Read Online The Hellion (The Lady Knights of Barony Book One ) by Elise Marion - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elise Marion
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before proceeding to show her just how wrong he’d been.
God, had he been wrong. Lady Ava Longley was beautiful.
However, he wouldn’t tell her.
Instead, he moved around behind her to bind her wrists once more before shoving her roughly toward camp. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he caught a glimpse of her high, firm derriere. He groaned inwardly. The rest of the journey to Cardenas was going to be long and difficult.
****
After hours of trying to sleep, Ava gave up and sat up on her pallet. Julian had agreed to unbind her wrists and ankles for the night, as long as she agreed to sleep with a longer length of rope around her waist. The other end of the rope was tied securely around Julian’s waist; he’d wrapped it around his hand once as well for good measure. Even the slightest tug on the rope would alert him to any movement, so she took care not to shift any more than she had to as she pulled her knees up to her chest. For as long as she lived, Ava didn’t think she would ever forget the look in Julian’s eyes when she’d come out of the pond, scrubbed clean. She’d never been a vain woman, and had never cared much before if someone noticed what she was wearing or found her attractive. Yet Julian’s opinion had meant something to Ava. To have those coal black eyes traveling over her face and body so slowly, so thoroughly, had thrilled her beyond all imagining.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered to herself as she stared into the fire. Julian Vincent was a lowlife kidnapper. There wasn’t one redeeming quality about the man, but still she was unable to keep her eyes from roaming over the rippling muscles that stood out against the back of his shirt. Her fingers tingled as she imagined running her hands along the valleys and planes, feeling the heat of soft skin stretched over hard muscle.
As if he felt her eyes on him, Julian stirred and turned onto his back. He heaved a heavy sigh, as if he was as frustrated as she and then turned to his other side. Julian’s eyes instantly connected with hers and widened in uncontained surprise before they softened, growing heavy lidded and sensual. Ava felt her face growing hot as a those dark eyes traveled slowly over her face. She wasn’t sure if she could ever grow accustomed to the heat in his stare. With the grace of a jungle cat, he stretched and pulled himself up onto his elbow facing her.
“Tomorrow’s journey will be long. You should be resting.”
“Concern for your prisoner? How noble of you, Julian Vincent.”
His eyes narrowed, the dark depths of desire now replaced with cold, hard annoyance. “I simply don’t care to prop you up in the saddle if you fall asleep while on the trail tomorrow and I certainly don’t want to subject myself to your snores.”
“You wouldn’t have to prop me up if you’d thought to provide me with my own mount. If you’re uncomfortable with my riding with you, it is your own fault.”
Julian’s jaw flexed, intensifying the anger that was taking over his expression. His eyes glistened like blackest onyx in the firelight. Ava’s lips parted and a gasp she hadn’t known was coming fell from her lips. She knew he was thinking of her tactlessness earlier. The space that separated them was small. If he wanted to reach across with one of his long arms to do her harm he very well could. In fact, he looked like that was exactly what he’d like to do at the moment.
Instead he laughed. The chuckle surprised her with both its warmth and its timing. What on earth could be so funny? When he’d calmed the spasms of his chest, his eyes twinkled with mirth.
“What manner of lady are you, Ava Longley?”
A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips. Why was it that he so enjoyed baiting her? More importantly, why was it that she so enjoyed it?
“I believe that the truth about me would shock you, Julian Vincent.”
He rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Doubtful. There is nothing shocking about a world
God, had he been wrong. Lady Ava Longley was beautiful.
However, he wouldn’t tell her.
Instead, he moved around behind her to bind her wrists once more before shoving her roughly toward camp. His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he caught a glimpse of her high, firm derriere. He groaned inwardly. The rest of the journey to Cardenas was going to be long and difficult.
****
After hours of trying to sleep, Ava gave up and sat up on her pallet. Julian had agreed to unbind her wrists and ankles for the night, as long as she agreed to sleep with a longer length of rope around her waist. The other end of the rope was tied securely around Julian’s waist; he’d wrapped it around his hand once as well for good measure. Even the slightest tug on the rope would alert him to any movement, so she took care not to shift any more than she had to as she pulled her knees up to her chest. For as long as she lived, Ava didn’t think she would ever forget the look in Julian’s eyes when she’d come out of the pond, scrubbed clean. She’d never been a vain woman, and had never cared much before if someone noticed what she was wearing or found her attractive. Yet Julian’s opinion had meant something to Ava. To have those coal black eyes traveling over her face and body so slowly, so thoroughly, had thrilled her beyond all imagining.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered to herself as she stared into the fire. Julian Vincent was a lowlife kidnapper. There wasn’t one redeeming quality about the man, but still she was unable to keep her eyes from roaming over the rippling muscles that stood out against the back of his shirt. Her fingers tingled as she imagined running her hands along the valleys and planes, feeling the heat of soft skin stretched over hard muscle.
As if he felt her eyes on him, Julian stirred and turned onto his back. He heaved a heavy sigh, as if he was as frustrated as she and then turned to his other side. Julian’s eyes instantly connected with hers and widened in uncontained surprise before they softened, growing heavy lidded and sensual. Ava felt her face growing hot as a those dark eyes traveled slowly over her face. She wasn’t sure if she could ever grow accustomed to the heat in his stare. With the grace of a jungle cat, he stretched and pulled himself up onto his elbow facing her.
“Tomorrow’s journey will be long. You should be resting.”
“Concern for your prisoner? How noble of you, Julian Vincent.”
His eyes narrowed, the dark depths of desire now replaced with cold, hard annoyance. “I simply don’t care to prop you up in the saddle if you fall asleep while on the trail tomorrow and I certainly don’t want to subject myself to your snores.”
“You wouldn’t have to prop me up if you’d thought to provide me with my own mount. If you’re uncomfortable with my riding with you, it is your own fault.”
Julian’s jaw flexed, intensifying the anger that was taking over his expression. His eyes glistened like blackest onyx in the firelight. Ava’s lips parted and a gasp she hadn’t known was coming fell from her lips. She knew he was thinking of her tactlessness earlier. The space that separated them was small. If he wanted to reach across with one of his long arms to do her harm he very well could. In fact, he looked like that was exactly what he’d like to do at the moment.
Instead he laughed. The chuckle surprised her with both its warmth and its timing. What on earth could be so funny? When he’d calmed the spasms of his chest, his eyes twinkled with mirth.
“What manner of lady are you, Ava Longley?”
A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips. Why was it that he so enjoyed baiting her? More importantly, why was it that she so enjoyed it?
“I believe that the truth about me would shock you, Julian Vincent.”
He rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Doubtful. There is nothing shocking about a world
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