The widowed Lady Jane Stanwell has decided that she is tired of mourning her husband, the gambler who took his own life and had completely disregarded her during their marriage. Having never experienced passion, Jane is determined to take a lover, someone attractive but to whom she would never lose her heart or her head. Even though society still gossip about her husband's suicide, Jane is willing to grace the ballrooms to find a suitable candidate, and it is not long before she has a list of possibilities, with Simon Marbury topping the poll. Even if it is not his devilish eyes, or dark brooding arrogance that she sees when she closes her eyes, but those of Gareth Ramsay. But he would never do as there is just too much danger in letting him get close.
Gareth Ramsay is a successful barrister but also works secretly for the Home Office as a spy. Investigating Simon Marbury, who is suspected of corrupting his military weapons, has led him into Lady Jane's path. Intensely attracted to her, he soon discovers her list and is determined to be her only lover, and if she can unknowingly aid in his goal of catching Marbury, all the better. After all, their hearts would not be involved. With lies, seduction, troubled pasts, and corruption, will Jane lose her heart, head and so much more for the spy's pleasure? Or will Ramsay find himself floundering in uncharted territory?
AT THE SPY'S PLEASURE by Tina Gabrielle is a devilishly entertaining read, with plenty of sizzling sensuality and dangerous exploits, to keep the readers attention. Tina Gabrielle's characters are full of depth and emotion, and it was easy to love both Jane and Gareth. With a few twists and turns, and love scenes that set the reader on fire, AT THE SPY'S PLEASURE by Tina Gabrielle is sure to set your pulse racing and I recommend it to Regency romance fans everywhere.
Every gentleman has his secrets...London 1821
After years of marriage to a selfish man who preferred
gambling to his young bride, Jane, the widowed countess
of
Stanwell, now seeks what she was long denied-a satisfying
lover. Naturally, a lady needs a list of eligible
candidates, which doesn't include the dangerously
handsome
(if far too arrogant) Gareth Ramsey...until he steals a
sinful kiss from Jane's all-too-willing lips.
Reputed as an arrogant barrister, Gareth's real
occupation
is as a spy in the service of His Majesty, and his
suspect
is on Jane's list of possible lovers. With her life in
danger, there's no safer place for Jane than with him-and
in
his bed. But Jane is as distracting as she is
infuriating,
and keeping her by his side while he pursues his mission
might just endanger them both...
EXCERPT
To Janeβs horror, Gareth Ramsey unfolded the paper and
read aloud. βPossible Candidates as Lovers.β For a brief
instant his face hardened, then the cool, arrogant mask
descended once again.
βAre you serious?β Gareth asked, mockingly.
Never had Jane been so embarrassed in her life. Not even
when sheβd tripped after being announced at Lady
Tavistockβs ball as a first year debutante.
But then her humiliation veered into anger. How dare he
rip a private document from her hand and then mock her?
She placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. βI
am quite serious. Iβve decided to turn over a new leaf.β
He cocked an eyebrow. βTurn over a new leaf?β
βYes.β
Ignoring her dismay, Gareth glanced at the list. βSimon
Marbury is on your list.β
Jane met his stare. βYou cannot possibly criticize the
man.β
Something flickered in his eyes, something dark and
unpleasant. βStay away from him.β
βYou cannot tell me what to do.β
βThe man is a dissolute pleasure seeker.β
βHalf of the gentleman of my acquaintance match that
description.β
βYour behavior is reckless.β
Her anger rose a notch. βThereβs nothing reckless about
my list. To the contrary, itβs very well planned.β
He looked back at the list and smiled arrogantly. βIf you
refuse to come to your senses, then I have just one
question for you.β
βWhat?β
βWhy am I last on your list?β
She wanted to laugh. He would have been first, had she
dared. βItβs not you,β she lied. Thank heavens she hadnβt
written out his full name.
βI donβt believe you,β he said. βIt clearly has my
initials.β
βThat could stand for anyone,β she argued.
βIβm well versed at reading people. Youβre a bad liar.β
βYouβre a conceited fool.β
His eyes narrowed and for a heartbeat she thought she had
gone too far, but then he threw back his head and
laughed.
βYou are a handful, Jane. You need a man to keep you in
line. A man that can teach you passion, not these fools.β
With deliberate movements, he folded the list and slipped
it in the inside pocket of his jacket. βI do believe Iβll
keep this.β
Reason fled. She threw herself at him, fully intending to
strike him and take the list back with physical force.
But as she lunged forward, her heel snagged in the thick
carpet. She stumbled, lost her balance, and fell headlong
into his solid chest.
He grunted as she took him by surprise. Strong arms
grasped around her waist as they tumbled onto the settee,
Jane sprawled on top of him.
βOh!β
She was aware of every hard inch of him. He was
completely any of the popinjays she had put on her list.
He was all maleβbig, hard, and dangerous. His mouth was
mere inches from hers.
βYou neednβt have worked yourself up into such a fury
although I must admit I donβt mind. I intended to give
the list back to you. I was jesting,β he said.
His eyes werenβt black, but deep coffee-brown. His lips
full and sensual.
βOh. I see.β She made no attempt to rise, and he made no
effort to assist her to her feet.
βBut I am serious about the character of the men on your
list. None of them are appropriate for the position,
especially Marbury.β
βAnd you know others who are?β
βOther. And yes.β His eyes raked her face with a
sensuality that was unmistakable. She started to rise;
his arms tightened about her, forcing her to remain
pressed against him.
βThen you truly are a fool, Mr. Ramsey. You are the last
person Iβd want as a lovββ
He captured her lips in a searing kiss. Drawing her
tightly to him, her breasts were crushed against his
solid chest. The heat emanated from his body and seeped
into hers, flooding her limbs with languid passion. His
lips, which had appeared carved of marble, were not cold,
hard, or demanding as she had initially thought, but
sinfully seductive. He explored her mouth with
tantalizing persuasiveness, and coaxed her response like
one would stoke a slow burning fire.
Her eyelids fluttered closed. She grasped his forearms to
steady herself, then slid her hands up his arms. His
biceps were enormous, rock hard and pulsing with heat.
Simon Marbury appeared well built, but sheβd suspected
his tailor added padding to his coat to increase the
breadth of his shoulders.
Nothing about Gareth Ramsey was padded or soft. The shock
of his muscular frame ran through her body. But instead
of fear, his strength and power thrilled her.
He licked her bottom lip and sucked the delicate fullness
into his mouth like he was savoring a ripe plumb. The
simmering heat in her veins turning scalding hot. The
contrast of their sizes and his tightly leashed lust was
a potent aphrodisiac. Sheβd never experienced it before.
Garethβs potent sexuality excited her, and she wanted to
be ravaged by himβto know what it felt like to be
fiercely desired by a man.
She stopped herself just in time. This wasnβt a man she
could control. The passion that inched through her veins
was as dangerous as it was thrilling and without a doubt
she knew that she wouldnβt be able to have a casual
affair with Gareth.
No. That was not what she wanted. She wanted a lover
without complications. A man who would not hurt her.
With Gareth Ramsey she would get scorched.
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