“I am only giving praise where it is due. I could never have done this on my own.”
“Macky deserves the credit.”
“But it was your keen questioning that led us here.”
But locating Lady Farnwell was only the first step. Realizing how far they had yet to go, Skye exhaled a sigh. “I did not expect her to be so adamantly set against returning with us.”
“I have every faith that you will succeed in convincing her. Your powers of persuasion are first-rate.”
Now he was trying to bolster her spirits. “But it may take quite some time. You cannot remain here in Ireland for very long.”
“I can spare another week or so.”
Skye searched his face in surprise. “You would do that for her?”
Hawk gave her a wry look. “I would do it for you, sweet wretch. We came here for a purpose, and I dislike leaving a mission unfinished. While we wait, I can resort to my original excuse for coming to Ireland—searching for brood stock.”
“I thought that was a ruse.”
“It was, but I am not letting you give up so
soon.”
Skye pressed her lips together in new resolve. “Oh, I am not giving up. As soon as we reach the inn, I will send Lady Farnwell a note. There are many more arguments I can make for our case. And I will keep sending her messages each day until she sees the merits of our plan. I agreed I would not visit her, but I never said I would not write.”
Her vow brought a glimmer of amusement to Hawk’s eyes, but Skye would not apologize for her zeal in saving her uncle from a continued loveless, lonely existence. “Even if it takes an entire year, I am not leaving here empty-handed. Still … the decision must be hers. Happiness can yet come out of her tragic past, but she will have to reach out and seize it.”
Hearing the fervor in her declaration, Skye realized she ought to heed her own advice. If she was ever to realize her dream of finding true love with Hawk, she had to take advantage of their journey together and not let her chance slip through her fingers.
When they returned to the inn, she immediately began composing her first missive to Lady Farnwell. Hawk spent the afternoon reviewing his list of stud farms in Kilkenny and the neighboring counties, then wrote to two of them, stating his intentions to call the next day, and sent a messenger off.
“May I come with you tomorrow?” Skye requested as a way to keep up her own spirits and not dwell on what she hoped was only a temporary setback with Lady Farnwell. Hawk agreed without apparent reluctance.
However, when it came time to retire and Skye asked if she could spend the night with him, he refused in no uncertain terms, even when she reminded him that they could relieve each other’s carnal pain.
Her tone was lighthearted, but for an instant as she met his suddenly smoke-dark eyes, she glimpsed the smoldering passion he was striving to repress.
His sense of honor won out, though, and he resisted her entreaties when he escorted her to her room, even when she turned to gaze up at him with her most imploring expression.
In fact, judging from his ironic smile, Hawk enjoyed thwarting her designs as he gently pushed her inside and shut the door in her face.
As Skye stared at the wood panel, she bit back a mild oath, then sighed heavily. She supposed it was admirable that Hawk was putting her reputation and welfare first, but it frustrated her keenly that he refused to cooperate in his seduction.
The man had the self-control of a monk, and she had no idea how to break it.
Hawk was not nearly as sanguine as he appeared, yet he repaired to his own bedchamber quite alone, resolved to be ruthless with himself in fighting his powerful attraction for Skye.
She was temptation incarnate. His hands hungered for her—bloody hell, his entire body hungered for her. Her alluring invitation was nearly impossible to withstand, especially when she was promising him another blazing night of passion.
It was only in the darkest hours of the night—when sleep completely eluded him—that Hawk let himself give in to temptation, remembering the memory of her flesh pliant against his fingers and mouth, and the reverse: Skye kissing his hard male flesh with her soft lips, teasing him to painful arousal, the silk-bright curtain of her hair draped over his loins.…
Then she moved upward to take his mouth with hers. Feeling a warmth so rich he could taste it, he eased her onto her back and settled between her thighs, wanting to impale her till he drowned in her. Curbing his urgency with effort, he slowly thrust inside her, feeling her moist flesh close around him tightly, feeling her surround him. The pleasure began, her perfect breasts rising to mold against his chest, her hips arching to meet his.…
The tantalizing fantasy was the only thing that finally allowed him to sleep.
For the next two days, Skye persisted in her efforts to persuade both Lady Farnwell and Lord Hawkhurst to embrace her goals, with precious little success.
She spent that time viewing Hawk in his element as they toured the countryside, inspecting broodmares and blooded stallions. He rode several prospects; thus she had another firsthand demonstration of his magical touch with horses. Skye’s frustration grew, however, at the failure of her romantic schemes. Not only did Hawk markedly ignore her attempts to deepen their intimacy, he seemed to relish acting contrarily just to see her reaction. Either that, or he was deliberately provoking her in order to take her mind off her worries.