#Release Blitz #In the Shadow of a Hoax by Maci Aurora #Fantasy #Romance @Xpresso Book Tours24/1/2023
In the Shadow of a Hoax
-- EXCERPT: “Are you just going to stand there?” Tarley asked from near the fire. She hadn’t looked at him and continued shoving more wood into the fire as if she were trying to make a giant bonfire which was glowing bright as the sun went down, casting the place in long, blue shadows. He started toward her, irritated by her tone. “Do you need all that wood?” Her gaze found him, and her eyebrows arched over her eyes. “You’re welcome to do it.” “I don’t need to anymore. You’ve done it, excessively just as you do everything.” “You’re welcome to do more, your highness.” Lachlan tripped and righted himself. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She stared at him and looked away. “Nothing.” She stomped toward him and snagged the fish from his hand, then stormed across to the wooden plank to prepare them. “What are you doing?” Lachlan advanced on her. “Everything. Excessively,” she said with a caustic bite and slapped the fish on the board and unhooked the first one. “Why didn’t you clean them?” Lachlan rounded the board and with his body, nudged her out of the way. “I can do it.” “Obviously you can’t,” she snapped. “It’s supposed to be done away from camp.” She glared at him. “So bears don’t come looking.” “I didn’t–” Lachlan felt stupid. He knew that. He’d learned it in one of his many survival sessions when he served in the royal army. And yet he’d forgotten, more interested in pushing Tarley’s patience. “Know?” She looked down at the fish. “I’ll take them–” She bit out, reattached the first fish and grabbed the line. “I’ll do it.” Lachlan grabbed the line at the same time. Each of them held the line. Tarley tugged at it. Lachlan tugged back. “Let it go.” “You let it go.” “I said I’d do it,” Lachlan leaned toward her. “But you didn’t. And now I have to fix it.” Tarley leaned closer. “I can clean my own messes,” he said, and his eyes jumped to her lips as his heart thrashed in his chest with a new beat. Her eyes flitted to his mouth, then she leaned back as if pushed and released her hold on the fish. “Fine,” she said and stormed away.
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