I’ve seen the blogs for six sentence Sunday’s and decided I’d do something similar. So I thought, seven sentences for seven days of the week. So here are the first seven sentences of the book.

I’m also including the blurb and a short excerpt from later in the book. I’d love some feedback. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think of the excerpt and be entered into a drawing for and ebook copy of TAME A WILD BRIDE.

TAME A WILD BRIDE

Rosemary Stanton stood patiently on the train platform, sweat rolling down her back and between her ample breasts. Waiting. Sweating because it was an unusually hot day in late April. Waiting for her husband. A husband she wouldn’t recognize if he were standing right next to her.

She’d been desperate when she answered the advertisement for a mail order bride. Wanted: Single woman to cook, clean, and care for children on a cattle ranch in southwestern Colorado.

BLURB

Rosie Stanton climbed on a west-bound train to answer his ad for a wife and mother, everything she wants to be. But Tom Harris lied. He doesn’t want a wife, merely a mother for his two abandoned children and a cook and cleaner for his ranch. Betrayed once, he’s vowed never to let another woman into his heart. Sexy Rosie upsets all his plans and threatens to invade his scarred heart. How will he maintain his vow to keep his hands off her as she charms his children, his cow hands, his life?

EXCERPT

The marriage ceremony was short, thank God. Rosie stood next to Tom, grime covering her from head to toe. No place to even wash her face. Sweat formed in rivulets down her temples. She’d tried to keep her face and hands clean while traveling, but they came upon Creede, the end of the line, without her being able to check her appearance and wash up again. Not that it would have made much difference. Her traveling gloves, normally black, were ash colored from the dirt and grime of the last five days. Thanks to her gloves and the fact she wore them most of the time her hands were relatively clean.

Tendrils of hair hung down all over having escaped from their restraints. She’d so carefully put up all of her hair into a bun high atop her head at the start of the trip. Now she was sure she looked like some sort of rag-a-muffin and this was her wedding day. Her dreams about her wedding didn’t include her being dirty and wearing a traveling suit that was four days past feeling fresh. She’d brought her dress thinking she’d have a real wedding. But that’s all it was, a dream. Mentally slapping herself, she remembered this wasn’t a dream this was reality. A reality she’d chosen, so she lifted her chin a little higher and made the best of it.

When they got to the rings, Tom placed a plain gold band on her finger. She had her father’s wedding band to give to him, it was also gold but had scroll work etched into it.

Then the preacher said “You may kiss the bride.” Tom looked at her and, as if he were seeing her for the first time, searched her face probably trying to find a clean place to kiss her. He finally leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. Quick, but not so fast she didn’t feel the warmth of his lips on hers all the way to her to her toes. She could get used to that.

Here’s a brand new excerpt of Tame A Wild Bride. Hope you enjoy it. Leave me a comment for a chance to win a $5 Starbucks card. Then when you’re done here, drop on over to MK McClintocks blog for another chance to win a Starbucks card and a copy of Tame A Wild Bride, too. Here’s the link: http://mkmcclintock.blogspot.com/2012/09/tame-wild-bride-on-tour-with-cynthia.html

Rosie took his hand. It engulfed hers with a shock of warmth. Her pale skin stood in stark contrast to his tanned one. Calluses rubbed against her soft palm though the touch was not unpleasant. She looked from their clasped hands up into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Harris.”

“Tom. Call me, Tom.”

“And I’m Rosie.”

“Where are your trunks, Rosie?”

“Oh, I don’t have any trunks. I only brought what I thought I would need out here.”

He picked up the two valises at her feet. “Doesn’t seem like much for an Eastern woman. I’m glad to see you’re practical.”

Rosie felt the heat in her cheeks and knew she blushed at his praise, undeserving as it was. “Well, I didn’t think you’d have any balls.”

He cocked an eyebrow.

“No, I didn’t mean…I meant…well, no need for fancy gowns or dresses.” Mortified clear down to her toes, she hoped the platform would just open up and swallow her now. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. I do that when I’m nervous.”

“Do I make you nervous, Rosie?” His deep baritone swept over her, caressing her, soothing her.

“Yes. No.” She shook her head hoping to jiggle something sensible loose. “It’s the situation which makes me nervous.”

He nodded knowingly. “The wedding ceremony. Well, that is one thing you don’t have to worry about anymore. We’re going to the preacher’s house now to get it done.”

Rosie was surprised. Shocked was more like it. “Now? I mean I thought we might talk a while. Take a couple of days….”

“No time for that. I have to get back to the ranch. We’ll stay tonight at Peabody’s Boarding House. The owner, Mary Peabody, is a friend of mine. The rooms are always clean and she serves the best food in town. I always stay there, if she has an opening, when I come to town. Tomorrow, we’ll go pick up my kids from the McKenzie’s and head to the ranch. By the time we get home you’ll barely have time to cook supper before it’s dark and time to put Ben and Suzie to bed.”

Rosie had hoped they’d have some time to get to know each other before they got married. Heck, she’d have been happy with a bath before her wedding. She understood she couldn’t go live at his ranch without being married to him. It would be unseemly. Her reputation would be in shambles and who would want to marry a woman with a bad reputation? Especially if you had children. It would rub off on you but more importantly, on them. So an immediate marriage was necessary. She understood all of that but it didn’t change what she wished for.

“You can cook. Can’t you? In your letters you said you were a good cook.”

She nodded her head. “I am a good cook. I’ve never had a complaint.”

“Good. Glad to hear it. Shall we go?”

She took a deep breath, scared out of her wits she was making a mistake. “Yes. I suppose we should.”

They walked to the waiting buckboard. He put her bags in the back and then helped her up on to it for the trip to the preachers. She was much relieved to see that his horses were well cared for.

*****
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This is a Sneak Peek of book 2 in The Swords of Gregara series, RIZA.  The first book was The Swords of Gregara – JENALA.  I hope you enjoy this little peek into my newest book.   If you leave me a comment I’ll put your name in a drawing for a paperback copy of Centauri Dawn.  The first book in my Centauri Series – Cynthia Woolf

CHAPTER 1

“Ow!  Are you trying to kill me, Doc?”

The man was understandably nervous, but he had to allow her to set his leg.  She knew he was in a lot of pain.  The bone stuck out through the skin and he had lost a lot of blood, but he needed to relax so she could set the leg.

“I haven’t even started yet.  Stop being a baby.  Here we go.  You’ll feel a little pinch in your neck, then count backwards from one hundred.”

“Ouch!  Little pinch!”

“Count, now!”

“One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety….”

“Finally.”  Riza worked quickly, not sure just how long he would stay out.  She opened his leg, surgically implanted two kalcion rods and several screws to secure them to the bones.  It would have been so much easier with a med-tech unit.  But there were none on Gregara.  They weren’t allowed.  There were many things on the other civilized planets that weren’t allowed here, like blasters, but for some reason blasters always seemed to make it through the customs process.  In Ruciem it seemed that as many people carried blasters as carried the traditional kalcion sword.

Most of the planet preferred to keep their customs, barbaric as they were.  They used swords, not blasters and preferred the body to heal itself without help from technology.  It made her work much more difficult.  A broken leg like this one could have been healed in a few hours in a med-tech unit.

She stitched everything closed.  Doing surgeries like this one allowed her to keep her skills sharp.  It may not be necessary, but this man would have the smallest stitches ever put on a leg repair.  Her skills as a plastic surgeon might not be usable here, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t keep her stitching up to par.

With her patient now awake and groggy, Riza went to talk to the next of kin.  There was only one man in the waiting room.  An extremely attractive man, if you liked handsome in a rugged sort of way.  He hadn’t shaved recently and his inky black hair was on the long side, tied back with a leather strap.  It suited him.

He stood as she approached.  Well over six feet tall, he towered over her own five feet, ten inch height.

“Mr. Remaul?” she said holding out her hand.

“Yes.”   His hand engulfed hers.

“I’m Riza Lamrona.”

“Doctor.  How is Tarin?”

“He’ll be fine, but he’s going to have to stay in bed for a week or so before he’s ready to travel.  I want to make sure the bones start to mend properly.  Can you arrange that?”

“Of course.  We have rooms at Wardson’s Bedstay.”

She nodded.  “I wish there was a hospital here.  A med-tech unit would be even better but….”

“I guess they don’t think they need one.”

“Well, he will heal fine, but it could be so much faster and better.  You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No.  I came from Alerkan a couple of years ago.  And you, where are you from?”

“I’m from many places.  Alerkan is one of them.”  Riza retreated to her work.  She didn’t want to make small talk.  Her secrets were too dangerous.  “Here are some pills to help with the pain.  Have Tarin take them.  Don’t let him try to ‘tough’ it out.  Sarina Wardson is used to my sending her patients to care for.  I’ll check on him in the morning.”

“What time do you want him here?”

“Oh, I’m staying with Sarina myself until I find a place of my own.  I’ll come by before I head to work.”

“Good.”

“Yes.  Um. Well.  It was nice to meet you.”  Riza wasn’t usually tongue-tied but she seemed to be with this man.

“You, too.  Perhaps, since you are staying at Wardson’s, I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

“Unless I get an emergency call, you can count on it.”

Darick was struck with the seemingly plain woman with the amazing blue eyes.  The little doctor thought she could hide behind her tight braid and glasses.  She was wrong.  There was no hiding her soft brown hair or clear blue eyes.  Eyes so pale a blue you could see the black rim around the iris.  Hair with natural blond and red highlights, so it looked like a flash of fire running through it.

Or her sexy body.  He shouldn’t be interested.  Should let her keep her secrets.  He had secrets of his own, but his past kicked in and suddenly he was the Star Patrol lead detective again, digging into the past of a suspect.

There was something about the doctor that was familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.  Dr. Riza Lamrona was in hiding.  And not doing a very good job at it.  Perhaps at dinner, the picture would become clearer.

*****

Riza took extra care before going down to dinner.  Extra care to make sure she looked as plain as possible.  She pulled her hair back into a tight bun.  Put on zero makeup, leaving her complexion pale with no lip color.

She wore her shirt buttoned to the top, with a short brown jacket and baggy brown pants.  It was nothing like the beautiful soft jewel toned jumpsuits and short, skin tight dresses she wore in her previous life.  These baggy nondescript clothes would never have been worn by Dr. Meriza Lonettala.  But she wasn’t that person anymore.

She went to dinner hoping to see Mr. Remaul and at the same time terrified she would.  If Sarina didn’t made such a fuss when she missed dinner, she might have skipped.  Then again, her curiosity was in high gear.  She didn’t want to miss the opportunity to assuage it.

Darick Remaul was the most attractive man she’d met in years and that was saying something.  He was nothing like the men she’d known on Centauri or Alerkan and he was as different as night and day to those she’d met since coming to Gregara a year ago.

He was strong, manly but not oppressive.  It was clear, at least to her, that he was a protector.  It didn’t really matter.  When his friend was cleared for travel, Darick would be gone and she’d never see him again.

Wardson’s was full.  There were ten rooms so it was small enough that Sarina could run it with only two employees.  A maid and the finest chef in all of Ruciem.

Riza arrived downstairs before the rest of the guests.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked Sarina.

Sarina Wardson had become Riza’s friend, not just her landlady.  Riza was her only long term guest and after nearly a year there, Riza didn’t feel like a guest anymore.  This felt more like home than any place she’d been.  Safer.

There were a couple of new guests tonight.  In addition to Darick, Tarin and herself, guests included a couple traveling through on their way to Sepiwa.  and Santro and Jenala Baltin with their baby Kreston.  It was time for his six month check-up.  Lastly, there were two single men, who said they were miners looking for work.

Darick might be able to help them.  Santro and Jenala elected to keep the Delasa Mine a small operation.  They didn’t want their valley over-run with fortune hunters, trespassers or miners looking for work.  The strike at the mine was kept as quiet as possible, no thanks to Zlaten Vandalar.  Not only did he try to kill Jenala, twice, wounding her both times, but he talked to anyone who would listen and told them anything and everything he knew about the mine.

Fortunately, the only ones he could tell were the other inmates and the jailers on the prison planet, Solara, where he was incarcerated.  Unfortunately for Santro and Jenala, some of those guards believed him and came looking for the mine.  They’d had to post guards of their own at the top of the pass to keep people out of the valley.  Those that got through, ran screaming back home as soon as they ran into Lottie, the snarlot.  She was Jenala’s pet and struck fear into everyone, friend and foe alike.

Lottie was eleven feet of snarling, chirping beast.  Dark brown fur covered her from her pointy, tiny eared, beaked head to her hoofed feet.  She had a whip of a tail covered with hair interspersed with quills.  Get too close and she’d shoot a quill, closer still and she’d snap her tail and take a hand off without having to let loose a single quill.

If her tail wasn’t dangerous enough, her beak was filled with razor sharp teeth that could rip an arm off with one bite.   And to top this all off, the damn thing purred. Very few people knew that a snarlot purrs because very few people cared to make friends with one.  Lottie was an exception.  Snarlots don’t generally make good pets.

Riza still couldn’t get near her.  And the first time she saw Santro and Jenala leave Kreston alone with Lottie, it had scared Riza half to death, but it was the only time she’d heard Lottie purr.  The snarlot doted on little Kreston like he was her own baby.  She’d been ‘parked’ outside Riza’s office while Santro and Jenala unloaded the kalcion bags from her to take to the exchange next door.

The large dinner table they sat at seated twenty, though there weren’t that many tonight.  The miners at the table didn’t know one another.  One was very anxious to find work.  “I have a wife and three children to support.  The last mine I worked at closed down.  If I find work, I can send for them.”

“I’m sorry you’ve had to be separated from your family.  It can’t be easy,” said Riza.

“Thank you.  Hopefully it’s a short separation.”

Riza nodded then turned to the second man.  He was looking, no, staring, at her and she didn’t like it at all.  Uncomfortable, she put her brave face on and started to say something.  He beat her to it.

“What do you do?” he asked of Riza.

“I’m the town doctor.  Actually, I’m the province doctor.”  She said, glad of her disguise.

“No specialty?”

Riza shook her head.  “General medicine.  That’s the only specialty I need out here.”

“Surely there is something you excel at.  Surgery, maybe?”

“There wasn’t much call for surgical specialties when I was in school.  Not with the med-tech units available.”

“So you aren’t from here?”

He knew.  He knew who Riza was.  She’d have to leave again.  Run again.  “No, I’m from Sepiwa originally.”

Darick noticed Riza’s color rise when the second miner started grilling her.  He was not a miner, of that Darick was sure.  He had no calluses on his hands and was too clean.  Real kalcion miners always had a bit of kalcion under their nails.  It was nearly impossible to get out.  He could see it in Santro’s and Jenala’s nails and in those of the other miner at the table, but not in this man’s.  Whether he was law enforcement or private investigator he didn’t know, but he would bet he was a malitin hunter.  Someone had put a malitin on Riza’s head.  The lady doctor was in trouble.  All his instincts went on high alert.

He should stay out of it but he knew he wouldn’t  She tried to hide her fear as well as she hid her beauty–not at all successfully, yet she thought she was doing a great job, with her plain clothes and pulled back hair and glasses.

“You ask a lot of questions, stranger,” said Darick, coming to her rescue.  “How about answering a few?”

The miner narrowed his eyes.  “What do you want to know?”

 *****

Riza went directly from the dining hall to her bedroom.  She packed enough clothes to last a week, including her wheebee fur coat.  It was the softest, warmest thing she owned.  The only remnant of her previous life.  The only necessary item she’d owned.  It would keep her warm in the snow and cold.

She was amazed at how much stuff she’d amassed in such a short time.  From the small things like the earrings from Santro and Jenala, in gratitude for the successful birth of Kreston, to the new wave vision she’d bought just two days ago.  She slid her hand across the top of it.  She’d enjoyed it for the short time she’d owned it.  It was nice to be able to relax in her own room and watch for news on herself.

She’d take the earrings, but the other stuff would be left for Sarina to do with as she wanted.  Maybe her next guests would enjoy it.

She wrote a note to Sarina, thanking her for everything but that her family on Alerkan needed her and she must leave right away.  She left by the back door.

“Going somewhere?” said a deep voice from the shadows.

Riza jumped before she recognized the voice.  “You scared me.  Do you always skulk in the dark waiting for unsuspecting women?”

“No, and you should be scared.  Ragnar Bengat has a 25 million beras malitin on your head.  Why?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Darick grabbed her by the shoulders forcing her to look at him.  “Do you really think you can escape Bengat without help?  Why is he looking for you?  Were you lovers?”

She pulled away from him.  His touched seared her, as if he’d left actual marks on her skin.  It still radiated through her body.  “No.  We were most certainly not lovers.”

“Then why?  You’re not leaving until you tell me, so you might as well start or we’ll be here all night and I know that isn’t what you want.”

Riza backed away from him.  He followed her, not giving her any distance between them.  She briefly wondered if he felt the attraction that she did.  “It’s really none of your business Mr. Remaul.  Now, if you’d please let me go, I’ll be on my way.”

“I told you doctor.  I know who you are.  I remember seeing you on the wave.  Even under all your baggy clothes and glasses I remember what you looked like.”

“No.  That’s not possible.”

“Not for the average person, no it isn’t.  But I’m not your average person.  My background in law enforcement taught me to look below the surface.  So now,” he backed away a little, giving her some room.  “Do you want to tell me what this is all about?”

Riza held back a sob.  It had been so long since she’d been able to confide in anyone and now was as good a time as any.  With malatin hunters right here, Darick Remaul might be her only hope of escape.  “All right I’ll tell you what you want to know.  It doesn’t matter now.  If you turn me in or the other man does.  Bengat will have what he wants.  Me.”

One lucky commenter will win a coupon from Smashwords for a free copy of The Swords of Gregara – Jenala.  Be sure and leave a comment or question.

Swords clashed.  Jenala Delasa fought savagely for her life against the man who would dare try to get her kalcion mine.  And claim her.  The bastard Zlaten Vandalar.  The man she believed murdered her father five months ago.  He attacked her with the intention of kidnapping and raping her, giving her no choice but to be claimed under the law.  She’d fall on her own sword before she’d allow him to claim her.

A passerby, heard the gray metal swords clanging off of each other, sparks flying, and her shouts of rage, as he rushed to watch the spectacle.  Jenala dared him a quick glance when he yelled and ran toward them.  Momentarily startled, she missed her jab.  Zlaten sidestepped, turned and flayed open her back from the left shoulder to the bottom of her ribcage on the right side.  Jenala fell to the ground.  Zlaten looked up at the stranger approaching and visibly paled.  He sneered at her as he ran a finger through her blood as it dripped from the tip of his sword.  “You’re not fit now.  I’ll come when you’re healed then you’ll be mine.”   He looked up at the stranger getting closer, turned and ran.

The stranger came to her, her sword still tightly gripped in her right hand.  She’d dropped to her knees, but never released her sword.  She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth from where she’d bitten her tongue.  She looked up with pain bleary eyes, expecting to see reproach or perhaps opportunity.  If this man decided to claim her as Zlaten had, she could not fight him off but she would try.  Instead she saw compassion.  He removed his shirt and took great care to wrap her back to staunch the flow of blood.  Jenala hissed at the contact, white flashing light blurred her vision.  She knew he tried his best to cause her as little pain as possible.  But it didn’t matter Jenala didn’t know if she could handle the searing pain another moment.  He picked her up and carried her toward town.

“Owww.”  She couldn’t help the moan of pain. “Take me to the nupenian,” she said, her voice little more than a croak.  The only person who could help was Brenton, the town nupenian, who cared for animals.  The quack they had for a doctor would surely kill her and she wasn’t taking the chance.  Brenton could sew her up as well as the doctor could.

There hadn’t been a decent doctor in Rucem, since she was born twenty-seven years ago.  Dr. Nort had retired after delivering every baby, treating every illness and wound in the entire province for the previous forty years.  Rucem was the capital and the largest outpost in the Golong province.  It was a months hard travel to get to the nearest large town with a decent doctor.  The distance was so far, she’d only done it once with her father.

*****

She was laying on her stomach on an examination table looking at someone’s shoes.  Her face was in a cradle and her arms were hanging loose on either side of the narrow table.  The pain was gone.  Brenton must have provided her a pain blocker, thank Krios!  She heard the stranger leave instructions that she was to be taken to the Wardson’s Bed Stay after the wound was fully sealed, though how he knew her accommodations she had no idea.  After the stranger left, Jenala wet her lips and finally asked.  “Well?  How does it look?”  She wiped at her mouth, the blood she tasted dripped on to the floor leaving a small crimson puddle

Here is the Prologue from TAME A WILD WIND. I hip you enjoy it. Be sure and comment. One lucky commenter will win a Smashwords coupon for Tame A Wild Wind.

Cindy

EXCERPT

PROLOGUE

They was about to hang his brother.

Harry’s stomach roiled with nausea. From the alley next to the saloon, he watched the Ranger, Sam Colter, march Frank up the gallows steps. Watched the hangman put a noose around his brother’s neck and ask if he had any last words. Watched, helpless to do a damn thing about it.

It weren’t Frank’s doin’ that Colter’s wife and kids had died in that fire. They’d only wanted to have a bit of fun with the woman, make a little money, that was all. They hadn’t wanted to see her and those girls die. That was never the plan.

Fool woman. If only she’d waited. Her father would have paid the ransom. A bank president could afford it. Instead, she’d broken loose. Thrown that lamp at his head, trying to kill him and killed herself instead.

The fire had been fierce. It moved so fast like the house was made from kindling. He rubbed the puckering skin on his arm, feeling the sting of the flames all over again as his flesh charred. He couldn’t have saved them, not and gotten himself out in time. Harry clenched his fists. It wasn’t his fault. And it wasn’t Frank’s either. It wasn’t. She was to blame. Frank shouldn’t have to die for something she’d done to herself.

He had to stop this from happening. He had to save Frank.

Harry shifted away from the gloom of the alley and his brother looked at him from the gallows; met him square in the eye and shook his head. He didn’t want Harry to die too, trying to save him. He’d always been like that. Always looked out for him. Even when it could have saved his own life, he hadn’t given his little brother up. Swallowing hard, Harry slid back into the shadows, his heart pounding.

Time slowed as the hangman stepped up to the lever and gave it a sharp pull. His brother dropped through the trap door, kicking and struggling, his neck not broke clean. Fear strangled Harry, like he was on the end of the rope, trying to breathe, trying to live. Hot tears tracked down his cheeks and bile rose into his throat as his brother’s face turned purple and then his eyes bulged out, legs thrashing wildly at the air.

This weren’t right. None of it was. Damn Colter. Damn him to hell.
The bile in his throat burned all the way to his stomach. He barely got himself hid behind a pile of old beer barrels before he threw his guts up into the mud. Minutes later, shaking and sweating, Harry wiped the vile stuff from his chin. Fury and grief gripped him, making his chest hurt. His brother was gone. Dead. And Sam Colter was to blame for it.

He forced himself to look at Frank’s body, spinning almost lazily now from the end of the rope. He never wanted to forget what had happened today. He wanted to hold onto the icy hatred settling over him like armor–let it protect him and keep the awful feeling of helplessness away. He wanted revenge.

“I’ll get even for you Frank,” he vowed quietly. “Colter will pay for what he done today. He’ll pay for hangin’ you.”

I will be giving away an ebook copy of Tame A Wild Heart to 2 lucky commenters.  So be sure to leave a comment.

When her concentration was on Zeke and his broken leg, she was fine. Now that it was over, she could let go. She sat back and trembled.

Duncan leaned forward and touched her shoulder. “You all right? You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine.” She grasped her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them.

“Are you?”

“I couldn’t have done it alone. Thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome.”

She hated to admit that she needed help. Especially, his help, but she was glad he’d come when he did. He extended his hand to her.

“Thanks.” Taking a deep breath, she got to her feet and dusted herself off. She was not the vulnerable girl she’d been. She was a woman. A woman determined to make her way in a man’s world. One little stampede wasn’t going to change that.

“We’ll have to make a litter to take him back to the ranch. Even though the supply wagon didn’t break anything when we flipped it back on its wheels, Wildfire doesn’t take to pulling a wagon.”

“Jake can pull the wagon. Tie Wildfire to the back and I’ll drive while you take care of Zeke. Fair enough?”

“Fair enough.”

He harnessed Jake to the wagon and Catherine gathered all the blankets and other soft stuffs to pad it. Together they managed to load Zeke.

As they pulled into the ranch yard several hours later, Catherine’s father, James, slammed out of the house followed by a very pregnant, young blond woman and a little boy.

“Did you find him?” James called as the buckboard pulled to a halt. “Did you find Zeke?”

“We found him. He’s got a broken leg but he’ll be good as new in a few weeks,” Catherine said as she jumped to the ground. “He’s going to need some tender lovin’ care, Sarah.”

Sarah ran to the end of the wagon and clamored up despite her bulk. “Zeke, honey, are you okay?” She knelt beside him, grazed his cheek with her knuckle, while tears rolled in streams down her cheeks.

Tenderly, Zeke wiped the tears from her face. “Here now, we’ll have none of that. I’m going to be fine.”

“Papa! Up!” demanded Jacob.

Duncan set the brake and went around to the back to help lift Zeke from the wagon bed. Instead a curly haired blond boy confronted him, pulling on his pant leg.
“Up Mister. Pease.” Jacob held his arms up for Duncan to lift him.

Duncan didn’t want to lift the sweet child. He didn’t want to hold this tiny body in his arms for even a moment, but it looked like he had no choice. Catherine, the only one near enough to do it, just stood there with her hands on her hips, and a grin on her face, waiting.

This small child was not going to defeat him. He’d faced desperate men, men willing to kill to save themselves from Duncan McKenzie, bounty hunter. None of them frightened him as much as this one little boy, who couldn’t be more than two or three. All Duncan had to do was bend down and lift the child, but his knees shook and he could feel himself quiver inside.

“Oh for goodness sake, Duncan, just lift him up so he can see his Papa is all right.” Catherine knew. He didn’t know how she knew, but she did. His only real weakness…children.

Getting a grip on himself, he bent and hoisted the anxious little boy up and over the wagon’s gate. He was light as a feather, so tiny…so innocent.

Catherine was beside him. “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

He didn’t miss the laughter in her sparkling silver gaze or the smile formed by her perfect rosebud lips. Without answering he stalked toward the house and the front door.

Duncan closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. He could still smell the fresh bread that Alice baked that morning. He glanced around the foyer, glad to see it hadn’t changed. Directly in front of him stairs led to the second floor and the bedrooms. Down the hall to the right of the stairway were James’ study and a storeroom. The formal parlor, which still looked like it hadn’t been used, was to his left. The Queen Anne chairs and overstuffed divan looked as new as when he’d helped James haul them in.

Beyond the parlor was the formal dining room. A massive oak table and chairs dominated it, in stark contrast to the lace curtains covering the windows. They hadn’t used when he’d lived there, preferring instead the comfort of the kitchen.

Duncan shook the memories from his head, turned and started for the storeroom where he heard James muttering expletives.

“Dagnabit,” James said, “I’ve got a canvas stretcher here I got for just such an emergency, if I could just get it out from behind these steamer trunks.”

“Here, let me help.” Duncan quickly moved the trunks and freed the stretcher.

“Good to see you, Son. You’ve come at the perfect time.”

“To help with this maybe,” he said, lifting the stretcher and following James out. “But not soon enough to keep this incident from happening or keep your daughter from jumping down my back for being late.”

“Things happen for a reason, Son. You’ve got to find the reason.”

This is an excerpt from the second book in the Centauri Series.  I’m giving away a copy of the ebook for two lucky commentors, so be sure and leave a comment.

EXCERPT

It was so nice to be able to talk to someone again. Garrick had always been a good listener, she just never realized he was such a handsome listener. It was almost enough to make her tongue tied. What she wouldn’t give to be using her tongue on a certain part of his anatomy. Good grief, Kiti, what has gotten in to you?

“Why do you say that?” Garrick’s deep baritone brought her out of her reverie and back to the conversation. If Garrick noticed her lapse he didn’t mention it.
“Everything I’ve read indicates the Zolthorians are an honorable people. Honor above all. That wouldn’t fit with Tybold, who as we know has no honor. Tybold will have tried to gain their trust though. He can appear to have honor when it suits him and they control the largest of the known kalcion deposits.”

“I knew it was a good idea to bring you with us,” Garrick said with a huge smile. “Kiti, you’ve provided us with more information than we could have gathered through a month of observation alone.”

“Thank you,” Kiti felt heat rise to her cheeks at the unexpected praise. “But my only reason for coming on this mission is to apprehend Tybold. He’s got to pay for what he did.”

“I agree.” Garrick changed the subject to something more palatable. Food. “What do we have for dinner? Can we talk about things other than the mission? I’ll never be able to digest my food if we don’t.”

“Sure. Though you may have to remind me. When it comes to Joridan and making Tybold pay, I tend to be single-minded.”

Kiti led the way to the small, square dining table. She’d put the roses in a large glass container in the center of the table and stopped to sniff their sweet fragrance again. She couldn’t seem to get enough of it. “I thought we’d try one of Audra’s favorite meals. Her mother Maggie’s recipes are in the computer and the food synthesizer can create it up for us. It’s called “chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy.”

They looked at each other and shrugged. Both of them had tried some of the recipes Maggie had brought back from Earth. This was a new one.

After they’d eaten their fill of the delicious gravy covered, deep fried meat and mashed potatoes, Garrick put his fork down. “That’s not bad. I think Maggie could teach the palace chefs a thing or two.”

“I’m sure Audra has them doing just that. Especially now with her pregnancy she’s been hungry for all sorts of things that aren’t Centauri foods. A great favorite of hers is pickles and ice cream.” Kiti made a face. “I like both, but not together.”

They laughed, shared some stories about their friends and finished the bottle of noskberry wine. By the time Garrick got up to leave, Kiti felt a little tipsy and a whole lot horny. It’d been a long time since she’d had sex.

So when Garrick leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, she turned her head and caught him on the lips. He moved to pull away, seemingly surprised by her boldness, but she would have none of it. She grabbed the back of his head and brought his lips back to hers. Garrick gave up his resistance and kissed her deeply before he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

“Kiti. We can’t. I don’t want to be rebound sex for you.”

She pulled away from him, stung by the truth of his words. “I’m sorry, Garrick. I…I don’t know what got into me.”

He caressed her cheek with his knuckle. “Don’t mistake my reluctance as rejection. I very much want to make love to you. But when I do,” he took that same knuckle and lifted her chin until she looked him direct in the eyes, “it will be because you want to make new memories, not forget old hurts.” With that he kissed her hard and left. His scent remained and her body ached.

Kiti reeled. Garrick wanted her for more than just a tumble between the sheets. He knew about Anton and didn’t seem to mind. Did he really care for her? Could he love her? That kind of thing just didn’t happen. At least not to her.

Everyone assumed she’d been devastated when Anton and Lara announced their marriage. In fact, she’d been relieved. What did it say about her? Had she been with Anton only because he was convenient, because he was familiar? She supposed many successful marriages were based on those traits. But she wanted more.

She wanted it all.

The kiss Garrick gave her hinted at the “more”. Was it possible the love of her life had been this close all the time and she’d been too blind to see him? Or was he only a rebound? Was she reading more into his words than he meant? Was all this just the wine talking? She wished she knew.

Damn!! What the hell was he waiting for?

This is an excerpt from the first chapter of my book Centauri Dawn.  I will be giving a copy of the paperback or an ebook, to one commentor.  So be sure and leave a comment.

Chapter 1

Always the same dream. He called to her. “Princess Dayanara.” His voice was like rich, silky caramel, floating down her mound of ice cream. It did strange things to her insides. She yearned to hear him say her name again and again.

It was so hot and he was so sexy. Hot. God, she was hot. She kicked the blanket off her leg. But he was just a dream. A fantasy.

Something…someone…touched her leg. This wasn’t a dream! The hand she felt hot against her skin was real. She jolted awake. The warmth she felt in her dream turned to a cold sweat.

A man stood beside her bed. Not just any man, but the man from her dreams. Tall, dark, with chiseled features. Handsome with broad shoulders and abs to die for. His face came into focus and his gaze captured hers. Color of the deepest ocean, so blue as to seem almost black in the faint light that surrounded him, she struggled to look away.

Sitting bolt upright, she screamed, then scrambled backward over and off the bed, landing with a thump. She hit her back and shoulder.

The man leaned over the bed, his large size looming down over her, blocking the light from the window.

She scrambled backward, struggling to get to her feet.

“Are you injured?” His voice washed over her. He sounded familiar, like she should know him, but she didn’t.

He came around the bed and she bounded over it to the other side. As he closed on her she glanced quickly around and looked for a weapon, any weapon. Her hand landed on a small pink lamp. It had sat next to her bed since she was five, keeping her safe from the boogeyman. She grabbed it, pulling the cord from the wall and held it in front of her like a sword. “Who the hell are you? Get out of here before I call the police.” Her voice was rough from sleep, edgy from fear

He moved closer to her, reaching out a hand. Not with malice, but with something else. Concern? “Princess you’re going to hurt someone. May I assist you?” he asked, chivalrous.

Princess. He must be a nutcase.

She yanked at the straps of her gown, resettling them on her shoulders and pulling the bottom down as far as it would go but it was too short to cover much.
“Stop.” Her voice shook, though she tried to steady it. “Don’t come any closer.”

“You must listen. You must come with me.”

She screamed at the top of her lungs. “Help! Help! Help!” What was wrong with the people in this building? Were they all deaf?

“Princess.” His voice washed over her like warm chocolate, comforting her. That wasn’t right. Why wasn’t he attacking her? The soothing voice didn’t stop her. He was a stranger. In her bedroom. “Help! Help!” she screamed, keeping the pink lamp aimed at him.

She lunged across the bed, reaching for the telephone.

“Now, Princess, please calm down.” He reached for the phone, and ripped it from the wall. “I mean you no harm, but we must talk and there is little time.” He fell to one knee, bowing in front of her.

Her eyes wide, she swung the pink lamp at him at him. He deflected the blow with his forearm as he stood, denting the lampshade in the process.

“Princess. Someone is going to get hurt if you do not allow me to speak.” He wrestled the mangled lamp from her. “Hear what I have to say. Please,” he implored. “You must return home. Immediately.”

“Help! Somebody help me!” Screaming, she kicked out at him with her foot, tried to take his head off but her skills were no match for his. He blocked her kick with one arm, grabbed her leg with both his hands, flipped her completely around and back on to the bed.

“No one can hear you. Stop screaming.” His voice never rose. He sounded…exasperated.

Somewhat reassured that he didn’t attack, Audra stopped to catch her breath. Breathing hard, she rolled to her back, the sheet cool beneath her and eyed him from top to bottom. “You look like you just came from a Star Trek convention.” And just like the man in my dream.

Could it be?

“Yes, I have trekked across the stars in search of you, Princess.” His words were odd, clipped, very formal, as though learned from a book.

“What are you talking about?” This man, dream or not, was in her bedroom and she couldn’t imagine how in the world he got in there.

He held out his hand to help her up but she swatted it away.

“Who are you? Really? How did you get in here and…and who are you?” She lunged for the lamp in his hands.

Placing the lamp out of her reach, he said. “I am Coridian, brother of your betrothed. I am here to escort you home.”

“Betrothed? You’ve escaped from the asylum, haven’t you? You’re some kind of nut and…”

“My lady, I am not an escapee from an asylum, and I am not a pecan.”

“Then, why do you keep spouting nonsense? I’m not a princess!”

“May I rise? I’ll explain–.”

She shook her head and backed up a step. “You–”

He held up his hand to stop her. “Then you can ask your questions.”

“You–you stay right where you are.”

In the next instant, she grabbed the hairspray can from her dressing table, threw it at his head and bolted for the door. He leapt forward and caught her before she’d taken two steps, slamming her up against his chest, trapping her there within his arms. The lamp crashed to the floor, shattered.

Kicking wildly, Audra connected with his groin. His knees buckled, but he was quick to recover and never loosened his hold on her. Her heart raced as she twisted, freed an arm, and slammed the heel of her hand into his face. If he hadn’t turned, she would have broken his nose. Her strike was solid enough though, she heard him groan in pain before he released her.

Triumphant, she spun around, connecting her right foot with his solar plexus, knocking the wind from him. Now on the attack she switched feet and with her left foot, launched him backward, sending him landing on his back. Regaining her balance before he did, she straddled his chest, her knees and feet trapping his arms. “Now. Tell me what I want to know or I’ll make sure you don’t see another day.”