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of the cottage. He sat exactly where she d left him, at the table with
Stephen s little shaving glass and razor. He meticulously dipped his razor
into a bowl of warm water and sliced it across his face in smooth, even
strokes. She liked the new growth of beard on his face, but he said it itched.
Are you e er going to do any work around here? Arleigh asked.
Master, remember? he muttered around the razor.
Stephen did work around here, and he ne er had time for such frivolous
things. Tis a natural thing to have a beard, Ryder. Most men have them.
Not me.
Ryder ran his hand across his cheek, sighing, enjoying the feel of the
smooth skin. She wished she could feel it. He peered into the foggy little
glass and swiped the razor across his chin. Arleigh carried the buckets to the
hearth while he ignored her.
Have you done something to your hair? Arleigh asked.
He had tied it at his neck with a piece of ribbon. Had he been going
through her things? She planned to set him straight about that right now.
What right did he have ?
Do I question you about your grooming habits? Ryder asked. For
instance, when did you last take a bath?
I wash up every day. Do I look dirty? She bent her head and sniffed
under her arm. Do I smell odd?
No, just curious. You always smell great.
Ryder dipped his hands into his bowl of water and splashed it on his
face. He held out his hand, blinking drops from his lashes. Towel.
Arleigh grabbed a cloth and hurled it toward him. Am I your personal
maid now?
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Ryder dried his face and gave her a smile. We have to find some sort of
compromise between us, Arleigh. I told you that living together in this
cottage would be uncomfortable. I ve decided the best thing to do is train
you to do your job.
I ve been doing this job for six months.
He leaned back and folded his arms. Frankly, you suck at it. Lesson
One. Don t question me on everything I ask you to do. Lesson Two. Don t
presume I don t do anything around here. It s not your business. And Lesson
Three. He nodded toward the hearth. You should be heating up that water
so I can have warm water to bathe in. I m master of this little piece of
heaven. I m entitled to a hot bath, don t you think?
Stephen washed in the river.
I m not Stephen. Start heating the water, and I m going to need a lot
more than that. He gestured toward the buckets. I m a big guy. Where s
the tub?
When she waved her toward the bedroom, muttering, under the stairs,
Ryder rose from the table. I ll get the tub. You finish with the water.
Arleigh dumped the water into the large pot and swung it over the
hearth, snarling and grumbling. Who did the man think he was? Giving her
orders. Making her his own personal servant. Stephen had never treated her
this way. Stephen had never interfered in anything she did, never offered
advice on how to complete a task, never even suggested what tasks she
should perform.
He came out of the bedroom and dropped the tub to the hearth stones.
I don t mind your talking out loud, Arleigh, but I ll remind you again.
Stephen had you on some kind of pedestal. I m not Stephen.
Stephen was nice to me, she muttered.
He untied the string of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Arleigh
watched him from the corner of her eye.
I m nice to you. Sometimes nicer than you deserve.
Arleigh grunted. Ryder kicked off his shoes, pulled off the stockings,
and had begun to unlace his breeches when she spun around, hands on hips.
Do you have to do that now?
He paused. Do you have a problem with it?
Numerous problems, Arleigh snapped. You could have the decency
to wait till I ve left the room.
192 Amber Carlton
You ve seen it all before.
No, twas dark.
He stared at her, waiting for her to continue. A nearly naked man stood
in her keeping room, in broad daylight. It was not the same as touching him,
holding him, yearning for the intimacy between them, and wringing moans
from a mouth that stirred her with kisses. It was not the same as feeling his
muscles beneath her hands, wanting those strong legs to cover hers, or
running her hands across his flesh. He tossed his clothes about cavalierly,
like the beauty of his body would have no impact on her whatsoever. He
treated her like a servant who should have no thoughts of his body at all.
Tis not the same, she repeated.
He moved toward her, his breeches slipping down his hips. In another
few steps, he would lose them entirely. She ran her glance down his body,
and when he spoke, her eyes darted to his.
It could be the same. His hands reached out and plucked at the laces
of her bodice. We could have a much more intimate relationship.
Arleigh wrapped her hand around his. As your property?
No, as my lover.
But I ve already offered.
Ryder dropped his hand and took a step back. You know what my
stipulations are. No excuses, no delusions, no reservations. Real emotions
between two people. When you can do that, you won t be able to keep me
away.
He let his breeches drop to the floor. The smile that spread across his
face ripped through her, and tiny dimples appeared in his cheeks. Did Ryder
Kendall get everything he wanted in life with that smile? Oh, she had no
doubt he did.
Until then, honey, you ll have to deal with it.
Arleigh gulped, and a furious heat spread through her body. Bloody hell.
Seeing every inch of him unnerved her. The man was impossibly beautiful.
He planted his hands on his hips, his pelvis cocked at an angle that was
disturbingly sensual. With the hair falling across his eyes and that childlike
smile on a smooth face, he looked like a little boy with a delightful secret,
but that stance& oh, definitely all man. Seductive. Suggestive. Provocative.
A challenge sparkled in his eye, a dare she wanted to accept. What did he
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want from her that she hadn t offered? What words did he need to hear? She
wanted that body. She wanted him.
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