“No!” When it became clear they were heading straight for the bed she pulled back.
“Yes!” Brent hadn’t had as much as a cat nap in the last thirty hours and he was going to get a good night sleep if it killed him, or her! “I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you in this bed long enough for me to get some shuteye,” he snapped, tossing her on it.
As she bounced upon the bed she reached for the hem of her shirt where it rode up high, but not before Brent got a glimpse of her incredibly long and sexy legs. He thought he saw a flash of black silk before she was able to yank the shirt down, answering his earlier thoughts about whether or not she was wearing anything under her gown.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp filtering through the room cast a sensual warmth that provided just the right mood for lovers, if they’d been lovers. Brent ignored it, turning to the nightstand next to the bed. If memory served him correctly, he’d placed a pair of handcuffs there for an emergency. As far as he was concerned this definitely qualified. He rummaged around until he found what he was looking for, holding them up with a wicked grin.
“You can’t be serious!” Sophie gasped, her eyes growing round. “I haven’t broken my promise to be quiet!”
His chuckle held little humor. “You can’t be trusted. These are to ensure you keep the other half of your promise, to behave,” he shot back, reaching for her wrist and clamping one end of the cuffs around it before she could pull free.
She quickly rolled away from him, forgetting he still had the other end of the cuffs. Instead of forcing her back, Brent kneeled on the bed, yanking her wrist up with the cuff around it, fully intending to secure her to the bedpost. He hesitated, his eyes staring with total disbelief before swearing a blue streak a mile long. There was no headboard. Of all the rotten luck.
He looked at Sophie, narrowing his gaze at the ill-placed humor brimming in her eyes. Her expression clearly told him she’d guessed what he’d been about to do. For a moment he forgot about everything except her beautiful face, spellbound like some gawky teenager getting his first look at a woman’s breasts. The look in her lovely blue eyes asked him what he thought he was going to do next, so he calmly took the empty handcuff and clamped it around his own wrist, which promptly wiped the smug look off her face.
“You can’t do that,” she said when she was finally able to close her mouth again. Her eyes looked positively wild, the color on her cheeks deepening.
“I just did,” he responded calmly.
“But…”
“Listen, princess, you’re safe tonight. I’m too damn tired to try anything.” Before she could stop him Brent made himself comfortable on the bed next to her. He forced her down beside him with a not so gentle tug, fluffing the pillow under his head and releasing a deep sigh of satisfaction. “Get some sleep; tomorrow will be here before you know it.” He closed his eyes, hoping that was the end of further talk.
It was going to be hell lying next to her all night but it was a temporary solution to having to worry about her escaping. Tomorrow he’d figure out something different but right now all Brent wanted was some sleep.
Sophie mumbled something under her breath. “What was that?” In spite of being fatigued the humor was evident in his tone. “Did you say something about a goodnight kiss?”
She became rigid with indignation. “No,” she bit out between her teeth.
Brent hoped the silence that followed meant she’d accepted her situation. She moved against him as though seeking a more comfortable position. If he thought he was going to get any sleep with her lying next to him all night he was crazy. He already felt the heat from their close proximity, and thanked God for the cool air of the fan overhead.
In the end it wasn’t enough. As Brent resigned himself to being hot Sophie moved again, and again. What the hell was she doing? She tried to inch away from him, but their handcuffed wrists prevented her from getting very far. Once she made an attempt to roll on her side, and then gave up with a low groan. Brent grinned.
She stilled for a second. He opened one eye to peer at her, just as she reached up and began fluffing her shirt, which gave him a view of the curve of her lovely breasts.
“Will you be still?” he grumbled, more annoyed because of the desire he felt uncoiling inside his gut.
“I’m hot!” she whispered, defending herself.
“Well, if you’d stop wiggling you’d cool down. I’m hot too.” Inside and out.
“I’m trying to get comfortable.” She began squirming again.
Brent released a snort as she continued to twist and turn. Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against his naked thigh, sending fire straight to his loins. He tried to pretend it didn’t happen, but that was like trying to imagine she wasn’t a desirable woman. What he couldn’t ignore was her hip brushing against his arousal.
“Damn it!” he barked, losing control.
“I’m use to sleeping on my side,” she explained with annoyance.
With a deep sigh of aggravation, Brent rolled to his side, turning Sophie with him so that when they were finally settled she was in the scooped out hollow provided by his body. He put his arm around her because there was no place else to put it. She gasped at his audacity, and tried to scoot away. Only he yanked her back just as easily. “Now go to sleep!” he snarled against her ear.
She gasped and grew as stiff as a board against him. Brent could just imagine what was going through her mind. Then he was questioning his own sanity. His arousal was nestled against her soft buttocks; their bare legs were touching from thigh to ankle. His arm was beneath her breasts and his nose was buried against her fragrant hair. Everything at that moment became intensified. He willed his body under control.
Not until her soft, steady breathing indicated that she’d fallen asleep was Brent able to finally relax and give into his own exhaustion. He was still hotter than ever, but at least she wasn’t squirming anymore. With a sigh of relief he closed his eyes and sank into a welcome slumber.
Chapter 8
Morning came as early as Brent had predicted. And with it the comprehension that she hadn’t been dreaming after all. She had been kidnapped and she had spent the night curled against the body of her drop-dead handsome kidnapper. What’s more, he was hard as steel against her.
Sophie closed her eyes, catching her bottom lip between her teeth, unwillingly captivated by his arousal. Her last sexual encounter had been over a year ago. With a plastic surgeon who’d been more concerned with messing up his hair than seeing to her pleasure. The incident had left her so unsatisfied and disappointed that she hadn’t cared if she ever had sex again.
Lying there in Brent’s arms while trying to ignore the fact his sweltering kisses had been the result of self-preservation, and not because he wanted her, still made her wish foolishly that the circumstances between them were different. She knew what she was feeling was crazy.
So why can’t I ignore the feel of his muscular legs brushing the back of mine, teasing me as much as any calculated caress? And the way his even breathing kisses the flesh behind my ear, causing a quiver down my entire body that leaves an empty ache. Or how protected I feel with his arm thrown over me?
There was something a little bit thrilling and dangerous about waking up in the arms of a sexy abductor. Brent’s body felt hard and powerful nestled against her backside; something she hadn’t noticed the night before because she’d been so frightened. When his hard flesh jumped against her she felt an answering response in the lower region of her body.
When his fingers flexed where they rested beneath her breast realization of what she was doing hit her like a ton of bricks. What she was feeling was wrong and would go nowhere. When the air conditioner kicked on she thanked God for the cool draft that suddenly caressed her feverish skin. Though with relief also came the knowledge there were places she was barely covered, if at all.
“You awake?”
Thank God! “Yes I’m awake, and I’ll thank you to stop that.”
She purposely injected irritation in her tone. The last thing she wanted was Brent to think she enjoyed being curled up against him. She straightened away from him, as far as the handcuffs allowed.
“Stop what?” he asked innocently, his voice low and sexy. Only Sophie wasn’t buying it. He knew exactly what she referred to.
She released a sound of annoyance. “You know what,” she insisted, not falling for his obvious trap.
“You mean this?” He pulled Sophie back against him until her bottom was flush against him. “Does it bother you when a man shows you that he wants you?” His husky tone revealed he wasn’t immune to the intimate situation.
Sophie fought down the desire racing through her blood. “You’re my captor…”
“I’m a man first.”
She rolled onto her back with growing alarm, her mouth trembling. She was afraid of how she’d react if he kissed her, or did anything else. “Please leave me alone.”
His gaze dropped, narrowing at a spot beneath her chin. A feeling prompted Sophie into reaching up. She touched bare skin, where her shirt had parted when she’d unbuttoned it the night before in an effort to cool off. She unwillingly glanced down, her heart sinking when she saw the curves of her breasts were exposed. And my nipples are hard! Is everything working against me? Her hand worked frantically at closing the material over her breasts. Suddenly his hand was there too.
“You’re beautiful in the morning.” His long fingers encircled her wrist firmly, pulling Sophie’s hand away from her body. The look in his dark eyes unnerved her, but she couldn’t look away. Spellbound like some innocent teenager experiencing her first crush. “Even with your chin stuck out in defiance and your eyes snapping with sapphire heat.” He lowered his face, and Sophie had no doubts that he intended to kiss her.
“Please don’t,” she whispered, feeling her pulse quickening. She tried to pull free but couldn’t break his hold.
“Why? What are you afraid of? Discovering something you can’t handle?” he challenged.
“I can handle anything,” Sophie said softly, swallowing the lie when she thought about her dilemma with Jonathan.
The silence that followed was palpable. Sophie had half a mind to close the distance between them and kiss him herself. It took conscious effort to remember what her situation was. But strangely, she didn’t feel any real fear of Brent. And that was crazy, wasn’t it? He’d kidnapped her, for whatever reason, but it was the threat of what he did to her peace of mind that was far more dangerous.
“I believe you,” Brent finally said, rolling until he could reach the nightstand. His movement forced Sophie to shift with him. Before either of them could right the predicament, she was pulled half on top of him. She caught her breath. Brent narrowed his eyes on hers, a muscle twitching in his taut jaw. “Just like a damsel in distress,” he said with unexpected bitterness. “Is this how you won Lord over?” He opened the drawer and removed a key.
Sophie’s eyes grew round. “I’ve never slept…” She cut herself off, realizing what she was about to confess.
Worried he would be able to read the truth in her eyes, she dropped her gaze to his muscular chest. Oh my! Visible in the crisp blanket of hair were the scratches she’d inflicted with her nails.
A humorless grunt escaped Brent. “Saving yourself for the big day so you can wear white? How do you think Lord would react if he found out you were in bed with another man on what’s supposed to be your wedding day?”
“How would you react?” Sophie snapped right back. “I’m not here willingly. And nothing has happened.”
“Complaining, princess?”
His wicked grin caused Sophie’s pulse to flutter, but she ignored it. “No, actually I’m relieved.” She realized her mistake as soon as the words passed through her lips.
“You know, I never back down from a challenge. And you should watch how you bait a man.” He pulled her up until they were nose to nose. “Especially a hungry one.”
Before Sophie could ask him what he thought he was doing, he claimed her mouth in a rough kiss. She stiffened with protest, only Brent ignored it. He continued to kiss her at his leisure, totally ignoring the fact she was struggling to get away. She tried to ignore the softness of his firm mouth, fairly alarmed that a response was slowly rising from her belly. How can that be? The answer came all too easily. His skilful mouth was seducing her, coaxing her into forgetting everything but the moment. Before Sophie knew it she was feeling way too much.
Her mouth turned soft against his, opening to the thrust of his tongue like a flower blossoming under sunshine. A whimper of surrender escaped her, echoing through the room as she eagerly sampled the warmth behind his bottom lip, beneath the velvet softness of his tongue. Their tongues battled in a dance as old as time, fueling their ardor. The passion between them became as intense as a flame to dry wood on a hot summer day, threatening to consume them if they let it.
Then, without warning, Sophie felt his hand clench in the hair at the back of her neck. He jerked her away from him as if discovering poison on her lips.
“What the hell am I doing?” For a startling moment their stares met and clung. “I’m feeding right into your hand, that’s what. How many women in the history of mankind have used their feminine wiles to win a man over, just so they could destroy him?” he rasped angrily, his chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath. “This isn’t part of the plan.”
Plan? Sophie had no idea what he was talking about. She was dazed with desire. Every nerve ending was tingling with sharp sensation. Being splayed out on top of Brent was worse than any torture she could think of. She was very much aware of her aching breasts smashed against his unyielding chest; of his warm breath heating her face while she struggled to fill her own lungs. There wasn’t an inch of Brent she wasn’t acutely aware of at that moment. Including his powerful erection.
“You’re nothing but trouble.”
“I’ll thank you to remember that,” Sophie told him in a chilled tone, striving for normalcy under the circumstances. Running her tongue over her swollen mouth she was surprised to discover she could taste him and the passion that had ignited between them.
“It didn’t take you long to forget about Lord,” Brent pointed out without hesitation. “Do you suppose he’d still want you back if he knew how eagerly you respond to the advances of another man?”
She bristled at the mention of Jonathan. He didn’t know how wrong he was. Only she wasn’t going to tell him that. If he knew Jonathan would want her back at any cost, in any condition, he might continue making love to her. That thought frightened her more than anything that had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours did. It terrified Sophie because for one crazy moment she had forgotten about Jonathan. She’d wanted Brent to continue. His kisses made her feel wanted and alive. Yet she knew admitting it would be her downfall.
“Are you done taking advantage of me?”
“You weren’t exactly fighting me,” he reminded her. “Maybe you’ll learn to control your smart mouth.”
Sophie hauled off and slapped him, catching them both unaware, her expression rapidly changing to shock. She’d never struck anyone in her life and considered resorting to physical violence of any kind as a weakness. She was educated enough to know what words to say that were the equivalent of any slap, only Brent’s mocking attitude had pushed her beyond logical thinking. A muscle leapt in his hard jaw, followed by a stony glint in his narrowing eyes, causing her to wonder what his retaliation would be. She knew some men wouldn’t hesitate to strike back.
It seemed a long time passed before he finally responded in a voice laced with steel, “Well, princess, there is fire running in your veins after all. I was beginning to wonder what it would take to get an honest reaction out of you.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She was still reeling over the fact he’d made her lose control.
“Yes you do. You’ve been so busy trying to act all prim and proper, you’ve forgotten wha
t it feels like to let your emotions rule your actions. Any other woman who found herself in this situation would have fought me tooth and nail last night. You made kidnapping you too damn easy.”
He was right, damn him. Pressing her lips together with angry determination she pushed against his chest trying to squirm away. However, Brent wasn’t going to allow her to move until he was ready. He opened the nightstand drawer, blindly digging around for something. Within seconds Sophie was free and moving next to him on the bed. Her gaze roamed over his magnificent form as he stood, stretching as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
His body made her think of a bronze statue with not an ounce of spare flesh anywhere. The short sexy boxers fit snug over his well-defined buttocks. She followed the length of his long, sturdy Viking legs. She could easily imagine him standing on the deck of a ship somewhere, his solid thighs braced against the wind.
Brent turned and caught her staring. She dropped her stare before his steady gaze, cursing the telltale heat staining her cheeks. After what just happened she wasn’t in any mood to face his smirk. In fact she felt the strong impulse to slap him a second time.
“I’ll be back with breakfast. In the meantime, you can shower if you like.” His obvious hesitation pulled her attention back to him. “Tom fixed the connecting bathroom door so you can’t go wandering.”
“Thank you for the warning,” she said softly, meeting the humor gleaming in his eyes.
“I have to go out for awhile, and the last thing I want is for you to be roaming freely throughout the apartment. I’m not totally convinced Tom can handle you, or your tricks. And, just so we understand each other, I rarely issue threats I’m not prepared to back up.”
His warning was crystal clear, yet Sophie remained stubbornly silent. Let him draw his own conclusions!
He sighed deeply. “I don’t trust that innocent look spreading across your face, so you’re wasting your time. I should just gag you and tie you up so I don’t have to worry about it.”
Nothing but Trouble Page 6