I'm so excited for book two in my Knights of KSI Series to be released on Tuesday! Knight's Rescue is such a special book to me. I loved writing the love story of Sydney and Cole. I can see a bit of myself in Sydney in how shy and introverted she can be, and then there's Cole, who is a great mixture of strong and sweet.

To celebration the KNIGHT'S RESCUE ebook release, I thought you might enjoy an excerpt from the book. To set up the scene, this is in the first chapter. Sydney came with her best friend Chloe (whom I love so much) to a charity benefit, and she runs into her ex-fiance, Emmett, who abused her for more of their relationship. She panics and decides to hide so Emmett doesn't cause a scene. This is also the first time Sydney has come face-to-face with Emmett since he left her.

As she tries to get away from him, Sydney runs into Cole - literally. I rewrote this scene many times before getting it just like I wanted. I hope you enjoy it enough to check out the book when it's released on Tuesday.

"A tingling sensation prickled the back of her neck. As if an unknown force compelled her, she turned back toward the front of the ballroom. Her eyes collided with a familiar stare, one that held both surprise and contempt. Sydney’s stomach plummeted to her feet.

"Emmett cocked a dark eyebrow that spoke volumes to her. She’d invaded his social circle and posed a threat to his precious reputation. Emmett moved through the crowd toward her, but Sydney refused to give him the satisfaction of a confrontation on his turf. Since he knew just how to push her buttons, she needed time to prepare.

"She spun around to search for the best exit. Because of the throng of people around her, her only option was to escape through the veranda doors at the back of the ballroom. She managed a swift retreat despite her high heels. She sensed Emmett closing in, but if she could beat him outside, she could hide long enough for him to lose interest and return to the party.

"Reaching the glass doors, she startled when they suddenly opened. She lurched through them, the warm summer air hitting her in a blast. As she turned to hurry down the steps leading to the grounds, her retreat halted when she slammed into a wall – or what felt like a wall.

"Her breath left her in a whoosh. Stumbling backward, she lost her balance and started falling to the stone floor of the veranda. Steel-like bands encircled her upper arms, suspending her in mid-air. She was righted to her feet by a strength that astonished her. Eyes wide, she lifted her head, craning her neck at an unnatural angle.

"The sheer size of the man unnerved her. Well over six feet tall, his powerful frame strained the seams of his black trousers and matching, button-front shirt. The strings of lights along the veranda illuminated his rugged features. Narrow eyes, an unusual golden brown, studied her.

“Are you all right?” His deep voice rumbled through her, and she shivered.

“I, uh, I have to go.” She pulled against his stronghold.

"He released her but blocked her retreat.
“Ma’am, are you okay? Do you need help?”

"She leaned to the side to peer around the man’s muscular build and into the ballroom. Emmett closed the distance between them. A smirk curved his lips, reminding Sydney of how much he’d always reveled in the chase - in forcing her to run just to catch her and prove she couldn’t escape him.

"Sydney skirted around the stranger and darted down the veranda steps. The hotel’s garden stretched before her, dimly lit by solar pathway lights. She hurried into the array of blooms, shrubs, and trees. She needed a hiding place, but before she could find one, a hand closed around her arm like a vise. She spun around expecting to see Emmett looming behind her.
"Her scream died in her throat.

“Ma’am, I can help if you’ll let me.” The man she’d bumped into on the veranda had followed her and now stood in the shadows. Usually, a moment like this would put her on the defensive, but his tone was kind, giving her pause.

“Sydney!” A familiar voice rose over the stillness of the garden – a voice that evoked the worst memories to surface and shatter her peace of mind.

"She turned pleading eyes to the stranger, the desperation in her voice was unmistakable. “He can’t find me,” she whispered.

"The eerie lights along the path allowed her to see his nod. He led her into the darkness, to a cluster of trees just off the path. She felt vulnerable. She was entrusting her safety to this stranger, but she knew she had no other choice with Emmett so close.

"The stranger placed her in the shadow of two trees. Then he shifted his body to shield her, his dark clothes providing the camouflage her royal blue dress didn’t. The warmth from his body seeped through her clothes, driving away the chill that Emmett’s presence had evoked. His musky scent swirled around her.

“Slow your breathing.” His voice was hushed.
“Even and steady. I won’t let him find you. If he does, I’ll protect you.”

"Something in his gentle manner made Sydney believe him. As he instructed, she willed her breathing to slow.

“Sydney. You know better than to hide from me.”

Her body automatically stiffened at the proximity of Emmett’s voice. Her hands gripped the front of the stranger’s shirt, holding him in place. He could easily pull away from her, but holding onto him gave her a sense of control.

"The stranger rested his strong hands lightly on her arms, his palms moving up and down to comfort her. Sydney had no idea how long they stood there. Shielded as she was between the tree trunks and his body, she couldn’t see anything but the stranger. Eventually, she heard Emmett’s heavy footfalls taking him away from the garden. Slowly she raised her eyes, seeking the stranger’s face in the darkness.

“Thank you.” Her quiet voice sounded odd in the stillness.

"She unclenched her fists to release his shirt front, but her palms rested against his chest.
"She felt his heart beating steadily even as her own raced. A strange tingle started at the tips of her fingers and radiated up her arms, through her body and down to her toes. Electricity zinged between them, a pull she neither expected nor understood.

"She sensed rather than saw his head dip, his lips hovering mere inches from her own. Her breath caught in her throat. She knew what was coming. She shouldn’t want it to happen. The man was a stranger who just had a ring-side seat to the baggage she carried from her relationship with Emmett.

"But what she felt refused to mirror what she knew. Anticipation swirled within her. Then his firm lips settled against hers.

"The kiss began as a tender, feather-like touch. His tongue stroked the seam of her lips until they parted of their own volition. He deepened the kiss, drawing her even closer to him. The slow burn of desire made it impossible to resist him. A moan shattered the silence, but Sydney couldn’t be sure which of them made the sound. The feel of the hard planes of his body weakened her legs, making her grateful for his embrace.

"She had no idea a kiss could be so charged. Her mind was lost in a fog of sensation. She momentarily forgot this man was a stranger. A muscled arm encircled her waist to cradle her as no one ever had. They were fused together in their own intimate bubble."

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt. Just remember, KNIGHT'S RESCUE releases on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in ebook, and it will be available to read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

By the way, if you prefer a paperback, you can order them NOW on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Knights-Rescue...
Knight's Rescue