by Bobbi Smith
"You might as well give it up, Reina. You've lost"
"I concede nothing" she declared arrogantly. She glared up at him, her features flushed from the exertion of her fight.
Clay shrugged. "It doesn't make any difference to me whether you do or not. All I care about is the job I was hired to do. I'm taking you back to your father, with or without your cooperation"
"You can try," she challenged, still trying hard to break away.
As Clay stared down at her, he couldn't stop the reluctant admiration he was feeling. If nothing else, she was a fighter. Even against such overwhelming odds, she refused to surrender to the inevitable.
"It's not a matter of trying. I'll do it," he said with finality.
"Oh, you...!" She gave a tremendous jerk, trying to break away once and for all.
The effort didn't surprise Clay in the least, and he reacted accordingly, yanking her back even closer. All too late, he realized his mistake. She slammed against him, her slender curves pressed far too intimately against him. He could feel every inch of her body as he held her pinioned there. He froze, suddenly, achingly aware of her as a woman.
"Let me go!" She writhed ineffectually, trying to get free, but her actions only stirred his tight-reined ardor all the more.
At the silken feel of her in his arms, his fury waned. His concern for Dev faded. His emotions were in turmoil, and his silver eyes darkened as heat surged through him. He wanted Reina! He had since the first moment he'd laid eyes on her, and that desire had only grown with time. Watching her dress earlier had only teased his senses. Touching her now was more than he could bear.
Reina seemed to sense a sudden change in him and she looked up. She gasped at the intensity she saw in his gaze. "Let me go, Clay!"
"I can't," he groaned, not thinking of escape. "Not now. Not when I've finally found you..."
Reina tensed at the naked desire reflected in the stormy gray depths.
"No, Clay..." she began to protest, but she had no time to say more as Clay's mouth descended to hers, claiming her lips in a demanding exchange.
Reina began to fight again. She didn't want this. She didn't want him! But as his mouth moved persuasively over hers, her struggles weakened. This was no longer Clay, her captor, but Clay, the man ...the man she'd thought she'd loved only a short time before.
"Don't..." she whispered in hoarse protest when his mouth left hers, but he ignored her.
When he bent to seek the sweetness of her throat, a small whimper escaped her. She shivered at the ecstasy of his touch. When he released her hands, she pushed ineffectually against his chest for a moment. But that resistance ended completely as he caressed the full mound of her breast. Passion longdenied exploded within her. With a groan of surrender, she ceased her struggle and melted willingly against the hard wall of his chest.
Anger and some other equally powerful emotion mixed together in a tempest of excitement. They were caught up in a maelstrom of need.
Clay kissed her once more, deepening the kiss this time. They drank of each other, tasting of the wine of their desire. They had refused to recognize it for too long. They had fought it for too long. Their consuming passion could no longer be held back, no longer be denied.
Breathlessly, they clung together. They refused to think about what was happening between them. There was no time for logic. There was time only to feel, to react, to give in to the rampant need that burned hotly within them both and which they were both finally acknowledging.
Reina groaned softly in anticipation as his lips left hers to explore the hollow of her throat once more, seeking out that sensitive pulse point. Clay lifted her easily into his arms, kissing her passionately as he laid her upon the bed. He moved to lie beside her, and in that instant, their gazes locked.
It would have been the time to put a stop to the madness that was engulfing them. It would have been the time to throw accusations at one another and break apart in brittle hatred, but it did not happen. Instead, Clay bent to her with loving intent, his lips brushing hers with short, tender-soft kisses until Reina reached up and drew him down to her for a full, flaming exchange, murmuring his name in almost exquisite agony as she did so.
"Clay..."
"Ah...Reina," came his answer, and her name was a moan of pure desire.
He moved over her, settling his weight upon her, and she welcomed him with open arms. Reina knew this was what she'd always wanted, ever since that day on the stage.. .ever since that night at the way station.
Clay worked the buttons at her bodice, freeing her breasts to his ardent caresses, and she was enraptured. As he shifted lower to press hot, wet kisses to that silken flesh, she held him close, savoring his practiced touch.
A yearning grew deep within the womanly heart of her, and Reina knew it was a need only Clay could satisfy. She wanted him desperately. No other man had ever stirred such wild, wonderful emotions within her. It was almost as if she couldn't get close enough to him, as if she couldn't get enough of his kisses or touch. She never wanted this to end.
He rose above her to capture her lips once more. This time it was a tender kiss, but a kiss that held such promise, Reina felt dizzy from the power of it.
"I want you, Reina," he declared in a love-husky voice. "I want you more than I've ever wanted any woman."
"I want you, too," she whispered, drawing him back for another kiss. She didn't want to talk. She only wanted Clay, and the joy that would come from knowing him fully.
At her invitation, Clay could wait no longer. Impatiently, he began to strip away the gown and underclothing that she'd just so carefully donned a few short hours before. He remembered watching her reflection in the cabin window, and the heat of the memory fueled his passion to even greater heights.
When he moved over her again and kissed her, Reina was ready. It felt right.. .so right - the crush of her full breasts against the fine, soft fabric of his shirt, the shock of his belt buckle, cold against her belly, the long, lean length of his muscle-hardened thighs against her soft, unclad ones.
Clay caressed her silken limbs, his hands never resting as they traced pattern after arousing pattern across her satiny skin. He cupped her breasts, laving them with kisses, then moved lower to tease the slender curve of her waist. He shifted up to kiss her again as he stroked her velvety thighs, urging them apart. He explored the heat and desire nestled between them, his caresses seeking the dark, sweet entrance to her love.
Reina arched upward in surprise at his boldness, but almost immediately relaxed at his murmured urging. He began a rhythmic massage then that transported her and left her enthralled and almost mindless in her pleasure.
"Clay ...oh Clay..." Reina found herself moving with him, matching his caress.
He quickened his touch. He wanted to please Reina, to show her the delight that could be found when passion was sated. Throbbing desire pulsed deep within her and seemed to gain strength as his ardent caress became more and more arousing. It seemed Clay was demanding a response from her body that she had never experienced before. When he sought her breasts once more with hungry kisses, Reina was not prepared for the heart-stopping excitement that erupted within her.
Reina trembled in his arms as ecstasy raced through her slim body. Her hands clutched at him, holding on for dear life as wave after wave of pure physical bliss assaulted her. His name escaped her lips in a cry of breathless wonder as she was swept away on the tidal wave of love. When the last pulsing peak of passion had died, Reina lay weakly, unable to move, in Clay's now-cradling embrace.
Clay stared down at her, his gray eyes stormy and dark with emotions neither could begin to understand. He felt inordinately proud that he'd given her pleasure. He had never known a woman so responsive to his touch, and he never wanted to let her go.
"Reina..." he whispered.
Reina's eyes flew open at the sound of his voice, and her expression was soft and unguarded. She sighed, and her eyes drifted shut as he bent to kiss her once more.
The fever of Clay's own, barely-controlled desire was still demanding release.
"I need you," he said slowly in between, passionate, drugging kisses.
Reina could feel the hard, proud heat of him pressing urgently against her through his clothing. She wanted to know the perfection of loving him, of joining with him, of knowing him as only a woman can know a man. "Yes, yes... please..."
Her encouragement sent his senses soaring, and he left her only long enough to shed his clothing. Joining her back on the bed, Reina gasped at the feel of his hot male body next to hers.
"Clay... I..."
"Hush, just let me love you," he coaxed just before kissing her again.
Reina had felt so languid that she was startled when Clay's fervent kisses and knowing caresses stirred the fire of her passion once more. It surprised her, but it also thrilled her to know that she could respond to Clay so fully and so easily and cause the same reaction in him.
Wanting to please him as much as he had pleased her, she began to return his touch, exploring the vast, muscle-sculpted width of his chest with her own arousing caresses then moving lower to his waist and stomach. When Clay groaned at her sensual ploy, Reina knew a burst of feminine pride. She had never realized what power a woman could exert over a man, and it made her feel good to know that she could arouse him the same as he could her.
Reina's innocent brazenness sent Clay's desire spiralling out of control, and he could wait no longer to sample of her love. He rose above her, fitting his body intimately to hers.
Her eyes widened at the sensation, so foreign to her femininity, yet somehow so perfect. She had an understanding of what went on between a man and woman, but knew little beside the basic facts. The reality of his masculinity was much more exciting than anything she'd ever dreamed. She tensed, waiting for whatever was to come next.
Clay did not press his possession of her at that moment, though, for he felt her go tense in expectation. Her action surprised him a bit, because he thought her a woman well-versed in the ways of men.
"Easy..." he told her.
He began kissing her and caressing her again until he felt the anxiety ebb from her slender form. Then with the utmost of care, he lifted her hips to receive him and, positioning himself, surged forward to enter her completely and fully.
The fact of her virginity became known to Clay only as he breached that slight barrier of her innocence. It shocked him, even as it shamed him. He stopped, holding himself rigidly still, even though his body demanded satisfaction, now that it was buried in the sweet-heat of hers.
"Reina..." he rasped.
Clay tried to hold back, but his passion was too strong to be long denied. His sensibilities were brushed aside when he found he could no longer hold himself in abeyance. He wanted her... needed her... couldn't wait another moment to have her.
He began to move, tenderly at first, gently plumbing the depths of her womanhood. Reina was quiescent initially, but as he continued to kiss and fondle her, her desire sparked again. She was soon meeting him in that most sensual and natural of rhythms.
At her response, Clay quickened his pace, needing to reach that pinnacle of passion's dream and wanting to take her along with him. They moved together in love's melody, surging and ebbing, giving and taking, until the rainbow of desire's storm burst upon them, showering them in the thrilling ecstasy of excitement's perfect completion.
Clay and Reina lay wrapped in each other's arms, their bodies still locked together. Neither wanted to move or speak. They wanted to cling to the peacefilled comfort of passion's aftermath. It was a time for tender caresses. A time for gentle quiet.
Clay's thoughts were completely befuddled as he held Reina close. Never in his life had he known such ecstasy. The touch of her, the scent of her, the glory of having her completely had touched him as he'd never been touched before. He closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it too deeply. It felt too perfect holding her close.
Reina rested in the circle of his arms, her head nestled on the broad width of his shoulder. Her thoughts were pleasantly distracted and far from the painful reality she would soon have to face. She didn't want to dwell on anything except the contentment she was feeling at lying in his protective embrace. A serene drowsiness soothed her, and she drew a deep breath, then gave herself over to the blissful oblivion of sleep.
Reina woke slowly, opening her eyes to the brilliant sunlight streaming through the window. Morning... She was just starting to stretch and roll over when the passionate memory of the night just passed jumped into her drowsy thoughts. Clay! Dear God, what had she done? She stopped all motion and turned slightly to glance at him.
The sight of her captor slumbering peacefully by her side, looking extraordinarily handsome, unnerved her. He appeared much younger in his sleep, the hard edge to his features easing, the errant lock of dark hair that fell across his forehead giving him an almost boyish look. A part of Reina wanted to reach out and brush his hair back off his face, but wisely she refrained. She didn't want him to wake up just yet. She was too confused.. .too troubled. She had to sort out her thoughts and come to grips with what had happened.
Her gaze drifted lower, visually caressing his wide, powerful shoulders and his strong, furred chest. A slightly self-conscious blush pinkened her cheeks as she remembered how wonderful it had felt to be held close against him and how erotic the crisp hair on his chest had felt against the sensitive peaks of her breasts.
Reina's glance shifted even farther down the fascinating length of him. She marvelled at how lean Clay was, for there wasn't an ounce of extra flesh on him. He was solid, rock-hard muscle. She found it particularly enticing that the hair covering his chest and stomach tantalizingly narrowed just past his waist. Her view of him was restricted from there, because the blanket was wound around his lower body.
It was then Reina recalled that they had fallen asleep naked in each other's arms. Some time during the night then, he must have roused himself enough to draw the covers over them both. An odd feeling of tenderness filled her at the thought of his action, and her thoughts grew even more confused.
This was Clay Cordell - her father's henchman ...her nemesis... and now her lover. Reina wasn't sure what she felt for him. She only knew that the moment he touched her, she melted to his will. There was something about him, something so compelling that she couldn't refuse him and, in fact, didn't want to.
Reina wondered what he was feeling. She wondered if what had happened between them had been as special for him as it was for her. She felt almost certain that it had been. Their lovemaking had been beautiful. She could think of no words wonderful enough to describe it.
A smile curved her lips. Certainly, this had changed everything between them. She suddenly wanted to talk to him about it, to discuss her feelings with him. She looked up, hoping to find him awake. She was delighted to find that he was, his silver gaze resting upon her with a piercing intensity she could almost feel.
Clay watched her in silence. He wanted to trust her. He longed to think that he could. Last night had been more exciting than he'd ever dreamed it could be, but the lesson he'd learned early in life, even now, colored his thinking. He was cautious, judging her smile by his memories, and, in that judgment, concluding that it was all an act. A voice warned him that she couldn't be believed, that she would do whatever she could to achieve her own ends. He listened to her, his heart and mind already set against her.
"Clay..." she began hesitantly, "We have to talk. What happened last night..."
"Was special?" Clay offered guardedly
"Oh, yes," she said. "It was wonderful, and it changes so much between us."
When Clay had come awake to find Reina studying him intently, he'd wished for just an instant that things could be different between them, but then when she'd started talking and telling her lies, reality had set in. Her innocently offered words and sweet smile jarred him, for he knew from past experience that she didn't mean any of it. He kept his expres
sion inscrutable as he'd listened to her, and then he asked in a particularly harsh voice, "Tell me, Reina, exactly what does it change?"
She blinked in surprise at his coldness, but her smile never wavered. "Why, everything," she said.
His eyes were totally devoid of any warmth as he continued sarcastically, "I don't think so."
"What?"
"Look, Reina, it's not going to work. I've seen how women like you operate."
"Women like me?" she repeated in innocence.
Clay gave a snort of disbelief at her pretense, and he climbed out of bed. His motions were quick and sure as he pulled on his pants. "Save it. Don't waste your time thinking that you're going to convince me you gave yourself to me last night out of any great emotion. I wouldn't believe it. I know how women use their bodies to manipulate men. If you think you can use your beautiful body to get me to set you free, you're wrong. You're going home to your father."
His cold, brutal statements killed any more tender emotion she'd harbored toward him, and she berated herself for having thought things might have changed. How could she ever have forgotten that only hostility and mistrust existed between them! How could she have given herself to him that way! The fire of her fury and the power of her hatred for him glowed heatedly in her dark eyes.
"Why would I want to convince you it was a love match? There was certainly no love involved in it for me," she belittled sharply.
Her words reinforced what he'd believed from the start. It had all been an act.
"Then we both know what it was all about," Clay said coolly, shrugging on his shirt and buttoning it. He saw the fire of her hatred in her expression and knew then he'd been right all along,
"You're a predator, Clay Cordell," she charged, the anger and hurt she was feeling driving her to strike out at him. "You were sent to find me and take me back home, not take advantage of me at a time when I was helpless and unprotected!"
Her words stung. She had been a virgin. Any further guilt he might have felt was dismissed though, for he remembered that she wanted him just as much as he had wanted her. Clay gave a terse laugh. "Helpless and unprotected? You? I've never known a woman more capable of taking care of herself."