by Elle James
Chapter 11
Aurelia couldn’t lie. She’d been terrified when Sassy headed straight for the fence. Though she’d tried to pull back on the reins, the horse had clamped the bit between her teeth and wasn’t going to slow down. She’d charged the vine-covered fence as if she knew exactly what she was doing. When she’d left the ground, Aurelia had held on, her legs clamped tightly around the mare’s sides. Her years in dressage and jumping had paid off when she hadn’t flown out of the saddle and broken her neck.
Sassy had known exactly what she was doing and had cleared the fence with no problem whatsoever.
Once they’d landed, Sassy joined a herd of horses on the other side and relaxed enough to grab a mouthful of grass.
Thrilled to be alive, and happy to now know what Sassy’s original owner had trained her to do, Aurelia couldn’t help smiling when Gavin joined her.
The stern look on his face did nothing to take away from the pure joy of being outdoors and riding like she’d done in her teens and early twenties. “It’s a glorious day. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad,” Gavin said. “Worried, but not mad.” His frown deepened. “We’re going up into the mountains. Do you think you can control the mare on narrow trails?”
Aurelia leaned over the mare’s neck and patted her. “I think she had to get some energy out of her system. She seems to have calmed down.”
“We’ll play it by ear. If she starts acting up, we’ll come back down.”
“Fair enough.” She sat up and grinned. “You lead, we’ll follow.”
Gavin led the way up a mountain trail. As the sun rose higher, the earth heated, making it warm enough Aurelia shed her jacket, tying it around her waist. The views between the trees were of rocky bluffs, evergreen trees and valleys full of lovely wildflowers.
After looking over his shoulder for the tenth time to make sure Sassy wasn’t acting up, Gavin finally relaxed and trusted Aurelia would be okay.
Talking wasn’t an option with them traveling single-file up the mountain trail, which also wasn’t conducive to learning more about the stranger in front of her. Aurelia hoped he would stop soon, and they could get on with learning more about each other. After her conversation with Lilianna the night before, Aurelia was convinced she had to tell Gavin who she was and what they were up against should they continue to see each other and eventually marry. He needed to know he might be in danger, should whomever didn’t want her to marry, finally catch up with her.
Thirty minutes later, Gavin entered a forest glen, crossed an open meadow and stopped short of a stand of trees.
“Are we stopping here?” Aurelia called out.
“We are.” Gavin dropped down out of the saddle, hopping until he could get his legs steady.
He hurried toward Sassy, reaching out to assist Aurelia from her saddle.
She started to tell him not to bother but didn’t have to.
As he approached, Sassy danced away.
Rather than chase the horse down, Gavin took a step back. “I would have helped you down…”
Aurelia chuckled. “She’s not quite ready for male interaction. She’ll need more time for that.” She slid out of the saddle and nimbly dropped to the ground.
Gavin led his horse through the trees to a stream and allowed Ranger to drink.
Aurelia brought Sassy to the water as well. “It’s beautiful here.”
“I’ve always thought so.”
“You’ve been to other countries…” Aurelia stated. He had to have been if he’d been a Navy SEAL. “How does Montana compare?”
“Of the countries I’ve seen so far, none are as beautiful as Montana.”
Aurelia didn’t let his comment bother her. She had to agree that Montana was breathtaking. But there were other beautiful places in the world. Montana wasn’t the only one. She bent to scoop water up in her hand. “Have you been to Europe?”
“A couple of times, but we didn’t stay long. Usually stopped in Germany on our way to the Middle East.”
“Did you have a chance to see much in Germany?”
“Not much outside the airport. We did get to eat in Frankfurt once. I remember the buildings being picturesque. And lots of flowers in window boxes. I wouldn’t mind going back and exploring more. I love history, and there’s so much of it in Europe.”
Some of the tension in her shoulders relaxed. He was game for travel. Some people didn’t want to leave home. Ever. “I love to travel.” She straightened and glanced around as a breeze ruffled the leaves above, making the stream sparkle with the dappled sunlight. “Each country has its own beauty.”
“Have you been many places?” he asked.
She nodded. “A few.” Too many to count. She’d gone to many diplomatic events with her parents, traveling to various countries to learn more about them and to educate them on the tiny country of Lastovia. Small countries tended to get lost next to the larger ones with constant news coverage and economic impact.
Gavin tied Ranger to a tree and removed the saddle bag from behind the saddle. “Hungry?”
As she tied Sassy to the tree beside Ranger, Aurelia’s stomach rumbled. “Surprisingly, yes.” She glanced up at the gap between the trees to the sun shining overhead. “I can’t believe it’s already close to noon. Time flies when you’re out in the sunshine. Are we eating here?”
“No. We have a little more of a hike to do on foot. Are you up for it?”
“I’m ready,” she said. She wondered how able he was with a prosthetic leg.
He slung the saddle bag over his shoulder then held out his hand.
Aurelia slid hers inside his and let him lead her on a path that followed the creek upstream. As they climbed over rocks and weaved in between brush, ducking low to avoid tree branches, she could hear the increasing sound of water rushing. But the stream seemed calm, burbling beside them. What could make that much noise?
Her curiosity piqued, Aurelia couldn’t wait to round the outcropping of rocks.
And she wasn’t disappointed.
She gasped when the source of the rushing noise came into view. Over forty feet high, a narrow waterfall fell in a curtain of shimmering liquid into a wide, blue pool that ultimately fed the stream they’d followed to find the magical place.
The beauty of the water, the trees and the entire setting stole her breath away. “Brilliant,” she said in a soft voice.
Gavin chuckled. “I’m glad you like it. This is where we’re going to have our picnic.”
“I can’t imagine another place more perfect.” And she couldn’t. No wonder he loved Montana so much. With hidden gems like this, who would ever want to leave? Sadness slipped in to her consciousness, stealing some of the joy of the day. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Gavin pulled a blanket out of one side of the saddle bag.
Together, they spread it out on a smooth rock and sat cross-legged in the middle.
Gavin removed the water bottles and the sandwiches. “I hope you like roast beef on wheat.”
“I do,” she said.
“Mustard or mayo?” he asked.
“Mustard.”
“A woman after my own heart,” he said and handed her the sandwich with the mustard. “Do you like spicy foods?”
“I do. Indian curry, sushi with wasabi and Mexican habanero sauces are my favorites.”
“We have something in common. I like food that challenges my taste buds. And I’m not afraid to try things that are different.”
Aurelia grinned. “That’s good. When you travel, you can’t always get your tried and true favorites.”
“Exactly.” He bit into his sandwich and chewed awhile.
Aurelia took a bite of her own and tried to think of how she could bring up the truth about why she wanted to marry—and soon. She turned over different ways to present it, going over and over each scenario in her mind while eating her sandwich. She decided that after they finished lunch would be better than disrupting their meal. So, she ate every bit
e slowly, knowing she was procrastinating. She didn’t want the quiet, intimate moment to end.
After she shoved the last bite into her mouth, she knew it was time to confess. She stared down at her hands, trying to come up with the right words that wouldn’t make him so angry he’d call everything off and send her packing.
“You have mustard on your fingers,” Gavin said.
She focused, noting the yellow stain on her finger. “Good grief,” she said and leaped to her feet.
“Where are you going?”
“To wash the mustard off my hand.” She grimaced. “I can imagine it’s all over my face as well?”
“I wouldn’t say all over,” Gavin said.
Sweet truffles. How was she going to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Gavin if she had mustard on her face, detracting from her credibility? She leaped to her feet, her cheeks on fire. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“To wash the mustard off my hands, face and anywhere else it might be that I don’t know about. Then, we need to talk.” She hurried toward the edge of the pool, embarrassed and nervous about the talk they would have once she wasn’t covered in mustard.
Gavin chuckled and rose to his feet. “You only have mustard on your finger, that I could see.”
“I’m known for being a bit of a mess,” she said and squatted down beside the pool, peering at her reflection in the water. If only she had a mirror.
Aurelia rubbed her hands together beneath the surface, scrubbing the mustard from her fingers. Then she reached down to scoop up water in her palms to splash on her face. Her foot slipped in the soft dirt. When she moved to steady herself, she slipped some more. The next thing she knew she was off balance and falling.
Splash!
Aurelia went under. The water was deeper than she’d anticipated. She scrambled to get her feet beneath her. When at last she did, she pushed to stand, her head rising above the surface. She sucked in a deep breath and pushed wet hair out of her face.
Gavin stood on the bank, his brow furrowed. “I was just about to come in after you. Are you all right?”
She nodded, feeling more like an idiot than ever. All over a spot of mustard on her finger. “The only thing hurt is my pride.”
“You should have seen your face when you went in.” Gavin’s chuckle turned to laughter. “Sorry, but your surprised look was priceless.” He reached out a hand, his lips still twitching at the corners.
Aurelia took his extended hand. When he started to pull up, she pulled with a hard jerk that sent him flying forward and into the water beside her.
When he came up spluttering, she cocked an eyebrow and smiled. “You should have seen the surprise on your face when you fell in.”
He shook his head like a dog, water slinging left and right from his hair. “Oh, no, you didn’t.”
She tilted her head and smirked. “Oh, yes, I did.”
Gavin bent low in the water and wrestled with something. A moment later, he lifted a boot out of the water and turned it upside down to empty it, and then set it on the rock near their picnic blanket.
Aurelia grimaced, hoping she hadn’t ruined the leather of his boots.
He worked even harder to get the other boot off his prosthetic foot.
“Don’t think we’re not going to have that talk you mentioned,” Gavin said. “Just give me a minute.” He laid the other boot beside the first and reached for the button on his jeans.
Aurelia’s eyes widened, and heat coiled low in her belly.
“It’s about to get real here,” he said. “I have to get my prosthetic off and let it dry.”
“Oh, Gavin, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about what the water might do to your leg.” She swam over to him. “What can I do to help?”
“I need to get out of my jeans in order to remove the leg.” He smirked. “And no, this isn’t just an excuse to get naked and make love to you.” He captured her cheek in his palm and bent to brush a light kiss across her lips. “Although the thought is intriguing.”
Feeling like a complete idiot, Aurelia reached for the waistband of his jeans. “I can help,” she said and dragged the wet denim over his hips and down his legs. He leaned back and raised his hips, paddling with his arms to keep his head above the water.
As she struggled with the jeans, he fought to stay afloat, all the while laughing.
“I’m so sorry,” Aurelia said. “And I don’t understand what’s so funny.” When at last she had his jeans off, she stood in the water and twisted the denim, wringing the water out of them.
“The situation. Here I’m trying to be a gentleman and treat you right…”
“And I’m anything but a lady, dragging you into the water without giving a thought to your leg.” She spread the jeans out on the rock and turned back.
He had the prosthetic leg off, holding it out of the water. He hopped to the water’s edge and dumped the water out of the socket.
“Is it ruined?” she asked.
“No, but it needs to dry before I can wear it again.” He laid it in the sun and stripped what appeared to be a kind of sock off his stump and spread it out in the sun as well. “Thankfully, I had the good sense to wear boxers today. Normally, I go commando.” He winked and pulled his T-shirt over his head and flung it onto the rocks. “Now that we’re in the water, we might as well enjoy it. Come on. The waterfall is amazing.” He pushed backward and did a backstroke away from her.
Aurelia pulled her boots off and laid them on the rocks near his. Because her jeans were weighing her down, she dragged them off, wrung them out and spread them over the rock. Then she pulled her shirt over her head and did the same with it. She wore a bra and panties. And what was a bikini anyway, but a bra and panties? Deliciously unencumbered, she swam after Gavin, loving the coolness of the water on the hot day.
Gavin stopped beside the waterfall and pulled himself from the water to sit on a rock.
Aurelia tread water nearby, appreciating the view. Gavin had a broad chest with a smattering of curly hairs scattered between small dark brown nipples. Powerful arms lifted to the sky, embracing the cool water showering down on him.
Aurelia licked her lips, wanting more than anything to taste those nipples and flick the little nubs with her tongue. Her core tightened. Swimming closer, she pulled herself up onto a rock beside him and lifted her face to the spray. She couldn’t remember ever being so free and uninhibited. Had she been back in her country, paparazzi would have found her and snapped pictures of her in her underwear, and then plastered the images all over the news and tabloids.
In Montana, she wasn’t Princess Olivia of Lastovia. She was Aurelia, a lonely woman willing to marry a stranger in a mail-order bride deal.
Big hands gripped her shoulder and pulled her close. “Do you know what you’re doing to me?” he whispered into her ear.
“Nothing more than you’re doing to me. Turnabout is fair play,” she said, blinking up at him in the water’s spray.
He cupped her chin and bent to kiss her, the taste of the cool, clean water on his mouth and tongue as he slid between her teeth in a tender, but sensuous caress.
Aurelia threaded her hands together behind his neck and pressed her breasts against his chest. She couldn’t get close enough, and their perch was somewhat precarious.
Gavin slipped slightly, broke away from the kiss and muttered a curse. He slipped into the water, captured her hand and swam toward the shallower end of the pool. Once he had his foot on the ground and she could stand as well with her head well above the surface, he resumed the kiss. His hand traveled down to the small of her back, sliding beneath the waistband of her panties to cup her ass.
Aurelia moaned into his mouth. With one foot on the bottom of the pool, she helped him maintain balance while she raised her other leg. She wrapped it around his waist, rubbing her center across his hip. She wanted more. Much more than a kiss. Sliding her hand into the waistband of his boxers, she cupped his bottom and sque
ezed, digging her nails into his skin, pressing him closer.
His erection nudged her belly, proof he was as aroused as she.
What was stopping her? They were alone, up in the mountains of Montana. Who would know or care besides them? And if they were going to marry, didn’t they owe it to themselves to know whether they were sexually compatible?
Beyond giving a damn, Aurelia reached behind her back and unclipped her bra. The lacy fabric floated up to the surface.
Gavin slipped the straps from her arms and slung the garment across the rocks to where their other clothes lay drying in the sun.
Aurelia pushed his shorts down over his hips and lower. Taking a breath, she lowered her head beneath the water and skimmed her hand along his muscular thigh, dragging the last piece of his clothing down to his ankle. Holding onto her shoulders for balance, he kicked it free.
She grabbed them and slung them to join her bra on the rocks. Then in a lightning move, she stripped out of her panties and stood before him naked, wet and burning with desire.
Gavin leaned one hand against the rocky outcropping. With the other, he cupped her ass and brought her legs up around his waist. Then he leaned her back against the ledge. “I wasn’t supposed to get this far today. I was supposed to take my time, show you respect, be gentle and considerate.” He kissed the side of her neck below her earlobe, and then dragged his lips across her chin. “I’m failing miserably at this dating thing. We’re supposed to get to know each other before we take it all the way.”
Aurelia captured his face between her hands, her channel poised above his hardened cock. “Says who?” And she kissed his cheek, the tip of his nose, and then his lips as she lowered herself over him, takin his length inside her.
“I don’t remember now,” he said. “I barely remember my name when you do that.”
“Gavin,” she whispered.
“Aurelia,” he responded and thrust upward, pushing deeper until he filled her completely, stretching her channel with his deliciously thick shaft. “We were supposed to talk,” he said into her mouth.
“We will…after.” She rose up and lowered again. This was where she’d wanted to be. “Forget everything but us. Here. Now.”
