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In Pursuit of His Wife(11)

By:Kristi Gold


Images of being taken against a wall plagued her. "Need I remind you of our agreement?"

He rubbed his chin. "I do not readily recall any clause prohibiting horseback riding."

She tossed her napkin at him and he caught it in one hand. "You cad."

"Cad? What did you think I meant?"

She pushed back from the table and stood. "Do not play ignorant,  Sebastian. Since you've arrived, every time you open your mouth,  innuendo spills out."

He had the gall to grin. "Perhaps you only assume that because you're having naughty sex thoughts."

That only heightened her irritation. "If that were the case, could you blame me?"

He released a rough sigh. "No, I suppose I couldn't. You have been  greatly deprived, with the exception of last night. However, I would  like to make up for that now if you will allow it."

She refused to give in so easily. "I appreciate the gesture, but you  will have to make up for my deprivation without any expectations in  regard to lovemaking."

He pushed the chair back, came to his feet and executed a bow. "My  lady, I would be honored if you would join me for an equestrian  adventure, and I promise no clothes will be shed."

She could not help but smile. "Yes, I will join you. And speaking of  clothes, I will need to change into something more suitable."

He slapped his forehead with his palm. "I didn't bring anything but slacks and loafers."

"Then perhaps we should find something else to do."

"No, I'll travel into town to purchase appropriate clothing. Or perhaps I should say I'll mosey into town."

"Is it worth that much effort?"

He walked up to her and kissed her cheek. "You are worth the effort.  And I need to pick up a few more items that will benefit us both."

Before Nasira could respond, Sebastian strode out of the kitchen,  leaving her standing there, pondering what he had up his sleeve. She  would simply have to wait and see.

* * *

Nasira waited for what seemed to be infinity for Sebastian to return,  until her patience began to wane. Dressed in designer jeans and  fashionable boots, she located the path that led to the pasture and made  her way to the stable. She soon came upon a large white rock structure  surrounded by paddocks that held grazing mares and a few precious foals.  It appeared everything about the ranch fostered new life and that only  fed her melancholy.                       
       
           



       

When she entered the barn, Nasira found a lengthy aisle lined with  stalls, mostly empty until she reached the end of the line where a  beautiful bay stuck its head out of the top of the door.

She cautiously approached to measure the horse's reaction to her  appearance. When she held out her hand and began stroking the thin white  blaze between its eyes, she immediately received a soft nicker.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

In response the unfamiliar voice, she turned her head to the right and  spotted an older man with white-streaked hair peeking out from beneath  his black baseball cap, whiskers scattered about his careworn face. She  offered a smile and her hand. "I am Nasira Edwards, the Shakirs'  houseguest."

His face relaxed as he gave her hand a hearty shake. "Oh, yeah. I met  your husband earlier. He told me the two of you might be wantin' to take  a ride today."

"And you are?"

He raked off his cap and grinned. "I forgot my manners. I'm Hadley Monroe but most people call me Cappy. I prefer that."

An odd name but a very cheerful man. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cappy. I assume you work for the Shakirs."

He settled the cap back on his head. "Yes, ma'am. I take care of the  livestock and my missus, Annie, keeps the house. That gelding you're  scratchin' is Gus, or that's what I call him. He has some fancy name  that's about a mile long."

She glanced at the mesmerized horse and smiled. "Do you live nearby?"

Cappy hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "If you go up those stairs back there, that leads to our place."

"Over the barn?"

He chuckled. "It's nicer than most people's houses. The nicest place  I've ever lived in. Mr. Darin and Mrs. Fiona are good people."

"Yes they are."

The sound of footsteps drew Nasira's attention to the stable's entry to  see a tall man striding down the aisle. She recognized the confident  gait, the lean, toned body, the charming smile and handsome face. She  did not recognize the chambray shirt rolled up at the sleeves, the jeans  encasing those long legs or the cowboy boots covering his feet.

"Well, well," she said as he stopped before her. "Has there been a British invasion in the western store?"

Her husband's smile expanded. "As they say, when in Rome."

"Or Royal."

"I'm attempting to blend in. Do you not approve?"

She took a visual journey down his body and back up again. "Actually, I approve very much."

"I would think so since you seem to have an affinity for cowboys of late."

"Excuse me?"

"Your friend, Mac, the manhandling rancher."

The jealousy apparently had not abated, and that somewhat shocked  Nasira, as well as aggravated her. "Oh, nonsense, Sebastian. Please get  over that."

Without offering a rejoinder, Sebastian reached around her and stuck out his hand for a shake. "Nice to see you again, Cappy."

"Good to see you, too, Buck."

That turned Nasira around to face the grinning graying ranch hand. "Buck?"

"Cappy gives everyone a nickname," Sebastian said. "Isn't that right, Cappy?"

The older man touched the bill of his cap. "Yesiree, Buck. I call 'em like I see 'em."

Sebastian slid his arm around Nasira's waist. "What would you suggest for my wife?"

Cappy rubbed his chin for a few moments. "I can only think of one thing that fits. Beauty."

Sebastian laughed. "That would definitely fit."

Nasira felt heat rise from her throat to her face. "Surely you can come up with something a bit more creative, Cappy."

The man grinned again. "Like I said, I call 'em like I see 'em. If you  folks will excuse me, I'll go get Studly and bring him in so I can get  back to work."

After Cappy left, Nasira faced her husband again. "Who is Studly?"

"Darin's stallion," Sebastian said. "His proper name is Knight something."

She had entered the land of strange names. "I would definitely prefer that to Studly."

"I'd prefer Studly to Buck."                       
       
           



       

Nasira could not help but smile. "Studly Edwards. It has a nice ring to it. Perhaps if we have a son we could use it."

Sebastian looked as if she had told him he had to sell the shipping  business. "Darin told me to explore the path outside the back paddock.  It leads to a nice creek," he said, changing the subject.

Of course he would avoid the topic of children. But as far as Nasira  was concerned, they would be broaching that subject soon enough, and the  discussion could determine their future.

Cappy returned leading a beautiful black Arabian with a large tooled  saddle dotted with elaborate silver on his back. "Here ya go, Buck. He's  ready to ride."

Sebastian frowned. "No English tack, I see."

"Nope," Cappy said. "But those prissy saddles aren't much different.  This is just a bigger seat with a horn to hang on to. There's no need to  bounce up and down unless you wanna do that."

The larger seat did not appear to be able to accommodate two people,  which led Nasira to ask a question. "Will I have my own horse?"

"That fellow you've been scratchin' is all yours," Cappy said. "Gus  will take good care of you. I'll get him tacked up and then you all can  take off."

Nasira stood by as the ranch hand led Gus out of the stall and toward  the rear of the barn. While she and Sebastian remained in the aisle, the  stallion began to grow restless. "He appears to be rather spirited,"  she said. "Are you certain you can handle him?"

Sebastian scratched the horse's neck and that seemed to calm him  somewhat. "If I can handle chasing a three-inch ball with mallet in hand  on the back of a racing beast during a game of polo, I can manage one  spirited stallion."

She had clearly dealt a blow to his ego. "Of course. How foolish of me to question your manhood."

"My manhood is never in question, sweetheart. You should know that after ten years."

"It is understandable I would have forgotten since I have had very limited exposure to your manhood for the past six months."

"Touché. Yet I do recall your manhood drought ending last night."

"Unfortunately I do not recall much about that at all, and neither do you, considering we were both half-asleep."