Theresa Romain - Season for Temptation

She’d waited so long to see James, and there he was at last. His light brown hair was shorter, his clothes finer, his build a bit leaner than the last time she had seen him. She noticed every difference even as she savored the sight of him.

She was a fool, she knew, but she was a willing one. It was just so good to see him, to have him around again. James wrapped Julia in a friendly hug, holding her so tight he actually lifted her feet off the floor.

“It’s wonderful to see you,” he said gruffly. “Happy Christmas.” My dear, she thought. Call me “my dear.”

He didn’t, of course. He never would. But held close to him, Julia’s heart pounded all the same. She felt short of breath, and not because he was holding her so tightly. He was here, and he was holding her, and just for a second, she wiped from her mind that nagging awareness that he wasn’t here for her.

Just for that precious second, she allowed herself to rest her head on his shoulder, allowed the feel of his arms to imprint her body with their heat and strength….

So many people helped this book exist. I owe my first, greatest debt to my husband, who put our then-baby to sleep every night while I worked on my new book — and then read pages and told me, “It’s good. You should keep going.” (And better yet, told me when it WASN’T good.)

I’m also grateful to my friend Amy, who read not-so-wonderful drafts and gave me wonderful comments; and to Ragan, who jokingly offered to design my cover when my book was inevitably published, then seriously offered to design my website instead. And to my other dear friends, who were surprised/amazed/thrilled/terrified that I had turned my hand to fiction. (Anna — I’ll be sure to dog-ear your copy, just like old times.)

These typed pages wouldn’t be a book without the tireless, limitless energy of my fantastic agent, Paige Wheeler; the faith and confidence of my editor, Alicia Condon; and the delightful serendipity of the 2009 Northwest Houston RWA Lone Star Contest.

Finally, thanks to my family, who is always proud of me, even when I don’t deserve it. I hope I deserve it this time.

August 1817

Stonemeadows Hall, Kent

The clock on the drawing room mantel ticked away the seconds loudly, and James drummed his fingers on his knee in time with it.

Perhaps it was excitement that caused his every nerve to feel on edge. A man should feel excited to meet his fiancée’s family, shouldn’t he? Certainly not nervous, though. Not when that man was a viscount, accustomed to the sharp eyes and sharper tongues of the ton .

But ever since Lord Oliver had written to approve James’s suit of the Honorable Louisa, James had felt nervous, as if something might go awry and upset his swiftly laid plans. Now that he was in the Olivers’ drawing room, his feeling of anxiety grew even stronger.

He sighed and walked to the window, but his eyes could hardly take in the well-tended grounds outside. Once again, he ran through his mental checklist of Reasons This Engagement Made Sense.

First, Louisa was intelligent and poised. Second, she came from an old and established family. Third, he liked and respected her. And fourth and perhaps most important of all, she’d agreed to marry him after a courtship that even he would have to describe as perfunctory.

Behind him, the drawing room door slammed open with a bang.

James whirled at the interruption, expecting to see the elderly butler who had shown him in a few minutes before.

Instead, a young woman burst into the room at a halfrun. She was muttering loudly, her expression harried and the bodice of her frock askew.

“Curse and drat that girl, drat her. I knew she hadn’t left her music in here, but where could it be? We’ll never find it before the vi—”

As her eyes roved the room, she froze in mid-word upon seeing James. Her mouth dropped open. “Urr.”

The clock on the drawing room mantel ticked off four endless seconds as James stared at her, still too surprised to speak, and she stared back with wide blue eyes.

The young woman spoke first. “Well, I’m embarrassed. I don’t know what to say.” She glanced at the doorway with an expression of longing. “Could I go back out and pretend this never happened?”

James stifled a laugh. “Please stay,” he replied, bowing to his companion. “I’m delighted to meet you.”

He was pleasantly surprised to find he meant those trite words. Since the door had banged open, his tension had begun to ebb, as if he’d simply needed a jolt to bring back his sense of self-possession.

“I’m sorry, you are. .?” The young lady seemed still to be struggling to comprehend James’s presence in the drawing room.

“Lord Matheson. That is, I’m James, Louisa Oliver’s fiancé.”

She gasped and grew pink with embarrassment, so James prompted her in his gentlest voice. “May I assist you with anything?”

She met his eyes again, and he was pleased that the flush began to fade from her cheeks. She was rather pretty, small and fair, with a heart-shaped face and a wide mouth that was currently pursed in thought.

“I don’t think so, but thank you. Unless you’re willing to forget that this happened at all, which it seems you are, since you’re being very polite to me. I hardly know why, unless that’s just something that viscounts do. I promise, I did mean to have everything perfect for your arrival, but instead I’ve blistered your ears in the first minute we met.”

“It’s quite all right,” James assured his companion again. He gestured her toward a pin-striped sofa. “Please, be seated if you wish. I’ve heard much worse language before.”

“Really?” The young woman looked intrigued. “From ladies? What did they say?”

James coughed to hide another laugh.

Who on earth was this impulsive creature? She seemed to say whatever was on her mind, which he’d rarely encountered among females but found now that he enjoyed immensely. He’d never met anyone so unguarded in her behavior. His interest was piqued, and he tingled with an excitement quite different from his earlier anxiety.

Unable to keep a smile from his face, he replied, “It would hardly be polite of me to repeat such words to you, especially since you’ve just complimented me on my manners.”

“Nonsense,” she replied at once. “I’ll give you another compliment if you tell me. I’m sure I can think of something.”

There was more than a small part of James that wanted to take her at her word, to say forbidden things to a young woman. He had a feeling this one wouldn’t be scandalized; she’d laugh and ask for more.

And he was curious, too, about what she might offer him as a compliment.

Perhaps a little too curious?

“I’m sorry to have to disappoint a lady,” he said. “But I really shouldn’t.”

His companion sucked on her lower lip, deliberating. “I suppose you’re right. Anyway, I like your coat.”

James stared down at the sleeves of the garment in question. It was well-tailored, but apart from that it looked ordinary to him. “Thank you?”

“That was your compliment. Or rather, my compliment for you,” she explained. “You see, I followed through on my part of the bargain. Perhaps sometime soon you’ll follow through with yours, since you’ll be visiting our family for a while.”

This was too ridiculous. James shook his head, protesting, “Absolutely not. There was no bargain. You’re not going to manipulate me into teaching you how to talk like a guttersnipe just by telling me you like my coat.”