Captivity

by Margaret Pargeter

  'Hush!' She laid shaking fingers over his lips, her whole body burning. 'Don't you know?' she faltered, seeking honestly to share the blame. 'I have regrets about that morning, too, but they don't seem the same as yours…'

  'Alex!' he exclaimed hoarsely, his eyes smouldering as he stared at her. 'Oh, my little love!' he groaned, taking her mouth so passionately that the fire in his eyes seemed to swallow her up in its flames. His mouth bruised her, devoured her and she clung to him feverishly. Over and over again he kissed her, while his hands parted the thin robe she wore to find the yielding warmth of her taut breasts. She could feel him trembling, making no secret of his urgent need, as he caressed her with increasing fervour until her senses swam.

  'Alex,' he groaned, his breath coming in harsh gasps, 'I told your mother if I found you we'd be married tomorrow. I told a pack of newspaper reporters at the airport the same. I don't want to leave you but you know why I can't stay.' His eyes glittered as he strove for control. 'I won't go, though, until you promise not to run away again.'

  She looked at him then, feeling for one instant the stronger, trust shining unmistakably from her lovely blue eyes. 'Darling,' she whispered, a beautiful colour creeping under her skin. 'Tomorrow, Chase, I'll be honoured to become your wife, but unless you insist I don't want you to leave me. Never again, not even tonight.'

  He couldn't resist her. He might have tried, but she only heard his savage, half strangled cry as he caught her painfully closer before sweeping her up in his arms. His mouth brushed her white throat, her cheeks and closed eyelids as he murmured thickly of his enduring love for her, his mounting passion cutting off every last avenue of escape. She was his woman, and he couldn't wait now to make her so.

  'I love you,' Alex whispered, finding it impossible to believe she had ever wanted to escape him.

  Surrendering completely, she slid passionate arms around his neck, drawing his mouth eagerly to hers, as he strode swiftly with her to the bedroom and quietly closed the door.