A Courtly Compromise

Women adore him, fight over him, lust after him. He has never been short of a conquest, but with a beautiful, blonde temptress residing in the house, Callum's engaging disposition and cheery humour have all but deserted him. The indignation sparkling from her crystal eyes captivated him from the first, and now he can barely keep himself under control. But she is far more than a mere distraction. As if her enticing curves and subtle fragrance were not enough, her determination, her interests, and her scintillating conversation are driving him wild with frustration. But to want her is futile. Leaving aside her noble connections and his honour, the weight of age old guilt will not release him from his obligations. As intolerable as the situation is, he must hold firm and resist her delightful charms. For she is an innocent and he is a murderer. How could her father be so cruel? He abandoned her and left her penniless, his own reputation clearly more important than her life. Fortunately her new friends hadn't deserted her; they embraced her into their family, and Callum's with it. How could she ever live without them, or him? Educated to a standard far beyond his rank, Beatrice had never met a man like him. His playful manners kept a smile on her lips; his magnetic allure and dizzying kisses drugged her beyond reason. Leaving him would be near impossible. With his dark past about to catch up with him, and the teaching position offered to her, there were no other options. It was heartbreaking that his loyal dedication and her want for self-reliance meant she couldn't embrace Callum within her future too. One last touch of his lips is all she can have.