Thanks for dropping by to read another excerpt from my First Kiss Friday blog! Today I’d like to welcome back author Meara Platt who has an excerpt from her novel One Night with Tulip. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading, my lovelies.
EXCERPT:
Tulip watched with trepidation as her spurned suitor stomped up the terrace steps. “What do you think he means to do?”
Alex did not know, but he doubted the man was going to stay quiet.
He glanced up at the sky that was covered in a layer of clouds, as though the heavens had slammed their door against him, refusing to listen to his silent plea for this little altercation to resolve without further problem.
But he knew it would not.
An entitled lord like Caruthers was not going to take rejection lightly.
Sighing, he placed Tulip’s hand in the crook of his arm. “Come back inside with me.”
Tulip held him back a moment. “But is it safe for you? I mean, people might think I went into the garden to kiss you. Is it not better for me to walk in alone as you first suggested?”
“No. That was before Caruthers leveled his threat.” He was not going to risk that angry lord deciding to stake a claim on her and alleging he had compromised her.
If any false accusations were to be leveled, better they be leveled against him because he would always protect Tulip.
She held him back again. “But it is certain to cause you more trouble if we walk in together.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Why are you so concerned about me, Tulip?”
“Should I not be? Haven’t I caused you enough of a headache for one night?”
“Aren’t you Farthingales notorious for this very thing?” he teased. “Do not alarm yourself. This is nothing I cannot handle.”
But Alex knew trouble was afoot when he saw Caruthers march out of the ballroom with John Farthingale in tow not a moment later. John was the Farthingale family patriarch entrusted with Tulip’s care, and Caruthers was obviously giving him an earful of lies. On their heels came a small army of ladies and gentlemen, several of whom he recognized as indiscriminate gossips.
The snake had wasted no time in spewing his venom.
“There! I told you! There’s your precious ward, Farthingale. See how cozy she looks beside Davenport? Did I not tell you he had ruined her?”
Tulip gasped and curled her hands into fists. “How dare you spout those abominable falsehoods! And to think, I–”
Alex held her back. “Be quiet, Tulip.”
“But he is a lout,” she said in a whisper, knowing they had to get their stories straight. “I apologized to him and he took it with utter lack of grace. Well, I’ll show him.”
“No, you’ll be quiet and let me handle the matter,” he said with quiet authority.
She was only going to dig herself into a deeper hole than she had already dug for herself if she told the onlookers it was Caruthers she had lured into the garden. Did she not realize she might be forced to marry the wretch?
Alex would never allow this to happen. “Tulip, close your eyes.”
She widened them. “What? Why?”
“Because I am going to kiss you. Do you or do you not want a first kiss? Would you mind terribly if it was with me?”
“Why would you ever want to kiss me? And why now when everyone is watching?” She gasped, suddenly realizing the implications.
“Quickly now, yes or no. They are marching down the stairs toward us.”
“Are you mad? It will ruin you.”
“To be precise, it will ruin you. It has already ruined you.”
“And you are determined to save me?”
He nodded. “It is me or Caruthers. Do you mind becoming my duchess?”
“Yours? But–”
“Choose, Tulip.”
“You.”
He drew her into his arms and kissed her with all the heartfelt sincerity he could muster, which was surprisingly a lot because he actually liked her.
In addition to her obvious physical charms, she had shown moral rectitude. What other young lady would have apologized to him and Caruthers? What other young lady would have felt any remorse for her mistake and not blamed anyone but herself for her lapse in judgment?
What other young lady would have sought to protect him?
But was it not up to Alex to protect her?
“Wise choice,” he murmured, pressing his lips deeper onto her slightly open mouth that was open because she was still trying to talk sense into him, but he was beyond listening. Nor would anyone else among the approaching throng ever listen to what she had to say in her own defense.
They had seen her standing beside him in the shadows of Lady Fullerton’s garden and were already poisoned by Caruthers’ lies into believing the worst had taken place.
That beast was determined to destroy the sweet innocent forever.
Alex counted to three before removing his mouth from hers, already regretting the end of their kiss because she had the prettiest lips, soft and plump, and they tasted of mint and champagne.
He stared down at her.
She appeared distraught as she returned his gaze. “Why did you do this? Don’t you realize what this means?”
He nodded. “You’ve just received your first kiss…and your first marriage proposal.”
One Night with Tulip
By Meara Platt
A moonlight kiss plus a Farthingale equals trouble!
Enjoy this next offering in the best selling Farthingale series – Regency romances with humor, heart, sizzling heroes, and a dash of mayhem.
Tulip Farthingale only wanted a first kiss, and where better than in a darkened garden during a ton affair? All she had to do was slip away, and who would notice in the crush? But as with all Farthingales and their innocent intentions, things go awry. She winds up kissing Alexander Havers, the new Duke of Davenport, and they are seen by everyone. She feels awful when he insists on doing the right thing and marrying her. Can this very wrong start to a marriage of convenience — something not convenient to either of them — turn into a true love match?
Alexander Havers, the new Duke of Davenport, never expected to inherit a dukedom. He had spent these past few years working in the London constabulary as the magistrate’s top investigator, and now finds himself one of London’s most sought after bachelors. He does his best to avoid commitment or compromising situations because he has so much work to do in restoring the dukedom and the once respected family name — but the last few generations of male heirs have all been a disgrace. He certainly does not need the distraction of the delicious Miss Tulip Farthingale. But when he comes to her rescue and is caught in a compromising situation, he knows he must marry her.
Can Alexander and Tulip work together to restore the Davenport estate and figure out whether the sudden deaths of several Davenport dukes in a row were all merely accidental…or is someone trying to kill off these dukes, and will Alexander be next?
Enjoy the entire series:
My Fair Lily
The Duke I’m Going To Marry
Rules For Reforming A Rake
A Midsummer’s Kiss
The Viscount’s Rose
Earl Of Hearts
The Viscount And The Vicar’s Daughter
A Duke For Adela
Marigold And The Marquess
The Make-Believe Marriage
A Slight Problem With The Wedding
One Night With Tulip
Capturing The Heart Of A Cameron
Never Dare A Duke (novella)
If You Wished For Me (novella)
BUY LINKS FOR ONE NIGHT WITH TULIP:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DYTD2X7N
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-night-with-tulip-meara-platt/1149152881?ean=2940184921402
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/one-night-with-tulip/id6757545066
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/one-night-with-tulip
GP: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Meara_Platt_One_Night_with_Tulip?id=a4mrEQAAQBAJ
Universal: https://books2read.com/u/brlJMA
About the Author:
Meara Platt is a USA Today bestselling author with over seventy Regency historical romances and an award winning, five book Regency romantasy series published. She is a USA and UK Amazon All-star who writes with humor and heart, and is best known for her Farthingale series where mayhem runs amok whenever those Farthingale heroines enter the marriage mart.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMearaPlatt/
Amazon Author Link: http://www.amazon.com/Meara-Platt/e/B00PO672QU
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meara-platt
Website: www.mearaplatt.com
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/meara-platts-newsletterFree download If You Kissed Me for free form signup link is this: http://bit.ly/free-novella-download