Good morning! I hope those who celebrated Christmas had a wonderful holiday.
It’s hard to believe 2015 is almost over. Do you have any plans for New Year’s Eve?
Some great guests have stopped by my blog and the Compelling Beasts Blog recently. You can check out their posts by following the links below.
See you next year!
Kate
my currently-reading shelf:
Recent Guest Bloggers:
December 20th – Jane Leopold Quinn
December 21st – Sarina Rose
December 23 – Lauren Linwood
Recent at the Compelling Beasts Blog
November 30th – Release Day Party: Degrees of Control by Eve Dangerfield
December 3rd – Interview with Trey McCrane from Blonde Demolition by Chris Redding
December 6th – Blog Tour: Interview with Sophie from No Trouble at All by Lisa Acerbo
December 8th – Blog Tour: The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart
December 12th – Blog Tour: Interview with Benedict Hampton, Viscount Kellaway from Society’s Most Scandalous Viscount by Anabelle Bryant
December 14th – Release Day Party: Strained by Marcia Colette
December 15th – Book Enthusiasts Promotions Teaser Tuesday
December 26th – Interview with The Grim Spectre from the New Pulp novel, ‘The Grim Spectre’ by Ralph L. Angelo Jr.
Guest Bloggers This Week
December 28th – Crymson Hart
Excerpt of the Week:
The Chieftain’s Bride
by Kate Hill
Historical Romance
“Wyborn, put me down!” Marion punched his back. “This is humiliating!”
“Humiliating is having your own wife wager that some other man will outfight you. Humiliating is having food thrown at your feet and a dagger thrust at your belly, then having a puny wench spit in your face! Punch me in the back one more time and I’ll drop you in the horse trough. How’s that for humiliating?”
Immediately Marion went still, tears of frustration burning her eyes. She thought of dozens of horrible ways to repay him for this lack of respect.
He carried her all the way through the village where nearly everyone they passed stop working to gawk at the unbelievable sight of the Lady Marion slung like a bag of grain over Wyborn’s shoulder. Her teeth jarred with each of his angry steps through the great hall and up the stairs. Wyborn threw open his door, kicked it shut behind him, and dropped her hard on the bed.
“You arrogant, obnoxious bull!” She flew at him, her fingers curved into claws ready to scratch the flesh from his face.
He caught her hands and shoved her onto the pillows.
“Don’t move!” he bellowed, pointing a finger in her face.
She slapped his hand away, but remained seated, swallowing the lump of fury in her throat and swiping at the moisture trickling from the corners of her eyes. Damn him!
Wyborn walked to the table and poured water from a pitcher into a bowl. He washed the blood from his face and rinsed his mouth.
“Whatever possessed you to do that to me, Marion? Have I not been fair with you? Have I disrespected you?”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’m glad I lost the wager!”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t give a damn what you believe! All I know is that it took this much for me to get an emotion out of you, you unfeeling bastard!”
“I told you before. I am not a–”
“I know! I know! Your father was chieftain before you and your parents were married in the eyes of the law!” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “What I mean is, at least I provoked some kind of feeling from you. Anger. Wonderful. You don’t care if I sleep with other men, you probably have slept with every woman in the village already, but at least I can make you angry!”
“What are you talking about, madwoman?” He narrowed his eyes and gestured wildly with his hands. Hair hung in matted tendrils about his face. His shirt was molded with sweat to his powerful torso and his chest rose and fell with furious breathing. To Marion, he had never looked more desirable. It amazed her how one man could destroy her sanity and her entire life!
She stood, her arms folded beneath her breasts and more tears threatening to spill. “I mean feelings, Wyborn! Have you got any beneath all that leather and steel? Is a chieftain allowed to feel anything at all?”
“I thought I’ve made it clear how I feel about you.” His voice returned to its usual calm, and that made her even more furious.
“No you have not! You’re always so collected, so disinterested, like a winter that never thaws! Do you even know what it is to feel for a woman? I’d love to know what you feel about me.”
“You want to know what I feel about you?” His sapphire eyes sparkled with anger and … something else?
“Yes, I want to know!”
“Fine!” In two long strides, he pulled her into his arms, his mouth covering hers. His kiss was rough at first, a release of pent up desire and frustration, then it softened.
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