Sword of Rhoswen

When Brienna Rhoswen sets out to find the man she has given a blood vow to marry, she never anticipates falling in love with the handsome rogue warrior. 

Brogan Torrick has avoided his betrothed for one reason-fear. Rumored she's a Mystic Healer, his prejudice rules his emotions. To garner an ally against an enemy, his father however, binds him into a marriage contract with the sorceress. 

Meeting as strangers, Brogan believes he's never seen a more beautiful and deadly messenger. On the journey, they struggle with an attraction they think is forbidden to them until they learn each other's identity. Only their love may not be enough to keep them together and a drop of blood from the Silver Dragon may doom all Kingdoms if their enemy gets hold of the Sword of Rhoswen.


EXCERPT:


Brogan had the women sleeping apart. He told himself they should be in tents far enough away so there could be no plots made in the night. Yet, it was a hard excuse to swallow wholeheartedly as he looked over the Lass. Ulterior intentions thickly lodged in his thoughts. He decided long ago, with quite precocious wisdom, he’d personally see to the Lass that night. By sleeping in his tent with the pretty vixen, he was better able to know her every move. In the dark, the privacy would provide her with a way in which to submit to his lust.

He watched her yawn behind her hand. Her heavy eyelids gave her face an air of sleepy sultriness. The allure became innocently seductive. Shaking off his prurient curiosity, he smiled.

“‘Tis time to go to bed, Lass. We will be leaving early, first light.” He got up and held the flap open to his tent. When she crawled in, he followed.

“What are you doing?”

“Is it not so obvious?”

“No, yes, please don’t do this.”

The pitch in her voice was the first real alarm Brogan had heard from the Lass and wickedly, he liked he could scare her. She had been a very gifted adversary and he began to think nothing surprised or frightened her. Then, as his men pointed out, he softened.

“I am not leaving ye to sleep alone so ye can get up and disappear in the middle of the night. I would also recommend ye try not to attempt to slit my throat. I’m a very light sleeper.”

“You can’t sleep in here with me. It isn’t proper, the others will think…”

“They do not think anything other than what they are told to think.” Brogan stretched out so she could not leave the tent without climbing over him. “I can provide ye warmth if ye will scoot on over here.”

“I will not. I am not cold and you will do well to ply a woman with respect instead of lewdness.” Her reprimand rattled with the stringent demand.

“Ah, me fair Lass, if I meant for ye to be under me, then I dare say t’would have been that way in a second. Alas, I prefer my wenches to dote on me willingly. Therefore, I will bide my patience for that time.” He folded his arm under his head.

“Arrogance! You’ll no more get into my heart than you will into my clothes!”

“I have no wish to have your heart, m’lady. Your body on the other hand, t’would not be a man alive that would deny himself the pleasure if offered.” He chuckled at the little disturbed noises she made under her breath. “Goodnight, Lass.”

“Uncouth lout,” she muttered.

He didn’t bother to listen to her other grumblings. She had the enjoyment of a nap, where he had been awake far longer than his body wished.

When he awoke, he couldn’t tell if minutes or hours had passed by. The movement of someone drew his attention. He looked to the Lass asleep, his hand wrapped in her hair. He rose up and leaned over her. Of all the nights to have one so beautiful, this night had not been the one for tasting her body. It didn’t prevent him from quietly squirming over her and covering her mouth to prevent a scream.

Brienna woke abruptly to find Brogan over her. His hand clamped her mouth shut to cut off all sounds of her protest before they dared to escape. She couldn’t see him in the dark. His hot breath came close to her head and he buried his face into her hair. His weight was comfortable, pleasing, and desirable. Immediately she wished they’d gone to sleep on better terms. In that way, she’d not feel so foolish in yielding to his covetous touch.

She had felt from the start, Brogan would not rape her. His opportunities to do so came and went. She, on the other hand, recognized her wicked actions practically goading him into the act every chance she got. When they came together, as she knew they soon would, it would not be under force.

The hardness of his arms, his legs, and his stomach slid up her side. It brought awake the dreams she had been having of him in her sleep. The secure, protective sensation spiraled around her soul. It tied to the belief here was a man with whom she might enjoy a sexual exploit. The man definitely could warm her heart to the idea of love.

The quietness of his voice prompted her to raise her hand to his broad shoulder. Not to fight, but to embrace, to urge him to squeeze the ache from her. Who would know what they did in the obscurity of the tent? Who would care, beyond her? Her fingers continued to glide over the edge of his thick muscled shoulder and touched a lock of his hair. 
That black as coal mane fell in layered wisps to cover the back of his neck. Soft and clean, the silky locks tickled her palm. A man who took care in his appearance and hygiene was a good sign. Even the way he smelled of leather and forest did much to arouse her sense of smell. The fragrance mingled with his body’s salubrious headiness and permeated her feral senses. He was handsome beyond reason—forged from the best elements God had to offer.

Brienna tired of the fight against all her desires and wrapped her arm around him in surrender.

“Hush, someone is outside our tent,” he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened. Mortified by what she’d been thinking of; what she planned to let the man do to her made her cringe. Embarrassment heated her cheeks. No, she had to be a crimson shade of red from head to toe. Thankfully, the darkness concealed her humiliation. It hid the cherry shade of red coloring her skin. She had to contend he’d not know how submissive she prepared to be.