Escaping With Her Saxon Enemy is set on the shores of 9th century England. Viking shield maiden Svea Ivarsson would far rather face Saxon warriors than be on the run with the fiercely captivating Lord Ashford Stanton, protector to the Saxon king. But when they are ambushed while leading the royal convoy through the forest, they find themselves separated from their captured men. Ash learns how Svea has been mistreated by men, and he wonders if the same evil blood flows through him. He realises he must keep his true self hidden, but finds it increasingly hard to keep his distance. This scene is when they share their first kiss...
EXCERPT:
He lifted a hand to peel a wet strand of hair away from her face. ‘It’s the same reason I fought those men yesterday. You want to know something about me? Something truthful? I couldn’t bear the thought of any man touching you, Svea, unless that man was me. And now I really want to kiss you, if you’ll let me...’
Her blue eyes were huge, and she looked so beautiful. She was trembling, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold, or because of what he’d said. She hadn’t moved or said a word, so he moved closer to her, his chest almost touching hers...
‘Svea, say something.’
‘I—I’ve never done this before.’
Ash’s hands came up to cup her cheeks, his large thumbs caressing the corners of her lips, and he pressed his body gently against hers. Every part of him. She felt the instant flicker of excitement.
‘It’s all right. I’ll coax you through it.’
His dark, heated gaze was fixed on her and his movements were slow, as if he was giving her time to say no, to change her mind, and she felt her legs tremble hard. But, for the first time in her life, she knew she wanted this to happen.
Smoothly, reverently, he pulled her face towards him, lowering his head at the same time. Her eyes fluttered shut as he covered her lips with his.
His cool, salty skin was at odds with the warmth of his mouth, and as his tongue swept inside hers she gasped at the thrilling and tender feelings rushing through her body.
Her knees buckled, she began to sway, and he caught her with his arm, hauling her closer. As his silky hot tongue delved deeper, rolling over her like the ocean waves, drawing her in, pulling her under, sending searing heat charging through her, she curled her toes into the sand. His other hand trailed down to brush over the sensitive skin on her neck. His thumb was at her throat, circling her pulse, and an insane need lanced her.
She had never imagined a kiss could feel so good, sending signals to every part of her body, telling her she wanted more. And it was as if Ash could read her mind, because his hand drifted down to cup one full, heavy breast in his palm and she moaned. She’d thought she’d never allow a man to touch her again, but as he gently kneaded, softly squeezing her flesh through the wet material, she welcomed the sensations he was creating. And as he twisted and teased the hard peak, his lips still ravaging her mouth, a low moan escaped from her throat and her head tipped backwards.
He took a moment to stray from her mouth, his lips roaming down her neck, kissing and licking, tormenting her with his clever tongue, moving to the base of her ear, all the time whispering how beautiful she was. Then he came back to her lips again, claiming her mouth once more.
Her thoughts flashed back to the kiss she had given him in the field—and how he’d said it had cured him. This was the same for her. His kiss was giving her confidence, telling her that she could do this. That she was healed. Needing to prove it—to herself and to him—she bravely pressed her hips closer, letting him know that she wanted this. That she’d meet him halfway.
Her fingers were trapped between their bodies, and she splayed them out against his solid chest, wanting to explore. She glided them upwards over his smooth, firm skin, to curl around his neck, her fingers delving into the wet hair at the base of his neck. She was drawing him closer, pushing her tongue into his mouth to deepen the kiss.
He growled, his careful control seemingly about to break. And his response delighted her. She’d finally done it. She’d broken his steely resolve. Feeling triumphant, she recklessly writhed against him, wanting to cause more of a reaction.
He gathered her closer, his hands drifting down her back and cupping her bottom, tugging her against him, and then his fingertips dipped lower, to the bottom of the tunic, swirling over the backs of her thighs. They travelled upwards, beneath the material, seeking out her most intimate places...
And she panicked. ‘Ash, stop!’
With a violent shove she pushed him away, fiercely removing herself from his hold. Her actions were so sudden they shocked them both.
Her face flushed, her hair disheveled, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She felt so ashamed. Instead, she grabbed up her dress from the sand and ran.
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I loved writing this book about Svea and Ash. Carly Byrne at Mills & Boon said: 'The chemistry between your two protagonists is absolutely scorching! It’s impossible not to love Svea, and be captivated by her journey towards acceptance and happiness. Similarly, Ash was the perfect hero for Svea, completely trustworthy of helping her work through her complex emotions, but conflicted himself by all the pain he has experienced. It makes for such a fiercely compelling read with such a joyous payoff.' I hope you enjoy it too...
Visit www.sarahrodi.com
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