He bent his head and claimed her mouth again, at the same time releasing his hold on the inside of her knee. Bliss’s leg slid helplessly along the hard length of his until her foot reached the floor.

Chapter 3

THE AUGUST AIR WAS BITING COLD ON THAT EARLY MORNING, AND Bliss paced in front of the barn door, rubbing her hands together and stomping her feet in an effort to keep warm. Her breath made wisps of fog as she huffed, “It would be simpler, it seems to me, if you just put me on a coach in Auckland and washed your hands of the whole matter.”

Jamie, who was hitching a team of horses, one sorrel and one bay, to a wagon, looked back over his right shoulder and grinned. “That’s very tempting—the part about washing my hands of you, I mean—but I’m smarter than I look, Duchess. You’d be off that coach and on your way to the waterfront the moment I turned my back.”

What Jamie had said was quite true, but Bliss was insulted, nonetheless, at having her character questioned. “Of course you’re smarter than you look, Mr. McKenna,” she observed, with a lift of her chin. “If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be able to feed yourself.”

Jamie gave a hoarse shout of laughter, causing the horses to snuffle nervously and toss their heads. At the same time, the front door of the house opened and closed again with a smart slam.

Carra was standing on the porch, her beautiful black hair flowing in the brisk wind, her dark gaze fixed on Jamie. She set a large picnic hamper down at her feet, and there was something rebellious in the gesture, as ordinary as it was.

Jamie grinned and shook his head. “So that’s the way it’s to be, is it?” he said, speaking more to himself than to anyone else, as was evidently his habit. Then, after only the merest hesitation, he strode off toward the house, leaving Bliss alone beside the wagon.

She felt a twinge of jealousy as she climbed aboard the creaky vehicle and settled herself in the seat. Although Bliss did her best not to stare, her gaze did drift off in Jamie’s direction now and again.

Toward the end, Carra was gesturing wildly with her arms and periodically stomping one foot while Jamie tore his ancient, battered leather hat from his head and slapped it hard against one thigh. Even though Bliss couldn’t hear the words they were exchanging, it was obvious that Jamie and his woman were not parting on amicable terms.

Finally, Jamie shouted something that was unintelligible to Bliss and Carra whirled away, her hair flying like an ebony cloak behind her, and stormed into the house. Jamie gave the door a good hard kick, then, eyes blazing, turned and nearly stumbled over the picnic hamper.

Bliss clapped one hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.