Welcome back to Medieval Monday! Our “First Kiss” theme continues, and this week, I’m excited to have Barbara Bettis here! We’re featuring a book from her Knights of Destiny series: The Lady of the Forest. I loved this story, and if you like medieval romance, you will too.

For anyone following my excerpt from Return of the Raven, you’ll find Snippet #9 on Barbara’s blog. Remember, there are links to all the participating authors’ snippets at Medieval Romance Lovers on Facebook. (#MedMonSpring21)

Now, let’s enjoy Barbara’s ninth snippet:

Kate froze at Henry’s words and felt the hard shape of his desire wane. Then she realized: She must have landed on his old wounds. She didn’t know whether to feel guilt for lingering on his warm, solid muscles, or offense at his outrageous behavior. Just as he grasped her arms to relieve the pressure of her elbows, she felt him tremble.

I’ve truly hurt him. Her residual desire evaporated, and heat shot through her cheeks, twin brands of shame. She’s acted the wanton, responding to his brief kiss with a hunger that shocked her, and now she’d caused him pain.

Humiliation seared a path in her nose. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she made to move—and realized just what that rumble meant. He was laughing, the beast.

A little more about The Lady of the Forest:

When her elderly husband dies, Lady Katherine fakes her own death and disappears into the forest with others escaping the brutish new lord. Determined to protect her people, she knocks the wrong man senseless. But Lord Henry isn’t an enemy, he’s the brother of her childhood friend. Although his tender confidence tempts her, she’s bound by duty.

Henry of Chauvere has found the one lady he wants for his own, never mind she’s tied him hand and foot. When he learns the king has ordered her to wed Stonehill’s ruthless new master, he insists Kate seek haven with his sister. But she won’t desert her friends. Henry vows to solve her problem, provided he catches a traitor before the threat from Kate’s past catches her.

When a daring rescue compels Henry and Kate to join forces, their attraction grows into love. If only duty didn’t drive them apart.

Buy the book on Amazon!

That’s all for this Medieval Monday. See you next week!  🙂