Seducing Stephen

✍ Scribed by Summer Devon; Bonnie Dee

• Publisher: Duet Publishing
• Year: 2014
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 132 KB
• Category: Fiction

✦ Synopsis

What does a jaded earl see in a studious young man? Everything he never knew he was missing.

The dark, alluring Peter, Lord Northrup, is Stephen's every nighttime fantasy made flesh and he's in Stephen's bed, ready for passion. When Peter discovers the bedroom mix-up, he's ready to leave until Stephen begs him to teach him all the things he's only imagined.

The two men, visitors at a country house, begin a delirious, passionate affair with Northrup as teacher and Stephen his eager student. Peter knows their liaison is about hot sessions of sexual exploration, not love--and backs away when he sees shy Stephen's heart is involved. Passion and commitment can't coexist for men like them.

But Peter is haunted by memories of the summer fling and the quiet young man he spurned. But he may have taught him Stephen too well the lessons of a cynical roué.

This is a previously published book. Warning: Strong language and erotic content.

Excerpt:
Stephen was sitting on the grass, reading a book in the shade cast by the wall of evergreen. His boots were off and his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a white undershirt beneath. He looked up, startled, his light gray eyes reflecting the bright sunlight and appearing even more luminous than they had in the firelight's glow last night.

The young man scrambled to his feet and bowed toward Peter, the appropriate response to a man of higher social standing, but hardly necessary under the casual circumstances.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you," Peter said. "Please, sit. I plan to do the same myself."

Ignoring the stone bench, he crossed the small clearing and dropped down onto the grass in the small bit of shade. He looked up at Stephen, who still stood over him. "Won't you sit down?"

"Y-yes." The stammering youth began to button his shirt as he folded his long legs and resumed his
seat on the ground.

Peter fanned his face with his hand. "Don't know what I was thinking of, walking in this heat. Where's Brian?"

"He's much cleverer than I. He stayed indoors." A smile flickered over Stephen's mouth. "The idea of exploring the maze was too tempting. I've always wanted to walk one and never had the opportunity. But I guess waiting until evening would've been better."

"At least you brought rations. Smart boy." Peter gestured to the corked bottle leaning against the hedge.

"Oh. Please." Stephen offered it to him.

Peter drank deeply of the tepid water with the slight tang of citrus, then poured a little into his cupped hand and splashed it on his face. After he recapped the bottle and handed it back, they sat in strained silence for several aching moments. The events of the previous night hung in the air between them like a rock balloon.

Peter studied the pale gold sweep of Stephen's lashes against his flushed cheeks--pink from either embarrassment or heat. Someone must break the awkward mood, and since he was older and more experienced, it seemed it would have to be him.

"About last night." The two spoke in unison, the words tumbling against one another.

Stephen smiled. Peter chuckled. "Do go on. What did you want to say about last night?"

The young man licked his lips, and the flash of tongue sent a frisson of lust shimmering through Peter. "I'm sure you could guess I've never done anything like that. B-but I've wanted to. I would like to learn more...from you...while we're both here." He added a codicil. "If that's possible."

Review

I found Seducing Stephen to be a lovely, emotional read. -
Joyfully Reviewed

Read it when you wish you could find a love in your bed, and a reason to wake up in the morning. - Sid Love blog

SEDUCING STEPHEN is the journey of two men becoming a couple. - The Romance Reviews

The characters' larger than life reactions to their emotions only enhance the illicit thrill of their taboo relationship. - Mrs. Giggles blog

The affair starts as sex and then moves into more complicated territory and that's the nice surprise. - Speak Its Name blog

The conflict within this novel was not just "does he love me" but "how can we (can we?) be together while meeting our obligations?" - Shuffling Through a Book-less Desert

It's the old story of the rake brought low by the love of a virgin, but the m/m setting and complex characters lent this story a freshness which I found quite delightful. - Well Read blog

Seducing Stephen turns the oft-used cliche of mistaken identity/mistaken sexual partners on its head and makes it seem new once more. - Rainbow Reviews

It was an enjoyable historical tale with sexy man-on-man action and a romance that really touched my heart. - Ebook Addict

Seducing Stephen is a tender and enjoyable happy-ever-after romance. - Literary Nymphs

From the Author

Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee have co-written a number of books together, mostly gay historicals but also some het contemporaries. We find we have a natural rhythm and are able to supply ideas to each other about plot or characterization that are exactly what is needed to move the book forward. We hope you enjoy our other collaborations: The Gentleman and the Rogue, The Nobleman and the Spy, Sin and the Preacher's Son (formerly House of Mirrors), The Psychic and the Sleuth, The Gentleman's Keeper and The Gentleman's Madness. Coming in 2014: Mending Him. Thanks for reading!