Archer, Jane (11 page)

Jake struck Sully full in the face with his fist, catching him by surprise. Sully went down heavily, and when he began feebly trying to get up, Jake put his foot on the man's broad chest. "Stay down, Sully, if you don't want more of the same. I'm taking Alexandra with me. Don't try to follow. She belongs to me and don't you or any other man forget it."

Jake took Alexandra's hand, jerking her to her feet, then pulled her behind him. She ran, stumbling after him as they quickly crossed the mansion's plush lawn. Just at the edge, where the native island growth began, Alexandra looked back. Sully was angrily getting to his feet, and Caroline was now with him.

Alexandra was glad to be getting away from them, but she was not very sure of Jake either for he pulled her roughly into the thick underbrush of the island, having little concern for her thin slippers and sheer gown.

They plunged deeper and deeper into the dark, dense vegetation, and she fought the clinging vines and clutching brush as she half ran to keep up with Jake's long strides. He was not hampered with a full skirt that threatened to be torn off at every turn, she thought angrily. She tried to pull her hand free from his grasp, but he only tightened his grip, jerking her along. She stumbled, almost losing her balance, then caught at his back with her free hand to steady herself. Why couldn't he slow down? Surely they wouldn't be followed. Her breath was coming in gasps now. There were pebbles in her slippers and her feet hurt with every step. Would he never stop?

Finally, after what seemed an endless time, Jake halted, and she collapsed at his feet. Exhausted, disheveled, dispirited, Alexandra hardly cared what happened to her next. She just wanted to rest.

Jake knelt beside her, saying softly, "It's all right now, Alex. They won't follow us here, and the ship's not far away. We're all alone. You're safe."

Trying to control her ragged breathing, Alexandra looked up into his face made sharp and angular by the moonlight, and did not feel at all safe alone with him. In fact, she suddenly became very aware of his body so close to hers, his bare chest with its thickly matted hair, his hands coming toward her, touching her arms, pulling her towards him. And she was incapable of fleeing. He pulled her to her feet, putting his arms around her, pressing her against him, giving his warmth to her. His body was hard, muscular, lean. She could feel the heat of his naked flesh as her partially exposed breasts strained against him. When his head bent toward her, she moaned slightly, afraid of being hurt again and yet unable to escape.

His lips covered hers possessively. She pushed against his chest, trying to pull free, but he captured the back of her head with one hand so that she was unable to resist the hungry demand of his mouth as it pressed urgently against her own, forcing her lips to part. His tongue darted swiftly inside, plunging deep, deeper into her in his greedy search. His hand caught at her hair, pulling until it tumbled down her back, free. His other hand held her tightly to him and she could feel the hard muscles of his thighs pressed against her, unrelenting.

Oh, but what was happening to her in his crushing embrace? For suddenly she found herself returning his kiss, and her arms moved weakly up his back until they found the soft hair at the nape of his neck. She had never felt this way before, it was as if there was nothing else except the fusion of their bodies and the hot pounding in her ears. Then his lips left hers and she was hardly able to stand as he placed small kisses down her throat to the hollow place where they lingered, burning her. His hands caught at her bodice, unfastening it expertly, then slipping his hands inside to cover her breasts with hot, urgent movements. She leaned against him, soft moaning sounds coming from her throat as his lips found her taut, straining nipples, teasing them with his tongue until a hard, warm core began to ache in her belly. What was he doing to her? Her mind couldn't seem to focus except where he touched her, leaving her skin on fire. She mustn't let him do this. She mustn't!

Gathering strength, Alexandra pushed away from him, failing to see the surprised, then angry look cross his face as she rushed away from him. She found herself on the soft sands of the beach. Moonlight turned the incoming waves a phosphorescent silver as she hesitated, not knowing where to turn. The ship and the house—she could return to neither, but before her was the ocean and behind her Jake. Then she heard him close to her, and with a soft cry she ran desperately toward the ocean, scarcely knowing what she was doing. She couldn't reason any more—she was blinded by fear, fear of feelings she couldn't understand, didn't dare accept.

But Jake easily covered the distance between them, catching her just at the water's edge. She twisted, jerking from his hands and they both fell into the shallow water, splashing noisily as Jake tried to bring Alexandra under his control, but she was almost wild with despair.

"I won't hurt you, Alex. What has made you so frightened of me? I've never hurt you, now have I?"

His words made sense, but she wouldn't listen to them, hitting out at him in her desperation. Finally, he caught her to him, feeling her soft body quiver against him as the waves rolled in over them. Pulling back from her slightly, he let his eyes run over her body. God, she was beautiful, he thought, savoring how the wet clothes molded to her curves, how her bare breasts were taut with desire. Her eyes opened slowly as he made no move to hurt her and she rapidly blinked salty drops of water away before the pale green orbs focused on him in confusion, fear, and anger. Their eyes met. And then, their lips came together hungrily. Instantly a flame flashed through them, urging them on. She found her hands in his hair, pulling him to her, wanting something she could not understand, but knowing that she must have it. He kissed her gently at first, then more roughly as the flames began to kindle, devouring them with it.

"Alexandra, Alexandra," he murmured as his lips left hers and found their way down her throat. Moving quickly, urgently, he slipped the wet gown off her, and removed his pants. He lowered himself to her, covering her body with his own. She shivered as his warm body touched hers and she could feel his hard manhood pressing between her thighs.

"No, no, Jake. Please—" she began, but Jake covered her mouth with his own, his tongue artfully bending her to his will, as his hands began exploring the soft curves of her body. Soon, she could protest no longer and lay weakly in the sand, feeling the cool, salty water hit her skin, then run swiftly around her body, outlining it, searching for its release.

His strong hands moved over her breasts as he tore his mouth from hers to follow the pattern of his hands, searching the ripe fullness that was his to take. His tongue lightly plied the taut nipples that seemed to reach out to him, offering their sweetness. Then his lips moved lower, leaving a trail of searing kisses. She moaned, unable to control the deep shudder that went through her body. She hadn't known it could feel like this—a fire growing in her loins, demanding release.

His hands stroked her. "Open your legs for me, Alexandra," he whispered urgently.

"Oh, no. No, Jake," but her legs spread of their own accord, the need within her too deep to be denied.

Gently, deftly, he slipped inside the moist warmth of her. Moving deeper, deeper, probing, searching, but not finding. A frown marred his face and he looked up quickly at Alexandra, but her eyes were closed and her hands clutched the sand convulsively. Hell! Fury washed over him. Someone had stolen her virginity before him. Who had she given it to? He should have been the first—and the last.

Angrily he jerked out, causing her to start up in fright, and seeing the frozen blue eyes staring angrily at her, she cried out in real fear. What had happened? He gave her no time for thought as he grabbed her roughly, pulling her up towards him, then in one furious, revengeful plunge, drove in deeply. Alexandra gasped, not so much in pain, as in despair. He wanted to hurt her, and tears slipped from her eyes.

But even in his overwhelming anger, Jake was determined to burn out any trace of the man who had gone before him and he slowed himself, determined to give Alexandra something to remember, something to make her forget that other man. Controlling himself, he began to move in her slowly, reassuringly, determined to bring her with him. She opened her eyes in wonder, suddenly aware of the change, but stifled her cry when she looked into his hard, blue eyes, bright slits of anger. Oh, what was he doing now? Her thoughts were wild, distorted, frightened, then slowly they began to focus on the mounting tension within her. Was there no release? She couldn't stand much more. Her body had broken out in a fine film of sweat, and as he kept moving within her, she clutched out, drawing him to her, wanting more, demanding more until finally the raging fire exploded and she rushed down into oblivion, taking him with her. Then he fell on top of her heavily, sweat trickling down onto her breasts, as his breath came in great heaves, drowning out her own gasps.

As their breathing stilled, she became aware of the waves crashing in upon the shore and the cool water swirling up around them, outlining their bodies as one. But it was a momentary oneness for as the water receded, there was nothing left to prove that it had once formed the shape of two people joined together. Suddenly Jake moved, rolling from her, and she was cold, alone, vulnerable as never before. Would she ever be the same again? No, she knew now. She knew how it felt to be joined with another in supreme bliss, to be one with Jake. The water swirled up around them again, but this time it outlined two separate bodies, and Alexandra was sad, feeling as if she had lost something that should have been treasured always.

"Who was the first one, Alexandra?" Jake asked, lying on his back in the soft sand, his voice hard as flint.

"What?"

"Who was he?"

"Oh!" Alexandra sobbed, rolling over on her stomach as if to hide, to forget what had happened before him. And what right did he have to know? He condemned her without knowing. That was what had happened when he first began making love to her—he had discovered she was not a virgin. Stan had been right. No other man would want her once he had taken her. Oh, how she hated him, and she hated Jake, too, for condemning her so quickly.

"Tell me, Alex," he said, gritting his teeth as he grabbed her wrist, squeezing it painfully.

"No. You won't believe me. You'd rather think I was a whore," she sobbed, refusing to look at him.

"Damn it, Alexandra, tell me his name." He knew he was hurting Alexandra for her face blanched as he pressed harder, knowing how easy it would be to snap her tiny wrist, but he wanted to hurt her, punish her for her unfaithfulness.

Controlling her tears, but feeling the coldness in her heart returning, Alexandra glared at him with her green eyes, now like bits of glass. "All right, if you must know. I was raped by a man who wanted to marry me. He told me that once I'd lost my virginity no other man would ever want me. I hadn't thought it would make so much difference, but I can see that I was wrong."

"Rape?" Jake said softly, wondering if she spoke the truth.

"Yes, rape. But you'll never believe me and I don't care. I really don't care. Just leave me alone," she said coldly, determined to retain as much of her dignity as possible.

Could she be a whore who played a virgin as Sully had suggested? Jake thought. Had she played him for the fool? Had she played them all for fools? Still holding her wrist, he said, "His name, Alexandra. I want to know. Tell me."

"There's no need. You'll never meet him."

"Tell me his—" Jake began, but suddenly stopped, gripping her wrist even harder as his eyes quickly scanned the dark, shadowy wall of palms which bordered the silver sands of the beach.

Alexandra watched his face questioningly. What did he see, or hear? He had stiffened, like an animal sensing another presence, but what was out there?

"Get dressed, Alex. Then slowly walk toward the ship. Whatever you do, don't look back, and act natural," he hissed, his eyes still searching the shadows.

"But what—"

"Shhhhh. Don't ask any questions, just do as I say," he whispered harshly, squeezing her wrist in warning, then letting her go.

Alexandra felt her heart beating rapidly as she got up unsteadily from the clinging sand. This unknown enemy was even more terrifying than something she could have seen. She picked up her gown—torn, dirty, salt stained now, and quickly slipped into it. She put on her sand-filled slippers, ignoring the gritty feeling on her feet in her concern to get away from the beach.

Not looking in any direction, she started walking as quickly as she dared down the moonlit beach. She had taken only a few steps before Jake fell in beside her. He was wearing his pants. He didn't look at her, but put his arm comfortingly around her waist.

Suddenly shots rang out and sand splattered in front of them where the bullets drove deep into the soft sand. Jake never hesitated; he pulled Alexandra with him as he broke into a run. Alexandra could hardly keep up with him, and as more shots rang out, she stumbled, falling to one knee. Jake jerked her up, pulling her more fiercely after him.

Then suddenly Jake stopped dead still. Alexandra looked at him in surprise, then in the direction that he gazed. She gasped, instinctively moving closer to him. Directly in front of them stood Caroline, a long, black whip dangling from her right hand, with Hayward and Sully on either side of her, guns in their hands.

"Did you really think we were so stupid, Jake?"

Caroline asked softly, gently flicking the whip over the sand so that it reminded Alex of an undulating snake.

"I thought you were smarter than to tangle with me, Caroline. We would have gone in peace. I don't want a quarrel with you," Jake said, his voice tightly controlled.

Alexandra stood there, intensely aware of the malevolent expressions on their adversaries' faces and the hard tenseness of Jake's body touching her own.

"Give her to us, Jake," Hayward said coldly, his face like a mask of death as he glared first at Jake then at Alexandra.