The Mistletoe Dare (Daring Daughters Book 8) Read online

  “No, we will. Sometime in June, by my reckoning.”

  Rochford sat up so quickly Georgie’s head thumped from his chest to the mattress.

  “Alden!” she protested, blinking up at him, and then she saw the look in his eyes.

  “You,” he said, sounding breathless. “A baby? In June? You… You never said. Not a word. You didn’t tell me. Have you seen a doctor? Are you well? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He sounded panicked, possibly rather angry. Georgie sighed. The only time he became unreasonable was if he thought she was unhappy, sick, or in some way at risk. She’d known he might react badly.

  “Which question shall I answer first?” she asked wryly, pulling herself upright.

  “All of them!” he said, his expression taut.

  She reached out and cupped his face, stroking his beard. “I didn’t tell you before because I wasn’t certain, and I knew you’d fret. Also, I wanted to speak to Mama first. No, I haven’t seen a doctor yet, but I will, and yes, I’m very well. I’m fit and strong and very happy, Alden. There’s no need to fret.”

  She watched him carefully as he digested this. He let out an unsteady breath and rubbed a hand over his face. “Christ, Georgie. You might give a fellow some warning. I think I’m having a heart attack.” He pressed the heel of his hand to chest and glowered at her.

  “I’m not a fragile little slip of a thing, Alden. I’ve good child-bearing hips like my mother,” she added ruefully. “She gave Pa three huge sons before she had me.”

  “What if it’s too big? What if—”

  “You’re a big man, and I fit you perfectly. So our child will fit me perfectly. There’s no problem. Mama isn’t worried, so neither must you be.”

  His expression pinched, his brow furrowing, and Georgie reached out a hand to smooth it. “Now what?”

  “I don’t know how to be a father,” he said, his eyes filled with anxiety.

  Georgie gave a soft laugh. “And you didn’t know how to be a husband either, but that’s going splendidly well. You’ll be a splendid father too, my love. I know you will.”

  “You think so?” he asked, looking dubious.

  “I most definitely do,” Georgie said, her voice gentle. “Are you still happy?” she asked, cautious now.

  He laughed, sounding rather stunned as he pulled her back into his arms and settled them both against the pillows.

  “Georgie,” he said, his voice low. “Last year, when you gave me the mistletoe berry and a kiss, I thought it was the best Christmas I had ever had. This year… This year I did not believe it was possible to be any happier than I am now.”

  “And now?” she asked, his dear face blurring as she blinked away tears.

  “Next Christmas, with our own child. A son or daughter. My God, Georgie, I am to be a father. I am terrified, but… I cannot wait for that. That will be the happiest Christmas ever.”

  “Yes. Until the next one,” Georgie said confidently, nestling herself in his arms.

  “Yes, and the one after that,” he said with a choked laugh.

  “And the one after that,” she murmured, yawning as sleep got the better of her.

  Georgie smiled as she closed her eyes and her husband’s arms tightened reassuringly around her. She still wasn’t sure she believed there was magic in that old hat, but she was glad she’d done as her mother had told her to and put her trust in the dare and a mistletoe kiss.

  Next in The Daring Daughters…

  Just a Little Daring

  The Daring Daughters, Book Nine

  Their mothers dared all for love.

  Just imagine what their daughters will do…

  A Determined Daughter…

  Snow is cold, water is wet, and Vivien Anson is beautiful. It’s an indisputable fact, and one that is becoming increasingly tiresome. Viv has had more proposals of marriage than anyone considers seemly, and she’s getting a reputation as an ice maiden through no fault of her own. None of her prospective beaus see the woman behind the beautiful face. None of them understand who she truly is, but Viv is no shrinking violet, and she will not leave the biggest decision of her life in the hands of fate.

  A Man Resisting Temptation…

  August Lane-Fox is a liar. Despite years of bad-behaviour with his scandalous best friends, the ton believes August innocent of any wrongdoing. After all, how could a man with such guileless blue eyes and lovely manners be a dreadful scoundrel? Little do they know he was often the mastermind behind their most outrageous adventures. With his wicked friends happily married, August is looking for a quiet life, with a quiet wife. Tired of his radical mother and sisters’ constant dramas and scandals, the very last thing he wants is a woman who takes risks and invites disaster whenever possible.

  An Invitation for Adventure…

  If she can’t get the right man to propose, Viv will just have to be the one doing the proposing, and she has the very man in her sights. Mr. Lane-Fox appears to be the epitome of an elegant, upper-class gentleman, but Viv doesn’t believe it. Surely, if she uses the right bait, she can tempt the deliciously well-behaved, handsome August into revealing the devil lurking inside.

  But it might take just a little daring…

  Out February 25, 2022

  Pre-order your copy here:

  Just a Little Daring

  The Peculiar Ladies who started it all…

  Girls Who Dare – The exciting series from Emma V Leech, the multi-award-winning, Amazon Top 10 romance writer behind the Rogues & Gentlemen series.

  Inside every wallflower is the beating heart of a lioness, a passionate individual willing to risk all for their dream, if only they can find the courage to begin. When these overlooked girls make a pact to change their lives, anything can happen.

  Twelve girls – Twelve dares in a hat. Twelves stories of passion. Who will dare to risk it all?

  To Dare a Duke

  Girls Who Dare Book 1

  Dreams of true love and happy ever afters

  Dreams of love are all well and good, but all Prunella Chuffington-Smythe wants is to publish her novel. Marriage at the price of her independence is something she will not consider. Having tasted success writing under a false name in The Lady’s Weekly Review, her alter ego is attaining notoriety and fame and Prue rather likes it.

  A Duty that must be endured

  Robert Adolphus, The Duke of Bedwin, is in no hurry to marry, he’s done it once and repeating that disaster is the last thing he desires. Yet, an heir is a necessary evil for a duke and one he cannot shirk. A dark reputation precedes him though, his first wife may have died young, but the scandals the beautiful, vivacious and spiteful creature supplied the ton have not. A wife must be found. A wife who is neither beautiful or vivacious but sweet and dull, and certain to stay out of trouble.

  Dared to do something drastic

  The sudden interest of a certain dastardly duke is as bewildering as it is unwelcome. She’ll not throw her ambitions aside to marry a scoundrel just as her plans for self-sufficiency and freedom are coming to fruition. Surely showing the man she’s not actually the meek little wallflower he is looking for should be enough to put paid to his intentions? When Prue is dared by her friends to do something drastic, it seems the perfect opportunity to kill two birds.

  However, Prue cannot help being intrigued by the rogue who has inspired so many of her romances. Ordinarily, he plays the part of handsome rake, set on destroying her plucky heroine. But is he really the villain of the piece this time, or could he be the hero?

  Finding out will be dangerous, but it just might inspire her greatest story yet.

  To Dare a Duke

  Also check out Emma’s regency romance series, Rogues & Gentlemen. Available now!

  The Rogue

  Rogues & Gentlemen Book 1

  The notorious Rogue that began it all.

  Set in Cornwall, 1815. Wild, untamed and isolated.

  Lawlessness is the order of the day and smuggling is rife.


  Henrietta always felt most at home in the wilds of the outdoors but even she had no idea how the mysterious and untamed would sweep her away in a moment.

  Bewitched by his wicked blue eyes

  Henrietta Morton knows to look the other way when the free trading ‘gentlemen’ are at work.

  Yet when a notorious pirate bursts into her local village shop, she can avert her eyes no more. Bewitched by his wicked blue eyes, a moment of insanity follows as Henrietta hides the handsome fugitive from the Militia.

  Her reward is a kiss, lingering and unforgettable.

  In his haste to flee, the handsome pirate drops a letter, a letter that lays bare a tale of betrayal. When Henrietta’s father gives her hand in marriage to a wealthy and villainous nobleman in return for the payment of his debts, she becomes desperate.

  Blackmailing a pirate may be her only hope for freedom.

  **** Warning: This book contains the most notorious rogue of all of Cornwall and, on occasion, is highly likely to include some mild sweating or descriptive sex scenes. ****

  Free to read on Kindle Unlimited: The Rogue

  Interested in a Regency Romance with a twist?

  A Dog in a Doublet

  The Regency Romance Mysteries Book 2

  A man with a past..

  Harry Browning was a motherless guttersnipe, and the morning he came across the elderly Alexander Preston, The Viscount Stamford, clinging to a sheer rock face, he didn’t believe in fate. But the fates have plans for Harry, whether he believes or not, and he’s not entirely sure he likes them.

  As a reward for his bravery, and in an unusual moment of charity, miserly Lord Stamford takes him on. He is taught to read, to manage the vast and crumbling estate, and to behave like a gentleman, but Harry knows that is something he will never truly be.

  Already running from a dark past, his future is becoming increasingly complex as he finds himself caught in a tangled web of jealousy and revenge.

  A feisty young maiden…

  Temptation, in the form of the lovely Miss Clarinda Bow, is a constant threat to his peace of mind, enticing him to be something he isn’t. But when the old man dies, his will makes a surprising demand, and the fates might just give Harry the chance to have everything he ever desired, including Clara, if only he dares.

  And as those close to the Preston family begin to die, Harry may not have any choice.

  A Dog in a Doublet

  Lose yourself in Emma’s paranormal world with The French Vampire Legend series…..

  The Key to Erebus

  The French Vampire Legend Book 1

  The truth can kill you.

  Taken away as a small child, from a life where vampires, the Fae, and other mythical creatures are real and treacherous, the beautiful young witch, Jéhenne Corbeaux is totally unprepared when she returns to rural France to live with her eccentric Grandmother.

  Thrown headlong into a world she knows nothing about she seeks to learn the truth about herself, uncovering secrets more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined and finding that she is by no means powerless to protect the ones she loves.

  Despite her Gran’s dire warnings, she is inexorably drawn to the dark and terrifying figure of Corvus, an ancient vampire and master of the vast Albinus family.

  Jéhenne is about to find her answers and discover that, not only is Corvus far more dangerous than she could ever imagine, but that he holds much more than the key to her heart …

  Now available at your favourite retailer.

  The Key to Erebus

  Check out Emma’s exciting fantasy series with hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “An enchanting fantasy with a likable heroine, romantic intrigue, and clever narrative flourishes.”

  The Dark Prince

  The French Fae Legend Book 1

  Two Fae Princes

  One Human Woman

  And a world ready to tear them all apart

  Laen Braed is Prince of the Dark fae, with a temper and reputation to match his black eyes, and a heart that despises the human race. When he is sent back through the forbidden gates between realms to retrieve an ancient fae artifact, he returns home with far more than he bargained for.

  Corin Albrecht, the most powerful Elven Prince ever born. His golden eyes are rumoured to be a gift from the gods, and destiny is calling him. With a love for the human world that runs deep, his friendship with Laen is being torn apart by his prejudices.

  Océane DeBeauvoir is an artist and bookbinder who has always relied on her lively imagination to get her through an unhappy and uneventful life. A jewelled dagger put on display at a nearby museum hits the headlines with speculation of another race, the Fae. But the discovery also inspires Océane to create an extraordinary piece of art that cannot be confined to the pages of a book.

  With two powerful men vying for her attention and their friendship stretched to the breaking point, the only question that remains…who is truly The Dark Prince.

  The man of your dreams is coming…or is it your nightmares he visits? Find out in Book One of The French Fae Legend.

  Available now to read at your favourite retailer

  The Dark Prince

  Want more Emma?

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