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Siren BookStrand
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Category:
Romance
Publisher: Siren BookStrand
Type: Fiction
Pages: 197
Copyright: July 2, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781627400244
Price: $0.99 (eBook)
Fearing for her virtue, if not her life, Ashley Clayton awakens in a dilapidated cabin clad only in a threadbare blanket, secured in the arms of a rugged, powerful stranger. Instead of attempting to flee, she is transfixed by the hypnotic eyes of the savagely handsome Shane Cordell, who has no intention of letting the copper haired beauty out of his sight. Little does she know that the real risk she faces is losing her heart.
Untamed Heart is a Historical Romance set in the west after the
Civil War. It's a love story between a rugged loner, Shane Cordell
and an independent beauty, Ashley Clayton. She loves him even if
he can't or simply won't be tamed. He has demons from his past,
including a murder charge hanging over his head, so he believes
love and family will never be in his future. The reader travels with
these lovers' through intense desire and dreadful despair and
everything in between.
Excerpt
Ashley could tell from Shane’s even breathing that he was still asleep. She hated to think of separating herself from him but decided to get up, stoke the fire, and put on some coffee.
Gingerly moving his arm that was carelessly thrown over her hip, she carefully scooted out of the bedroll, washed up as thoroughly as possible with the water that had been brought in the night before and quickly retrieved her clothing that she had so easily been separated from last night.
The feelings that were still swirling around her were more than physical feelings. They were so much more. She knew a man didn’t need deeper feelings to be intimate with a woman, or many women, for that matter. She should have controlled herself, shouldn’t she? But how? She had no more control over those feelings than a river rushing downhill. No! She would not feel guilty! She didn’t regret one moment of it. She was past the age when most women lost their virginity…most women her age had children. Yes, but they had lost their virginity within the marriage bed to a man who had promised to love, honor and cherish them in front of a priest and witnesses.
She was taken quite unawares as she noticed the dried blood on her thighs. She couldn’t exactly explain why. It certainly wasn’t unexpected, after all, she knew the way of things. It must be seeing the actual proof of her lost virginity that surprised her. The emotion of it all and the feelings that welled up within her at the sight of him were overwhelming as well. His face in sleep looked like an innocent boy, but as her eyes traveled over the length of him, a child was the last thing that came to mind. He had magnificent muscles over the entire length of his body, and the male part of him was imposing, like a stallion. That comparison made her blush, as she stared unblinking. Looking at him now, she was surprised that she was able to take him inside of her with no more pain than was experienced. She hated to admit it, but that was probably due to his skill in the art of making love. Well of course he is experienced. What did she expect, a bumbling schoolboy? Just look at him! She was sure, now more than ever, that he would have no trouble convincing many women to abandon everything for him. Smiling, she stoked the fire until it was blazing again. The aroma of the coffee was making her stomach growl and she hummed a tune as she worked.
Shane slowly awakened to his surroundings when he smelled coffee and heard a light tune sung by a voice as sweet as a canary. He had a smile on his face until all the thoughts of the previous night came flooding back. Oh, it had been wonderful all right, but at what price? For her, the price had been enormous!
Ashley became aware of Shane looking at her and rewarded him with a radiant smile.
That smile was indeed his undoing.
She said happily, “Good morning, sleepy head.”
He looked at her and couldn’t think of anything to say that would come close to what he was feeling. He muttered softly, “I’m sorry, Ashley.”
She thought she would burst! Of all the words in the English language, he couldn’t have come up with two worse ones! The smile fled her face and she couldn’t hold back the bite of sarcasm. “You couldn’t have thought of two…wronger…I mean more wrong…Oh!
Two words that could be more wrong!” she spat out. “Let me assure you, Mr. Cordell, that you have nothing
whatsoever to be sorry about.
As I’m sure you know, your performance was splendid. You have been told that before, many times, yes?”
“Ashley…”
“No no, let me finish!” The words were spilling out. “I may not be as experienced as you obviously are. However, I do know that, with
the exception of rape, it takes two to accomplish what we accomplished last night and I can’t imagine anyone would be stupid enough or blind enough to mistake what happened last night for
rape!”
“But,” he interrupted, “I took advantage—”
She didn’t let him finish. “Do I look like a simpleton to you?”
“No, of course not.” He tried to keep his tone even.
“Then don’t for a minute think that I did not know what was transpiring between us. And don’t for another minute think you are obligated to me for anything other than to find Dante, which you have already agreed to do!”
“I can’t help but feel guilty, I have never taken a virgin—”
She interrupted again furiously. “Taken! You took nothing! It was
mine to give. And I knew exactly what I was doing.” She couldn’t help the tears that welled up and started to slip down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry…” He tried to go on, but she turned her back to him.
“If I hear those two words coming from your lips ever again, I
will slap them right off your face, do you hear me?”
“Loud and clear.” He said nothing else. He rose and put his breeches on without a shade of modesty, as if being completely naked in front of a woman happened every day of the week.
She thought, “Well, it probably does!”
She wanted to slap him and take him in her arms all at the same time. Oh it was all so infuriating! Instead, she turned away and busied herself preparing breakfast. Well, what did she expect after all, a vow of everlasting love, a marriage proposal perhaps? How absurd! She just wanted those warm feelings from last night to return and these
tense feelings to be gone. She turned around with a completely different expression on her face, determined. “It’s my turn to propose a truce. Breakfast is just about ready and I’m starving! I would like to sit down and enjoy it, if you don’t mind.” Hard as she tried, she couldn’t erase all the bite from her words.
“I agree wholeheartedly. I never could enjoy a meal while fending off lances being thrown my way.” There was a hint of a smile on his face.
The tension was broken somewhat and she hoped they could turn the morning around to be a little more of what she had hoped for when she awoke, so sated from the night before and so hopeful for the
day to come.
Shane couldn’t help but stare at her throughout the meal. She was so beautiful, innocent and fiery all at the same time. The thought of how she had responded to him the night before was making him exceedingly uncomfortable again. He had never been so out of control before…at least not since he was a boy.
She did notice that he was looking at her somewhat curiously. She hadn’t forgotten her virginity had been lost last night and she had told him she was a widow. Those facts didn’t add up. It was almost as if he could read her mind.
“Ashley, how…why were you still…uh…”
“Virgin? Is that the word you’re having such trouble with?”
“I know it’s none of my business, but I can’t imagine a man having you as his wife and being able to stay away from you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, even if it wasn’t meant as one,”
she stated firmly.
“Yes, it is a compliment and it was meant as one.” She couldn’t stop the blush that flooded her cheeks. She was
remembering her wild abandon the previous night. “Well,” she continued, “we were married in somewhat of a rush while he was passing through from one battle to another and by the time I saw him again…well, the war, you know what can happen.” She paused meaningfully. She saw that Shane was getting the gist of her explanation, and for some reason, she felt guiltier about maligning
Terrence’s manhood than lying about her marital status to him. She subtly looked away and thought to herself, "Please forgive me, Terry."
Shane looked a bit stricken and started to speak, but Ashley stopped him by saying, “If you were going to say, I’m sorry, I would rethink those words if I were you.”
She couldn’t help but smile just a little.
He also cracked a smile and said, “Yes, I remember something about getting slapped, if memory serves.”
“Your memory serves you well, indeed.”
They both laughed lightly at the same time, finally breaking the tension. They continued their meal, somewhat comfortable with one another, at least for the time being. Shane wanted to say something a hundred times over, but didn’t speak, as it seemed there was too much to say and nothing at all.
He finished his meal and started the packing ritual that signaled he was ready to leave, with no further comment. His face was stoic and expressionless.
She felt that perhaps to him, the whole matter was forgotten. Maybe it should be, maybe she should try to act as if nothing happened here. It would take a good deal of acting on her part, of that
she had no doubt.
His stoic expression outside belied the clashing of emotions inside. If he did the right thing, he would…marry her? The fear of the word somehow seemed worse than the actual idea of it. He had
always spurned any ideas of marriage and family, for himself anyway. It had always seemed so impossible! Every time he looked at her, guilt ate away at him. Was guilt the only feeling? At this point, he didn’t know a damn thing. He decided, at least for the time being, that he would concentrate on the task at hand, and only the task at hand! Finding that stallion seemed even more important now. What the hell kind of thoughts were rolling around in his fool head anyway? He needed to finish this job and get the hell out of here. He couldn’t afford to get involved with a woman, knowing what was waiting for
him, from his past, in his future.
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