Radegunde’s lips parted in shock and her heart skipped with delight. Truly? Their thoughts were as one?
Before she could hope overmuch, Duncan cast her a quick glance that might have been conspiratorial. Aye, she saw his argument. A man like this would never believe that a woman had any right to be unmolested much less to choose her lover. He would only abandon her if he believed she was already claimed by another.
Radegunde said naught.
For the moment.
Her heart skipped a beat at just the possibility of there being truth in Duncan’s words.
“She came to meet me,” the villain insisted.
“She came to meet me,” Duncan corrected. “As arranged.”
The man’s eyes had widened at Duncan’s words, but they widened yet more when Duncan cut a fine line across his throat.
“I would advise you not to touch what is mine,” Duncan murmured as he moved the knife with infinite slowness. His blade must have been sharp. The wound was not deep yet it bled readily, leaving a line of red drops across the assailant’s flesh.
It was clear that the lout had lost all his courage for he begged incoherently for mercy.
“If you so much as look at her again, you will taste my blade truly,” Duncan vowed, danger in his tone. The other man nodded slightly, then Duncan stood. He looked down at the fallen villain, who caught his breath and glared at Radegunde.
Duncan kicked him in the groin again, then heaved him back into the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.
Radegunde wanted to cheer. That fiend would molest no other woman this night. Duncan strode to Radegunde, his eyes glinting with such satisfaction that her heart thundered. He wiped the blade of his knife upon his tabard, put it into the scabbard and offered his hand to her.
“Well met, lass,” he said in loud voice. “I am glad that you came to me this night.”
“As am I,” Radegunde agreed, though she did not speak for the benefit of the fallen man. She placed Duncan’s hand upon her waist and closed the distance between him, seeing surprise light his eyes. “I thank you for your aid,” she whispered, then stretched to her toes and kissed him full on the lips.
This night, she would have her every desire.
It would have to suffice for the rest of her days and nights.
This night, she would have Duncan MacDonald.
Radegunde tasted Duncan’s surprise and wished she possessed the skill of the courtesan Christina to entice a man. Enthusiasm would have to suffice. She locked her hands in Duncan’s hair, leaned against him and slanted her mouth over his.
When he froze, she feared that he would deny her touch and step away. She feared that he truly desired only Christina and that her charms were insufficient. But then he made a sound in his throat not unlike a growl of satisfaction, caught her close, and kissed her deeply. Radegunde’s heart thundered with pleasure.
Duncan’s kiss was fine, more splendid even than she had hoped, which was saying a great deal indeed.
* * *
The Crusader’s Handfast
Available Now!
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About the Author
Deborah Cooke sold her first book in 1992, a medieval romance called Romance of the Rose published under her pseudonym Claire Delacroix. Since then, she has published over fifty novels in a wide variety of sub-genres, including historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, time-travel romance, women’s fiction, paranormal young adult and fantasy with romantic elements. She has published under the names Claire Delacroix, Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. The Beauty, part of her successful Bride Quest series of historical romances, was her first title to land on the New York Times List of Bestselling Books. Her books routinely appear on other bestseller lists and have won numerous awards. In 2009, she was the writer-in-residence at the Toronto Public Library, the first time the library has hosted a residency focused on the romance genre. In 2012, she was honored to receive the Romance Writers of America’s Mentor of the Year Award.
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Currently, she writes paranormal romances featuring dragon shape shifter heroes under the name Deborah Cooke. She also writes medieval romances as Claire Delacroix. Deborah lives in Canada with her husband and family, as well as far too many unfinished knitting projects.
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Visit Deborah’s Website and Blog
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Subscribe to Deborah’s Monthly Newsletter
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More Books by the Author
Books by Claire Delacroix
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ONCE UPON A KISS
THE LAST HIGHLANDER
THE MOONSTONE
LOVE POTION #9
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Historical Romances
ROMANCE OF THE ROSE
HONEYED LIES
UNICORN BRIDE
THE SORCERESS
ROARKE’S FOLLY
PEARL BEYOND PRICE
THE MAGICIAN’S QUEST
UNICORN VENGEANCE
MY LADY’S CHAMPION
ENCHANTED
MY LADY’S DESIRE
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The Bride Quest I
THE PRINCESS
THE DAMSEL
THE HEIRESS
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The Bride Quest II
THE COUNTESS
THE BEAUTY
THE TEMPTRESS
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The Rogues of Ravensmuir
THE ROGUE
THE SCOUNDREL
THE WARRIOR
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The Jewels of Kinfairlie
THE BEAUTY BRIDE
THE ROSE RED BRIDE
The Ballad of Rosamunde
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The True Love Brides
THE RENEGADE’S HEART
THE HIGHLANDER’S CURSE
THE FROST MAIDEN’S KISS
THE WARRIOR’S PRIZE
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The Champions of St. Euphemia
THE CRUSADER’S BRIDE
THE CRUSADER’S HEART
THE CRUSADER’S KISS
THE CRUSADER’S VOW
THE CRUSADER’S HANDFAST
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Short Stories and Novellas
BEGUILED
An Elegy for Melusine
Something Wicked This Way Comes
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Books by Deborah Cooke
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Paranormal Romances:
The Dragonfire Series
KISS OF FIRE
KISS OF FURY
KISS OF FATE
Harmonia’s Kiss
WINTER KISS
WHISPER KISS
DARKFIRE KISS
FLASHFIRE
EMBER’S KISS
THE DRAGON LEGION COLLECTION
SERPENT’S KISS
FIRESTORM FOREVER
The Dragons of Incendium
WYVERN’S MATE
Nero’s Dream
WYVERN’S PRINCE
Arista’s Legacy
WYVERN’S WARRIOR
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Urban Fantasy Romance
The Prometheus Project
FALLEN
GUARDIAN
REBEL
ABYSS
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Paranormal Young Adult:
The Dragon Diaries
FLYING BLIND
WINGING IT
BLAZING THE TRAIL
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Contemporary Romance:
The Coxwells
THIRD TIME LUCKY
DOUBLE TROUBLE
ONE MORE TIME
ALL OR NOTHING
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Flatiron Five
SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
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&nbs
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