Desire Me
Authors: Robyn Dehart
Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Historical, #General, #FIC027050
She tried to ignore Max’s muscular chest and concentrate on the task at hand.
She knew how strong he was, how firm his muscles were. It was the first thing she’d noticed earlier when she’d been pressed
against him beneath the stairs. She’d felt his arm tighten and tense beneath her hand as she’d pinched him to end his unwanted
kiss. It mattered not that it had been a most pleasant kiss. More than pleasant, it had been world-tilting. Still, it was
completely unwarranted and unwanted.
“Why were you here tonight?” she asked. His gaze slowly rose to meet hers, and the full impact of his clear blue eyes nearly
stole her breath away.
“Perhaps I came for that kiss,” he said, his mouth tilting in a smile.
SEDUCE ME
“Robyn DeHart’s vibrant characters sweep the reader into a clever and sensual romp that is not to be missed.”
—Julia London,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Book of Scandal
“A rousing and rollicking romantic adventure! Robyn DeHart proves that falling in love is the greatest adventure of all.”
—Teresa Medeiros,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Some Like It Wild
“Sizzling… and enticing.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“4½ Stars! TOP PICK! With strong dialogue and fast pacing, her intricate plot is brought to life by characters that leap off
the pages.”—
RT Book Reviews
“With its wonderfully matched and equally stubborn protagonists, captivating plot, and subtle wit, the first in a new series,
based on lost legends, by rising star DeHart is a genuine treasure itself.”—
Booklist
“5 out of 5! I loved this book!”
“It is an Indiana Jones–type of adventure with thrills, legends, and romance… This first book in the Legend Hunters trilogy
definitely belongs on the keeper shelf.”
“Robyn DeHart writes top-notch historical romances.”
—Pamela Morsi,
USA Today
bestselling author
“I will be looking for more to come from Ms. DeHart and I will recommend her to anyone I know.”
“Fast paced… with plenty of action.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“A fun, fast read… the perfect beach read. Enjoy!”
—
Historical Novels Review
“
Seduce Me
is a sexy, thrilling adventure story that is very reminiscent of Indiana Jones.”
“This is one of the best historical romances I have read this year… I read the entire book in one night. (Who needs sleep?)”
—
HuntressReviews.com
on
Seduce Me
“An enthralling tale… Readers will find themselves unable to put the book down until the last page has been turned.”
Also by Robyn DeHart
Seduce Me
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2010 by Robyn DeHart
Excerpt from
Treasure Me
copyright © 2010 by Robyn DeHart
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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First eBook Edition: June 2010
ISBN: 978-0-446-55869-3
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She did not have time to dally with this handsome man…
To Kathleen Woodiwiss, Amanda Quick, Teresa Medeiros, and Johanna Lindsey, you are the reason I started writing historical
romance, and what an amazing ride this is. Thank you for the wonderful stories.
And to Paul for more reasons than I can count, but mostly because you always think I’m beautiful even when I’m neck deep in
a deadline and I haven’t put on real clothes in days. And for always saying, “You can do this.” I love you, baby.
Most good books are a collaboration of sorts, so I would be remiss if I did not thank several people. To my critique/brainstorming
partners Emily and Hattie, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without y’all. You’re always there when I need to bounce around
some ideas. I hear the beach calling. To my husband, Paul, who has always been a great supporter and fan of my work, you had
some great ideas for this book. Thanks for sharing your brilliance. My amazing editors, Amy and Alex, who patiently hold my
hand while offering feedback I so desperately need. You push me to be the writer I need to be. A huge thank you to Claire
Brown and the rest of the GCP art department—y’all are unbelievable and so talented it’s ridiculous. Thank you for creating
such beautiful covers for me and my characters. And last, but certainly not least, my wonderfully charming agent, Christina
Hogrebe, who has talked me down off more bridges than I can count. You are a gem and I love working with you. Thanks for everything.
On the coast of Cornwall, 1873
M
axwell Barrett lit his lantern, then moved into the damp cave. Behind him, he could hear the waves beating against the rock
that surrounded the opening of the cavern. He didn’t have much time. It was that reason alone that drove him forward at this
swift pace. Otherwise he would have meandered, investigating every nook and cranny he could reach. But he only had two hours
before the tide rose to once again cover the entrance to the cave.
Two hours before he would drown.
Unless he had miscalculated, and then perhaps he had even less time. Either way, he needed to get in there and find the map,
then get the hell to dry land.
The cave appeared and disappeared with the tides, which was why it had taken him nearly four months to locate the blasted
area, and still it remained to be seen
whether he’d find what he had sought for the past two years.
Beneath his boots, the uneven rocks—slick with moss and water—made his journey all the more harrowing. He’d slipped several
times already, but he held firm to his lantern and kept moving forward. He knew he was right about this cave, he could feel
it.
Today he would find the map of Atlantis
.
He skidded across a wet stone, his weight shifted, and he fell hard upon one knee. The rock sliced through his wool trousers,
biting into his flesh. Fortunately, he managed to avoid shattering the lantern. Max got to his feet and inhaled sharply.
He could do this. Hell, when he was fifteen, he’d found a long-forgotten buried treasure of a pirate queen. He was seventeen
now. He propelled himself forward, careful where he stepped. Still, it was Atlantis… finding the one and only map to the lost
continent would certainly prove that Plato’s writings were fact and not fiction. If he did that, his parents would truly notice.
Everyone would have to take notice.
Long stalactites reached down to him like ancient fingers. Max bent and twisted to avoid impaling himself, but he kept moving
forward. Always forward. Still he could hear the waves behind him, like an hourglass reminding him he had a finite amount
of time.
The deeper he traveled, the more constricted the air became. He sucked in a breath; his nose filled with the chalky scent
that could only be found in earth’s little crevices. His heart beat wildly.
The tunnel before him split. The walls of the cave pulled in and formed two paths. One was big enough for him to continue
walking, though crouched over; the
other was not even large enough for a small child to pass through. The choice was made
for him. The Atlanteans who had ventured here before him to hide the map certainly would have used the larger passage.
Still he hesitated.
The stalactites were a reminder that flowing water could grow rocks as well as break them down. He hoped time had not changed
the constant flowing water and narrowed the correct path, thus forcing him in the wrong direction.
Only one way to find out. Max felt along the rock wall with one hand, and with the other, he held the lantern in front of
him, though the pitiful amount of light made the exercise seem almost worthless. Beneath his fingers, the stone was cool and
wet. Something slithered under his palm, and he jerked back his hand.
Again the area narrowed, so much that, in order to continue, he had to turn sideways. Drowning would certainly be a most dreadful
way to perish, but drowning in this constricted channel would be even worse. He picked up his pace, unable to run, but moving
quickly through the stone passage. The rock at his back brushed through his hair as he moved, and the stones in front of him
would skin his nose if he wasn’t careful.
The darkness ahead of him grew thicker and blacker as he hiked farther into the cave. Finally the crevice he’d been moving
through opened back up. He took a step, but found only air beneath his boot. His balance shifted, and he leaned forward, nearly
falling, but he was able to grab the cavern wall to his right to steady himself.
He found himself standing on the ledge of an underground lake. He held the lantern out and bent over to peer into the pool.
It was difficult to see, but the water must
be several feet below him, and while it was not a fall that would likely result
in death, he’d prefer not to test the fates.
The ledge encircled the water, and he could tell that the area to his right was far narrower than the one to his left. So
Max moved to the left and followed the rim around. The opening he’d climbed through was the only break in the cavern’s wall
around the lake, at least as far as he could see.
According to his research, this cave should lead him to where the Atlanteans had hidden their map. Everything he’d read indicated
it would be sealed, dry in the midst of water. Max looked up, trying his best to scan the ceiling of the cavern. It seemed
highly improbable that someone had climbed to the top, because the walls were slick with moisture. And there didn’t appear
to be any legitimate hiding places above to stash anything.
Dim lantern light glanced off the walls, enough for him to see the shape of his own hand, but not much more. So it was possible
more lay ahead of him. He kept moving.
The ledge narrowed. Nearly his entire boot hung off the edge; only a small sliver of his heel remained supported. He pressed
his back against the cavern wall and slid himself across the small ridge. Suddenly the glow from his lantern revealed a large
chunk of quartz, creating an eerie bluish light.
It was here, in this angle and in that lapis glow, that his lantern reflected off something in the center of the lake. A wooden
pedestal jutted out from the water, and sitting atop it was some sort of container.
His heart quickened. That had to be it. The map was hidden in there. He was seconds away from slipping his feet off the ledge
to jump into the lake when he noticed
something moving in the water. He slid over to his right to position himself on a sturdier
section of the ledge, and he once again bent forward with his lantern in hand.