Pain shot through her shoulder and she leaned forward in agony.
“Reidh?”
Ready?Thomasina cringed, holding her breath to keep the groan of pain from escaping. She took a deep swallow. “Aye. Reidh.”
As one, they lurched forward with the movement. Her beloved beast moved beneath them. Her own pain forgotten as she felt for any shift of a misplaced hoof or strained ligament, any sign her horse had been mistreated while separated from her. This man certainly did not seem like someone who would be cruel to an animal.
A big man, yea. Towered over her. But he didn’t seem mean. Even his back was expansive. She couldn’t see anything beyond it. His body narrowed at the waist so that her legs were only somewhat indecently surrounding him, resting against his own thighs. She needed to lose him.
No doubt this man meant to help her search for her brother but he wouldn’t be found. Damn him. Why couldn’t Niall be where she needed him to be? He’d never have left her behind to deal with her father alone. She thought she’d only have to wait a few days but she’d waited nigh a week. Alone in that dark cave with only the food she could catch or gather to eat.
“Sean?” Thomasina coughed and adjusted her voice to a lower pitch and hoped the man hadn’t heard the slip. “Sean?”
What sounded like a chuckle preceded his answer. “Aye?”
“Can ye tell me who had my horse?”
A massive lift of his broad shoulders his only reply. He pushed the horse into a trot once they cleared the trees.
It had been bad enough that her father willingly handed her off to the highest bidder but separating her from her horse as well had been too much.
“If I knew the name, it might help me… stop the person from taking her again.”
A loud sigh followed. Sean slowed the horse until they stopped.
“I can’t hear ye,Tommy.”
Something about the way he said her name, made her think she irritated him.
“I’m sorry, Sean.” She liked saying his name, the way it sounded to her ears. He had a strange accent as well but she dare not question him. He’d already shown his short temper and she didn’t require another display. “I would appreciate ye taking me back and showing me where ye first saw my horse.”
“Is that it?” Sean turned toward her but did not look directly at her.
“I dunna ken what yer asking.”
“Is that all ye had to tell me?”
His irritation came from her asking a question? He didn’t want her to talk!
“Aye.” She clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms in front of her. Insolent man.
The sun quickly dropping, Thomasina didn’t know the area. She also didn’t know how far it was to where he had gotten her horse. He spurred the animal again, faster this time.
“Hold tight, lad.” Sean ordered with a loud voice.
She didn’t know what he meant but held the horse tighter with her legs.
“Hold, lad.” He shouted the words at her. “Just do it.”
“I ken not—”
“Damn.” Sean muttered and grabbed her right hand, wrapping it around his firm torso. The movement shifted Thomasina forward in the saddle, all but flattening her against his back.
Damn is right.She tried to pull back slightly to stop her breasts from crushing against him. He wouldn’t be expecting her to have any breasts and as far as breasts go, hers weren’t very big, so maybe he wouldn’t notice.
“The other hand, too!” he said in a growl but gave the horse its lead to let loose before she could wrap the other arm about him.
Sean seemed to care very little for her struggles or discomfort. When she had him encircled in her arms, he covered both her hands with his own much larger one as if to keep them there. His warm palm was calloused. His fingers strong where they gripped her wrist. He urged the horse into a fast gallop as if the devil himself were chasing them.
