The Beloved Scoundrel (26 page)

His brows lifted. “You expect something of me? But you said I couldn’t have you. I wouldn’t think of offending you by disobedience.” His head turned, and he pressed his lips to the soft skin on the inside of her forearm. “Until you give me permission.”

Heat tingled up her arm. She swallowed. “Jordan, I—”

“That’s permission enough.” He jerked her down on his lap. His lips roamed over her throat while fingers tore at the buttons on the back of her gown. His head lifted, to reveal eyes blazing with feeling. “Stand up.” He didn’t wait for her to comply but stood her on her feet. “Is this different enough for you?” He tore the gown and shift off her, and they fell in strips at her feet. He pulled her back on his lap, facing him, adjusting her legs over the wide wooden arms of the chair.

He reached beneath her, and two fingers plunged deep while he freed himself with the other hand. He stroked, rotated, stroked again.

She gasped, her fingers closing on his hair.

He bent her back, his mouth closing on her right breast, and he sucked long and hard, tonguing her nipple in rhythm to the probing of his fingers.

She bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. The sensation was indescribable. Her thighs stretched wide over the hard, smooth wood and Jordan’s fingers.…

He lifted his head. “Do you belong to me?”

She was barely aware of the content of his words. She looked up at him dazedly.

His fingers left her, and he made an adjustment. He plunged deep, filling her to the quick. “Do you belong to me?” he repeated.

Her hands plucked at his shoulders. “Jordan, I can’t—”

“Do you want me to move?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

His hands pressed down on her hips, sealing her to him. He was still, his chest moving in and out with his labored breathing. “Then tell me you belong to me.”

Chains. A sudden burst of anger tore through her. “I will
not
.”

He did not move, and she felt the waves of lust and frustration emitting from him as a tangible force. “Damn and blast you.” He started to move, his hips rotating upward in a wild, thrusting, driving motion.

She could only hold on to his shoulders and ride the storm until the final explosion. It seemed to go on a long time. She could hear herself making little animallike cries as she took him and took him.…

He buried his head on her breast, still flexing within her. She couldn’t move as shudder after shudder of release rippled through her.

“Tell me you belong to me,” he said in a low voice.

“Let me go.”

“You’ll tell me someday.”

She felt a frantic need to escape. “I’m not comfortable. Let me stand up.”

He lifted his head, and a reckless smile lit his face. “But we’re not finished.”

She stared at him in bewilderment. He could not want her after that wild climax of feeling.

She was being moved, shifted to his lap, with her legs over one arm of the chair. He was still within her, and he bent her back over his arm, his lips caressing her nipple. “Isn’t this pleasant?”

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting. I’d be a fool not to take advantage of such a vulnerable position when you’re being so cruel as to want to leave me. Who knows when I’ll be granted such a privilege again?”

She felt him hardening within her.

“Close your legs and let me feel your tightness.” His lips brushed her ear. “I told you only a little of my dream. There’s still much more to come.”

This had been a mistake, she thought in despair. She had believed she was strong enough to take what she wanted without yielding more of herself. She should have known better. He had seized control, and at this moment she felt more owned than ever in her life.

“Hold me,” he whispered as his fingers searched and found.

As the pleasure started, she instinctively tightened around him, giving him what he demanded.

A terrible mistake.

I
s it safe to slide on?” Alex ran to the edge of the lake and looked out over the glittering ice. He stuck out a booted toe and probed at the icy surface. “This is a fine place. May I stay with you, Marianna?”

“No, the ice is still too thin, she said, answering the former question. She pulled him back from the danger. “And I would love for you to stay with me. Why don’t you ask Jordan?”

“Jordan, may I?”

Jordan broke off his conversation with Gregor and shook his head. “We need you to help Gregor protect Cambaron while we’re gone.”

Alex frowned. “Then I want Marianna to come back with me.”

“But Marianna needs to rest. That’s why she’s here,” Jordan said gently. “She became very tired working on that lovely flower dome. You don’t want her to become ill, do you?”

Alex said quickly, “Marianna’s never ill.” His worried gaze went to Marianna’s face. “But she does look … pale.”

“I feel perfectly fine,” Marianna said firmly, with a barbed glance at Jordan. She would not have him making Alex anxious. “And I’ll be back with you at Cambaron before you know it.”

Alex asked Jordan, “Why can’t she rest at Cambaron?”

Jordan smiled. “Does she ever rest at Cambaron? We’d have to seal off the tower room.”

Alex chuckled. “And the stable storeroom and the ballroom and—”

“What if I promised not to work?” Marianna said to Jordan, challenging him. “Then there would be no reason for me not to go back to Cambaron today.”

Jordan gave Alex another glance. “Could we trust her?”

Alex shook his head.

Jordan smiled blandly at Marianna. “How well he knows you. I suppose we’ll just have to keep you here until you’re more rested.” He turned back to Alex. “But there’s no reason for you not to visit more often. Gregor can bring you back in a few days. We’ll get
you a pair of skates, and if the ice is hard enough, we’ll have a few lessons.”

“I can learn to skate?” Alex’s eyes lit with excitement. “Marianna too?”

“I’m sure she would be a fine skater,” he said silkily. “But we’d have to watch her carefully. She’s always had an affinity for thin ice.”

She wanted to reach out and strike him. She whirled away. “Let’s go for a walk along the shore, Alex.” She added pointedly to Jordan, “You don’t have to come with us. I’m sure you and Gregor have many things to discuss.”

To her surprise he nodded. “We’ll watch you from here. Don’t slip and fall. The snow is hard-packed, but there’s thin ice beneath it.” He smiled at Alex. “There will be a cup of hot chocolate waiting for you after your walk, and then maybe we’ll have a game of chess. Would you like that?”

“Oh yes.”

Marianna took Alex’s hand and set out. The snow crunched beneath her boots, and the sun shimmered brilliantly on the white surface. Gradually the vigorous activity caused her anger and frustration to ebb. She would not let her anger with Jordan spoil this time with Alex. “I’ve missed you. Have you been well?”

He nodded. “Gregor took me on a splendid trip on the
Seastorm.
I saw Captain Braithwaite again. He’s got lots more gray in his hair now.”

“But you’re back at Cambaron now?”

He nodded again. “But I haven’t been able to ride much. The ground has been too icy.” He was silent a moment and then whispered, “You’re not really ill, are you? Not like Mama? You’re not going to—”

“No!” She stopped and fell to her knees before him. She gathered him in her arms and rocked him tenderly. He had not mentioned Mama for a long time and never mentioned the night she died. She had not realized how vivid the memory still was to him. “I’m just a little tired. I’ll be back with you just as soon as I can.”

“Not if it’s going to make you more ill,” he said quickly.

Blast Jordan. “It won’t make me ill.” She framed his cheeks in her gloved hands. “And perhaps when I come back, we’ll go on our own journey, just the two of us. Would you like that?”

His eyes lit eagerly. “Where would we go?”

“We’ll have to decide that later.” She kissed him on the forehead. “But for now let it be a secret between us.”

“Could I take my horse?”

She stood up. “We’ll discuss that when the time comes.” She took his hand and continued to walk. “How is Dorothy?”

“Fine,” he said absently. He looked out to the lake. “Perhaps we could wait until after I come here again to go on our trip.” He added hastily, “Not that I’m sure we wouldn’t have a splendid time, but we wouldn’t want to hurt Jordan’s feelings when he’s planned everything so nicely.”

“No, we wouldn’t want to hurt Jordan’s feelings.” She tried to keep the irony from her voice. Jordan, the seducer, the magician who could spin a web so glittering, you wanted to stay caught in it forever. Even Alex was helpless before him.

“Marianna!”

They turned to see Gregor waving his arm at them.

“Chocolate!” Alex turned and ran back toward the lodge.

“Be careful,” she shouted after him.

He laughed and kept on running, sliding over the snow.

She smiled and shook her head at her own foolishness. When was a seven-year-old boy ever cautious? Particularly Alex, who lived every minute as if there would never be another?

Alex had already disappeared into the lodge when she arrived at the stable yard, but Gregor stood waiting on the step.

“I am sorry,” he said quietly. “I could not stop him.”

She felt the heat touch her cheeks and deliberately pretended to misunderstand him. “No one can stop Alex when there’s a cup of chocolate waiting.”

“I thought Jordan would bring you back within a few days.” His gaze raked her face. “Has he hurt you?”

Had he hurt her? Not physically, but she was beginning to feel that the pain would never stop unless she could find a way to leave him. “You must know he’s not a violent man.”

“He does not need to strike a blow to bring pain.” He shook his head. “If you would give him the Jedalar, I would have reason to try to interfere.”

“Try?” She smiled bitterly. “I thought you told me you always won your battles with Jordan.”

“That was a long time ago. With every loss Jordan learned. It would be difficult to take away something he wanted now.”

And he would not even make the attempt as long as there was a possibility that Jordan could wrest the Jedalar from her. She was alone.

Well, she had been alone before. She did not need his help. She turned and opened the door. “I need a cup of hot chocolate myself. It’s growing chilly out here.”

Alex and Gregor stayed until late afternoon, and the tears stung Marianna’s eyes as she watched them ride away.

“They’ll be back in a few days,” Jordan said quietly.

“Alex
needs
me,” she said fiercely.

“I need you.”

He turned and went back into the lodge.

She followed him. “You didn’t tell me Alex was at Cambaron. I thought you’d sent him away.”

“We brought him back. He’s happiest at Cambaron. There was no use upsetting him unduly.” He turned to look at her. “And I didn’t tell you he was at Cambaron because I knew that you’d immediately decide to make the attempt to go to him. We’re too close to Cambaron here at Dalwynd.” He smiled faintly. “For the woman who walked seventy miles to Talenka, the distance would be nothing.”

“But you knew he’d tell me.”

“I promised you could see him. I don’t break my word. It only means I have to be more vigilant.”

“This can’t go on.” She turned and walked to the window and stared blindly out at the frozen lake. She asked suddenly, “What would you do if I gave you the Jedalar?”

She could sense his sudden tension across the room.

“What?”

“That’s what you want. What if I gave it to you? Would you let me and Alex go?”

“Yes,” he said slowly, “I would let you go. I’d let you ride out of Cambaron with enough money to make you and Alex comfortable for the rest of your lives. I’d stay at Cambaron and promise not to look for you for a full month. I’d give you your chance to be rid of me.” She heard him move, and then he was behind her, not touching her. “And then I’d come after you and find you and bring you back.” His arms slid around her waist. “But we both know you’re not going to give up that easily. You might try to trick me by dangling the Jedalar in front of me, but I’m not in any danger of having to bargain with you yet.” His lips gently feathered her ear. “Poor Marianna, you’re sad and tired, and life isn’t fair, is it? Come sit by the fire. I’ll fix your supper.”

A
thundering crash at the front door!

Marianna woke to hear Jordan’s low curse as he leaped from the bed.

Another crash!

“What is—” She was talking to air; Jordan was no longer in the room. She jumped from the bed, slipped on her robe, and ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Jordan was crouched on the doorstep, bending over a giant bearlike form.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Her fingers were trembling so badly, she barely managed to light the candle on the table by the door. “Who …?”

“Gregor.” Jordan’s voice was hoarse. “Gregor, goddammit.”

Fear tore through her. She took a step closer, holding the candle higher.

Blood on the snow. Blood on Gregor’s quilted tunic. She fell to her knees beside him. Was he dead? Dear God, so much blood … and his face was chalk pale. “Is he …?”

“He’s not dead. He won’t die.” Jordan’s voice was fierce. “Get linens for bandages.” He straightened and with an effort lifted Gregor’s enormous bulk in his arms. “I won’t be able to manage the stairs. I’ll lay him before the fire.”

She ran to do his bidding. Gregor was hurt. Gregor could die. Sweet, wise Gregor …

Alex!

Gregor had been with Alex. Whatever fate had befallen Gregor must also have struck down Alex.

Alex might be lying somewhere on the snow, hurt, unable to defend himself.

With shaking hands she took out an armful of linens and flew back to the parlor. Gregor was lying on the rug in front of the hearth. Jordan had already unbuttoned his tunic and grabbed one of the linens from her.

“Jordan.” She tried to steady her voice. “Alex.”

“I know.” He was trying to staunch the bleeding in Gregor’s upper chest.

“Alex is alone out there. We have to go after him.”

“We will.” He sat back on his heels. “The wound’s not too deep, but he’s lost a good deal of blood.”