Chapter 3-6

Chapter Three

Rena smiled to herself as her grandmother chatted with the man in front of her. She had hardly touched her food, having been too busy watching her soft, loving grandmother being drawn in by Lucas Marsili's magnetic charm and seemingly warm nature.

To her, however, the man was repugnant, a chauvinist of the worst order, and a whoremonger to boot. He was the last thing she needed on her mind right now, but he was the first thing she could think of that could give her sharp, clean anger. The anger she needed to focus on her work.

And she found that anger when she saw Lucas staring right back at her with a smug grin on his face, bringing her out of her thoughts just in time to hear her grandmother mutter "...it's about time she graduated, she never thinks of herself, let alone a man. She needs a good strong--"

"Mama..." Rena hissed in low warning, turning red even as she said it, furthering her anger.

"No, no. Please Renata, this is really very educational. Please, Madam. Do continue." Lucas all but purred it.

"Oh, no. It's alright. I was rambling, is all." Sofia demurred, perfectly aware that neither of her dining companions believed her in the least.

"Indeed, Ms. Sofia." Lucas smiled warmly at her, making Rena's insides roil with rage. How dare he.

"Please excuse me, Mama," Rena nodded curtly to Lucas, "Mr. Marsili." And with that she left.

Lucas' smile faltered as Ms. Curcio stormed out of the enormous dining hall.

She was the most fascinating creature he had ever seen. On top of the fact that she was the first woman to deny his attentions, she was the only woman to ever have ignored him for her studious habits. Her foul manner of speech was astounding.

He thoroughly enjoyed her outraged demeanor. Her fiery nature made him want to throw her over his shoulder and take her to his bed. Hell, just looking at her made him hard. She was the polar opposite of any woman he’d ever been with.

Renata Curcio was smart, funny, and passionate about everything; a gorgeous woman, a loving granddaughter and a loyal child, she was close to perfect. She was different in that she wasn’t a clone, vacuous like his prior lady friends. Rena thought for herself, and she didn’t like to be dominated.

“She’s quite a piece of work, Lucas, you must understand. She just lost her parents and…” Sofia cajoled.

“And she hates my guts because of something she read in a local rag. I get it. She doesn’t like me. It’s okay.” Luke said brightly, smiling as he realized that, for once, someone didn’t want to fall all over him or con the shirt off his back. “It is actually quite refreshing, come to think of it. I may as well go now. I’ve worn out half of my welcome, it seems.”

“Oh, well. I suppose so. You have a good evening, Lucas. And be careful on that motorcycle. I hate it when you ride that thing.” Sofia shuddered, still smiling warmly at him.

“Yes, mama. Whatever you say. I’ll be back tomorrow morning for a dawn ride. You coming?” Luke asked expectantly. He’d often lately enjoyed his downtime with Ms. Sofia. She was a warm, giving woman who needed someone to talk to. He had been that someone since he’d moved in to the castle at seventeen.

“These old bones don’t get out of bed so fast anymore, Luke. I don’t know if I’ll be there, but there’s always someone around here to ride with.” Sofia said happily, her previously guilty face having grown soft with the motherly air she exuded.


Chapter Four


As the morning dew settled on the leaves and meadows of Hollow Cliff’s grounds, and the creatures that inhabited them started to wake up, Rena sat sedately on her stallion, Mack, and enjoyed the blend of peace and quiet and strong coffee.

She soaked in the silence as she looked around her, knowing she had inherited all of it. All of the beauty, the money, the prestige, the family residence, the noble title…all of it. And it didn’t change her mind a bit. Before she’d ever even considered reigning over this centuries old land, she’d wanted to be a doctor. And she still would be, even if she didn’t have to, she owed it to her Dad. And her Mama. They both deserved to know tat they hadn’t left their precious belongings in the hands of a wastrel daughter.

On top of her inner problems, there was that blemish of a man, Marsili. She wondered if he was after her money or her land. Maybe a family feud. She had no clue.

All she knew was she had only been a duchess for a couple of weeks, and she was already becoming a cynic. But she knew she would not let him get to her. End of discussion.

Rena was snapped back to reality and the present situation when Mack’s black ears whirled in the opposite direction of the castle. He was focused on noise coming from the west orchard.

She wasn’t really worried until she heard Mack nicker softly, his raven black head bobbing up and down. She turned in the saddle to get a better look at what was coming. And she couldn’t believe her eyes.

She tried to find in her mind another person that had long black hair, arrogant posture, and a black stallion himself. Since none came to mind, she knew it could only be the person she least wanted to see at the moment. She turned her head in the other direction, so as to act as if she hadn’t seen him.

Lucas Marsili stared in amazement as he clicked his horse, aptly named Duke, into a trot towards Ms. Curcio. She was glaringly beautiful in the fresh morning sunlight, her dark hair taking on a fired hue, making her skin glow and her eyes sparkle.

But they weren’t sparkling with what he’d hoped would be there. There was no passion, no love, no desire. Just the cursory glance that told him he had the significance of a slug. Not what he’d intended, but at least she’d looked at him.

“Good morning, Rena.” Luke said, hoping she wouldn’t gallop off in a great hurry.

“The same to you, Mr. Marsili.” She muttered frigidly. She refused to repeat the past evening’s emotional wringer.

“Please, call me Luke.”

“Okay, Luke, what do you want?” she asked, glaring at him in obvious depreciation of his endearing attitude.

“I would like it if you’d quit the ice queen act. No matter what tone you take with me, I’m still better than you. You can’t pretend.” Luke smiled, wanting to get a rise out of her.

“And?” she prompted, sensing the inevitable ‘but’ in there.

“I challenge you to a race. Plain and simple. The first one to the river wins. Winner picks the spoils.” Luke laughed at that last.

“I want you to swear you’ll never bother me again, when I win, of course.” Rena grinned at the thought, her white teeth flashing against her dark skin.

“Oh. You think you’re going to win, hmm? Okay, I promise to leave you alone, but only if you win, Rena.” Luke smiled evilly. “Now let me tell you what I want.” Luke hesitated, making sure she wanted to know what it was he wanted in return for his supposed victory.

“What” Rena breathed, impatient.

“I want you to kiss me.” Luke stated flatly.

“What?!” Rena repeated, incredulous.

“An on the lips, openmouthed, arms around the neck kiss, Rena. If I only get one, I want all the bells and whistles. Just one kiss, Rena. That’s it.” Luke finished, resting his hand on the horn of his saddle, the reins loose in his hand, waiting for her response.

“You’re on. To the river. My count.” Rena said in a low, throaty voice.

“One…”

“You’re toast, Rena.”

“Two…”

“You already owe me a kiss.”

“Three!”

With one swift kick, Rena thrust Mack into motion, using all the signals she could to make him go faster. As she sailed over the meadows, her hair whipping about her, she could hear the footfalls of Luke’s horse behind her. She knew he was gauging her, making sure he would have just enough energy left to speed ahead of her in the last stretch.

She came to just in time to bend backwards for a low branch. She heard a loud curse and giggled to herself, already confident she would win.

She noticed that Luke’s pounding mount’s footsteps were gone, but she just shrugged and kicked Mack harder. Luke was sure to lose now. He’d probably gotten lost.

A final curve was left before the picket fence between pastures flew into view. As the heart pounding speed with which Mack took the turn registered with Rena, she realized she would have enough momentum to get them over the fence.

Just before she was getting ready to urge Mack into the final burst, a big black figure burst through the trees and a yell erupted from the man atop the horse.

Rena looked up in such surprise as she urged Mack on, watching in shock as Luke turned around in his saddle to wave evilly at her. She wanted him to fall off his horse, with his arrogant butt smothered in dirt. She wanted to just run away and act like their wager never happened. But she was a woman of her word, and he was going to win.

At least that was how it looked, but Luke didn’t turn back around in time to tell the horse to stop.

Duke leaped over the fence, making Luke lose his seating, and then landed roughly. Since Duke was not meant to be a hunter jumper, he faltered and sent Luke sailing over his head and into the river.

Rena gasped as she trotted over to the place where he disappeared.

“Luke!” She yelled, trying to get to him as he surfaced on the shore a couple of feet away.

“Luke, get up.” She commanded, trying to heave him out of the freezing cold water, getting herself wet in the process.

As she heaved his prone body toward her horse, she noticed he was as cold as the water he’d fallen into. She carefully lowered Luke to the ground, bringing her hand to his neck, his pulse was almost non-existent. She mentally took control of herself and bent over him to lift his large frame into the saddle.

When Mack sidled away from her, she growled to herself and cursed.

“Don’t even think about it. You will hold both of us. Whether you like it or not, Mister.”

Mack groaned, but moved back up to Rena’s side, letting her push him up securely.

She mounted Mack and started off in search of shelter for Luke. As she steered into a copse, she recognized a rough trail that lead to her gamekeeper’s summer cabin. It was a little ways down, perfect, Marley having harvested fire wood last summer.

Snow started to fall on her face, making her realize that she needed to find that cabin, and fast. With bottle cap-sized snowflakes skewing her vision, she could barely make out the dark silhouette of the cabin, nestled into the other side of the bare winter trees.

Chapter Five

With an inward sigh of relief, she pulled the reins until Mack carefully maneuvered around the brush and trail left before the cabin loomed in front of them. She clicked Mack into a canter, until she had him close to the back door, and dismounted.

She hauled Luke’s cold body into the doorway, until he was lying on the floor. Turning to get Mack into the barn behind the house, she noticed that he was already entering the open barn. She followed him, and pulled the saddle off of him, then put the tack away before patting Mack and kissing his muzzle.

“Thanks, big boy. I owe you.” Rena murmured, thinking that Luke would owe her.

Rena opened the back door of the cabin to find that Luke had not come to.

Thinking it might be because of the cold, she pulled his dead weight over the cherry wood floor, and over to the simple cot next to the fire. She bent over to start the fire, getting it to flame quickly so Luke wouldn’t go into hypothermia.

She stepped over her emergency bag of food and rested him comfortably into the cot. Wondering how this had happened to her, she quickly assessed the situation.

He was running a fever, and he was shivering uncontrollably. She would have to get him out of his clothes, and then run a cold cloth over him, making sure to keep it cold. If she was lucky, that would be enough, but if she wasn’t, she’d have to share body heat with him. The natural way.

The thought sent a warm shiver of anticipation through her. She shoved it away and instantly went into doctor mode.

She methodically stripped his boots, pants and shirt off, thinking that should be enough to keep him covered. She was wrong, and he only shivered worse than before. So she let her brain go into autopilot and stripped off his undershirt, socks, and underwear. She blushed luridly as she realized he was totally naked.

Rena looked down at the floor, in search of the towels Marley kept in the room. She found them on the hearth and grabbed them. She laid them all over Luke’s body, one covering his more intimate parts, and others covering his legs. She used the remaining towels to rub down his chest and dry his soaked hair. When she was satisfied, she realized his shivering had stopped, and she found that his legs were warm to the touch, and his breathing had normalized.

Satisfied she’d done her job warming him for the moment, she realized she was soaked to the bone, and freezing cold. Crossing the small room into the bathroom, she aimed to give herself a hot shower and some thinking time.

Rena looked in the mirror and flinched at the rough woman looking back at her. There were blue lips, hair glazed with ice, and pale skin devoid of color. Her eyes pretty much looked exhausted, having to haul Luke’s body being a trial on her much smaller body.

She turned the knobs and waited for the water to warm up, then lightly stepped into the small tub to relish her private time. She just stood there for a while, soaking up the morning’s events. She couldn’t believe that a storm had snuck up on her and snowed them in for the next couple of days. She didn’t think she could stand days alone with Lucas Marsili. But it looked like she’d have to deal with it for now. And well.

She shut off the shower, dried off and slipped on a giant t-shirt and some skimpy underwear her grandmother had made her buy while she was in Milan. Since Sophia liked them, she wore them only when she had to, so as not to ruin them. She hated frills, though. All manner of them. Anything unnecessary was shoved away and shelved as irrelevant.

She walked into the living room to find Luke tossing in the cot, looking like a petulant child in his sleep. She knew the fever was getting worse, so she set a pot of tea on the stove and some biscuits in the oven.

She dusted her hands off and went to get a cold rag, hoping Marley hadn’t changed his linen closet recently. She rummaged through the mass of pristine white towels and face cloths, then headed to the kitchen to soak it. As Rena put the pot of tea on the counter to cool, she heard mumbling from the living room. Since there was only one person it could be, she smiled and set the biscuits on a plate.

Carrying the plate and tea tray into the room, she set them down on the table as she rested the cool cloth on Luke’s forehead, making sure it stayed as he slipped back into deep sleep.

Rena knew that she would be able to do nothing except run the cold cloth over him until he broke the cycle by waking up. She sighed and settled down beside the bed, a wooden chair being her only option for sitting, and opened a book. It was going to be a long night.


Chapter Six

Luke started as he woke from a dream, his whole body covered in a cold sweat from the exertion of it. He listened around him as the remnants of the dream slipped away, and heard humming coming from a room off the living room he was in. The cot under his back was soft and comfortable with blankets, and while moving about, Luke discovered he was quite naked underneath them.

Slowly, he remembered a woman, singing to him, her hands on his face, and the rest of his body being cleaned. He wondered who she was, and if she was the woman in the other room. Upon hearing pots clang, he gathered that the next room over was the kitchen. Excellent, now he could eat.

Not realizing how hungry he’d been until he could smell the food, he savored every scent that wafted from the kitchen. Bacon, biscuits, and omelets were the prime smells coming to him, but he sensed there was more. Maybe tea or coffee. Yeah, that was what he needed, a black cup of coffee.

Luke made to stand up, only to find that he couldn’t. His legs gave out and he grunted as he hit the cot again. He looked around, bewildered, then reached up to massage his aching temple. When he found a bandage there, everything came rushing back in a fit of adrenaline. He thumped back into the cot, wincing as he remembered flying over Duke’s head and into the ice cold river. Jesus, and all for a girl.

“Feeling better, I see.” Rena walked in, a wooden tray in her hand, smiling.

“If this is what you call better.” Luke motioned towards his covered, naked body and the bandage around his head.

“It is better than sleeping for twenty some odd hours straight. That had to have been one heck of a fall to knock you out, Luke.” She shook her head in disapproval and set the tray down next to the cot. “You really shouldn’t show off if you can’t ride all that well.” She grinned, a smirk dancing along her full lips.

Luke just stared at her. Then grinned back, looking for a reaction. And he got one.

Rena started as she realized how comfortable she’d become. Comfortable enough to tease him and smile about it. She needed to stay on top of her wits here. His charm was not going to get to her.

Luke watched Rena’s eyes freeze over as she realized what she’d been saying. Well, it was a shame that such a pretty package was marred by its emotions. She was such a beautiful woman both in anger and in happiness that he was not surprised when disgust was so appealing.

He observed in silence as Rena set up the tray; two cups, two plates, two napkins, food for two, and a couple of forks for the butter. “You don’t have to do this you know.” He whispered, laying his hand on hers.

“Yes, I do. I’m a doctor. Now please unhand me, Lucas.” Rena snapped.

“I know. We don’t have to stay here, you know, we could go back to the castle.” He said, all seriousness now. “It’s not like you have to take care of me.”

“Yes, I do.” Rena repeated, walking over to the one large, curtained window. Opening the curtains, she motioned towards it. “Look. That blizzard snuck up on us.”

“Jesus.”

“Jesus is right. We’ll be stuck here for the next few days at the least.” Rena finished, tensing at the thought.

“Well, let’s eat before this wonderful feast gets cold.” Luke said.

“You first. You need to eat.” Rena said stiffly, her face looking stern.

Rena felt herself flinch as he tried to sit up, then found it was painful and impossible to do so by himself.
“Let me help. I carried you here, and I can do it again.” She whispered.

Luke looked up through pain riddled eyes, clutching his ribs. He must have taken one hell of a fall to have injured himself so badly. He winced again as he was shifted smoothly back on the bed, facing the ceiling again.

Rena saw him grimace, and almost felt tears at the back of her eyes. She hated seeing anyone in pain. “Let me see what’s hurting you. Just lay still, Luke. Breath slowly.” Rena instructed.

Luke could feel her small hands slowly massaging both sides of his ribs, rhythmic circular motions, then working her way down until she reached his abdomen. He groaned as she hit the rib that was bruised.

“Found it. Is it constant or piercing pain?” She asked, watching his face.

This gave Luke an opportunity to see hers. Her face had softened in remorse. Rena’s hair had fallen around her face, the light behind her making her seem like an angel. Her green eyes were much warmer than they’d been a minute ago. Amazing what pain could do to a woman. One second she was spitting fire and ice, the next she was flowing with kindness.

Rena settled herself onto the side of the cot, retrieving the cold cloth and water to cool him off.

“What are you doing?” Luke asked, a little caution in his voice.

“Rubbing you down. You have a fever, and you’re very tense.” Rena stated, a simple explanation. She started to pull down the covers, reaching his lower abdomen before he stopped her progress.

“That doesn’t mean you have to expose a man you despise, Rena. I know you hate me. You have since you read that article.” Luke muttered, squeezing her hand to make her let go.

“And you know very well, Lucas, that that has absolutely nothing to do with it. I need to rub you down, or you’ll go back into the cycle of fever. That will further weaken you, and I don’t want that. Understand?”

Luke looked away, unsure what she meant. Whether it was a job, or she truly wanted to take care of him, he did not know. Especially when it was so intimate. “I don’t want you to see me. It would be very embarrassing that my doctor hates me, yet has seen every part of me.” He turned his head, looking back out the white spattered window.

Rena took both hands and framed his face, then turned him back towards her. “I am the doctor for now, and I already have seen you. Do not worry, Luke. I won’t bite.”

He looked at her, his face going tense as he made his decision.

“Lay back, Luke. Just relax. Okay?”

Rena smiled as he just nodded. She started rolling down the sheet even more, starting to realize that she had seen him, but hadn’t been paying any attention. Now she wasn’t on autopilot. Now she saw just what he was so embarrassed about.

His body was riddled with scars; some were long and thin, some round and pink. She gasped as she ran her hands over a newly healed gunshot wound on his pelvis.

He reflexively grabbed her hand, stopping her progress downward.

“How did you get all these?” She whispered, her voice breathy with shock.

“I didn’t just sit around doing nothing, Rena.” He snapped. “I was in the Marines for a while. Why do you think the tabloids were quiet for years?” He grimaced at the tone in his voice.

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” Rena murmured.

“Yeah, so am I.” Luke groaned.

Rena resumed scanning his body for lacerations. He was bruised, with some large nasty cuts on his chest, but he would survive, she knew. He was too mean to die. Too arrogant. With a snap, she was wiping down his body and checking his temperature. He would be fine, she told herself. He would be just fine.

So why was her breath catching at the sight of his scars? Why was she wondering how much it had hurt him? Why did she even care?

Rena ignored the voice in the back of her head and moved on down his body, cooling his skin to the point of normalcy. “Feel better?”

“Mmm.” Luke mumbled. He was relaxed now, his face smooth with comfort, an infinitesimal loosening flowing through his body.

Rena reminded herself to breathe as she set the cloth and bowl down, rolling the sheets under to spread the ointment Marley kept with the linens. Injuries were common happenings from her predecessors, apparently.

She prepared for the long evening ahead. It was going to be hard not to talk to him, not to rag him for racing and failing. But she would have to handle his care and his health without emotion, and without lust. Yes, tonight was going to be hell.