Welcome, Blog Hoppers! In the spirit of the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop, here is an excerpt from my paranormal romance, Entangled.
Blurb:
When divorced teacher Cassie Miller dreamt about meeting her soul mate, her happily-ever-after didn't include threats of abduction to a parallel world to help him save his people from imminent destruction.
Alexos de Werner, exiled prince of a land now under Republican rule, is searching for the woman that can help stop the disasters devastating his home province of Ennis, in his world of Caedmon. Alex will do anything to save his people, even if they don't want his help.
Unnerved by the connection she feels with Alex, and the new abilities awakening inside her, Cassie refuses Alex's request. A nudge from her best friend and a demonstration of Alex's otherworldly abilities convinces Cassie to help him.
Once in Caedmon, Cassie must learn to trust Alex and accept her gift before Ennis is lost. Can she open her heart and mind and become the student instead of the teacher?
Excerpt:
Alex walked to his tent, rolling his head around on his shoulders to work out the stiffness there. Watching over Cassie during her illness had meant sacrificing his own rest. He planned to do without again tonight, but for an entirely different reason.
Hera stood guard at the entrance to his tent.
“How is she?” he asked.
“Back to her stubborn self. She tried to leave and start healing the sick again, but Grace talked her into a bath.”
“I will take over for the night, Hera. Get some sleep.”
He entered the tent and spotted Cassie in the tub, her eyes closed. He let the flap close quietly behind him. A flame flickered in the lantern on his desk, where he pulled out the chair and sat down across from her.
Steam caused strands of her hair to curl up against the delicate line of her neck and the fine line of her collarbone. A water droplet sat in the deep groove at the base of her throat, and he wanted to taste her in that spot.
His gaze traveled back up to her face. The heat of the bath had given her a rosy flush, which he much preferred over the ashen look she had with the illness.
“I’m not happy with you,” Cassie said. She hugged her knees, covering herself.
“For what?” She had every right to be upset with him, for bringing her here and putting her life at risk.
“For interrupting my bath. Go away.”
“This is my tent.”
“I’m naked.”
“A fact that has not escaped my notice, I assure you.”
Her color darkened. “Go away, Alex.”
He rubbed his face, breathing deep of lavender. He held her gaze and his erection hardened. “I am not leaving, Cassandra.”
“Well, you can hardly expect me to get up and leave.” She flung her hand, spraying water droplets on the floor.
“You are not leaving, either.”
Her mouth went slack. “Excuse me?”
“I am tired. I need to sleep, and I aim to do it without worrying about you. You will stay here with me.”
“Alex, I’m fine. I can sleep with Hera-”
“No.”
He stood, turned, and pulled off his belt. Her anger rose, but he did not care. His need trumped her anger this night.
“There’s only one bed.”
“We shared it just fine last night.”
“We what?” Cassie asked, her voice ending in a screech.
He sat down on the cot and removed his left boot. “You heard me.”
“I don’t like your attitude.”
“You are chilled,” he said and pulled off his second boot. “You need to get out of the tub.”
“I’m not chilled.”
She lied when it was convenient for her. He could feel her chill, which she certainly knew. He removed his shirt. “If you hesitate to step out because I am here, do not worry. I have seen you naked.”
One of her hands now held the side of the tub in a death grip. “You have not.”
“You could not get warm last night. Nothing the others did helped you. You were slipping away from me, so I ordered everyone out of the tent. I undressed both of us and used my body heat to warm you. We stayed that way until I was certain that you were no longer in danger of succumbing to the fever.”
Her emotions—anger, desire, embarrassment, and fear—rioted through him, stirring his blood, increasing his need.
She swallowed and closed her eyes. “You didn’t… take advantage, did you?”
He glared at her. “Is that the kind of man you believe me to be?”
“Aren’t you taking advantage of the situation now?”
“Aye.”
“Then what’s so different between last night and now?”
“You are conscious. This is not life or death. You can say no.”
“I asked you to leave. A reasonable person would equate that with a no.” She pushed an errant strand of hair off her forehead, and he noted the slight tremor in her fingers.
“Sharing the tent is not a choice.”
“You talk in circles. What choice do you leave me then?”
“I offer you the choice to sleep on your own cot, or to share mine with me.”
“And if I decide to sleep in my own cot?”
He leaned down, both hands on either side of the tub, crowding her. He did not know why he took such pleasure in her discomfort, but he did. Maybe because her presence consistently caused him discomfort. In his profession, when faced with an opponent, even a beautiful stubborn one, turnabout was fair play.
He smiled, knowing the minute she realized he planned to corner her until she really had no choice at all. “Then I will persuade you to sleep in mine.”
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