Hard to Hold

by Karen Foley

  “This is outrageous,” she hissed.

  “Is it? You didn’t think it was outrageous last night, when you shackled me to the couch.” With his free hand, Colton removed his wallet and placed the handcuff key inside. “C’mon, let’s get some sleep. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t slept in two days.”

  To her credit, she looked guilty. “Look, I’m sorry I drugged you, and I’m sorry I took your truck, but now you understand how desperate I was, maybe you can forgive me.” She gave him a trembling smile. “You really can trust me. I won’t try anything, I promise.”

  Colton snorted in disbelief and walked her over to the bed. “Sorry, darlin’, but I’m not buying it. I don’t trust you one bit.”

  He pulled back the blankets on the bed, and still wearing his unzipped jeans and socks, eased himself down onto the mattress. With their hands bound together, Maddie had no choice but to do the same. She yanked the sash of the bathrobe tight around her waist and giving him a disgruntled look, gingerly lay down, putting as much space as possible between them.

  Leaning over, Colton dropped his wallet onto the floor beside the bed where Maddie would have no chance of reaching it without crawling over him and waking him up. Without another word, he dragged the blankets over both of them and then snapped off the bedside light. They lay side by side in the darkness, but Colton was acutely aware of their linked wrists.

  “Just don’t forget I’m tethered to you. Don’t roll away from me in the night,” she said darkly. “I have no desire to wake up draped across your body.”

  Colton didn’t answer, but the images her words evoked ensured that he lay awake for several long hours. He listened to her breathing and knew the precise instant when she finally drifted into sleep and her body relaxed beside him. Her fingers brushed against his where they were shackled together, and as if subconsciously seeking more contact, she rolled toward him until he could feel her warm breath against his bare shoulder, feel the heat that rolled off her beneath the covers. With a groan, he flung his free arm over his eyes, knowing it was going to be a long night.

  7

  MADDIE OPENED HER eyes to utter blackness, momentarily disoriented. She was surrounded by warmth, and something thumped steadily beneath her ear. Slowly, she became aware that she lay with her head on Colton’s bare chest, with her free arm flung across his torso and their manacled hands entwined between their bodies. His breathing was deep and even, and Maddie lay completely still for a moment, listening to his heartbeat and savoring the sensation of being pressed against him. If he woke up, he’d probably shove her away, and as much as she hated to admit it, she liked their current position.

  She felt safe.

  She recalled again how turned on she’d been when he’d kissed her in the living room. Maybe she’d deliberately set out to seduce him in order to gain the upper hand, but she’d quickly found herself overwhelmed by his sheer potency. The guy knew how to kiss, and when she’d curled her fingers around his straining erection, she’d forgotten everything else. The only thing she’d been able to think about was how much she wanted him.

  She’d tried to get him to stop talking, but honorable to the end, he’d kept insisting that she needed to trust him. Maddie didn’t want him involved in the blackmailing scheme, didn’t want to drag him into the mess that was her life. She just wanted to lose herself in him, however briefly, and forget about everything else but the pleasure they could give each other. Had she planned to use him? Oh, yeah, but not in the way that he’d believed.

  He slept deeply, and as Maddie’s eyes adjusted to the dark, she could just make out his features. He’d turned his face toward her, and his chin rested against her hair. At some point, they’d pushed the blankets down, and Maddie could see her own hand, pale where it rested against his ribs. Except for the trail of dark hair that extended from his navel to beneath the waistband of his pants, his skin was smooth and tawny, his nipples dark, flat disks on his tautly muscled chest. Cautiously, she smoothed her fingertips over one small nub, watching in fascination as it puckered beneath her touch.

  Colton’s breathing didn’t change, and emboldened, she let her fingers drift over his skin, enjoying the warmth and texture. He stirred and muttered something, but didn’t wake up.

  Maddie wanted him awake. She wanted to feel the energy and strength that he radiated, and wanted it focused on her. She had never met a man like Colton Black before.

  Honorable.

  Capable.

  Sexy as hell.

  And once this nightmare was over, she’d be unlikely to ever meet anyone remotely like him again in her life. Sure, he was gorgeous, but that wasn’t the only thing about him that she found attractive. She recalled again how kind he had been to her at the cabin, and how safe he’d made her feel when he’d held her. And how had she repaid him? By drugging him and shackling him to a sofa with his own handcuffs, and then stealing his truck. The guy probably hadn’t had a decent vacation in years, and she’d gone and completely ruined his time off.

  But she could make it up to him now. She told herself she was doing it for him, but there was a part of her that acknowledged she wanted to have sex with Colton Black. She needed to know how it would feel to be surrounded by his warmth and passion; to have him inside her and watch his face as he lost control. She couldn’t deny that she was doing it for herself, too. It had been so long since she’d been with anyone who had made her feel the way Colton did—alive.

  Slowly, she pressed her mouth against his chest and slid her free hand along his torso, feeling the ridges of muscle beneath her fingertips. He sighed in his sleep and then stretched languorously, like a big cat. Maddie shifted closer, smoothing her palm over his skin as she planted soft, moist kisses against his chest. His breathing changed, became sharper. Lifting her head, she saw him watching her through glittering eyes.

  Their wrists were still linked, their arms pressed close where they rested between their bodies. Raising herself on one elbow, Maddie slowly bent her head and covered his mouth with her own, softly pressing her tongue past his lips until she encountered the hot slide of his. For a moment he lay perfectly still as she worked her mouth sensuously against his. Then he groaned loudly and raised his free hand, only to bury it in her hair and hold her head in place as he returned her kiss with heated intensity.

  Maddie was unprepared when he rolled over her, turning her onto her back beneath him. He linked his fingers with hers where they were joined by the handcuffs, and then pushed her hand over her head. He loomed over her in the darkness, and Maddie was aware of a sharp excitement, anticipating what would come next.

  “Darlin’,” he rasped, his voice husky with sleep, “what are you doing?”

  She cupped his jaw, rubbing her fingertips over his whisker-rough skin. “What do you think I’m doing? Please, Colton...” She emphasized her words by shifting restlessly beneath him, pushing her hips against his in a way that he couldn’t mistake.

  “This is crazy,” he muttered, just before he dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a kiss so carnal that Maddie felt her insides turn to liquid.

  She clung to him, wrapping her free arm around his neck and pushing her fingers through his hair, even as she pulled her knees back to cradle him more completely between her thighs. Beneath the terry robe, she was almost nude, and with an impatient sweep of his hand, Colton parted the fabric and cupped one breast in his big palm. Maddie gasped into his mouth at the intimate contact. His hand was warm and callused, and when he rubbed his thumb over her nipple, she felt an answering throb of sensation between her legs.

  Colton dragged his mouth from hers and skated his lips along the side of her neck, causing her to shiver beneath his sensual attention. She clutched him tighter.

  “Please,” she whispered against his hair.

  “Soon, darlin’.” His voice was a husky rasp. He dipped his head to
draw one nipple into his mouth. The slick heat of his tongue was almost more than Maddie could take, and she heard herself whimper even as she held his head in place, rubbing her fingers against his scalp. He used his free hand to cup that breast as he flicked his tongue over the tight bud of her other nipple, before drawing it into his mouth in turn and sucking sharply.

  Maddie shifted restlessly beneath him. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her, and she pushed back experimentally. The movement caused him to rub directly against her, and she grunted softly at the contact. Her heartbeat throbbed in every limb, but most strongly where his aroused flesh met hers.

  She tightened her knees against his ribs and subtly urged him closer with her heels at the back of his thighs. To her dismay, he eased his way down her body, dragging the blankets with him, and pressed his mouth against her bare skin as he went. Maddie’s breath came in fitful pants, her breasts and stomach quivering beneath his touch. But when he moved his hands to her knees and firmly pushed them outward, she stopped breathing altogether.

  “Colton...”

  “Shh.” His warm breath fanned against the fragile barrier of her panties. “Let me.”

  Raising her head, Maddie looked down the length of her body at him. He was a large, dark shape between her pale thighs. His hands still cupped her knees. Maddie curled her fingers around his wrist where they were manacled together, but whether to stop him or urge him on, she couldn’t say. As she watched, he slid his palms down the inside of her legs, dragging her hand with his, and gently eased her thighs farther apart. Tugging the silk panties to one side, he used his thumbs to stroke her. Flames ignited beneath his touch, and Maddie knew she was slick with arousal. As she watched, he dipped his head and licked her once. Her head fell back against the pillows, and she groaned loudly.

  “Do you like that?”

  Locked in a paralysis of pleasure, Maddie could only manage to squeeze her fingers around his. But when he pressed his tongue against her clitoris, she nearly came off the bed. He swirled his tongue softly over her, causing her to writhe helplessly beneath him. He knew her body better than she did, using his mouth to torment her, even as he slid one finger deep inside her. Maddie’s muscles contracted around him, and her hips moved as he began to thrust rhythmically into her. But when he flicked his tongue hard against the swollen rise of her flesh, Maddie began to come undone.

  “I’m not going to last,” she managed to say, her voice sounding strangled. She clutched his wrist in warning, but when he eased a second finger inside her, she cried out as powerful contractions racked her and pleasure crashed over her, more intense than anything she had ever experienced before. She didn’t think she could stand much more and survive, but Colton didn’t stop until he’d wrung every last tremor from her quivering body.

  Maddie pushed weakly at his head with her free hand, and he released her. But instead of settling himself between her legs to finish what he had started, he pulled himself up alongside her and lay down on his back, their linked arms between them. She sensed rather than saw him fling his free arm over his face. In the darkness, the only sound was their uneven breathing. She knew he was still aroused; had felt the hard thrust of his erection as he’d climbed away from her. When he didn’t turn toward her, or give any indication that he wanted to continue, Maddie rose on her elbow.

  Despite the amazing orgasm he’d given her, she still wanted him. Wanted to feel him inside her, and to give him the same incredible release that he’d just given her.

  Tentatively, she touched his shoulder. “Colton—”

  “Go to sleep, Madeleine.” His voice was rough and he sounded weary.

  For a moment he lay still, and then she felt him reach over the edge of the bed with his free hand and retrieve his wallet from where he had left it on the floor. In the next instant, he freed himself from the handcuff, only to snap the loose end around the narrow slat of the headboard. Maddie didn’t even have time to protest before Colton rose to his feet and crossed to the bathroom. He was silhouetted briefly in the doorway when he snapped on the light, and then he shut the door firmly behind him, leaving her alone in the dark.

  Tentatively, she tugged at the restraint, but there was no way she was getting herself free. The knowledge that he didn’t trust her stung, although she acknowledged that she hadn’t given him any reason to. Already, he knew her pretty well, because given the chance, she definitely would have ditched him again. Even at this time of night, she would have slipped away in order to find her brother.

  The shower turned on, and she could imagine Colton stripping down and standing beneath the steaming spray of water, still aroused, and no doubt angry because of it. Her body still thrummed where he had touched her, and she recalled again the feel of his hands and lips on her skin. He’d wanted her; she was positive about that. So why had he stopped? Did he think he was abusing his authority as a U.S. marshal, or was there a part of him that found her repugnant?

  The sound of running water stopped, and several moments later the bathroom door opened. In the brief seconds before he snapped off the light, Maddie saw him clearly, and let out a deep breath. He wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his lean hips, and steam wreathed his impressive body. Then he shut the light off and walked toward the bed. Leaning over, he captured her wrist in one hand, and Maddie felt him fitting the key into the handcuffs. Droplets of water fell from his hair and plopped onto her bare skin. He smelled clean and fragrant, and his warm breath fanned her cheek as he released her.

  Straightening, he stood by the side of the bed for a moment, and Maddie wondered how much of her he could see. She dragged the edges of her bathrobe together, self-conscious in spite of the darkness.

  “I’ll be in the other room,” he said, his voice low. “Don’t even think about trying to sneak out, because I won’t be asleep.”

  Without waiting for a response, he left the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him. Maddie rubbed her wrist where the handcuff had been, and then dragged the blankets over her. Curling onto her side, she listened as he moved around in the adjoining room. She felt small and miserable And even knowing that she shouldn’t get involved with Colton Black for a hundred different reasons, she felt shunned.

  Rejected.

  She bunched the pillow beneath her cheek. Colton might make her feel safe, but now she wondered if it was only an illusion. He said that she could trust him, but she knew better. She couldn’t trust anyone. She’d learned from bitter experience that she could rely only on herself. But for the first time she could recall, the knowledge made her feel desolate.

  * * *

  IN THE LIVING room, Colton dug through his duffel bag and dragged out a clean set of clothes, dropping his towel to pull on the boxers and jeans. Despite the shower, he was still aroused and aching.

  Barefoot and shirtless, he sat down on the sofa and scrubbed his hands over his face, knowing he was out of his league. It had taken all his willpower to leave Madeleine alone in the bed and not make love to her fully. More than anything, he’d wanted to bury himself in her sweet body, but he’d be damned if he’d let her accuse him of using her. When he finally made love to Madeleine—and he would—it’d happen when there were no more secrets between them. He needed her to trust him unconditionally.

  Blowing out a hard breath, he rose to his feet and retrieved his smartphone from where he had left it on the table. Scrolling through the messages, he saw that Jason Cooper had sent him the background report on Madeleine. Opening the document, he quickly scanned the contents.

  Her mother had died of cancer when Maddie was just ten years old, leaving her and her two-year-old brother in the custody of their father, a compulsive gambler. James Howe had had a police record, mostly public disturbances related to his losses at the casinos. He’d been banned from most of the major gaming establishments in both Reno and Las Vegas, and his death seventeen years ago had been
ruled a suicide. Madeleine would have been twelve years old at the time. Following his death, Madeleine’s grandfather had gained custody of the children, raising them in the cabin in the hills.

  But Gramps had his own problems with gambling and alcohol, although it seemed he’d made an effort to clean up his act once his grandchildren had moved in with him. Somehow, he’d ensured that Madeleine went to college, and had established a small trust fund for her brother’s education. But a lifetime of excess had eventually taken its toll, and he had died of liver failure in an Elko nursing home two years ago.

  Colton closed the document and set the phone aside. Opening his wallet, he withdrew the photo he’d taken from the cabin—the one of Madeleine and her brother sitting on the steps there. He tried to imagine what it must have been like for her, losing both her parents at such a young age, and having to live with an old man who gambled and drank too much. How had old Zeke described him? As a wastrel. Not exactly a model guardian for two children. Colton could well believe that Madeleine had resorted to conning tourists out of their money; she’d probably had no other choice if she wanted to take care of her younger brother.

  Colton thought of his two younger half brothers, both of them in their teens. He’d never had to worry about either of them, secure in the knowledge that they were well loved and cared for. Despite the fact his own parents had never married, Colton hadn’t doubted either of his parents’ love.

  He’d had an unorthodox upbringing, to say the least. His father had been a student at Stanford University, and had spent one summer working on a Shoshone reservation near Paradise Valley, where he had become involved with a young Shoshone woman. Their brief affair ended when Colton’s father returned to California, but by then his mother had been pregnant. Colton’s dad had wanted to get married, but his mom had been more pragmatic, insisting they would be happier apart. She’d been right, and despite the fact they hadn’t married, they’d remained close.