Page 24 of Dare to Risk it All

Raphe shrugged. “If I’m helping you up, I prefer to check for myself. I mean no offence. I saw this morning that you’re an excellent horsewoman. You let Ollie win, didn’t you?”

“He’s just a boy,” she said, smiling, “And I think he hoped to impress Alana.”

“Ah, yes, the lure of the Cadogan sisters. We’re both doomed, are we not?” He laughed as he pulled the stirrup down, ready for her.

“You make us sound like a vile disease,” she retorted indignantly, folding her arms.

Raphe paused before glancing at her over his shoulder. “Perhaps an incurable one,” he murmured.

Greer’s heart thudded erratically.

“Well, Alana seems rather smitten. She’s spoken of nothing but Oliver since she got here.”

Why did she sound so breathless suddenly?

“Lucky Oliver.”

He turned around to face her, his blue eyes intent. “What about you?” he asked quietly.

“Me?”

He nodded and took a step closer. “Are you smitten?”

She almost denied it, for the look in his eyes was somehow too serious, but that would be cowardly. Greer never backed down, never ran away.

“Infatuated,” she replied, gazing up at him as he moved closer still.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Infatuated. That’s what it is. An infatuation.”

She nodded, the movement oddly jerky. “Yes, of course. A… mutual attraction. A passing fancy, nothing—”

“Mm-hm,” he agreed, before ducking his head and kissing her.

Greer gasped, shocked all over again at the force of desire that swept through her.

He pulled back, a questioning look in his eyes as she pushed at his chest, though she wanted to urge him closer.

“Someone will see,” she hissed, aware of the others.

Raphe pulled her behind the trunk of a gnarled old oak tree and wasted no time in taking her mouth again. Despite her earlier resolution to stay away from him unless they were in company, Greer melted into his embrace. She felt quite unequal to the task of resisting him, everything in her inclined towards him, wanting more and more every time they touched.

He lifted his head, his breathing ragged. “Christ,” he muttered, staring down at her reproachfully. “What do you do to me?”

“Me?” she retorted, though it was a wonder she could speak at all, for he had scattered her thoughts so comprehensively. “It’s not me! I’m the innocent here. You’re the libertine. You’re the one doing the seducing!”

He looked genuinely bewildered. “I’m not, though. At least… not on purpose. I mean to behave, but the moment I get near you—” He shook his head and released her, stepping away as they heard the others calling for Greer.

“Quickly,” she said, panic sweeping over her. She didn’t want anyone to know what they’d been doing.

Raphe bent, cupping his hands for her to use as a step and guiding her into the saddle.

“You need to stay away from me,” he told her grimly.

Greer looked down at him and returned a sympathetic smile. “I don’t think I can,” she admitted, before she rode away to join the others.

Dinner that night was an animated affair with everyone in high spirits. The hall looked magnificent, dressed in its Christmas finery of greenery and red ribbons, and everyone had added their own personal touches. Greer, Elspeth, and Alana had made paper garlands, and Aisling had created a wonderful kissing bough, as promised. Suspended from a beam in the grand entrance hall, it was a large ball fashioned from fir branches and decorated with holly and ivy. In the centre, suspended from a red ribbon, was a pear, and from the bottom a fat sprig of mistletoe dangled invitingly.

Everyone had commented on it as they passed, especially Dare, who had been enthusiastic about kissing Elspeth beneath it before they went into dinner. Greer had laughed as her sister blushed scarlet, but could not help but acknowledge a dreadful pang of envy.