Fire and Desire (Arabesque)

by Jackson, Brenda

  He had made love to her with a fierceness that had incited her hunger, overfilled her with sexual greed and tantalized every nerve ending in her body. He had touched her on a level that had unlocked every single emotion she possessed. She had been ravaged with uncontrollable need, and he had satisfied each and every one of her desires. The real thing had been better than any dreams she’d ever had of them together this way.

  From the first time she had met him, she had had this gut feeling that Trevor would be the one man to unlock the passionate side of her. She had known he would not handle her with kid gloves, nor would he treat her like she was some fine piece of china. She had known he would be the one to see beyond her polished manners, and her prim-and-proper persona. From the very beginning, he had treated her like an alluring woman more so than a well-bred lady. He had made her feel hot, sexy, sensual and desirable.

  She wanted to lie in his arms for a while longer and wished their bodies were still connected. She was basking in the afterglow of their unrestrained and undisciplined lovemaking. She wanted to give herself to him again, right now. She wanted to feel the fierce sensations of their bodies, sleek with sweat, pressed together in the most intimate way, bare skin against bare skin, as they moved at a steady, yet tempestuous rhythm, a rampant, sensuous beat, giving each other profound pleasure.

  She wasn’t ready for this time with him to end.

  And she wasn’t ready to open her eyes and look at him for fear of what she might see—regret, loathing, disappointment. She wouldn’t be able to stand it if she saw any of those things in his eyes.

  “Corinthians?” He said her name quietly, softly.

  When she didn’t respond, he called her name again, this time with a tinge of nervousness in his voice. “Corinthians? Are you all right? Was I too rough? Did I hurt you?”

  She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His features were tense and worried. She thought it best to answer him now. “Yes, I’m all right. And no, you weren’t rough.”

  Corinthians saw Trevor’s features relax…at least at first. Then she saw the exact moment a thought occurred to him, and he reached out and gently caressed the curve of her cheek with his knuckles. The deep darkness of his eyes was compelling and at the same time compassionate, filled with deep concern. “You didn’t answer my question as to whether or not I hurt you. Did I hurt you, Corinthians?”

  She shifted her eyes from his to let her gaze settle on something other than his face. She chose the cracks in the wall. Dawn was breaking, and daylight was filtering through them. “No, you didn’t hurt me, Trevor,” she answered quietly. The truth of the matter, she thought to herself, is that I’ve hurt myself by destroying any chance of you ever loving me. In your eyes, I’ve proven you right. Now more so than ever, you believe I can love another man, yet sleep with you. You thought poorly of my character before. I don’t want to know what you think of it now. Pain settled in Corinthians’s heart and she fought back a multitude of tears.

  “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”

  She nodded, still avoiding his eyes. “I’m sure.”

  Trevor wanted to desperately to believe her, but now, he couldn’t think straight. The only think he could think about was that just a while ago, he had been presented with undeniable proof that she had never slept with another man before him. It was hard to believe a woman her age had not engaged in some sort of sexual activity before now. Then he painfully remembered that on a night two years ago, she had been prepared to rid herself of her virginity for Dex. It hurt him to know that he had not been the intended recipient of such a precious gift from her. He had not been her chosen one. But he had been the one to receive it nonetheless. And the sad thing was that a part of him was glad it had been him.

  “I’m sorry, Corinthians,” he said quietly. “I know it’s too late for those words, but I’m saying them anyway. I’m sorry I lost control like that.”

  He knew his words were no excuse for his actions, and wished he was sincere in saying them, but he wasn’t. He had no regrets for making love to her. Until the day he died, he would never regret that.

  The last thing Corinthians wanted to hear was that Trevor was sorry for making love to her, and that he was sorry for touching her. She didn’t want to hear that he regretted making her feel things she had never felt before, and for a little while, making her believe there was a chance for them, and that one day he could grow to love her as much as she loved him.

  But now that would never happen. There was too much mistrust and misunderstanding between them. She met his gaze. “Why are you sorry?” she asked softly. “You’ve accomplished what you wanted to do and that was to settle a score.” Then she turned her head and rolled away from him.

  Trevor opened his mouth to refute her statement, then decided not to. What good would it do? He moved away from her, reached for his clothes and began putting them on.

  After getting dressed, he looked down at her. She lay wrapped in the blanket with her back to him. He knew he could not leave things this way between them. Knowing she probably hated his guts right now, he wanted to set the record straight. He did not want her to think what they’d shared had meant nothing to him.

  He crouched back down and gently turned her face to him. He saw the tears swimming in her eyes. The sight of them tore through him, crumbled his defenses and pulled at his heart—the one she unknowingly owned.

  He had hurt her. If not physically, he had hurt her mentally by taking something from her than she had not intended for him to have.

  He reached out and took her chin in one hand, holding it until her eyes finally met his. All the love he felt for her came rushing through. And with that feeling came the need to tell her how much he loved her. He leaned forward. His lips brushed along her cheekbone and eyes before his mouth touched hers in a tender and sweet caress. Gone was the urgency and desperation of before. The kiss he bestowed upon her now was gentle and smooth. With painstaking care, he tried kissing her hurt away. A few moments later, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

  “There’s something I have to tell you, Corinthians. It’s something I should have told you before making love to you. It doesn’t excuse my behavior or my actions, but maybe it will explain the reason why I wanted you so much.”

  Corinthians’s breath was unsteady when she asked, “What do you have to tell me?”

  Trevor opened his mouth to speak but closed it suddenly when his ears picked up a sound outside of the cave. His features were immediately put on alert.

  Corinthians noticed it. “Trevor, what is it? What’s wrong?”

  He let out a deep sigh. It was more of disappointment than relief. There was no mistaking the soft cooing call he had just heard. He would recognize it anywhere. As much as he wanted them to be rescued, Ashton’s timing was off. He had found them at the worst possible time. Now, more so than ever, he and Corinthians needed additional time alone to talk things out.

  “We have to finish this conversation later,” he said gently, rising to his feet. “You need to get up and get dressed. The cavalry has arrived.”

  Chapter 18

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you weren’t glad to see me, Captain.”

  Ashton Sinclair spoke those words as he stood with his muscular body casually braced against a huge boulder. His keenly observant gaze was intrigued with the look he saw on Trevor’s face the moment he had walked out of the cave. The dark of Ashton’s eyes flickered with interest as he watched Trevor walk toward him. He took another puff from his cigar, causing a billow of smoke to curl around his head like a halo.

  Trevor came and stood at Ashton’s side. He accepted the lit cigar that his friend handed to him. “On the contrary, Colonel. I am glad to see you. It’s just your timing is lousy.”

  Ashton caught a particular look in Trevor’s eyes. “Oh, that’s the way it is, huh?”

  Trevor took two slow puffs off the cigar before answering, “The way what is?”

  “You and
Corinthians Avery. Ever since the names of the hostages were released to the media yesterday, everyone assumed the two of you escaped into the jungle together.”

  “They assumed right.”

  Ashton finished off his cigar and tossed it to the ground. Then he ground the remains into the earth with his military boot. “There are some people who are doing more than just assuming. They’re also speculating that you and Miss Avery got a thing going on. Otherwise, how would you have gotten her out of the hotel with you as quickly as you did. Unless, of course, the two of you just happened to be sharing a room that night.”

  Trevor stopped smoking. His brows lifted in surprise just seconds before his gaze darkened. All traces of humor left his eyes. “For crying out loud, Ashton, who in their right mind would even care about something like that under the circumstances?”

  “Oh, you’d be surprised. She’s the sister of a United States senator. You and Corinthians Avery’s daring escape from the clutches of the terrorists made headline news.”

  Trevor gave Ashton a sidelong glance before asking, “What did the media have to say about it?”

  “Mostly about how the two of you were able to escape the terrorists. But you know how they are. They’re always looking for a story. And with her brother being a senator, especially one who, from what I hear, is dead-set on becoming Texas’s first black governor, and added to the fact he’s not particularly popular with some folks, that makes any of Miss Avery’s activities that much more interesting to some people.”

  Trevor’s eyes darkened. The last thing he needed was anyone sticking their noses in his and Corinthians’s business. What was between him and Corinthians was just that—between him and Corinthians. “Well, whoever is interested needs to get uninterested.”

  “I agree, but just a warning. You may have to deal with her brother. Ever since this entire hostage incident, he’s been throwing his weight around Washington big-time. He’s been a monumental pain in the rear end.”

  Trevor nodded. He had never met Joshua Avery, and if the truth were known, he never wanted to, either. He did not agree with any of Avery’s political views. In fact, he thought Avery was a prime example of a brother who had forgotten where he’d come from. He had no intentions of supporting Avery for governor of Texas or anything else for that matter.

  “Any word on the hostages?” he asked Ashton after tossing down his unfinished cigar and stomping it out.

  “The United States military is on top of it. The oil companies are prepared to pay ransom, but the president is discouraging them.”

  “Does anyone know who’s behind it?”

  “Yeah, a man by the name of Araque. He will be dealt with severely when he’s captured. Our main concern right now is the hostages’ safety.”

  Trevor released a deep sigh. “There’s a number of things about this entire situation that don’t add up, Ashton. I need to go over them with you in detail when we get back to the embassy.”

  Ashton turned and looked directly at Trevor. “We’re not going to the embassy. I have direct orders to fly you and Miss Avery to the nearest military base on United States soil. So, you’re on your way to Key West, Florida.”

  Trevor frowned. He knew that was not the usual military procedure. “On whose orders?”

  “Like I said, Senator Joshua Avery has been throwing his weight around. I think the people at the Pentagon went along with his request just to shut him up and get him out of their faces. Needless to say, a military aircraft should be waiting for us below in the clearing. There’s no doubt in my mind that Avery will be in Florida waiting for his sister as soon as the plane lands. So be prepared. Like I said, he’s a pain in the rear end. And he probably feels you’ve done enough to ruin his sister’s reputation.”

  “Ruin her reputation? He should be grateful I saw to it she wasn’t taken as a hostage.”

  Ashton let his smile widen. His dark eyes reflected glimmers of humor. But the tone of his voice was controlled when he said, “I suggest you tell him that when you see him.”

  Trevor only grunted. He had other things on his mind than worrying about Joshua Avery’s apparent stupidity. He glanced around the mountainside. “You came alone?”

  “Yes, you know me. I work better that way. I called in my men once I was sure of your location. Tracking you wasn’t hard.”

  Trevor lifted his broad shoulder in a shrug. “For you I’m sure it wasn’t, but for anyone else it would have been. Did you stumble across the present I left for you?”

  “Yeah, I found him, all neatly wrapped. Unfortunately, he refused to do any talking. When I get back, I’m going to have to be more persuasive.”

  One corner of Trevor’s mouth twisted upward. He knew just how persuasive Ashton could be. He had seen his powers of persuasion at work. “What about the other two men?”

  “I came upon them and caught them unawares. I convinced them to take long naps.” An easy smile played at the corners of his mouth. “You can say I kind of insisted upon it. By now my men should have found them, and all three of them should be in military custody. The only person we don’t have is their leader and the rest of his men. But I feel confident that in time, we’ll have all of—”

  Ashton stopped talking when he caught a movement in his peripheral vision. Turning, he saw Corinthians walk out of the cave dressed in her black jeans and top. His lips tilted in a huge leisurely smile. “I’ve always said if you have to escape into the jungles, do so with a beautiful woman. You, Captain, definitely took my advice.”

  Corinthians saw the tall, muscular, good-looking man who was dressed in military fatigues standing next to Trevor. She wondered if he was Trevor’s friend, the one he’d been so sure would find them. He didn’t look old enough to be a colonel. And with his striking good looks and his long black hair secured tight in a ponytail, he definitely did not fit the image of a top military commander.

  She watched as he left Trevor’s side and walked toward her. She nearly flushed at the intensity of his gaze. As he came closer, she saw that his eyes were as dark as Trevor’s, and from his features, she immediately picked up on his mixed ancestry of African and Native American. He gave her a charming smile when he saluted her.

  “Miss Avery, I’m Colonel Ashton Sinclair of the U.S. Marine Corps. You are now officially under the protection of the United States military.”

  Trevor’s first impulse when he had seen Corinthians walk out of the cave was to go to her, and pull her into his arms and again tell her how sorry he was. But he knew he still would not be completely sincere in his apology, so he decided to leave well enough alone. The damage he’d done to her was irreparable.

  They ate breakfast in silence, as well as packed up all of their things. It was close to noontime and he and Corinthians had not exchanged a single word since Ashton arrived.

  “Are the two of you ready to go?” Ashton’s words cut into the long moments of silence.

  “Yeah, we’re ready,” Trevor answered for the both of them as he settled his overnight pack onto his back.

  Ashton nodded. “For safety reasons, Miss Avery, I’ll lead the way. I want you to follow me, and Trevor will bring up the rear. Be careful and watch your step. Yesterday’s rain has left some places steeper than they were when you first came up here. Going back down will be even more strenuous. Do you think you’ll be able to handle it?”

  Corinthians nodded. “Yes, I’ll be able to handle it.”

  Trevor knew she had every intention of doing just that. But they hadn’t even started their downward journey before he noticed how the movement of her body appeared stiff and slow. Although she tried to hide it, he saw her features wince with certain movements she made. He immediately knew why. It was the result of his aggressive lovemaking. Added to that was the fact it had been the very first time she had been touched intimately by a man. He could just imagine how bruised, battered and sore her body felt.

  “Hold up a minute, Ashton.” Before Corinthians knew what Trevor was doing, he reach
ed out and lifted her up into his arms.

  “Just what do you think you’re doing! Put me down, Trevor!”

  “Take it easy, Corinthians, and don’t waste your time trying to fight me on this. I’m carrying you the rest of the way down this mountain. It’s obvious that you’re sore. Don’t try denying it, because I can tell by the way you’re walking that you are. And we both know the reason why.”

  Corinthians felt her face tinting a darker brown. “Good grief, Trevor. Do you have to make an announcement?” she asked angrily under her breath as she flashed a quick glance in Ashton’s direction. Luckily for her, Ashton Sinclair had the decency to pretend he was ardently studying the sky. Although she doubted he saw anything up there to hold his rapt attention that much.

  “Put me down, Trevor. Haven’t you done enough already?” The quiver in her voice was apparent, but she refused to let him see her tears again. “You don’t have to carry me.”

  “Yes, I do,” he responded. His voice was tenacious, unyielding. “I’m the reason you’re hurting.”

  She looked up at him and saw the determined look on his face and the steadfast gaze in his eyes. A tight pain settled around her heart in knowing this man whom she loved so much would never love her back. She fought hard against the tears she refused to let fall.

  “Physical pain I can handle, Trevor,” she whispered softly, before allowing her face to relax against his hard, masculine chest. She knew he was not going to put her down no matter how much of a fuss she made, so she sought refuge from her heartache in the strong, protective arms holding her.

  “You can stop counting the clouds now,” Trevor called out to Ashton. “We’d better keep moving.”