Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss

She was cast aside—but he saw her as something rare and real. Beatrice Hartley never expected love to leave her so quickly—and so publicly. With a child on the way and the man she trusted gone, she's offered a marriage that will shield her reputation but leave her heart untouched. She's braced for a future built on silence, not love.

He was raised to believe love was the point—not the problem. Charles Beaumont, Lord Hawthorne, doesn't care for society's rules—especially when they demand he ignore the woman who moved him with a single glance. Beatrice isn't a scandal to him. She's a storm worth chasing. And when the rest of the ballroom turns away, Charles steps forward.

They choose each other—boldly, fiercely, unapologetically. In a world that worships image over honesty, Charles refuses to marry for convenience or legacy. He falls for Beatrice and doesn't look back. Because love isn't something to earn—it's something to claim. And when hearts speak, society be hanged.

If you find comfort in stories where love doesn't rush, but unfolds with care, vulnerability, and trust, you're in the right place.