The start of another week and what better
way to begin than with Medieval Monday and enjoy snippets of great romances.
Each week a different author will be featured with a “themed excerpt.” This
month, all the excerpts will be about the hero and heroine's first kiss.
Today’s guest is Jenna Jaxon. You’re going to love this excerpt. Enjoy!
Excerpt for TIME ENOUGH TO LOVE
“It has been
decreed by His Majesty that on the first day the festivities will begin with a
procession of ladies and knights of King Arthur’s court, starting at the Tower
of London and winding through the town out to the lists. There are to be
twenty-five knights on the king’s side who will joust and fight in a pas d’armes. So there needs be
twenty-five ladies as well, to escort them to the field.”
She nodded
again. “Princess Joanna rides in this procession.” Her part in the festivities
had been determined last week. Did he have anything truly new to impart?
“You have
been chosen to be one of the ladies.”
Alyse’s mouth
dropped open and a thrill coursed through her. “But I am only Princess Joanna’s
attendant, Sir Geoffrey. Usually such honors are reserved for the queen and
Princess Isabella’s ladies, or the Duchesses and Countesses in the Royal
Family. Why did they choose me?”
“Because I am
to be one of the knights, and I begged a boon of the king to allow you to be my
lady.”
She stared at
him in shock, almost unbelieving, though she knew he would not lie about such a
thing. To think she owed such an honor to the man she would soon call husband,
that he had asked the king himself to grant the favor, made her heart beat an
unsteady march in her chest. Alyse parted her lips to thank him when he swooped
forward, secured her chin in his hand and kissed her.
Strangely
soft, yet very sweet, his touch sent a searing bolt straight to her stomach,
setting it afire. After moments that seemed an eternity, his mouth slackened on
hers as though he would release her. Then he flicked the tip of his tongue
across the hard-pressed seam of her mouth, testing for another invitation.
With a gasp
she jumped back, drawing a chuckle from Geoffrey, who had the grace to glance
around to make sure they had not been observed. “Be not discomfited, sweet. We
are safe in our conversation.”
“’Twas not in
our conversation that I feared harm, my lord.” Lord, ’twas difficult to sound
outraged when she could still feel his lips on hers.
Back Cove Copy for TIME ENOUGH TO LOVE
When
Lady Alyse de Courcy is betrothed to Sir Geoffrey Longford, she has no choice
but to make the best of a bad bargain. The hulking knight is far from her ideal
man, and although he does possess some wit and charm, he is no match for the
sinfully sensual man she secretly admires, Thomas, Earl of Braeton, her
betrothed’s best friend.
From
the first, Sir Geoffrey finds himself smitten by Lady Alyse, and, despite her
infatuation with his friend, vows to win her love. When Geoffrey puts his mind
to wooing Alyse, he is delighted to find her succumbing to his seduction. But when cruel circumstances separate them,
Geoffrey must watch helplessly as Thomas steps in to protect Alyse—and falls in
love with her himself.
As
the three courtiers accompany Princess Joanna to her wedding in Spain, they run
headlong into the Black Plague. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse
struggles with her feelings for both the men she loves. But which love will
survive?
What a neat excerpt! Sir Geoffrey sounds like a sweetie, but Alyse is definitely faced with a dilemma!
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