The Russian's Tender Lover (The Sisterhood) (9 page)

“You go sit down at the table. I’ll bring in breakfast for you and the master,” Adele said.

Manuel picked up the pitcher of fruit juice and was about to grab the plate of fruit but Darcy grabbed it instead. “I’ll help,” she said and carried the tray through to the patio, where Sergei was already sitting, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper.

“Breakfast, sir,” Darcy said and ignored Sergei’s narrowed eyes as he watched her approach from the kitchen with the heavy tray, placing it on the table in the center.

“I hope you enjoy it,” Darcy said and started to leave.

“Where are you going?” Sergei demanded, not sure why she’d just come from the kitchen area, but wanting to know what was going on. With a nod, he dismissed Manuel and Adele, who quickly disappeared, closing the doors behind them.

Darcy watched as her two new friends abandon her to the big, bad wolf and grimaced at their lack of loyalty. But instead of being angry with them for their desertion, she turned to smile brightly at Sergei who looked exceptionally attractive in a white linen shirt and khaki shorts, his bare feet crossed at the ankles as they rested on the ottoman in front of him.

“Why were you coming from the kitchen?” he asked, his voice smooth as silk.

Darcy shrugged and tried desperately hard to get back into character, but it was difficult under those piercing eyes. “I wanted food and it wasn’t ready.” With a smile, she was about to turn on her foot and head out, but he stopped her once again.

“Sit down,” he commanded.

Darcy turned back to him, eyes angry now. “I’ve already mentioned that I’ve eaten. So thank you for the…generous offer,” she said sarcastically, “but I have many things to do today and you’re holding me up from them. Enjoy your breakfast, sir,” she said and almost curtsied, but thought that might send him over the edge.

“Sit down,” he ordered once again and this time, he stood in front of her, the look in his eyes telling her that he would force her if she didn’t comply.

With a sigh, she shook her head. “Fine. If you need someone to watch you eat, I guess you’re paying so what do I care?” She plopped down in the chair opposite him at the table and leaned back. But when he lifted the silver top on the platter, the delicious scent that wafted up to her nose had her sitting up straight and investigating. “What is that?” she asked, all irritation gone now that the smell of blueberries and cinnamon wafted to her senses.

“It’s Adele’s oatmeal breakfast bread. Try some, it’s delicious,” he said and cut her a thick slab of the bread that looked like a sort of bread pudding with blueberries and some type of sweet cream oozing from the center.

Darcy laughed, delighted with the creative breakfast and eagerly picked up her fork.

“What’s so funny?” Sergei asked, his eyes pulled to watch the woman across from him who looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. Or she would if she didn’t look so incredibly alluring with her fresh face and loads of hair barely contained on top of her head. Was she trying to be enticing, he wondered? Was this all a way to manipulate him for some ulterior purpose?

“I asked Adele what she was making earlier this morning,” she smiled and closed her eyes to savor the rich, warm, creamy breakfast meal. “I just didn’t know she was telling me the truth, that tease!”

Sergei watched her eat, nibbling at his own meal but fascinated with the way she savored each bite, enthusiastically serving herself more fruit and sipping at the juice as if it were nectar. He tried to pull his eyes away, but he was entranced. He barely realized he’d eaten anything at all but when she stood up, she gave him a cheeky smile before saying, “I assume I’ve eaten enough for your satisfaction?” she asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. Truth was, he wasn’t sure what his response would be, or even if he could respond. Now that she was gone, he could think a bit more clearly and he noticed that his body was rock hard, sexually aroused just from watching the damn woman eat breakfast with more enjoyment than some people have orgasms!

Tossing down his fork, he stood up, adjusted himself and forced his mind to concentrate on business matters he had to attend to for the day.

After feeding the dog and puppies, Darcy wandered down to the beach, wondering what she could do to pass the time. The dogs followed behind, eagerly chasing the ball as she threw it along the beach. The waves were lapping at the sand, calling to her and she let her toes sink into the sand as the water rushed up to her feet, then receding again. After several minutes of increasing the depth, she simply dove into the water, enjoying the relaxation of the waves as they carried her to and fro on the surf. She was about to walk out, her shorts and tee shirt plastered against her, but the small building to the left caught her eye. She’d missed it earlier because it was hidden by the lush vegetation that was creeping around the gorgeous beach. But when she peeked inside the unlocked building, she yelped with excitement. Inside, there were so many beach and surf toys she couldn’t believe her luck. The surf board was one thing she immediately dismissed, but when she noticed the wind-surfing board, she bit her lip in indecision. She had no idea how to windsurf, but it seemed like an easy enough endeavor. And it would be relatively straightforward to sail on the board, she thought.

Taking it out was harder than she’d anticipated because of the weight and awkwardness of the board, but when she got it into the water, it was much more manageable. Getting the sail up was a whole other issue though. Placing the pole into the board’s hole correctly was fine, but standing on the board and pulling up the sail with the curved handle was difficult.

Darcy had a great time trying to master the contraption. For the rest of the morning, she worked hard at balancing, standing up, then pulling the sail towards her with the string, then the handle. Several times she thought she’d gotten the swing of it, only to be tossed right back into the surf. Over and over, she jumped back up on the board, determined to master the sport, knowing her friends would never believe it of her.

Sergei watched from the window of his office as the woman who had distracted him all morning tried once again to work the windsurf board. What she lacked in skill, she more than made up for in determination, he’d give her that. His only consolation was that she wasn’t wearing one of the bathing suits his secretary had obtained for her. He could just imagine how distracting she would be if she was wearing a skimpy bikini instead of the tee shirt and shorts she was in right now.

When she came out of the water, tugging the board and sail behind her limply until both rider and board were firmly on the sand, he almost laughed when the bathing beauty simply plopped down on the soft sand on her back, every part of her showing her defeat. She even kicked the board a moment later, then cringed when the hard board hurt her tender foot. He had no idea where all the dogs came from, but she seemed to know them as they licked her face and nudged her hands, eager for some of her attention.

He chuckled when she rolled over and propped her head on her forearms, then forced himself to turn away. Cursing under his breath when he realized that he was fully erect, just from watching her stumble around in the water. Good grief! Couldn’t he control his own body? With her clothes on and her hair a mess, she wasn’t even trying to be enticing and she was giving him more sexual frustration than any woman had ever done in his life. Even when he’d been a raging teenager, he’d been more in control than he was now.

Pushing her out of his mind, he re-focused on the conference call that was ongoing despite his inattention.

Darcy let the warm sunshine heat her body and lull her into a deep sense of relaxation with the momma dog by her side and the puppies curled up on her back or near her waist. She should get out of the sun, knowing how her pale skin burns easily, but she was just too relaxed right at the moment to bother.

An hour later, she sat up when she felt a wet tongue on her nose, startled and aware that she’d fallen asleep. The sun had shifted so she was partially in the shade, but she knew she’d burned a bit on her arms and the half of her face that had been in the sunshine.

“Good girl,” she said to the momma dog, patting her head as the animal wagged her tail in excitement.

She couldn’t believe what she’d done! As she stood up, she looked around, trying to get her bearings after the deep sleep. It was the middle of the afternoon now and she needed to get inside, out of the sun. And it wasn’t good for the puppies either, she thought, then relaxed when she saw them curled up on top of one another in the shade, sleeping happily.

Pushing the heavy board and sail back into the shed where she’d found it, she padded up the pathway to the house, all five dogs behind her. In her room, she showered off the sand and salt water, gave the dogs another rosemary infused flea bath to ensure that all the fleas were gone, then changed into a dry pair of brown shorts and white tee-shirt, this one a bit more form fitting than she preferred, but it would work.

After feeding the animals again, giving them all a tummy rub and lots of attention, she left them to yet another feeding which she knew would be followed by one more nap.

Now that her entertainment was occupied, she felt a bit more alone and bereft. Strolling through the library, she found a book she’d been meaning to read for months but had never gotten around to purchasing for one reason or another. No time like the present, she thought as she picked up the heavy book and wandered through the house, looking for a comfortable place to sit down and read. She found a gorgeous looking sun room with deep cushioned chairs and lots of pillows. Curling up in one of the chairs, she opened the book and was instantly absorbed in the saga of a young British girl growing up in poverty, how she moved from job to job, trying to find happiness but missing it at every turn.

The sun was setting over the horizon and Darcy was still curled up on the chair, unaware of the time or the fact that the entire household staff was now looking for her.

When Sergei stormed into the room, passing through to the door on the far end of the lovely room, Darcy stood up, hiding the book behind her back. Hiding the book was simply self-preservation since it definitely didn’t fit in with the image she had of a flighty, emotionally desolate party girl.

The movement of her standing caused Sergei to stop mid-stride and look to his left, his eyes slicing into her. “Where the hell have you been all afternoon?” he demanded.

Darcy took a step back, stunned by the instantaneous anger that she didn’t feel she deserved. “Excuse me?” she asked, instantly offended by his tone and too shocked to hide it from him. As a child, when things became out of control at her father’s house, she’d reverted to manners to cover up for whatever ranting her father was doling out. That habit had transferred to adulthood, and she hid behind manners whenever she needed cover. But often the hiding came across as snobbish and aloof, not very warm and friendly characteristics. That was okay on the dance floor and had brought many men to their senses when they started to get too friendly with their hands or intentions. But in other situations, she’d been hurt by other people’s rejections.

Not so with this man. He wouldn’t take that kind of standoffishness from her and walked over to stand less than an inch from where she stood her position. “I asked, where have you been all day? Why didn’t you show up in the main room for cocktails? We’ve been looking for you for over an hour!” His eyes surveyed her appearance, taking in her casual shorts and tee-shirt. “I know it’s not a party where you can get all glammed up for your admirers, but a little respect for other peoples’ concerns would be appreciated. Adele and Manuel are worried about you!”

She looked up into his grey eyes, wondering what she’d actually done to rile him so much. This attitude seemed way out of proportion to simply missing drinks on the terrace or being an hour late for a dinner she didn’t even know was about to be served.

“I apologize for missing pre-dinner drinks,” she said with as little sarcasm as she could muster but a great deal seemed to ooze out of her because of the unfairness of the accusation, “but since you didn’t tell me that drinks were to be served, you haven’t had this little tradition for the past several days and didn’t inform me of the change in plans earlier, then I don’t believe this tirade of yours is fair or appropriate.”

Sergei couldn’t believe his eyes or ears. Was this tiny little woman, who was obviously shivering in fear as he glared down at her, taking him to task? Could she really have no idea that he was fighting tooth and nail to not pull her into his arms and make love to her right here?

Obviously, she was some sort of tease, he concluded, pulling his gaze away and walking away. “Get dressed. Dinner is in fifteen minutes and I expect you to be out on the terrace, appropriately dressed, in that amount of time,” he said and walked quickly out the door of the now darkening sun room.

Darcy stared after him, wondering what she was supposed to wear to an evening under the stars with her kidnapper. Was there a guidebook that outlined appropriate forced dinner attire? She almost laughed at the idea but wasn’t sure she was up to challenging him. He was in too much of a fury to deal with and understand right at the moment.

Walking to her room, she chose a soft, cotton dress that had cap sleeves, a fitted bodice and a flaring skirt that made her look and feel very countrified. She loved the way the cotton swirled around her calves and the pretty yellow color looked wonderful against her newfound tan. If one side of her face was a bit more pink than the other, she wasn’t overly concerned. Slipping on a pair of white, flat sandals, she walked back out to the terrace.