She eyed him and frowned. “Who are you speaking of?”
“A very fine-looking gentleman—I noticed you with him earlier in town.”
“Oh … Ben? A family friend,” she said quietly. “You will meet him later … he and his sister are coming to tea. Oh and I am ravenous—are you?”
He looked at her lips purposely, traveled that line down her neck, lingered at her breasts, back to her lips and then met her eyes before he answered low and provocatively, “A good way to describe it, beauty … a very good way …”
He saw her blush and had a strong desire to pull up their horses and carry her off her horse and into his arms. He wondered what it would be like to rip off her clothing and watch that blush cover her body—damn, his hard-on was pressing up between horse and breeches, and, bloody hell, he needed to adjust himself!
*
Ryker and Robby emerged from the stables, pausing for a moment to allow Jimmy to catch up to them. They had taken a walk to the training pen to watch Lightning perform and were absorbed in their discussion regarding the horse’s chances. However, the sound of carriage wheels made them turn their heads, and Sir James’s smile widened when he saw who was coming up the drive.
“Ben! Lyla … this is famous! Do you come to lunch? I didn’t know. My dratted sister forgot to inform me.’
Ryker watched the greeting between Ben Clay and Sir James and noted the military cut of Ben’s well-fitting coat, the shine of his Hessians, the attractiveness of his countenance, and the empty sleeve. He frowned, curious, before his eyes found Lyla Clay.
Jimmy hurriedly made the introductions, and Lyla turned an inviting smile at Robby, believing him to be the Marquis of Lyndhurst. Ryker had to wonder just what Jewels was up to, throwing such a bold chit at the man she believed was titled and wealthy. He had thought she wanted the marquis and Elizabeth to make a match of it. Jewels was full of surprises.
Jimmy was excited and pleased to see Ben and told him happily, “Come on, leave your carriage here—our man will see to it—and we’ll walk up to the house. Ah, here is Lizzie and Jewels to bear us company!”
Ben had already jumped down easily from the carriage and aided his pretty sister before relinquishing her company to Robby, whom she was bent on showering with conversation and charm.
Jewels went right up to Ben, and Ryker noticed that as she went up onto tippy toes to kiss his cheek, it was sisterly, or at least it looked so to him.
“Ben, here is Elizabeth, who has just been telling me about her last visit to town, when she bumped into you …” Jewelene said as she pulled the two together.
“Miss Debbs,” he said softly as he gazed down at her. “It is a pleasure to see you again. Have you finished that shawl you came in to town to get yarn for?”
“Yes, I have, and Mama is wearing it today, so you may tell me what you think?
?thank you, Mr. Clay,” Elizabeth said, looking at her shoes and blushing to the roots of her soft brown hair.
Jewelene smiled and stuck in, “Lizzie, do not be so formal—take Ben inside, for I am certain Auntie is waiting for all of us, and do start calling him Ben. It would make us all more comfortable, and I insist he call you Elizabeth or Lizzie … pick one, for it must not be stuffy Miss Debbs …”
They laughed, and Ben said, “She is a tyrant …”
“She is, but she is right—pick one … er … Ben, which do you prefer, Lizzie or Elizabeth?”
“Elizabeth,” he said and looked full into her eyes while Jewelene watched with keen interest and Ryker continued to watch it all.
“Then shall we go tell my mother she is about to be descended upon … Ben?” Elizabeth suggested.
Ryker was at Jewelene’s side. Imperceptibly his hand went to her waist and drew her close, so close that he could feel the firmness of her provocative body as he leaned in. His lips touching her ear, he whispered, “You play a deep game, love …” Did she shiver next to him? He was sure her felt her body tremble to his touch; the notion excited him.
She turned to look up at him, and for a moment they were suspended in time and he thought he was going to have to kiss her, the company be damned. He discovered her bright green eyes looking up into his, her cherry lips parted, and all he wanted was to stick his tongue down her throat—hell, he wanted to lay her down on the ground and …
*
What was wrong with her? When he had leaned in close and whispered in her ear, she had wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her … she had wanted him to rip off her clothes and make wild, unrestrained love to her—she had wanted, wanted, wanted …
All she had been doing since he arrived at Henshaw was dream about him. What the deuce was wrong with her? Ryker had exploded into her mind, and she could think of little else. When she wasn’t getting an up-close visual of him, she was silently, secretly mooning about him, wondering what it would be like to be in his big, strong arms—wondering what it would be like for him to touch her and …
It had to stop. It just had to stop.
What did he mean when he had said she was playing a deep game? She conceded to herself that he was correct and that she was indeed, playing a deep game, but how could he know it? How could he possibly know what she was doing? And she was only doing what needed to be done.
Those two, Ben and Lizzie, made eyes at one another every single time they happened to bump into one another in town, and it had been going on for months with little or no progress, but did either one do anything about it? No.