The Charmer by Autumn Dawn Page A

his own rope. Proximity to the charmer was what he
needed to avoid, yet where was she? Nestled between his thighs and
teasing him with her luscious scent.
    Not that she’d wanted to be there. It had
taken some well chosen baiting on Rihlia’s part and a flat refusal
on Jayems’ to ride with anyone other than Rihlia to get her into
the double saddle at all.
    He poked her. “Stop slouching and straighten
your back. The stag won’t respect a spineless rider.” She obeyed
him, but persisted in leaning forward to avoid body contact. He
sighed in frustration and pulled her back flush to his chest with a
small jerk, holding her shoulders to keep her there. “Unless you’re
racing, you must sit straight in the saddle. You’ll never have a
proper seat otherwise, and the ride will be uncomfortable.”
    He released her, and she silently did as he
instructed. If her muscles got any stiffer, though, he’d be able to
take her off the stag and use her for a poker. With that in mind,
he began to massage her shoulders.
    She hunched them, trying to discourage him,
but he persisted, and slowly she relaxed. “Better,” he told her. “A
relaxed body will obey you better and help to keep your mount
calm.”
    As they continued down the deserted sunny
road in the opposite direction from the gate site, her continued
silence began to annoy him. “Are you sulking because we’re nowhere
near the gate or because you can’t shove me off this stag and
trample me?”
    Her answer, when it came, was not what he’d
been expecting.
    Jasmine turned her head to look at him. “Why
do you make her stay here?” she asked quietly. “I don’t
understand.” They both looked to where Jayems and Rihlia rode,
several lengths ahead.
    Keilor had seen Jasmine display many
emotions, but this aching quiet stirred an answering sympathy in
him. He felt the need to comfort, and he hadn’t felt such tender
emotion in a long time. “Do you know anything of your family?” he
asked gently, aware that the subject was likely painful for
her.
    She shrugged, but her voice was harsh. “Sure.
My mother was an exotic dancer and my father was some guy she’d met
at a party. She found out later he had a wife and three kids. He
owned a used car dealership. What about it?”
    He paused, taken aback by her revelation.
“You met them?” he asked tentatively, almost dreading her
answer.
    “My mother,” she paused and then admitted
with great reluctance, "When she was drunk, before she died, she
used to rant on about how I’d ruined her life.” She was silent a
moment. “It was a lot more pleasant when she was stoned. Then she
just ignored me.” What could he say to such a revelation? Would she
even accept comfort from him? He cleared his throat. “It wasn’t
like that for Rihlia. She was the baby of the family, and very
spoiled. Jayems and I adored her from the moment we saw her. She
was terribly charming, and very bossy.”
    Jasmine shook her head and said in faint
amusement, “I’m sure.”
    “The day she disappeared, we were all
frantic. Jayems would not sleep for two days. In spite of the best
efforts of the Haunt elite, we could find no trace of her. I didn’t
see a smile cross Jayems’ face for months afterward.”
    Jasmine’s voice was heavy. “That little girl
grew up, Keilor. She’s not the same person.”
    He stopped the stag. Splaying his fingers
against her jaw, he gently turned her head to look up at him,
leaning to the side so she could see him clearly. He held her gaze,
letting her see how he felt. “She deserves the chance to find out
for herself exactly what she is, don’t you think?” He could sense
her weakening, so he pushed harder. “Her family loves her and wants
her, Jasmine. Give her the opportunity to learn that. Jayems will
never let her go while she still thinks we threw her away.” He
released her and set the stag in motion, giving her a chance to
think; glad he’d been able to explain to her how they felt.
    He’d