her.
As she followed Raymond out of the camp, she watched the cart with the treasure out of the corner of her eye. Some of the men were placing canvas bags and pottery flagons onto it. Her flagons were nowhere in sight. Likely they’d been emptied and destroyed.
She walked with Raymond along a narrow tree-lined path until they reached the river’s edge. He placed the linen sheet he had draped over his arm down on a rock and held out a cake of soap.
“You may refresh yourself before we leave.”
She took the soap. “Thank you.”
Then he held out the old ribbon she used to tie her braid. There was only one place he could have retrieved that: the spot where she’d succumbed to Jules’s sexual allure. Her cheeks heated. Murmuring another thanks, she took it from him.
He gave her a nod, turned, and walked away.
Sabine looked around. She was alone.
Eager to return to the silver, she stepped closer to the edge of the river, knelt down on the grass, and scooped up water. She splashed it over on her face and began bathing as best she could without removing her clothing, all the while fighting back the memory of Jules bathing her. It had taken a considerable amount of time to fall asleep afterward. The man had left her feverish and frustrated.
Grabbing the linen, she dried her face and arms.
Last eve, when sleep wouldn’t take hold, her mind raced, and she came up with a way to get Jules to stop at the inn in Delatour. She’d use her request to be lovers to her advantage. She was going to seduce him into it—later that day.
Sabine combed her fingers though her hair, braided it, and secured it with the ribbon.
Yesterday she’d entered the camp without knowing what she’d be facing. Today she knew what she had to do. And who was standing between her and the treasure.
She didn’t have things in her life that made her happy anymore, but rescuing her family, and taking wealth from a Moutier, was going to feel wonderful.
Drawing in a fortifying breath, she let it out slowly, rose, and turned around.
“Hello, chère ,” Jules said. She jumped back. He’d startled her so badly, her heart hammered.
“You’re rather nervous this morning.” From his tone and his look, she didn’t know if he was trying to tease her again or if he was insinuating something. She swallowed down a spurt of fear. She was behaving like a lunatic this morning. And she was going to cease before all was lost.
“You startled me. I was bathing ... I thought I was alone. I didn’t hear you. I didn’t know you were skulking around.”
He lifted a brow. “Skulking around?” A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He slipped his hand under her chin. “I don’t need to skulk. I’ve already seen your sweet form, Elise. And last night I was inside you. I think we can dispense with modesty.” Memories of how good he’d felt inside her, how good he’d tasted, flooded her mind, causing a wave of hot tingles to shimmer over her nerve endings. How did she respond to that ? Her gaze fell to his mouth before she forced it back up to his eyes.
“I’m finished my bath” was what tumbled out. Brilliant answer, Sabine . Mentally she groaned at the awkward utterance.
He tilted her chin up a notch, bringing her lips a fraction closer to his. “Really?” His thumb lightly stroked her cheek. “What a shame.”
She felt a quickening in her core. He wasn’t going to make this easy, was he? That now-familiar heat was spreading through her body. The very same heat that had kept her awake and needy in his arms last night.
He’d said she was passionate. Perhaps that was it. Her physical reactions, these base needs, stemmed solely from her deprived existence. A passionate woman long denied. Clearly she was even lonelier than she realized. These physical responses had nothing to do with him at all. A small voice inside her balked at the notion.
She silenced the voice, intent on moving matters along. “Are we leaving now?” She’d managed to
As she followed Raymond out of the camp, she watched the cart with the treasure out of the corner of her eye. Some of the men were placing canvas bags and pottery flagons onto it. Her flagons were nowhere in sight. Likely they’d been emptied and destroyed.
She walked with Raymond along a narrow tree-lined path until they reached the river’s edge. He placed the linen sheet he had draped over his arm down on a rock and held out a cake of soap.
“You may refresh yourself before we leave.”
She took the soap. “Thank you.”
Then he held out the old ribbon she used to tie her braid. There was only one place he could have retrieved that: the spot where she’d succumbed to Jules’s sexual allure. Her cheeks heated. Murmuring another thanks, she took it from him.
He gave her a nod, turned, and walked away.
Sabine looked around. She was alone.
Eager to return to the silver, she stepped closer to the edge of the river, knelt down on the grass, and scooped up water. She splashed it over on her face and began bathing as best she could without removing her clothing, all the while fighting back the memory of Jules bathing her. It had taken a considerable amount of time to fall asleep afterward. The man had left her feverish and frustrated.
Grabbing the linen, she dried her face and arms.
Last eve, when sleep wouldn’t take hold, her mind raced, and she came up with a way to get Jules to stop at the inn in Delatour. She’d use her request to be lovers to her advantage. She was going to seduce him into it—later that day.
Sabine combed her fingers though her hair, braided it, and secured it with the ribbon.
Yesterday she’d entered the camp without knowing what she’d be facing. Today she knew what she had to do. And who was standing between her and the treasure.
She didn’t have things in her life that made her happy anymore, but rescuing her family, and taking wealth from a Moutier, was going to feel wonderful.
Drawing in a fortifying breath, she let it out slowly, rose, and turned around.
“Hello, chère ,” Jules said. She jumped back. He’d startled her so badly, her heart hammered.
“You’re rather nervous this morning.” From his tone and his look, she didn’t know if he was trying to tease her again or if he was insinuating something. She swallowed down a spurt of fear. She was behaving like a lunatic this morning. And she was going to cease before all was lost.
“You startled me. I was bathing ... I thought I was alone. I didn’t hear you. I didn’t know you were skulking around.”
He lifted a brow. “Skulking around?” A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He slipped his hand under her chin. “I don’t need to skulk. I’ve already seen your sweet form, Elise. And last night I was inside you. I think we can dispense with modesty.” Memories of how good he’d felt inside her, how good he’d tasted, flooded her mind, causing a wave of hot tingles to shimmer over her nerve endings. How did she respond to that ? Her gaze fell to his mouth before she forced it back up to his eyes.
“I’m finished my bath” was what tumbled out. Brilliant answer, Sabine . Mentally she groaned at the awkward utterance.
He tilted her chin up a notch, bringing her lips a fraction closer to his. “Really?” His thumb lightly stroked her cheek. “What a shame.”
She felt a quickening in her core. He wasn’t going to make this easy, was he? That now-familiar heat was spreading through her body. The very same heat that had kept her awake and needy in his arms last night.
He’d said she was passionate. Perhaps that was it. Her physical reactions, these base needs, stemmed solely from her deprived existence. A passionate woman long denied. Clearly she was even lonelier than she realized. These physical responses had nothing to do with him at all. A small voice inside her balked at the notion.
She silenced the voice, intent on moving matters along. “Are we leaving now?” She’d managed to
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