Bittersweet Love - Cathy Williams [60]
And God, was she aroused. When she should be furious, her body was reacting in all the wrong ways. It was melting, wanting to yield to his power. She wanted to close her eyes and allow herself to be swept away on the tide of passion flowing through her.
His hand moved to cup her breast and he groaned into her mouth. She wasn’t wearing a bra and his fingers found her nipple, rubbing it until it throbbed to feel the moistness of his mouth. He feverishly pushed up her blouse and she shuddered as his flesh made contact with hers. It was only when she felt his fingers urgently begin to explore her underneath her lacy underwear that sanity reasserted itself like a cruel slap across the face.
What had she been thinking of? She opened her eyes, horrified at her lack of control, at the ease with which she had abandoned common sense, and with a sudden movement pushed him hard.
He was not expecting that. She looked at his face and realised that he was still dazed with desire. It should have given her a rush of power, to know that she could arouse him to this pitch, but then she thought of the jet-haired woman who had shared his table at the restaurant. Was he like this in her arms? Would he retire to her house and finish what she, Natalie, was unable to?
The thought brought on a swift attack of self-disgust.
‘I hope you’re satisfied!’ she said violently. ‘You’re not content to just force your way into my flat—oh, no, you have to force your way with me as well! What are you trying to prove? That you’re bigger and stronger than me?’
He reached out and curled his fist into a handful of her hair. ‘What I’m trying to prove, my witch, is that you can’t marry that man!’ He was back in full command of himself now. Only the slight huskiness in his voice suggested his lack of control a minute ago.
Natalie wished that she could take command of her senses with equal speed. Her body was still trembling from his lovemaking. It took a few seconds for his words to sink in, and when they did she looked at him in surprise.
‘What are you talking about?’ she asked.
‘Don’t pretend you don’t know,’ Kane rasped. ‘I bounced into that man outside your flat and he was obviously in high humour. He couldn’t wait to inform me that he was getting married.’
Comprehension dawned on Natalie’s face. Eric had, she admitted, been walking on cloud nine all evening. He had probably volunteered the information without prompting, but had omitted to mention the woman to whom he was being married. Anna was, after all, Kane’s ex-lover. Maybe Eric thought that if he mentioned any names he would be at the receiving-end of Kane’s wrath.
The thought brought a reluctant smile to her lips.
‘I’m glad you find it amusing,’ he shot at her. ‘How can you debase yourself by agreeing to marry a man you don’t love and are very probably not attracted to?’
‘And who said that I’m not attracted to Eric?’ Natalie asked, avoiding his direct question.
‘The way that you’re attracted to me? You can’t marry him. I won’t allow it.’
‘You won’t allow it? I had no idea that the rest of the world needed permission from you to get married!’
‘They don’t. Only you.’ The thick possessiveness in his voice made her pulses race, but this time she wasn’t going to be taken in by him. His possessiveness had nothing to do with love.
‘You can’t stop me from doing what I want,’ Natalie replied ambiguously. “There was never anything between us. Not really.’ She crossed her fingers behind her back. ‘It’s time for us both to lead our own lives now. I don’t tell you what you should do with your personal life, do I?’ Bitterness crept into her tone. ‘You come here, ranting and raving, trying to lay the law down with me, but I don’t exactly see you retraining from con-soling yourself elsewhere.’
There was a definite glint in his eyes now when he looked at her.
‘Are you jealous?’ he asked, and she realised that he would love that.