Jane Lark - The Dangerous Love of a Rogue

God his heart had thundered as hard as hers at the end, and he’d wanted to yell out with jubilation. She would have thought him insane, and of course, it would have meant they may have been caught.

His friends would think him insane too if they knew how he felt.

He’d smiled for the rest of the night, like a damned green youth who’d just discovered the sport, and he’d still been smiling this morning.

She had been all that he’d hoped of in an innocent woman.

He, Drew Framlington, had been the first to show the beautiful Miss Marlow what true pleasure could be!

Yet she had not come this morning. He was not smiling anymore.

Damn it. Waiting on a woman was not Drew’s forte. He’d rather walk away than wait. But he craved her now, he could never choose another woman now. Not after her beautiful response last night… and he needed to marry someone, he needed a bloody fortune too. He refused to go back to his former life and give pleasure to his mother’s friends for money, yet if he did not come into money soon the dun’s would have him in jail.

Devil take it, she’d shattered in his arms last night…

He’d not thought she would allow him so near so soon, but she’d been willing him on, kissing him back with an un-virginal fire.

He wished this courtship over and Miss Marlow in his bed, just as much as he wished for her damned money.

But it seemed he’d lost his touch.

After the climax he’d given her last night, and it had undoubtedly been her first, she had been shocked by it, he would have thought she’d be here begging him to marry her.

He lifted his watch from the pocket of his morning coat. Five minutes more had passed.

She’d stood him up.

Bloody hell. He would never live it down after he’d bragged to his friends that they could begin their celebrations.

Women, damn them, they were all fickle.

He saw her.

Lord. Something bit into his chest. Relief. Desperation. Then came the flood of hope on a wave of a storm of sensations even deeper than he’d experienced before.

She rode along the street outside the park, a peacock feather bouncing above her head, to match her vivid blue habit. The colour a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She sat the horse extremely well, her spine rigid and her grip on the reins firm. She looked magnificent riding the glossy jet black stallion.

A groom rode beside her, keeping guard over the Marlows’ precious package.

Drew smiled and tugged on his reins, turning his mare away from the gate and setting it to walk across the lawn.

He could not let their meeting appear planned. It must look accidental. His heart raced as though he was galloping, not walking the horse.

A clear blue sky stretched from one horizon to the other.

Drew kicked his heals and stirred his horse into a canter, giving her time to enter the park and his heartbeat a chance to recover from the sight of her.

It was not busy but there were others about.

Once he’d ridden a few hundred yards he swung back, turning on to the outer path. She was a couple of hundred yards into the park, rising and falling in a trot.

She’d seen him, he could tell. She was not looking his direction, but he somehow knew from her stance.

Riding nearer he slowed from a canter to a trot and lifted his hand as though he’d just noticed her. “Miss Marlow! Well met!”

With his raised hand he lifted his hat and bowed his head in greeting, ignoring the groom who gave him a hard glare.

“Lord Framlington!” Her voice rang with a bright false pitch as she turned her horse towards him.

She was worried. A surge of something he was not used to feeling for anyone other than his younger sister, Caro, surged through his blood – a need to reassure and protect her

He slowed to a walk as she did, then stopped, his horse facing hers.

“You are out riding early, Miss Marlow?”

“I thought to come out while it’s cooler.”

“May I ride a little way beside you?”

“If you must.”

Drew smiled, as she turned her horse. He turned his, walking the animal close beside hers.

She looked over her shoulder and signalled for the groom to stay back.

The man’s glare bored into Drew’s back.

“You are late.”

“Well, that is a woman’s right.”

“Is it?” He glanced sideward.

Her habit hugged the curve beneath her breasts, the arch of her lower back and her slender delicate arms. He was falling into the enchantment of her innocence, fast and hard. His hunger was intense. He no longer even cared that she’d kept him waiting. She had an aura which pulled him close, winding around him like a charm. She gave him life, he felt different in her company.

It was probably just her beauty affecting him…All men must be dazzled by her. She was exceptional.

“Let us race?” she said, flicking her whip and setting her animal off, not waiting for agreement.

He kicked his heels, following her into a gallop as her horse tossed divots of grass at him.

The sharp rhythm of horse’s hooves pounded on the earth, and her laughter played on the air between them.

He gained ground and pulled ahead. She did not concede but tore on towards the lake, laughing still.

When they neared the lake, he pulled up, a full half leg in front. She stopped too and her horse turned a full circle.

“What was that?” he called to her.

“Fun!” she breathed, laughter dancing in her pale eyes as he rode closer. “I was not going to come you know.”

Her groom had been left a quarter mile back, but he could see them.

“So that was why you were late then, a change of heart?”

“Not exactly. I always behave. I always do as I should. Perhaps I just wished to kick up my heels.”

“Then this is not to be taken as any indication you agree to my offer.”

“Definitely not.” She shook her head. “If my family knew I was here with you, they would—”

“Slaughter me. I know.”

“Then, you cannot, for one moment, imagine they would agree to a match. They would think I had run mad.”

“You would be mad not to.” He held her light blue gaze. “I gave you a glimpse last night of how good it could be.”

She smiled, her eyes catching the sunshine. “In your bed you mean. That says nothing of how we would get along. Marriage is more than that, my Lord. Much more. And my family would never agree. They neither like nor trust you.”

“No… Then why did you come?” Drew did not intend to seek consent. He knew he would never be approved, the only one he sought to convince was her.

She stopped her horse from prancing and her gaze locked with his.

Those eyes. Who was seducing who?

His gaze fell to her lips.

“I have no idea. I think I am insane.” Her words kicked him firmly in the chest, and a soft ache hovered in his middle, as his gaze lifted back to her eyes.

The girl was a breath of fresh air, a light summer breeze. Sunshine.

“Could you not sleep, Miss Marlow, for thinking of me?” He laughed, feeling hope swelling inside him.

She blushed slightly. She had spent the night awake then. He hoped he’d hovered in her dreams as she had in his.

“So where do we go from here?” He encouraged her to take another step towards commitment.

“Where…?” A frown marred her beautiful brow. She had genuinely not thought about his offer then, merely their embrace.

“What next?” Drew clarified.

She shrugged, a dainty little gesture on her slim shoulders. “It should be nothing.”

“But it will not be nothing, because you want more, don’t you?” She needed more persuasion. Drew leaned forward and gripped her hand as it held her reins, holding both her and the animal steady. “Where will you be tonight?”