Forbidden Desires

Chapter Five

An early morning horseback ride across the vast grounds of the Romanov estate house would be perfected by the sun-dappled paths. As her chestnut mare strolled along at a leisurely pace, Amelia took in deep breaths of the crisp spring air, her worries being eased by the soft rocking motion of her horse.

Within the confines of her new, gilded cage, Amelia could almost convince herself that freedom still existed for these fortunate moments away from Vladimir's oppressive presence. The blossoming meadows and dense forests here, embraced by nature, were a temporary haven from the chilly confines of status and money that now ruled her existence.

But her peaceful daydream was short lived. Amelia became awake when she heard hoofbeats roaring through the surrounding trees. Something moved in her peripheral vision, and then a massive black stallion with flared nostrils appeared on the path ahead.

From the seat of his horse, Ryder Romanov wore a sly smile, controlling the strong animal with remarkable physical control. He was obviously incredibly skilled and confident to tame such a magnificent animal, and the younger Romanov brother seemed to radiate these qualities from every pore.

"Good morning, Amelia," he greeted warmly, lifting the brim of his riding cap. His hazel eyes danced mischievously as they drank her in. "Fancy meeting you out on the grounds like this. Though I can't say I'm surprised to find such an avid nature lover enjoying the splendor of spring."

Despite herself, Amelia felt heat bloom across her cheeks at the open admiration in his tone. Curse her inexperienced naivete that somebody's easy charm could still trip up her senses so.

"Hardly an avid lover, I'm afraid," she replied, silently congratulating herself for not allowing her voice to waver beneath his molten stare. Her proper English upbringing had taught her better than to be rattled so easily. "Merely taking my allotted daily exercise before retiring to more scholarly pursuits."

One corner of Ryder's mouth quirked upwards in an insufferably assured half-smile. "Is that so? Well then, I'd be honored if you'd indulge me for a bit, my lady. No use wasting precious saddle time on such a fine morning."

With that, he snapped the reins and sent his obsidian stallion charging down the worn dirt path, kicking up great furrows in its wake. Caught off guard, Amelia's mare whinnied anxiously and began trotting to catch up before she could regain control of the reins.

"M-Mr. Romanov!" she gasped in protest, struggling to keep pace with her mount's hastening gait. "This is most unbecoming! I really must insist you go on without me!"

But Ryder just threw his head back with a peal of rich laughter that reverberated through the sun-dappled forest around them. "Come now, Mrs. Romanov! Where's your sense of excitement?" he teased over the roar of their thundering hooves. "Every young lady loves a good gallop to get her blood racing!"

Before Amelia could issue another flustered objection, Ryder kicked his stallion into a full gallop, shooting off down the labyrinthine trail system with athletic confidence. She had no choice but to clench the saddle in a death grip and canter after him.

Before long, the meandering pathways opened up into a clearing surrounded in an assortment of wildflowers, spreading out in the dawn light. Ryder abruptly turned his horse and rode towards the centre of the meadow, his muscles rippling beneath his silken coat and his raven flank flashing.

Ryder gradually distanced Amelia, who dug her heels fiercely into her mare's flanks to follow, cursing the stubborn animal's slow pace. She had a sight of him rising from the saddle to stand at full gallop, arms extended like the head of a raging, magnificent stallion. Amelia felt a wave of jealous longing as she saw the picture.

At that precise moment, Ryder resembled the wild woman she had been before getting married: unrestrained, seductive, and completely unstoppable.

Amelia was so engrossed in the sudden dream that she didn't notice the thick, twisted tree root sticking out of the green ground until it was too late. Her body flung suddenly sideways as her saddle struck with the obstruction like a blow to the bones.

Amelia sent out a scared cry as she experienced physical pain from being separated from her horse. She hit the ground hard and the world whirled into dizzying flashes of colour, the air spilling from her lungs.

She skidded to a boneless stop in the long grass, and came to rest flat on her back, gasping for air, as blinding pain shot through her arm. As her eyesight darkened, rows of fluffy white clouds danced over her field of vision, and she blinked at the dazzling blue sky.

Through the high-pitched whine in her ears, Amelia faintly registered a voice shouting and the frantic whinny of horses. A blurry figure swam into view above her, the contours of a man's chiseled face and tousled hair slowly sharpening into focus.

"Amelia! Amelia, can you hear me?" Ryder cried urgently, gripping her shoulders as she came to. His eyes were blown wide with panic and concern, full lips set in a deep frown. "Easy now, try not to move."

The rich, smoky notes of his cologne enveloped Amelia's senses as she clung to consciousness. She registered a hand cupping her face, fingers brushing lightly over the curve of her cheekbone.

"Ryder..." she managed in a ragged whisper. Her tongue felt heavy and thick in her dry mouth. "W-What happened?"

"You took a rather nasty spill, I'm afraid," his sonorous voice sounded increasingly worried as he hovered close above her. "But you're going to be just fine, I promise. Just stay still and awake for me, alright?"

Amelia, still confused and pained, managed a feeble nod, her vision dimming and her focus shifting to the striking features of Ryder's face as it swam overhead. One large, rough palm moved from her cheek to gently brush back the tangle of locks that adorned her head.

She felt something wet and warm blossom beneath her back and side. Ryder's features pinched with an unexpected haste that caused Amelia to grimace in bewildered discomfort.

"Oh God..." his voice became more panicked. "You are bleeding and you might also have a concussion because of the horrifying looking bump on your head."

His hazel eyes locked onto hers, perhaps desiring her to stay attached to reality. Amelia could see the small bits of amber in Ryder's irises so close it was like sunlight strewn throughout. The raw emotion burning in them was unmistakable and startling in its intensity.

"Amelia, I need to get you to a doctor straightaway. Please, stay with me. Stay awake! Can you do that?"

She made a valiant attempt at a nod, focusing on the strong, inviting warmth of his gaze to keep her anchored as darkness began to seep into her consciousness. Her beautiful face twisted and swam as she struggled to stay conscious.

Amelia felt his arms gently slid beneath her in a dizzy fog, her entire weight nestled on his strong chest. She was pulled from the wildflowers she'd crushed in her fall by Ryder's firm grasp as he rose slowly from the earth.

With a faint moan of agony, she closed her eyes listlessly, even as Ryder's silent consolation rumbled against her temple. Amelia's mind wandering, she was only vaguely aware of his eager footsteps dragging them forward quickly.

Her last clear memory was of Ryder's heart thrashing like a wild mustang spirit, frantically pounding beneath her ear, the same spirit he'd given that field over only seconds before. And it was the unwavering pulse of that pounding beat that at last soothed Amelia's bruised body to complete darkness, shortly before her slumber claimed her.