Page 36 of A Duke's Lustful Riddle
Gabriel agreed. “What a fine idea, Hugh. Why don't we all meet at the stables in half an hour?”
Everyone agreed in unison, but as they got ready to disperse another voice joined them.
“It looks as though I am just in time,” Alastair said as he approached everyone. His broad smile and obvious intrusion did not sit well with Gabriel in the slightest.
Gabriel’s heart sank at the sight of the man, not at all eager to spend any time in his presence. He glared openly at the short man, willing him away in his mind.
What was Alastair doing here?Gabriel thought to himself.
“I stopped by to spend time with you, Lady Gemma, but it seems a group event is happening. What have I missed?” Alastair asked, looking directly at Gemma.
“We are going for a group ride,” Felicity answered.
Gabriel glared at Felicity, hoping that Alastair would not show any interest in joining them.
“Well, I am always up for a ride. If there is a horse for me that is,” Alastair said, moving closer to Gemma.
Gabriel watched, fists clenching at his sides, as he inched his way toward Gemma.
“We have almost a dozen horses at the estate so you can definitely join us, my lord,” Gemma spoke, grinning for the first time since Hugh and Gabriel joined her and Felicity.
Gabriel was overcome with envy at the sight of the two having easy banter together. It would appear as if he could, in fact, feel a great deal of green-eyed excitement at seeing Gemma with another man.
“That would be lovely. Any time spent with you is an honor, Lady Gemma,” Alastair said.
Gemma blushed, turning her head from him with a shy giggle.
Gabriel was not liking this exchange. Really, this man was entirely overdoing it. He seemed a bit pompous to Gabriel, and he hoped that Alastair would just walk away somehow.
“But you do not have any riding clothes,” Hugh said, saving the day.
“No need to worry. I always travel with riding gear in my carriage just in case a moment like this occurs.” Alastair clapped his hands together. “It is a good thing that I have done exactly that.”
Gabriel’s heart dropped but Gemma beamed. Gabriel enjoyed Gemma’s smile but hated that it was directed at another man. Again, he chastised himself for being so incredibly irritated. He did introduce them after all. He only has himself to blame now. He could announce his intentions, but was he ready? He himself knew not the answer to that question.
“How about everyone changes, and I’ll gather the picnic basket,” Gabriel interrupted the exchange between Gemma and Alastair.
Gemma nodded. “Yes, that sounds like a very lovely idea.” She offered him a smile.
The group was dressed and in the middle of the ride, when Gabriel heard a loud laugh behind him that caused him to turn his head.
While he was leading the group, behind him was Gemma and Alastair riding side by side, and behind them were Hugh and Felicity.
Gabriel didn’t like the fact that he was alone. He also truly didn’t like that Alastair was the one making Gemma cackle in such a strange manner. She did not sound like his Gemma at all.
He hoped her laugh would turn Alastair astray, but it seemed there would be no such luck. The man appeared to be more smitten with her by the second.
Knowing he couldn’t let Gemma and Alastair bond for much longer, he stopped beneath a grand oak tree. He needed to distract Alastair from his obvious flirtations towards Gemma.
“This looks like a good place to settle for the picnic,” Gabriel said. He allowed his announcement to linger in the air with a slight bit of authority.
Everyone else nodded and dismounted from their horses.
Gabriel saw Gemma struggling and he stepped forward to help her. Just as he reached her, Alastair promptly shared a certain type of look with him and took to handling Gemma’s dismount himself. He held her by her waist and carefully lowered her to the ground.
“Thank you, Lord Langley, I do not mean to be so clumsy.” Gemma smiled. “I usually can dismount quite well enough on my own, but today does not seem to be one of those days.”
“I find your clumsiness adorable Lady Gemma,” Alastair said with a smile that drove Gabriel mad with envy. Lord Langley really was beginning to be more than too much. He wished he had never introduced him to Gemma.
