“All set?” Hadley asked.
She nodded and leaned over to brush the horse’s neck. “Ready?” she murmured to Lulu. They walked out into the field. Lulu quivered with pent-up energy underneath her and using her crop she tapped the horse to move into a canter. The vibrant green of the pasture stretched ahead edged by tall oak trees on one side. The sky was cloudless for the first time in a week and the sun beat down on her causing a line of sweat to trickle down her back.
“Come on Lulu, let’s get some wind.” She tapped the horse again and they took off. She missed her horses. She rode every day at home in Marbury and being stuck in one stuffy carriage after another all week had been taxing. The breeze on her face and the powerful horseflesh under her seat felt like freedom. Susanna threw her head back, closed her eyes and enjoyed the sun on her face.
Chapter Eighteen
By the timehe spotted Maddox’s caravan off the side of the road Miles had worked up quite the head of steam. He had torn apart the room at the inn searching for his boots for more than an hour before he discovered them in the last place one would ever look for boots, behind the pillows on the neatly made bed. He didn’t know if he was angrier at the time wasted searching or the fact that Susanna had outwitted him. Everything about this trip was a waste of time.
He rode into what could only be described as controlled chaos. Men unloaded wagons with barrels of water for a menagerie of horses. Grooms brushed hides and checked hooves. Nearby, a party of performers picnicked under a white tent, conversation and hoots of laughter reminded him of last night’s revelry. Revelry which had left him with a throbbing headache all morning. Glancing around, he did not see Susanna anywhere. She had to have traveled with the circus. She wouldn’t have tried to take the stage again, would she? Everyone looked up at him with mouths open as he walked his horse right up to the tent. “Where is she?” he bit out.
“You’ve just missed her.” Colonel Hadley’s voice rang out from behind him.
Miles twisted around.
“She’s gone for a ride.” Hadley pointed west.
Miles saw Susanna on a dapple gray break into a gallop across the field. His temper spiked. She was always racing away from him. He squeezed his knees and set his horse into motion. Dammit she was not getting away this time. Once he was out of range of the other horses he leaned down over Valor’s neck. “Come on boy, let’s catch them.” His horse stretched his gait and they were off like a shot.
At sixteen hands, Valor had quite a long stride and easily decreased the distance between them. Susanna had such a head start though he doubted he would have actually caught up with her if she and her mount hadn’t slowed to a post. It wasn’t until then that she noticed him and Valor coming up at her flank. Susanna’s eyes widened and she glanced around as though contemplating an escape.
“Don’t even think about it.” Miles slowed his horse to pace hers.
“Why Hawksridge, I don’t know what you mean.” Her lips twitched into a tiny smile. “I see you found your boots.”
He pulled to a stop and dismounted. He was going to strangle her. “Get off your horse.”
Perhaps his expression was a bit too threatening because she shook her head as she guided her horse to a stop. Glancing behind her, he knew her sharp mind must be calculating how far they were from the others. Miles reached up, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her off the horse.
“Damn it, Susanna. Why do you keep running away?” He raised his hands up in the air in frustration.
“Why do you keep trying to tell me what to do? You came to help; I understand your intention. But I am quite all right. Now why don’t you just go home!”
Susanna Ashby was the most vexing woman alive. He stared down into her eyes which sparked with indignation, the mulish set to her chin, and her lips pursed in annoyance and all he could think about was kissing her. His breath hitched in his chest as all his anger morphed into something far more fevered. He grasped her shoulders.
“Miles, let go of me. I don’t need you to rescue me.”
He yanked her against him and captured her lips. Her gasp of surprise thrilled his inner beast. Her sweet mouth fueled his hunger for her. She tasted just as he remembered, like tart berries on a hot summer day. He sucked on her bottom lip and she opened her mouth to let his tongue slide in to tease hers. Her chest heaved against his and he moved his hands around her back to keep her in place while he explored how soft and responsive she felt in his arms.
Her hands came up to grip the lapels of his coat, and she pulled back slightly to take in a breath. Miles also gulped in much needed air. Susanna’s eyes were wide and her lips pink and plump. “What are we doing?”
“Kissing,” he replied. He dipped his head to kiss her again.
She gave a push on his chest. “Miles! As nice as it is I don’t think it’s wise for us to be kissing.”
“Nice?” He arched an eyebrow. “Here let me try again.” This time when he kissed her he held nothing back. His frustration, his lust, his last shred of control. Hot and slick, her lips parted for him immediately and he lost himself in the wave of pleasure that her kiss elicited. He nibbled and licked her lips, taking time to savor each mew of pleasure that escaped.
Dear Lord, she was right, he was losing his head. But her tall athletic form fit perfectly against him and his body did not agree with that one sane corner of his mind that said this was a bad idea. He gripped the back of her neck and guided her head back so he could place kisses along her delicate jaw and behind her earlobe. He growled in frustration at the stiff collar of her shirt which impeded him from further exploring the pale column of her throat.
So, he sucked hard on her earlobe instead. “Only nice?” he murmured.
Susanna still had her eyes closed. Her only response a murmuredhmmm. Then she slowly opened her eyes and blinked at him several times. The dazed look in them satisfied him immensely.
“What just happened?” she asked.
“I kissed you.”
“Why?”
