Join us this week for the many faces of Author Eliza Knight!

The CHICKS are back!!!!!!


This week we are feauturing books by muti-talented, Author Eliza Knight. You will see just how versatile she really is! And today its all about FIRSTS so let the SPOTLIGHT begin ...

Thank you so much for hosting me this week Andrea! 

My husband and I first met when we were both teenagers working at a summer camp. He was had the 4^th grade boys group and I had the 4^th grade girls group. He was playful, flirty and even a little shy with me. Besides falling in love that summer, I remember *snort* thinking I would never want to have kids!!! (Now I have three that I couldn’t live without!) Being a counselor was just not for me…  Of course, I was only 17 years old, and wanted to hang with my friends, but my mom made me get a job… lol

Today, I thought it would be fun to share with you, the first time my hero and heroine meet, from my medieval novel, A Lady’s Charade. Now, keep in mind, they have seen each other from afar before, but they don’t realize it yet…

*****

The warm feel of the brigand’s breath was on Chloe’s face, and the stench was so overpowering, she gagged.

“What ye be doing out all alone, and with that fine horse?”

He tugged at her, running his free hand down her back and grasping her rear. She yelped and hit at his arms, letting go of the horse’s reins. The man tightened his grip on her and pulled her into his body. The stench of his rotting breath and dirty clothes caused bile to rise in her throat.

“Unhand me!” she shouted.

“Oh, a Frenchie we have here,” he hissed and began placing sloppy wet kisses up and down her face and neck. “Ye ought to be punished for crossing the pond, ye little whore.”

Her previous revulsion grew tenfold. All she could think of was poor Nicola—that would not happen to her! She slapped at him hard and kicked his shin. She remembered the dagger she had hidden in her girdle and tried to pull it free, but he only tightened his grip on her. His arousal dug ugly and menacing into her belly.

“You like it rough, eh?”

She screamed as loud as she could and bit him on the face. The metallic taste of blood seeped through her teeth and onto her tongue. Vomit rose in her throat at the taste of his skin in her mouth. The man screamed.

Oh Lord, please help me!

In an instant he threw her to the ground and began kicking her. She rolled away from his kicks, screaming and spitting his blood onto the ground. Her ribs ached where his feet landed blows. Her heart pounded in her ears, all thoughts of food, shelter and warmth escaped her. Now all she knew was she needed to survive. She needed to get away from this barbarian. Somehow she managed to rise to her feet amidst his blows. Then his kicking ceased and she felt herself rise higher into the air, her feet no longer touching the ground.

Had she died and was now cascading up to Heaven?

A strong arm grasped her about the waist. The cold armor that covered the arm bit through her clothes. Her senses screamed, she wanted to cry out for mercy. She turned to see who it was, but could only make out a helmet. Her eyes were heavy, her mouth slack. She was close to fainting, and welcomed the darkness, begged it to consume her.

But her savior wouldn’t let her. A knight, a large, fierce looking knight. He scooped her up like she was a feather and plopped her on his horse in front of him. Oh, Dear God in Heaven! Don’t let him hurt me!

Her buttocks hit hard muscled thighs—the warmth of which were in strong contrast to the metal on his arms. Tingles of pleasure and pain shot from her bottom through her thighs as his warmth seeped into her skin. She wiggled closer, wishing she could melt into his warm body, feeling foolish at the same time. How did she know this man didn’t plan a similar fate for her that the vile man had? The other knights? She didn’t know… but her instincts were not on alert. She felt safe, almost comforted.

As he settled her in front of him, strong arms wound around her middle. Her back pressed against the chain mail on his chest. She was overwhelmed by the sheer mass and strength of this man. Nipples tightened of their own accord, throwing her into vast confusion. No longer did she feel pain and revulsion. Quite the opposite. Sensations ripped through her body—she at once wanted to kiss this man, let him stroke her skin. Take her. Good lord, what was she thinking?

He shouted down to the disgusting man. “Cease and desist! What the devil do you think you are doing?”

Several armed men held their swords at her attacker’s throat. He held his arms up in surrender.

“She has attacked me! I will have her hanged for this!” he swiped at his bloody cheek.

Chloe shuddered and could still feel the remnants of vomit threatening to escape. Would they believe him, would she have escaped this vile creature just to feel a bristly rope squeezed tight against the tender flesh of her neck? She took deep breaths to keep herself from letting the liquid contents of her stomach go right onto her protector’s horse. Her savior’s strong arms held fast. He would protect her. Somehow she knew that. She leaned back, limp, utterly fatigued. It was all too much for her. She began to sob quietly so as not to let the knight hear her. She tried to peek at him, but all she could see was shiny metal.

“You’ll not be having anyone hanged stranger. Tie him to one of the ash trees,” he ordered. The lousy man kicked and shouted as the knights gripped him by his limbs and dragged him to a tree. They tied him to it tightly, another strip of rope gagging him. “Spending the night in the cold and defenseless will teach you to prey on innocents.” The knight’s voice was like steel, smooth and cold.

The man protested, but his words were muffled and Chloe couldn’t make out what he said. She sunk deeper into her rescuer’s lap.

“Thank you sir, for saving me,” she whispered. She kept her face cast downward, scared and too embarrassed to have him see how dirty she was.

“The rules of chivalry say it is a knight’s duty to save a damsel in distress, or so I am told.” He chuckled softly.  

*****

Chloe’s first meeting with her hero was decidedly much more action packed than the first time I met my husband J Share how you met your hero! I love to hear these stories. 

A LADY’S CHARADE:

From across a field of battle, English knight, Alexander, Lord Hardwyck, spots the object of his desire--and his conquest, Scottish traitor Lady Chloe.
 
Her lies could be her undoing…


Abandoned across the border and disguised for her safety, Chloe realizes the man who besieged her home in Scotland has now become her savior in England. Her life in danger, she vows to keep her identity secret, lest she suffer his wrath, for he wants her dead. 

Or love could claim them both and unravel two countries in the process…  

Alexander suspects Chloe is not who she says she is and has declared war on the angelic vixen who's laid claim to his heart. A fierce battle of the minds it will be, for once the truth is revealed they will both have to choose between love and duty.

This book is available in both Ebook and Trade Paperback: http://elizaknight.com/ALadysCharade.aspx

 Check back with us tomorrow for another book by Eliza Knight!