Andrew Q. Gordon

Synopsis

All of his life, Caden DeMott’s mismatched eyes have made him the target of superstition and scorn. Though he is the son of a nobleman, he’s been allowed to run free over the hills and moors, mostly ignored by his family. No one ever thought to inform him that he had been betrothed since infancy, until the day his fiancé, Prince Rhys Gwyther arrived to marry him.

Rhys is the prince of the small island country of Mauritania, a land rich in gems, rose oil, and pearls, but poor in skilled artisans and seeds to grow crops. In order to further cement the trade route to the mainland, he’s been sent to marry a man he’s never met, and bring him back to Mauritania. Unfortunately, an accident years before has left Rhys with a lot of emotional baggage and very little trust in strangers.

But trust is exactly what Caden and Rhys are going to need if they are to make a life together, and help unravel the mystery of who’s been smuggling valuable gems and pearls off the island. Add in the realization that Caden’s stepmother, Mildred and her island representative, Maxwell, have been importing inferior goods for years, forcing Mauritania to become more dependent on them, and trust becomes even more difficult.

Caden possesses the knowledge to finally allow Rhys’ father to unravel the plot to ruin Mauritania, but only if the king and his son are willing to put their faith in Caden’s loyalty to his new home. Something that is difficult to do after Caden is accused of cheating on his marriage vows to Rhys with his guard, Luc. Will Rhys believe him innocent? Or will their marriage be over before it truly has a chance to begin?

Release Date: December 4, 2015

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Excerpt:

Caden’s jaw dropped as he crossed the chamber to stand in front of his husband. “He’s the one who grabbed my wrist and yanked me against him. I was on my way out of the chamber before he did that. Luc was right there, he can tell you,” Caden said indignantly. “And I am growing tired of you accusing me of things.”

Rhys’ eyes widened, and Caden wondered if he hadn’t noticed Luc in the chamber.

“Maxwell was waiting in the study when Luc and I returned from our ride,” Caden explained further. “He said Mildred wanted him to watch out for me, and he offered to show me around and explain the differences in the customs of Mauritania to the ones back home. Like I have a clue how society is expected to behave at home because I was never really invited to be a part of it unless Mildred had a need to show me off.” He sighed. “Regardless, I told him no, that you were keeping an eye on me and would show me around and teach me everything I needed to know. Luc grabbed his wrist and gave him a stern warning about laying hands on me and escorted him out of the manor.”

Rhys scrubbed a hand over his rapidly reddening face.

Caden, however, slowly began to smile as something dawned on him. He wasn’t sure he was right, but he fully intended to use the opportunity to ask. “Were you jealous?”

“You’re damn right I was,” Rhys snapped, his head jerking up to meet Caden’s eyes. “You’re my husband, and no one else has the right to touch you.”

Caden looked deep into Rhys’ eyes. He could see the anger there, but beneath it, he realized for the first time that he could see the hurt, too. He took a step forward, putting himself in touching range.

“But you can touch me,” he said, his voice low as he reached out a hand to trace down Rhys’ arm. “And I can touch you.”

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About the author

LAYLA DORINE lives among the sprawling prairies of Midwestern America, in a house with more cats than people. She loves hiking, fishing, swimming, martial arts, camping out, photography, cooking, and dabbling with several artistic mediums. In addition, she loves to travel and visit museums, historic, and haunted places.

Layla got hooked on writing as a child, starting with poetry and then branching out, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. Hard times, troubled times, the lives of her characters are never easy, but then what life is? The story is in the struggle, the journey, the triumphs and the falls. She writes about artists, musicians, loners, drifters, dreamers, hippies, bikers, truckers, hunters and all the other folks that she’s met and fallen in love with over the years. Sometimes she writes urban romance and sometimes its aliens crash landing near a roadside bar. When she isn’t writing, or wandering somewhere outdoors, she can often be found curled up with a good book and a kitty on her lap.

Layla Dorine can be found at:

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