Before He Was Mine (Before Series, Book 2)

How to Nap a Lady

Will pushed himself off the ground, his limbs protesting the movement. Ignoring his stiff muscles, he strode toward Emilia and said, "We shall see about acquiring something for you to ride in."

She frowned, a look identical to her brother's a moment ago. She leaned against the windowsill, and a light breeze came in behind her, blowing through her hair.

"That isn't needed. Surely it would be easier to acquire a horse. Or I shall simply ride with one of you. That would make the most sense."

"It is a full day's ride back to London, Emilia," Will said flatly, his whole body reminding him of exactly how long it took to get here. Suffice it to say, he was not looking forward to the return trip. But Emilia only stood up a little straighter at his words."

"Do you mean to imply that I am not capable of spending one lousy day on a horse?"

"No, Emilia," he replied, slightly rankled by her sensitivity. "I know you're an accomplished rider. I merely thought you wouldn't wish to do so after what you've been through."

She softened. "That is sweet, Will. But riding on horseback sounds much better than sitting in a carriage and listening to you and my brother bicker for hours."

"You know..." He came closer, leaning toward her conspiratorially. Will rested his hands on the windowsill, framing the sides of her waist. "We can bicker on horseback, too."

She flashed a rueful grin before swatting playfully at his arm.

"Why don't you get dressed so we can let Theo know you'd like to ride," Will said, pushing off from the sill and moving to where he had deposited the rest of his clothes the night before.

"It will take me a few moments to do so," Emilia replied. "You can go alert him before he makes any arrangements if you'd like. I am not sure what he had in mind when he left."

Will shook his head while unrolling his sleeves and buttoning them around his wrists. "I am not leaving you."

Emilia gave him an exasperated look, and he added, "I will not take that chance. Who knows if Trevor is still lurking around." Will shrugged into his carefully tailored waistcoat and watched as Emilia crossed the room toward her clothes, too.

Luckily, she seemed to acknowledge his point and instead addressed her stays, lacing them tightly over the cotton shift she'd worn to bed.

"Well, this time, I would be prepared for him," she pointed out as her fingers artfully maneuvered the strings. "Unlike when he caught me unawares, putting that awful smelling cloth over my mouth."

"What?" Will's fingers paused from their job of buttoning his waistcoat. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh," she said casually, continuing to tie her stays beneath her bosom. Each pull of the string forced her breasts to rise more prominently past the shift's hem. The innkeeper's wife must not be as well-endowed as Emilia, who was struggling to keep herself covered as the fabric stretched tightly across beautiful, smooth flesh.

Last night, Emilia hadn't bothered with her corset, saying it was far too much work to put on only to remove it before bed. She merely wore the cotton shift, which, while undoubtedly improper, hadn't been revealing in the least.

Unlike right now.

Will cleared his throat.

"He used some sort of drug," Emilia continued to say, even though by now Will was distracted. "Pressed a terrible smelling cloth over my mouth, and by the time I came to, we were miles outside of London. And I'd been tied up. I hadn't realized how far we had gotten until I noticed the sky had turned dark."