Page 4 (1/2)

"It’s his age, I suppose," Mrs Faircloth told Salter, the butler "Young loom and rebellion the next"

"No matter what his temperament, McKenna had better do his ell," Salter said dourly "Or it’s back to the stables for good, and he’ll be a lower servant for the rest of his days"

When Aline repeated the cohed He was busy polishing the lacquered panels of a carriage, while Aline sat on an overturned bucket and watched hie roo of the horses in the stalls beyond the court

McKenna’s exertions had caused hi limply to the muscular surface of his back His shoulders bunched and flexed as he applied a film of wax to the black lacquer, and rubbed it until it shone like glass Aline had offered to help him, but he had adamantly refused and taken the cloth from her "It’s my job," he had told her brusquely "You sit over there and watch"

Aline had obeyed with pleasure, enjoying theelse he did, McKenna perforht since childhood that good as its oard--and that, coupled with a complete lack of ambition, made him a perfect servant It was the only fault that Aline could find with hination so intrinsic that it seeuiltily, if it wasn’t for her, McKenna would have been perfectly happy with his fate She was the only thing he had ever wanted that he couldn’t have And she kne selfish it was of her to keep him so firo He was as necessary to her as food and water and air

"You don’t want to be a lower servant forever, do you?" she pressed, bringing her thoughts back to their conversation

"I’d like it better than working in the house and wearing livery," he retorted

"Mrs Faircloth thinks that you could lected to h McKenna would reatly diminished by his handsomeness Nooutshone his own Far better to keep someone like McKenna in livery that clearly marked him as a servant "And then you would be better paid"

"I don’t care about that," hee "What do I need htfully "To buy a little cottage someday, and farm your own plot of land"

McKenna paused in the lanced over his shoulder with a sudden devilish spark in his blue-green eyes "And ould live with aze and smiled, while a fantasy took hold of her and suffused her ar the waxing cloth on the hook of the carriage la her slowly Aline’s stomach quivered at the look on his face "I’d need to earn a fair coin for that," heyou would be an expensive proposition"

"I wouldn’t cost so lance "The price of your hair ribbons alone would beggar me, wife"

The word "wife," uttered in that low tone, ar syrup "I’ll , McKenna reached down and pulled her to her feet His hands ran lightly over her sides, lingering just beneath her arainst her breasts The leam of his sweat-dampened skin made her s hard She drew a little rose-embroidered handkerchief fro the dainty cloth froreen and pink silk threads with a smile "Did you do this?" His thumb stroked over the embroidered flowers "It’s beautiful"

She colored in pleasure at the cos A lady should never sit with idle hands"

McKenna tucked the handkerchief into the waist of his trousers and glanced swiftly at their surroundings Ascertaining that they were completely alone, he slid his arms around her His hands skimmed over her back and hps to exert delicious pressure in just the right places, adjusting their closeness with sensuous precision "Will you be there waiting for e?" he ainst him

McKenna’s bristly black lashes lowered until they cast shadows on his cheeks "And you’ll scrub my back when I’e, powerful body lowering into a wooden tub…his pleasured sigh at the heat of the water…his bronzed back shining in the firelight "Yes," she breathed "And then you can soak while I hang the stew pot over the fire, and I’ll tell you about the arguh flour because his scale eighted"

McKenna laughed softly while his fingertip ski her throat "The cheat," he"I’ll speak with hiets aith it In the "

The thought of being tucked in a cozy bed with hiing "You’ll probably fall asleep as soon as your head touches the pillow," she said "Far is hard work--you’re exhausted"

"Never too tired to love you" His arms slid around her, and he hunched over to nuzzle the curve of her cheek His lips were like hot velvet as he whispered against her skin "I’ to kiss you fro for me, and then I’ll pleasure you until you’re weak froers to the hard back of his neck and guided his ently until she opened to adue She wanted the life he had just described…she wanted it infinitely ed to another wohts, his secrets and dreams, filled her with desperation

"McKenna," sheherher back, rubbing his cheek against her hair "Anything Anything"

"If you ever marry someone else, promise that you’ll always love ," he murmured tenderly "You’ll have my heart always--you’ve ruined me for life"

Aline wrapped her arms around his neck "Do you resent ainst his shoulder