Inside the makeshift storage area, she saw the hay and feed for the horse. Everything was very neat and well kept, much like his home had been.
Ewan pulled a bridle from its peg on the wall and grabbed the heavy saddle up as if it weighed nothing at all. Her eyes widened at the sight of him as he carried it out the door. The fabric of his shirt contoured against every deep crevice of the muscles on his back and ribs. Every masculine bulge was practically laid bare to her hungry gaze.
Her knees went weak.
Ewan was a heavenly feast for the eyes, no doubt about it. His muscles fair rippled with every move he made and though his hair was much too long, she found the texture of it strangely beckoning.
She remembered only too well what it had felt like to run her fingers through those thick, black waves.
And his eyelashes...
Surely no man should have a set so long. They made a perfect frame for his crystal blue eyes.
Nora remained perfectly silent while he saddled his mount. She found her throat far too dry to speak.
Especially when he bent over to fasten the saddle around the horse’s belly.
It was the first time in her life she’d ever noticed a man’s backside. His dark brown trewes were tight over his rear and showed her the manly proportions of him. Of course, it didn’t help that she had already seen that backside bare and knew firsthand just how well shaped it was.
Very disturbing.
But not nearly as much as the peculiar desire she had to walk up to him and run her hand along those lean hips, then up his back and over his chest.
Nora!
Where were these thoughts coming from? Her mother would die of shock and she, herself, was mortified by the wayward drift of her attentions.
What was it about Ewan that made her long to do things with him that would have her spending the rest of her life in penance for them?
She’d always fashioned herself to be a moral and decent lady. Circumspect in all things.
Up until this moment, she’d never really tasted decadent lust.
But she tasted it now.
It was hot and demanding.
Frightening.
And all too alluring.
Ewan led his horse to hers and inspected her mare. An involuntary shiver ran over her as she noted the care he took with the animal. The way his long, tapered fingers stroked and soothed her horse.
Nay, he wasn’t a completely evil ogre. Such a man wouldn’t care for animals the way he did. And a true ogre would never have so tender a touch.
He turned toward her with a frown. “Do you intend to come over here and mount your horse or are you wanting to stare at my backside for the rest of the day?”
Heat scalded her cheeks, though from anger at his words or embarrassment from the fact that she was doing just that, she wasn’t sure.
“You, sir, have the manners of a stump.”
He gave her a droll stare. “Since I’m as tall as a tree, that would be rather fitting, don’t you think?”
His humor caught her off-guard. Interesting that he could laugh at what, in all honesty, had been a very rude comment on her part. She really shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t something she would normally do, but something about this man rather brought out the worst of her.
Most likely, it was the fact that he really did have the manners of a stump.
She went to her horse, then turned to look at him expectantly.
