Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

“CC!” He roared, kneeing his mount on at a more hurried pace.

CC had stayed close to her group through the entire trek to the wharf, but when she heard someone call her name, she stopped to look back. The sight of a horseman charging her way through the mass of people paralyzed her with fear. Who knew she was here besides those directly involved? No one, she thought, unless her father had decided to check up on her story of being at Marianna’s house tonight for dinner. The knowledge that her hesitation had revealed her true identity sent her on a run back down the side street in hopes of eluding her unknown pursuer.

For one heart-stopping moment Noah lost sight of her, and he was forced to rein in near the intersection to search the crowd for her again. It was through sheer luck that he glanced back the way the Indians had come and saw her fleeing through the shadows of the narrow side street. Furious with CC for involving herself in something so potentially dangerous, he gave a vicious curse and wheeled his mount around. Leaving the excitement of the wharf behind, he galloped after her down the nearly deserted lane.

CC had hoped to escape the man who was following her, but the thundering of horse’s hooves coming in her direction made her realize that he was still behind her. Dread filled her. The blanket she’d worn was slowing her movements, so CC threw it off as she ran desperately on, blindly seeking refuge down another, more narrow, alleyway. Her ragged breath scalding her throat, her limbs quaking under the strain of her flight, she darted through the darkness.

Any other horseman might have had difficulty following her, but Noah was an experienced equestrian who’d spent many hours riding to the hounds in England. Compared to the chase given a fox across the open countryside, CC presented little challenge to him. Swooping down the alleyway, he charged up beside CC. Without slowing his pace, Noah leaned to the side and scooped her up with one arm, pinning her effectively against his side. Only then did he pull back on the reins and slow his horse’s breakneck pace. Panicked, CC fought with all her might against the steely strength that held her.

“Let me go!” Wriggling and kicking, she struggled to be free. When one of her kicks struck the horse the wrong way, causing him to move skittishly, she froze, thinking she was about to be thrown. In the tense moment, the strong arm about her waist tightened threateningly.

“I wouldn’t do that again if I were you, CC,” Noah growled in her ear. “I’m not all that familiar with this horse, and if he decides to bolt, we both might find ourselves in the mud.”

“Noah!” she exclaimed in fury and surprise as she finally recognized his voice. Quieting, she twisted partially around to look at him. “What are you doing?”

“Right now?” He raised one dark brow mockingly. “Well, right now, my dear, I’m rescuing you before you get yourself involved in something you might not be able to handle.”

His arrogant, self-assured words infuriated her. “How dare you? Just who do you think you are?” Her temper was seething.

Noah didn’t bother to reply as he grasped her more firmly and shifted her to sit in front of him. To hide her costume from any possible prying eyes, he pulled her close and wrapped his greatcoat around her. The feel of her slight weight resting against him filled Noah with an odd sense of tightness, and a small smile curved his mouth for just an instant before her next sharp words penetrated his liquor-induced haze.

“What do you think you’re doing? Let me down!” CC tried to push free of his grip.

“Shut up, CC,” he told her in an emotionless tone as he fought down the warm feelings that had stirred to life. He could tell by her outrage that it would do little good to try to explain his motives in coming for her. She hated him now, just as she always had, and he had no doubt that his behavior had only hardened her already firm resolve not to have anything to do with him.

“I will not!” She struggled against Noah’s overpowering strength with all her might and almost succeeded in getting herself dumped from the horse as it shifted nervously beneath them.

“CC!” He said her name threateningly through gritted teeth as he fought to keep his hold on her and to bring the horse under control.

Knowing that she could not break free, CC suddenly found herself panicking for a different reason as his hand slid familiarly about her midriff to pinion her protectively against his chest. Excitement, burning and breathless, streaked through her at his touch. It shocked her that her senses were responding so wantonly, for this was no sensual embrace. Noah was not trying to arouse her. CC was determined that he would not learn of her weakness, and she responded with false bravado.

“I don’t want to go anywhere with you, Kincade. If you don’t let me down this instant, I’ll scream!” she hissed as she glared up at him.

Warning Noah of her intent was CC’s biggest mistake, for he reacted quickly, clamping a hand over her mouth and stifling even the smallest of her objections.

“I am in no mood to listen to your viperish tongue,” he ground out as he guided the horse through the maze of streets, heading in the opposite direction of the wharf. “I’m getting us both out of here before the trouble starts.”

CC was humiliated by his move, and her fury knew no bounds and she began to fight him again. Still, his superior strength prevailed and he held her immobile. Realizing that it was impossible to free herself, CC gave up her efforts.

As they continued to ride on into the night, CC tried to control the wild emotions that were plaguing her. She loved Noah. She wanted to relax comfortably against him and enjoy riding within the warm circle of his arms. She longed to press herself intimately against the solid heat of his chest and listen to the strong, reassuring beat of his heart. Romantically, CC realized that Noah had come for her, that he had swept her up on his steed and had carried her off…just like Anna had imagined all those weeks ago.

It was the thought of her maid that brought CC back to the present, and she found herself amazed by the direction of her thoughts. Mentally she berated herself for being ridiculous. She understood and had accepted that Noah didn’t really care about her. CC knew it would do no good for her to pretend otherwise. He desired her as he desired any woman, and being the virile man that he was, he would take her if the occasion presented itself. Beyond that, she was certain Noah harbored no deep-seated affection for her. When they had argued that night in the carriage after having made love, Noah had seemed quite relieved when she’d declared that she felt no attachment to him. CC could still remember his mocking response to her statement that she didn’t even like him, and even now the memory of his disdainful attitude hurt.

The few kisses they’d shared the night she’d taken him the payment from Graves had been nothing more than a momentary slip of willpower on her part. He had made the overture and she had not denied him. CC knew that she had no one to blame but herself for that encounter, and she was still thankful that Matthew had interrupted them in time. The only way she could save herself from another intimate encounter with him was to get away as quickly as she could. Holding herself rigid, she strove to keep herself aloof from Noah and from the feelings of desire that were surging through her.

When Noah felt CC stop struggling, he knew it was a partial surrender. He was used to her fighting him every inch of the way, and in his drunken haze, he felt inordinately pleased with himself that he had at least mastered her that much.

“If you promise not to scream, I’ll take my hand away,” he told her in a low voice. “Nod if you agree to be quiet.”