Part 34 (1/2)

Anne wheeled to face him, nearly colliding with him, he stood so close. Her eyes made it past the dark hair teasing her from the open collar of his s.h.i.+rt, up across his broad shoulders, the dark whiskers on his chin and cheeks, to his icy eyes, but no, they were not cold. The heat was back in them. His gaze lowered to her lips and they parted as if he'd commanded them to do so. Would he kiss her again? Was that the something he wanted? And did it matter what she wanted? Or did she want the same thing?

He lifted a hand, almost touched her hair, then quickly withdrew it. ”You wanted to ride astride like a man, and today you will.”

Merrick turned from her and walked to the stallion. He unsaddled the horse in short order while she stood reeling from the onslaught of his nearness, her lips tingling in antic.i.p.ation of a kiss that had not come. ”You are going to do it this time, aren't you?” he asked while carrying the saddle to her mount and laying it on the ground. ”I'd hate to go through this trouble only to see you bolt and run away like you did last night.”

A teasing light had entered his eyes, but Anne did not find him amusing. Staying last night had been out of the question. No telling

what might have happened had she not regained her senses and fled to the safety of the house. And no telling how often she would wonder exactly what would have transpired between them if she hadn't escaped when she did.

”I will ride astride,” she a.s.sured him.

He didn't comment but unsaddled Storm, then saddled the mare with the lightweight English saddle he'd used on the stallion.

Merrick adjusted the stirrups, then turned to her.

”Up you go.”

Anne glanced down at her skirt. ”I wish I owned a pair of men's trousers. And tall boots like you are wearing.”

He placed a hand against his heart. ”I might not survive such a sight. You have lovely legs, la.s.s.”

She fought down another blush. Had Merrick seen her legs? And how had he seen anything at all when she hadn't been able to

make out so much as his silhouette in the darkness? He couldn't have, she a.s.sured herself.

”I'm not sure how to proceed,” Anne tried to change the subject. Only she had to bring it back around when she glanced meaningfully at the skirt of her riding habit.

Merrick motioned her closer with a jerk of his head. ”Come on, I'll help you up, then you'll have to figure out the rest.”

”And you won't say anything to my aunt or uncle about this?” She wanted rea.s.surance.

”You have my word.”

For some reason, Anne believed him-felt certain she could count on his word. Why, she had no idea. Maybe the man really

had cast a spell over her. She allowed him to give her a leg up. In order to sit the saddle astride, she had to bunch her skirt up around her knees. It left her stocking-clad calves bare to his eyes, but she hoped he wouldn't look. He did.

”Very nice,” he said. ”Just like I remember.”

Ignoring him, Anne urged Storm forward, awkward at first with her position astride the horse. It took Anne only a few paces to become braver and urge the bay into a trot. The sensation was strange, to say the least. Anne decided a gallop might prove less disturbing and soon she was on the path, racing along astride and realizing how cruel it was to make women ride sidesaddle.

She laughed out loud with the sheer freedom she felt, glanced behind her, and saw Merrick riding bareback behind her. He looked like a barbarian and her heart made a funny lurch inside of her chest.

”So what do you think?” Merrick called, quickly catching up to her.

”It's wonderful,” she called back. ”It's the way a horse was meant to be ridden. I shall never want to ride sidesaddle again.”

”And what about riding in your underwear, bareback, at midnight across the moors? Are you still brave enough to do that?”

Anne slowed her mount. Was Merrick teasing her? ”Not with an escort,” she a.s.sured him.

He smiled in answer. Just at breakfast Anne had wondered what it would be like to see him smile. She decided she was better

off not knowing. He had a smile that could melt winter.

”Would you do it if you had a pair of men's trousers and boots?”

She c.o.c.ked a brow. ”And where would I get those?”

He shrugged. ”I could get them for you. The lad who sweeps out the stalls, Brennan, he's not much bigger than you.”

What Merrick said was true. The stable boy was only ten but tall for his age. And Anne supposed his feet were still small. Did

she dare? She had wanted to dare last night. But last night had proven a mistake, and she had a feeling meeting the new stable master in the dead of night for a midnight ride again would be another one.

”May I go alone?”

He shook his dark head. ”I cannot allow that. You can go if you let me go with you, to watch after you.”

His suggestion annoyed her. If her aunt and uncle were not particularly affectionate people toward her, they had made certain Anne had been well chaperoned all of her life. She wanted the freedom of riding alone.

”I don't need looking after,” she said. ”I'm a grown woman and, as you said yourself, a skilled rider.”

Merrick leaned forward in the saddle and scratched his chin. ”Have you ridden bareback before, then?”

Anne frowned. ”Well, no, but-”