Chase yanked his hat a little more firmly onto his head and glinted a smile at Harriet. aRegardless of where I used to be and where I will be going, I am in the country now.a He looked down at his muddied boots and grimaced. aVery much so.a aFor the moment.a She tightened the ribbons beneath her chin. aYou would be discontent indeed if you thought you would be stuck here for the rest of your life.a aHarri!a Ophelia called.
Harriet turned toward the sheep pen. Everyone had left the table and was now lined along the fence where Ophelia had sat perched just a half hour earlier, giggling behind her hand.
aHarri!a This time it was Stephen. aYou need to come and see this.a Harriet glanced at Chase. aWhat did you do?a aMe? Nothing. Perhaps they are admiring how quickly we managed to get them done.a aYes, buta"a aHarri!a This time it was Sophia, her voice breaking as if on a giggle.
Harrietas brow lowered. aI suppose I should see what they want.a With that, she walked to the gate.
Chase stayed where he was for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his shoulders, the scent of hay and the fresh-baked bread theyad had for lunch. He felt amazingly well. There was something to be said for the simple life, he supposed. If only it wasnat quite soa wholesome.
Yes, thatas what it wasa"wholesome. Something Chase most decidedly wasnat. The thought caught at his heart, and he realized that as welcoming as the Wards were now, they wouldnat be once they realized what he really was. What head done. His heart sank.
The sun seemed suddenly less bright. He made his way to the pen where the Wards were gathered, looking over the fence at his protgs, a lively spring breeze tugging at skirts and ruffling shirts. Chase came to stand beside Harriet, looking at his work critically.
The sheep werenat all perfectly sheared, of course. But this was his first time. Chase defied anyone else to have gotten as close or as even on their very first venture into the shearing business.
He glanced at his companions. aWell?a Stephen raked a hand through his hair, his gaze fixed on the sheep that grazed before him. Sophia just looked stunned. Only Derrick looked happy, his face split in a wide grin, while Ophelia hid her mouth behind her hand, her eyes crinkled with laughter.
What the h.e.l.l? Chase looked at Harriet. Her eyes wide, her fingers pressed to her lips, she was regarding the sheep as if shead never before seen one.
aWhat?a he demanded, a feeling of unease flickering through him.
Harrietas gaze met his, laughter sparkling in her brown eyes.
ab.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l,a he cursed. aYou said the closer the better.a He knew he sounded defensive, but something was not right.
aYes, buta"a Sophia burst out giggling. aOh, Iam so sorry,a she choked when Chase whirled to face her. aItas just thata the sheep. They all look like poodles.a aPoodles?a Chase followed her gaze.
Ophelia tilted her head to one side, her lips quivering. aPoodles or lions. Some definitely have a lionish appearance. I thought he did a very good job on the ram.a aChase,a Harriet asked, laughter burbling in her voice, awhy did you shear them like that?a Chase grit his teeth. aBecause itas what you have to do. I left the wool around their heads and tails so I wouldnat snip anything vital. Derrick said that was often the way you had toaa Chaseas voice trailed off as he turned to look at the youth.
But Derrick was nowhere to be found.
b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l! aThat basta"a aChase!a Harriet said, grinning as the others broke into loud shouts of laughter. aHe was just funning you.a Ophelia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. aYou should have heard Derrick. Even I thought he was serious at first.a Chase clenched his hands into fists. Theyad made him look a fool. aIave had enough funning.a aNonsense.a She looked back at the sheep, a giggle escaping. aNo one can have enough funning.a Chase thought glumly of all the work head done. aIf I catch Derrick, Ialla"a aOh, donat be upset,a Harriet said, grinning up at him.
aWe donat have time to play these games.a Her smile faded a little at that. aNo, we donat. But itas not such a horrible thing, after all.a Stephen chuckled. aWe canat leave that much wool on those sheep, so weall trim them again.a Harriet nodded. aActually, why donat we allow Derrick to trim them. Pray find him and tell him that I want it done before the next batch is brought in for shearing.a Stephen nodded, but before he left, he slapped Chase on the back. aI had no idea you were so talented with shears. If youave the time, perhaps you can do something with those bushes in the front of the house. A little topiary would not be amiss.a Ophelia giggled. aSince he made the sheep look like poodles, perhaps he can make the shrubbery look like sheep.a aIall see what I can do,a Chase said dryly, the beginning of a smile teasing his lips.
He looked around at the sea of grinning faces that surrounded him, aware of a comfortable feeling of belonging. aWhat did I do to deserve being rescued by a family of sheepherding wits? Why could I not have been found by average, normal people with no sense of humor and not a single sheep on the premises?a Harriet lifted her brows in mock horror. aAnd what would you have done for three weeks without our wit or our sheep? You have to admit that youave learned some very important life lessons.a aSuch as?a aThe art of rising early.a Sophia nodded. aHeas still a bit surly, but Stephen no longer has to beat him about the head with his pillow.a aA lovely talent, that,a Chase said. aI suppose I would never have known how to get up at such an unG.o.dly hour without your help.a aYes,a Ophelia said, aand youave learned that sheep ointment is best used only on sheep.a aI believe I already knew that lesson. It is Harriet who did not.a aOh, I never use it on myself,a Harriet said airily. aJust on braggarts who do not appreciate the efforts expended on their behalf.a aAnd youave learned to be far more pleasant,a Sophia said brightly. aMother was just saying that she could not imagine dinner without your stories of town and the people there, although I still do not credit it that Lord Byron eats naught but potatoes and vinegar.a Chase sighed, though a grin tickled his mouth.
Ophelia frowned. aHow will we find Derrick to tell him he has work to do?a Stephen pushed himself from the gate railing and grabbed his crutches. aHeall be in the library, reading a book. Iall fetch him myself.a Harriet nodded and looked at Ophelia and Sophia. aHelp Mother clean up luncheon. Chase and I will sharpen the shears in the barn and weall all be back here in an hour when the next batch of sheep is brought in.a They nodded and scurried off, laughing and talking as they went.
Harriet watched them go, a bubble of laughter still in her throat. She collected the shears and walked toward the barn, aware of Chase falling into step beside her.
As they neared the barn, she stole a glance up at him. He strode beside her, his shirt open at the throat, his sleeves rolled up, his skin already tanning a light brown. The breeze played with his hair, sending it over his brow.
He looked different from the man theyad found in the woods, she suddenly realized, wondering what it was. He didnat seem soa sullen. Angry. aAre you happy?a He looked down at her. aHappy?a She hadnat meant to voice the question aloud. But since she hada aYes. Are you happy? Itas an easy enough question.a aI donat know. I hadnat thought about it.a He pursed his lips.
Harriet tried not to watch, but she couldnat help herself. Chaseas lips had kissed her, possessed her, tasted her in ways shead never thought lips could.
He caught her glance, and his gaze immediately darkened. He bent and said into her ear, aDonat look at me like that unless youare willing to pay the consequences.a His voice brushed over her, sending a trill of shivers down her back. aI didnat look at you any particular way.a aDidnat you?a aNo.a His hand snaked about her wrist and suddenly, she was jerked into the barn, the shears tumbling to the barn floor. Harriet could only blink as Chase pushed the large doors closed and dropped the bar into place.
He leaned against the doors, a devilish smile curving his lips. aNow I have you. And right where I want you, too.a
Chapter 23.
We leave at first light. And Iam very sorry about your new rug.
Mr. Devon St. John to his brother Marcus, the Marquis of Treymount at Treymount House in Mayfair aWha"what are you doing?a Harriet asked, uncertainty and excitement warring for expression.
aI am making sure we arenat interrupted.a Chase tested the bar once, then turned and walked toward her, his boots crunching on the hay-strewn floor, his thigh muscles rippling with each step.
Heaven help her but he had the most beautiful thighsa the memory of those thighs between her own made her close her eyes, a heated shiver rippling through her.
He reached her side and traced his finger down her cheek. aSince that first night I arrived and your brothers and sisters tried to convince me that I had a liking for the barn, Iave been wanting to visit the barn with you.a He captured the ties that held her hat. He twined the faded blue ribbons around his fingers and then gently drew her forth.
Her eyes widened and she leaned away, one hand bracing the hat in place. aIa"I donat think that is necessary.a She was hot and disheveled, her hair falling in wisps from beneath the hat and sticking damply to her neck and cheek. Her flushed skin held a dewy moisture that begged to be tasted.
In all his years, Chase had never been so close to a woman engaged in such physically demanding labor. He tugged the bonnet ties a bit harder, pulling her forward another reluctant pace.
The neck of her washed-out dress was damp, as if beads of sweat had trickled to rest there. He marveled at her. This plain little woman would practically fade from sight when dressed in white muslin, sitting in a parlor. But here, in a musty barn, damp from her exertions, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling with mischiefa she was beyond beautiful.
She was bold and lovely, loud in actions and brave in thought. She was, in a word, the most amazing woman head ever met.
He released one ribbon of her hat and ran the back of his finger over her cheek. aYou are incredible.a The air about them thickened, deepened, as if the heat had slowed the pace of the earth. She licked her lips as if they were suddenly dry. The movement of her pink tongue was almost more than he could bear.
She glanced wildly around, as if to find rescue from the fields, or perhaps the sheep. aWea"Ia"youa"a He raised his brows.
She flushed, deeply, the color creeping up her neck to flood her hot cheeks with even brighter streaks of red. aWe should get a drink of water.a She turned stiffly on her heel and marched to the bucket of water that hung from one of the loft poles as if on her way to the guillotine.
He grinned even as a fat trickle of sweat ran between his shoulder blades. aYouare right.a He followed her closely, reaching past her to take the dipper that hung from the side of the barrel. aAllow me.a aI donat need a.s.sistance getting a drink of water. I am perfectly capable of getting it myself.a aI know.a He plunged the dipper into the water, then lifted it clear. Water dripped from the shiny metal and pooled into the barrel below. Chase was suddenly aware of how thirsty he was. It was hot, sticky, dry work. Work he wasnat accustomed to doing. The whole world seemed covered in a haze of dust that made the water seem all the more pure. All the tastier. He began to lift the dipper to his own mouth when he caught sight of Harrietas face.
Dust smeared a dark path from her temple to her chin. Her skin was flushed and ripe. As he looked at her, she ran the edge of her tongue along her lower lip as if in antic.i.p.ation of the cold drink. Chase reached over with his free hand and pushed her hat from her hair.
She blinked. aWha"a He lifted the ladle and poured the water on her head. It cascaded down her face, drenching her shoulders, cooling her heated skin.
She gasped, sputtering. aYoua"Whya"a aYou were hot.a He dipped out more water and poured it over his own head. The water bathed him in an instant, cooling and cleansing.
He opened his eyes to find Harriet looking at him, amus.e.m.e.nt warming her brown eyes.
aYou are impossible.a He grinned in return. aI just wanted to help.a He refilled the ladle and then handed it to her. aDrink.a Her gaze met his for the briefest of moments, the deep brown still sparkling with laughter. To his surprise, she didnat say a word, but reached up and cupped the cool metal in both hands and took a deep, cold drink.
Chase watched, all amus.e.m.e.nt leaving him as her soft lips closed over the curved metal bowl of the ladle. She drank deeply, unabashedly gulping the water, a thin trickle escaping her lips and running down her chin.
Chase found his hands had curled into fists. Not out of anger, but out of need. He wanted this woman, wanted her so badly that his entire body ached with the effort to hide it.
She dropped the ladle from her mouth, her eyes still closed as if in ecstasy. Chase could not breathe. He could not swallow. He could not do anything but stand numbly beside her as she sighed happily, her pink tongue tracing the last bit of moisture from her plump bottom lip.
Suddenly, Chase knew that he was standing too close to her. Too near to stop himself. Before he realized what he was doing, his hands had come un-fisted and he was holding hera"pulling her to him.
She melted against him, warm and willing, her mouth curved in a welcoming smile.
He wanted to kiss her. To taste her as deeply as shead drunk the water. He wanted to devour her taste, her scent, claim her with his mouth, his tongue, every inch of him that pressed against her.
But instead, he merely held her, imprisoning her within his arms. Then he reclaimed the ladle from her limp hands and reached behind her to dip it deep in the water.
Harrietas gaze followed his arm as he held it over their heads.
She stared up at the ladle, her throat inadvertently exposed. Her gaze widened as he began to tilt it. aYou wouldnat daa"a He dumped it all, the coldness cascading over their heads, shoulders and back.
Water clung to her lashes and bathed her cheeks, cooling their hot color to pink. She tilted her face up, a chuckle escaping her wet lips. aThat was divine. Youare worse than Stephen, you know. He is forever pouring water over poor Derrick when the poor boy least expects it. It makes Derrick furious for there are times his beloved books get a good splashing, too.a aMy brothers and sister were much the same,a he murmured, pulling the pins from her hair.
Her breathing came a bit quicker, but she managed to ask, aWhat did your brothers and sister torment you about?a aIall never tell.a Harriet knew a challenge when she heard one. aWonat you?a She leaned against him, her wet dress pressing against his soaked shirt as she traced a finger down the side of his throat. aNot even if you have inducement?a His gaze glittered then, a sudden heat that quite took Harrietas breath away. aWhat kind of inducement? Would youa take this off for me?a His finger traced the neckline of her gown.
Harriet drew a quick breath as his fingers slid near her breasta then away. aIn exchange for what?a He dropped his hand from her gown. aFor something my brothers and sister used to torment me about.a She considered this a moment. aHow much did they torment you?a aEvery chance they got.a She eyed him uncertainly. aI donat know.a aOne of my brothers even carved my nickname in the headboard of my bed. I thought my mother would explode into flames when she saw what wead done to that bed. It was four hundred years old and had been in her family for centuries.a aReally?a He nodded. aShe was not pleased, to put it mildly.a aWhatever your secret nickname it must be something horrid. Hmm. That is tempting indeed.a She looked down at her gown. It was a round gown. Like all round gowns, it had a large neckline through which a ribbon was threaded, pulled tight, then tied, making for a modest appearance.
All she had to do was untie the ribbon, give a slight tug, and the entire gown would fall off her shoulders. Harrietas body tightened at the thought. Chase made her feela freer somehow. Rich like a plum pudding, and as decadent as ice in the middle of summer. aTell me your secret.a aAnd?a She swallowed, aware of a trembling in her limbs. aTell me your secret and Iall show you mine.a He grinned. aThey called me the Frog, which was pure mockery since I have never managed to learn to swim.a aThe Frog? Thatas it? Thatas your horrid secret?a aI was six. It seemed horrid at the time.a She had to grin.
He reached out and traced the line of her gown with his fingertips, his skin brushing hers. aNow you owe me.a aSo I do. Buta it doesnat seem fair that I might be the only one without any clothing.a He pulled his soaked shirt over his head before she could draw a breath.
Harriet chuckled. aA man of action. I like that.a Chaseas grin broke through, and he leaned against one of the large poles that held the loft as he pulled off his boots. aIave never been one to linger except, of courseaa"he flashed a smile, wickedly intenta"ain certain instances. And then I can stay till dawn.a aBraggart.a aThatas for the lady to say.a His gaze dropped across her, as if seeing through her gown, brushing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, stomach, and thighs. Each place his gaze touched, a shimmering of heat was left behind, like a dusting of hot ash.
She shivered. The fine hair on Harrietas arms were all on end, her nipples pebbled into hardness. He was the most sensual man shead ever met. Even something as simple as talking became a heated dance, a silky waltz of entendre and double entendre.
And she loved it. Savored it. Reveled in it. Harriet found the ribbon that tied her gown. She laced it between her fingers and tugged ever so gently. Chaseas gaze followed her every move even as he threw his boots into the corner of the barn and undid his breeches.
Harrietas breath grew rapid. The air was warm and sweet, the scent of cut hay and feed tickling her nose. Every day she walked into this barn; every day she saw the piles of hay, the empty stalls, the plain plank walls. The shimmer of the tin dipper that hung from the bucket of water on the loft pole.
She saw every detail each and every day and yet she didnat see a thing. But now, after this, she had the feeling that from now on, the inside of the barn would be firmly fixed in her mind, and shead see it with startling clarity.
Chase gave a tug and his wet breeches were off. He tossed them aside with the same careless disregard head thrown the old worn boots and the shirt. Now he stood before her, unclothed, his black hair falling over his brow, his blue eyes devouring her as if he was already touching her, his well-muscled body glimmering in the golden slants of light that cut through the barn.
Oblivious to her gaze, he pulled an old blanket from the tack room and tossed it over the hay. Then he turned to face her, a devilish glint in his gaze. aItas not as luxurious as Iad like, or you deserve, but itas ours.a Ours. There was something indescribably beautiful about that word. Harriet tried to swallow, but couldnat. He was so beautiful. And for this one precious moment, he was hers.
She knew as certainly as she stood before him, her fingers threaded through the ribbon that held her gown closed, that this moment was ephemeral, as substantial as the golden dust motes that trickled through the air and disappeared once they floated out of the light.
Her gaze dropped to her hand where the talisman ring glistened, a silver stripe across one finger. Harriet knew the day would come when Chase St. John, the arrogant scion of a wealthy familya"perhaps one of the wealthiest in the land, would discard his Captain John Frakenham disguise forever and rejoin the real worlda"his world. A world that had nothing to do with Harriet or the Wards, or Garrett Park.
But it didnat matter, she decided, closing her hand tight about the ribbon, the ring pressing into her skin. All that mattered was him, the feel of him, the taste of him. Harriet tugged the ribbon and her gown loosened. She slipped it from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor, then stepped out of it.
Chase had never seen anything so beautiful. Harriet stood in the center of the barn, clothed only in her shift. It was a plain shift, with far fewer b.u.t.tons and ribbons than Chase was used to seeing. The material was thin, but as was all the clothing worn by the Ward family, it was neat, tidy, studiously clean, and in this instance, driving Chase St. John wild with impatience.
There was something masterful about the way the fabric hugged Harrietas slender body. It clung lovingly to the gentle slope of her breast, fell in delicate folds to her flat stomach, then smoothed across her hips before falling to a narrow froth of white lace at her knees.
aYou are beautiful,a he breathed. aSo beautiful.a In answer, she placed her hands on his chest and tilted her face to his, stepping closer. Her hair curled wetly about her shoulders and clung to the shadowed hollows of her neck. The warmth from her palms sent a tingle of heat through him, the hot white band where the talisman ring rested seeming to burn a mark in his skin.
Chase reached for her, his heart racing. He would never remember unlacing her shift. Or taking it off and tossing it aside. All he would remember was the feel of her beneath him when he joined her on the blanket. She reached up and pulled his mouth to hers even as she locked her legs about his hips.
Chase was lost, awash in instant heat and welcoming wetness. He closed his eyes, his entire body aflame, his muscles tightening as he moved inside her. Harriet was made for him. The thought was both a revelation and a calm, orderly fact. An icy certainty in a heated moment that cooled and calmed even as it invigorated his spirit, fueled his pounding pulse.
He would be leaving soon. It was inevitable. He simply could not stay. There was no place for him at Garrett Park, or there wouldnat be once Harriet knew of his past mistakes. There was goodness here, with the Wards, but most especially with Harriet herself. And he was far, far less than he should be.
The thought made the moment all the more sweet. And he knew that in a way, he was trying to leave her with something, a memory of himself that might never fade. He thrust into her deeply. She gasped, her legs tightening about his waist as she moved beneath him.
Chase tasted her neck, her throat, his hands never slowing, never still. He wanted her to remember this moment, this second for the rest of her life.
Suddenly, she arched against him, her cry of pleasure ringing through the air. Chase gritted his teeth as she clenched about him. G.o.d, she was sweet, but he would not release. Not yet.
After an agonizing moment, she relaxed beneath him, her breathing ragged against his neck.
aYou are divine,a he managed to say, feeling her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest, her hips firm with his. She was a conundrum, this woman. Strength mixed with curves.
He bent down and kissed her, capturing her water-sweetened lips with his.
Harriet didnat movea"she couldnat. For an instant, she thought her heat-sizzled mind had finally let go of the last vestiges of sanity. Surely this was a dream of some sort, induced by the heat and the strain of the last few days.
Buta his lips felt real as they closed over hers, warm and insistent.
His hand, before gently resting on her elbows, slid up to her shoulders as he pulled her close, her chest against his.
She was encircled, captured, held in place as if spellbound. The kiss deepened, and Harriet leaned into the embrace, completely lost to his touch. A shiver of heat p.r.i.c.kled up her spine, all thinking coming to an abrupt halt.
Heaven help her, but he was delectable. Every handsome, frustrating inch of him. She wanted this. Wanted him to kiss her. Wanted, for one moment, to be the only woman that Chase St. John thought of.
The thought spurred her on. She ran her hands up his chest, marveling at the tautness of his stomach, his shoulders. A new need grew within her. She wanted to drive him as mad with desire as he had driven her. She wanted to give back what he had already given. aWhata"a She bit her lip, searching for the words.
He kissed her cheek, her neck. aWhatas what?a he asked.
aWhat do you like?a Her whisper was broken, hesitant.
He stopped then and lifted his head, his eyes dark, questioning.
She placed her hands on either side of his face and drew him forward until he was looking directly into her eyes. aWhat do you want?a A slow, masculine smile touched his lips. aWith youa"everything.a His smile faded, his eyes burning brighter. aAbsolutely everything.a He kissed her again, but this time with heart-stopping urgency. Harriet melted beneath his touch, her heart taking wing and soaring with her spirit. His lips trailed delicate fire down her throat to her neck, and lower. She arched as his mouth closed over one nipple, then the other, before he returned to her neck and the delicate spot behind her ear.
aDo you know,a he asked as he nuzzled her neck, amy favorite place to kiss a woman?a It was difficult to think clearly enough to talk with her heart racing so. aWhere?a she managed to gasp.
He lifted on one elbow to gaze down at her. aYouall have to turn over.a Turn over? A raw shiver traced over her skin. Without a word, Harriet turned onto her stomach.
For an instant, she felt exposed in some way that she hadnat before. Perhaps it was because she could no longer see his face. Perhaps it was the newness of the situation. Whatever it was, her entire body trembled. She could feel him moving to one side, and then down.
His voice brushed her lower back. aMy favorite place to kiss a womana is here.a His lips brushed her back at the base of her spine.
Harriet arched at the sensation. It was unsettling to be naked before a man, especially like this. She couldnat help but feel vulnerable, exposed. But he didnat slow down long enough to let her react to that feeling; his lips were traveling a delicately tortuous path, leaving a trail of heated kisses all the way from her lower spine up to her shoulder, to her neck.
His weight pressed against her and she could feel his hardness pressing against the backs of her legs.