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Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to my First Kiss Friday Blog! Today’s guest is my friend Anna St. Claire who has an excerpt from her upcoming novel Tempting the Lonely Lord that releases July 27th. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading!
Excerpt:
“I… I want to apologize for my outburst the other day,” Bella said. “I had no right to say what I did.”
“You said nothing that my valet didn’t tell me five minutes later,” William said with a sheepish grin. “I smelled terrible. “What did you call it… An illicit rendezvous?” He chuckled. “I rectified the situation of my questionable scent. But I need to explain what I was doing.”
“N-no, you don’t have to explain yourself to me—”
“Yes, I do,” he interrupted. “I want to explain. The truth is… I met a colleague, someone I knew when I was working for the Crown, and he wanted to meet at a tavern in town, for anonymity purposes. In my line of work, in the past, meetings in such places offered greater protection. I know it sounds strange, but one can blend in easily in a dark tavern. But there was no tawdry perfume… at least not on purpose. Our discussion took longer than anticipated. But there was nothing illicit. I promise.”
She believed him—at least the part about the perfume—which she was sure meant there was no woman. She had to wonder about this friend of his, though. Was William still working for the Crown? If so, was he engaged in something dangerous? She hoped not. She could not bear to think of him in peril.
“So, you forgive me?” he said with a charmingly crooked grin.
Bella felt her cheeks heat with a blush, and she glanced down at the carpet. “There is nothing to forgive, William,” she said softly. “It is I who must apologize for what I said. It was rude and unlike me. I’m not sure why I spoke that way to you.” She glanced up. “Please forgive me?”
“Of course,” he said in a low voice.
“We’re friends, still?” she blurted. Lordy, I sound like a silly girl.
“Yes. Of course we are.”
She nodded, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. She was feeling like a silly girl, too.
“Good! Because Baron Darkmoor’s ball is in a week, and if I attend, I want to be certain I can count on a dance.”
Her face heated. “O-of course. Yes. I would enjoy that very much. We are friends… are we not?”
“Yes. Yes, we are.” He paused and then said, “Would I be out of line to ask what you had wanted to speak with me about?”
She was silent for a moment. Finally, she looked up and said, “I’ve thought a lot about what Michael said. He’s very wise.”
“Yes, he is rather insightful, especially with animals.”
“Well, perhaps you… I mean, I wanted to ask you if you would ride with me. I haven’t ridden Winterborne in such a long time, I’ve developed a…”
“Fear? I would think that is normal. I saw men go through the same type of thing during the war. Considering how your father died… I’ve been wondering, was there an investigation?”
Bella thought about it. “They ruled it accidental, but I don’t recall any type of official investigation, other than the magistrate taking a look around where my father fell.”
“I believe Michael is right. It would do Winterborne a world of good for you to ride him.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you still have your father’s saddle and tack from that day?”
She wrinkled her brow and thought for a moment. “I heard a groom ask Uncle Stephen where to put it, but I never heard what he said. He was so distraught over my father’s death—we all were—that it was more than any of us could handle. I suppose it was eventually forgotten. We were fortunate that Winterborne had no more than a simple sprain. Why do you ask?”
“I suppose I am merely being overly thorough. Just the hazards of many years working for the Crown. But would you mind if I examined it? Perhaps there is something that the magistrate may have overlooked. Or perhaps there was some logical reason for the horse to rear up as he did,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “That horse loves you—as I’m sure he loved your father. And if I can do anything to reassure you, before you take Winterborne out for a ride, that is what I would like to do for you.”
“That is most kind of you, William. And yes, of course, you may look over the saddle and tack.” She smiled. “So… is that a yes? You’ll ride with me?”
“Yes. I would love to ride with you. But right now, I would like to do this,” he said, pulling her close. He covered her lips with his. It was a slow and unhurried kiss, as if they had all the time in the world. Bella felt a sudden release of the tension that had coiled through her over the past few days, to be replaced by a rush of warmth.
Her senses were filled with the scent of him, sandalwood, citrus, and leather mingled together, and she relaxed into him, her arms curled around the back of his head, fingering his golden curls.
William’s hands slid to her waist, steadying her, while the other lifted a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. The world fell away as he kissed her again.
How many times had she dreamed of this moment? And now she was living it. William was kissing her. Her very first kiss. And it was glorious.
Tempting the Lonely Lord: The Rakes of Mayhem, Book 6
By Anna St. Claire
Release Date: July 27, 2025
A determined viscount…
William Dudley never expected to inherit the title of Viscount—or the neglected estate in Kent that came with it. But duty is something he has never shied away from. Now responsible for his spirited young brother, William is juggling guardianship, estate matters, and his ongoing secret work for the Crown. Though he has officially resigned as an agent, he still deciphers coded messages and remains relentless in his pursuit of a criminal smuggling ring wreaking havoc along the coast. Marriage is the last thing on his mind—until fate quite literally drops into his arms.
A fateful fall…
Lady Bella Conolly’s search for her mischievous dog, Lacey, leads her to the newly inhabited neighboring estate. But when her chase ends with a misstep down an embankment, she finds herself swept into the arms of a stranger. A golden-haired Adonis with striking blue eyes, a devilish grin, and the kind of effortless charm that could make any woman weak in the knees.
Yet beneath his easy smile and godlike beauty, there’s something else—something elusive. A quiet intensity that speaks of secrets carefully guarded. Bella should know better than to be drawn in by mystery and charm alone, yet she cannot deny the pull of curiosity… or attraction.
A dangerous dilemma…
Yet Bella’s troubles are far from over. Her uncle is determined to marry her off to a ruthless earl with sinister motives and a chilling hold over her family. As danger tightens its grip, Bella must decide whether she can trust the debonair and dashing viscount who has unexpectedly entered her world. Together, they must navigate secrets, schemes, and the undeniable pull of a love neither of them expected.
Can William unravel the web of deceit before it’s too late? Or will Bella be lost to the shadows of a perilous plot?
Preorder for $0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tempting-Lonely-Lord-Regency-Historical-ebook/dp/B0F9R5GBX8
About the Author:
Who knew I’d become an author? Not me. But when the opportunity knocked, I answered the door and welcomed it in. I approach life with as much positivity as I can—celebrating the hits and laughing at the misses. Nothing worthwhile is easy, and that includes everything in my life. But I have much to smile about—my lovely mother, a beautiful daughter, two precious granddaughters, my adorable dogs, and my sweet husband of over thirty years. He has always supported me—including uprooting to move to the other side of Charlotte, N.C. for a life change, just when we thought we were settled.
If settled means not going after my dreams, then I never want to be settled. I give my all to things I enjoy—and that includes writing. In 2021, I hit the USA Today Bestselling Author list, and recently, two of my books were named RONE Finalists!
I love to express myself to the point that my daughter avoids going to the movies with me because I’m that woman in the row in front of you who gleefully munches her popcorn and laughs at every hilarious scene. Loudly. Besides my family, I love chocolate, popcorn, laughter, and animals. I love animals so much that I frequently sprinkle them in my stories as secondary characters. They usually steal the show! British and American history have always interested me, so writing historical romances set in the U.K. and the US is where my passion is.
When I was barely three years old, my parents divorced, and my mom moved my sister and me from New York to South Carolina to live near her parents. Juggling a full-time job and full-time school, my mother became my first genuine hero—she never waved the white flag when things were tough. And things quickly got tough. My grandmother, who helped care for my sister and me while my mother worked, became ill with cancer, and didn’t survive the surgery, dying before I was seven. Losing Grandma devastated me. She read to me and taught me to read before I started first grade. I credit her for inspiring my love of reading, and I credit my mother for encouraging me to turn my ideas into stories.
When I was ten, my neighbor gave me her book club copy of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and it remains one of my favorite books. But it was Kathleen Woodiwiss’ Shanna and Ashes in the Wind, that hooked me on historical romance and sparked my dream of becoming a published author.
While I primarily write Regency Romance, I enjoy almost any period in American and British history.
I love hearing from readers. To get in touch, email me at annastclaireauthor@gmail.com.
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