Page 25 of Lord of Deception

There was no time to react or rebuff him. Not that she wanted to rebuff him—his kiss was a taste of Heaven as she gave herself up to it, luxuriating in the sheer abandonment with which Kit moved his heated lips over hers, tasting, pressing, exploring. He held her so tightly she could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her own. Her arms twined about his neck as her hands delved into his thick, silky hair.

No, this was madness! She pulled away. “The rest of the household will be upon us in a moment.”

Kit’s hot breath fanned her ear. “I don’t care.” He claimed her lips again.

The taste of him filled her with a million yearnings, but this was impossible. “They’ll see my horse in the field. They’re bound to stop.”

Kit’s hands slid down her back and nestled against her waist. “Let them.” He lowered his head to continue the sensual onslaught, but the sound of approaching hoofbeats had become too loud to ignore.

Releasing her, he said, “I’m not leaving yet—I’ll be coming back to the house, if only for a short while. I pray—continue on and act as normally as you can. I’ll explain all to you, I promise, my sweeting!” Then he leapt over the gate, kicked his pack into the ditch and immediately followed it down out of sight.

Hannah’s bay mare was now opposite the open gate. She reined in and stared at Alys’ abandoned horse. Terrified the woman would spot Kit if she came any closer, Alys raced through the gate and stood in the road. “All is well! There’s no alarm!”

Hannah glowered down at her. “I didn’t see you fall off your horse, yet you look like you’ve been pulled through a hedge.”

Alys smoothed out her kirtle. “I saw a falcon loose in the meadow here,” she lied, impressed by her own inventiveness. “I wondered if one of ours had escaped, so I came to look.”

“And was it?”

“Was it what?”

“One of ours?”

“Oh, no, I don’t think so. So, all’s well, then.”

Hannah’s eyes bored into hers. “I’m not sure all is well. Your eyes are feverish bright, and I declare, I’ve never seen your cheeks so red.”

A faint snort sounded from the ditch behind her. Alys coughed loudly to cover the sound. “I feel perfectly well, thank you.” Turning her back on Hannah, she climbed the gate and mounted her horse.

Straight-backed, she made a dignified retreat, hoping the ditch in which Kit lay was full of foul, stagnant water. How dare he laugh! When she saw him again, she’d make sure he didn’t get the welcome he expected.