My Lord Hercules by Ava Stone

replied.
    “ Which is something I should
have said to you long ago.” Harry smiled at her, and then met his
brother-in-law’s gaze. “And you, Jason. Thank you for making Pippa
so happy.”
    “ It’s my greatest pleasure
in life,” the earl returned as the first strings of a waltz
began.
    Harry pulled Miranda closer to him. “I
believe you promised this dance to me, my dear.”
    He could have every dance for the rest
of their lives. Miranda’s heart nearly overflowed when she turned
to gaze up into his clear green eyes. She wasn’t sure how she’d
been so fortunate to have crossed his path that fateful night in
that hell, but after hearing what sort of man the Marquess of
Woodsworth was from his own lips, she was so incredibly lucky to
have fallen for such an honorable, decent man. “I believe I
did.”
    Without further ado, Harry swept
Miranda out onto the floor. He bowed low before her and then drew
her into his arms, his devoted gaze never leaving hers. “What am I
going to do with you, Miranda?”
    “ Kiss me?” she
suggested.
    “ You think to distract me
with your kisses?” A rakish grin settled on his lips. “How
resourceful. That might just work.”
    He led her into the first turn, his
hand splayed across her back, drawing her even closer to him,
making tingles race across her skin. “I love you, Harrison
Casemore.”
    His grin widened. “Because I’d battle
mythical creatures for you?”
    Miranda shook her head. “Because of
who you are.”
    “ Good answer.” They turned
again. “I still ought to toss you over my knee for eavesdropping on
my inquisition, however.”
    Miranda’s mouth fell open. How in the
world did he know she’d eavesdropped?
    “ You gasped,” he answered
her unasked question. “Fortunately neither of the other gentlemen
heard you.
    But she hadn’t gasped aloud. “That was
Penny,” she whispered. Even still, she couldn’t be upset with
Penny. What they’d heard had been shocking, but when given the
chance, her sister hadn’t betrayed her to Devlin.
    “ Oh, wonderful,” Harry
replied with a sigh. “Miss Penelope heard all of that too, did
she?”
    None of that was neither here nor
there at the moment. “Poor Tessie. She must have been too mortified
to tell me what had happened.”
    “ Indeed,” Harry agreed.
“Falling in love with a scoundrel is a dangerous thing to
do.”
    “ Indeed.” Miranda grinned up
at him. “Falling in love with a demigod is definitely a much better
plan.”

USA Today Bestselling Author, Ava Stone
first fell in love with Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen and Regency England
at the age of twelve. And in the years since, that love has never
diminished. If she isn't writing Regency Era romance, she can be
found reading it.


    Her bestselling Scandalous
Series is filled with witty humor and centers around the friends
and family of the Machiavellian-like Lady Staveley, exploring deep
themes but with a light touch. A single mother, Ava lives outside
Raleigh NC, but she travels extensively, always looking for
inspiration for new stories and characters in the various locales
she visits.
 

    Ava can be found at www.avastoneauthor.com and
at Lady Jane's Salon Raleigh-Durham, where she is one of the
salon's directors. You can also find her at Facebook and on Twitter .