The Beloved Scoundrel by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

saddle my horse.”
    Cambaron. Her hands clenched at her sides as she watched him walk away. She knew nothing about him or this place to which he was taking them, while she had revealed entirely too much to him last night. It made her feel frightened and uncertain.
    She had to find a way to shift the scales.
    He looked over his shoulder. “Coming?”
    By the time she reached the group at the top of the hill, Alex was already mounted, sitting before Gregor on the giant bay horse, cradled in his arms.
    “Good morning,” Gregor said. He held out a small leather-wrapped packet to her. “Bread and cheese. I saved it for you. You must rise early to snatch food from these fellows.”
    “I’m not hungry.”
    “Eat it anyway. You ate practically nothing last night.” Jordan swung onto his horse. “We’ll wait.”
    She already felt more helpless than she could bear, and she would not let him command her in a matter this small. “I’m
not
hungry,” she repeated with precision.
    To her disappointment he didn’t argue. “As you like.” He walked his horse forward. “But don’t complain if you grow famished before evening.”
    “I won’t complain.”
    “No, you’ll suffer in silence.” He leaned down and lifted her onto his horse and settled her across the saddle in front of him. “As all proper martyrs should.”
    His arms encircled her; the heat of his body on her back came as a shock. “For God’s sake, stop stiffening,” he said in her ear. “You’ll be a bag of bruises by the time we reach Domajo.”
    “I told you I wasn’t accustomed to riding.” She was also not accustomed to being this close to a lean, masculine form. It was not like last night, when she had been conscious only of the comfort he offered. Today she was aware of every muscle, every texture and scent, of him. It … disturbed her. “I’m not comfortable.”
    “Neither am I,” he murmured.
    “Perhaps … I should change places with Alex.” She continued quickly, “Gregor’s horse is larger.”
    “So is Gregor. You’ll have to be content with me.” He laughed grimly. “And I guarantee we’ll be more than accustomed to each other by the time we reach Domajo.” He pulled her back against him. “Close your eyes.”
    “Why?”
    “You can pretend you’re in a fine carriage. I’m sure you’d think that better than being held by my humble self.”
    She closed her eyes but immediately realized it was not better; it was much worse. She again had the uneasy feeling she was flowing into him.
    Her lids flicked open. “I prefer reality to pretense.”
    “Pity,” he murmured. “When pretense offers so many attractive faces. I suppose you’ll just have to live with mine instead.”
    A breeze, wet, salty, striking her face.
    Voices, loud, strident, but not threatening.
    “Take her, Gregor. She’s probably too stiff to stand.”
    She slowly opened her lids. Green eyes looking into her own, those beautifully shaped lips. She wished he would smile.…
    The hands that lifted her from the horse were enormous. Gregor’s hands, Gregor smiling down at her when Jordan would not. She shouldn’t have worried about Alex waking to that scarred face, she realized sleepily. You noticed only the warmth of his smile. “We’re there?” she whispered.
    He nodded. “It was a hard trip. You stood it well.”
    Gray-white sails shimmering in the darkness.…
    Gregor was striding toward a ship.
    “Alex?”
    “He stood it even better. The scamp is running all over the dock.”
    “He’ll fall in the water!” She was immediately awake and struggling in Gregor’s arms. “Let me down.”
    “When we get to your cabin. Jordan is right, you need time to ease the stiffness.” He strode up the gangplank. “Don’t worry about the boy. Niko is watching him.”
    She felt like a helpless child herself, being carried like this. “I’m perfectly able to walk.” She glanced over her shoulder and saw Alex climbing on a huge box with Niko standing