Page 27 of Hideaway

“Whatever, I don’t even care,” Kara answered as she brushed him aside and devoted her attention to the white horse in the stall. Avalanche neighed happily as she stroked him again. Even though Cade said the stallion wasn’t very social, the horse warmed to her touch immediately and wasn’t nearly as threatening as his namesake. She supposed she had a knack for melting icy creatures.

Adopting the strictness of an instructor, Cade meticulously showed Kara the intricacies of horseback riding. Of course, if the presumptuous bastard had even thought to ask, he would have discovered that Kara had been riding since she was ten. She was a little out of practice since her years at university, but getting back into the saddle was rather like riding a bike—muscle memory did all the work. Strictly for her personal amusement, Kara played dumb and let Cadeteachher how to ride. If she was being honest, a small part of her also enjoyed having a legitimate excuse to get close to him, to feel his body against her as he showed her how to mount and sit and lead. It didn’t escape her notice how his hands lingered on her hips longer than necessary as he helped lift her onto Avalanche, how his fingers grasped hers a little too tightly—like he didn’t want to let her go—as he showed her how to hold the reins. She was fairly certain that he was enjoying their lesson as much as she was.

They’d been riding for nearly an hour, basking in the rare winter sun and enjoying the tranquil silence of each other’s company, undisturbed other than the ambient sounds of nature bustling about them. For someone who often spent the majority of their time indoors amid dusty manuscripts and aged books, Kara appreciated having the opportunity to reacquaint herself with the outdoors. And she supposed the current view was fairly enticing in all his dark, brooding glory. After fully relaxing into her company—away from his men and obligations and illicitundertakings, Kara noticed that Cade’s face lost its usual harshness and rough edges. His smile wasalmostsoft, his entrancing, hazel eyesalmostwarm as he looked over at her with something far removed from his usual malice or mischief in his expression. The inexplicable look in Cade’s eyes caused Kara’s hands to tremble on the reins as heat flooded her face—and damned arousal flooded between her thighs.

Against all reason and sense, Caden Ashford had the power to obliterate her traitorous heart with a single glance. So, naturally, she had to formulate some counter-attack against the bastard. Feeling daring, Kara nudged Avalanche, urging him to go faster. The horse obediently picked up speed. Glancing over at Cade, Kara’s eyes glimmered with a spark of challenge. She’d always felt a surge of rivalry regarding Cade, an ever-lingering desire to put the pompous British bastard in his place. One of the many detriments of spending her days as a prisoner in his house was that the playing field was never quite even. But in that moment—enjoying a rare instant of freedom with the wind in her hair, a powerhouse of a beast beneath her thighs, and nothing before them but the vast expanse of nature—Kara felt as though victory was finally within her grasp.

“Kara, no,” Cade said sternly, his voice a warning as his brow furrowed in disapproval at her initiation of a race between them.

Clearly, her challenge hadn’t been accepted. Well, perhaps he needed a little push. Kara dug her heels into Avalanche’s sides, spurring him on and feeling her adrenaline mount as the white horse transitioned into a gallop. “Good boy,” Kara whispered sweetly against the horse’s ear as she stroked his side. Avalanche was fast, gliding across the open plains as though he longed to fly. At that speed, he practically was. Kara closed her eyes, enjoying the rhythmic sound of hooves thundering against the earth and the wind lashing at her hair. It was somehow peaceful and exhilarating at the same time.

“Kara, stop!” Cade called harshly from behind her.

If he was behind her, that meant she was winning. As she spied the outline of the stables in the distance, Kara held on tightly to the reins and coaxed Avalanche to go just a little faster. The raucous of muttered curses and beating hooves signaled that Cade was gaining on them. But he wouldn’t beat her. Not that time.

“Kara Caine! Slow down this instant before you get yourself thrown and killed,” Cade thundered at her, his tone a combination of panic and fury.

Ignoring his warnings, Kara maintained her speed and raced to be the first one to the entrance. With a slight squeal of satisfaction, Kara came upon the sables, reining in Avalanche to a brisk trot as they made it through the open doors. Her chest heaving with the exertion and excitement, Kara dismounted the horse and loosened the cinch, rubbing her hand down the stallion’s back and whispering words of affirmation. Kara rolled her eyes as she heard Cade storm in behind them huffing in irritation. She looked over her shoulder to give Cade a smug smirk before taking hold of Avalanche’s reins and leading him toward his stall at the far end of the stable. The horse deserved a treat for being such a good boy and out-running the big, bad, man with a habit of underestimating her.

“What the bloody hell was that errant display of stupidity?” Cade yelled at Kara from the other end of the stable.

“I believe it’s called winning,” Kara called back, not bothering to turn around.

Ignoring Cade and his obvious sour mood, Kara tended to her horse. She removed the saddle and bridle and ran her hands over Avalanche’s legs to ensure he was in good shape after the ride. Kara brushed her fingers through the horse’s mane, loving the coarse texture of his hair against her skin. “Are you thirsty, boy?” Kara asked, stroking the horse’s forehead and looking at him patiently as though she expected a response. Avalanche merely snorted, which Kara took as ayes.

While Kara filled a pail of water, Cade came up behind her, his own horse promptly stalled and tended. In his hand, Cade furiously clutched a plaited leather riding crop. His face darkened with anger, Cade drew back his arm and swung the crop with his full strength at Kara’s unsuspecting backside. The leather made contact with her arse with a loud, satisfyingthwap, but the sound dulled in comparison to the surprised, pain-filled shriek the lash dragged from Kara’s lips. Startled, Kara lost her hold on the bucket, water splattering everywhere and drenching her boots and pants. She turned toward Cade, her expression aghast as she rubbed at her smarting backside.

“What the fuck was that?” Kara shouted angrily, still in disbelief that he’d struck her.

“What the fuck wasthat?” Cade thundered back, gesturing toward where she’d been racing him. “You could have been injured or worse.”

“I was having a bit of fun! Something that’s been sorely lacking since I arrived at this godforsaken manor!”

“Fun? Does your idea of fun always involve the potential for fatality?”

“I knew what I was doing, Caden,” Kara retorted sharply.

“Yes, you are clearly more experienced with riding than you implied, Kara,” Cade answered as he grimaced with disapproval at her duplicity on that subject. “But that doesn’t make your actions any less reckless. I ordered you to stop, and you ignored me.”

“I don’t take orders from you,” Kara scoffed. “I’m not your employee. I’m not your girlfriend. So you can shove your orders up your ass and fuck off.”

Charging toward her, Cade closed the space between them so rapidly that Kara flinched. He pressed his body against her, his hand wrapping tightly around her throat—the strength of his hold threatening and enticing all at once. Cade still held the riding crop in his other hand, and Kara eyed it warily.

“You are under my protection and under my roof; therefore, you do fucking take orders from me. And when I tell you to stop behaving dangerously and carelessly, you fucking listen.” With his hand still firmly wrapped around Kara’s throat, Cade trailed the tip of the crop along Kara’s body, dragging it down her breasts, along her hips, over her arse, across her thighs, and back up until it rested under her chin. With the flat end of the crop, Cade forced Kara’s chin up, tilting her head back until she was staring up at him.

“The next time you disobey me and put your safety at risk, I will whip you fucking senseless. Do you understand me?” Cade threatened coldly, his fingers digging tightly into her neck to emphasize his seriousness.

Kara stared at him in open-mouthed horror, the shock of his threats, his hand enclosing her throat, and the lingering sting on her ass stunning her into silence. Clearly expecting a response, Cade reprimanded her silence with a sharp tap of the crop to the underside of her chin. Kara flinched, but she couldn’t escape his hold on her throat as his fingers squeezed tighter.

“I said: do you fucking understand me, Kara?” Cade repeated sternly.

“Yes,” she choked out. “I understand, Caden.”

“Good. Now, get your arse inside, go to your room, and stay there until I feel you’ve properly learnt your lesson.”

“You’re fuckinggroundingme?”

“Behave like a willful child, and you’ll be treated as such.”

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