Once upon a time…Ooops, wrong story!

But the one I’m going to tell you is just as good.  Maybe even a little more fun.  Welcome to the Tell A Story Blog Hop.  And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.  The participants in the blog hop will a post either a short story, flash fiction story or a piece of their writing journey.

For a grand prize we are giving away a $30.00 Amazon gift card!!!  All you have to do is hop through each blog site by clicking on the picture above, leave a comment with your email address, and be entered to win!  The more sites you visit the more chances you have to win!

As a special treat I am offering one lucky commenter a $10.00 Amazon gift card!!  Just leave me a comment with your EMAIL address and I will draw one random commenter at the end of the blog hop. Plus three commenters will receive a book of their choice from my four published works.  Also to be drawn at random.

So I’m going to tell you part of a story that’s set to be published by Lyrical Press sometime this summer, my historical romance novel Only Scandal Will Do.  Kat and Duncan have just formally met, though they met somewhat less formally in an earlier scene–in a brothel.  And Duncan is trying his best to apologize.

“I cannot find the words to tell you how deeply I regret I was not a better man that night.” He paused, and she held still and waited. “What I tried to do was madness, without thought, without honor. I do not even have an excuse other than my base desires, and that your abundant charms overwhelmed me.” His face was shadowy in the scarce light of the sickle moon, but he sounded contrite. “I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. I have no right to expect it. But I would ask you to allow me to attempt to remedy the situation.”

Kat shook her head slowly. “What on earth do you believe you could do, Lord Dalbury, that could even come close to a remedy for the terror and humiliation you put me through? Do you think now that I have met you, heard your feeble attempts at an apology, and rejected them, the memory of that night will magically disappear?” She fought to control her anger, though she yearned to blast him with it.  “What magic potion would you have me take that would erase the memory of you pinning me to the bed? Because if you have such an elixir, then yes, I will gladly take it from you and obliterate you absolutely and irrevocably.”

He stood silent at her words, then said simply, “I have only myself to offer, my lady.”

“You would have me kill you, my lord? In that, too, I agree I would oblige you, but not at the cost of my own life. I understand the English law punishes those who do murder quite severely.” Kat was astonished when he lurched backward, as from a blow.

“No, my lady, I would not have you kill me,” he said, sounding grimly amused, “though indeed that would probably give you most satisfaction.” Then, “I meant I would have you marry me.”

His words surprised a laugh out of her. “Marry you?” The laughter grew. “I see, my lord, you think me both a whore and a fool.”

“I think you are neither, Lady Katarina.”

“Then you are the fool to believe I would put such a man as you in control of every aspect of my life.” That he thought she would even entertain the suggestion was insulting.

The pale moonlight shadowed his face, but she could read displeasure there just the same. “You judge me solely on one act that, I assure you, was grossly out of character for me. You cannot possibly know what kind of husband I would be.”

“And never will, Lord Dalbury. I can swear to you that I would not marry you if I were in Hell and you were my only hope of Heaven.”

He inclined his head toward her, a faint smile touching his lips. “I believe you made a similar claim about dancing with me, Lady Katarina. Yet we have indeed enjoyed a dance together despite your words.” His tone was soft, the sensuous, cajoling one he had used to seduce her that night in the House of Pleasure.

Kat trembled, recalling the incredible sensations of his hands, his mouth on her body. Damn. He could not do this to her again. Not just with  his voice.

“Is there nothing that would entice you to leave your Hell for my Heaven?”

She struggled to answer, opened her lips to deny it, only to find her mouth completely sealed by his.

What do you think?  Heaven or Hell for Lady Katarina?