Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 4

He knew he should turn away the very second his gaze accidentally landed on a naked woman
but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. A gentleman is not supposed to do such lowly things like peeping at naked women, but hell, he is no gentleman. He is a lowly scoundrel. He is supposed to do worse than this. Come to think about it, why not? He stared unblinking, feasting on the enticing curves of her body.

He is a thief, after all. He'd stolen her from his gang. Now they are alone in the middle of nowhere and nobody could stop him, why don't he take the chance to enjoy his loot? He can drag her to the bank and take her there.

His gaze followed her as she lowered herself and sat at the edge of the stream, dipping her feet into the water. Her arms raised as she pulled her hair back into a loose bun atop her head, the sideways view of her uplifted breast almost made him lose control.

Just then his conscience returned with a vengeance. What was he thinking?! His dear mother would turn in her grave had she known her only son had stooped so low to even have that kind of thoughts.

Tearing his gaze off her, Matthew spun around and moved away. He'd gone only a few steps when suddenly he heard a violent splash. He rushed back to the waterfall and found her gasping in panic in the middle of the stream a moment before she drowned. Without thinking, he leaped out of the woods and plunged into the water.

After struggling in a vain effort to move her cramped leg, Arabella felt her body sink helplessly to the bottom of the river without her being able to stop it. But just when she thought she'd met her doom, suddenly she felt a strong arm wrapped around her breasts, and her body was being pulled up to the surface.

She took a desperate gulp of air once her head popped out of the water, coughing up water until her chest ached. She regained her normal breathing afterwards, floating limply as he dragged her to the shallow end of the river.

He carried her out of the water and lay her down on the rocky ground. It wasn't until her skin touched the cold, hard surface that she realized she was naked. Automatically she curled her body to hide her nakedness, but a sharp pain shot up her leg and she cried out.

"Where are you hurt?" He asked, his grip on her body tightened.

"My right leg." She winced. "It hurt so bad."

Releasing her, Matthew began to shed his clothes. For a terrifying moment, her heart stopped, her mind racing in chaos. He could just spread her beneath him and force himself on her without her being able to stop it.

"Here," He used the shirt to cover her body. Flooded with both relief and shame, she used the fabric to cover her breasts, grateful that the material was long enough to conceal her body from her breasts to her upper thigh.

Putting his hand carefully on her leg, he started massaging her calf. That felt so incredibly good, she had to repress a moan. She bit her underlip, watching his hand running up and down her leg. She felt a bit disappointed when he stopped and drew his hand away.

"Do you feel better?"

She nodded, and suddenly a thought floated into her head. She threw a suspicious glance at him.
"How come you arrived here just in time to save me? How long have you been there?"

The fleeting expression that crossed his face reminded her of a child who was caught stealing candy. A crimsoned heat crept into her face.
"Have you been watching me for long?"

"I... I just arrived when you started drowning."

"Liar! You must have been peeping me!"

Without warning, she grabbed a rock nearby and swung it at his head. Matthew caught her hand right before the jagged stone smashed into his skull.
"Jesus!!! Are you trying to kill me?!!!"