Not since she was a child.
But she was no child now; she was very much a woman.Lithe, lissome and ...wholly, exuberantly, unselfconsciously sensual.Riding that horse as if she were part of it, reveling in the speed, the powerful animal beneath her, the fresh, moist air of the park.
He could barely breathe.He simply stared, stunned, unable to think.He followed her dumbly, unable to take his eyes off her, aware of the slow, dangerous coil of heat gathering in his body.
She was so beautiful like this, unselfconscious, unconstrained, as if released from the burdens that had been weighing her down.
He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.Beautiful?He’d always known she was beautiful, but somehow, now, hefeltit.Like a hard blow to his chest.And she wasn’t just beautiful, but something much ...more.He had no words, could not think, only watch, and wonder.
And want.Aching, insistently want.
Chapter Eight
Eventually Tessa’smare began to tire, and with it the reality of her situation closed in on her again.She slowed her mount and waited for Lord Alverleigh to join her.
No doubt she’d disgraced him with her unseemly behavior, but she didn’t care.She’d had a few moments of glorious freedom and nobody could take that away from her.Whatever punishment he came up with, it would be worth it.
He drew up alongside her, and she braced herself.Would he be like Edgar and Lord Holgrave, who preferred to punish her in private?Keeping her waiting and wondering?Or would he be like Papa and Lord Hewitt who both tended to roar and react, not caring who witnessed it.
He glanced at her and gave her an odd look.“What is it?”
She scanned his face for any signs of anger, but could perceive none.“You didn’t mind?”
“Mind what?Your galloping off like that?Of course not.It’s not the done thing, but it’s just what I wanted to do myself.Next time we’ll go up to the Heath where you can gallop to your heart’s content.”
She wasn’t sure she believed this matter-of-fact response.He might still wait and punish her in private.Recalling that her hair was flying free—wantonly, disgracefully loose and free—she replaced her hat and began to tuck her hair into it.
“Shame to cover it up,” he said.
She blinked.“What?”
“Your hair.It’s beautiful like that.Reminds me of when you were a little girl.”
She ran a hand self-consciously over it.Beautiful?She’d always been told wearing her hair loose made her look like a hoydenish little gypsy.Or in Edgar’s case, that she looked like a whore.She tucked the last few curls away.
They rode back in silence, Tessa wondering what Lord Alverleigh was going to say about her infraction.He seemed lost in thought, miles away.Not angry, but one could never tell with men.
