“Very well,” he said, sieving his hands into her hair and angling her head so she could look nowhere but at him. “Against my better judgment, I will help you get them together.”
“Thank you, Marcus,” she breathed, opening her mouth for him.
The kiss was an affirmation of their love. Tumultuous. Tender. Demanding. Delicious. Her fingertips trailed across his face, caressing the scars that had kept them apart, reminding him that it was not the Beau or the Beast she loved, but the man who was both of them. “I love you, Marcus,” she whispered against his flesh.
“And I love you, Eliza.” His lips found a sensitive spot beneath her ear to lavish with kisses. “Who taught you such devious—and such splendidly enjoyable—tactics to get your own way, my love?”
“A very good friend,” Eliza said, remembering Charlotte’s suggestions. She smiled as she found his mouth again. “Are they working?”
She laughed in delight as he picked her up out of the chair, laid her on the floor, and lovingly mantled her body with his own.
This book is dedicated
to my editor, Mary Ellen O’Neill
and
to Marjorie Braman and Leslie Schnur,
who introduced Dell’s fabulous
Four of Hearts
to all the wonderful marketing folks,
sales reps, creative artists,
support staff, and publicists at Dell
who helped make it such a success.
Author’s Note
Dear Readers,
Some of you have written asking why my titles always seem to change from what was advertised in the previous book. Daisy and the Duke became The Inheritance. Lord of the Plains became Maverick Heart. And now The Man Who Loved Her has become After the Kiss. The titles I listed first are my “working titles,” the ones I use when I first conceive the book until it is turned in to the publisher. At that point, the title may change because of marketing considerations or because my publisher and I come up with something we like better. Good luck finding the book you want!
My next historical romance is Blackthorne’s Bride, a continuation of the series which began with Captive and continued with After the Kiss. Set in Scotland, Blackthorne’s Bride tells the delightful story of Alastair Wharton, sixth Duke of Blackthorne (you met him in After the Kiss), who finds himself the captive of a devious Scottish lass—who bluffs him into believing they are husband and wife. Look for it in bookstores early next year!
The next book in the #1 Bestselling Hawk’s Way series (number 10!) is The Virgin Groom. It will be a single title release from Silhouette in August (on bookshelves in mid-July). My next mainstream novel, Heartbeat, is a romantic suspense in which a stone-jawed Texas Ranger and sharp-tongued lady lawyer find themselves on opposites sides of the law. It will be available from Avon in September (on bookshelves in mid-August). Watch for a hardcover Christmas collection featuring me and Diana Palmer in November.
As always, I appreciate hearing from you. If you would like to be on my mailing list, please send a postcard to me at P.O. Box 8531, Pembroke Pines, FL 33084. If you send a letter with comments or questions, and would like a reply, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
I personally read and answer my mail, although as some of you know, a reply might be delayed if I have a writing deadline.
Joan Johnston
March 1997
Dell Books by Joan Johnston
After the Kiss
The Barefoot Bride
The Bodyguard
The Bridegroom
Captive
The Cowboy
The Inheritance
Kid Calhoun
Outlaw’s Bride
Sweetwater Seduction
The Texan
The Loner
Frontier Woman
Joan Johnston is the bestselling, award-winning author of fifteen historical romances and twenty-one contemporary romance novels. She received a master of arts degree in theater from the University of Illinois and was graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. She is currently a full-time writer who lives in South Florida.