Her Reluctant Viscount (Rakes and Rogues) by Aliyah Burke Page B
Authors: Aliyah Burke
Tags: Historical Romance
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it. Impressive aside from that first flinch he held perfectly still. “There you go.” She stood. “You can leave now.”
“Understand me, Josephine Marguerite Adrys. I am not going anywhere until this bastard is caught or killed.”
No wondering on which he preferred. She ground her jaw and put away her food. Without a word to him, she left the cooler interior and headed into the warmer outdoors. She fed her chickens and took care of her cow. She did not mind so much gathering the eggs but milking—not so much fun. In the shelter with the cow stood a large horse.
“Hello there,” she cooed, having a fondness for equines.
This was a big reddish animal. Not a gorgeous one but even she could have no chance of missing the strength and power he exuded. He snorted and tossed his head. She reached for him only to find her wrist in an ironclad grip. Tryst stood there and she had not even heard him come in.
“Not wise. He is just as happy to take a bite out of you as let you pet him.”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “Fine. Hurry up and leave.” She tugged but he refused to release her.
“I already told you—”
“I know what you said, but I do not want you here. I do not need you here.”
His gaze hardened and he used his hold on her to get her flush against his chest. Lowering his head until they were nose to nose, he said, “Are you sure about that? I think you do want me.”
Her heart thundered so loud she wondered if he would not be able to hear it. She flashed to the one night he had kissed her. How he had tasted.
“Jo.”
He spoke her name in a whispered caress. For six years, she waited for him to see her as something other than how Colin did, a little sister. Then she recalled the pain of betrayal when it came to light the man he answered to had used her as bait. Almost as much as realizing he—Tryst—knew how much danger her family and friends were in yet kept it quiet. That cooled her desire.
“What for? I am on the shelf. I can do what I want.” A grin lifted one side of her mouth. “This village has everything I need.”
“That include the one who escorted you home?”
“My private life is none of your business. Let me go.”
His eyes darkened with warning and glinted in the fading light. He released her and she worked hard to ensure he would not notice how difficult it was to take a breath.
“Pack your bag.”
She had been in the process of leaving when his dictate fell. Jaw clamped tight, she slowly pivoted to stare at him. Tryst stood by his massive, apparently mean-tempered, horse. Yes, the man looked entirely too good for her own sense of mind.
“I am not going anywhere. Much less with you.”
“Dammit, Jo! I am trying to keep you safe.”
“I would quite possibly not be in this mess had you not kept your mouth shut.”
He stalked toward her, face etched in fury. She held her ground despite the wobble in her stomach. He still wore no shirt, and his bare chest was—quite honestly—more than a bit distracting.
“I had my orders.” He spit the words from behind clenched teeth.
“Right. Orders to keep me in the dark about—” She broke off and held up her hands. “I am not going through this again. I have already said my piece of it. But I will not leave with you.”
“I can make you.”
“And every second of the day you would have to be watching me for I would always try to escape.”
He threw up his hands. “Why will you not let me protect you?”
She allowed herself one lazy look over his half-dressed state. Those unfamiliar tremors returned and she shifted her feet slightly. Her body felt flushed and it craved to be touched. By him.
“Jo?” This time his voice fell from his lips gentle and soothing.
She bristled, well aware he was trying to use his charm to sway her to doing what he wanted. So she came clean.
“I figure
“Understand me, Josephine Marguerite Adrys. I am not going anywhere until this bastard is caught or killed.”
No wondering on which he preferred. She ground her jaw and put away her food. Without a word to him, she left the cooler interior and headed into the warmer outdoors. She fed her chickens and took care of her cow. She did not mind so much gathering the eggs but milking—not so much fun. In the shelter with the cow stood a large horse.
“Hello there,” she cooed, having a fondness for equines.
This was a big reddish animal. Not a gorgeous one but even she could have no chance of missing the strength and power he exuded. He snorted and tossed his head. She reached for him only to find her wrist in an ironclad grip. Tryst stood there and she had not even heard him come in.
“Not wise. He is just as happy to take a bite out of you as let you pet him.”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “Fine. Hurry up and leave.” She tugged but he refused to release her.
“I already told you—”
“I know what you said, but I do not want you here. I do not need you here.”
His gaze hardened and he used his hold on her to get her flush against his chest. Lowering his head until they were nose to nose, he said, “Are you sure about that? I think you do want me.”
Her heart thundered so loud she wondered if he would not be able to hear it. She flashed to the one night he had kissed her. How he had tasted.
“Jo.”
He spoke her name in a whispered caress. For six years, she waited for him to see her as something other than how Colin did, a little sister. Then she recalled the pain of betrayal when it came to light the man he answered to had used her as bait. Almost as much as realizing he—Tryst—knew how much danger her family and friends were in yet kept it quiet. That cooled her desire.
“What for? I am on the shelf. I can do what I want.” A grin lifted one side of her mouth. “This village has everything I need.”
“That include the one who escorted you home?”
“My private life is none of your business. Let me go.”
His eyes darkened with warning and glinted in the fading light. He released her and she worked hard to ensure he would not notice how difficult it was to take a breath.
“Pack your bag.”
She had been in the process of leaving when his dictate fell. Jaw clamped tight, she slowly pivoted to stare at him. Tryst stood by his massive, apparently mean-tempered, horse. Yes, the man looked entirely too good for her own sense of mind.
“I am not going anywhere. Much less with you.”
“Dammit, Jo! I am trying to keep you safe.”
“I would quite possibly not be in this mess had you not kept your mouth shut.”
He stalked toward her, face etched in fury. She held her ground despite the wobble in her stomach. He still wore no shirt, and his bare chest was—quite honestly—more than a bit distracting.
“I had my orders.” He spit the words from behind clenched teeth.
“Right. Orders to keep me in the dark about—” She broke off and held up her hands. “I am not going through this again. I have already said my piece of it. But I will not leave with you.”
“I can make you.”
“And every second of the day you would have to be watching me for I would always try to escape.”
He threw up his hands. “Why will you not let me protect you?”
She allowed herself one lazy look over his half-dressed state. Those unfamiliar tremors returned and she shifted her feet slightly. Her body felt flushed and it craved to be touched. By him.
“Jo?” This time his voice fell from his lips gentle and soothing.
She bristled, well aware he was trying to use his charm to sway her to doing what he wanted. So she came clean.
“I figure
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