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before, and I could see why the king would be enamored with them. His pale coat twitched as I ran my hand down the top of his muzzle. He sidled a bit, shaking his head as he snorted. I squealed, pulling my hand away, my heart suddenly in my throat. Aiden chuckled and came over to pet the horse himself, much more firmly and confidently than I had.
    “ You’ve naught to fear with him, lassie. He will not hurt you. Would you like to take him for a ride?” he asked. My eyes opened wide as I imagined myself falling off the backside of the horse, a crumpled mass of pink silk. “You’ve no need to be afraid, mo chridhe . I’ll ride with you and I won’t let you fall.”
    He slipped his arms around my waist in demonstration and pulled me close, his fingertips trailing along the edge of my corset. A soft breeze played with the tips of his blond hair and our eyes locked for several heartbeats. He began to lean his face toward mine when the horse to my right suddenly blew a loud breath through its lips and broke the spell.
    I stepped out of his warm embrace and mustered a little bravery. “Sure, why not? I’ll give it a try,” I said. “It’ll be fun. I’ve never ridden one before.”
    “ Truly? You’ve never ridden a horse? Now that’s a crying shame.” He opened the gate to the stall and made a clicking sound with his mouth. He pulled a saddle down from the wall and with a few quick movements, attached the saddle to the horse and led it out into the gardens. He held out a hand to me and frowned down at my frilly dress. “The safest way to ride is in front of me, but in that dress, you’d need to ride sidesaddle behind.”
    My earlier vision popped back into my head. “No way am I riding sidesaddle behind you. The very idea scares the crap out of me.” He raised one eyebrow but kept silent. “Maybe I could try casting and change my outfit to something more suitable for riding,” I suggested.
    “ All right, then. Give it a try.”
    I closed my eyes and pictured the outfit in my mind: beige slacks with brown loafers and a short-sleeved top made of the same pink silk as the dress I’d been wearing. That wavy shimmer passed through me. I opened my eyes hesitantly and looked down.
    “ Hey, it worked. Sweet!”
    He helped me up onto the saddle. “You kept the pink silk for a blouse. Very clever.” He hoisted himself up in one fluid motion, then called out something to the horse and it took off like a shot through the gardens. His arm tightened around my stomach and I leaned against him, holding my breath, but it wasn’t long before I relaxed and began to enjoy the wind on my face.
    Aiden’s chest pressed against my back and his thighs held me firmly in place. We moved together as one, gliding in the saddle as the horse slowed to a steady gallop. The trees blurred with our passing and wisps of my hair tickled my cheeks. It was like riding in a speedboat with the wind swirling around me, but I felt a connection with the horse and the earth as we moved, something innately satisfying. The ride was over all too soon as we slowed to a walk at the edge of a clearing.
    “ I thought you might like to stop here and have a picnic,” he said, his breath warm on my cheek. He swung down easily and offered me his hand. I wasn’t nearly so graceful as I dismounted, but he caught me in his arms. He stopped me halfway down with my breasts pressed tight against his chest. My heart caught in my throat at the sudden flame of passion in his eyes. His lips hovered before mine for a moment too long, but then he loosened his grip and let me slide the rest of the way to the ground.
    “ Well, did you enjoy it?” he asked, his voice a shade deeper than usual. I wasn’t sure if he meant the horseback riding or the fact that I had been pressed against him, but the answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ regardless.
    “ I loved it.”
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    The horse had wandered to the edge of the clearing and stood munching grass,