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Authors: Sandra Lea Rice
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clenched her hands tightly at her sides.
“I have every right, make no mistake about that.” Adrian’s own anger began to rise. “When I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it without argument.” She didn’t appreciate the risk, but he did. All too well.
She stiffened. “I am not a child to be ordered about. You, my lord, are nothing but a—”
Before she could finish, Adrian stepped closer and placed his fingertips against her lips. “I suggest neither of us say or do anything else we may later regret.” His gaze dropped to her mouth and he brushed a finger gently over her lips. Slowly, he removed his fingers. He’d felt a telltale tremble. She might be angry, but she was not unaffected by his touch.
“Adrian?” Her gaze searched his face.
“Good night, Angeline.” He nodded and stepped around her to return to the house.
Even lovelier than he remembered, her body had fulfilled the promise he’d seen years ago. She’d gained some weight, and all in the right places. Deliciously curvaceous, she was surprisingly sensual for her youth and inexperience. He’d dreamed of her often, her skin heated and flushed as she lay beneath him, her breath coming in gasps, as he . . .
Adrian strove to dispel the image. Unaccustomed to feeling jealousy where any woman was concerned, he found the thought of her with someone else, confiding in someone else, distinctly unsettling.
Her stubbornness worried him. He was well aware she might not heed his warning, and thus find herself in danger, or worse. She hadn’t been told of the men who followed, first on the ship and later on the train.
The last thing he wanted was to frighten her. But she was his to protect, and protect her he would.
Chapter 10
Angeline rose early the next morning and made her way quietly down the back stairs to the kitchen. If she couldn’t ride by herself, she could at least go for a walk.
“Good morning, miss.” Bingham nodded in greeting while he kept watch on the biscuits.
“Would you mind if I sat for a moment?”
“Of course not.” He took some biscuits from the oven and put a few on a plate for her.
“They smell delicious, thank you.” Spreading butter and jam on one, she took a bite. Her eyes closed. “Umm.”
When she opened them, she found Adrian leaning against the doorjamb, watching her. Dressed in buckskin pants and white shirt, he looked even larger and more intimidating.
“The coffee’s ready, sir. Would you care for some bacon and eggs?” Bingham asked.
“Yes, thank you. I’ve missed this while I was away.” Adrian sat across from her. “Any plans for the day, Angeline?” He took a swallow of his coffee and watched her as Bingham set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.
“Not really.”
“I have to check on some missing cattle. You’re welcome to ride along.” Adrian dug into his meal.
“I would like that very much. I need to change, but I’ll hurry.” Angeline jumped to her feet, leaving Adrian barely enough time to gain his before she rushed from the room.
Changing into a riding skirt borrowed from Virginia, she slipped on a yellow cotton blouse. After plaiting her hair, she picked up her riding gloves and hurried downstairs.
When she returned, Adrian had finished his breakfast. He glanced at her and stood.
“Oh, I need—” She appealed to Bingham who handed her an apple. Adrian’s brow rose in question. “Thank you, he’ll be looking for it.” Meeting his puzzled gaze, she added, “For Shahid.”
When they entered the barn, Angeline called softly to the stallion. Shahid nickered in response. “Good morning, beauty,” she crooned, giving him a bite of the apple.
Adrian watched her fingers caress the delicate muzzle and shuddered as he imagined those fingers caressing him. He turned away to busy himself saddling the horses. Hefting the first saddle, he stepped by her to place it on Shahid’s back, tighten the girth, and slip the bridle over the horse’s head. He moved
“I have every right, make no mistake about that.” Adrian’s own anger began to rise. “When I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it without argument.” She didn’t appreciate the risk, but he did. All too well.
She stiffened. “I am not a child to be ordered about. You, my lord, are nothing but a—”
Before she could finish, Adrian stepped closer and placed his fingertips against her lips. “I suggest neither of us say or do anything else we may later regret.” His gaze dropped to her mouth and he brushed a finger gently over her lips. Slowly, he removed his fingers. He’d felt a telltale tremble. She might be angry, but she was not unaffected by his touch.
“Adrian?” Her gaze searched his face.
“Good night, Angeline.” He nodded and stepped around her to return to the house.
Even lovelier than he remembered, her body had fulfilled the promise he’d seen years ago. She’d gained some weight, and all in the right places. Deliciously curvaceous, she was surprisingly sensual for her youth and inexperience. He’d dreamed of her often, her skin heated and flushed as she lay beneath him, her breath coming in gasps, as he . . .
Adrian strove to dispel the image. Unaccustomed to feeling jealousy where any woman was concerned, he found the thought of her with someone else, confiding in someone else, distinctly unsettling.
Her stubbornness worried him. He was well aware she might not heed his warning, and thus find herself in danger, or worse. She hadn’t been told of the men who followed, first on the ship and later on the train.
The last thing he wanted was to frighten her. But she was his to protect, and protect her he would.
Chapter 10
Angeline rose early the next morning and made her way quietly down the back stairs to the kitchen. If she couldn’t ride by herself, she could at least go for a walk.
“Good morning, miss.” Bingham nodded in greeting while he kept watch on the biscuits.
“Would you mind if I sat for a moment?”
“Of course not.” He took some biscuits from the oven and put a few on a plate for her.
“They smell delicious, thank you.” Spreading butter and jam on one, she took a bite. Her eyes closed. “Umm.”
When she opened them, she found Adrian leaning against the doorjamb, watching her. Dressed in buckskin pants and white shirt, he looked even larger and more intimidating.
“The coffee’s ready, sir. Would you care for some bacon and eggs?” Bingham asked.
“Yes, thank you. I’ve missed this while I was away.” Adrian sat across from her. “Any plans for the day, Angeline?” He took a swallow of his coffee and watched her as Bingham set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.
“Not really.”
“I have to check on some missing cattle. You’re welcome to ride along.” Adrian dug into his meal.
“I would like that very much. I need to change, but I’ll hurry.” Angeline jumped to her feet, leaving Adrian barely enough time to gain his before she rushed from the room.
Changing into a riding skirt borrowed from Virginia, she slipped on a yellow cotton blouse. After plaiting her hair, she picked up her riding gloves and hurried downstairs.
When she returned, Adrian had finished his breakfast. He glanced at her and stood.
“Oh, I need—” She appealed to Bingham who handed her an apple. Adrian’s brow rose in question. “Thank you, he’ll be looking for it.” Meeting his puzzled gaze, she added, “For Shahid.”
When they entered the barn, Angeline called softly to the stallion. Shahid nickered in response. “Good morning, beauty,” she crooned, giving him a bite of the apple.
Adrian watched her fingers caress the delicate muzzle and shuddered as he imagined those fingers caressing him. He turned away to busy himself saddling the horses. Hefting the first saddle, he stepped by her to place it on Shahid’s back, tighten the girth, and slip the bridle over the horse’s head. He moved
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