It’s a Spring Miracle!
Every once in a while a miracle happens. I write something that is perfect. It is the book to which all my other books aspire: funny, romantic, and most especially fun to write. That book is releasing on my birthday, May 5. But don’t take my word for it. Judge for yourself in this excerpt just for you!
50 Ways to
Ruin a Rake by Jade Lee – Teaser Excerpt
“Hit him!” screamed the crowd. “Show ’im what
for!”
The sentiment was echoed all around until
Mellie actively hated them all. Not just the crowd, but the two combatants.
Trevor and Ronnie, fighting like boys in the school yard. Bloody and violent,
to be sure, especially since they were grown men. But no one was likely to die.
Which is when Trevor stepped in a hole.
He cried out in surprise and pain. Thank God
he was wearing boots, otherwise his leg might have snapped in two. As it was,
he tumbled down into the mud and Ronnie clearly meant to finish the fight. But
he hadn’t reckoned on Melinda. She’d been an unwilling participant in this
whole disgusting display. Well, if her cousin wanted a Cheltenham tragedy, she
would bloody well give him one.
She surged forward. Stop it! Ronnie, stop it
now! And when he didn’t hear her, she said the words she'd never thought she’d utter in her entire life. My love!
That got his attention. Mellie!
She flung herself forward, sliding in the mud
to stop right beside Trevor’s head. Ronnie reached for her, but she pushed him
away as she wrapped herself around the fallen lord. My love, are you alive? Oh
God, someone fetch a doctor!
Trevor's face was a
battered mess, but not so unrecognizable that she didn’t see the gleam of
appreciation in his eyes or the mischievous smile that pulled at his swollen
lip.
Are you an angel? he asked. Have I died?
The man was lying in the mud, his ankle
nearly snapped in half. His face oozed from a myriad of cuts, and yet he still
had the wherewithall to give the crowd a good show. It was enough to make her
contemplate dropping him in the mud.
Meanwhile, Ronnie just stood there poised,
his fist still raised as he gaped. I won. This was an affaire d’honor.
Congratulations, she mocked. You beat a man
half your weight.
I’m not that small, muttered Trevor.
Shut up. I’m making a point. Then she turned
her attention to her cousin. You were right, Ronnie. You have made everything
clear. I could never love a brute like you. I love Trevor.
Since when?
Since never. She had a thorough disgust of
them both. Especially as Trevor began to speak in a quavering voice.
Oh, to finally hear those words, now in the
moments before I expire. Kiss me, my love. Mayhap your love will keep me
tethered to this mortal coil.
I will not, she said between
clenched teeth.
He pitched his voice to a plaintive wail.
Then I shall die for sure!
Damnation on all bloody, arrogant, ridiculous
men! One glance about her showed that the crowd was hanging on his every word.
She didn’t really care until she looked at Ronnie=s face. He wasn’t stupid. He could see that Trevor wasn’t really
hurt. It wouldn’t take him long to remember that she=d never spoken of Trevor with anything but disdain. And from there
it was a small step to realizing that this entire display was a sham. So she
had to do something quickly. Something that he’d never forget, even if he did
suspect the lie.
She kissed Trevor.
She more than kissed him. She lifted him in
her arms and gave him the kind of scorching kiss that every woman dreamed she'd receive from the grandson of a duke. And he-horrible roué that
he was-wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her right back.
And he kept kissing her, with tongue and
teeth and a growl of hunger so wonderful that she hated him even more. Even as
she lost all thought to propriety in this very public place.
ORDER 50 WAYS TO RUIN A RAKE AT THESE ONLINE RETAILERS:
Happy Almost birthday Jade! This one looks like so much fun. :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun! What a gorgeous cover too!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why the quotation marks didn't show up. Sorry everyone!
ReplyDeleteOh that's fun! I can't wait to read the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful excerpt. I love fun romances.
ReplyDeleteLove the excerpt, with or without the quotation marks!b Can't wait to read this! :-)
ReplyDelete