Her Christmas Pleasure

By Karen Erickson

Damien Morton is madly in love. Unfortunately, it's with his best friend's widow, Lady Danver. Damien is not worthy of Celia. Or so he thinks. Desperate to escape his feelings for her, he plans to leave the country at the first of the year. Celia treats him as a family friend and nothing moreuntil they share a heated kiss beneath the mistletoe...

Celia is shocked by the passions that surge within her at her dear friend's kiss. One touch and one taste aren't enough to satisfy her cravings, and she is startled into action. Damien has stirred something inside her that she never expected to experience again, and she must have more. Full of shameless desire and emotions newly discovered, she decides to pursue Damien and won't be deterred. Will she be able to convince him to stayboth in her heart and lifeforever?

20,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carina Press
• Release date: Nov 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781426892707

Karen Erickson

USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson writes what she loves to read—sexy contemporary romance. Published since 2006, she’s a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She also writes as New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy.

Book preview

Author

Chapter One

So, do tell. Who is this woman who’s stolen your heart?

Damien turned to look at Celia, panic racing through his veins. How had she found out? Had he been that obvious? He’d never confessed his secret to anyone. Certainly not to her.

Offering a polite smile, he cocked his head to the side, his brows drawn together in feigned ignorance. Whatever do you mean?

She smiled, her golden-green eyes dancing merrily, every bit the saucy minx he knew her to be, for she’d been a friend for years. As of late he’d yearned for so much more with her. She was the only woman who ever mattered in his life. Come now, Damien. You’ve been in a dreadful mood since you arrived. Perhaps you’re missing a special lady?

He frowned. She couldn’t be further from the truth. Indeed, the special lady she spoke of existed.

But he was looking right at her, though she hadn’t a clue.

And she never would.

I apologize for my somber mood. He nodded, enchanted with the mischievous smile curling her lush lips. Her mouth was made for sin. He’d imagined more than once her doing all sorts of things to his body with that mouth. Decadent, wicked things no man suggested to a lady of her station.

And he was so far beneath her station he had no right to even think of such wicked acts.

Oh, do stop acting the proper gentleman. It’s just me. Celia shook her head, wayward tendrils of dark brown hair brushing against her flushed cheeks. Pretty rounded cheeks he longed to kiss. Caress with his fingers. Whisper sweet words against…

Indeed. So I shall treat you like the pesky little sister and tell you to shove off.

She laughed at his grouchy statement, the sweet sound causing longing to rise within him. A longing he’d be able to stave off for all these torturous years.

But he couldn’t endure it any longer. Every time he was near Celia, the urge to tell her how he felt was too strong. He’d almost slipped numerous times since arriving two nights ago, clamping his lips shut before the words tumbled out.

To slip would be disastrous. An act he might never recover from. For surely she would refuse—or even worse, laugh. Call him silly, slap him on the arm like she usually did and tell him to stop fooling.

He wasn’t fooling. He was madly in love with her.

You’d never behave in such a manner. You’ve always been so kind to me. She curled her arm through his and squeezed, leaning her head against his shoulder. His eyes closed at the quick contact, and he savored the sensation of her touching him and the scent of her hair. She acted as if she cared.

His eyes flew open. Blast. He knew she cared. She just didn’t care for him in the manner he wanted her to.

His agonizing predicament was further exacerbated by his leaving. He’d expressed to the Earl of Urswick well over a year ago his interest in finding another position, preferably abroad. Within the last month, Urswick had made his wish come true. Damien was leaving England to work for a marquis with a rather grand estate in the French countryside.

You were my best friend’s wife. His mouth dried at his reference to Lawrence. Of course I’m kind to you. I promised him I would look after you. While the man had lain dying on a makeshift cot in a tattered, dirty tent in the middle of a bloody battle, Lawrence had begged him to take care of his wife. And now not only did he lust for the woman, but he was leaving. Breaking his promise.

He was the most despicable of men.

She watched him with big, liquid eyes. The adoring glow in her gaze threw him.

That was so long ago. He wouldn’t hold you to your word forever.

I wouldn’t want to disappoint. The words came out a tad too quick, sounded a bit too firm, and he winced at her subtle withdrawal. She drew her arm from his and took a step back. The expression on her face almost…wounded. Guarded.

He frowned once more. What the deuce? Was he so enraptured with Celia he didn’t even know how to talk to her any longer?

Oh, look. They’re standing under the mistletoe! Now you must kiss her!

They both stopped at the excited proclamation made by Celia’s father-in-law. Damien glanced up and saw the offending bundle of greenery tied with a cheery red bow hanging above them. It was both an opportunity and a curse, the mistletoe. It offered him the chance to kiss the one woman he wanted.

If she turned away from him and refused his chaste advance under this silly holiday pretense, he would be crushed.

Forever.

I believe this means you must kiss me. There was a tremor in her sweet voice. Tipping her head back in offering, she pursed her lips. Her lids lowered, thick black lashes veiling her eyes. I haven’t been kissed by a handsome man in so long I might not remember how.

He stared at her. Had she called him handsome? He didn’t realize she even noticed him at all. He was a man with no family, no title and no tangible wealth, completely taken in by Lawrence’s family. And somehow he’d become one of their own. Hell, he even worked for the earl, though not for long. And Urswick certainly didn’t treat Damien like a servant.

Lawrence’s family adored him and treated him as if he were a long lost son. And yet he wanted Celia. Naked beneath him in his bed, her hair spread across his pillow. Her lips swollen and red from his kisses, her body ripe and yielding to his…

Kiss me, Damien. They’re starting to chant.

Her family—Lawrence’s family—was in the sitting room. The entire lot of them gathered for the Christmas holiday annually. And indeed, they were all starting to chant. Kiss her, kiss her, they repeated with giant smiles on their faces. The Countess of Urswick’s eyes were wide, her lips parted as if she was surprised, and the earl cupped his

Reviews for Her Christmas Pleasure

[lovetoreadforfun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Her Christmas Pleasure is a super short sexy novella that gives you enough plot and romance to whet your appetite. I love the friends to lovers plot. Damien has loved Celia for a long time but she was married to his best friend. And once his friend died in battle, Damien felt that he wasn't good enough to be with Celia. Celia finally notices Damien in a non-friend way and is more than willing to pursue the attraction that is brewing between them. Her Christmas Pleasure is a sweet and sexy story about friends becoming lovers. I loved Damien's insecurity and it made his character very endearing. The novella is less than 70 pages and I felt that the story ended too soon but I enjoyed it a lot.