tossing the reins over his saddle and stood at the edge of the water, only a couple of rods away, looking out to the sea, his hands resting on his narrow hips, and she wondered what he was thinking and why he was in this singular and lonely place. Within moments he had unbuckled his sword and tossed it in the sand, pulled off his boots, jack, mail and linen, until he stood there beautifully and quite wondrously naked, a golden image walking into the water, almost like some Norse idol come to life; the man was pure gold from the thick head of hair ending at his wide shoulders to every inch of skin she could see. For just the barest of moments, the sun caught and glinted off a gold cross he wore on a chain around his neck and she smiled—perhaps he was her gift from God.
He dove under a wave that would have taken her down, his head coming up behind the swell like one of the seals and he swam across the water, riding in on the waves and swimming back out again, his arms making powerful strokes that seemed to cut easily through the pull of the sea.
Glenna eyed the horse, then the man, who was swimming even further out to the larger swells beyond. She leaned against the rock with one hand as she slipped on her wooden shoes one at a time. “Bare-assed fool,” she muttered. “To go frolicking in the sea while that fine, fine animal stands there…sorely abandoned.” She sighed as did someone who had little choice in what they were about to do and made her way over to the lovely horse, Fergus trailing behind her as she began to speak to the black in a low and melodic voice.
The animal’s ears went up and twitched, but she easily took the reins, stroking his head. “There…there, my sweet and lovely thing.” She began to hum softly and saw trust soften his eyes.
She slowly led the horse in a half-circle so the beast stood in front of the man’s clothes, hiding her from the his view, before she pulled the lion shield from the saddle; it dropped heavily into the sand, then she lifted the solid sword and its scabbard from the sand using both hands, and with a grunt hooked it over the pommel, quickly flinging his lighter clothing, leather gambeson, and lastly his weighty mail onto the horse.
“God’s blood! You, there! Stand back from that horse! “ Sir Golden Himself was swiftly swimming back toward shore.
‘Twas a shame, really, about the golden cross. She was certain it would fetch a good bit of coin.
“Get away, I say! That horse will trample you before he will let you touch him! Back away, you!” A wave washed over him and he came up from behind it, standing in the water, his wet skin gleaming jewel-like in the bright sunshine, his hair slicked back and his face red and angry and determined as he strode waist-deep through the strong pull of the tide.
Poor fool, she thought. He was not moving quite swiftly enough. She gripped the horse, her foot in the stirrup, and mounted, leaning over to stroke the black’s arched neck. “You won’t hurt me, sweet laddie. Will you?” Reins in her hands, she looked back at the man, so huge and trying to power his way to shore through seawater, ebb tide, and the next waves.
“What are you doing?” He bellowed so loudly his voice echoed in the cliff caverns and birds flew from nests in the high rocks up into the sky.
Glenna expertly wheeled the horse around. “Me, good sir? Why, I’m stealing your lovely sword-- nice jewels—“ she patted the scabbard meaningfully, “also your clothes,” she added, as the black sidestepped in the sea foam that curled on the sand and around his hooves. “Fret not, I say, for I will leave you your most precious jewels,” she said pointedly. “And your shield to protect them.”
“Get off that horse!”
“This horse? I think not. But I thank you for him!” She gave the poor man a final wave and took off down the beach on that powerful black beast with his hooves pounding in the hard wet sand, riding like the wind away from the golden fool, Fergus loping along behind, and her sweet, wicked laughter echoing back in the warm air.
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My Something Wonderful
About the Author
JILL BARNETT enchants readers with her signature blend of love and laughter. Publishers Weekly gave her book, Dreaming, a starred review, calling it "hilarious… Her characters are joyously fresh and her style is a delight to read—a ray of summer sun." The Detroit Free Press named Bewitching one of the Best Books of the Year, cheering, "Barnett has a wicked way with a one-liner and she makes the romance sizzle."
Her other books have all won critical acclaim and have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, the Washington Post, Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks, who presented Jill with a National Waldenbooks Award. She has over 8 million books in print and her work has been published in 23 languages. Jill lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.
To learn more about Jill Barnett’s latest books please visit these sites:
Also by Jill Barnett
THE SISTERS OF SCOTLAND
My Something Wonderful
Caitrin’s story (Coming Soon)
Innes’ story (Coming Soon)
MEDIEVAL WEDDING TRILOGY
Wonderful
Wild
Wicked
REGENCY MAGIC DUET
Bewitching
Dreaming
CLASSIC LOVE & LAUGHTER
Imagine
Carried Away
Just A Kiss Away
The Bargain
The Heart’s Haven
FOOL ME ONCE SERIES
A Knight in Tarnished Armor
Saving Grace
Book 3 Coming soon
CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY SERIES
Daniel and the Angel
Eleanor’s Hero’s
My Lucky Penny
WWII HISTORICAL FICTION
Sentimental Journey
CONTEMPORARY
Dark Places In The Heart
In A Golden State