SHK by t Page A

him without his horse was tantamount to an insult to his person.

    He watched her for a long moment, enjoying the elegant line of her slender back and the graceful curve of her neck. Finally, he could contain himself no longer. He had to confront her and offer her marriage and by damn she had better accept.

    He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat to give her fair warning of his presence.

    Stormy’s head snapped up when she realized she was no longer alone. She looked around in panic, sorry that she had wandered so far from the house. And then he stepped into her line of vision and her eyes clouded with defiance.
    STORMY HEIDE KATROS
    46

    “What do you want?” She knew the abrupt question sounded ungracious, but she couldn’t help it. André brought out the worst in her and she had no clue why that was.

    “We need to talk.” His voice was rough with emotion. How could she sit there and ask him what he wanted and look so damnably adorable at the same time? Of course, the crown of braids atop her head didn’t help him feel any better. She looked the innocent she was and he wanted her just as badly as he wanted her the day he decided to kidnap her against his better judgment.

    By damn, he had started this nightmare. How could he even for a moment accuse her of having had any part in it? He was a cad.

    Sitting up straighter and lifting her chin at a mutinous angle, she looked daggers at him.
    “You secret is safe with me, if that’s what you came to talk about. I won’t let on that you are one and the same as the highwayman, who kidnapped me. I know what I know, even if you didn’t outright admit to it.” She could still imagine the feel of his lips moving over hers, warm and velvet soft.

    Folding her hands in her lap, she continued to stare him down. “No one let on during breakfast that they missed me during supper last night. So, if luck holds, no one will ever be the wiser that we spent the night under the same roof. You see, my parents decided to take a short trip to visit some friends yesterday and they haven’t returned yet. They’d mentioned that they might stay on for a bit, but I guess I forgot.”

    André’s pulse accelerated at her announcement that her parents had gone out of town and that she intended to keep his secret. But could he trust her? And why did it rankle his ego that she dismissed him so casually?

    He favored her with a mocking bow. “The promise to keep my secret is rather gracious of you. But what made you decide to absolve me of my duty as a gentleman after having spent the night under the same roof? Most young ladies would jump at the chance to marry me. Why not you? And how can I be sure you won’t let it slip that I am the notorious highwayman?”

    Curious, he lowered himself to the ground and quirked a dark brow in question at her.
    Plucking a blade of grass, he twirled it idly between his fingers as he waited for her answer.

    Spearing him with a dismissive glare, she cocked her head to one side. “You, sir, are neither a gentleman nor would you know the meaning of duty. I on the other hand do not promise anything I do not intend to guard with my very life. As to your question why I am not clamoring to marry you, I should think it is obvious. I don’t want to be shackled to a man whom I don’t love and who would in turn not love me.”

    She got to her feet so fast and unexpectedly that it took André a moment to come to grips with the fact that she meant to leave him without further discussion. Grunting his displeasure, he rose and made a grab for her.

    He only meant to spin her around and take her to task about her brusque accusation about his not being a gentleman. But when he spun her to face him, he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes.

    Contrition tugged at his conscience. Intending only to comfort her, he pulled her closer and enfolded her in his strong embrace. When he saw her lips part in anticipation, he dipped his mouth to hers and captured