Stealing a Rogue's Kiss: Connected by a Kiss, #4

By Amanda Mariel

A determined wallflower…

Lady Daphne Rosamond never thought of herself as missing out. She believes that love will find her when the time is right. That is until she visits a fortune teller. Now she is determined to create her own future.

 

An unapologetic rogue….

Marcus Wentworth, Earl of Clarendon, is out for life's sinful pleasures. He's made a name for himself charming the skirts off of every willing woman he encounters, and offers no apologies. What's more, he has no plans for settling down.

 

A twist of fate….

Determined not to grow old alone, Daphne takes fate into her own hands. Marcus made her a promise years ago, and she's ready for him to make good on it. He would give Daphne her first kiss once she was of an appropriate age. Not one to turn down a beautiful woman, he delivers on the promise. One passionate moment that neither will soon forget, but how could either of them have guessed where one stolen moment would lead?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brook Ridge Press
• Release date: Nov 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386178064

Amanda Mariel

USA Today Bestselling, Amazon All Star author Amanda Mariel dreams of days gone by when life moved at a slower pace. She enjoys taking pen to paper and exploring historical time periods through her imagination and the written word. When she is not writing she can be found reading, crocheting, traveling, practicing her photography skills, or spending time with her family.

Book preview

Stealing a Rogue’s kiss

STEALING A ROGUE’S KISS

AMANDA MARIEL

CONTENTS

Also by Amanda Mariel

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Epilogue

About Amanda Mariel

Afterword

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Excerpt

Prologue

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

---

Copyright © 2018 Amanda Mariel

All rights reserved.

---

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.

---

Published by Brook Ridge Press

ALSO BY AMANDA MARIEL

Ladies and Scoundrels series

Scandalous Endeavors

Scandalous Intentions

Scandalous Redemption

Scandalous Wallflower

Scandalous Liaison

Dancing with Serendipity

---

Fabled Love Series

Enchanted by the Earl

Captivated by the Captain

Enticed by Lady Elianna

Delighted by the Duke

---

Lady Archer’s Creed series

**Amanda Mariel writing with Christina McKnight**

Theodora

Georgina

Adeline

Josephine

---

Scandal Meets Love series

Love Only Me

Find Me Love

If it’s Love

Odd’s of Love

Believe in Love

Chance of Love

Love and Holly

Love and Mistletoe

---

A Rogue’s Kiss Series

Her Perfect Rogue

His Perfect Hellion

This Rogue of Mine

Coming next to the A Rogue’s Kiss series

Rogue of my Heart

---

Standalone titles

One Moonlit Tryst

One Enchanting Kiss

Christmas in the Duke’s Embrace

One Wicked Christmas

A Lyon in Her Bed (The Lyon’s Den connected world)

Courting Temptation (House of Devon connected world)

---

Wicked Earls’ Club

**Titles by Amanda Mariel**

Earl of Grayson

Earl of Edgemore

Earl of Persuasion

---

Fated for a Rogue

A Wallflower’s Folly

One Fateful May Day

Fate Gave Me a Duke

Coming next to the Fated for a Rogue series

Fated for Folly

---

Connected by a Kiss

**These are designed so they can standalone**

How to Kiss a Rogue (Amanda Mariel)

A Kiss at Christmastide (Christina McKnight)

A Wallflower’s Christmas Kiss (Dawn Brower)

Stealing a Rogue’s Kiss (Amanda Mariel)

A Gypsy’s Christmas kiss (Dawn Brower)

A Duke’s Christmas Kiss (Tammy Andresen)

---

Box sets and anthologies

Visit www.amandamariel.com to see Amanda’s current offerings.

CHAPTER 1

London, England

One, two, three, four …Lady Daphne Rosamond counted her steps as she paced the length of the lady’s retiring room. She should be in the Hawthorne’s ballroom. Gentlemen should be paying her attention. She most certainly should be dancing and flirting.

Three seasons—for three long, tedious seasons, Daphne had sat on the sidelines, hoping and praying that some worthy gentleman would take notice.

There you are. I’ve been searching for you. Daphne’s cousin, Lady Natalie St. Vela, strolled into the room with Miss Lulia Vasile at her side. Natalie paused, drawing her brows together as she studied Daphne. Is something the matter?

No…yes…I don’t know, Daphne stuttered, attempting to collect her thoughts.

Natalie narrowed her gaze.

Daphne’s cheeks warmed under her cousin’s scrutiny. I’ve grown weary of sitting on the sidelines. Perhaps it is time I accept my fate and give in to being an old maid.

Lulia drew closer, her violet eyes skeptical. How do you know such a fate awaits you?

Daphne waved her hands over her body. Look at me. I’m plump and shy, not at all the type of woman that gentlemen take notice of. In my three seasons, I’ve only danced a handful of times. No-one has ever come to call on me, let alone court me.

Oh, Daphne, Natalie rested a hand on her shoulder, you are lovely and accomplished. Any gentleman would be lucky to have you. Do not be so hard on yourself.

Daphne closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. How she wished Natalie’s words were true, but she well knew they weren’t.

Sure, Daphne possessed a kind and reserved nature, but she lacked all of the other qualities a man looked for in a wife. She’d never be an English beauty, nor would she ever be comfortable in a crowded room.

She shook her head. You’re wrong.

Take off your glove. Lulia notched her chin. Let me have a look at your palm.

Daphne swallowed as she stared at the woman, confusion muddling her thoughts. My glove? she asked, skepticism ringing in her voice.

Lulia nodded, her raven curls bouncing. Yes, your glove.

Natalie reached for Daphne’s hand then began unbuttoning the white satin glove that covered it. Lulia reads palms. Let her have a look, and she will tell you what your future holds.

Daphne jerked back her hand, her gaze flittering from one woman to the next. She did not believe in such nonsense. 

Fortunetellers were nothing more than frauds—that’s what Mother had always told her.

What have you got to lose? Natalie reached for her hand again.

Daphne interlocked her finger’s stopping the assault. Mother says—

Blah, blah, Natalie interrupted. Stop stalling and remove your glove.

Lulia smiled, her eyes sparkling. Your mother says that fortune tellers are frauds. She’s right, you know.

Daphne stared at her in shock. How could she admit to such a thing at the very same time she was attempting to read Daphne’s future?

Most of them are, Lulia continued, but a well-trained gypsy hones her craft. I spent years working on mine. She flipped her hand over and began tracing the lines of her palm. This one is my lifeline. This is my love line. Our hands reveal much about our fates.

A spark of hope swelled in Daphne’s chest. Perhaps Lulia did possess a real talent. Maybe she really could tell Daphne’s fortune. If so, wouldn’t she wish to hear it?

Daphne fumbled with