The Heat of the Knight Read Online Free PDF

a sword and shield.
    Christiana wet her lips. Her nipples hardened as she imagined running her tongue up his neck and along the blue-black stubble defining his strong jaw line.
    The whole of the spectacle before her soon drew her attention again. With the cunning smile still playing on her lips, Maud leaned over and nibbled on his exposed nape. The movement caused him to turn his head.
    His eyes were hooded and glazed, but Christiana was quite sure he saw her lurking in the shadows. He did not stop pumping his hips, yet his carnal gaze remained riveted on her face.
    “Tiana,” he said, the sound guttural, and raw. His body stiffened and he clenched his muscular buttocks tightly and closed his eyes. Christiana took the opportunity to flee the chamber.
    * * * *
    Finding a deserted passage, Christiana set to pacing. Her whole body was trembling, and it had little to do with the cold. She could not erase the vision of Beckett naked in bed with those women. She kept imagining what it would be like to have his big hands on her, his lips on her bare skin, and his daunting cock plunging deep inside of her.
    With hopes of finding Maud asleep, Christiana took a rush light from the castle wall and made her way to the servants' quarters. Or had Maud been allowed to spend the night in Beckett's chamber with the others? The thought of it sickened her. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into her own bed and yank the wool coverlet over her head.
    A lone tallow candle lit the long room. There was a smattering of giggles as she hurried to her bed. The wretched Maud had returned and was still awake, sitting on the edge of her bed having her hair braided by her bedmate. Maud's hands flew to her mouth in a false attempt to smother her gleeful cackling.
    Christiana refused to let it bother her. She had no intention of staying long as a captive within these stone walls. After tonight, she wanted to be as far away from Beckett as possible.
    Stripping down to her chemise, she slid under the scratchy coverlet and curled up on the shabby straw mattress. Something nuzzled at her back. With a gasp, she flew off the bed and flung back the blanket. There in the center was a large brown rat and at least a dozen squirming pink newborns.
    “Is something the matter?” Maud called from across the room.
    “No, but I think your family is here to visit. Only they ended up in my bed instead of yours.” Christiana tugged on her kirtle, bent down, and scooped up the rats in her blanket.
    Maud's thin lips were drawn tight. She glared at Christiana as she walked past her to carry the animals outside.
    By the time Christiana returned, the candle had guttered out. She stumbled to her pallet in the dark. The rats she had removed were probably much nicer to share a room with than these women. Now if she could only erase the image of Beckett's sleek, muscular, deliciously naked body from her thoughts, she might manage to get a few hours sleep before she began another jolly day.

Chapter Three
    Christiana held the basket of eggs above her head as a herd of hounds raced towards the stables. One of the wolfhounds crashed into her legs. She winced as the eggs clicked against each other. “Ill-mannered hound! Heeding the lessons of your master, no doubt,” she called after the dog that hadn't let the collision impede his progress.
    She watched with trepidation as a massive figure separated itself from the men assembling the hunting gear.
    “'Tis surprising to see you up so early considering you'd had such a busy night,” she said as Beckett approached.
    Christiana took a step closer, wanting to absorb some of the heat that emanated from his body. She had a sinfully sweet notion of how glorious it would be to still be abed, snuggling against the warmth of him.
    There was the creak of metal and leather as he crossed his arms atop his jack coat.
    She could feel rather than see his dark eyes glaring down at her.
    She groaned inwardly. Why did she always allow her mouth