Holding her breath, Ashley listened. No sounds of planes, helicopters, or ringing phones. It was unsettling, like waking up to find herself in the middle of an apocalyptic movie. This is why she hated the country. There was nothing to do or see; they were in the middle of nowhere. Had a helicopter dropped this guy off so he could be far away from everyone else? What a diva.
If they were in America, at least there’d be a strip mall or fast food joint by now. But here? A big fat nothing. They passed a man, dressed in similar clothes as Christian, on a rickety cart pulled by a horse.
Okay, she was going with the movie or TV set theory. A theme park would have made the news, even if it was supposed to be a secret until it opened to the public. Christian certainly had the model looks down pat. Oh well, it didn’t matter if she was in the middle of a movie shoot as long as they made their way to people. With phones. But no more camping. She despised camping. Her idea of camping was a hotel with no spa services.
The horse shook its head, making her scoot back until she was pressed against her rescuer. As if the animal knew he made her nervous, he twitched an ear and snorted. Animals wereunpredictable; give her a subway car any day. She sniffed again, deciding she’d never complain about the smell of a subway station or the back of a cab again as long as she lived.
Smelly or not, she’d ride a horse or a cow as long as the beast got her to the office so she could find out what Mitch had been up to. No doubt he was sabotaging her at this very moment. The guy knew how to network with the old boys’ club, she’d give him that much.
Ashley always had a hair elastic around her wrist or in her purse. While she’d been a grouchy snot to Christian, she’d grown tired of the wind blowing her hair in her face. As she reached up to rebraid it, she caught sight of her bangle watch, the one she put on every morning. Would he think she was weird if she buried it and said a few words? It pained her to look at the frozen clock hands; it made her feel like time was on fast forward and she was stuck on slow. Sighing, she coiled the braid into a low chignon.
The wind blew through her, the cold reaching inside of her, turning her organs to popsicles. As if he’d read her mind, he pulled his cloak around them both, the heat flowing into her, as good as any radiator.
The endless countryside combined with the motion of the horse made time stretch and slow. Ashley shifted, her thighs and backside sorer than they’d ever been after an extreme cycling class.
“I swear my butt is numb,” she muttered.
He chuckled but didn’t answer, which was just as well.
“I don’t know how long it takes by horse, but if we rented a car it would only take three hours to get to London,or four as lost as you were, stupid maps app—at least, that’s what I was told. This horse seems like it’s taking an awfully long time. Doesn’t he go any faster?”
“We’ll get there when we get there. You must learn to take the day as it comes.”
Right. First car she spotted, Ashley was stealing his sword and committing grand theft auto.
CHAPTER 10
Christian adjustedhis hold on Ashley. An occasional snore escaped her lips as she mumbled something too low for him to make out. First she was cold, then his horse was too slow, and finally she grumbled she would be old and gray before they arrived at whatever rat-infested place he was taking her.
Eventually she fell asleep, sparing his ears from any more abuse. Was this how he sounded when he bellowed at his men? Nay, he could not.
The one thing he had learned about Ashley was not to let her get hungry, for when she was, she turned into a bellowing shrew, and did not find it amusing when he told her such. Instead she retorted that he hummed when he was thinking and she found it most annoying.
The sound of water led him to a small clearing, where he dismounted, lifting her in his arms. He set her on a pile of leaves and covered her with his cloak then took care of his horse.
’Twas late in the day and would be dark soon. Tomorrow there would be an inn, and Ashley could have a bath and a hot meal. He looked to the sky. The smell of snow in the air was faint, and heprayed the weather would hold until they reached the inn tomorrow. They had passed few travelers and seen no one for most of the day, so he went to fetch water and firewood.
The waterfall soothed him as he thought about his guest. ’Twas evident she was unused to sleeping outside. Curious about her time, it had taken all of his considerable control not to ask her questions, for he did not wish to give himself away. He washed quickly, the water chilling him, then brought water back to the clearing.
“Are you hungry?” He spoke softly to wake her. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment he wondered what it would be like to see those intelligent green eyes every morn.
“I thought you would like to wash and eat.” He helped her stand. “Walk; it will ease the pain.”
“I’m starving.” She took a few steps and groaned. “You know, I thought I was in good shape, but riding like this, it’s like a weekend of boot camp with a drill sergeant from hell.” She rubbed her rather fetching backside and rolled her shoulders.
“I’d love to soak in a hot tub for an hour. Or a massage. That would be heaven.” A few more steps and she stretched. “I hear water.”
Christian pulled her behind him, unsheathing his sword.
“What—”
A bird took to the sky; no other sounds came, so he re-sheathed his blade.
“Is everything okay?” She looked as skittish as a newborn colt.
“Aye. ’Tis nothing.” He searched through the bags and came out with a small wrapped bundle. “Soap. For you to wash. Tomorrow we will reach an inn. Then you will have a bath and a proper meal.”
Ashley took the soap, inhaling. “Roses.” She threw her arms around him. “Thank you. For the soap and giving me something to look forward to.”
