Wicked Little Game by Christine Wells

Hi Terra and Yankees, it's great to be with you today to talk about my brand new Regency historical romance, WICKED LITTLE GAME. Thank you for having me and I hope you all celebrated the 4th in style!

The Marquis of Vane has been obsessed with Lady Sarah Cole for years, forced to watch the proud beauty condemned to a degrading marriage to all around philandering rat, Brinsley Cole. When Cole comes to Vane and offers him one night with Sarah for 10,000 pounds, Vane is tempted almost beyond reason. But despite his resolve to hold on to his honor and refuse the offer, events conspire to bring Lady Sarah to him. Their mutual passion spirals out of control.

Sarah's husband is murdered that night, and Sarah becomes the chief suspect. Does she admit where she was? Her alibi will bring scandal and disgrace to her family. Will Vane agree to help her after the way she treated him that night? Or will he take advantage of her plight to claim her for himself?

Romantic Times said of WICKED LITTLE GAME: "Sizzling sensuality and powerful storytelling -- Wells' hallmarks -- make this a fast-paced, enticing read."

I must admit, almost a year after writing this book, I'm still more than a little in love with my big, sexy, prizefighting Marquis of Vane. I hope you all fall in love with him, too! Here's an excerpt:

Vane’s heart thundered in his chest, and he knew it wasn’t from the fight. He barely made it to his door without ravishing her on the stairs. He was achingly aware that she studied him, painfully reminded of what he wanted—had always wanted—from her.

But she was in his house to earn Brinsley his ten thousand pounds. She was not there because she desired him. If she desired him, she could have had him any time these seven years or more.

Obviously, Brinsley had not given up on his contemptible scheme. Was she here to seduce Vane into changing his mind? The real question: was he strong enough to resist her if it came to that? Did he even want to?

Ten thousand pounds was nothing. A lot more than he’d ever needed to pay for his pleasure before, but a drop in the vast ocean of his wealth. He had, he reminded himself, paid for pleasure in the past. He did not make a habit of consorting with certain married women of the ton who granted their favors freely. Uncomplicated relationships with practiced courtesans were more his style.

Until Lady Sarah Cole.

They passed through a small sitting room and entered his private domain. He’d never taken a woman there before.

He indicated an over-stuffed armchair, displaced from its position beside the fire by the enormous, high-backed bathtub. She took off her bonnet and laid it on the table next to the chair. Then she sat, arranged her skirts and folded her hands in her lap. She kept her gloves on, he noticed.

Her eyes grew large in her fine, oval face as she contemplated the waiting bath, but when she caught him watching her, all sign of anxiety vanished. She smiled, regarding him with that amused contempt with which she always seemed to view Brinsley.

Vane’s temper flared. His gaze gripped hers as he shucked his pantaloons, peeled off his stockings, and finally, undid the string of his drawers and pushed them down.

He was aroused. He didn’t try to hide the fact. God help him, he relished the momentary dip of her eyes, the slight flush that crested her cheeks as she took in his size, then cut her gaze away.

Hadn’t she believed he’d carry out his threat to bathe in front of her? Of course, she was accustomed to dealing with Brinsley. Perhaps now she’d realize the man standing before her was a different beast altogether from that spineless weasel she called husband.

Vane stepped into the tub and lowered himself into the steaming water. Laying his head against the tub’s high back, he gave a throaty sigh that was supposed to signify contentment.

It sounded more like a hungry growl.

Now, a question for you, dear readers! What crazy thing would you do for $10,000? The most outlandish or amusing response will win a signed copy of WICKED LITTLE GAME.

Christine Wells writes Regency historical romance for Berkley. Her debut, SCANDAL'S DAUGHTER won the RWA Golden Heart award and her second novel, THE DANGEROUS DUKE, has been nominated for a RITA. Her next historical romance, WICKED LITTLE GAME, is in stores now. You can find her at http://www.christine-wells.com/