Timeless Passion: 10 Historical Romances To Savor (116 page)

“It might surprise you, Mr. Stoneham,” she said, her voice tight, “I’m not trained for ladies’ sidesaddles either.”

Seeing an eyebrow raised in question, she added, “Most women out here don’t ride sidesaddle. It’s a blasted nuisance … can’t get any work done and it’s dangerous. No, most women ride astride, ‘just like a man’.”

Hawke approached the stall door and she felt a flutter along her nerves and wondered at the knot in her stomach.

• • •

Kara stepped back as he reached the door and Hawke got his first good look at what she was wearing.

Stopping midstride, he let his eyes roam from her head to her toes. A part of his brain once again noted how delicate she seemed. The rest of his brain and his body, however, focused on the sight of her long legs wrapped in snug denim trousers and the man’s shirt tucked into the waist.

Thankful he was still behind the stall door, so she was unaware of the physical evidence of his reaction to her, he murmured, “You certainly add a new dimension to men’s clothing.”

He fought the desire firing through his veins. “I don’t think I’ll ever look at denim the same.” His eyes traveled up her body and he smiled slowly.

Her face went up in flame.

“You insufferable, arrogant ass! Just who do you think you are, talking to me like I’m some … some — ” The horses began tossing their heads nervously as her voice got louder. “You might talk to people like that back where you come from. But mister,” she continued, almost shouting, her hands gripping the top of the stall door, her knuckles white, “not here — not to me. And to think, I was about to reconsider my opinion of you. Silly me.”

He saw the fury sparking in those incredible blue eyes. She was standing so close he could feel the heat radiating from her body.

She backed up a few steps. “I thought maybe a man whose horse liked him couldn’t be all bad, but you know what?” her voice softened. “I was wrong.”

With a thump, Titan pinned Hawke against the stall, making him gasp out an “oomph.”

“Get off me, you bloody coward.” He pushed against the jittery horse pinning him against the wall. “She likes you, you’ve got no worries, it’s my hide she wants to nail to the barn door.”

Hawke watched Kara stomp into the other stall and begin grooming her horse. The animated brushstrokes reminded him of the first night on the balcony.

Better make amends, laddie.

Leading Titan, Hawke walked quietly to the stall where she was. “Miss Jonston — Kara,” he said softly, holding up his hand to stop any protest, or possible attack. “It appears we’ve gotten off to a bad start, and I’m to blame. I have not behaved in a gentlemanly manner. Please accept my apologies.”

Ignoring him at first, she turned and grabbed her blanket and saddle and set about saddling her horse.

“Lord Stoneham … Mr. Pryce … . ” Exasperated she finally looked at him, “Just what am I supposed to call you? This pussyfooting around your last name or your title is wearing. Just what is your name and what do you want me to call you?”

Unfazed by the change of subject, part of him thought wickedly of a number of things he’d like to hear her call him, and the situation he’d like to be in when she did. However, he decided not to goad her temper again this morning. “My full name is Hawke Ian Edward James Pryce, Lord Stoneham, future Earl of Lochay, but I’d be most pleased,” he ventured politely, “if you would call me Hawke, and allow me to address you by Kara.”

“That’s another thing,” she continued, not warming to his courtly manner. “What kind of name is Hawke? I half expect to wake some morning and see you flying from the top of the barn.”

• • •

Deep laughter made her look up. He was amused at her attempted cut.

“Weel, lass,” he purposely accentuated his burr, “I’d have to be agreein’ with you there. ’Tis a silly eno’ name.”

Returning to his normal voice, he said, “Actually, I was unfortunate enough to be named after some ancestor who rode with The Conqueror. It is, in fact, how we received our land and titles. In gratitude the first sons are always named Hawke.”

Kara found herself wanting to ask him more. His world was so different from hers. He lived in the world of her books, a land of long and fascinating history that had always captivated her imagination.

She tried to ignore the soft words. His voice, so deep and smooth, caressed her senses, making her all too aware of him. She’d be damned before she would let him off easily. With his easy smile and those beautiful eyes, she’d be tempted to give in. She wanted to nurture her anger, not be wheedled out of it.

What are you doing?
she chided herself
. You don’t want to know more about this man … you want this man gone. Quit being drawn in by his accent and those eyes the color of a stormy sky and leave.

“Well … Hawke, or whatever.” She tried to act nonchalant, opening the stall door and leading Gally out. “I have too much work to do to spend time chatting about your ancestors. I want you to realize one very important thing while you are here,
Mr. Pryce.
”
She practically spat his name, shielding herself in anger. “You are my father’s partner. Not mine.”

“Look, Kara, I will say again how sorry I am I unintentionally insulted you when we were first introduced. It certainly wasn’t meant that way. As we are going to be working together, I would like to think we could get past our inauspicious beginning.”

“Let me make something perfectly clear. We will not be working together. I don’t have time to teach a greenhorn like you, but I will give you a piece of advice.” Her eyes raked him from head to toe. “Have Joe get you a pair of chaps, or you might ruin those pretty pants and boots working cattle. This is a hard land, Mr. Pryce. It doesn’t suffer fools or dandies.”

Mounting, she touched the reins to the horse’s neck, she spun the horse around and galloped out of the yard.

Leaning over Gally’s neck, she let out a ragged breath. Lord, that man had a way of scrambling her senses every time she looked at him. She knew she was in over her head as she gave him a last long look, taking in the white shirt open at the throat showing tanned skin, a brown coat, tan breeches and highly polished riding boots.

It took all of her will to stop staring, even after she saw the glint of awareness in his eyes. She hadn’t upset him in the least.

Lord, a man’s clothes shouldn’t fit him so well. Her stomach had jumped to her throat and wings beat in her belly seeing how snugly his breeches clung to his well-muscled thighs and hips. If she hadn’t already been sitting on her horse, she might have ended up sitting in the dirt.

“What’s worse, Gally,” she mused aloud, slowing her mount. “He knows what I’m thinking.” He was beyond her experience. Never had a man caused such consternation before. “I’ll just bet he’s left broken hearts all over England.”

Her father rode up on one side and Hawke and Alec on the other, surprising her; she’d been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn’t heard the hoof beats. Seeing Hawke flash a knowing smile at her she groaned, wishing she were anywhere else.

“Why did you take off so fast? I planned on showing Hawke and Alec around the ranch, and I wanted you to come along, too.”

“I don’t think so,” she replied between clenched teeth, trying not to lose her temper again. “I really have too much to do, Papa.”

Forcing a smile she looked at the men, riding easily beside her. “I’m sure Lord Stoneham and Lord Peyton will excuse me from dancing attendance on them.”

Touching the reins to her horse’s neck before her father had a chance to say more, she galloped away from the men.

• • •

Hawke watched Kara ride away, a smile tugging on his lips.

“Gentlemen.” Case shook his head. “I must apologize. My daughter has been out of sorts since she found out that I’ve taken on a partner.”

“Is it important your daughter be involved in your business decisions?” Alec asked. “After all, someday she’ll marry and leave. Why should she worry about the handling of your property?”

“She has always felt her future was tied to this land and this ranch. Once I knew she would be my only child, I’m afraid I treated her in many ways like a son. She knows everything there is about running a ranch.” A soft smile touched his lips. “Of course, Emma always saw she learned to act like a proper lady, though she doesn’t always choose to do so.”

Hawke saw the love and sadness in the older man’s face. It was obvious he had loved his wife deeply and adored his daughter.

Curiosity nagged him. “Is Kara planning on leaving the ranch when she marries?” It wasn’t exactly the question he wanted to ask, but didn’t want to ask outright if Austin Roberts had a claim on her heart.

“Actually, I think Kara believes if … and when she marries, her husband will live here and help her run the ranch. While she was in school she picked up many of those radical ideas touted by those ‘women’s liberation’ ladies, and has become even more resolute in the belief she can run the ranch by herself. So you can see why she is a little bent out of shape.”

Chapter 10

Kara rode hard to get away from the group of men. Why did Hawke’s presence bother her so much? Granted he was about the most handsome man she’d ever seen, but she had met handsome men before. Austin was handsome, and he didn’t set her innards fluttering or send flashes of heat skidding through her body. Maybe it was his size; she latched on to the thought.

I practically break my neck looking up at him, and he’s broad as a bull.

She remembered the expanse of elegantly clad chest, the first thing she had seen the night they had met. Her pulse quickened and heat suffused her body at the thought of his size. The cowboys she had grown up with had been smaller, wiry men, lean and hard, compact of height and muscle, like their horses. This man was like the big animal he rode, long of limb and thick of muscle. Idly stroking Gally’s neck, she wondered if she’d be able to feel the smooth play of his muscles under his skin the way she could with her horse.

“Blast!” she swore at her traitorous thoughts. “I don’t believe it. I’ve got to quit this sort of thinking. After all I’m not some school miss mooning over some romance novel hero. If I’m not careful, I could talk myself into falling in love, when what I really want is that big Scotsman gone.”

Clucking to Gally, she headed towards the grazing cattle in the distance.

• • •

Kara returned to the house in the early evening. She saw her father and the others had returned ahead of her.

Realizing she kept referring to them as “the others,” as if saying their names would tumble the very walls of the ranch house, she grimaced, annoyed at her timidity.

She strode into the study where the men were gathered. They must have been back for a while, because they were all cleaned up and enjoying a drink before supper. A mischievous smile quirked her lips up as she walked into the room. Slowly she began to beat the dust off her work clothes with her equally dusty hat, raising a storm and coating the men.

“Kara!” Case shouted moving back, putting a hand over his glass protecting his drink, “What in hell … .”

Hiding a smile, she gave the men a wide-eyed innocent look. “Oh my. Did I get you gentlemen dusty? My, my, my … do let me fix that.” She began pounding her palm on the sleeve of Hawke’s expensive coat grinding the dust further in, all the while tsking over the mess she’d caused. She tried not to notice how firm the muscles of his arm were underneath his jacket.

Hawke turned slightly so her hand hit his chest as he caught her grubby wrist in a viselike grip.

“Nay lassie,” his burr accentuated the amusement in his voice. “A gentleman should brush the dirt from a lady’s skirts … . But,” he paused, staring at her denim-clad legs, his eyes burning hotly, “it appears ye have no skirts on.”

She twisted trying to break away, but he held her with ease. She looked over her shoulder to her father with desperation in her eyes. He seemed amused, too. “Let me go you … you coyote.” Kara struggled trying to free herself, knowing her little joke had gotten away from her. Seeing the look on Hawke’s face stilled her twisting. The heat in his eyes wasn’t anger, it was much more dangerous.

The sensual heat in his eyes radiated to her body, sending sparks through her; warmth began in her belly and slid between her thighs. This man wanted her. The realization staggered her. If he hadn’t been holding her she knew she would have turned tail and run as fast as she could from the searing flame coursing through her and the man causing it.

“Kara,” her father’s stern voice brought her out of her bemusement. “I am disappointed. You are behaving no better than a child and if you’re going to act like a child, you should be punished like one.” She was stunned by his anger.

“I should give you a good spanking … or let Hawke do it for me, but you are a little too old.”

Tension coursed through her and she clenched her fist, trying to control her anger. Hawke began gently stroking the soft skin on the inside of her wrist lightly with his thumb, apparently trying to calm her fluttering pulse.

The movement was not missed by either her father or Alec.

“Papa … .”

“No,” Case put up his hands. “You’ve embarrassed me with your refusal to treat my partner and Alec with any respect. From this point forward it is your duty to show them the workings of the ranch. You will teach them — without anymore childish pranks — what they need to know. You will be available to answer questions or to escort them when and where I tell you.”

Unbelievable! Her father had just hog-tied her to these two men, and informed her she was an embarrassment. She stung at the rebuke. How was she going to get any work done with them hanging on her saddle strings? She would be spending her every waking moment answering their questions and having to dance attendance on them. The thought of being at Hawke’s beck and call definitely sent her into a panic. She was trying to keep her distance from the swirl of emotions he created.

On the other hand, she argued with herself, it would give her plenty of opportunity to find out what they had been so secretive about.