Excerpt: 'Trusting Thyme' by Antoinette Turner

It's an excerpt bonanza on HEA today! This one is from Trusting Thyme (out now!) by Antoinette Turner.

Here's the blurb (courtesy of Luminosity Publishing):

Sometimes trust is the only thing missing for a second chance at love.

Constance Thyme is a third generation trawler operator living in the quaint English seaside village of Thornapple. Widowed young, she's quite content raising her nine-year-old son. Unbeknownst to most outsiders, Lady Constance holds an aristocratic title that binds her to the area. As much as her obligations chafe, she'd never refuse someone in need, even a cold fish like the gorgeous new doctor.

Dr. Elijah Preston needs help. Still grieving the loss of his wife two years earlier, and with two small children faring no better, he reluctantly agrees to a temporary posting at Thornapple. Jaded by what his title represents, Eli keeps his lordly status a closely guarded secret. As he struggles with sorrow, a chance meeting with a highly annoying, but beautiful Amazonian Sea Captain sparks a torrent of unwanted feelings.

Eli and Constance hold emotional scars from their past relationships, for very different reasons. Can they learn the value of trust before it's too late, or will fear ruin their second chance at love?

Reader Advisory: This book contains an aloof doctor, a stubborn fishing captain, and a whole lot of nosy Thornapple inhabitants.

EXCERPT

"I think I should leave."

Constance wanted to kick the insufferably stiff man now standing in front of her. If it hadn't been for the red-rimmed eyes and the terrible raggedness which had taken up residence on Eli's features, she probably would have.

She should have known he'd try for the whole aloof façade, but they were beyond that now, considering what had just happened between them. Personal experience had taught her it was easier to hide the turmoil inside than acknowledge it, but she'd seen it now and there was no going back. For either of them.

She regarded him, schooling her features into what she hoped was a stern look—one reserved for a misbehaving Mattie. "Put on your big boy panties and sit. There's tea and biscuits." She waved to a cup from where she sat. "And before you start being all crusty and ice kingly, don't bother."

"Big boy panties? Ice kingly?" He raised his haughty looking eyebrows at her, but a small smile played around his gorgeous mouth, but he did as she asked and sat. Constance had purposely kept space between them by sitting at the other side of the table.

"Thank you for the tea." He took a sip and cleared his throat. "I'm afraid that wasn't one of my proudest moments."

The man was clearly out of his element. "No." Constance hid her smile behind her own cup.

"I'm sorry I led you on." He stopped, closed his eyes and then opened them, his gaze direct and focused on her. She clearly read the rejection written on his face, but couldn't help admire the vessel it came in. "I'm just not ready to let Elise go. I feel as if I've just cheated on her. I know it's unnatural to grieve so long. It's been two years and I still think about her every day."

"Nobody expects you to forget your wife, Eli, and although I never had the chance to meet her, I seriously doubt she would think you were cheating on her after two years." She sighed. "Tell me why you believe it's unnatural to still grieve her?"

"I have a daughter who has nightmares almost every night and a son who doesn't speak, and I can't even kiss a woman without being physically sick. I sound pretty pathetic even to my own ears. You must think I'm a proper git." Eli put his elbows hard on the table, his head in his hands. His sigh was loud, dejected and resonated deep in her soul.

"Why don't we forget about tonight? We'll pretend we said a cordial goodnight to each other and you left."

Eli was shaking his head before she'd even finished.

"I don't think it's possible, and why would you even contemplate being nice to me after what just happened?"

"Because you need a friend and I know from personal experience it's hard to find one of those around here. Because even though our lives are vastly different, I know how it feels to lose people you love. Because it's a small village and we'll have to see each other around and I don't like the cold." She noticed his confused frown, but she didn't bother to elaborate. "Because I was just given my first orgasm from an actual man in four years, so I can say from personal experience you've nothing to be ashamed of."

Find out more about Antoinette and her books at www.antoinetteturner.com.