Escaping With Her Saxon Enemy by Sarah Rodi
Her tempting enemy is a chink in her armour!
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. Reaching Ash’s family castle, Svea must swap her chainmail for life as a Lady. She can wield a sword like an expert, but no training has prepared her for craving the touch of her greatest enemy…
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. This
excerpt is from Chapter Five, when they share their first kiss...
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 with his fingers, pressing his thumb lightly against her pebble-hard nipple 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. Excitement pooled between her legs. 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 so she could feel his huge, hard length, 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 dishevelled, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She felt so ashamed. Instead, she grabbed up her dress from the sand and ran.
Amazon UK- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Escaping-Saxon-Enemy-Historical-Ivarssons-ebook/dp/B09JVQ5W1F
Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Saxon-Enemy-Historical-Ivarssons-ebook/dp/B09JVQ5W1F
Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her grandad, or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over 20 years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Mills & Boon. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy ever after. You can contact her via @sarahrodiedits or sarahrodiedits@gmail.com. Or visit her website at sarahrodi.com
Twitter @sarahrodiedits - https://twitter.com/sarahrodiedits
