Owen: Regency Rockstars Page 23
What follows is everything that makes Rockstar Romance so great. Outrageous egos, shocking scandals, and of course wicked sex. And somewhere in the heart of it all is the music.
The Regency Rockstars series is a new twist on Historical Romance and Rockstar Romance.
Stories of war-scarred English lords who are bad boy musicians and the women who dare to love them.
London 1816
Something was seriously amiss with Reid Follett’s plan. He clenched his fists tightly and swore under his breath. The Follett Plan, as he had privately dubbed it, was ironclad, infallible. A plan so cunning and cocksure he should have letters patent taken out on it.
Upon arriving at whichever party, ball, or private soiree he had decided to attend that evening, he would hand over his coat to a footman. Next, he would seek out the closest tray of drinks and avail himself of the largest glass of brandy. With drink in hand, he would then take a slow turn about the room, greeting various guests and, of course, the party host as he went.
A small chat here, a welcome kiss there. All the while, his gaze would be roaming the room, searching. His primal brain would note which of the haute ton’s sexually promiscuous women were in attendance. Like a stallion seeking out mares in heat, his lustful instincts would soon find the right one.
Brief flirtatious glances would be exchanged, encouraging smiles given. He would never be so crass as to make a cold, direct approach. Women were always keen to bed him.
After making his way over to the lady of his choosing, the full seduction would begin. It required little effort on his part. He was Lord Reid Follett, hero of the Battle of Waterloo. The Follett Plan had never let him down.
Until now.
Across the room, he sighted his prey. Lord Keating’s wife. She batted her eyelids at him and flicked open her fan.
Here we go. About bloody time.
His cock twitched at the prospect of some hard bed action. Lady Keating was one of his regulars.
A quick glance around the room and he spied Lord Keating sidling up to someone else’s wife. Reid did prefer to wait until the husband of his lust object was not in sight before making his move. A jealous spouse could make for an ugly scene.
He took a step toward Lady Keating, a charming greeting ready for her. As he approached, she blinked slowly, then turned her head.
A soft smile appeared on her lips as she greeted another guest—a tall, dark-haired gentleman who immediately bowed low to her. When he placed a kiss on Lady Keating’s hand, she all but melted for him.
“Shit,” muttered Reid.
As he passed by Lady Keating and her gentleman friend, Reid caught the lilt of an Italian accent.
“Tesoro mio, Lady Keating. It means ‘my treasure,’ which you truly are. Would you like to take a turn about the garden with me?”
Reid saw red. The Italian had beaten him to the prize.
He was still trying to calm his temper when from out of the crowded gathering he spied his friend approaching. He nodded in greeting. “Owen.”
Lord Morrison was Owen to his closest associates and the numerous women he had bedded. The list of ladies in London who could refer to him by his first name was long and illustrious.
“You look ready to do bloody murder,” said Owen.
“If I could find a loaded pistol I would do just that. I had Lord Keating’s wife lined up for some bed sport. She had given me all the right signals, even did some of that fancy fan work just to make sure I got the message. But no sooner had I taken a single step in her direction, than one of those bloody Italians stepped in and snapped her up,” Reid replied.
Owen nodded. “Yes, well, an Italian stole Mrs. Timms right from under my nose. I went to get a glass of wine for her, but by the time I came back she was slipping her arm in his and whispering sweet nothings to him. The blackguard didn’t even have the good manners to look embarrassed by what he had done. He just gave me a self-satisfied smirk as he led her away. The bastard.”
With the pick of the crop now gone, Reid was facing the ugly and unusual prospect of going home with his lust unsated. He shook his head in disbelief. Had he lost his touch?
One unwed young miss in a pale cream gown attempted to practice her come hither smile with him, but Reid only frowned at her.
“Not until you have a husband who has broken you in, sweetheart,” he muttered under his breath.
“So much for being bloody war heroes,” grumbled Owen.
Reid downed the last of his brandy and snorted in disgust. Three times this week his efforts to woo the wayward wives of the ton had come unstuck at the hands of the newest arrivals on the social scene. It was starting to become an unwelcome habit.
“Who are these chaps, and why have they suddenly descended upon our hunting grounds? It’s just not on. I am sure the tupping of our women is against some international treaty or something,” he huffed.
Owen raised an eyebrow.
“It’s enough to make you want to go and get yourself a wife. If I had one, I wouldn’t have to fend off these sorts of attacks just to get my itch scratched,” Reid added.
The look of abject horror which appeared on Owen’s face had Reid laughing. He gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “Don’t faint away, sweetie. I was only in jest.”
“I think my heart might have just missed a beat or two. I need another brandy, and quick smart,” replied Owen.
“Sorry to have frightened you. But seriously, we need to do something about this situation before we are forced to consider those sorts of drastic measures. The whole thing is threatening to get out of hand.”
Heaven forbid a man would give up the enjoyment of private dalliances with a different woman every night in exchange for seeing the same woman under him for the rest of his days.
Wives were more trouble than they were worth, if the matrons of the ton were anything to go by. A chap would have to be either mad or madly in love to take one on. Reid was sure of his sanity, and love was a foolish notion meant only for the poets. In his book, there was nothing worse than seeing a fellow lothario taken down in his prime by one of Cupid’s arrows.
Thankfully there were enough society marriages based purely on practical grounds such as money, power, and bloodlines for there to be plenty of women prepared to stray.
“The time will come when we will both have to address the issue of heirs, but I plan to be sporting a few more grey hairs before then,” replied Owen.
Reid shuddered at the prospect of having a wife and a family. One day it would have to happen; he had a title and an estate to pass on. But he had plenty of wild oats yet to sew before putting his head into the parson’s noose.
He grabbed Owen and himself another brandy from a passing footman. He finished his in three quick gulps. The brandy burned his throat as it went down, but nothing could stir the chill in his loins.
“Sod it. The pickings are too slim tonight, and I will be damned if I am going to drop my standards. I may as well go home and get some sleep. I shall see you on the horse track in Hyde Park at six. And make sure Callum and Kendal are there too.”
Reid headed for the door. This new group of handsome musicians threatened to make the rest of his summer one long lonely night. He was not going to stand for it.
“Over my dead body,” he muttered.
If he was going to defeat the Italians, he had to come up with a new plan.
* * *
Order your copy of Reid here!
Order your copy of Owen here!
Order your copy of Callum here!
Order your copy of Kendal here!
Callum
Bad Boy Rockstars meets Historical Romance
Sir Callum Sharp is the life and soul of the party. If there are hijinks to be started, Callum will be both the fuse and the flame.
No one can resist his charms, least of all Lady Eliza Follett the sister of his fellow Noble Lord, Reid. She has held a place in her heart for Callum since they were children.
In
June 1815, Reid, Owen, Callum and Kendal leave London to go and fight the final battle against Napoleon. On the eve of their departure for Belgium, Eliza and Callum make a secret promise to one another.
After the victory at Waterloo, the Noble Lords return safely to England, but Eliza is dismayed to discover that war has changed Callum. The man she thought she knew, is gone. Callum throws himself into a life of hard drinking and partying and refuses to follow through on his promise to her.
His fellow Noble Lord, Reid Follett is more than happy for Callum to remain apart from Eliza, fearing that his beloved sister will only suffer heartbreak if she continues to love the damaged rogue.
The only things Callum still takes seriously are his music and his daily meeting with his father, Baron Sharp. But his life is rocked when he discovers that he is soon to lose his beloved sire.
He turns to the bottle to numb himself from the pain. His life and his music spiral out of control.
The rest of the Noble Lords, unaware of the tragedy unfolding, give Callum an ultimatum, dry out or be kicked out of the group. A steadfast Eliza does all she can to stand by her man.
But Reid is determined that his sister will not throw waste her life on a man who does not deserve her love.
Callum now faces the bitter choice between his brothers in music and Eliza. Either way he loses.
Deep divisions within the group split wide open and Callum and Reid face off against one another, each knowing that this may well spell the end of the Noble Lords.
Can the resolute heart of one woman save England’s hottest musical group from tearing itself apart?
The Regency Rockstars series is a new twist on Historical and Rock Star romance. Outrageous egos, wicked women, and scandalous behavior. And somewhere in the middle is the music.
Stories of war-scarred English lords who are bad boy musicians and the women who dare to love them.
Callum is a standalone book in the Regency Rockstars series.
Get your copy of Callum here!
Kendal
Bad Boy Rockstars meets Historical Romance
Lord Kendal Grant is a self-centered egotistical nightmare. He is also a solid gold genius when it comes to his music.
But his muse has fled, and he is left fending off fools who would have him compose music just like Mozart. Kendal hates Mozart with the passion of a thousand fiery suns.
Mercy Wood has no time for bad boy egos, she simply needs to make enough money to pay the rent. Kendal Grant is just another wealthy musician with money to burn. If he wants his piano tuned every day, she will gladly take his coin.
But when Kendal tries to stiff her with his payment, he quickly discovers he has met his match. She is Mercy in name only. She demands an extra payment. Her price a single kiss.
A kiss which when claimed, is scorching and takes them both by surprise. Kendal’s muse is awakened at the touch of a woman far beneath his social status.
With Mercy’s inspiration, Kendal begins to create music which will set him on the path to being one of the greatest composers of all time.
Her love also makes him question everything else in his life. But his wish to make her his wife becomes a near impossibility when a tragic loss places him directly in line to become the next Duke of Banfield. A piano tuner’s daughter could never be a duchess.
Mercy is confronted by Kendal’s family and she finally, reluctantly agrees to let him go. With Mercy gone, Kendal loses all love for his music. His fingers feel leaden when he touches the piano keys, his playing reflects his empty heart.
Mercy makes a fateful decision; and returns to her former lover who offers her marriage and a secure future for the child she carries. A child Kendal will never know is his.
His brothers in the Noble Lords rally and convince Kendal that a life without the woman he loves is a life not worth living. Following the shock revelation that Mercy is carrying his child, Kendal dashes across London to find her and stop the wedding.
As he flies up the steps of the church, he hears the closing strains of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. Will his musical nemesis be the harbinger of his ultimate heartbreak?
The Regency Rockstars series is a new twist on Historical and Rock Star romance. Stories of war-scarred English lords who are bad boy musicians and the women who dare to love them.
Kendal is a standalone book in the Regency Rockstars series.
Get your copy of Kendal here!
Also by Sasha Cottman
The Duke of Strathmore
The Ice Queen
Two of a Kind
Mistletoe & Kisses
Regency Rockstars
Reid
Owen
Callum
Kendal
About the Author
Born in England, but raised in Australia, Sasha has a love for travel, which at last count was to over 55 countries. A travel guide is always on her pile of new books to read.
Sasha’s novels are set around the Regency period in England, Scotland, and Europe. Her books are centred on the themes of love, honour, and family. Please visit her website at www.sashacottman.com
Grab your FREE book and get VIP reader exclusives, including contests, giveaways and advance notice of pre-orders. Sign up below or click on the book cover
* * *
Send me my FREE book