To Love a Knight [Knight Family Trilogy / Kimani Romance Series #68] [NOOK Book]

Read an Excerpt

Kyle Austin closed the door behind him, cautiously feeling his way across the room. When he reached the window he opened it, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze against his face.
December 10.
It was his birthday, but he felt no joy at the prospect of having lived another year. Instead, the day brought memories of a time he preferred not to remember. A day he tried to forget, but one that reared its ugly head each time the bold stench of Christmas filled the air.
It annoyed him.
Not that most things didn't annoy him these days, but this was definitely his least favorite time of the year.
Christmas.
Kyle felt the sudden urge to say, "Bah, humbug," but decided against it. Christmas was two weeks away and he couldn't wait until it was over. Good thing he wasn't a radio or television buff. He preferred to spin one of his treasured vinyl singles on his antique record player to pass the time. Unfortunately, from the beginning of December until just after Christmas, the music of the season would saturate the island with its message of love and good cheer. He couldn't escape it and didn't like it one bit.
His "Bah, humbug" echoed in the room. There, he'd said it and he felt as delighted to say it as the character whose words Dickens had made famous.
Let the masses spread their commercial and religious propaganda under the guise of celebrating the Christ child's birth. He had no time for it. December 25 was just like any other day to him. He'd get up, dictate the latest chapter of his book and spend the rest of the day listening to music.
That was his daily routine. His daily monotonous routine.
But he had to be content. There was nothing else he could do. Not since his life had changed and he'd made the choice to live the life of a recluse.
The once-famous Kyle Austin, voted most valuable player, had been reduced to a dull shadow of his former self.
Once, Kyle had been surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in Barbados. He'd dated a Miss Barbados, a well-known local actress and an international singing starlet. Living his life in the spotlight, he'd basked in the adoring glow of women and his fans.
Until that Christmas five years ago when his life had changed forever. The day he'd almost lost his life.
Inevitably, for a while he'd continued to be in the public's eye and the reporters had pounced on his misfortune. Strange enough, they had always been vultures, but they had made him the darling of Barbadian newspapers.
After the accident, he'd just wanted to wallow in self-pity. There were times he'd wished he had died.
So Kyle had done the only thing he could do. He had withdrawn from society and tried to disappear. Fortunately, it had been easier than he had thought. But after a while, another sensational story had come along. Soon he'd become just a memory.
So here he was five years later, alone, with the exception of his live-in assistant who he paid handsomely to take care of him. Since Kyle lived near the university, Jared, a graduate student in psychology, had seemed the perfect candidate for the job.
At the time of the accident, his doctor had recommended that Kyle learn to cope on his own. But why should he when he had enough money to get someone to take care of him for the rest of his life? Combined with his savings from being one of the West Indies' best cricketers, the settlement from his accident had made Kyle a very wealthy man. But all the money in the world couldn't bring back what he'd lost. Sometimes he felt like a hollow shell, cracked and ready to shatter. Even so, he was determined to survive.
One thing he did know was that he didn't need anyone. He didn't even want a woman. Ironic, how a man who'd been so obsessed with the pleasures of sex could lose his appetite for something he'd once considered so essential.
When Chantal had finally walked out on him a few months after the accident, he had discovered a part of him that he'd never realized existed. He'd been slowly falling in love with her. Chantal's rejection had hurt more than he'd anticipated, but his inability to give her the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to had made her departure inevitable.
Kyle had finally discovered that the men and women who fluttered around him like butterflies had only been using him. That realization had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Five years later, he'd settled into a predictable routine. But it was at this time of year that he most felt all he had lost. The holiday seemed to mock him with its claim of "Joy to the World" and "Peace to All Men."
Kyle Austin felt no joy or peace. Neither did he feel any joy that it was his birthday.
The two events were mutually exclusive and he'd resolved long ago not to celebrate either.
He turned from the window, making his way toward the chair next to the radio. Sitting, he reached over, easily finding and pressing the preset channel.
The voice of his favorite cricket commentator came over the airwaves.
The latest match in the current series of one-day matches had already started. Today, he could listen to the game on the radio, but it had taken him two years to face the reality that he would never play again.
Now, he could listen, stifling the envy he still felt each time the team had a series of matches.
He'd loved the game. Still loved it. He'd wanted to be like the greats, Sir Garfield Sobers or Brian Lara.
Sometimes in the silence of the night, he could still hear the roaring of the crowds and feel the smoothness of his bat in his hands. Batting was a dance, poetry in motion, and inside he ached for that beauty again.
Instead, his life was a stagnant pool of nothingness. All the things he'd brushed aside in the wild, crazy days before the accident now defined his very existence.
He wondered for the hundredth time about the insensitivity of life.
What would become of him?
Maybe this would be the rest of his life. He knew he wasn't happy, but he didn't want to be part of the world he had once belonged to. He couldn't endure the grim pity or platitudes that everyone seemed to think were necessary.
He sighed, turning the radio off.
The West Indian cricket team had won again. But how could he celebrate when all he could feel was sadness for the life he had lost?
Tamara Knight put the phone down and sighed. She loved her brother Shayne, but he was beginning to annoy her with his constant calls. She knew he was worried about her and she was grateful that he'd found this place for her, but she wished he'd remember that she was no longer a bright-eyed university student.
She was a woman! And she was also a veterinary doctor.
At twenty-five, she was capable of taking care of herself. She was one year out of veterinary school, had recently completed an internship with Doctor Boyce and she was finally ready to begin her own life. The doors of Tamara's Ark would be opening officially the day after New Year's.
For now she intended to enjoy her favorite time of year. Christmas. Of course, she had Gladys to thank for all her happy Christmas memories. Her older brother, Shayne, had not been one for big Christmas celebrations while she was growing up. He'd been too busy with his work on the plantation, but Gladys, their housekeeper, had made sure that the plantation house wafted with the delicious aroma of baked ham, fruitcake and the spiciness of sorrel punch. No one could make the local drink like Gladys did.
Later in the week she planned to go into Bridgetown and get a Christmas tree for her new place. Russell, her twin brother, had promised to help her get it home. In turn, Tamara had promised to help decorate the enormous tree which would grace their family room.
Home.
She should be saying her former home, she thought.
She'd finally moved out two months ago. She'd spent most of those months overseeing the finishing touches to the building which would house her new practice.
Tamara looked around her office, feeling an overwhelming pride at what she'd achieved. She was proud of what she'd done with her inheritance. Her parents had left a legacy to each of their three children. She'd used hers to create Tamara's Ark.
She'd worked hard to achieve what she wanted. That was because her big brother Shayne had instilled in his siblings a respect for hard work and accomplishment. Both she and Russell had received scholarships to attend university. She'd graduated top of her class and had won several awards during her years of study.
But that was all in the past.
She intended to spend the next few weeks preparing for her grand opening and filling her new home with the spirit of Christmas.
Now, however, she was going into the stable to see her two horses, Storm and Thunder, and Princess, her dog. She couldn't wait to see Princess's pups again. They were so adorable.
She exited her office at the side of the building and headed to the stable at the back of the compound.
When Tamara entered the stable a few minutes later, Storm reared his head. His eyes bright with excitement, he ambled towards her. Thunder remained still, her eyes wary. The mare had not grown accustomed to the move yet, and each time Tamara came to visit, she sensed the horse's disapproval and confusion.
When Tamara reached them, she dug into the pocket of her jeans, taking out the two apples she'd brought for them.
Storm nodded his thanks before gently taking the apple in his mouth to crunch on it. Thunder moved cautiously toward them, hesitating before she took the apple from Tamara's hand.
As the horse ate, Tamara touched her side. Thunder was pregnant again. Of course, she'd promised this foal to Darius. She smiled, thinking of her nephew. He'd just started school and delighted in reciting his alphabets to her whenever she went over to the plantation house.
Darius was a bundle of energy. She was still amazed at how he'd grown. Born prematurely at twenty-eight weeks, his first few months had been a period of uncertainty for the whole family. Now he was a healthy, intelligent boy. And Tamara loved him as much as she loved the other members of her family.
She thought of Carla, the woman who'd given her brother love and happiness. Of course, the fact that her sister-in-law was a romance reader and they now split the cost of their monthly treasures from the local bookstores, only served to cement the respect they had for each other.
Tamara wondered if she'd ever find a love like Carla and Shayne shared. After five years, Shayne and Carla still behaved like they were on their honeymoon. At times, she caught Carla staring at Shayne with dreamy eyes and she wished for that same thing for herself.
However, there was no time for that. Until she'd built her business and had enough clients, she would simply have no time for a real relationship. She would have to be satisfied with fantasizing about the sexy alpha heroes of her favorite romance novels.