Andrew stepped out of the water and toward her, needing to understand her need to leave him so quickly when moments ago she was willing to surrender to whatever he wanted. Realising how she could have understood his claim of being invited to the lake by another young woman, he stopped beside her. “I don’t want you to go.”
Her fingers hesitated on the last button. “Were you really told about this place by a woman?”
He reached for her, his hands resting boldly on her hips. “I happened upon this place a few years ago when I was doing a job in the area. You’re the only woman I’ve met here in all that time.”
Rebecca remained silent and he wondered if she believed him. Finally, she turned to face him, the most hypnotic smile spreading across her lips. “My vanity allows me to be flattered to know that, but I refuse to stay here and risk being the cause of more bruises being inflicted upon you.” She stepped out of his reach and finished buttoning her blouse before tucking it into the waistband of her skirt. Her attire sorted, she reached for the horse's reins and pulled herself up on its back. “It was a pleasure to see you again, Andy.”
“Wait,” he called out, stopping her. “Are you just going to leave me here?”
“I assumed you were going back to town.” Her brow furrowed. “Where’s your horse?”
“I walked as I assumed I was under no time constraint,” he explained. “It appears I was wrong and now I find myself in dire need of a lift into town if I’m to keep the deadline Matthew has set for me.”
She studied him for a few moments before shifting forward in her saddle. “Get dressed and I’ll take you where you need to be.”
He reached for his clothes from their hiding place and quickly pulled them on. “I appreciate the offer, but I think it will be safer if you drop me at the edge of town. Matthew would be furious if he were to discover there was some kind of relationship between us.”
Fully dressed, Andrew pulled himself up behind her on the horse's back, righting himself in the saddle.
“Exactly what kind is between us?” Rebecca uttered, sounding unsure.
Andrew nestled behind her, his arm going around her waist and holding her tight. “How can you ask me that?”
She flicked the reins on the horse's back, pushing it to a comfortable canter. “Just because a man claims to want to make love to a woman, doesn’t mean he feels anything but burning lust for her.”
He stroked her stomach. “That’s true, but I don’t make a habit of sharing something so intimate with a woman I don’t care about. I wonder if you can make the same claim.”
“How can you ask me that?” she gasped.
His fingers stilled. “Because I’ve known women to sell their bodies to the highest bidder if they were paid enough.”
“You think…” Her words trailed off. “Are you asking if I was hired to track you down at the lake and…what? Seduce you? Lure your family’s secrets from you perhaps. Or maybe trap you into being found in a compromising position worthy of being blackmailed over.”
“Tell me I’m wrong then,” he demanded. “Why else would such a beautiful, passionate woman go out of her way to lure me into her life?”
His words hung in the air between them, neither speaking as they travelled further toward town. Andrew knew his question was to the point, but he’d been trapped in the deceitful web of a woman before. He couldn’t go through that again. Thinking Rebecca’s attention of late might not be entirely genuine ripped at his heart. Foolish though it might be, he wanted this woman’s affections, and any surrender given from the heart, to be genuine. His brow furrowed. Rebecca’s heart wasn’t a consideration when he met her in town for the first time, but now…
Unsettled, Andrew reached for the reins and pulled the horse to a stop.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “We’re still a few yards from town.”
He swung down from the horse, his boots landing hard on the solid, dusty ground. “I think it’s safer for us both if you leave me to go the rest of the way.”
“Wait,” she yelled as he was about to turn away from her. “I mean…You can’t just leave me.”
His gaze narrowed. “I can…and I must. Besides, I think it’s for the best, don’t you?”
She studied him for a few moments, and their stares joined. “About what happened at the lake…” Her words trailed off, silence surrounding them.
Andrew couldn’t help but smile at her awkwardness. Despite her brazen actions earlier, she now seemed lost for words.
“Any other time I’d be happy to wait for you to find the most appropriate explanation, but I fear right now time is of the essence,” he explained. “Besides, I don’t expect a confession of false feelings from you. You owe me nothing.”
He turned and had taken a few steps, knowing he had plenty of time to meet Matthew, but needing to escape the awkwardness that now lay between him and this woman sooner rather than later.
“There’s nothing false about love,” she uttered softly.
Her words hung in the air for a few minutes, Andrew wondering about her choice of words. As he turned, needing to explain love wasn’t a word that should be thrown around so casually, horse’s hooves pounded on the ground. Rebecca was riding away back in the direction of her home. He wanted to call her back to him, to explain any mention of love between them wasn’t unwelcome. His brow furrowed. He was in no position to return such a heartfelt feeling though.
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