Chapter 10
Scarlett drove the Mercedes off at speed creating a cloud of dust across the gravel behind the vehicle which, for a moment, obscured Alexander racing towards her on horseback. Her heart was thumping out of fright but also from the thrill of being able to outwit him and escape. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t see herself, with her illness, as anything but an obstacle to him and she was sure he could find someone better looking who wasn’t so emotionally damaged and could give him the life he deserved. And it was a shame because he looked so hellishly hot riding without a shirt, revealing all that tight lean muscle, those magnificent broad shoulders and powerful thighs in those tight faded denims and that hat. Her very own Cowboy.
Focus. You are doing this for him. Remember.
She drove the car expertly along the long driveway that wove in between two gentle grassy inclines. At first, she gained ground and she thought she was home free but she was forced to dramatically slow down for a tight turn that enabled Alexander to take advantage. He rode up each side of the grassy bank and down on the drive up ahead.
Scarlett squealed, terrified she would run into the magnificent stallion and swerved to avoid it turning the car up the bank. She flung open the car door and yanked off her seatbelt as he rode towards her, then did her best to scramble up the incline away from him hampered by her high heels. It was a futile gesture and she knew it but she had tried.
Scarlett had barely made any headway when she turned to see the cowboy riding at full speed towards her. She noticed he had a rope in his hand and was waving it in a loop above his head. Her eyes opened wide in surprise.
“What the hell? He is going to bloody lasso me. This is England, damn it, not the bloody range,” she groaned to herself trying to pick up speed.
Scarlett gave a small, shocked scream when she felt the heavy rope land accurately over her body. Trying to remove it without any luck, she continued to move forward. Within seconds, she felt the rope being pulled tight around her body, flattening her breasts and then her body falling on to the cushion of grass beneath her.
She lay on the grass panting, unable to move her arms and free herself, writhing helplessly in the bonds of her short-sleeved black dress. She was vaguely aware of Alexander dismounting and coming towards her. Eventually he stood in front of her to block out the hot sun. He removed his riding gloves and stood hands on hips looking down at her.
“And where the hell do you think you are going?” he asked tipping his hat back from his forehead. “I thought we had this all sorted out, Scarlett.”
“You need to let me go before you are stuck with me.”
“No chance, baby girl. I told you I own you and you are trapped here with me. Even the police are watching for you leaving now after I informed them about your last attempt to leave. They will pick you up if you so much as walk out of that gate, honey and bring you back to me. Like I said, no escape.”
Scarlett growled at him and tried to remove the rope from around her body by writhing on the ground. She cursed him and kicked her legs like a child. Alexander grinned down at her.
“I think you need to do some cooling off.”
He bent down and removed the rope before lifting her up over his shoulder. He carried her to his horse, throwing her across the animal before mounting. Holding her down, he rode back to the stables. Lucky for her the grooms were taking the horses out for their morning ride and they were alone. The indignity of being thrown over his horse and kept in place had done little to assuage her temper. When he set her down on her feet she lunged for him. He caught her arms and laughed before pulling her over his shoulder again. He carried her to two posts in the middle of the cobbled yard standing side by side with a small space in between and set her down. Before she could stop him, he was securing her wrists in some leather cuffs, one attached to each post.
“What are you going to do to me this time?” she asked nervously.
“Cool you off,” he grinned. “But first I need to strip you naked.”
Scarlett struggled not liking the idea of appearing fully naked in public. The humiliation would be too much too bear.
“You can’t do that to me.”
“Yes, I can.”
“What if someone comes along and sees?”
“Then they can appreciate your body as much as I do.”
He tucked his fingers underneath her chin and raised her face up to him.
“If I could, Scarlett I would display you naked to everyone so they could see your beauty and you could witness their admiration for it. Perhaps then you would begin to accept who you are and not be so hard on yourself.”
She stared at him awed by the way he never gave up on her.
She cried out when he took a penknife from his pocket and started cutting away her clothes and ripping them off of her, cutting the straps of her bra and the back until her breasts hung free and felt the warmth of the warm sun caressing them. After he’d taken away her shoes he moved away to pick up a
