Captured in Croatia

by Christine Edwards

  He must like what I’m doing because his huge hands thread through my hair and are trembling lightly. Desperate moans escape him. I amp up the rhythm, intent on driving him wild.

  Balancing on my knees, I reach my left hand under to lightly stroke his sack with the soft tips of my fingers. With my cast, that is the best I can manage, but I feel him jerk as his balls tighten up. He’s close … his body is as taut as an iron bar. I remove my left hand and take him deep, touching the back of my throat with the head until my eyes water. I want this to be so very good for him.

  On my third deep stroke down onto his straining cock, his hands grip my head and he arches up into me.

  “Ungh!” His guttural moan bounces off the walls. “Carew!” I feel his hot cum flood my mouth as I try my best to swallow all that he offers.

  His hold loosens and he brushes my left cheek with the back of his fingers. I sit up, suddenly feeling shy.

  Before I can move away, he pulls me forward with a light tug on a length my hair. I fall onto his bare chest and feel the thundering of his strong heart beneath me.

  “Thank you, princeza. That was a first for me.”

  My eyes widen and I look at him in disbelief. “You’re messing with me, right?”

  Please let it be true.

  Dark brows draw together. “Why would I mess with you? That was a first. No woman has ever given me oral sex before. What you did was amazing.”

  He’s completely serious. “I don’t understand. How old are you?”

  “Thirty-seven. And it was my choice.” He begins a halting explanation, as if embarrassed, “I’ve always paid whores for sex. I used condoms. I never wanted their well-used mouths on me.”

  “Oh. Oh my, well, that’s interesting.” I’m at a loss.

  “Enough talk.” He slides me to the side and spoons against my bare back. “Rest up. Tomorrow we’re off on an adventure.”

  An adventure? As if I’m not already on the ultimate one?

  I close my eyes and do my best to relax in the safety of his warm arms.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hunted

  I’m rinsing my hair in the shower when he opens the glass door.

  “Georgina brought over a set of proper clothes for you to wear. I placed them on the bed. We are heading out in half an hour. Can you be ready?”

  “Sure. Where are we going?”

  He grins mischievously and says, “You’ll see.” And then he’s gone.

  I towel off and make my way to the neat stack of clothing placed on the now made bed. A black mug of steaming tea rests on the bedside table. What is he up to?

  I slip on the slinky, black silk panties that go with my new gown and the pale gray socks resting on the top of the neat stack. Next is a pair of dark blue, snug skinny jeans. They are a few inches too short, hitting me above my ankles, but they work. A soft black sweater is at the bottom of the stack. It is fitted and has a ‘v’ neckline. I slide it on and work the length of my hair out of the neckline.

  Beside the bed, I see a pair of knee-high black leather boots. They are flat with the exception of a light tread on the underside. I pull them on and I’m pleased to see that they’re only half a size too big and quite supple and comfortable. It’s a relief to be wearing practical clothing, even if it belongs to somebody else. I’ll have to thank this Georgina.

  It has been days since I have worn anything but couture lingerie, which really isn’t a bad thing, but still ….

  Standing in front of the sink, I run the towel over my hair once again, hoping to get it fairly dry before I work on the length with his brush. I watch myself in the mirror. My eyes are bright, the fatigue and stress long gone. I stare curiously at my reflection. I look happy, sated, cheeks tinged with a natural pink color. Is this from all the electrifying sex? Must be. Whatever it is, I can’t recall the last time I looked so alive. I shake my head and cross the room to retrieve the tea. Taking a long sip, I enjoy the bergamot flavor swirling within the smooth, black liquid.

  I carry the mug with me while making my way downstairs to the kitchen. Stepping into the foyer, I hear a distinctly feminine voice chatting away. I slow my steps into the living room before hitting the kitchen. It’s feels strange to meet a woman whose clothes I’m wearing. Here it goes.

  She’s beautiful. Straight, dark chestnut-brown hair hangs halfway down her back. Her frame is very petite, and she’s certainly no taller than five-foot-five. Emerald-green eyes meet mine and full pink lips curl into a smile. She says in a fluid accent, “This must be Carew. Hi there, I’m Georgina.”

  She steps forward to give me a light, friendly hug. Her hair smells like a field of peony flowers.

  “Hello, nice to meet you, Georgina. Thank you for the clothes. I, ah, appreciate it greatly.”

  Her laughter rings throughout the house. “I bet. I hear Tigar is hosting you here in his house for a while then?”

  I flit my gaze to Zoran as he rakes his eyes up and down my body in undisguised male approval. I tighten my lips and manage to grind out, “I suppose you could put it that way.”

  B struggles not to choke on his tea, a strangled laugh erupting.

  So nice to know they find my captivity humorous!

  “Let’s get going,” Zoran says before he takes a final swig of his tea and rinses out the mug in his steel sink. He catches my hand in mid-stride and I walk with him to the front door.

  B asks, “We riding together?”

  “Yep. Carew’s up front with me.”

  After he disarms the alarm, we step out into the spring sunshine. It has to be in the mid-sixties, I think. The weather is gorgeous. I breathe in the clean, fresh air. A flash of movement has me clinging to Zoran. The dogs.

  He laughs as all three bound up to him. They jump about between B and him, hoping one of them will play with them. They are a lot less intimidating when they are not snarling. Wanting my limbs intact, I keep my hands to myself and match Zoran’s stride to the military grade, gigantic black Hummer.

  He opens the door for me and I reach in with my good hand to grab hold of the leather handle that runs parallel across the metal glove box. He circles my waist with his hands and lifts me up into the vehicle. Once seated, I look around. He certainly has tricked out this truck! Immaculate black leather is everywhere and all the gauges are surrounded with carbon fiber detailing.

  B helps Georgina into the back, and as I belt up, the massive engine of the cool truck roars to life.

  I look over at him. “What year is this?

  He watches the rearview mirror as we reverse. “Two thousand four. The final year that they were made for civilian use. I was way into the military ones that I used to drive, liked all the space. I picked this one up as soon as it came on the market. You like it?”

  “Yes, it’s really cool. I never would have guessed that it is ten years old.”

  “I had the interior re-done recently.”

  B snickers. “Yeah, Tigar has always been a pain in the ass about what he likes. Always has to have it on site, no questions asked.”

  Georgina giggles and Zoran pins him with a look in the mirror as he switches into drive and we crawl forward down the dirt road.

  Georgina leans forward. “Since you’re the only one in the car who hasn’t been to our destination today, we are keeping it a secret until we get there. But don’t worry, we are only about fifteen minutes away. B told me you were recently in a car accident. Is your wrist all right?”

  “I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask the big guy that question.” He ignores my pointed look. “So … Zoran mentioned that you both teach?”

  B laughs. “Yeah, I saw her playing kickball on the playground amid a sea of seven-year-olds and thought, ‘Now that is the woman for me!’”

  I turn and watch Georgina laugh and kiss his cheek. “Yes, we both enjoy teaching.”

  “What is your subject, Georgina?”

  “I teach Priroda i Drustvo, which means Nature and Society. It is wonderful. You should see
their little faces light up when we go out on hikes and collect things. They’re interested in anything and everything at this young age.”

  I laugh, but then she asks, “And what about you, Carew? What do you do back in America?”

  I bite my lower lip and glance at Zoran. His eyes are on the road ahead but his grip tightens on the steering wheel.

  “I’m a cryptographer.”

  There’s silence for a second and she asks B in her native tongue, “What’s that?”

  He answers her in English, “Not sure. Carew?”

  I suck in a breath. “It’s coding. Computers mostly.” Best to keep it short.

  Zoran looks at me, his expression unreadable. I glance away.

  “Where did you study?” Georgina asks with genuine interest.

  “I received my undergraduate degree from MIT.”

  She nods. “I haven’t heard of it. So you are intrigued by numbers and computers then?”

  “You can say that, yes.”

  I wish we could talk about anything other than this …. Arctic climate change and the polar bear crisis anyone?

  I try to change the subject. “So how long have you two been an adorable item?”

  I watch as B throws a long arm around Georgina’s delicate shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

  She smiles and answers, “Three years now. It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. Carew, as you’ll soon come to see, these Vranic men can be very … how do you say? Persuasive, yes, that’s it. I miss speaking English, Balthazar; it’s such a fun language! It reminds me of being at the movies!”

  He says something to her in Croatian that I don’t catch and kisses her lips. I avert my eyes to give them privacy. After fiddling with the cuff on my sweater, making sure it is off my cast, I sneak a look at Zoran. His is so completely stunning in the daylight.

  Light filters down through the majestic trees, entering the wide windshield. Those eyes, so watchful and beautiful …. This man misses nothing. As I drink him in, admiring the way his charcoal gray sweater clings to his magnificent body, he turns to me. What I see in his eyes unnerves me. It’s a look that, if I’m not mistaken, expresses sincere adoration.

  My lips part and we drink each other in before he focuses once again on the road. When I get out of here, I hope my memories of him will be vivid.

  Whoa, where in the hell did that come from?

  “We’re nearly there, Carew!” Georgina calls out from the back. “It’s still early in the year so hopefully it will be relatively quiet.”

  I ponder where we could be headed as Zoran rolls the truck to a stop at a small A-frame guard house. The two armed guards are clearly more interested in Zoran’s wicked black Hummer than what we are doing here. After letting them look their fill, Zoran clears his throat and speaks in his native tongue, asking for four entrance passes.

  The shorter of the two guards gives him some kind of total and he reaches into his back pocket to pull out a slim, black leather wallet. After paying in cash, he is handed the tickets along with a brochure or map of some sort. Everything is quickly passed over to me. The glossy brochure has the image of a massive waterfall on the front. It reads “Plitvice National Lakes Park.”

  “Are you excited, Carew? This park is so beautiful! There are many, many waterfalls here. I adore hiking this area with B. It’s so romantic.”

  Thankfully Zoran pulls into a spot before I have to answer that one. We all hop out. Zoran comes around to my side to help me down, clearly taking care to watch out for my arm.

  “Are we hiking together, Tigar, or do you want some more alone time with Carew?” The jesting tone in B’s voice is unmistakable.

  Zoran replies in a flat, dismissive voice, Refusing to take the bait, “We’ll meet you back here at two o’clock. We can grab a late lunch at the pub in town.”

  “Whatever you say, big brother. Georgina and I are headed up the northern trail. Your loss!”

  Zoran shakes his head as B tosses tiny Georgina over his shoulder and races off. She is laughing, her glossy long hair streaming down against the legs of his jeans. I watch them disappear up a narrow path. They are clearly in love. It’s so sweet. I wish we were sticking together on this little nature hike of ours.

  “Come, Carew.” The heat in his voice makes my nipples tighten beneath the softness of the fitted sweater.

  He reachs out to me, and I slip my hand into his rough, callused palm. Lately I have found myself longing for his closeness. Not just the explosive pleasure we experience together, but him. What is happening to me? From our first encounter he has done more to stir the fires within me than I ever dreamed possible.

  As we enter a wooded trail he looks down at me. “There is something I want to show you. Are you up for a morning hike?”

  I lift an eyebrow. “It’s not like I have much of a choice.”

  He smiles and holds my hand in his warmth. “Come on.”

  It’s one thing to drive through this vast forest; however, walking through this paradise is even more awe-inspiring. The intense shades of green along with the diffused sunlight falling onto the small dirt path before us transports me to a very happy place. The rush of water is all around, so omnipresent that it is impossible to pin down any one source. Now this is a perfect day for a hike ….

  “You know, princeza, Kreshmir was never like that … before,” he says in a serious, sad voice.

  “Who?”

  “The man who attacked you. His name is Kreshmir. We have known each other since we were small boys. He was a happy kid, always laughing, joking. You know the sort. Anyhow, his family was also wiped out by the invading army. We entered the military about the same time.

  “I don’t know how much you know about war, Carew, but the violence changes men. It did this to Kreshmir. He seeks it out like a drug, needs it to survive, I suppose. He really should never touch alcohol. I believe it makes it worse for him. He’s going to be hurting badly this morning.”

  “Yeah, well, he sort of deserved it. I mean, the guy was well on his way to raping me!”

  He stops us and holds me by the arms as he stares down into my eyes. “That never would have happened, Carew. I would never let that happen to you. I went out to feed the dogs when he snuck upstairs. I’m sorry that you were frightened, but I’ll always protect you. You know that, right?”

  I sigh. “Zoran, I might actually be able to believe what you’re saying if you weren’t holding me against my will. You need to set me free.” I break his gaze and stare up at the canopy of leaves shielding us from the sky.

  “Okay, princeza, I can’t fight you forever. You want your freedom? Then you’ll have to earn it.”

  “Earn it?” I whisper, pushing the words out past my lips.

  “Up for a challenge?”

  I straighten and step back from his hold. “What are you offering?”

  “Your total freedom. That is, if you’re fast enough.”

  “Details, please.”

  “I’m a sporting guy and I’m willing to give you a full five minute head start anywhere into the forest. If I’m unable to locate you within thirty minutes from the time I come after you, then you are free.”

  My freedom? Unreal!

  “And if you manage to catch me?”

  A dark, feral smile passes over his perfect lips. “Well, let’s just say that I have something quite specific in mind as my reward, princeza.”

  My libido seriously hopes that it involves animalistic sex deep in the woods.

  With effort, I shove the spine-tingling thought aside and purr confidently up to him, “Keep dreaming and take a good look, Tigar, because this is the last time you will ever see my face.”

  With a smug look, he crosses his arms and looks down to check his watch before saying, “We’ll see about that. Ready?”

  “Hell yes.”

  I take one last look at him. Damn, he’s so beautiful ….

  “Go!”

  I take off like a shot in the dark, my arms pumping furious
ly. I run headlong up the trail as if my life depended on it.

  In every way, it does.

  ***

  I watch her silky hair fly out behind her as she sprints away from me and up the narrow trail. A rare, full smile forms on my lips as I plant my feet and wait. I saw the excitement in her eyes and noticed how her breathing changed—becoming rapid and shallow—when I suggested the challenge. She wants me to hunt her down more than she wants her freedom. As much as she denies her needs, I’m beginning to understand how her mind works.

  I stand, quiet and still, on the forest floor, planning my strategy. She has three more minutes and then she will be caught. And when she is …. My already hard cock strains against my jeans to the point where I have to reach a hand in and readjust it up against the waistband of my boxer briefs.

  Oh, yeah, I’m going to have fun with my beautiful princeza this morning.

  She’ll enjoy what I’m going to do to her, because she craves the chase just as much as I do. I look around, taking in the beauty of the lush forest. Time check. Ten more seconds ….

  I call out into the forest, even knowing that she can’t hear me, “Time’s up, baby.”

  Taking off into a fast jog, I follow her path. If I timed it right, then I know where I’ll catch up with her. She’s exactly where I want her, in an area that’s secluded and scenic—perfect for taking her down and showing her who’s really in charge. My pace quickens at the thought.

  Crossing over the long, narrow bridge that spans one of the azure-colored lakes, I wonder what’s going on in her mind. I’m confident that I’ll find her in time. I’m not ready to let her go, but I would reluctantly keep my word if she wins our wager.

  Once I’m on the other side, I come to a halt and listen intently. I wouldn’t put it past her to hide in order to avoid capture. Cocking my head, I remain quiet. I hear nothing but falling water and singing birds so I continue onward, climbing the steep incline that lies ahead.