Kate Witten has never believed in love at first sight, or in Kate’s case, love at first touch. But from the moment they touch, Kate Witten knows there’s no other man for her than Alec Westbrooke, Earl of Lynox. How can she help but succumb to moment’s passion when faced with such a man? But there are consequences for their one night of bliss, and Kate is determined to handle things on her own. When she disappears from Charlotte, NC, Alec tears the city apart, searching for the only woman to ever hold his heart. When he finds her, he finds more than he bargained for. Will his responsibilities to his family weigh heavy on him? Or will he give everything up for the woman he loves?

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Excerpt

Copyright 2014, Jessica Coulter Smith

“I wanted you to myself for a while,” he said.

“Alec, I… I can’t imagine why you would want to spend time with me. There’s nothing special about me.”

He urged her to sit and then sat beside her. “I beg to differ. The moment I saw you, I knew you were special. Can’t you feel it? There’s something between us.”

“Please don’t say things like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because… you’re a lord and I’m…”

“My being a lord has nothing to do with this,” he interrupted. “There’s an attraction between us. You can’t deny it.”

“No,” she said softly. “I can’t deny it.”

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “How close does someone have to be before you can see them?”

Her lips tipped up in a smile. “Our noses would practically have to touch before I could see you clearly and, even then, I couldn’t make out as much detail as most people.”

He slowly moved closer, giving her time to pull away, but she didn’t want to. She knew that she should, but she found that she was fascinated by him. He came closer, close enough that she felt the warmth of his breath on her skin. Small details came into focus. She noticed his eyes were blue, laugh lines crinkling the corners. Lines bracketed his mouth, telling her that he smiled frequently. His lips were full and she wondered what they would feel like pressed against hers. A blush heated her cheeks as she stared into his eyes.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.

“No, I’m not. I’m plain, ordinary.”

His thumb smoothed over her cheekbone. “Darling, you could never be plain.”