The moment the common-born magnate Derek Middleton lays his eyes on the beautiful Lady Athena Dashbourne, he knows he must have her. However, her father is the Earl of Friarwell, and the snobbish nobleman is determined to keep his daughter away from any member of the nouveau riche. Derek never met a challenge he could not conquer, and he is determined to make Athena his wife, even if it means compromising her...***Warning: may contain historical inaccuracies and definitely contains an obsessed alpha male! If you can get with that, enjoy this sexy instalove short story!***Excerpt:Because the earl was nowhere to be seen, she decided to escape the ballroom and go outside. Luckily, it was the middle of June, so the night air was warm. She took a deep breath. She hated always having to try to please her father. She hardly ever succeeded in her efforts. But unfortunately, she could not do as she pleased. Whether she liked it or not, she depended on her father. If he wished, he could throw her out onto the streets. If she wished to continue having a roof over her head and food in her belly, she had to play the dutiful daughter."Shouldn't you be dancing with scores of gentlemen inside?"Anxiety gripped her as she turned around and saw a dark-haired man looking at her. He was undoubtedly a handsome man with his unforgettable blue eyes and strong jawline, but he also frightened her. He stared at her like a wolf stared at a plump, defenseless pig. Like he wanted to devour her whole.Her first impulse was to run away. However, when she tried to take a step, he caught her arm, startling her. "What…what are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely audible.Not answering her question, he said, "I was joking. I don't want you dancing with other gentlemen." His tone sounded possessive, which bewildered her. This man was a stranger to her. So why was he looking at her as if he owned her?
