found his gaze following the graceful line of her throat down to the upper swell of her smallbreasts bared by the low neckline of her gown. Her fair skin possessed an incredible sheen. He wondered how soft it would feel to the touch.
“And I’ll have dogs and perhaps carrier pigeons.” She took the bandage from Selik’s ankle. “Don’t you think that would be a happy life?”
“No fashionable salon?”
Her laughter rang out. “What would I do with a salon? I cannot imagine anything more boring than sitting around reading poetry and discussing Voltaire and Rousseau.”
The strong herbal smell mingled with the scent of lavender and soap that emanated from her. He bent closer, letting the fragrance invade his senses, and felt an urgent quickening in his loins. He had not expected this to happen so quickly. Dammit, he did not want it to happen yet. His body was readying itself to enter her—and she was more aware of his horse than of him.
She glanced at him. “We can’t leave for Sedikhan tomorrow. Selik won’t be ready.”
He went still. “The next day will do as well.” He waited for a moment and then asked casually, “I take it this means you agree to the arrangement?”
“Of course.” She looked at him in surprise. “You knew I would.”
“Let’s say I thought there was a reasonable chance.”
“Say what you like. You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist what you offered.” She dipped the cloth in the hot water. “I think the poison is drawing, but not enough. We’ll have to keep bathingit and applying fresh salve for most of the night. I’ll take the first watch. You go rest.”
“I can do it alone.”
“Why should you? It’s better with two.”
He did not argue with her. He needed to have her powerfully united with him, and this shared experience would be an important beginning. He smiled and rose to his feet. “You’re right, most things are better with two.” He strolled over and sat down on the fresh hay spread in the empty stall across from Selik’s. “You take the first two hours. I’ll take the next two.” He drew his knees up and linked his arms loosely around them, his gaze on Tess Rubinoff. She moved with a neat, economical grace, every motion purposeful and full of vitality. The short puffed sleeves of her gown revealed exquisitely formed bare arms flowing into small, capable hands that were wonderfully gentle as she touched the horse. What a rare blend of strength and fire lay beneath that delicate exterior. Small women had never appealed to him, yet he felt the muscles of his stomach clench painfully as he thought how tight she’d be around him as he plunged in and out of her body—
He tried to rid himself of such thoughts as he drew back into the shadows and leaned his head against the rough wall. He did not want Tess to become aware of his body’s reaction to her at the moment. She was filled with soaring hope and plans for the future—precisely the emotions he had hoped to arouse in her.
* * *
She was being lifted from the straw of the stall and carried.
“Sacha?” she murmured sleepily.
“No. Shh, go back to sleep. I’m only taking you to your chamber.”
Galen. Her eyelids felt too heavy to open. “Selik?”
“Hell be fine. It’s almost morning.”
Cool air struck her face as Galen carried her out of the stable. She roused. “You’ll have to change to cold compresses now to take the swelling down.”
“I started to use cold water while you were dozing.”
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You worked very hard. You deserve your sleep.”
Her lids lifted slowly. Galen’s face was only inches from hers. She stared dreamily at the sharp molding of his cheekbones, his well-shaped lips. She had not noticed his lips before because his large dark eyes so dominated his other features.
He must have become aware of her study, for he looked down at her.
He smiled. “Sleep,
kilen
. All will be well. I promise you. You can trust me.”
She
“And I’ll have dogs and perhaps carrier pigeons.” She took the bandage from Selik’s ankle. “Don’t you think that would be a happy life?”
“No fashionable salon?”
Her laughter rang out. “What would I do with a salon? I cannot imagine anything more boring than sitting around reading poetry and discussing Voltaire and Rousseau.”
The strong herbal smell mingled with the scent of lavender and soap that emanated from her. He bent closer, letting the fragrance invade his senses, and felt an urgent quickening in his loins. He had not expected this to happen so quickly. Dammit, he did not want it to happen yet. His body was readying itself to enter her—and she was more aware of his horse than of him.
She glanced at him. “We can’t leave for Sedikhan tomorrow. Selik won’t be ready.”
He went still. “The next day will do as well.” He waited for a moment and then asked casually, “I take it this means you agree to the arrangement?”
“Of course.” She looked at him in surprise. “You knew I would.”
“Let’s say I thought there was a reasonable chance.”
“Say what you like. You knew I wouldn’t be able to resist what you offered.” She dipped the cloth in the hot water. “I think the poison is drawing, but not enough. We’ll have to keep bathingit and applying fresh salve for most of the night. I’ll take the first watch. You go rest.”
“I can do it alone.”
“Why should you? It’s better with two.”
He did not argue with her. He needed to have her powerfully united with him, and this shared experience would be an important beginning. He smiled and rose to his feet. “You’re right, most things are better with two.” He strolled over and sat down on the fresh hay spread in the empty stall across from Selik’s. “You take the first two hours. I’ll take the next two.” He drew his knees up and linked his arms loosely around them, his gaze on Tess Rubinoff. She moved with a neat, economical grace, every motion purposeful and full of vitality. The short puffed sleeves of her gown revealed exquisitely formed bare arms flowing into small, capable hands that were wonderfully gentle as she touched the horse. What a rare blend of strength and fire lay beneath that delicate exterior. Small women had never appealed to him, yet he felt the muscles of his stomach clench painfully as he thought how tight she’d be around him as he plunged in and out of her body—
He tried to rid himself of such thoughts as he drew back into the shadows and leaned his head against the rough wall. He did not want Tess to become aware of his body’s reaction to her at the moment. She was filled with soaring hope and plans for the future—precisely the emotions he had hoped to arouse in her.
* * *
She was being lifted from the straw of the stall and carried.
“Sacha?” she murmured sleepily.
“No. Shh, go back to sleep. I’m only taking you to your chamber.”
Galen. Her eyelids felt too heavy to open. “Selik?”
“Hell be fine. It’s almost morning.”
Cool air struck her face as Galen carried her out of the stable. She roused. “You’ll have to change to cold compresses now to take the swelling down.”
“I started to use cold water while you were dozing.”
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You worked very hard. You deserve your sleep.”
Her lids lifted slowly. Galen’s face was only inches from hers. She stared dreamily at the sharp molding of his cheekbones, his well-shaped lips. She had not noticed his lips before because his large dark eyes so dominated his other features.
He must have become aware of her study, for he looked down at her.
He smiled. “Sleep,
kilen
. All will be well. I promise you. You can trust me.”
She
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