Natasha Blackthorne of Grey's Lady (Guest Post & Giveaway)

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming author Natasha Blackthorne over to Reading Between the Wines. Natasha would like to tell you a bit about her new erotic historical romance, Grey's Lady, book #1 in the Carte Blanche series which you're sure to love. She will also be offering a giveaway at the end so stick around!

Philadelphia was holding its collective breath. President Madison had signed the Embargo Act and set America on ninety-day countdown to war with Great Britain. This is springtime in the year 1812 and Grey Sexton, a merchant prince from New York, has come to Philadelphia to gather investors for his privateering voyages. Because of the depredations of both the French and the British, especially with the upcoming war and current embargo, privateering, and shared risk of investors, became even more attractive. Besides, it was the patriotic thing to do. 

All business, Grey lives his life free from emotional attachments and drama. He is in total control of his personal world and likes it that way. 

But he's about to be broad-sided by a force he cannot control.

To her family, Beth is a respectable young unmarried woman who works hard to help her older half-brother, Charlie and her half-sister, Ruth run their shop. But her family would never dream that she has a secret life as a temptress who seduces wealthy, powerful men for the thrill of it. In this era, women from the Lower Sort sometimes gave sexual favors to gentlemen from the Better Sort in exchange for monetary gains. A sort of freelance prostitution when they needed to make extra money. Even "nice" women might find themselves in the position of temporary mistress when their financial situation called for it. But they would do what they had to do and keep it secret and protect their good name. 

But for Beth it's not about money. She wants to prove to herself that even though she's poor and lacks social position, she can attract and enchant powerful, dynamic gentlemen. There are deep, painful reasons why she's driven to do this and that's something the sequel to Grey's Lady, White Lace and Promises goes into deeper detail. And yes, it's risky behavior, if she were caught there would be terrible consequences. This is a time of duels and fighting over matters of honor. A man like her brother, who is poor but proud, would have little else but his honor and being protective of his family to feel good about. Beth knows this but the excitement and challenge of the hunt is something she uses to cover over a deeper need that she cannot admit to herself. She loves her family and does not want to shame them. So she tricks herself into believing if she follows certain rules--only meet a gentleman once and always leave them burning for more--she won't get caught.

Yet Grey's appeal is too strong. Beth can't help herself. She breaks her own rule and meets with him a second time. But can the deep sexual intimacy they share work a miracle and lead to the opening of their hearts?

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Here's a little excerpt to tease you with:

 Chapter One

Philadelphia, PA

Spring, 1812

Grey couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Philadelphian women were the cream of the Republic, but damn if this one didn’t exceed all previous definitions. Curling wisps of hair escaped from her indigo bonnet and trailed down her graceful neck. He’d never seen hair that colour—like champagne shimmering in the moonlight.

She looked up, giving him his first full sight of her face. Sky blue eyes, full of aching, longing…and something else. Abject sadness. Haunting.

Something caught in his chest. Something reminiscent of pleurisy. Well, it wasn’t surprising. Philadelphia air was notoriously insalubrious and the day was oppressively damp. He blinked, glancing away. Was he losing his wits? Haunting eyes? What romantic nonsense. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was getting a fever.

He glanced at his pocket watch. God, time was crawling. He’d arranged this series of lectures to entice potential investors, and last week in Boston had been most profitable. However, today, Mason’s Bookstore was packed with adolescent boys who sat with their mouths agape listening to local captains recount tales of privateering glory. His own speech on how and why to invest in a voyage had been met with yawns and bobbing heads. What a waste of an afternoon.

Shifting in his seat, he sensed her gaze. Lingering. Burning him. Against his will, he turned back to her. Those eyes seemed to reach across the room, directly into him, to touch his emptiness.

What a fanciful notion. His wits must be addled.

She didn’t drop her gaze, as a modest woman might. Instead, she appraised him, boldly weighing and measuring. A hint of her tongue flirted along the seam of her pink lips. Her eyes smouldered as if she’d read his every erotic longing and fantasy in his face.

He shifted again, trying to adjust for the heated blood rushing into his cock. The corners of her mouth turned up and humour glinted in her eyes. Clearly, she found his interest amusing. She found him amusing.

By God, then, I’ll have her beneath me, writhing and begging me to fuck her.

Damned if he wouldn’t.

The fervour of his thoughts shocked him back to his senses. People were talking and laughing and moving around. The lecture was over. He got up to leave, but he found himself standing at the windows, transfixed by the rain sheeting down.

“My goodness.” The breathy, feminine voice hit him low in his gut and he didn’t have to look to know who’d spoken. Something primal pounded through his blood. An urge to turn, grasp her by the back of her hair and kiss her with such brute force she would run.

Shaken, he took several long, deep breaths before he trusted himself enough to turn to her. He looked down to where her head barely met his shoulder and suddenly he was drowning in those azure eyes.

“It’s so hard, isn’t it?” she said in breathy, bedchamber tones. 

 Hmm...what could she be referring to? LoL Enter for your chance to win this novel and you may be the lucky reader to find out! Or go *here* to read the first full chapter. Warning though - the rest of this chapter contains content only suitable for 18+

~*GIVEAWAY*~
Natasha is offering a digital copy of Grey's Lady to one lucky reader. To enter, just leave a comment on this post and fill out the rafflecopter below!