’s a line we cannot cross. If we did… if
I
did… there’d be no going back to how things were.”

Maybe she wanted to cross the line. Jump right over it. She gripped the lapels of his jacket, willing him to understand.

“I’m fond of you, but sometimes… I don’t know what you expect of me, what you want from me.”

I want you to heal me, to make me whole, to make me feel alive. I want you to kiss me
.

She held her breath as he searched her face. With a sigh, he looked away, and she knew that for once, her silence had disappointed him.
She’d
disappointed him.

He released her and took two steps backward. “If ever you need a friend, you may depend on me. But I think it’s best if you don’t visit the stables for a while.”

She gasped, reached for his arm, and opened her mouth.

He froze, expectant.

And all the things she wanted to say to him, all the feelings she wanted to confess, died somewhere between her heart and her throat. She pressed her lips together.

He nodded, as though he should have known better than to hope for more. “Good-bye, Lady Rose.”

When She Was Wicked

To All the Rakes I’ve Loved Before
(e-novella)

Once She Was Tempted

“Anne Barton is a delightful new voice in historical romance!
Once She Was Tempted
is a charming read with characters who are easy to love—a wounded earl and a determined heroine whose heart won’t be denied.”

—Tessa Dare,
New York Times
bestselling author

“A delightful tale filled with sexual sizzle and banter… Barton’s strong prose and wit will have readers clamoring for more.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“An incredible romance that made me want to climb right into the book and be a part of it all… Barton is really becoming one of my favorite writers.”

—HerdingCats-BurningSoup.com

“Exciting… Fast-paced, sweet romance… Reminds you of
Beauty and the Beast
, except the hero is no beast, but a dark-tempered, handsome, sexy earl. Well done, Anne!”

—MyBookAddictionReviews.com

“A stunning, heartwarming, and unbelievably sweet romance… brilliant characterizations… [an] engaging story with an enchanting set of secondary characters, written in eloquently elegant prose.”

—BuriedUnderRomance.com

“Sensual and solid, this debut is a story demanding to be read. The characters are believable and relatable, and Barton smartly blends issues of morality and Regency-era social class with passion and excitement.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“Delightfully smart, fun, fast-paced, and just different enough for readers to take note of Barton’s charming voice, this novel is filled with wry humor, and compassion intrigues readers. The intrepid heroine, arrogant hero, memorable secondary characters, and the colorful depiction of the era add to the reading enjoyment.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“Break out the bubbly for Anne Barton’s delightful debut!”

—Vicky Dreiling, bestselling author of
What a Reckless Rogue Needs

“
When She Was Wicked
is a delightful debut! Anne Barton’s cast of characters is charming and witty. Owen is the type of hero that readers fall in love with from the very first introduction, and Anabelle is ingenious and resourcefully cunning—a girl after my own heart.”

—Tiffany Clare, author of
The Secret Desires of a Governess

“5 stars! I predict great things from this author. Anne Barton will become an author to watch. Her voice is strong and unique. Her writing is reminiscent of historical heavy-hitters such as Julia Quinn, Tessa Dare, and Lorraine Heath. Her endearing characters and eloquent writing make her one of the most promising new authors in this genre… I can’t wait to read her next book.”

—LongandShortReviews.com