Diplomatic relations, p.33
Diplomatic Relations, page 33
“You know I am your servant, right?” Setting the cup down on the tray, Louie sat opposite him.
“You’re my valet and my dearest friend. Not my servant. Besides, you got the tea last time.”
“A valet is a servant.”
It was an old argument they’d yet to resolve. “Shut up, Louie.” Bannon proceeded to pour them tea, then added three lumps of sugar to his and four to hers.
She picked up the cup and took a sip, staring at him over the top of it with one of her perfectly shaped brown brows arched. “What took so long?”
“I was contemplating whether a trip to the jail was worth it.”
“It’s called a brig.”
Know-it-all. Bannon took a drink of his own tea and promptly added another lump of sugar. “I ran into Prissy.”
With a sigh, Louie shook her head. “He will be gone from our presence in exactly one hour.”
“How do you know that?” He frowned and took a sip of his tea. Awww… much better.
She preened, damn her, and something told him that he was not going to like her answer.
“Lieutenant Taylor stopped by to tell me. Annnd… you owe me a pound.”
“Oh, you didn’t….”
She preened more and touched her lips and sighed dramatically. Then she smiled, took another sip, raising her pinky high in the air, and turned her head to the right. “Oh, look, a planet. I bet that’s Skye.”
He wasn’t falling for that. Studying her lips, he narrowed his eyes, and…. Dust and stars! They did look swollen and redder than normal. “You kissed him?”
“I’d never kiss and tell.”
He grabbed a biscuit and threw it at her, then glanced out the porthole. A planet was out there, but it sure was cloudy. Ominous gray clouds circled it, with some shooting high up into the atmosphere around it, like smoke. It was difficult to make out the planet’s round shape, but it certainly was mystical looking. He’d found the subject of his next painting and… was that lightning? Capital! It looked strange from that point of view, but beautiful.
She took a bite of the biscuit and singsonged, “You owe me a pound.”
“Just because he kissed you, doesn’t mean he isn’t gay.”
She gave him the most incredulous look as if to ask, really?
Right. It was a rather stupid statement, but she’d won their last two wagers. Drat it all, so it was his turn to win. Bannon picked up his cup and glared at her over the rim. As he set his lips to the porcelain, a loud blast sounded and shook the whole ship. The contents of his cup sloshed out onto his chin, shirt, and lap.
Bannon yowled.
Louie shrieked.
“Bloody hell! What was that?” He jumped up and brushed the tea off him. Damn that was hot! As he grabbed for the tea towel, the ship shook again followed by another long bang. The tea set rattled fiercely and tea sloshed out of Louie’s cup. Bannon dabbed at his trousers. “Anna, what’s going on?”
The ship did not answer. Not good. Anna always answered. Bannon had carried on entire conversations with her since he’d been on board. She was really nice.
“Bannon?” Louie’s voice quivered, and she reached for him.
“It’s all right. Probably just turbulence.” Even as the words left his mouth, he didn’t believe them. Did ships even get turbulence in space? He didn’t know, but he suspected this was much more than a pocket of air, since space was technically a vacuum. Oh bother, this didn’t bode well. His chest tightened and a quiver snaked through him. He pulled Louie up from her seat and against his chest, hugging her tight. They should probably sit back down so they didn’t fall, in case it happened again, but his seat was wet.
The hatch door whisked open, and Lieutenant Taylor rushed in without so much as a by your leave. His gaze darted around until landing on them, and Bannon’s unease increased tenfold.
“Quick! Come on.” Taylor reached out to them.
More from J.L. Langley
A Sci-Regency Novel
When Intergalactic Navy Captain Nathaniel Hawkins goes undercover to investigate the theft of an IN weapons stash, the mission raises painful memories from his past. Using a title he fled nearly two decades earlier, Nate once again becomes the Earl of Deverell, heir to the Duke of Hawthorne, in order to navigate the ins and outs of a Regency world. But planet Regelence—where young lords are supposed to remain pure until marriage—has a few surprises for Nate, not least of which is his attraction to Prince Aiden.
A talented artist, Prince Aiden Townsend isn’t interested in politics and the machinations of society gentlemen, and he adamantly rejects the idea of marriage and a consort. Aiden wants the freedom to pursue his art and determine his own future. But the arrival of the dashing and mysterious Deverell awakens feelings of passion and longing the young prince can’t deny.
As Nate uncovers a conspiracy reaching far beyond the stolen weapons, his future is irrevocably altered by the temptations of a life he never thought he could have. Drawn into the web of intrigue, Aiden is in danger of losing his life… and his heart.
A Sci-Regency Novel: sequel to My Fair Captain
Anxious to escape the confines of Regelence society, if only for a little while, Prince Payton Townsend poses as an admiral’s aide to further investigate a dangerous conspiracy. Payton plans only to use his computer skills to help navigate the tangled web of mystery and deceit on planet Englor, then return home, but he finds himself drawn to the charismatic Colonel Simon Hollister.
Simon, however, is no mere soldier—he is heir to the throne of Englor, and his life is meticulously planned to include a bride and heir. Unlike Regelence, the Regency society on Englor disapproves of same-sex relationships, and Payton and Simon’s attraction plays out in a daring secret affair, one Simon never expected would grow into love.
Risking scandal and certain ruin if they are discovered, Payton and Simon uncover more about a common enemy and a deadly plot that imperils both their worlds. But in this game of interplanetary intrigue, love might be the ultimate casualty….
A Sci-Regency Novel: sequel to The Englor Affair
Sebastian Hastings, Viscount Wentworth, is captain of the Royal Guard by day and scandalous rake by night. To protect the royal family of Regelence from the plots of the Intergalactic Navy, Sebastian makes it his priority to personally oversee their safety.
Prince Colton Townsend is done pining after the roguish viscount and focuses his attention on his second love—horses. Following his dream of owning a racehorse breeding farm distracts Colton from his heartache… until Sebastian begins shadowing him.
When a good deed at a horse auction sparks public rumors, Colton just might get the man and the marriage he’s longed for. But Sebastian’s duties and secrets keep him walled off from those who would get close.
To reach Sebastian, Colton takes one last risk that might break his heart….
Reader love The Sci-Regency Series by J.L. Langley
My Fair Captain
“I simply adore this book and I can’t recommend it highly enough…. If you love highly romantic tales that will live with you long after you finish the book, then My Fair Captain is the book for you.”
—Top 2 Bottom Reviews
“I highly, very highly recommend to all of you!”
—OptimuMM
“In the end, I adored this re-release more the second time around.”
—The Blogger Girls
The Englor Affair
“Political intrigue, murder, misunderstandings, sex… this book has it all. And I LOVED IT!”
—Love Bytes
“…a great addition to series and I’m hoping we see the next one soon.”
—Gay Book Reviews
J.L. LANGLEY said her first words at six months of age. By the time she was a year old, she was talking in complete sentences and, as most of her family and friends will tell you, she hasn’t shut up since. After becoming an accomplished motormouth, J.L. set out to master other avenues of self-expression, including art, and dance.
She attended the University of Texas, where she majored in art and worked as a dance instructor on the side. Her love of artistic expression in dance landed her a career in which she taught and performed for over twenty-five years. After marriage to her junior high school sweetheart and the birth of their children, J.L. decided to try her hand at writing. To date, she has several successful novels and a handful of novellas to her credit.
She lives in Texas, where she was born and raised, with her real-life hero, their rowdy two boys, two even rowdier German shepherds, and ten goldfish, one of which is named Jaws. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book appreciating the communication skills of other writers.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjllangley
Twitter: @jl_langley
By J.L. Langley
THE SCI-REGENCY SERIES
My Fair Captain
The Englor Affair
My Regelence Rake
Diplomatic Relations
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Diplomatic Relations
© 2019 J.L. Langley.
Cover Art
© 2019 Tiferet Design.
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Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-692-4
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64080-693-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018960690
Digital published February 2019
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America
J.L. Langley, Diplomatic Relations
