CHAPTER 17
As the carriage rolled away, Ryan sat in the saddle on horseback, holding his precious cargo, having no idea where to take her.
“I cannot believe you saved me,” Lillian swayed, having not slept for countless hours.
Ryan tightened his arms around her, “Lilly! Watch yourself! I would feel much better if you were to lean back against my chest.”
Lilly flushed, “It wouldn’t be proper.”
Ryan began to shake, his low chuckle breaking forth completely uninhibited, “You are adorable!”
Lilly cocked her head to the side, “Why do I get the feeling you are teasing me?”
“I am not teasing, not really.” He replied, “It is only that you have been away from home for more than twenty-four hours. You must know that your reputation is already in tatters.”
Lilly gasped, “My family! How could I have been so selfish?”
Ryan shook his head, “It was not my intention to chastise, I only wish to explain to you that you need not worry about what is proper.”
“Then I am ruined?” Lilly’s voice was horrified.
Ryan paused, “You are mine, therefore you could never be ruined. I am sorry that you had to go through such a horrible experience. And I regret the fact that it took me so long to get to you.”
Lilly sighed, “It didn’t take too long.”
Ryan let out a short, mirthless laugh, “I hate that even for the slightest moment you thought you might have damaged your reputation. Because the truth is, it doesn’t matter as long as you are alright. Now, please try to rest, Lilly.”
He tightened his arm around her waist until her back was flush with his chest. The heat from his back was lovely, and it caused a pleasant stirring in her abdomen that if she wasn’t so blasted exhausted, Lilly would have loved to explore.
As it was, she sighed and sunk into him, “Oh, I want to stay like this forever.”
Ryan growled something unintelligible, which, for the present, was most likely for the best.
As soon as an inn came into sight, Ryan pulled his sleeping cargo carefully into his arms and gave his horse to the stable-boy.
Ryan made arrangements for a room as well as a cold repast to be brought up for Lilly if she awoke in the night. And then after being shown their best room, he laid an exhausted Lilly down on the large bed and finally allowed himself some rest.
Lilly could not remember a time when she had slept so well. She was cozy and warm, even though her skirts had climbed to her waist in the night. Lilly threw her leg over the source of heat. It was heaven sent.
It wasn’t until the huge male hand landed somewhere between her naked left buttock and equally naked upper thigh that Lilly started to realize that perhaps this wasn’t all a dream.
When that same hand slid up to her bottom and started caressing it in a rather familiar fashion, it wasn’t that Lilly was averse to bottom caressing, it was only that it seemed a bit familiar and she wasn’t certain if they should be on those terms quite yet.
This was a question for the Bluebells.
Lilly suddenly felt like she was in completely over her head. The other girls of her ladies group were certainly more experienced in the art of love. Mostly because they were married, but they did share their knowledge with the other Bluebells.
However, Lilly hadn’t paid serious attention. She needed a cheat sheet or a tutor immediately!
Ryan pulled her more fully onto him, and Lilly felt his massive cock beneath her, pressing intimately against her.
She needed to wake him.
Not only was this going way too fast for her, but her lady bits were getting involved. They were starting to get achy, and Lilly was not at all certain she wanted to be achy this morning.
So, she took matters into her own hands. Grabbing a glass of water off the night table, she threw it into his face.
Apparently, Ryan doesn’t like waking by water.
Nor is he a morning person.
Lilly, however, did manage to make the massive cock retreat, so, all in all, it was a successful mission. She just wasn’t sure that she could repeat it to the Bluebells at the next meeting.
Or to anyone—ever.