The Knight of Her Dreams

The Knight of Her Dreams - By Jen Robyn

Prologue

There’s someone else here.

Suddenly feeling goose bumps on her arm, the young woman turned in her saddle, her brown eyes cautiously scanning the beach. The secluded area looked serene, the sky as blue as the shimmering satin gown she wore beneath her dark cloak. Not a soul in view.

Just my imagination, that’s all. The goose bumps remained.

Pulling her cloak closer, Julianna accidentally tugged the reins as well.

Her ivory mare’s surprised whinny sparked her full attention. Reining her away from the ocean’s edge, Julianna patted the horse apologetically. “Easy, Duchess,” she soothed. “Your friend’s just daydreaming again.” Duchess snorted her agreement.

Shutting her eyes, Julianna deeply inhaled the crisp sea air, allowing the worry to drain out of her. There is nothing at all like the ocean, she thought blissfully. It has a way of calming the soul. Feeling the sweetness of freedom, Julianna smiled playfully, urging the mare faster.

Enjoying this change of pace, Duchess whinnied again in agreement, echoed by her rider’s laughter. Shaking her head, the hood of Julianna’s cloak fell to loose her streaming auburn hair. Reaching well past her shoulders, the spicy curls danced in the wind as the travelers flew across the sands.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands gripped her waist. She screamed as she was pulled from her mare.

Duchess noticed her absence instantly, abruptly turning to face the reason for her friend’s screams.

“Let me go, rogue!” Julianna shouted, struggling against her captor. Her steed gave an angry whinny, raising her forelegs in warning.

“Hold there, Duchess!” a deep masculine voice called out, calming the mare almost instantly.

Julianna gasped in surprise, just before turning to the man who held her. He too wore a hooded cloak, his face hidden except for a smile. A man of strength, she decided, noting how the cloak molded itself to his muscular body. And quite tall, especially against her average height.

“Duchess rarely listens to the commands of anyone,” she commented, finding her voice. “How is it that you know her name?”

“I know many things,” the stranger replied. “I’ve seen you ride your steed along these banks before, sweet lady, and since I live at the castle yonder beside this ocean, I felt an introduction was due.” At her pout, he gave a short laugh. “Fear not, my beauty. I mean you no ill. I merely seek a moment of your time.”

Despite his smooth words, she remained suspicious. “I think it’s been a moment too long,” she whispered, tilting her head to one side. “What is your name?”

“Ah, ‘tis a secret, which I will reveal when I choose.”

Put off from solving that mystery, Julianna became more curious to see the face of the stranger, reaching towards his cloak. He gently stopped her hand, lifting the hood on his own and allowing it to fall back.

Julianna blinked her eyes several times in amazement. Having assumed the worst, she wasn’t expecting the handsome face of the man before her.

His eyes were the most intriguing shade of deep blue she'd ever seen. Running a hand loosely through his wavy midnight black hair, those captivating eyes now glittered. “I hope that your silence denotes approval,” he told her with a slight chuckle.

Realizing she was staring, Julianna blushed but stood her ground. “Of your looks, yes. Of your barbaric kidnapping, no. And might I ask how you managed to do that without the aid of a horse of your own?”

He thought for a moment to consider this, and then his expression turned cheerful. “Magic?”

“Ah, magic... the ever-popular excuse,” Julianna said with a laugh, not masking her inner skepticism. “And I suppose this same magic brought you here to find me.”

“Possibly.” He folded his arms with a smirk. “Disappointed?”

“No, I don’t think so,” she decided. “If Duchess takes to you, then I suppose there must be something within you worthy of her favor.”

“And is there something within me worthy of your favor?”

At his not-so-subtle request for flattery, Julianna gave him her brightest smile and shook her head. “No, I’m quite positive you’re just as I dubbed you before... a rogue.” His smile faded slightly, but he said nothing. “So then, o’ Mystery Man, now that you’ve had your requested moment of time, Duchess and I will bid you a good day, and good riddance.”

Nodding in mock politeness, she strode purposefully back to her waiting mare. But just as she was about to pull herself up on the saddle again, once more she was pulled free. This time anger, not fear, brought a scream to her lips as she turned to strike the man.

Before she could, he spun her around and pulled her close, his face mere inches from hers. “Do you truly hate me so much for merely startling you earlier?” he asked softly, his voice underlying a shade of hurt.

She struggled against him. “A true gentleman wouldn’t displace a lady from her horse as you did. Twice!”

“Ah, but then you labeled me a rogue, did you not?”

“Well, aren’t you?”

He was silent for a moment, his expression serious. “I thought not earlier... but I believe you could turn me into one.” Not giving her a chance to reply, his arms tightened around her as he leaned forward to kiss her. Unable to say anything, Julianna beat her fists against his chest. For a few moments he let her, and then broke away from her slightly to speak. “I’m sorry about that,” he whispered with a smile. “I’m afraid I seemed a bit unable to help myself.”

Julianna wanted to protest, but instead merely glared at him. “Who are you?”

His confident look returned as he raised one brow. “I’ll tell you what, my sweet lady. Grant me one kiss freely, and I’ll tell you my name.”

“You have a rather high price for information.”

“The high price being a mere kiss?”

She sighed heavily, but her curiosity remained. Not that his last kiss had been unpleasant. She’d never been kissed with such passion before. “All right,” she replied, if only to silence her last thought. “One kiss for your name. But that’s it!”

“That’s it.” He brushed her hair back to cradle her face in his hands. Julianna stared into his eyes curiously.

“What are you doing?”

“If I’ve only the luxury of one kiss, I intend to make the most of it,” he replied, his fingers lightly caressing her cheeks. “By all the heavens, with the sun casting light to the flames of your hair and the fire in your eyes, you are indeed a beauty, my lady.”

She blushed beneath his gaze, shutting her eyes as he lowered his head to kiss her again. This kiss was different from the first, gentle yet seeking. Oddly enough, despite his behavior earlier, Julianna found the sensation of his kiss most pleasant and began to respond in kind. As soon as he sensed this, he smiled, his hands threading through her thick reddish-brown curls, as he’d wanted to from the start.

Shifting slightly to kiss her cheek, he murmured against it, “Do you still wish to know my name?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“You can call me Dominick.”

“Dominick…” she repeated, allowing another moment to pass before reality returned. Eyes narrowing, she pressed her hands against his chest. “You said just one kiss.”

“And I gave you my name,” he agreed.

Julianna’s eyes narrowed. If this rogue thought she was going to extend their bargain, he was sorely mistaken. Glancing down, she raised the heel from her boot and brought it down sharply on the man’s foot. Cursing in fury, he was unable to recover immediately, giving her a chance to leap astride Duchess again.

Reining her steed around as Dominick looked up from his injured foot with an angry grimace, Julianna glanced down at him smugly. “I’m sorry about that. I’m afraid I seemed a bit unable to help myself.”

Recognizing his own words, Dominick’s expression gradually faded into a knowing grin.

“As you were unable to help yourself from reacting to our shared kiss?”

At first she blushed, but then smiled as well.

“You are a rogue,” she laughed.

He moved to stand closer to her, resting a hand gently upon Duchess’ head to keep her calm. “You didn’t seem to mind just now. Am I wrong?”

Slowly, she shook her head. “No,” she replied softly. For a moment their gazes remained locked, but before he could speak again, Julianna gave Dominick a casual wave and rode off.

She smiled as she heard his footsteps following close behind, yet was startled to see him keeping pace with her swift mare.

“I never had the chance to inquire, my lady. You know my name now, but what is your own?”

Julianna flashed him a grin. “Ah, ‘tis a secret, Dominick!” she called out through hearty laughter, urging Duchess to a faster pace and leaving him behind.

*****

As she disappeared towards the horizon, Dominick ceased following her, breathing heavily as he watched her vanish.

“‘Tis a secret!’” he echoed, shaking his head. Turning the other way, he whistled to a steed of his own, which seemed to magically appear out of nowhere. As he mounted up, preparing to ride off, Dominick shook his head again with a smirk. “Saucy wench!” he murmured through a chuckle, clicking his heels against the stallion to send it riding in the opposite direction.

A moment before he literally vanished, steed and all.