Victor leaned forward and smiled. “You do not have a choice. Now come here.”
His horse was large and a fall from this beast would surely break her neck.
“Come here, Charlotte.”
She could not disobey his order no matter how much she wished to. Oh, why were wives expected to be obedient in order to win their husband’s favor.
Yet, she must do as he asked. This day had already gone terribly wrong, and Charlotte was already in enough trouble.
After taking a deep breath, she slowly approached him, then Victor leaned forward and wrapped his arm around her waist. Charlotte found herself seated before him before she knew what had happened. He then pulled her back against his chest and wrapped the steel band of his arm around her midsection.
“Just relax against me. I will not let you fall,” he murmured in her ear before setting the horse to a trot.
Charlotte contemplated closing her eyes. Perhaps if she didn’t have to watch it wouldn’t be so frightening.
The warmth of him seeped into her back and his chest was a wall of muscle. If she wasn’t so frightened, she would use this moment to try and seduce him. But what could one do while riding a horse? She squirmed in her seat. It was a perfect opportunity to be physically close to him without being forward. However, when she started to lose balance, Victor tightened his arm about her more and pulled her against his thighs. Against her buttocks was his man-part. It seemed to move against her. Did it do that often? If so, that must be very uncomfortable and why didn’t anyone notice such movement.
Charlotte would have pressed back against it, but the last movement almost unseated her, and she wasn’t about to risk it again. For the moment, she would just have to enjoy being in his arms, even if they were on a blasted horse.
Thankgoodnessitwasa short ride because Victor knew he could not have stood much more. Charlotte’s raven hair with its lavender scent tickled his nose. Her back was molded to his chest and her backside was pressed against him between his thighs. Today she wore an old-fashioned scooped neck dress, and he could see down to the crevice between her lush breasts. Their heaviness rested on his forearm that he had wrapped around her midsection to keep her from falling. All he had to do was shift and he could cup one now.
Victor wanted to caress her, slip his hand inside, tease the nipple, and he would if he wasn’t so afraid of startling her off the horse. Could she not feel what her nearness was doing to him physically? Her bottom was so darn soft. Soon, very soon, he needed to make her his wife.
Charlotte didn’t open her eyes until they stopped outside the stable. Victor swung down before her and stood waiting.
“Lean over and put your hands on my shoulders,” he instructed.
Slowly, Charlotte unclenched her hold on the saddle and attempted to do as he said. Before both hands had settled, Victor had grasped her waist and effortlessly lifted her to the ground. “We should go in and enjoy breakfast.”
It was Victor’s intention to discuss everything that he had wondered about since his arrival while they partook of their morning meal. Charlotte should not be keeping secrets from him. They were husband and wife and should share everything.
Victor did not understand his wife, nor would he until she was honest with him.
Just as he should be honest with her, but he held nothing back—except his lust.
Was it simply that they were still coming to learn to know each other before they could be truly trusting and honest?
So lost in his thoughts, Victor hadn’t realized that Charlotte trailed further behind him as they walked to the house until he turned. Her limp was heavier now, and he waited until she drew near and offered his arm, then continued at a slower pace.
He watched her carefully, but other than favoring one side, her facial expression gave no hint of pain.
Yet, she must hurt or she wouldn’t be limping.
He knew how she had been injured but only because Victor had overheard her tell Melcombe. He wanted Charlotte to tell him, and why she had been on a ladder in the first place.
As they entered the house, Charlotte turned for the dining room.
“I will have a tray sent to your room,” Victor said.
Charlotte turned wide eyes on him. “I am to be punished then?”
The idea was ludicrous, and Victor couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his lips. “No. You are injured, and I thought you should rest.”
She sighed before turning to the stairs.
“Charlotte,” Victor began as he came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
She immediately stiffened as if struck or waiting to be.
