“Oh, you’re just cross because I beat you in the race,” she said provocatively.
‘It’s nothing to do with that—it’s— Dammit, woman!” He wrapped one powerful arm around her, hauled her against him and kissed her, long and hard.
It was a conflagration of anger and arousal, compelling and possessive. Heat and frustrated anger radiated from his body. His arm enclosed her waist like a steel band as his other hand wrapped around her throat, cupping her chin, tilting her mouth to accept the demand of his kiss.
He moved forward, taking her with him, trapping her between his hot, hard body and the cold stone of the stable wall, not breaking the kiss for an instant. Plundering. Demanding. His taste, the urgency of him flooded her senses, his heat seeping into her body, setting her aflame. She felt the heavy thrust of his arousal against her belly.
Her knees weakened. A hard masculine limb thrust between her thighs, anchoring her.
She’d braced her hands behind her, against the cold rough wall, but as he deepened the kiss, scalding her with inflamed passion, she slipped them up his body, twining them around his neck, sliding her fingers through the damp tangle of his hair, gripping the thick locks fiercely as she returned kiss for kiss.
Never—never!—had she dreamed kissing could be like this.
Cal wasn’t sure what brought him to his senses—a sound, a thought, a cold dash of sanity—but whatever it was, it was enough to let himself wrench his mouth from his wife’s, release her and step back. His breath was ragged, as if he’d run a mile.
For a long moment they stared at each other. She was panting too, her mouth damp and red from where he’d ravaged it.
Good God, what had he been about to do? He’d been on the verge of taking her—here, in the stables!—up against a rough stone wall!—with the girls and the stableboys outside.
Madness.
“Emm? Cal? Is everything all right?” a hesitant voice called. It was his little sister.
“Stay outside, Lily,” he said hastily. He was still aroused.
“It’s perfectly all right, Lily,” his wife called, sounding satisfyingly breathless. “Your brother and I are, um, having a discussion.”
Remembering that he’d been furious with her—and still was—for risking herself on an untried horse, he groped for something conclusive to say. “Let that be a lesson to you, madam.”
Her eyes widened and then, incredibly, she laughed. “Alesson? I see I shall have to annoy you more often in future, then.” The light in her eyes was soft, not challenging, inviting him to share the moment.
His lips twitched in response. “I wasn’t annoyed,” he began. “I was— Oh, to hell with it. Just don’t be so reckless in future. You gave me a hell of a fright.”
“I’m sorry. It was—oh, it was so very good to be on horseback and out in the fresh air again, I couldn’t resist. There really was no danger—he’s a beautiful animal and very well trained. But I’m sorry I worried you.” She slipped her arm through his. “Shall we return to the girls? Lily sounded quite worried.”
He was fit to be seen again, so he opened the stall door and led her back outside to where the others were waiting. “You’re a magnificent horsewoman. I had no idea. Why did you not tell me you rode?”
She shrugged. “You never asked, and besides, you’d made it clear you wanted me to get on with the house refurbishment.”
He felt a pang of compunction. He really should have taken the trouble to learn more about her. “I borrowed horses from a neighbor for Rose and Lily and had Georgiana’s horse and his groom brought from her former home.” He’d thought it might make her feel more at home.
His wife glanced up at him. “So there isn’t a mount for me? Not even a mule or a donkey?”
He shook his head. “But I’ll send for one at once.”
“Which? A mule or a donkey?” She was teasing him again, he saw, and felt something loosen in his chest.
“The mount you deserve,” he told her in a severe tone.
She laughed again, and there was a sense of companionship in her attitude, as though they’d crossed some threshold. He didn’t know what, but it pleased him.
“Are you still going after your assassin today?” she asked quietly.
“No, I’ll go tomorrow. I’ve been chasing the swine for two years; another day won’t make much difference.”
They emerged into the morning sunshine, where the three girls waited apprehensively. Their gaze immediately shot to his wife, examining her for signs of violence, he supposed.
Emmaline clung to his arm and said gaily, “We’ve discussed the matter and Cal is going to find something for me to ride, so we can all ride out together.”
