Laurie Grant - Devil's Dare

Cover Page

Excerpt “Mercy, I want you. “I want to make love to you, Mercy,” Sam whispered, following her down, leaning on his side and one arm while the other continued to pleasure her. “Let me make love to you, Mercy, honey…” “No, I don’t think—” She looked around her, away from him. Heavens, it was more of a case of she couldn’t think, not while his mouth was just two inches from hers and while his stroking was making her tingle all over. “You don’t want me to make love to you out here in the open, under the stars?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “Mercy, I think you’re about the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen in the moonlight—it makes your eyes all silvery and mysterious.” He stopped and kissed her lingeringly. “I just can’t even begin to imagine how pretty the rest of you would look dressed in nothing but moonlight…”

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Love and loyalty clash in Devil’s Dare by Laurie Grant, a fast-paced Western about a sweet-talking cowboy and a straitlaced preacher’s daughter whom he mistakes for a soiled dove. We hope you enjoy this delightful tale from recent Readers’ Choice winner Laurie Grant. The Gambler’s Heart is the third book in Gayle Wilson’s Heart Trilogy. This passionate Regency features a warscarred French gambler who acquires a wife as payment for a debt, and must learn to accept her love for him. We are also pleased to bring you the second book in Susan Paul’s medieval Bride Trilogy, The Heiress Bride, the lively story of a rogue knight running from his past and a strong-willed noblewoman running from her future. Elizabeth Lane’s Lydia, our fourth selection for the month, is the touching story of a former Union spy who moves to Colorado and falls in love with the brother of a man who died as a result of her actions. Whatever your taste in reading, we hope that Harlequin Historicals will keep you coming back for more. Please keep a lookout for all four titles, available wherever Harlequin books are sold. Sincerely, Tracy Farrell Senior Editor Please address questions and book requests to: Harlequin Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Title Page Devil’s Dare Laurie Grant www.millsandboon.co.uk

About The Author LAURIE GRANT combines a career as a trauma center emergency room nurse with that of historical romance author; she says the writing helps keep her sane. Passionately enthusiastic about the history of both England and Texas, she divides her travel time between these two spots. She is married to her own real-life hero, and has two teenage daughters, two dogs and a cat. If you would like to write the author of Devil’s Dare, please use the address below: Laurie Grant P.O. Box 307274 Gahanna, OH 43230

Dedication With grateful thanks to the Abilene Heritage Center for their invaluable assistance in my research, to Rebecca Brandewyne for providing information on the natural features, flora and fauna of the region, and to Ann Bouricius, tireless critique partner and friend. And, as always, thanks to Michael, who keeps me going with his love and moral support—and who kept me from using the wrong knife.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Epilogue

Author Note

Copyright

“I want to make love to you, Mercy,” Sam whispered, following her down, leaning on his side and one arm while the other continued to pleasure her. “Let me make love to you, Mercy, honey…”

“No, I don’t think—” She looked around her, away from him. Heavens, it was more of a case of she couldn’t think, not while his mouth was just two inches from hers and while his stroking was making her tingle all over.

“You don’t want me to make love to you out here in the open, under the stars?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “Mercy, I think you’re about the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen in the moonlight—it makes your eyes all silvery and mysterious.” He stopped and kissed her lingeringly. “I just can’t even begin to imagine how pretty the rest of you would look dressed in nothing but moonlight…”

Dear Reader,

Love and loyalty clash in Devil’s Dare by Laurie Grant, a fast-paced Western about a sweet-talking cowboy and a straitlaced preacher’s daughter whom he mistakes for a soiled dove. We hope you enjoy this delightful tale from recent Readers’ Choice winner Laurie Grant.

The Gambler’s Heart is the third book in Gayle Wilson’s Heart Trilogy. This passionate Regency features a warscarred French gambler who acquires a wife as payment for a debt, and must learn to accept her love for him. We are also pleased to bring you the second book in Susan Paul’s medieval Bride Trilogy, The Heiress Bride, the lively story of a rogue knight running from his past and a strong-willed noblewoman running from her future.

Elizabeth Lane’s Lydia, our fourth selection for the month, is the touching story of a former Union spy who moves to Colorado and falls in love with the brother of a man who died as a result of her actions.

Whatever your taste in reading, we hope that Harlequin Historicals will keep you coming back for more. Please keep a lookout for all four titles, available wherever Harlequin books are sold.

Sincerely, Tracy Farrell

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Harlequin Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

www.millsandboon.co.uk

combines a career as a trauma center emergency room nurse with that of historical romance author; she says the writing helps keep her sane. Passionately enthusiastic about the history of both England and Texas, she divides her travel time between these two spots. She is married to her own real-life hero, and has two teenage daughters, two dogs and a cat.

If you would like to write the author of Devil’s Dare, please use the address below:

Laurie Grant

P.O. Box 307274

Gahanna, OH 43230

With grateful thanks to the Abilene Heritage Center for their invaluable assistance in my research, to Rebecca Brandewyne for providing information on the natural features, flora and fauna of the region, and to Ann Bouricius, tireless critique partner and friend.

And, as always, thanks to Michael, who keeps me going with his love and moral support—and who kept me from using the wrong knife.

“Gentlemen, Abilene is a fine town,” Wyatt Earp, one of Abilene’s premier cardsharps, told them as they sagged against the stock pen that held the three thousand milling, bawling longhorns they’d trailed all the way from Texas. “You may ask why I think so. Well, boys, Abilene is a fine town because there’s so much easy money in it, so much sin and so little law. Why, there’s twenty saloons, twenty gambling houses and ten dance halls—as well as three restaurants, for when you’re all tuckered out from all that carousin’ and just want some tasty vittles. Yessir, I believe you boys are gonna have a high time here, a high time indeed.”