Free Howard Haskell Takes A Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch Book 0) by Merry Farmer Page B

way through the growing crowd to the area demarcated for the start of the race. Unlike Howard, Jonas displayed perfect outward calm. He was dressed in a sporting uniform and wore special shoes.
    “Good morning, Haskell,” he said with a sniff and a roll of his shoulders.
    It was the first time that the man had actually addressed Howard as something approaching an equal. Howard still wanted to punch the smug grin off the man’s face. It would serve him right for the outrageous way he had manhandled Elizabeth.
    “Armstrong.” Howard nodded in return with a smile in spite of his violent inclinations toward the man. It was the vision in sky-blue silk that approached behind Jonas that eased his stiff smile into a heated grin. “Elizabeth, my dearest.”
    Elizabeth blushed as though everyone around could see into her thoughts and his to divine what had passed between them that morning, even though she walked with her head tilted down. She followed her parents, who had their chins raised in reflection of each other and their disdain for Howard. They stopped well on Jonas’s side of the invisible line separating the two sides of the competition.
    “You look to be in fine form today, Mr. Armstrong,” Mrs. Ayers greeted Jonas.
    How the woman could smile and simper at a man who had mistreated her daughter in front of her eyes baffled Howard. At least Mr. Ayers appeared to be more circumspect about the competitors.
    “Haskell.” He nodded to Howard, expression betraying nothing.
    “Mr. Ayers.” Howard bowed with as much elegance as he could muster in shirtsleeves and his third-best trousers. “Mrs. Ayers, how lovely to see you in such high spirits this morning,” he continued. Mrs. Ayers was too far away for him to reach for her hand, but he bowed low to make up for it.
    As he rose, he met Elizabeth’s eyes. The fire that he’d seen glowing from her very soul as she’d climaxed under his touch was condensed in the brightness of her eyes. She smiled at him, eyes averted ever so slightly, as if their encounter in the garden had taken place minutes ago instead of hours. It was a moment that would live in eternity, as far as he was concerned. He would never forget the flush of her porcelain skin as she panted in ecstasy, never remove the glorious image of her exposed breasts, nipples dark and straining with pleasure, never stop hearing her pitched sighs as tremors of desire pulsed through her.
    He cleared his throat and stood, all-too aware of what memory alone could do to him if he wasn’t careful. The strength of Elizabeth’s passion had brought him dangerously close to bursting that morning. He was not too proud to admit that he’d needed to pause in a secluded spot at the edge of her garden to release the pressure she’d built in him before he had been able to continue on to set his plan in motion.
    “Are we ready to get this over with?” Jonas asked, pouring ice water over Howard’s misplaced ardor.
    “I am more than ready to prove the depth of my love for Elizabeth and to win her,” Howard replied, even though Jonas’s question was addressed to Mr. Ayers.
    Mr. Ayers shifted his narrow-eyed glance from Jonas to Howard. He clasped his hands behind his back. “We must wait for my man, Iverson, to arrive with confirmation that all is ready at Mill Creek for the swimming portion of the competition, and that the horses are ready further upstream.”
    “You’ve brought Lancelot in from my stables?” Jonas asked.
    A grin tweaked the corner of Howard’s mouth. No doubt Jonas thought he could tilt the competition by bringing in his own thoroughbred. There was probably a tired old nag waiting to serve as Howard’s mount alongside it. It didn’t matter.
    Mr. Ayers cleared his throat, sending Howard one final glance before lowering his voice and speaking to Jonas. “Lancelot is ready. A change of clothes is waiting for the both of you at the stables where the final leg of the race will begin.”
    “Good.” Jonas