His fingers roamed her flushed cheek and parted lips. “If that’s true, Leigh, then no more games. I’m sorry I made it look that way to you. I was only trying to move slowly and carefully to keep from scaring you. It’s been damned hard, but I wanted to give you time to get to know me, to like me. I know you’re innocent, and I know you’re attracted to me, but that doesn’t give me the right to take unfair advantage of you.”
“How can you take advantage of me if I’m willing?”
“People do things in the heat of passion that they regret later. I don’t want you to ever regret anything you do with me. I wanted us to become friends first, then hopefully a lot more to each other as time passes. With these criminal charges hanging over my head and my family name blackened, I have nothing to offer you but a brief time with me. I can’t return to England with you, and I can’t ask you to permanently exile yourself with a wanted man. I can’t even allow you to let people discover our feelings and ruin your reputation. If you doubt me, my feelings, or my intentions—it’s wrong for anything this important to happen between us. You have to be sure of me and yourself. Once we accept each other, there’s no turning back.”
Leigh understood that this proud man wouldn’t consider marriage until he was exonerated. That might never happen, and she had to have him. “I am sure of myself, Jace, and now I’m sure of you.”
“Think it over Leigh, carefully and completely.”
Leigh was glad he was being cautious and frank. She lifted her hands and grasped his face between them. Rising on her tiptoes as she pulled his head downward, she murmured, “I have, Jace, many times. Now if you don’t kiss me, I’m going to scream or expire.”
Leigh sealed her lips to his, as Jace embraced her. His mouth feasted at hers, just as hers was greedily devouring his. They pressed tightly together and savored this heady moment that both had long awaited and craved.
Jace wanted to prevent as much embarrassment and pain, and to give as much pleasure as possible this first time. He had to control his own desires, and sate them only after she claimed her own. Yet he discovered mastery over his body difficult. She was so warm and eager and responsive. He had dreamed of this night many times, but hadn’t expected it to come so quickly or easily. At last he knew he was the man she wanted, and no other.
Leigh felt more alive in his arms than she had in her lifetime. Never had a man affected her this way. She wanted his kisses, embraces, his touch, and all of him. Her body felt as hot as an iron in a branding fire, and she wanted his possessive mark upon her body and life. She yearned for them to become as one, tonight and forever. Even if their affair was dangerous, she had to taste his sweet passions.
Still kissing her, Jace lifted her and carried her into the adjoining room. The covers were already tossed aside. The lamp was burning low and casting a soft glow in the room and on the golden beauty in his arms. He eased her feet to the floor. Deftly he unfastened her wrapper and let it slide to her ankles. Then he unbuttoned her gown and let it do the same. As his mouth roved her face, ears, hair, and neck before locking with hers once more, he removed his shirt and tossed it aside.
Their bare flesh met, when he embraced her. Leigh trembled at the glorious sensation, and Jace shuddered from the way her breasts felt against his chest. Her fingers trailed over his neck and shoulders, and she admired the strength and soft firmness of them. Jace’s hands roamed her silky back and teased down her spine.
He guided her to the bed and kissed her eyes shut while he removed his shoes and pants. He didn’t want to panic her with the sight of his nakedness. Jace joined her on the bed, savoring the sight of her. With great care and skill, his hands traveled over her body, exploring it and mapping it as he had done to this territory. She was so soft and supple, he couldn’t wait to taste every inch of her sweet flesh. Her tawny mane spread over the pillow and shone in the lamplight. He stroked it and buried his fingers in it. She didn’t seem afraid, but he knew she must be nervous. He moved slowly, gently, not wanting to make any mistakes with this special woman.
Leigh was consumed by desire. She couldn’t seem to get him close enough to please her. His lips and hands worked magic on her, and she felt enchanted. Surely she could lie here with him like this forever. Her breasts were firm, and their peaks hard. She quivered each time his fingers or lips touched them. It created such a tormentingly sweet sensation. When his hand ventured lower, she tensed at the shocking ecstasy he created. A moan escaped her lips. Leigh’s hands wandered over his bronzed back, up his neck, into his mussed brown hair, and across his powerful shoulders. “Oh, Jace,” she murmured and clung to him.
“Just relax and let nature do all the work for you,” he whispered into her ear, his warm breath making her tremble. “It’ll be uncomfortable for a moment, love, but I’ll try not to hurt you.” As Jace moved atop her and gently spread her thighs, he kept talking to calm her. “Ever since I saw you that night in London, I’ve been crazy to have you. When you responded to me, I thought I’d go mad if this didn’t happen soon.” His lips labored lovingly at hers. He kissed her eyes, the tip of her nose, and every inch of her face. His teeth nibbled at her ear, and his hands caressed her breasts.
Leigh was nearly mindless with the aching need that stormed her body without mercy. “Please, Jace,” she urged him to continue.
His mouth captured hers and he kissed her feverishly as his manhood tenderly sought new and rapturous surroundings. He hesitated a while to allow her to adjust to these new sensations. His hands clasped her face between them and his mouth meshed with hers. She was embracing him and responding urgently, so he realized the discomfort had passed. He moved with leisure and caution. He felt her open further to him. Once more she was offering herself freely, totally, and ardently.
Leigh was delighted it hadn’t hurt as she had expected. Perhaps that was because Jace was so tender. She wasn’t totally ignorant about sex and men. She had overheard information, and her aunt Jenna had told her many things during long and private talks. Maybe the difference between gossipy horrid tales and her blissful experience was the fact she wanted and needed this man with all her being.
The flames within Leigh and Jace blazed fiercely from the sparks of their love and desire. They caressed, kissed, and labored in unison. Soon, the wildfire burned out of control. The tension inside them was nearly unbearable. Their passion was overwhelming. They neared the wondrous conclusion of their first journey together.
Jace knew she was approaching the pinnacle of arousal. It was time to carry her into the valley of pleasure and satisfaction. Up the last hill he raced with her, hesitating only a moment at the heady precipice, then pushing them over its beckoning cliff. He locked his gaze to hers at the moment their ecstasy began. As it continued to surge through them, his mouth covered hers and he rode her to their final location. There, his lips did not cease their labors. He kissed her almost breathlessly until she relaxed beneath him. He lifted his head and smiled, a warm and tender one: In a husky voice, he admitted, “That was the most marvelous experience I’ve ever had. You sure you’re all right?”
She laughed and hugged him. “Never better, Mr. Elliott.”
“It’s too late to be formal with me now, woman,” he teased.
“I suppose so, Lancelot. I must confess, I like this rescue even better than your first one,” she replied, mirth filling her eyes.
“I enjoyed both of them, all of them.” His finger-tips grazed her bare chest. She didn’t look embarrassed or ill at ease. He was glad, and relieved. She was his now, all his.
“Is that a possessive or victorious gleam in your eyes?”
He chuckled as he rolled to his back and carried her along with him. She snuggled against him. He sighed with contentment. “Both. You’re some woman, Laura Leigh. I’m glad I risked everything to visit London. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you.”
“Yes, you would have,” Leigh innocently refuted. “Even if we hadn’t met there, we would have met here in Africa because of th
e safari.”
Jace listed his reasons for thinking otherwise. “But it would be different. If I hadn’t been in town lying in wait for you, I would be far from Mombasa and where you’re heading. If Chad had sent for me to work for him, I doubt I would have responded.” He stiffened and corrected. “That isn’t true. I would have come eventually to see what he was up to. I have to make certain he isn’t responsible for framing me and Father. Don’t get riled,” he coaxed when she tensed. “I shouldn’t have brought up my suspicions. I don’t want to spoil this wonderful evening.”
Leigh was tempted to ask Jace again about the trouble between him and Chad, but she didn’t, because she didn’t want it to seem as if she had surrendered just to open him up more. “I agree, so let’s drop it for now. Besides, you’re right. If we hadn’t become friends first, we wouldn’t be lovers tonight.”
He leaned away so he could meet her gaze. “We are friends, aren’t we, Leigh? You do trust me and believe in me, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. If not, we wouldn’t be lying here like this.”
“I had to ask. I’m as new at this kind of relationship as you are. It’ll take some adjusting.”
“And what now, my competitor? My wager is worthless, because you’ve already taken your prize. Shall I bargain something else?”
He teased her nose with a lock of her hair. “No way, woman. As you said at the fort, the safari hasn’t begun yet, so this doesn’t count as part of our deal. One night with you only whets my appetite to win more. Lots more, if I cheat.”
“I told you not to include rule three because I can’t stay here for a year, but you wouldn’t cheat, would you?”
“No, but I’ll work harder than I ever have in my life to get what I want. That’s you, Leigh, for as many nights as possible.”
“Perfect, because I want you just as badly.”
“Even if you cross out rule three, you can have me any time, any place, and any way you want me. Well, almost any place or time.”
Leigh’s eyes brightened with the smile that captured her lips. “That’s a fetching offer, Jace.” She knew she would never cancel the safari or fail to finish it. But dare she break rule two to gain more nights with him when her departure might prevent her from keeping her word? What would she do if Jace let her win his home in an attempt to hold her here? To accept payment gave her a reason to stay in Africa … No, she couldn’t take the plantation.
“You realize we have to keep this a secret until you’re twenty-one and free in November. If Chad even suspected there was something between us, he would intrude. He would pack you up and haul you home.”
“He can’t do that,” she argued. “I don’t belong to him.”
“This is a British protectorate,” he revealed, “and Chad and I are British citizens. William Webster’s inheritance falls under English law. You can’t take control or sell it until you come of age. Until then, Chad is your legal guardian and you have to obey-him. I’m afraid he can force you to leave Africa; British law is on his side for now. He has awesome power over you and your estate until November. If I interfered, I would be in worse trouble than I am now. If I carried you off, the law would come to my plantation to fetch you and arrest me. I’d be sent back to London to face all charges against me. How would it look to everyone if Jace Elliott stole the granddaughter of the man who took everything from him? Like a mean trick on you. They would spirit you back to England to clear your head.”
Jace scowled and said, “I bet that’s his clever plan, the sorry bastard. He brought you here to bewitch me. Then, when he whisks you home, he hopes I’ll follow, get arrested, and hanged.”
“What’s gotten in to you, Jace? That isn’t true. Grandfather planned this safari last winter. When he died and I went to London, Chad asked me if I wanted to come along to get better acquainted. It sounded exciting, so I agreed. Even so, how could Chad know I would make you act so rashly? Besides, you said he wants me. So why would he risk losing me to you, his enemy?”
“He probably thinks you’d never fall for a rogue like me,” Jace speculated. “And he does have the power to keep us apart. If you refuse to obey him and side with a criminal, he can have you declared insane, and you’ll lose everything to him and his mother. We’re trapped, love, so keep quiet so you can stay near me. I wish you could live at my plantation until November, so we’d have more time together.”
“If Chad has that much control over me, how could I?”
“By letting him believe you’re sailing to Texas to visit there until November. He’ll be delighted to have full control over Webster International for months. Once you have your birthday here, then you can do as you please. I don’t like you being in his control.”
“I can’t be your lover for months, Jace; that isn’t right. I have to return to London with Chad after the safari. I have so much to do there. Can you sneak back to England? We could work on clearing you. By November, we can be free to do as we please.”
“I can’t risk another trip this soon, Leigh. Chad has to know how enchanted I am by you. He’ll have the authorities on the lookout for me. And if you return with him after the safari, he’ll be after you day and night to marry him so he won’t lose everything. That would cause me to go crazy with worry and jealousy. You don’t want me to get impatient and reckless, then do something foolish. Stay here and be safe until you’re free of him. I’m sure we can find a way to trick him.”
Leigh sat up and wrapped the edge of the sheet around her nude body. “Chad doesn’t want to marry me. He has Louisa. If he was after me, she wouldn’t be here now. Romancing a woman is a mite difficult with a clingy lover along.”
“Not for Chadwick Hamilton. He always works on a new conquest before he discards his old one. If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s that he wants you badly. He brought Louisa along so you wouldn’t get suspicious or refuse to come.”
Annoyed, she asked, “How do you know?”
Jace moved to the edge of the bed. He recovered his pants, worked them over his feet, then stood to pull them up and fasten them. Leigh observed him, admiring his firm buttocks and the way the muscles in his back rippled as he dressed. He sat again to put on his shoes. She wondered if he was thinking of a good response to her question. She could not become his mistress and he hadn’t mentioned wedlock.
Lifting his shirt and facing her as he donned it, he finally replied. “I know Chad. I know how he treats women. I know he’s selfish and greedy, cold and calculating. I know he wants to woo you, win you, and wed you to get at your inheritance. If you fail to believe me, Leigh, you could be in big trouble. Chad usually gets his desires, one way or another.”
The cold bitterness in his voice concerned Leigh. To glean more information, she ventured, “You knew him years ago, Jace. Maybe he’s matured and changed over the years. He doesn’t strike me that way.”
Jace stopped buttoning his shirt. He stared at her, then said, “Because you’re a woman, and Chad knows how to dupe them.”
Leigh frowned. “I don’t dupe easily, Jace. I know Chad has some character flaws, but everyone does. He’s been kind, thoughtful, generous, and protective of me. We’ve spent a lot of time together, and he’s been nothing but respectful and helpful. He hasn’t tried to influence me. I know he’s attracted to me. But nothing can come of a one-sided desire, and I’m certain Chad realizes I don’t feel the same way about him. He has flirted on occasion, but he’s never kissed or hugged or charmed me. Is it so unusual or unthinkable for him to be tempted by all I am and have?”
Jace caught the jesting tone in her last question, but he knew it was a serious one. To keep from losing her with stubbornness or scaring her over potentially lethal perils, he had to relent a little. Besides, he would be around to safeguard her on the safari, and afterward. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. You’re right. What man wouldn’t be tempted by you? I certainly was.” She jested, “I hope you meant, am, not was.” He grinned. “Am, was, and will be forever.” Leigh
rose, dragging the concealing sheet with her. She leaned against his hard body and murmured, “Good, so stop worrying about Chad. During or after the safari, we’ll figure out what to do about us. Even while we’re separated, I won’t forget you or give up on capturing my handsome prey. You did tell me to become a persistent and aggressive predator, and I am. I won’t let Chad intrude on our plans. I promise, nothing he says or does will change things between us.”
Jace drew her tightly against him. His mouth covered hers as he prayed, I hope not, my love, or I’ll kill him this time …
Chapter Ten
Monday morning, Leigh headed to the lobby to mail a letter to her aunt in Texas. Her heart soared with a happiness, an event she could share only with Jenna. It would be hard to mask her feelings to the others, but she knew she must. November was—
As she passed a door leading into a lovely garden, her thoughts ceased abruptly. She saw Jace standing in a romantic setting talking to a beautiful, light-skinned African woman. She halted, then stepped to the nearby open window. She peered around the edge and observed them. Something in the way they were standing and looking at each other told Leigh they knew each other well.
Leigh did not like spying on her new lover, but she could not help herself. She felt a chill wash over her. She knew he was teasing the female. Jace grasped her chin and shook it in a playful manner. She captured his hand and held it as she spoke to him. His rich laughter reached Leigh’s ears. She wished she could hear what they were saying. The woman was exquisite. Her sarong garment revealed a shapely figure. Her black hair was braided, then twisted around her head like a royal circlet. She never took her brown eyes from Jace, and that riled Leigh, as much as the fact Jace was smiling at another woman.
The blonde watched Jace pull money from his pocket and give it to the woman. They talked and laughed again. As they headed toward the doorway, Jace’s arm was around the female’s waist. Leigh heard him say, “Don’t be like that, Ka’arta. I’ll be home soon and we’ll solve any problem we have. Love isn’t the question; marriage is. It scares a man.”
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