What do you do with two Castaway Hearts? "I smiled before...." #excerpt #quotes #snippits

 

Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ "...so long as you dress appropriate this time." CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt

Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

     Catherine’s smile spread, her heart rising up on wings of hope at his offer.

     “But how?”

     “Meet me tonight, around the same time. I’ll bring along Willow, the gentlest mare in my barn. Saddled and ready. We’ll race along the beach.”

     “You’d do that for me?” Catherine pressed a hand to her bosom, surprised by this fortunate turn of events.

     “Yes, so long as you dress appropriate this time.” Dawson whispered—his words husky.

     Heavens. He saw her in her nightgown!

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ "You were riding a horse on the beach?" CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt

 

Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     “I did not spy, young Miss. I was out for a late night horse ride on the beach, and I heard a ruckus. I figured I better check things out to make sure someone or something wasn’t drowning.”

     There was much more to it than that, but she ventured no further questions in that regard.

     “You were riding a horse on the beach?” This thought piqued her interest.

     “Yes. I couldn’t sleep…” Dawson began. “I have several, do you like to ride?”

     “Yes, but I’ve already been warned away from it.” Anger singed her insides. “Again, it’s not something a lady, like myself, should be doing.”

     “Well now, that’s a might shameful.” Dawson’s lips curled up on one side before he drew on his pipe and looked thoughtful. “I tell you what. If you like to ride, I’d be more than happy if you’d ride one of my fine mares. Gypsy’s mine and trusts only me, but I have several others that are good and gentle for a lady like you.”

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ You spied on me. #CastawayHearts #excerpt #ebook

“What do you like to do, Catherine?” He seemed to attempt small talk. “What are your interests?”

“Nothing I can enjoy here.” She tipped her head back toward the house and shrugged her shoulders, defeated. “Most of the things I enjoyed while I lived in England were things Grandmother Melanie has made it clear are improper.”

“Like what?” Dawson lowered his voice and leaned toward her. “Splashing in the ocean in the middle of the night?”

Catherine whipped her head back around, her heart thudding in her ears at the remark. A guilty smile brightened Dawson’s face.

Had he been there?

Had he been the presence she sensed the night before?

“You spied on me last night? How dare you.” Her skin crawled with deep crimson heat.

Taryn's Sunday Snippits Heavenly, cursed man! CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt

     “What? Do you want to rub more salt into my wounds?” Catherine spit the words in his direction.
     “No, Catherine, I wish to apologize.” Dawson knelt down and took a seat next to her on the grass. “For what I said last night and for what I mentioned at dinner tonight. I only meant to tease.”
     “Well, that’s cruel mockery on your part.” He smelled of pine and tobacco, familiar scents that reminded her of England and caused her to bite back another round of homesick tears.
     Heavenly, cursed man!

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ The man had some nerve. CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt

 

      “Nathaniel looked happy as a lark to sail his maiden voyage as Captain.” Dawson commented. “Since a child, he’s claimed his wife would be the Sea.”
     Catherine shot Dawson a glare. The arrogant smile on his lips and the message in his eyes read as a warning.     She rolled her eyes at him and took another bite of green beans, chewing with such force she almost bit her tongue.
     As wonderful a cook as Althea was, the food tasted bland and had the texture of rubber. She knew it wasn’t the food, but her distaste for Dawson’s heartless remarks.
     The man had some nerve. {TWEET THIS}
     He knew she wouldn’t talk about her secret engagement to his brother in front of her grandparents and yet he seemed determined to taunt and tease her that she was not the wife his brother wanted or needed.
      Who was he to think he had any right to make that kind of presumption?

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ You have no right, Catherine CASTAWAY HEARTS #excerpt

     When she turned toward the house, her thoughts turned to Dawson, too. The man seemed different this day than he had the day before, the expression on his face softer, kinder. She turned away, but in her mind, she could still see his face. His eyes penetrated her thoughts. Her heart quivered and her stomach dipped with nervous apprehension.
     She wanted to hate him, to tell him to go away and leave her alone. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel she didn’t hate him near as much as she wished she could. Even after the harsh way he spoke to her, she still felt the crackle of attraction between them. She hated how often her thoughts turned to him and what he would have looked like in a sailor’s uniform.
     You have no right, Catherine—no rights whatsoever to think of Dawson in those intimate ways. Think of Nathaniel. He’s the man who’ll be your husband.

Taryn's Snippit Sundays #excerpt Far more than a figment of his imaginination~ CASTAWAY HEARTS

       When he looked back the image before him remained and his body responded to the nearly bare-skinned specter, so pale in the night. Dawson stared in silence, her body dancing, gyrating beneath the pale moon. The unwelcome tightening of his breeches made him well aware that this ghost was far more than a figment of his imagination. Her lengthy dark tresses trailed behind her, making him think of a mermaid’s tail. But her thin cotton nightgown revealed no signs of transformation as it clung to her shapely thighs. As she waded further into the water, a sharp gust of wind caught the top of her gown, billowing the wide neckline over her flesh. The moonlight caught her profile for a moment. The dainty nose and pouty lips seemed suddenly familiar, but they slipped into the shadows as his eyes fell to the rise and fall of her breasts again.

       That’s when it hit him.

       Catherine!