What the Earl Desires (13 page)

Two days? Bile rose within him. He was nowhere near ready to let Najja go in two days.

“That would be wonderful. Now, I believe I have two ladies waiting for me. If you will excuse me.”

“Yes, Jo mentioned that yesterday.”

The men headed toward the door. His pulse accelerated at the sound of Najja’s accented voice.

“I just feel horrid, Najja. I so wanted to go.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly. Were they cancelling? “Ladies, are we ready?”

“Good morning, Mr. Faulkner,” Jo said and was echoed by Najja. “I was just telling Najja I feel a slight headache and believe it best I stay in out of the cold.”

“Are you okay, Jo?” her father asked, stepping close to his only child.

“Nothing some rest cannot cure, Papa. But tell Najja she should still go.” Blue eyes left her father to settle upon him. “Assuming Mr. Faulkner has no problem showing Najja around.”

A problem? Not in the slightest.

“I would be honored to escort, Miss Najja.”
Right to my bed where I would keep her for a long time.

“I should stay with Jo,” Najja protested.

Lord Adrys frowned until Jo made another plea for Najja to go. “My daughter is right, Najja. I will stay with her, we can play chess and she will relax. You deserve a day.”

Colin wanted to grin like a fool. He watched Najja and Adrys stare at one another, some message passing between the two.

“Very well,” Najja said. “I am fine on my own if you have things to attend, Mr. Faulkner.”

I do not think so, luv
. “Not at all. I had this already planned. Shall we then? The horses await.”

“Yes.”

Lord Adrys and Najja conversed briefly in a different language while he cast a quick peek at Jo. She winked and shot him an impish grin.

He
really
liked her. She was as sick as much as he was Prinny, but she’d given up the ride so he could be alone with Najja.

“Do something for me, Najja,” Jo said in a voice low enough it didn’t reach her father who had headed for the library.

“What?”

“Have fun.”

Whatever answer Najja gave he didn’t understand. What he
did
understand was his body’s knee-jerk reaction to her sultry tone. It tugged and drew on his nerves like sipping on smooth whisky. Heightening his constant state of arousal.

Side by side they moved outside and down the steps to where three groomsmen held their mounts.

“Miss Adrys will not be joining us today,” he said, pausing by his gelding and vaulting into the saddle. He watched Najja hesitate slightly before using the mounting block. Once she’d adjusted her skirt, they headed off.

When it was just the two of them and he knew those left behind couldn’t overhear he asked, “You okay, luv?”

“Fine. Where are we going?”

He grinned. “It is a surprise.” She arched a brow. “Trust me, luv.”

“Stop calling me that.”

Hell no.
“Say my name.” He maneuvered closer to her. Her horse snapped at his, eliciting a laugh from her. “Your horse is a menace.”

“No, he merely does not like postulating males.”

He grinned. “Say my name.”

“Where are we going?” she countered.

“Ahead.”

Najja tilted her head to look at him. “You beat me and I will. You lose, you give me something.”

Fire raced along his skin. “Anything luv. And I do mean
anything
.”

Her gaze scalded him then she was gone. He knew as he watched her stallion running out ahead of him he’d never catch her. Salvage gave chase, but honestly he didn’t care. He couldn’t wait to see what she asked for. ’Cause if it were him…he knew
exactly
what he’d be asking for.

Chapter Six

Najja actually felt like laughing. The cold sting of the wind whipping along her face as Fineas thundered along wiped away her tension. Her bonnet fell back, the ties the only reason it was still with her. While she wished to ride astride versus sidesaddle she would make do. Peering over her shoulder she grinned at the sight of her pursuer.

He would be nice to ride.
The thought hit her out of nowhere and she lost her balance a bit. Thankfully Fineas felt it and adjusted. Eyes forward she urged her horse to greater speed and he complied. After a bit, she reined him in and held him to a slower pace until Colin on his lathered gelding reached her side.

The chill gave his skin a ruddy hue and his green eyes sparked with devilish energy. Side by side they slowed their mounts until they walked along the trail, steps muffled by the carpet of fallen pine needles. Their mounts’ breathing sent puffs of steam into the air along with that which rolled off their hides.

“This is all yours?” she asked.

“Yes. What do you think?”

“It is beautiful.” Her lips curled up.

“What are you thinking, luv?”

He refused to listen to her request to cease calling her that. And she was beginning to like hearing it. “I was thinking how nice it must be to have this majesty surrounding you without the threats some places bring.”

They came upon a stream and she dismounted to let Fineas drink. Colin stood near with Salvage on his other side.

“Like in Africa?”

She tipped her head in acknowledgement. Her searching gaze caught sight of another who made her smile. She watched in silence as the large falcon settled with timeless grace upon the leather of Fineas’ saddle.

“Wow.”

Colin’s singular word expressed it all. She understood for Indrani was a spectacular sight to behold. Dropping the reins, she moved to the bird and held out her arm. Instantly, the falcon stepped onto her outstretched appendage and made a familiar sound when she stroked the feathered chest.

Turning to Colin, she said, “This is Indrani, my gyrfalcon.”

“She is truly beautiful.” He furrowed his brows. “Should you hold her without thick leather on?”

Eyes back on the silvered plumage she sighed with content. “I wear leather bracers on my wrists beneath my sleeves. Besides, she would never intentionally cause me harm.” Indrani rotated her head while she stared at Colin, her feet shifted slightly. “She likes you.”

He gave a noncommittal sound which dragged her attention from the dark silver feathers to Colin’s glinting gaze. Correction, feverish. Her heart put her through that tug and lurch which had became all too familiar during the course of her acquaintance with him.

“Can I hold her?”

He asked something no other had done since she’d received Indrani. It lingered on the tip of her tongue to flat out refuse but deep down she realized she
w
ished
to please him.

“I am not sure…” she said. “ You have no protection and I do not want her tearing into your skin.”

Colin released Salvage’s reins and stepped closer. Indrani puffed briefly only to settle back down.

“She will not injure me.” His words seeped in confidence much like the man himself.

“How can you know this?”

“She likes me.” He flashed a grin, rakish and bone-melting.

Najja fought the urge to laugh at his exuberance. “Confidence will not protect your skin.”

He moved to his horse and rooted through a saddlebag before he came up with a square of leather. “Will this do?”

“It will help.” She knew it would do little to stop the razor sharp talons should Indrani clutch hard.

Colin wrapped it around his arm and tied it off with a strip of rawhide. Then he repositioned himself near again.

She sighed heavily. “Hold your arm out. No sudden moves, she does not wear jesses so it may not work.”

“Got it.”

His eyes brightened with eagerness, cloaking him with an almost boyish innocence. She would have liked to have known him as a boy. Licking her lips, she closed the rest of the distance between them. A slight series of chirps came but the falcon seemed remarkably calm. Amazing really since she’d been free for seven years now.

Arm to arm she halted and watched as Indrani stepped with ease from her to Colin. The falcon turned and after a brief flap of her wings settled, her talons barely curving into the leather.

Colin couldn’t keep his eyes off the bird he held. Najja watched the myriad of emotions race through his gaze while he continued to stare at Indrani.

“Her name,” he whispered. “What does it mean?”

“Goddess of the sky.”

He reached out and stroked the feathered chest. “An apt name for sure. It fits her.”

They stood in silence while he pet the bird. Indrani cocked her head and immediately powerful wings beat the air.

“What is going on?”

Alert she uttered, “Lower your arm and launch her up.” All instincts screamed and she wanted to know why. Colin did, albeit a bit awkwardly, but Indrani made up for his lack of ability. The falcon took to the air with grace and power. The cry which filtered down filled Najja with concern. It was Indrani’s alarm cry.

“Something approaches.” She didn’t know if it was human or animal.

Colin didn’t ask. “Follow me.”

He led them up the stream until they were safely ensconced by the trees. The leather had been removed and as they halted near one another she was all too aware of his overwhelming presence. Two men on horses came into view and she checked Colin to see if he recognized them. It didn’t appear so. Neither did she but she did recognize one of the horses. The man who had shot Lord Adrys had been on that horse. Despite the dark she knew the chance of two horses having that same white triangle on its left shoulder was slim. She calmed her horse with a touch.

“Do you know them?” she asked even though she was pretty sure he didn’t.

“No. Do you?”

“At least one shot Lord Adrys.”

“I thought you said they wore masks.”

“I recognize the horse.”

He sighed. “We have to be careful. All I have is a knife.”

Her heart pounded at the thought of hunting with the man beside her. “You are not telling me it is too dangerous?”

His hand captured her chin and brought her face around to meet his. “From what I am learning about you, Najja that would be naught but a waste of breath.” He leaned closer and covered her lips with his. The kiss was short, heated, and left her breathless. When he drew back his eyes were stormy and dangerous. “Call me Colin,” he murmured.

She could not refuse. “Colin.”

“Good girl.” His touch dropped away leaving her bereft. “We should go.” With that he struck out after the two riders. She followed.

Thankfully, Fineas responded to the touch of her heel to his side for her hands shook. Even after she brought herself back under control she allowed him to retain the lead. All the while she berated herself for allowing this male to mean anything to her.

But he had and it killed her a little more each second she spent with him. As she rode behind him, watching the natural seat he had, it dawned on her. Sometime over the past numerous days she’d fallen in love with Colin Faulkner.

Shite.

Colin stopped and waited for her. Eyes that saw too much gazed upon her. Looking past him she saw another small hut, similar to the one they’d been in on Lord Adrys’ land.

“Do you still own this?” she asked with a wide gesture that encompassed the hut.

“Yes.”

She frowned. This place was in a total other direction from Hayworth Adrys’ property.

“There has to be another involved,” she commented offhandedly, more to herself than anything.

“Why?”

She blinked. “Look at them. Old clothes, scruffy appearance. Hiding way out here.” She shook her head. “They are doing the dirty work.”

She wheeled Fineas around. Colin stared at her, an unknown expression on his face. With a slow blink she moved Fineas out.

“That it?” he asked, his large profile in her peripheral.

“What did you expect? Me to ride in and kill them?” His silence spoke volumes and caused a sliver of pain in her. “They are of no use to me dead. Whoever hired them would merely hire more, new ones. I know these men now and will be alert for them around the family.”

She could see him mulling over her explanation. “How would you deal with someone hijacking your stuff?”

The question threw her for a moment. This had nothing to do with the men they followed here.

“Where are the things being taken? Land? Sea?”

“Land.”

“I would have a shipment leave as expected and lay a trap.” His jaw flexed a sure sign of his agitation. “Are people being hurt?”

“Yes.” The force of the word made it a curse. “This last time killed two men. They both had families.”

His pain could be felt and it tore at her. This illogical need had grown inside her to do what it took to keep him safe.
If this is what love is, I want no part of it.
“Do you know how many people are in on it?”