Brady awoke with a chill. It was half past ten. He’d slept later than he intended. After preparing a pot of coffee, he stepped outside and gathered an armload of wood. He set it beside the hearth then his eyes passed over the door to Sari’s room. He’d barely slept, worrying over what he was going to do next.
Pouring a cup of coffee, he turned on his laptop, opened the file, “Homework” and scrolled through the documents. There were so many fantasies to choose from. He randomly highlighted the fifth one down, opened it and read. The words, “nipping, biting, sucking hard, pinching nipples,” exploded from the page. He remembered it well. Of any of her fantasies that contained rough sex, this would be the easiest for him to perform. He’d alter them, mix them, fine tune them so that she wouldn’t know what to expect from him next. It was the not knowing that incited the thrill of it.
He carried his coffee to the porch. It was only the beginning of the second day and Sari was already tugging at his heart. Actually, she’d been tugging at it for a while, he realized.
He finished his coffee, then walked with intent to her door and entered. Tying her wrists at her back, he led her to the bathroom as he had the previous evening, allowing her to relieve herself.
Sari heard the sound of water, but it was not coming from the sink, but the shower. He took her by the elbow, lifted her and pushed her in the direction of the water. He was standing directly behind her. She felt his hard body against her back, her chin being lifted and a cold blade pressed against the hollow of her throat. He was still pissed at her. Her breathe lurch in her throat. Panic set in, and she barely heard his words, felt his hot breath in her ear.
“I’m going to untie you,” he whispered. “I want you to slip out of your robe and panties. Don’t touch the blindfold, or the consequences will be deadly. Understand?”
“Yes.” She choked out her reply.
An instant later, the blade fall away and the rope was unfastened from her wrists. This was her chance to escape, she thought. The notion no sooner crossed her mind when he turned her in his arms and shoved her back against the wall. “Undress,” he demanded. “Now!”
His voice carried and undertone of warning as though he suspected her intentions. Sliding the robe over her shoulders, she allowed it to pool at her feet while she slipped out of her panties, shaking. Instinctively, her hands covered her breasts.
Brady couldn’t take his eyes from her as they travelled from her head to her toes. She was hot and sexy, yet there was a sense of innocence in her posture. Damn, if he didn’t want to ravish every inch of her body. This was going to be more difficult than he imagined. He was glad that she couldn’t see the passion burning in his eyes.
“Come here,” he demanded.
His words were raspy and curt. Sari swallowed and took two steps toward him.
Brady saw that she was visibly trembling. A slow smile curled his lips. That’s what he wanted of her–that’s what she wanted–to be dominated, to not be given a choice. “Give me your hands.”
Sari obeyed. She feared the consequences if she didn’t. She knew nothing about this man–only, that he was playing a perilous game and she was the pawn. He had thrown a knife into the equation. For all she knew, he intended to kill her when he’d finished with her.
Stifling a cry, she lifted her arms and held them out to him. She felt the powerful grip of his hands on her wrists; of the rope being wrapped around them; then the rough jerk when he tied the knot and shoved her in the direction of the rushing water.
“Step up,” he said.
An instant later, she was in the shower. Steam filled the chamber. Warm water cascaded over her breasts and she welcomed it. She didn’t hear the rustling of clothing, and was unaware that he had joined her until she heard his voice close to her ear. “Game time.”
Sari stiffened. The nightmare was about to begin and she had no clue how to make it go away.
Brady recognized her terror of him–it was apparent in the quivering of her lips, the rise and fall of her breasts, the quaking of her stomach. He was surprised to find that it excited him. Turning her toward the wall, he lifted her wrists up and over her head, fastening the rope to the sprayer. His eyes fell to the firm shape of her bottom and lingered there. He bent down and nipped it hard.
Sari let go a gasp, rose on her toes and bucked her pelvis in the direction of the wall. Her reaction thrilled him and he did it again, and again. When he felt the swell of his penis, he pressed it against the small of her back and rocked against it. She arched away from him, but he snaked his hand around her middle and crushed her against his abdomen.
Horror raced like lightning through every vessel in Sari’s body. She hadn’t anticipated his nakedness, and now his hard prick was pressed against the crack of her ass and she feared that the meant to take her, regardless of her surrender.
Brady felt the flutter of her stomach contracting against his hand. Moving upward to her breasts, he cupped it, squeezing it and molding it to his palm. Every shudder, every rippling muscle, every panting sigh told him that she wanted him.
Breathe heaved in and out of Sari’s lungs at such a rapid and alarming pace that she had no control over it; nor the muscles of her stomach contorting when his fingers roughly took hold of her nipple and tugged on it. It instantly hardened and peaked. Sensations–both pain and pleasure– traveled from her breast to the burning heat between her thighs. Every pinch was more escalating than the last. Unexpectedly, she cried out. She hadn’t meant to.
A smile of satisfaction creased Brady’s lips and spread to his cheeks. Her cry only served to arouse him further. “Say it,” he whispered, “and I’ll take you.”
Sari instantly sobered. He wanted her to say it, and she longed to obey, but what then? What would he do with her once he had gotten what he wanted and finished with her. He frightened her to no end. He intended to win the game, but at what cost to her? She needed more time, time to work out a plan.
“No,” she whimpered.
Brady laid his head against the middle of her back. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his prick in check. He had wanted Sari for months–wanted her with a passion–and she wanted him, as well. It was obvious that she enjoyed the game, the way that he aroused her, but her denial was driving him beyond reasoning.
Well, maybe he should return the favor. If she needed for him to be rougher, harder, before she consented, then he’d up the stakes and do it. He bit down on the lobe of her ear. “You’re going to surrender, Sari. I promise you.”
“Never,” she panted.
He nipped her shoulder. His arms came around her and he pinched her nipples tight between his thumb and forefinger, release and pressure, release and more pressure. They hardened immediately. He continued to work her left nipple while his right hand slid down over her navel. Spreading her thighs with his knee, he plunged his fingers deep inside of her, cupping her in his hand and lifting her until she was barely standing on her toes. She let go a cry. She was hot and ready. Her muscles tighten and convulsed around his fingers drawing him deep inside of her. What he would give to feel her searing flesh sheathing his penis.
Sari’s breath hitched in her throat. She was on her toes. When she tried to roll to her heels, the strength of his arm held her in place, while the heat of her aroused flesh and the weight of her pressing against his palm, was pure torture.
Suddenly, she felt his hard arousal pumping against the crack of her ass. It was long, thick and throbbing. She wanted him so badly–wanted him to rip his fingers from inside of her and let him fill her with it. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.
His fingers slid deeper. His thumb teased the sensitive flesh of her clit and she instantly felt the titillating quiver deep inside of her, spreading to every nerve of her body. Then unexpectedly, he slammed his groin hard against her until her abdomen hit the cold faucet.
She felt the shudder ripple through his body, the pulse of his penis quickened and his hot semen exploded along the small of her back. Th
e same electrifying tremor claimed her body as she fell back against him, writhing with release and a pleasure that left her wanting more of him.
Satiated and to the point of exhaustion, Brady lowered her feet to the floor and sagged against her. If he survived until the end of the week he was going to quit his job and move to Australia–as far away from Sari as possible. “I’m fucked,” the voice in his head chided. He was falling hard and fast for her.
CHAPTER SIX
Brady turned the nob to cold then poured a gob of the oleander body wash into his palm. He found it in her suitcase. Sari had unusual tastes, he thought. Oleander was not the easiest fragrance to find, but one that he was growing quite fond of. He worked it into a thick lather. Lifting the hair from her shoulders, he started at her neck, moving downward and washing her entire body. He saw that she no longer trembled, but resigned to his bathing her.
Sari noticed that his touch was gentle, almost apologetic. She relished every minute, every sweet stroke, imaging that it was Brady’s hands caressing her. She was suddenly startled when he leaned into her ear and whispered.
“I’m going to remove the blindfold, Sari. Close your eyes and don’t try to look at me. You remember the consequences, don’t you?”
Sari shook her head and obeyed. “Yes.”
He was like day and night, she thought. His voice was stern and demanding while his touch was soft and magical.
Brady untied the blindfold. “Now, close your eyes and keep your head facing the wall.” Reaching for the shampoo, he dumped a blob into his palm, and worked his fingers through her hair to her scalp, never taking his eyes from the back of her head. He rinsed it then repeated the process with conditioner. Rinsing it for the second time, he combed his fingers through it–something that he had wanted to do for a long time. It was a beautiful color and he was surprised at the length of it when it was wet.
Sari stood perfectly still while Brady braided her hair and placed the blindfold over her eyes. The man was a conundrum, she realized. One moment he was terrifying and in the next he was gentle and sweet. Oddly enough, she liked both sides of him. Never had a man brought her to orgasm without the use of his penis. He was exciting in every sense of the word–a far cry from her fantasies–and precisely what she needed to fine-tune her writing.
Her musing ended abruptly at the sound of his voice.
“Let’s get you dress,” he said.
Brady helped her into her robe. He glanced down at the lace panties in his hand and stuffed them into his pocket.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brady watched Sari eat the bacon and egg sandwich as though she hadn’t eaten in weeks. A sandwich was probably the easiest for her to handle with being blindfolded, he reasoned. He waited for her to finish then slid her plate into the sink and lifted her by the elbow. “We’re going to go outside,” he said.
Sari’s head shot up as she felt the rope being wrapped around her wrist, one then the other. This time, he didn’t tie them in front of her, but to the belt of her robe, fastening them so that they were anchored at her waist. He didn’t want to chance that she would remove the blindfold, she realized. The “Phantom of the Opera,” came to mind and she smiled. Did he not want her to see his face because he wanted his identity to remain anonymous, or was he hideous and afraid of scaring her away?
It didn’t matter–he was Brady to her. She loved that his slightest touch aroused her, that he worked his tongue, his mouth, his fingers, teasing and driving her to near surrender, to the point that her nipples still tingled at the thought of him pinching them, stimulating them.
“Stop it!” she told herself. She was not going to surrender to him. This was not Brady, but a stranger, a sick and deranged man who knew way too much about her. The news and documentaries were filled with stories of women being raped and left in shallow graves… She didn’t want to think about it. She needed to get away from him. She didn’t want to be a statistic.
Brady led her to the rocker and lowered her into it. Returning to the kitchen, he poured himself another cup of coffee. He stared at her through the window. She was going to be the ruin of him. He’d never be able to look at another woman, taste her, arouse her, to feel her tremble at his touch–without thinking of Sari. The wise thing to do would be to take her back this instant and forget that any of this had ever happened. But he couldn’t, he was enjoying the game way too much. Yes, he was definitely fucked.
The door opened and Sari heard his boots cross the deck and stop in front of her. She stiffened, wondering what was going to happen next. Both fear and anticipation battle for her attention. “What happens if I surrender to you?” she whispered.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he took her by the arm and led her back to the bedroom.
Brady restrained her hands, one to each of the posts, then strolled to his laptop and read through her fantasies. Twenty-four hours hadn’t even passed and he was feeling the pressure. She wasn’t making it easy on him, by no means. How far would he have to stretch his limitations before she would cave in and yield to him?
So far, he had stolen more liberties with her that he had initially intended. Just what were his boundaries? What were hers? From what he’d seen of her reaction, she had enjoyed every pleasure that he had taken with her. He had felt her orgasm, her muscles tightening around his fingers, pulsating with every stroke, yet she denied it–denied that she wanted him. Was he missing something?
He scrolled down and continued to read through the files.
He took hold of her ankles and shoved her knees toward her chest, pressing them down so that she was open and ready for him. He held them there, moving between them while smothering her mouth with his own, to stifle her cry when he penetrated her.
Sari certainly had a way with words, he thought.
He read more, realizing that she liked the struggle, the fight, the challenge, the thrill of the chase.
He glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was 4:20 pm. He’d been at the computer for over two hours. He walked to the porch and stretched. He couldn’t even think about food, but from the way that Sari had eaten breakfast she must have been famished. Maybe he could get away with a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Hell, it was his game. He could do whatever he wanted.
~~~~~~~~~~
A zillion questions bombarded Sari as she lay alone in the darkness. Who was he, she wondered? How had he known about her fantasies? Had her captor sent the reply–game time? Again, she thought of Lana. This had to be some kind of prank that the woman fabricated? She could only hope.
Still, how was she going to return to work without thinking of him? How would she keep from blushing when her colleagues inquired of her vacation? Then her thoughts returned to what she had feared the most. If it was not some hellish prank, what plans did he have in mind for her? Was he ever going to release her?
Her thoughts ceased instantly when she heard the creak of the door and bare feet cross the floor to the bed. Her stomach lurched. She couldn’t possibly handle another moment of seduction, not today. He was wearing her down.
“I’ve brought you some dinner,” he said.
Relief washed over her at hearing his words.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Brady poured his third cup of coffee and considered his next plan of action. The game was about to become even more interesting. His stomach growled and he realized that they hadn’t eaten breakfast. It would have to wait, he decided. It had taken him all morning to get his mindset into the game and he didn’t need the distraction, now.
Opening the duffle bag, he removed the ski mask and stared down at it. This was one fantasy that was definitely going to require his acting skills. He gathered his hair and slid the hair-tie around it, pulled the mask down over his face and tucked his ponytail in the back to conceal it. He looked at himself in the mirror and was satisfied that there was little to identify him.
A moment later, he was strolling to Sari’s room with confidence. He sat down on the bed beside her, lifted her
chin and held it firmly in his hand. “We’re going to play a little game,” he said in a throaty voice. “I’m going to set you free. You’ll have three minutes to make a run for it then I’m coming for you.”
He unfastened her restraints, removed the blindfold and stood.
Sari squinted as her vision was filled with light. She sat up and relished her freedom–a freedom that would be short lived if she didn’t make a swift run for it.
“Three minutes,” he said. “Go!”
Her eyes looked past him to the door and she bolted. Her breathe hitched when she saw her SUV parked on the side of the cabin. She raced for it, flung the door wide, then panicked when the keys were nowhere in sight. She turned in a full circle. From what she could see of her surroundings, the pines stretched for miles in every direction. There was no sign of civilizations to speak of.
She started down the dirt lane. He’d find her too easily, her mind screamed. Taking no notice of her bare feet against the rocky, pine floor, she headed through the forest at a dead run. Three minutes was all that she had and she’d already wasted a minute of it searching for her keys. Trees and shrubby rushed past her. Pain creased her side and nearly doubled her in two, but she pressed on, running until she could go no further.
She collapsed, panting. With any luck, he’d have no idea where she turned into the forest.
It was minutes before her breathing resumed to normal and her strength returned to her. A squirrel flitted overhead from one limb to the next. She leaned back against a tree and closed her eyes, relieved that he hadn’t found her. She drew a lengthy breath. The scent of pine filled her nostrils and she was a child again, searching through the needles for pine cones.
Suddenly, she heard the snapping of twigs and her eyes flew wide open. Her heart lurched when she realized that her captor was standing, not twenty yards in front of her. Scrambling to her feet, she took off at a dead run–terrified, when she heard him gaining on her.
Take Me Now (Take Me Series) Page 3