Stormy Vows - Iris Johansen [129]
Her hands slipped around his neck to become entangled in the crisp darkness of his hair, while his hand slipped under the loose gauze top to cup her small breasts in his hands, his thumbs teasing the nipples while his tongue invaded her mouth in numerous maddening forays.
She arched against him helplessly and again made a sound more purr than moan. “Jake, please, I want…” She trailed off as he suddenly lifted the gauze top to bare her breasts to his ravaging lips and tongue.
He chuckled again. “I know what you want, little love,” he said mischievously, nibbling teasingly at a rosy nipple. “And I have every intention of giving it to you.” His tongue toyed with the other peak lazily. “In my own time. Damn, I knew you'd be this responsive!”
He rolled her over and with deft experienced hands pulled the gauze top over her head and threw it to the side. “How lovely you are,” he said thickly, as his hands cupped her breasts. “All strength and silk and fire.” His head bent slowly to take her lips in a long slow kiss. “I've got to have you, Jane,” he said hoarsely. “If you don't want it, for God's sake tell me to stop.” He nibbled at the lobe of her ear. “I'm going to take you if you don't tell me no.”
Her hands caressed the light stubble on his cheek with loving hands. “I'll never tell you no, Jake Dominic,” she said tenderly, “until the day that you tell me to leave you.”
His body stiffened above her, and he was suddenly still. His lips lingered for a moment on her earlobe, and then he breathed incredulously. “My God, what am I doing?”
In one swift movement he rolled away from her, leaving her bewildered, and chilled without the warmth of his arms. He reached over and fumbled with the lamp on the bedside table. Suddenly the cabin was illuminated by a pool of light.
Jane sat up dazedly, her golden eyes smoky and clouded with desire, her bare breasts still swollen and rosy from his lips. What had happened? she wondered in bewilderment as she watched Jake swing out of bed and march angrily to the wardrobe. When he returned, he was shrugging into a wine velour robe, and he tossed her a man's white shirt.
“Cover up!”
She looked up pleadingly into his dark eyes, but there was relentless purpose in their ebony depths. She slipped on the white shirt and began to button it despondently. “What did I do wrong?” she asked quietly.
“Not a damn thing,” he said harshly, his black eyes flashing. “It was as pretty a seduction as I've ever seen. You had me crazy for you.”
She brushed the flaming ringlets from her forehead, her puzzled eyes on his dark angry face. He fumbled in the drawer of the nightstand and drew out a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray, which he placed on the table.
“I didn't know you smoked,” she said, rolling up the sleeves of the shirt.
“I don't. I gave it up years ago,” he answered harshly as he lit one and inhaled deeply. “I keep them around for moments of stress, and this, my dear Jane, is definitely a moment of stress!” He sat down on the bed and eyed her bare golden legs impatiently. She quickly straightened and tucked them under her tailor fashion.
His face was set and hard, and he spoke curtly. “I'm in no mood for evasion, Jane, so you'd be wise to be honest with me. You knew exactly what you were doing to me tonight. You also knew that I had no intention of taking you, before you staged your seduction scene.” His lips twisted sardonically. “May I ask why I was chosen to initiate you into the carnal arts? It couldn't be, by any chance, that you'd taken it into that tiny little mind that you owe me something?”
Her golden eyes widened. “Owe you something?” she asked, puzzled. It had never occurred to her that he would interpret her action as anything but what it was.
“It's remarkably coincidental that the day I'm instrumental in saving you from a shark, you feel called upon to present me with