Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

She didn’t see him until she was on him. She felt a hard body and then a pair of large hands take hold of her shoulders and steady her. Instinctively, she reacted to his tight grip by stepping on his foot. Instead of letting her go, his grip tightened on her. She didn’t have time for this—from the way Bessy whinnied and jostled about, it was clear the mare was getting ready to bolt. He still held her fast as she tried to yank out of his steel grip. “Let me go, do please, I have to reach Bess!”

He looked hard at her face, and she watched the flitting expressions cross his countenance, noting that he was, even in the dim light, quite handsome. However, he raised an eyebrow and said, “What the devil is a beauty like you doing out here alone at night?”

“My horse!” is what she answered as she tried reaching for Bess’s reins.

“Stay here!” the stranger said as he turned and moved gently towards the mare and managed to gather her reins. Bess snorted but made no attempt to run from him as he spoke soothingly to her and led her towards Cherry.

“Your horse,” he said softly.

“Thank you, but you didn’t have to … if you had just let me go, I could have gotten her and been on my way,” Cheryl returned, feeling suddenly shy. Here was this fashionable, handsome rogue, and she felt she must look a fool.

“Ungrateful girl, and after you nearly knocked me down,” he teased. His speech was only slightly slurred but enough for Cherry to raise her brow and regard him with some amusement.

“But I did not knock you down, and you, sir, were the cause for all of it,” she answered, a smile curving her lips. “Whatever were you doing walking about in the middle of the road?” It was a counterattack to save face.

“I? Well, I was looking for an angel, and I found one …” So saying, he had her well into his embrace, heedless of the fact that the driver of his coach watched with some keen interest at his back.

She did not know why, but she was not frightened in the least, although as his tongue probed and found hers with an expertise that made her feel warm and willing, she was surprised at herself. She pulled away hard, although she didn’t have to and lost her balance as he released her immediately. He reached out to steady her, and she slapped his hands away, saying, “Well, you haven’t found one—an angel, that is, for no one has ever called me that!”

With one devilish movement he had her back in his arms, and his voice was husky with the intent of his measure. “Are you not?”

She didn’t have the opportunity to reply, for his lips were already on hers, already parting. His tongue found his way easily and teased with gentle expertise. His hand pressed her body against his own, and she felt a frightening surge of desire.

Cherry was astonished, as much at herself and her reaction as she was at his sudden move. She had certainly been kissed before, often in fact, but this was the first time she had been so totally aroused. He was a stranger—ah, perhaps the excitement of the adventure was at work here, she told herself.

She slapped at his shoulder, and when he released her she felt his eyes look into her hers. She made a face at him and announced in a whisper, “You, sir, are taking a liberty. I am at a loss, for you are taller, stronger, and perhaps wicked enough to pursue this further. If that is what you intend … proceed, for I have always wondered what it would be like to be ravished on a London street.” This was meant to make a mark and hit his sense of honor, and it did that very well.

He pulled himself up to his full six feet and stared hard at her. “My dearest child, I am not in the habit of ravishing young women on London streets.”

/> “Ah, are you not? Then I do apologize,” she said meekly. Again a flush hit.

He growled at her. “What the bloody hell are you doing out here alone anyway? ’Tis folly.”

He sounded to Cherry as though he were fast sobering up in spite of the drink she had tasted on his delicious tongue.

“I am running away from my … er step … father.” She tweaked the truth just a bit, as she didn’t need anyone putting two and two together.

“Why?”

“I cannot tell you that, but it would be very nice if you would let me go on my way before I am caught,” Cheryl returned, smiling charmingly at him, but she could see by the curious expression on his face that he wasn’t about to let this go so easily.

“Running away? Stepfather? This sounds like some blasted fairytale. You can’t go about London alone at night. Might be accosted by any number of scalawags.”

“So you have made me aware …” she started, but he took up her arm and led her towards his coach.

“I shall take you to where you wish to go.”

She could now see she had been wrong. He was not in the least bit sober.

“But I am going to the New Forest,” she answered doubtfully.

“Are you? Whatever the hell for?” he asked, his brows well up.

“My nanny lives there. She will know what to do.”

“For no good reason, that makes sense. Take you to your nanny,” he announced happily.

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