“That was splendid!” she exclaimed, laughing with pure joy as she turned her horse back toward him.
Damon, didn't reply. Instead, he sat unmoving, watching her intently, his gaze riveted on her face.
At his continued silence, Eleanor's laughter faded while her pique reached its limit. “It is an incredibly beautiful day, Damon, but your dour mood is threatening to spoil any enjoyment of it.”
To her surprise, he acknowledged her complaint with a slow nod. “You are right, of course. I apologize.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “I can understand if you are in no mood for conversation, considering how much you imbibed last night, but you might make an effort to be pleasant.”
His slow smile was completely disarming. “I agree, Elle. And I sincerely beg your pardon. But actually, my mood has little to do with the aftereffects of inebriation. You are much more to blame.”
Her chin rose. “Pray, how am I to blame?”
“I was struggling to keep my mind off my other condition.”
“What other condition?” Eleanor demanded, close to losing patience with him.
“The physical pain you are causing me.”
That took her aback. Had she hurt Damon somehow? Her gaze swept over him worriedly, yet he didn't look to be in pain. Instead, he sat his horse easily, while a lazy glint of humor entered his eyes that was almost sensual.
“I did not mean to cause you pain,” Eleanor said tentatively.
“You can't help it, sweetheart. You have aroused me unbearably. Now that I've had a taste of you, it only makes me want you more.”
Eleanor blinked at the change in his demeanor. This was more like the charming rogue she knew.
When she remained mute, Damon cocked his head, surveying her. “During our rides two years ago, I used to fantasize about pulling you down to the ground and tearing off your clothes and ravishing you, did you know that, love? Honor prevented me from indulging my fantasy then, but now that we are wed, there is nothing stopping us.”
Eleanor's heart skipped a beat. Damon's suggestion that he ravish her here and now was outrageously wicked, even if it held great appeal. No doubt he was trying to distract her from any deeper conversation, but at least his dark mood seemed to have dissipated.
“We are supposed to be repairing my reputation after our hasty marriage, must I remind you?” Elea nor said. “Frolicking naked in a meadow could lead to even more scandal.”
“You weren't concerned about scandal the first time we made love out-of-doors.”
“But we were sheltered by a balloon. You don't really expect us to take off our clothing out here in the open?” She waved her hand, gesturing at the sunlit meadow that surrounded them.
“There is no one here but the sheep, and they won't object.”
He was truly serious, Eleanor realized, feeling a thrilling little shock course through her. Yet it shouldn't surprise her that Damon seemed unconcerned by the prospect of a fresh scandal. He was a wicked devil who broke all the rules and relished doing so.
“So now you are on intimate terms with sheep?” she parried.
His smile was swift and brilliant. “No. But I would very much like to be on intimate terms with you.”
The tender amusement glimmering in Damon's eye
s warmed Eleanor down to her soul, yet from Fanny's counsel, she knew better than to surrender too easily.
“Someone could come,” she contended, keeping her tone light.
“We will be able to see anyone from a long way away.”
“The grass is still wet from the storm.”
“Trust me, I can handle the challenge.”
“How?”