In the Arms of a Stranger (10 page)

“You wouldn’t,” she rasped.

“Oh, yes, I’m afraid I would.  You see, it occurred to me that he is the reason your affection for me has grown so cold.  That’s why you fought making love to me at the hotel, wasn’t it?  You found someone who liked that wild streak in you.”  He pushed her back, pinning her to the mattress with his weight.  “I told you we would finish what we started,” he growled.

Bri twisted her head to the side, shoving against his chest with her fists.
  With ridiculous ease, he gripped both wrists in one hand and yanked them over her head while his free hand braced her face so she couldn’t turn away from him again.  His kiss was hard and brutal, just as it had been back at the hotel, the pressure of his mouth muffling her cries as he continued to assault her.  When he dragged his mouth from hers, his breath was harsh and labored, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of desire and anger. 

“I’d bet my life savings you didn’t put up a fight with Malone, did you?
  You probably spread those silky thighs of yours…”

“
You pig!
” she hissed.  “How dare you talk to me like that!  When my father hears about this…”

“Yes, let’s talk about your father, shall we?
  How do you think he’s going to react to those photos?  Or your mother, for that matter?  Do you think they’ll return to France to avoid the embarrassment?  And this project that you’re so proud of won’t ever get off the ground because the name Carrington will leave a bad taste in every body’s mouth.”

Her anger died instantly at the thought of how devastated her parents would be.
  And what of Jake?  How could she allow his reputation to be ruined because she hadn’t been able to control her desire for him?  He was highly respected in his field, his services sought after by some of the most prestigious companies in the country.  If Chad released those photos along with some sleazy story, those same companies would shy away from Jake to avoid having their names linked with his.  Bri drew in a shuddering breath and lifted her eyes to his.

“What do you want from me, Chad?”

“I want to make love to you.  No, I want more than that.  I want you to give yourself to me willingly.”

“How can I do that
when you’re blackmailing me?”

His face darkened.
  “If you hadn’t gotten involved with Malone, your feelings wouldn’t have changed for me and I wouldn’t
have
to blackmail you.”

“I’m not involved with him, Chad, I swear.”

His mouth twisted into an ugly smile.  “It really doesn’t matter if you are or not.  It doesn’t even matter if something went on between you back at the hotel because I have the pictures.”  He freed her hands, his expression softening as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.  “I’ll make it good for you, Bri.  I know I’ve made you unhappy by being so critical and I’ll try harder to be less so in the future.  Can’t you see we’re perfect for each other?  People see us together and envy what we have, who we are.  They wish they could
be
us.”

Suddenly it all became so clear to her.
  Chad didn’t want this to work because he loved her; he wanted her for the image she represented.  Not only was she the daughter of a rich and powerful businessman, she was young and beautiful and it would inflate his ego to have everyone know she was his wife.  Until her fall from grace with Jake, she had been pure and chaste and Chad was confident in the knowledge she would never cheat on him.

Even now when he suspected she’d had an affair with Jake he seemed to know she
would never forsake her wedding vows and be unfaithful to him.  It would all fall neatly into his lap if he could just get her to the altar; that’s why he hired an investigator to follow her around.  He needed something to insure she would marry him, and now he had it.

Bri shoved against his chest with all her strength and somehow managed to create just enough space between them to maneuver herself from beneath him.
  Scrambling away before he could catch her again, she made a mad dash for the door, her heart hammering in her chest at the thought of what he would do if he caught her. 

Chad’s angry growl sounded dangerously close as she grabbed at the handle and yanked the door open.
  But her flight was short lived, coming to an abrupt halt when she found herself plastered against a very solid mass.  In her confusion, Bri thought Chad had somehow gotten ahead of her.  Without thinking, she pummeled his chest with her fists.

“What the hell is going on?”
 Jake roared.

Bri stopped fighting, suddenly realizing it was Jake’s arms that were holding her so tightly.
  She tried to speak but was sobbing so hard she couldn’t catch her breath long enough to explain.  A long, tense moment stretched out before she heard Chad’s mocking laughter.

“Bri
is just a little emotional right now, as you can see, but I hardly think it requires such open hostility on your part.”

Jake’s voice was low and menacing.
  “What did you do to her?” 

“I didn’t
do
anything to her.  She’s upset because there are a few hitches regarding the wedding, but I assure you it’s nothing she and I can’t work out by ourselves.”

“I don’t believe you,” Jake sneered.

“Quite frankly, I don’t care if you believe me or not, but you can ask her yourself if you like.  Bri, honey, tell Tarzan here why you’re behaving as if the world has come to end.”  He laughed when she let out a strangled gasp and buried her face in Jake’s chest.  “There seems to be an issue with the…
pictures
, isn’t that right Bri?”

Jake’s eyes narrowed. 
“What the hell are you talking about, Donahue?”

“The wedding pictures, of course.
  There was a mix up with the dates and the photographer had to bow out.  I told her we would find someone else and that it was nothing to get worked up about, but you know how women are, especially about their own weddings.”

Not for one minute did Jake believe what Chad was telling him
, but Bri wasn’t denying any of it.  She’d been trembling violently only a moment ago, but her body had grown rigid as soon as Chad starting spinning his tall tale.  He’d seen the look on Bri’s face when she’d flung the door open and she sure as hell hadn’t been fighting him like a wildcat because of any damn wedding pictures.  She was scared half to death and was attempting to escape the room with Chad right on her heels.  Jake shuddered to think what might have happened if he hadn’t been lurking out in the hallway in case Chad tried to pull another stunt like the one back at the hotel.

“Brianne, tell him you over reacted about the pictures and that everything is fine now.
 
Tell him!”
  Chad barked.

Bri lifted her head and looked up at Jake.
  His handsome face was marred by a deep scowl, his mouth set in a firm line, and there was a fierce look of possessives in his eyes.  It stole her breath away to realize just how deeply he cared about her, but it was also what made her decide to go along with Chad’s story.  How could she even consider hurting a man she loved so much by ruining everything he had worked so hard for?  She let her arms drop from around his waist and prayed that one day he would forgive her.

“I over reacted,” she said evenly.
  “When I heard about the pictures, I got…emotional.  I guess I’m just tired.”

“And hungry, I’m sure,” Jake said.
  His eyes locked with Chad’s in a silent challenge.  “The pizza arrived ten minutes ago, it’s getting cold.”

Chad just smiled.
  “By all means, go indulge yourselves.  I’ve already eaten so I think I’ll just stay here and unpack.  Oh, one more thing,” he said just as they turned to go.  He nodded towards a closed door adjacent to the entrance.  “Does that connect with your room, darling?”

Fear flickered in her eyes for just a fraction of a second before she lifted her head in defiance.
  “Yes,” she said coldly, “but I
always
keep it locked.”

Chad’s soft laughter followed them down the hallway and if it weren’t for Jake’s firm grasp around her waist she didn’t think she would have made it down the stairs without falling.
  He didn’t say anything as they made their way to the kitchen and remained silent as he dished up the pizza and poured them both a glass of tea. 

She stayed where he left her; propped against the sink, while he finished setting everything out on the table then came back and planted himself in front of her.
  There were so many emotions swirling around in the depths of his eyes, she couldn’t even begin to figure out what he was thinking.  Then as if there was some magnetic pull between them, he lowered his head and kissed her softly on the lips.

“Why…why did you do that?”
 she whispered.

“Because you looked like you needed it.
  I know I sure did.”

In spite of how miserable she felt, Bri managed a weak smile.
  “Thank you, I did need that.”  His expression grew solemn and she braced herself for what she knew was to come.

“Now, would you like to tell me what really happened?”
  Jake sighed in exasperation when she shook her head.  “Sweetheart, I can’t help you if I don’t know what the problem is.”

Tears pooled in her eyes.
  She couldn’t tell him the truth, but she could sidetrack his suspicions about what had gone on in the bedroom.  “He wants me to…to…” Bri choked on the words, but Jake obviously understood what she was trying to say because he started spouting oaths under his breath. 

“Listen to me,” he said firmly, “you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Her voice was laced with defeat.  “Jake, he’s my fiancé.” 
And he has the power to hurt you,
her heart cried.

“That doesn’t give him the right to force you into sleeping with him.”

“No, it doesn’t, but I shouldn’t feel this way.”

“What way?”

“Like it would be…horrible to sleep with him.  We’re going to be married soon.  Shouldn’t I want this?  But I don’t Jake.  God help me, but it turns my stomach when he touches me and I don’t know what to do.  I feel dirty, like I’m being…” she stopped abruptly and looked away.

“What, Bri?
  Like you’re being what?”

“Unfaithful,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
  “I feel like I’m being unfaithful…to you.”

Jake’s chest tightened.  The joy of knowing he’d won Bri’s love was overwhelming and  left him utterly speechless.  Whatever hold Chad on her would be dealt with and then he would ask her to marry him, but right now it suddenly seemed terribly urgent that he tell her how he felt.  Cupping her face in his hands, Jake gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs then lowered his mouth to savor the taste of her soft lips.  It seemed as if an eternity had passed since he’d last kissed her like this, and for those few precious moments he was actually grateful to Chad for making Bri see who she really belonged with.

“Bri, I have to tell you something.
  I lo…”

Brianne let out a small gasp and twisted away from him, barely making it into her seat at the table before Chad walked in.
  Her back was to him so she hurriedly tore off a large chunk if the pizza to make it look as if she’d been eating, nearly swallowing it whole in her haste to get it down.  Her nerves were on edge, and despite the effort Bri made to appear calm, she nearly came unglued when Chad came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.  He leaned down with the pretense of kissing her on the cheek.

“You understand this is our little secret,” he whispered in her ear.

Bri’s nod was almost imperceptible.  Almost.  Jake’s eyes narrowed, his blood boiling at the sight of Chad’s hands gently massaging her shoulders.  He wanted to yank him away from Bri and slam his fist down the man’s throat then throw his ass out, but until he understood just what Chad was threatening her with, he was powerless to do anything.  Gritting his teeth, Jake strode over to the table and took his place opposite Bri, tearing into his pizza like a half-starved wolf.

Bri kept her eyes trained on her plate and could only imagine the hostile glares that were being exchanged between the two men.
  The pizza tasted like sawdust and she had to keep gulping down iced tea to keep from choking.  She prayed that Chad was only staying for the weekend but didn’t dare ask, although it was a good sign that he only had one piece of luggage. 

The next few days were going to
be agonizingly long but somehow she would have to endure his constant companionship.  And there was still the lingering fear he would demand that she sleep with him, which Bri could see no way out of.  Her stomach rolled dangerously.  She couldn’t do it, not with Jake just across the hall, and not when she felt like throwing up every time she thought of Chad’s hands on her bare skin.

“Slow down,” Chad admonished as he took the seat beside her.
  “You’re going to make yourself sick if you continue to shovel that garbage down your throat.  Did you skip lunch today, is that why you’re so hungry?”

“I haven’t eaten all day,” she lied.
 

Actually, she and Jake had eaten at an Italian restaurant for lunch
.  She hadn’t even been that hungry when they’d ordered the pizza, but it gave her an idea that just might save her from a late night visit from Chad.  She adored pizza but was rarely able to tolerate more than two pieces without it upsetting her stomach, and as unappealing as the idea of throwing up was, it was immeasurably preferable to spending the night with Chad. 

Bri
almost laughed when she pictured the horrified look on his face, and it was that image that kept her plowing down pizza until she thought she would burst.  Chad let out a grunt of disapproval when she reached for a fifth piece.  Even Jake was looking at her strangely.  

“I think you’ve had enough,” Chad said, after she popped the last bite into her mouth.
  “I’ve never seen you eat like this.  You’ll be big as a barn if you don’t learn to control yourself.”

Bri dabbed at her mouth, hiding her smile behind a napkin.
  “I don’t overdo it often and I’m sure I’ll lose whatever weight I just gained in no time at all.”

“I should hope so.
  It would be rather embarrassing if the seamstress had to let out a few inches on your wedding gown.”

Jake’s eyes swept over Brianne’s slender form.
  “It wouldn’t hurt her to put on a few pounds; she’s thin as a rail.”

Seeing another storm about to hit, Bri jumped to her feet.
  “I think I’ll go for a walk in the gardens before I take my shower.”

Chad rose from the table, casting an arrogant grin Jake’s way.
  “I’ll come with you.  Maybe I’ll even join you in that shower before we turn in for the night.”

 
                                                                 ***

Jake watched them from the window in Bri’s bedroom as they strolled hand in hand through the garden.
  It wasn’t the hand holding that bothered him since it was obvious by Bri’s body language that she was doing her best to keep some distance between them.  What gnawed at his gut was the way Chad kept trying to get her to stop so he could kiss her.  She’d fallen for it the first time and it was all Jake could do to keep from charging out there and pulling them apart, but she’d managed to avoid being drawn in for more than a chaste kiss or two since.  Why anyone would want to marry a woman who could barely tolerate his touch was beyond him.

His mind kept taking him back to the night he’d spent with
Bri and how warm and willing she’d been when he made love to her.  She responded to the slightest caress, arching into him as if she couldn’t bear to have even the smallest of distance between them.  And when Bri kissed him it was with wild abandon, full of fire and passion.  It was nothing like the detached way she kissed Chad, not that it still didn’t rankle him to see them together. 

Jake stepped away from the window when they started back
 towards the house then hurried across the hall to his own bedroom.  Chad’s remark about joining Bri in the shower and the insinuation that he would also be sharing her bed burned liked acid in his stomach.  She’d recoiled as if she had been struck when Chad said it, her eyes widening in alarm as her face slowly turned a pasty white. 

If Chad hadn’t had his back to her
, he would have been furious to see the kind of reaction his bold statement elicited, but she had regained her composure by the time he turned around.  The man was terrorizing her, there was no question in Jake’s mind.  He only wished he could catch Donahue in the act so he would have an excuse to beat the hell out of him.  Jake stopped his restless pacing when he heard Bri’s voice, feeling only slightly guilty about pressing up against the door to listen.

“It’s your own fault,” Chad said harshly.
  “If you hadn’t stuffed yourself with that garbage you wouldn’t be feeling sick now.”

“I feel bad enough without having you harp at me about it.
  Please, Chad, I just want to take a shower and crawl into bed.”

He laughed softly.
  “That’s precisely what I had in mind.”

A wave of nausea swept over her just as he leaned down and tried to kiss her.
  Bri clamped her hand over her mouth and bolted for her room, not even pausing long enough to turn on the light as she raced to the bathroom.  She snatched her hand away just as her stomach lurched and gave up its fight to hold down the pizza.  She didn’t notice when Chad entered the bathroom, but she did hear his disgusted grunt and the sound of his footsteps as he stomped out of her room, slamming the door behind him.  She was still on her knees, heaving up her dinner and every meal she’d consumed for the past three days when she felt his warm hand take over the job of holding her hair back.

“Please,” she groaned, “just go away.”
  Jake’s amused chuckle made her heart skip a few beats.  “Sorry, I thought you were Chad.”

“
The Chadster couldn’t get to his room fast enough after seeing you toss up the first round.”

Bri glanced at him over her shoulder.
  “And just how would you know that?”

“I heard his anguished groan and the sound of thundering hooves when he ran from your room.
  Sure is squeamish, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Bri giggled.
  “He can’t stand illness of any kind.  Seeing someone throw-up puts him in a cold sweat for hours.”

Jake started laughing.
  “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?  You deliberately stuffed yourself silly knowing you would get sick.”

With Jake’s help, she managed to stand up.
  “I’m appalled that you think I could be so devious, Mr. Malone.”

“Uh
, huh.” 

He leaned around her and flushed the toilet then waited for Bri to brush her teeth and rinse her mouth out before gripping her by the waist and seating her on top of the counter.
 

“You look like hell.”
  Jake moistened a wash cloth and gently wiped her face.  “You know, most women just claim they have a headache when they want to avoid intimacy.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not like most women.”

“You got that right,” he grinned.

“Thanks
, Jake.”

“For what?”

“For taking care of me and for…being my friend.”

Jake tossed the wash cloth into the sink.
  “Is that all we are, friends?” 

“I don’t know how to answer that,” she said earnestly.

“Because you want it to be more than just friendship?”

“Yes.”

“And because your feelings run deeper than that?”

“Yes.”

Jake slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him so that his hips were nestled between her thighs.  Bri’s lips parted, her eyes meeting his in a heated gaze.  The air around them seemed to crackle as the sexual tension mounted but neither of them moved a muscle.  It amazed him that he could become so aroused by just looking at her, and if the throbbing vein in her neck was any indication as to how fast her heart was beating, Bri was experiencing the same desperate need for him as he was for her.  He drew in a deep breath; it was now or never. 

“I need to ask you something, Bri, and I want you to promise you’ll tell me the truth.”

Bri’s hands crept slowly up his chest and laced around his neck.  “You already know the answer,” she said, shocked by the throaty sound of her own voice.

“Do I?
  Tell me, sweetheart.  I need to hear the words.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile.
  “I’m in love with you, Jake Malone.  I tried to stop it from happening.  I thought if we didn’t kiss, if we didn’t touch, but…” she shrugged, “it didn’t work.”

“Oh
, baby, you have no idea what you do to me.”

She leaned into him, pulling his head down until their lips lightly touched.
  “I think I know, because you do the same thing to me.  I want you, Jake.  I want you so much my whole body aches with it.”  She kissed the corner of his mouth.  “I want to feel you again.”  She trailed feather soft kisses across his lips.  “I want to feel you inside of me, and I want…”

Jake’s moan was lost in the searing kiss that followed.
  He crushed her to him, devouring her mouth with a frenzied hunger that had no hope of ever being satiated.  God knows he tried though, and somewhere in between that first ravenous kiss and the frantic effort to divest each other of their clothing Jake had the presence of mind to shut the bathroom door and lock it. 

He took her hard and fast, the wild thrashing of her hips and the velvety softness of her breasts dancing across his chest driving him half mad.
  It was the sound of Bri breathlessly gasping out his name as she climaxed that pushed him over the edge.  Jake surged into her, the liquid heat of his seed shooting up inside of her with such force it left him feeling weak and a little light headed.

Bri clung to his broad shoulders with her cheek resting against his chest as she laboriously dragged air into her lungs.
  Her heart was pounding at a furious pace and small tremors kept racing through her body like some sort of aftershock following a massive earthquake.  She closed her eyes, drifting for several moments in a dreamlike state until the slow separation of Jake’s body from hers snapped her back into the real world.

“I love you too,” Jake said, brushing the damp curls from her forehead.

Bri’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “I guess we have a problem then, don’t we?”

“We’ll work it out.
  Together.”

“Together,” she repeated.

Jake helped her down from the counter, handing Bri her clothes before reaching for his jeans.  “We’ll wait until he’s gone, then we’ll have a nice long talk and you can tell me what he’s blackmailing you with.”

“It could get ugly,” she warned.

“We can handle it.”

Bri waited until he’d tugged his shirt back on then enfolded herself in his arms.
  “I feel safe here, as if nothing can hurt me as long as you’re holding me.”

“He won’t ever hurt you again, I’ll make sure of it,” he said fiercely.

“He’s changed, Jake.  I don’t even know him anymore.  He’s so set on hanging onto the illusion that we’re the perfect couple and would do almost anything to make sure this marriage takes place.”

He hugged her to him.
  “It doesn’t matter what he wants or what lengths he’ll go to in order to get it.  Now that I know you love me, I promise you won’t have to go through with the wedding.  We belong together, Bri.  I won’t give you up, not ever.”