The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George
Publication Date: February 22, 2022
Berkley Publishing
Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses, Book 3
Genre: Historical Romance
A fake engagement brings together a lady with bold and daring dreams, and the heir whose heart she captured—perfect for fans of Bridgerton!
Tall, dark, and brooding—to say that American Maxwell Crenshaw stood out in the glittering ballrooms of London is an understatement. He vowed never to set foot in England again, but when a summons from his father along with an ultimatum to secure his legacy has him crossing the Atlantic for the last time, reuniting him with the delectable Lady Helena March, he can’t deny the temptation she presents. Or the ideas she inspires…
Lady Helena March is flirting with scandal. Instead of spending her time at teas and balls in search of another husband, as is expected of a young widow, Helena pours her energy into The London Home for Young Women. But Society gives no quarter to unmarried radicals who associate with illegitimate children and fallen women, and Helena’s funding is almost run out. So when the sinfully seductive Crenshaw heir suggests a fake engagement to save them both—him from an unwanted marriage and her from scorn and financial ruin—Helena finds herself too fascinated to refuse the sexy American.
As their arrangement of convenience melts oh so deliciously into nights of passion, their deception starts to become real. But if Max knew the true reason Helena can never remarry, he wouldn’t look at her with such heat in his eyes. Or might the Crenshaw heir be willing to do whatever it takes to win the one woman he’s never been able to forget…
excerpt
The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George
“Are you implying that you yourself were not born in luxurious surroundings?” Helena asked. “If gossip can be believed, your annual income far exceeds even that of Evan’s with his newly inherited gold mine.”
Maxwell sighed. “And yet we both know that income does not a gentleman make.”
“Apparently not.” She couldn’t believe how quickly her anger had taken hold of her. One moment she was anticipating the dance with him, and the next she was ready to storm from the room.
He glanced away, though his feet kept perfect time to the music. She could see the muscle working in his jaw as he got a handle on his own anger. After a moment, he appeared contrite as he said, “I don’t know what…I shouldn’t have lumped you in with them.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. Need I remind you that the entire reason this deception is going to work is because of my elevated status?”
His expression softened a bit. “Point taken. I do appreciate your assistance.”
She sniffed and glanced toward the crowd as he led her along in the dance. He really was a good dancer. He didn’t exude grace, but he managed the steps easily without making it seem as if his large frame were weighting his every move. “I should hope so.”
“Truth be told…” He paused, prompting her to look at him in time to see an unlikely pink tinting his face and ears. He was embarrassed. She nearly stumbled at the realization, and only recovered because of his strong hand at her back. “I didn’t like the way your mother looked at me. Like I wasn’t good enough to dance with you.”
“She looks at everyone that way.”
“Not that Stratton fellow.” He looked down at her again, meeting her eyes, and for the first time ever she saw the hint of vulnerability in their depths. It was actually very charming. Before she could comment on it, he hurried on. “That doesn’t matter, though. It was no reason to take my irritation out on you.”
Speechless for the moment, she gave a small shake of her head. He was jealous. The knowledge made her unreasonably happy.
“You would make a lovely couple, however,” he added.
She missed a beat and managed to step on his foot. Glaring up at him, she opened her mouth to reply but paused when she saw how he was watching her. His eyes had narrowed slightly, drawing his brows into the beginnings of that furrow she so enjoyed, but the corner of his mouth tugged upward. “You’re baiting me.”
His expression didn’t change as he led them into a turn. When it was finished, he said, “Perhaps.”
“Why?”
He somehow managed to shrug while keeping his perfect form. “Because I like how you become exceedingly proper when you take offense to something. You’re adorable.”
Adorable. She hadn’t been adorable in at least two decades, and even then, no one had called her that. “I am an adult woman. That is hardly an appropriate—” She broke off when she realized he was still amusing himself at her expense. They went through two more turns as she attempted to calm herself. What reason did she have for allowing herself to get upset about his teasing, when she herself had done the same thing at the orphanage? There was something when they were together that led to this sort of immature chiding.
“This is precisely why this isn’t going to work.”
“Why?” His hand was on her back slightly lower than necessary. It had been there ever since he had helped to right her and hadn’t moved back to its appropriate position. It wasn’t completely improper, it was simply that she kept focusing on it.
“No one will believe that we’re in love when they see us constantly arguing with each other.”
His gaze became thoughtful as he watched her. The dance continued, but she could feel his scrutiny through every turn and step. Finally, he said, “I don’t believe the idea is to make them think we’re in love.” When her brow rose in question, he tilted his head slightly toward her to be heard over the music, but so he wouldn’t have to raise his voice very much. “That wouldn’t work.”
“Then what is the point of this charade?”
He gave her a slight grin, but there was something dark and devilish in his eyes now. “I’ve always thought lust is the more powerful emotion, and it gets mistaken for love far too often.”
“Lust?” She repeated the word stupidly, because she couldn’t understand what he meant. The woman next to them glanced over her shoulder at them, and Helena blushed, only then realizing that she’d been too shocked to lower her voice.
“Unfulfilled desire can cause men do forceful but ridiculous things. No, we don’t have time to convince them we’re in love. We only need to make them believe that I want you beyond reason.”
She swallowed thickly as every word she had ever thought died a slow death in her head. It was a good thing the music was dying away, because she probably couldn’t have continued to waltz.
Maxwell bowed over her hand and placed a chaste kiss to the back. “Meet me in the conservatory at midnight.”
Praise for The Lady Tempts an Heir
“With sizzling chemistry, brilliant banter, and an unapologetically strong, feminist heroine, Harper St. George sets the pages ablaze!”—Christi Caldwell, USA Today bestselling author of Along Came a Lady
“Harper St. George just gets better and better with every book, penning the kind of page-turning stories that you will want to read again as soon as you finish each one. Max and Helena are my new favorite couple in the series.”—Lyssa Kay Adams, author of Isn’t it Bromantic?
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About the Author
Harper St. George was raised in rural Alabama and along the tranquil coast of northwest Florida. It was a setting filled with stories of the old days that instilled in her a love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school, she had discovered the historical romance novel which combined all of those elements into one perfect package. She has been hooked ever since.
She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found devouring her husband’s amazing cooking and reading. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at www.harperstgeorge.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
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