Page 62 of Hooked

He chuckled even as I pressed my mouth to his. “We need to get somewhere safe.”

“I feel safe here,” I insisted, coming back to his mouth again and again. “This is my Never Kingdom. It’s lovely here. We should stay.”

He let me kiss him once more before taking my wrists in hand and gently pushing me away. “It’s getting darker and colder.” He ran his fingers through my hair, relief and concern emanating from him. “And while I’d be happy to kiss you forever, we do need to think about the next logical step.”

Yes. He was right, of course. Captain Huckley was no longer in pursuit, but we were a full day’s journey from home with no supplies. Plus, the magistrate would likely be using this road to haul Captain Huckley off to prison soon, and I was determined not to be anywhere near that man ever again.

I nodded my assent.

He glanced down at the open front of his coat that hung on my shoulders, revealing my chemise and stays. He tugged it closed. “We need to get you more suitable clothing.”

It was difficult for me to worry about propriety and reputations now that I’d been freed from the captain. “If someone asks, we’ll say we were attacked by brigands who left us with nothing but our horse.”

His smile was sweetly sad. “You were always good at making up stories.”

“My tales of Walstone were my best.” I let myself fall forward against his chest, exhaustion washing through me. “I just want to go home.”

He rubbed my back and my arms. “Personally, I preferred the tales that were about you.”

I smiled into his chest. “You could tell which ones were about me?”

“Not at first, but after hearing about your life, I put some things together.”

“Hmm. I suppose I’m not as clever as I hoped.”

He chuckled into my hair. “You’re the cleverest. My clever girl.” He pulled back and bent to boost me up onto the horse.

I shook my head. “We’ll go faster if you’re in front.”

He looked unconvinced.

“I’ll be fine. I promise to stay on.”

He reluctantly agreed and mounted before reaching down and pulling me up behind him. I wrapped my arms around his chest and he took one of my hands in his, raising it to his lips before urging the horse onward.

***

I wanted nothing more than to go straight home, but the journey would take hours and the sun had set long ago. I felt Falstone sigh. “Cecily?”

“Yes?” I asked from my spot sitting behind him with my face buried in his shoulder.

“I cannot in good conscience ride with you through the night, especially when you are wearing so little.”

“What shall we do?”

“As soon as I find an inn, I am hoping to negotiate either for a room to sleep in or a carriage that you can ride inside. But either option I fear will leave your reputation marred. You will be showing up in a public place in the company of a man, in only your undergarments.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I murmured into his back. “I’m a servant. Few will care and none will know me. Besides, we were attacked by brigands, remember?”

“You’re not just a servant. As a member of the noble class—”

I lifted my head, pulling on his shoulder to make him turn and look at me. “You think I’m clinging to some fanciful idea that I will find myself back in the ranks of nobility?”

“Why not?”

“Because the only thing that position ever afforded me was misery,” I answered, incredulous. “You just had to save me from a forced marriage to a man who wished me to reclaim my noble status. There was nothing and no one that I left behind when I went into service. I promise you, Falstone, I don’t want it.” I burrowed back into his shoulder, pressing into his back for warmth. “But I am getting cold,” I admitted.

“Hold on.” Falstone nudged the horse into a gallop and less than an hour later, we came upon an inn.