#MidWeekTease When Jamie begins to wonder who needs his help...

Welcome to #MidWeekTease.

And yes, as my Regency romance The Earl and the Courtesan is now on early download from Totally Bound here and can be preordered on Amazon here I just have to take my tease from it.

Plus...It means I can show off this amazing graphic by Emmy Ellis at Posh Gosh.

blurb~

Once a courtesan, not always a courtesan. It’s time to move on, and who better to do it with than a rake?

Theresa Kyle, ex-courtesan, will not kowtow to any man in marriage, let alone an odious ex-pupil. When the man rejects her refusal of his proposal, she reluctantly agrees to seek help.

Jamie, the Earl of Weston, is in a fix of his own. The marriage mart is not for him, let alone a compulsory wedding due to the machinations of his mother.

A mutual friend seems to have the perfect solution. The earl and the courtesan—what better way to foil those who want to see them married against their wills?

Alas, the best-laid plans go awry, for neither had expected to fall in love. Needless to say, as far as Jamie is concerned, being a member of the aristocracy comes in handy when you need to bend the rules to your will. Convincing Theresa, however, may well be harder than winning over the ton.

(General Release Date: 13th June 2017)

and your tease...

(Maria, Theres'a friend is trying to persuade Jamie to aid Theresa, without telling him who needs his help)

“You’ve got me out of a card game at Radnor’s and dragged me here at two a.m. to ask what?” Jamie said. His impatience was obvious “Are you bosky?” He ran his hands through his chestnut hair and swore as he no doubt spoiled his immaculate Brutus cut. Luckily he did his own hair and refused to let his valet fuss. “Lord, Ria, I was winning.”

“Good, you usually do, do you not? Let him keep some of his guineas for once. He needs them. Lady Bourne is a greedy mistress, or so I am told.” Maria looked at Jamie in speculation.

He laughed and shook his head. “Never been there so I have no idea. The thought of someone wailing, ‘oh yes, oh more’, in her corncrake voice as I was in the throes of passion shrivels my cock faster than being naked in a snowstorm. You must be tight.”

“I am not drunk. I’ve had precisely three glasses of wine,” Maria told him in a testy voice. “Small ones, which, considering my companion, is a miracle. Now, listen to me. Did you or did you not tell me this situation with your mama, Lady Strawbridge and her daughter was getting worrying? That both you and Marion Strawbridge had no thoughts of each other except friendship? Indeed neither of you are emotionally engaged, and Marion actually has her sights set elsewhere?”

Jamie nodded, his mind awhirl as he pondered her words. What was she thinking? “Well, yes, but I fail to see what that has to do with me helping your friend out of a fix. Who is she anyway?” Jamie asked in a rapid manner “And why do you think if I pay attention to her it will dissuade my mama? And what is the fix? You, my dear, are being much too vague.” As Maria was usually one of the most transparent people he knew—except with regards to her clients and her crazier ideas—Jamie felt he had every right to be suspicious. “I can’t agree to anything without more information.” He had a nasty suspicion this suggestion involved both one of her clients and a crazy idea.

“Not even if it will help you?” Maria asked him with a quizzical expression. “That’s a poor showing.”

“Ah but, Ria, there’s the rub. How do I know it will without the full facts?” he asked. He had to hope she understood how serious he was It was not a subject to laugh about. “All you have imparted is that someone you know needs to get rid of an admirer and if someone else, name unspecified but of the aristocracy, showed an interest in her it might work.”

Maria bit her lip, a sign she secretly agreed with him. Jamie folded his arms and leaned against the window ledge. He knew better than to push her—it was best to let her cogitate over his words.

“I do not want to tell you who this person is if you think it unlikely you’ll be interested,” she said at last. “It would be betraying a confidence.”

Good lord, they could go round the houses forever like this. “Theoretically?” Jamie said He chose his words with care. “I am interested. But, Ria, think about it carefully. If she’s an

antidote, no one will believe I have any interest in her.” His escorting—or bedding—of beauties was well documented.

Maria shook her head and tiny tendrils of conker-colored hair slid over her shoulders. “Nothing like that, I promise you. She isn’t of your class and I’m not saying you need to look as if you’re about to marry her... Just be besotted. Set her up as your next mistress or something.” She blinked in quick succession and looked aghast. “Oh lord, you aren’t still involved with Lady Smithers, are you? That would blow it.”

Catch up with the other #midWeekTease posts here

Happy reading,

love Raven x