Garden of Destiny (Dark Gardens Book 4) Read online

  “Be quiet, and the name is Saron.”

  “I will not be quiet.” She was light to carry and would have been no burden had she stayed still in his arms. As it was, she kicked and squirmed and tried to do him bodily damage. “Put me down at once!”

  Bloody nuisance. Couldn’t she see that he was doing her a favor by helping her into the house? “I do not take orders from noisy, little chits.”

  “From what I’ve heard, you don’t take orders from anyone at all.”

  “That’s correct. You would be wise to remember it.”

  “Well, I don’t take orders either,” she said, sticking her chin into the air. “You would be wise to remember that. I’m not one of your delicate London flowers who’ll wilt at the first sign of distress.”

  No indeed, she was a vibrant rose with very sharp thorns, he thought, suppressing the urge to grin. How had he ever thought her meek? “I’ll allow your insolence this one time. I know my presence has upset you.”

  “My insolence? And what would you call your stealing my estate?”

  His menacing growl silenced her next protest.

  Thankful for the temporary respite, he shifted her more comfortably in his arms. An unexpectedly lush softness pressed against his chest and stopped him dead in his tracks.

  By the Stone of Draloch. Her gown indeed hid much from view. Anabelle, he realized with a start, had a decidedly ample bosom.

  He remained frozen in place, willing his body not to respond.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, furrowing her brow. “Are you afraid to step into the house?”

  “Not in the least. Your doorway is… most attractive. It caught my interest.” What else could he say? He couldn’t reveal he had just experienced a swell of desire so powerful that it had rendered him motionless.

  He refused to believe it himself.

  Her eyes brightened. “Yes, it is quite intriguing. The dragon crest above the door dates back to the time of the Norman conquest. I thought–”

  He interrupted her, knowing it would give further offense, but he needed to get her out of his arms as soon as possible. She obviously admired the history of the place, and while he was eager to learn more about how that particular crest came into Harleigh hands, he could not do so now, for his body was about to betray him. “We shall discuss it later, when I am not so weighed down.”

  “Weighed down?”

  “You weigh me down.” He leaned forward as though to drop her, then laughed when she gasped and gripped his shoulders. But as her body pressed against his once more and he felt the glorious softness of her body, he knew he’d made a tactical mistake. The girl’s touch set him on fire. How long before she realized her allure and attempted to use it to her advantage?

  She pursed her lips and scowled. “Put me down. ’Tis you who insists on carrying me though I’m quite capable of walking on my own. If you grow weary, you have only yourself to blame. Perhaps a nap will restore your strength. I hear napping is quite fashionable among you more elderly men of Society.”

  “Perhaps you would care to join me,” he said huskily.

  She opened her mouth to throw another barb his way, then snapped it shut as the import of his words struck her. Saron noticed the heightened color in her cheeks. “Contemplating my offer?”

  She turned away in disdain, sticking her dainty nose into the air.

  “Pity. I was certain you’d accept,” he taunted, at the same time disgusted with himself for addressing her in so ungentlemanly a fashion. What was it about Anabelle that so confounded him?

  She tossed him a cynical look. “Taking to bed with the Dragon, no matter how handsome his assumed form, is something I shall never do.”

  We’ll see about that.

  END

  Get Garden of Dragons Now!

  Dear Readers,

  I hope you enjoyed the Dark Gardens series Book 4, Garden of Destiny. I’ve also given you a taste of the other three books in this series, Garden of Shadows, Garden of Light, and Garden of Dragons. I hope you’ll read all the stories in the Dark Gardens series. I look forward to your comments and reviews. Please be kind! These paranormal romances are a labor of love for me. It took years and years for the publishers to give this genre the attention and respect it deserves, and now I can’t wait for you to read the entire Dark Gardens series. So, join me on a journey into the Lake District where bluebell gardens serve as portals into the realm of the Fae. An ancient Fae prophecy is about to unfold, a prophecy etched in the Stone of Draloch. The salvation of the faerie king, Cadeyrn, and his subjects is at risk and lies in the hands of a simple vicar’s daughter. But who is she? Will Cadeyrn find her in time? And how is the Duke of Draloch and his lost brother connected to the prophecy? Book 4, Garden of Destiny, resolves the fate of the Draloch brothers, two proud men who endured hardships and betrayals that scarred them for life. If you happen to be in the mood for romances with humor and heart, also look for my light-hearted Regency historical romances in the Farthingale series. The first is My Fair Lily, but there are five sisters in all, and a swarm of meddlesome, well-intentioned family members that I hope you’ll come to love.

  Hugs always,

  Meara

  About the Author

  Meara Platt is a USA Today bestselling author and an award winning, Amazon UK All-star. Her favorite place in all the world is England’s Lake District, which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set in that idyllic landscape, including her paranormal romance Dark Gardens series. Garden of Dragons, Book 3 in that series, is a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award winning story. If you’d like to learn more about the ancient Fae prophecy that is about to unfold in the Dark Gardens series, as well as Meara’s lighthearted, international bestselling Regency romances in the Farthingale Series, please visit Meara’s website at www.mearaplatt.com.