Welcome to the last First Kiss Friday of the year, my lovelies. Let’s end the year with a bang, shall we?

Today I have the first kiss scene from my upcoming book that releases tomorrow, To Love An English Knight: De Wolfe Pack Connected World. This novella picks up the story of Freya of Clan MacLaren who is the sister of Douglas, Laird of Berwyck Castle (hopefully you read his story in To Love A Scottish Laird), and Sir Charles de Grey. Sir Charles is the captain of the guard of Douglas’s wife, Lady Catherine (who used to be a de Wolfe). Happy holidays and a Happy New Year. Enjoy this first kiss scene, my lovelies.

Excerpt:

Caen, Normandy
1152

Lady Freya of Clan MacLaren peaked around the canvas of a tent to watch the English knight as he made his way through the crowd. She had first seen him leaving his own tent just this morn, and on impulse she asked a nearby squire for the knight’s name. Sir Charles de Grey, she had been told, and a small smile had lit her face upon hearing it while she began following him through camp. ’Twas as though all of England and France’s nobility were in attendance considering a small village had been erected overnight.

At the request of Henry, the Duke of Normandy, her brother Douglas, the laird of the clan, had answered the duke’s summons to attend the celebration of his recent marriage to Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. With their home of Berwyck Castle sitting at the border of England and Scotland, Douglas could do no less knowing he must keep peace between himself and the man who would one day be England’s king. Freya had begged her brother to allow her to accompany him, and he had reluctantly agreed. He would be mortified to learn she was following an English knight about camp.

Heart pounding, she continued to dodge people and other obstacles in her pursuit to stay near Sir Charles. She was unprepared when he suddenly turned as though he felt her presence. She quickly ducked behind another tent in hope he had not caught her following him. She could not say why she was so drawn to this handsome stranger, but he had certainly held her interest from afar. No harm could come from a closer look, could it?

With her chest heaving at the near thought of being found out, she dared another look around the shelter only to find him gone! She stepped from her hiding place in order to once more continue her search for him. She was unprepared when her arm was taken in a fierce grip. Forced backward against the canvas that had obviously not provided any source of concealment, she stared into the eyes of the very person who had momentarily escaped her. He was taller up close than she expected, for she barely reached to his chest. With his blond hair and vivid, blue eyes, she almost sighed at how handsome he was now that he stood before her. And then he spoke, and her world crashed down around her.

“Why are you following me?” he asked in an amused tone. Before she could answer, he continued, much to her dismay. “If you are looking for a bit of sport, I do not have time to dally at the moment. Perchance later, although I must admit, you are prettier than most of the wenches who meander about.” He took hold of her chin as though to examine her closer before leaning down to quickly kiss her lips.

“How dare ye kiss me!” Freya sputtered. Heat flushed her face.

He began fumbling at a leather pouch upon his belt. Drawing out a coin, he held out the meager offering for her to take. “For your troubles.”

A gasp escaped her. “Do ye ken who ye are speaking tae?”

A chuckle escaped him. “Given you have been dodging my every move this morn, I assumed you were one of the women camp followers who earn their way at such events. Was I mistaken?”

He thought her a whore! His insult stung even as she knew she would never hear the end of Douglas’s tirade if he learned she had been observing the stranger in the first place. Swinging her arm to smack the smirk off his face, he easily caught her hand before pulling her closer. Her breath left her while she tried to think clearly.

“Perchance I have a moment or two to spare after all.” His grin was pure sin, and he began to tighten his arm around her waist.

She struggled in his embrace. She would in no way bed this stranger no matter how handsome he was. She was still a maid and obviously not what he took her for.

“Ye braying arse! I am Lady Freya of Berwyck,” she shouted. He let go of her so swiftly she stumbled to right herself and not land in the dirt.

“As in the sister to Laird Douglas of Clan MacLaren?” A look passed across his features showing her that he was not pleased.

“Aye. I will tell him of yer insult tae me,” she hissed.

“Tell him anything you like, but for your own sake and mine, stay away from me. I apologize for making the wrong assumption, my lady, but I have had all I can handle from a MacLaren for one day.”

Freya continued to stare at him while he stomped away. As she watched him go, she was uncertain if she was happy or sad at his leaving. In the months to come, she would wonder if she would ever be able to win his love.

To Love An English Knight:
De Wolfe Pack Connected World
By Sherry Ewing
Release Date: December 28, 2019
Only $0.99 or FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Can a chance encounter lead to love?

Sir Charles de Grey is in turmoil. He cannot forget the Scottish lass he kissed in Caen, but her jealous spite toward the lady he was sworn to guard infuriated him. Living at Berwyck Castle, he is torn between his desire for Lady Freya and his need to rebuke her sometimes reckless behavior. Leaving her almost tears him apart, but it might give him time to recover some balance.

Lady Freya of Clan MacLaren didn’t expect to become blinded by love until she became quickly besotted on first seeing the English knight in Caen. How quickly everything fell apart when she defies him! Even worse, when he begins to show signs of returning her feelings, he receives a message from home that will tear them apart. Defying him again may put an end to any chance they may have together, but what other choice does she have when he leaves her?

Can the fragile love they found blossom into something more or will circumstances beyond their control continue to provoke behavior that keeps them apart?

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