Fearless Love Excerpt #1

My hero and heroine meet under unique circumstances in Fearless Love: she's being pursued by an irate rooster after collecting eggs from her henhouse. My hero rescues her, just as a good hero should.

The rooster gave a cackle of triumph and she dove for the gate, fiddling frantically with the latch. Already she could feel the air from his wings. Any second, it would be accompanied by pecks around the ankles and, if she was really unlucky, a few scratches from those talons on his feet. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“Allow me.” The voice at her side was close to basso profoundo.

MG started so violently she almost dropped the basket, which would have been a victory for Robespierre even if he hadn’t caused it.

The man standing on the other side of the fence was massive. Or maybe he only seemed massive because he was blocking her path to freedom. His bald head shone with perspiration, along with his face and his biceps. Now that she looked at him, she could see the damp sweat marks on his T-shirt stretching down his broad chest. Running shorts. New Balance shoes. Okay, that at least explained what the hell he was doing up and around this early in the morning, although how he came to be standing outside her chicken yard was still a bit of a mystery.

“Who are you?” she blurted.

He gave her a lazy grin. “Darlin’ you’re being attacked by a rooster. Does it really matter who’s getting you out of there?”

Something sharp hit the back of her leg. She glanced over her shoulder to see the enraged leghorn rooster dancing around behind her.

“Ready?” the man asked, his hand on the latch.

MG nodded, dodging around Robespierre’s forays. “Don’t let the rooster out, okay?”

“No ma’am,” he rumbled, then pulled up the latch and opened the gate slightly. MG darted through, then turned to see him pull the gate closed behind her before Robespierre could adjust, flipping the latch across.

“Got yourself a mean one there.” He gave her another slow grin that suddenly made her toes curl.

She nodded. “He’s got attitude.”

“Joe LeBlanc.” He extended his hand in her direction.

MG blinked. “Pardon me?” The grin became slightly dry. “My name. Which you requested.”