Excerpt-Her Captain's Honor

 I hope you've had the chance to check out Nadia and James's Smuggler's Captain. I love their story, and hope you do, too! I'm heavy into initial edits for book 2, which picks up only a few weeks after Smuggler's Captain ends. Don't worry, this book (as all my stories!) has a happy ending. I just don't write anything else!

Here's an excerpt from Her Captain's Honor. Working on the cover and finishing up the story now! Hopefully for an August release. This is the first page from chapter 1, which isn't necessarily the finalized first page.

London, England
January 1797

 

Captain James St. Clair nuzzled his lover’s neck. The warm, soft spot by her shoulder, that smelled of lavender and hope.

“Good morning,” Nadia Koltsova whispered, and he could hear the smile in her sleepy voice.

“The sun’s not yet up.” He slipped her chemise from her shoulder and kissed her bare skin. “It can’t be morning.”

Nadia laughed, a low enticing sound that made him want to stay in bed with her all day. All the days. Who needed to work? The duke could surely survive another day without his reports.

“Open the curtains,” Nadia requested, rolling in his arms and sliding her fingers along his spine. “Fiona should be here shortly.”

James had no idea how she knew when her lady’s maid would arrive, but quickly did as requested. Stepping into the chilly bedroom air, he flung open the curtains to show the still darkened landscape below.

“See?” He climbed back into bed, ignoring the banked fire, and kissed her slowly. “The sun is not yet risen.”

“Hmm.” But Nadia didn’t turn to look outside, nor did she contest his statement. She slid her leg along his, the warm wool of her stocking covering her own legs.

Breaking the kiss, James looked to the windows and another day. They only had so many together and each dawn shadowed the next. He’d soon be recalled to the army, and—then what? He had no idea, the future was so uncertain.

France continued to amass troops and demand concessions from its neighbors. James knew it was merely a matter of time before Britain was again at war on the Continent.

“You’re thinking loud enough to wake the entire house.” Nadia pressed her lips to his and brushed her fingertips over his brow. “We still have time.”

“Aye.” He wasn’t entirely certain he agreed there, but settled against the pillows and gathered her into his arms.

On the bedside table lay her kindjal, a wicked looking double-edged knife. It caught his eye, as it often did, and James used it as an excuse to change the subject.

“Where did you get your dagger?”

Nadia pulled back and blinked in the still darkened room. Then she laughed, a soft sound, and rested her head against his chest. “We’ve known each other less than a month, I cannot share all my secrets.”