Free The Earl's Christmas Delivery by Susan Gee Heino

for being so gracious, sir, but the truth is I'm a failure. Perhaps you've realized by now that I'm not really an instructor. It's been years since I've even been around horses and Estelle was merely taking pity on me. I have no right to accept her kindness under such pretense. As you can see, I'm the last one who should be giving horse instruction to anyone."
    And now she could see that she'd made him feel badly for her. She turned away so he could not see the tears that were welling up in her stinging eyes, but not before she had a good look at the expression filling his. Pity . Yes, she recognized that all too well.
    Drat, but this had not been her intent. Earlier in the day she hadn't cared one way or the other what his opinion was of her. Now, however, the idea that he should feel nothing more than pity nearly broke her heart.
    That heart nearly leaped out of her chest when she suddenly felt his hands —hot like glowing embers—on her shoulders. He turned her back to face him. When she could not bring herself to look up into his eyes, to see that aching pity again, he put his fingers to her chin and tipped her head up. She had no choice but to meet those eyes.
    "Don't ever think you have no right to accept kindness from anyone," he said firmly.
    He spoke in a voice she'd not heard before. It was a kind voice, warm and gentle, yet it assured her no argument would be tolerated. Not that she had any left in her.
    "Yes, my lord."
    But he would not release her. She was captive there, held in his fiery grip and frozen by his icy eyes. Only... they were not so icy now. In fact, they were blazing with an intensity that seemed to be building even as she watched. She doubted she could have escaped him if she'd tried.
    Which she didn't.
    She was very glad she didn't, in fact. Escaping would have made her miss out on the wonderful, tender way he slipped his arms around her and pulled her tight up against himself. Heavens! She felt like she could melt into his warmth and hide there from the world forever. The warmth, however, soon turned to an inferno when his lips came down upon hers.
    She didn't try to escape that, either.
    Her own arms wrapped tightly around him, seeking to keep herself snug up against him, pressed into his form as she tasted him and breathed in his smoky, spicy scent. She'd not kissed a man before and no doubt was making a muddle of it, but she could not care. It was wonderful! She let him lead the way, to move his mouth against hers and to dance his tongue across her lips. There was nothing to do but react and cling to him for dear life.
    The loud cough and accompanying chuckle from just outside the stall interrupted them.
    Carole suddenly dropped from heaven into the cold, dank reality of the stable. She pushed herself away from the earl quickly, her face burning and her knees decidedly weak. One of the shepherds leaned over the stall rail and grinned at them.
    "I don't suppose ye be needing any help in there?" he asked.
    "I think we're fine, thank you," the earl replied.
    How could he sound so controlled, so ordinary? Had he not just felt the ground shift beneath them, the earth cease its turning and the skies open up to the sound of angelic chorus? Perhaps not. Perhaps all those things had merely happened to her .
    "Oh, I can tell the two of ye be just fine," the shepherd said. "But I thought maybe ye'd want help tending the mare, seeing as she's trying to birth that foal just now."
    Carole glanced at Holly. The pony was not pacing the back wall as she had been. No, she was lying down in the straw, her sides heaving and her breath coming heavily. One look at the back end of her and Carole thought she might faint.
    The earl cleared his throat.
    "As a matter of fact, since you mention it, my good man, I believe we'd be appreciative of any help you might give just about now."
    For the first time since she'd lain eyes on him, the formidable and composed Earl of Bahumburgh appeared every bit as shaken and unsure