Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Zeke wrapped one arm tight around Evangelina’s waist and the other about the reins. They galloped off into the night, jostled and jouncing about until Evangelina’s skull clacked against Zeke’s jaw, making his teeth rattle. Her fingers formed a vice around his arm, and he wished he’d put her behind him so Evangelina would have had a better grip, but there was no sense in stopping now. He didn’t dare even slow as the main road was the only place he would risk taking the horse on a night so dark. A better horseman, on familiar terrain, he might have been able to risk more, but he couldn’t chance it. Recaptured would be nearly the worst thing to happen, but breaking your neck when thrown from a horse on a dark night would be the absolute worst. Still, with the two of them slowing the horse down, if Nathaniel and the others weren’t as successful as Zeke hoped in distracting the Earl and his henchman, Zeke and Evangelina would be caught soon.

He pushed on, riding through a mucky section of the road, mud splattering up as they flew across the landscape. Zeke pulled Evangelina back tighter against him, feeling the reality of her. She smelled good – how did she smell good? It wasn’t soap or perfume, nothing artificial, but the true scent of her was like the sweetest nectar. He knew he shouldn’t think of it, shouldn’t even be aware, of the way her body felt against his, but he could not help it. Evangelina was so soft and so sweet, her back pressed against his, starting to move with him as they rode on.

Bacchus’s gait altered slightly, and Zeke shifted his focus. Again, the horse seemed to be favoring his right foreleg. He cursed under his breath and pushed Bacchus on, up the next ridge.

“What is it?” asked Evangelina, twisting in the saddle as they slowed.

“Nothing,” said Zeke softly as he drew Bacchus to a stop.

“Tell me,” said Evangelina softly. “I need to know.”

Zeke slid off his horse’s back and glanced up to her. “I think he’s thrown a shoe.”

He hated the words as they left his lips, and he bent to check. Bacchus whinnied as Zeke lifted his foot. The shoe wasn’t totally off, but it certainly was loose. They couldn’t keep going like they were; he didn’t want to lame the horse and kill any chance of escape.

“What are we going to do?” asked Evangelina softly.

Zeke bit his lip as he looked up at her. He wasn’t sure what the hell they even could do. Evangelina started to twist in the saddle, to look around her as though she was searching for something.

“What is it?” asked Zeke.

Evangelina scanned the landscape. He watched her, who had not wept or balked when he’d tossed her on his horse and rushed off with her like some Viking marauder, when he’d dragged her across the landscape, and when he’d told her their means of escape was failing them.

“I’m looking for a place to hide,” she explained. “A structure of some kind would be ideal, but even just a copse of trees or a cave would work, if it was big enough to hide us and the horse.”

Zeke nodded. “We’ll have to stay off the main road. We can walk the horse, but it will be slow going.”

Evangelina nodded, turning in the saddle. Immediately, Zeke reached up and clasped her around the waist. He helped her down and against him, and she tucked so sweetly into his body that he never wanted to let her go.

“I don’t see anything,” Evangelina said softly, shaking her head.

“We’ll just have to keep our eyes open,” said Zeke.

He reached up, petting Bacchus softly as the beast snorted. Beside him, Zeke felt Evangelina’s fingers twine softly in with his. He glanced down to where her dark, delicate fingers slid between his, and he wanted to hold onto the image. His fingers itched to trace the rest of her skin, to feel her close and know her utterly.

“Let’s go,” Zeke said softly, and they began to walk through the night.

“Thank you,” Evangelina said, after a moment. “For coming to find me. To rescue me.”

“Of course,” Zeke answered, squeezing her hand lightly. “I will always come for you. You are my wife.”

The words sounded strange on his tongue but oh so right. She looked up at him, her face bathed in pale moonlight, and all he wanted was to draw her into his arms and kiss her. All he wanted was to make her his as he ought to have from the minute the vows left their lips. To have and to hold, til death did they part. Those promises were true to the very depths of his being, but he had yet to take the steps to make them true in reality.

“I am so sorry,” said Evangelina softly.

Zeke stared down at her, aghast. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Of course I do!” cried Evangelina, her fingers tightening around his. “I was foolish. I rushed off without an escort, allowed myself to be taken. Even when I tried to escape–”

“You tried to escape?” he asked.

She nodded. “They found me and brought me back.”

Zeke let out a deep sigh and tugged her closer, pressing his lips to her forehead as their steps halted. “My brave girl.”

Evangelina sniffed, looking up at him. “I don’t feel brave.”

“You are,” said Zeke firmly, his hand releasing hers to cradle her face. “You are, without a doubt, the bravest person I know.”

Something moved behind Evangelina’s eyes, and it made Zeke yearn for her in a deep, necessary way. He wanted to soothe her ailments, to comfort her, as a husband should.

“You did not think me brave before," Evangelina said. "Not brave enough to handle the truth of the dangers facing me. You hid them from me, and I do believe it is my fault I was taken – I should have been smarter – but if you had told me the truth, I would have known better.”

The guilt was like a knife to his gut. “Eva, I–”

“You’ve done it since you proposed to me, Ezekiel,” Evangelina went on. “Perhaps even before. You’ve sheltered me, and in doing so, I’ve gotten myself hurt. I don’t blame you for it; in fact I think it is romantic and lovely of you. But I’m not a child, and you have to be honest with me if we’re going to get out of this. If we’re going to make this marriage work.”

Zeke’s heart leapt to his throat at her words, at the idea that this, what was between them, was a marriage, one worth working on, worth saving, making into something beautiful. He nodded.

“I will,” he said. “I promise.”

Evangelina nodded slowly. “All right. What are our chances of getting out of here?”

Zeke wetted his lips. “If we can find somewhere good to hide, get some sleep, and set off at first light, we might have a chance. Not a spectacular one, but if we meet with some good people or with Lord Blake before the Earl, we might just get out of this all right.”

“I see,” Evangelina said.

Zeke waited on pins and needles, seeing if she would implode. He had told it to her as it was, that there was a chance, if not a great one, for them to succeed. What he didn’t tell her is that he would do whatever it took to make sure she, at least, made it out of there. He hoped she knew that already, that as her husband, he would give everything to protect her.

“Well, we’d best get looking for some shelter, then,” said Evangelina, firmly setting her chin as she marched on.

Zeke only smiled in bewildered delight at this small, spectacular creature he could call his own. They walked on in silence, passing more than a half an hour through the forest and up a hill until Evangelina stopped abruptly.

“Is that the roof of a building?” she asked.

Zeke peered into the darkness with her, seeing what she spotted. “Possibly?”

It was a gamble, but he decided to give it a try. It didn’t look far from the road, and he didn’t see houses or a town around, so he hoped it was a farmhouse with friendly people. The next best was that it would be a solitary, unoccupied structure hidden from the road. He took them even further off the semi-path they were on to what looked to be little more than a game trail, his grip tightening unconsciously around Evangelina’s wrist as they moved. Evangelina’s toe hit a rock and she pitched forward, her soft cry lighting up the night. Zeke tugged her tight, clasping her to him, not letting her fall. She reached up, laying her hand against his cheek as she stared into his eyes. Whiskers had sprung up along his jaw in the days on the road, and she rubbed them softly with her bare fingers. He was glad for the small, reassuring touch of her hand.

“Here,” said Zeke, finding his voice husky as he righted her.

A blush tinged her cheeks, evident even in the moonlight, as she stooped to readjust her shoe. Zeke winced at the flimsiness of her slippers, caked in mud. They needed to get to shelter, and fast, so he could get her warm and take care of her.

Within a few minutes, they reached a barn that was halfway toward collapsing, but it was, in fact, standing as well as uninhabited.

“Perfect,” said Zeke, immediately cursing himself for using the same word that had felt like a jinx earlier in the evening.

But of course, they’d gotten out all right, hadn’t they? Even with that horrid woman sounding the alarm, he and Evangelina had made it to this little haven. He could only hope that Nathaniel and the cousins were still leading the Earl on a merry chase far away from their destination. They would lead the Earl anywhere but West, where Zeke had gone, and at first light, Zeke and Evangelina would head for a town where they could get her food and clothes and hopefully a new shoe for Bacchus.

“Have you eaten?” he asked as he patted Bacchus’s flank.

She shook her head. “They were going to bring me a tray up after dinner.”

Zeke took her by the waist to swing her over a small mud puddle, setting her on the ground in front of him. But he did not let go right away, instead reveling in the solidness, the truth, of her beneath his hands, and for the first time in days, he allowed himself to feel a bit of relief. Evangelina breathed slowly, her lips parting as she stared up at him.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For…everything.”

He bent his head then, resting his forehead against hers. “I would do anything for you.”

Evangelina seemed to glow at this.

“Come,” Zeke took her hand and drew her into the structure. “There’s food in my saddlebag. I’m going to bed Bacchus down for the night.”

She smiled. “Your horse’s name is Bacchus?”

Zeke shrugged a little sheepishly. “He’s been with me since my university days.”

Evangelina rubbed the great beast’s neck. “Thank you too, Bacchus.”

Then she planted a kiss right on the animal’s nose, and damn if Zeke didn’t feel a twinge of jealousy for the big creature.

Evangelina could not believe this moment as she entered the dilapidated barn. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness as she glanced around, finding a few stalls and some hay in a well sheltered corner so that it was dry and fairly springy. Lowering herself slowly to the ground, she felt the twinge of pain in her hip from where she’d landed after flinging herself from the carriage. Her wrists still smarted from the ropes tying her up. A prickling sensation started behind her eyes, and she blinked it rapidly away. There was no time for that, not now. Evangelina was free, but she was hardly safe, and while Zeke was with her, she still felt the chasm that had caused her to flee in the first place. He was hers, yet not. He had come to rescue her, her very own Prince Charming, but something was missing. Perhaps it was just something inside of her, but she felt on edge for more than just the danger they were in.

Evangelina spread the small cloth in which the foodstuffs had been packed, then set out the few items, selecting what to eat now and what to save for morning, pushing herself to focus on the good of the moment, marveling at the reality that she was now free. She was liberated and with her husband, who was brushing down his horse and would, in a few moments, be back by her side. Evangelina tipped her head up to look around her once more. The barn had a few shingles missing, and she could see stars winking back at her. It was almost idyllic, and after the tumult and fear of the last days, it truly did feel a haven.

“How are you?” asked Zeke as he reentered the barn.

Evangelina’s pulse had been going wildly since the moment she’d spied Zeke through the window, and it only kicked up faster when he entered the barn. His shirt was open, his sleeves rolled up, as the night was a warm, rainless one. He smiled down at her as he approached, and she beckoned for him to sit beside her.

“I’m fine,” Evangelina said. “All things considered.”

He nodded, reaching for a piece of bread and popping it into his mouth. Evangelina realized that her pulse had slowed considerably, now that he was close.

“Here,” Zeke produced a waterskin. “Found a well nearby that, while not so nice as it might have been, still functions.”

She smiled and took the skin, tipping it back and drinking. The water was cool and refreshing, and she was immensely grateful for it. She drank deep, feeling a deep thirst quenched in her, as Zeke watched her with a kind of intensity that was almost unnerving if it had not been so kind. His eyes were always kind, and she loved that about him. Evangelina never felt in danger in his proximity, and it seemed to convince her that no danger could be found so long as he was near.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Zeke asked, breaking off a bit of cheese.

Evangelina shook her head. She would, at some point, she was sure. Just not then, not when everything felt so cozy and comfortable. She didn’t want to ruin it, thinking about all that had happened. Zeke held out an arm to her and she scooted closer, burrowing into his side. He was so very warm and so very solid, his hand moving along her arm, warm and reassuring. Zeke bent his head and kissed the top of hers, where her curls were escaping the simple updo she’d crafted that morning.

“Would you help me take down my hair?” asked Evangelina, so softly she wasn’t sure he’d heard her when he didn’t move for a moment.

“Of course,” said Zeke softly.

Slowly, Zeke repositioned them so that he leaned against the barn wall, pulling Evangelina between his spread legs so that her back brushed against his chest. It was an intimate position that caused her cheeks to burn, and a sensation like queasiness to take up residence in her belly. She recalled what Zeke had told her, what he’d named that feeling: desire. Evangelina felt the desire rock through her, the need to be closer to him, to slide against his skin with her own, to know him, to understand him, as a wife should.

A small sound escaped her as his fingers lifted to her scalp. It was a sound of pure bliss that seemed to echo loud in the empty barn. She felt Zeke stiffen slightly behind her, and she willed herself not to make such a noise. It was ridiculous. She never sounded like that when others touched her thus. Her whole life, it had soothed Evangelina to have someone touch her hair. Her mother and Samira had brushed, oiled, braided, and played with it always, so it became a sensation of home when she felt him remove the pins. His fingers were delicate and strong, and she recalled them as he sketched her, as he crafted that sculpture – no, that was an image she rejected. She did not like the ugliness it drew up in her, and besides he was with her now. Zeke, her husband, was gently pulling down her curls, caressing her until her body went soft and pliant. She felt half-drunk on his touch, her mind wandering and her anatomy mellowed.

Before Evangelina even knew she was speaking, the whole tale was spilling out of her like a faucet. She could not stop it, and Evangelina told him every detail, every fear, every moment. She felt him tense and ease with her, and hold her closer and closer as she spoke. His fingers danced along her scalp, rubbing and soothing her, then drifting down to trace the shell of her ear until she shivered. Zeke gathered her closer, thinking her cold, with his strong arms wrapped around her waist. Evangelina’s breath hitched at the feel of him, all muscle and heat along her body, but she didn’t dare stop the story. She was desperate for the touch, the physical comfort of him.

Finally, her tale was done, and Zeke ceased stroking her hair and arms to kiss the top of her head.

“You are very brave, my little wife,” he whispered. “And you must be very tired. Sleep. I will be here with you always.”

Evangelina nodded, feeling bone tired in the very depths of her being, but her mind was sharp. Her body was alert even as it was fatigued, even as Zeke lay back in the hay and towed her with him. Turning so that her body was closer to his, she curled against his chest, laying her head and listening to the powerful thrum of his heart. Evangelina could not help but reflect on this, that this very thing was all she’d wanted, to lie in his arms and be his wife, as she desired.

Everyone had an opinion. Everyone thought there was something she should or shouldn’t be doing, something she was just right or so very wrong on. It was madness. She was too young or too inexperienced. She should be bolder, more demure, seductive, never wanton, innocent, pure, desirous. It was impossible, and when she let it go, all she was left with was herself. She could only do what she wanted, what felt right to her then and there. And what felt right was having Zeke close beside her, and all she wanted was to have him closer.

Her fingers moved up and down his chest in a slow, simple rhythm that made a small, pleased sound escape his lips. Evangelina smiled covertly, her fingers slipping between the buttons to touch his flesh beneath. She nearly yanked her hand back, his flesh hot and the hairs on his chest soft. The sensation was surprising but not at all unpleasant. He hissed, and Evangelina’s eyes quickly darted up to his face, unsure if such a sound was good or bad. Zeke’s head was tipped back, his corded neck straining as he arched slightly, his eyes hooded and dark. She took that as a good sign as his lips parted, her hand delving down lower on his body, sliding to rest over his firm belly. Evangelina repositioned herself, moving up to kiss his neck, to taste the salt and spice of his skin, to wriggle her body closer to his own. All she wanted was more and more, and she could not get enough. One of her legs draped over his body as she started to climb him, her lips moving across his jaw and finding the corner of his mouth.

This was going to be the death of him. Everything in Zeke’s body was on fire, and his heart echoed with the rhythm of mine, mine, mine. She was his, his to have and to hold, but to comfort and care for, he reminded himself, not to push and hurt. Evangelina sought physical comfort, perhaps even release, but that was not the same as wanting to give her body to him on a dingy barn floor. Zeke had to keep telling himself that, over and over again, as the little minx gave his earlobe a kittenish lick that sent his vision going black around the edges.

“Eva,” he whispered, his hands reaching to grasp her hips, gathering fistfuls of her gown. “My darling, no.”

He wished he had the strength to let her play, let her explore, but he didn’t trust his own restraint. Zeke would never, never hurt her, but if she thought she knew what she wanted, he didn’t trust himself not to give it to her.

Evangelina whimpered softly, curling closer to his body, making him go wild with the desire for her. “Please. I’m cold.”

Zeke bit back a growl, enfolding her tighter in his arms, against his chest. He could warm her, yes. He could share his heat and get the benefit of her perfect, plaint curves fitted so wonderfully to his flesh. Even through layers of clothing, he could feel the heat of her, the swell of her body where she molded so well to his being, where his hands could cup and cradle her, finally feel the flesh he’d been trying to recreate in charcoal, in clay, since the moment he’d asked her to be his wife.

To his shock, Evangelina’s fingers dropped suddenly and worked softly at the front of his trousers. He reached down, stilling her fingers.

“Evangelina, you have been through such an ordeal,” Zeke whispered, hoping his voice sounded convincing rather than strained. “It is cold and we are lying on a haystack. This is not the way –”

“It is what I want, Zeke,” Evangelina looked up at him, her dark eyes caught in a shaft of cool light, startling obsidian.

His breath caught. “Sweet, it will not be the most comfortable for you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t care. I am cold, and want your heat. I am lonely, and I want you close. I am empty, and I want you to fill me.”

Zeke dropped his head onto her shoulder and let out the deepest of sighs as something small and decisive snapped. There was no denying her, he knew, not now, not after everything, not with how much he needed to assuage his worries that she was there and she was his. He suspected she needed the same reassurance, so how could he deny her that? And when the denial was over, he moved slowly, deliberately, with powerful certainty as he removed his clothes. Zeke let her touch, explore, the broad expanse of his chest, the planes of his stomach, the hot, rigid length of him that seemed to scald her touch.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered to her as he dragged his hands through her hair and kissed her neck.

“I’m not,” Evangelina said simply.

His brave girl. His precious treasure. His wife.

Zeke kissed her deeply as he untied the waist of his coat that had been keeping her sheltered from the world. Zeke sucked in his breath as he felt her flesh beneath, her entire body bared in a single tug. He spread the coat under them like a blanket, revealing her all to him. He expected her to shy away, to cover herself, but Evangelina laid beneath him with only trust in her eyes.

She was a goddess by moonlight, her tawny-gold skin silk and turned dark in the night air. Zeke bent his head, feasting on her at every place, from the tips of her fingers that he kissed to the tips of her breasts he drew into his mouth. Evangelina gasped and writhed at every new sensation, her body a single thread of awareness that connected everything, her lips, her hands, her thighs, all back to a molten core that swelled inside her, bright and hot like a trapped star.

He touched her with fingers and tongue, gentled her to a response beyond what she knew was possible. Then he took her, slow and deep until she was breathless and tears ran down her face, from pain or from pleasure she did not know, and it did not seem to matter. She was warm, she was safe, and she was whole.