Free Restraint by Debra Glass Page A

felt perfectly safe. He told her each time to step down and let her know when they had reached the last step. Her bare foot touched cool marble. Were they in a foyer? She hesitated. “Are you certain all the servants are gone?”
    “All except Lydia and she’s been instructed to change your linen and prepare a late snack for us.”
    Catherine began to throb at the thought of Thomas feeding her little finger sandwiches as she lay naked on fresh, clean linen.
    “Come on, darling. I assure you no one will so much as catch a glimpse of you,” he said with a little chuckle. And then, softer—much softer—he said, “I could never share the sight of you with anyone.”
    What about Robert? She wanted to ask. She wanted desperately to know. Damn this intolerable situation!
    She heard the unmistakable squeaking of hinges. Were they going outside? She started to resist but he suddenly swept her off her feet and carried her. Catherine squealed and clutched his muscled biceps. “What are you doing?”
    “Carrying you.”
    She laughed. “Whatever for?”
    “I didn’t want the gravel to hurt your pretty little feet.”
    It was some time before he set her down. Instantly, she caught the scent of horses and hay. “Are we in a barn?”
    “How perceptive of you.”
    The ground was soft beneath her feet. Was she standing on wood shavings? She couldn’t tell but she liked the way it felt between her toes.
    A horse snorted so close to her she jumped but Thomas seized her hand in his and brought it up to stroke a velvety muzzle. “This is Storm,” he said. “My favorite thoroughbred. He’s seventeen hands high.”
    Catherine swallowed. She had the sinking suspicion Thomas was going to ask her to ride the giant horse. She heard the sound of leather creaking and the stomp of a large hoof and then suddenly, a big strong arm whisked her up and settled her in the saddle. She gasped.
    “Do you want to ride astride?”
    A hot blush flooded her cheeks at the thought of sitting naked astride a horse but the saddle was soft and cool beneath her buttocks and even as she debated, Thomas was guiding one of her legs over. Her aching nubbin pressed firmly against the leather. It was tortuous and she knew it would only get worse with every step the horse took. Her backside encountered Thomas’ groin and she could feel him, long and hard, straining against the cleft of her buttocks.
    Strong arms surrounded her and he urged the horse into a canter. Muscled thighs pressed against hers and she could feel coarse horse hair beneath her calves. She leaned back against Thomas’ chest, aware of his heat through his shirt. And all the while, her clitoris ground against the soft leather saddle.
    The night air was balmy—perfect for riding in the nude. Catherine laughed out loud. She had never dreamed she would ride a horse astride, much less naked!
    “Can I trust you, Catherine?”
    “You know you can.”
    “You won’t look back?”
    She shook her head.
    Deft fingers loosened the blindfold and it fell around her neck. And all at once, the most brilliant sunset on which she had ever laid eyes stretched out before her, sinking behind the horizon of trees. Hues of pink and lavender reflected in a placid little lake. “Oh Thomas, it’s beautiful!”
    Thomas tugged on the reins, slowing his mighty Storm to a gentle walk. He trailed the backs of his fingers down Catherine’s bare shoulder, down her arm, over her thigh. She murmured her approval and rested her head against his chest just under his chin. “You’re beautiful, Catherine.”
    Silently, she covered the hand that lingered on her thigh and directed it toward the thatch of curls between her spread legs. “Touch me, Thomas.”
    She was hot. So hot. And already wet. His fingers found the hard little apex and he began to stroke it, slowly, maddeningly. The muscles in her thighs tensed and her body writhed sensuously. Low, breathy moans emanated from her throat as her breathing