Seduced

Thank you for all your patience with me, I know it's been a long wait for this chapter. Things at home and work have been a little crazy, so I haven't had much time to devote to writing. I know this chapter is really short, but I wanted to get this part out. Sorry, no sex in this one, but hang in there. Next time, I promise! Once again, thanks for reading!

Renee

On the edge of the pool inside the glen, Kate and Sin lay together in the grass, she was cuddled up against his side, one shapely leg was draped over him and his muscular arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

As the fog of desire slowly cleared from Kate's mind, it dawned on her exactly what she had done with this man. She pushed away from him, sitting up and wrapping her arms around her knees, belatedly hiding her body as much as she could.

"Oh my God, what have I done? You! You seduced me," she cried.

Kate grabbed the edge of the towel that she had brought and tried to pull it out from under his body, as he was laying on part of it. A mischievous grin appeared on Sin's face as he lifted his hips up suddenly and her tug of war with the towel ended abruptly, as she fell back with a squeak.

He leaned over her as she pulled the towel to cover herself.

"Oh, I seduced you, hm? I think, my dear, the seducing was mutual."

Kate sputtered, "Why you – you,"

"Before you call me some other insulting, though doubtless imaginative name, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Sinclair Harper, Viscount Arden. And you are?"

He raised one eyebrow, waiting for her response. Sin would bet his favorite set of dueling pistols that she was of the local gentry. Once his head had cleared, he had noticed right off that she spoke with a cultured accent.

"My name is Lady Katherine Carrington," she replied, "but everyone calls me Kate."

Sin slid his gaze over her trim body, her riotous red curls tumbling down the graceful lines of her back. The towel was thin and didn't hide her curves well, from her perfect alabaster breasts with the small rose colored nipples, down her flat abdomen and the carefully trimmed woman's hair, a darker auburn red. Her thighs were trim but muscular, from riding her horse, he assumed, her ankles trim and her feet feminine.

He was not the kind of man to be controlled by his lust and couldn't quite understand what had happened. Sin prided himself on being a gentleman, one who believed women should be cherished and protected. What was it about this girl that could cause him to completely lose control, actually take her virginity, for God's sake! Even now he was drawn to her; one word reverberated in his mind when he looked at her.

Mine!

Sin chuckled as he watched a bright pink blush appear on her skin as she noticed that he was still stark naked, reclining in the grass next to her. While he was now honor bound to marry her, there was no reason he couldn't enjoy himself.

Seeing her blush reminded him she had been a virgin. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I promise, it won't next time."

Kate sputtered and then tried to scoot out of his reach as he leaned over, sliding one arm under her knees and the other around her back, lifting her into his arms as he strode to the edge of the water, the bright afternoon sun reflecting on the surface.

They both had a fair amount of dirt and grass on their bodies from coupling on the ground, not to mention the stickiness of his semen mixed with her virgin's blood between Kate's thighs.

"For the moment, however, we both need a good washing," he said, moving into the warm water, letting it rinse of most of the dirt.

In deeper water now, Kate pushed away from Sin's broad chest. As she let her head slip under the surface, she swam quickly towards the far side of the pool, intending to get her clothing and make a break for her horse. It was getting late and her instincts were telling her that this man wouldn't let her go that easily.

Kate reached the rocky outcrop on the edge of the pool and bracing her slender arms on the side, gracefully pulled herself up and onto the boulder where her chemise and riding habit were neatly folded. Looking over her shoulder as she scooped up her things, she saw Sin swimming after her and quickly pulled her chemise over her head. Her dripping hair straggled around her shoulders and her fine linen chemise clung wetly to her breasts, completely transparent.

Clutching her emerald riding habit under her arm, Kate knew eventually she and Sin would have to discuss what happened, but Beth would be waiting for her at the house and would worry if she didn't go back right away. As it was, she was going to have to explain the state of her dress. She shoved her feet into her ankle boots, not bothering to take time to button them as she dashed for the narrow passage in the shadow of the cliff.

"Kate!" she heard Sin yell after her as she slipped through to the tree where she had tethered Sally.

Silently, she thought,

I'm sorry but I can't stay…

as she pulled herself onto her mare and loosening the reins, leaped over the stone wall boundary and raced towards home.

***************

Sin hauled his ass out of the water and looked for the break in the cliff where he had watched Kate slip through, finding it just as he heard the sound of her horse galloping off toward what he assume was her home.

Swearing under his breath, Sin dove back into the pond and with quick strokes swam back to where her towel still lay. Once again out of the water, he grabbed the towel and scrubbed himself dry, pulled his drawers on and headed back towards his own horse and home.

This is far from over. Whatever it takes, she is mine!

Once back at the house, coming to an abrupt halt in front of his estate stables, Sin pulled his horse up in a cloud of dust and leaped off the stallion's back and strode for the conservatory's entrance to the house. Sin stepped into a side parlor and out into a corridor, heading up a branch of the main staircase to his room.

He shoved the door open and promptly kicked it shut behind him with a bang, stripping his clothes off as he moved further into the room.

"Man, you sure do know how to make an entrance, my friend."

Sin spun around in the balls of his feet, ready for a fight when he realized it was his comrade Jonathan Tremaine, whom he'd last seen in Boston six months ago, making arrangements for another ship in his fleet.

"Bloody hell, Jon, you gave me a start!" he exclaimed as he straightened, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Sorry, old son, I'll make sure and have that stuffy butler of yours announce me next time. You look like crap, your skin is all scratched up. Get in a fight with a woman?" Jonathan winked slyly at Sin.

"Yes and no, I'll explain later. Are you able to stick around for a while? I could use a hand go through the estate books and making arrangements for repairs on the house and my tenant's homes. Some of them are in pretty bad shape."

Jonathan threw himself into a large comfortable chair by the hearth on the right side of the room as Sin scrubbed his skin with a soapy cloth in his dressing room, washing away the dirt and dried himself off with a clean towel.

"I'm in no hurry to get back, my little brother Jared was real eager to show me he can handle more responsibility and my foreman can manage any problems until I return. So I'll help you do what you need to, but then we're gonna find us some women!"

Sin pulled a shirt over his head and buttoned a clean pair of trousers and strolled out of his dressing room with his collar up, deftly tying a silk cravat around his neck.

"I appreciate your help, more than you know. As for women, I need to make a call on a neighbor this evening, Lord Carrington, whose estate joins mine to the west. I made the acquaintance of his daughter, Kate Carrington, earlier today."

Jonathan sat up straight, one dark eyebrow raised. "I hadn't realized you were on the lookout for a wife, a mite early, ain't it?"

Completely serious, Sin replied, "Somewhat, yes. However, the situation requires that I act quickly to gain the lady's hand. I lost my control and while I took precautions, I'm afraid there may be a possibility that she carries my child."

"Good God, man, you've bedded her already? She's a nobleman's daughter! To get her father's agreement to a wedding before the month is up, you'll have to admit you ruined her. Damn, you'll be lucky he doesn't call you out for it."

Jonathan was understandably aghast at the mess his friend had gotten himself into. It didn't take much time, though, before he began to see that Sin was actually enjoying himself and in fact looking forward to claiming his bride.

"I hope you know what you're doing, my friend. This ought to be mighty interesting, think I'll tag along with you, just in case you need someone to play as your second."

Sin chuckled, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, shall we?"

Donning his long black duster and settling his wide brimmed western hat that he refused to leave at home, Jonathan followed Sin down the main staircase and out the front door. Both men pulled on leather gloves as a groom brought two fresh horses for the trip to Lord Carrington's estate.

They were striking men, Sin with his warm brown hair, almost almond colored in the sun, silver grey eyes, with wide shoulders and a longer torso, he topped his friend by four inches at 6'3". His face had the look of an aristocrat, with a strong forehead over brooding eyes, a strong but straight nose, not too large, slight flare of the cheekbones with a strong jaw curving to a stubborn chin, narrow lips.

Jonathan was darker, his skin deeply tanned from working out of door and on his ships, intense brown eyes, his hair a brown so deep it looked black until the sun hit it. His face was more square, a strong face with a broad forehead and dark brows, strong jawline and a cleft chin. His nose was a little wider than Sin's and had been broken during a fight when he was 17, his lips also somewhat thin, the bottom one just a bit fuller. He was shorter but more muscular, with heavy muscles in his shoulders and chest, with trim abs.

As they wheeled their horses and rode off down the lane, Sin determined to find a way to talk to Kate alone before he met with her father. He wanted to make sure she understood his reasons in asking for her hand. Only time would tell if they could be happy as husband and wife. One way or another, she was his…

I will try to get another chapter out a little more quickly than the last two. Once again, thank you so much for reading and let me know what you think of this series so far!

Renee