White Satin (14 page)

Amusement followed the relief on his face. “Never better,” he assured her solemnly. “You were very gentle with me.” His lips brushed her forehead with a tenderness that caused a lump to form in her throat. “But I wasn’t the virgin here. You’re an athlete, so I didn’t think there’d be any pain, but I couldn’t be sure. It worried the hell out of me.”

“No pain.” She nestled contentedly closer. “Only pleasure. I loved every minute of it. It was utterly fantastic.” She nipped his shoulder playfully. “I could murder you for not making love to me at the apartment. We wasted three entire days.”

He stiffened. “I thought it was wiser to wait.” He pushed her away and sat up. “I still do.” He rose from the bed of cushions with his customary litheness and stood looking down at her, all vulnerability and tenderness hidden behind his usual impassive mask. “I think we have a few things to discuss.”

“Now?” she asked blankly as she watched him
retrieve his black sweater from the floor, then return to kneel beside her.

“Now,” he said firmly. He sat her upright and pulled the sweater over her head, pushing her arms into the sleeves as if she were a little girl being dressed for school. “That little seduction scene you just pulled off makes me feel a good bit uneasy.” He tugged the sweater down to her thighs and began rolling the overlong sleeves up to her elbow. He glanced up, his eyes more cool silver than green. “It makes me feel manipulated.”

She nodded. “That’s because you’re not used to anyone else pulling the strings,” she said cheerfully as she pushed the hair away from her face. “You’re used to doing all the manipulating yourself.” She crossed her legs tailor-fashion and grinned up at him mischievously. “How do you like it, Machiavelli?”

His lips tightened grimly. “I don’t. It shouldn’t have happened. Not yet.”

“Bull,” she said succinctly. “We’re two consenting adults.” Her eyes danced merrily. “At least you were very consenting a few moments ago. There’s
no reason we shouldn’t make love if we want to.” Her face softened. “And I wanted to.”

“But
why
did you want to?” His eyes narrowed on her face. “Lust, curiosity, a whim?” His face darkened in a frown. “Or was it gratitude? Did you suddenly decide to pay me for Briarcliff after all? I told you—”

Her fingers swiftly covered his lips. “For goodness’ sake, you certainly have a hangup about that,” she said crossly. “Look, I’m sorry I’m grateful to you. You’ve done so much for me, I’d be a callous monster if I weren’t. However, I certainly didn’t offer you my untouched body on any sacrificial altar.” She took her hand from his mouth. “This untouched body wanted to be touched by you, so I went about getting what it wanted in the most logical way I could think of.”

“Seduction.”

“Exactly,” she said with a satisfied smile. “And you needn’t think I’m paying you for Briarcliff, because I’m going to deed it back to you as soon as possible.”

“No!” His frown deepened stormily. “That’s
completely stupid. I don’t care anything about the blasted place, and you do. It’s yours, dammit.”

“It will be someday,” she said serenely. “After I win the gold and accept a contract with an ice show, I should have enough money to buy it from you. Until then it’s yours, Anthony.”

“I won’t take it back,” he growled, and for a moment he reminded her of a sulky little boy.

“You’ll have to,” she said lightly. “I’m a very independent lady. I only accept candy and flowers from my gentlemen friends.” She fluttered her long lashes coyly. “Unlike another of Beau’s southern literary ladies, ‘Ah will not be dependent on the kindness of strangers.’ ”

“Strangers?” His lips curved sardonically. “After fourteen years, not to mention the intimacy we’ve known tonight, I’m scarcely a stranger, Dany.”

“But you are,” she said quietly. A beloved stranger, a stranger whose body excited her, whose mind challenged her, whose very presence drew her like a magnet, Dany told herself. “We’ve always been strangers, Anthony, because you wouldn’t let me be anything else. Because I was too intimidated
by you even to try to be anything else.” She paused. “Past tense, you’ll notice. I’m not afraid of you now. That’s why I wanted you to make love to me tonight. I want to
know
you, Anthony.”

“In the carnal sense?”

“In every sense.” Her voice was grave. “You’ve dominated my life so long in so many ways. I feel so many things for you. I want to be able to sort them out, and I can’t do that now. I
need
to do that.”

“So you intend to become my mistress as some kind of psychological therapy?” She could almost feel the veil that surrounded his emotions harden and solidify. “I can’t say that’s exactly what I had in mind.”

“I didn’t think you did.” Her eyes were clear and direct as they met his. “I think you wanted to retain your dominant position in our relationship because that would be the only way you’d also be able to maintain that barricade you put up between yourself and the rest of the world.” She smiled a little sadly. “Oh, yes, you intended to encourage my independence, keep me content sexually, give me a small portion of yourself. Perhaps I
would even have been happy for a little while. Until I realized what I was missing. Wasn’t that the plan?”

“There wasn’t any plan,” he said absently, sitting back on his heels. He seemed supremely oblivious to his own strong, graceful nudity. “Though I might have had subconscious leanings in that direction.” A tiny smile tugged at his lips. “And I’ll promise you I’ll keep you much more than content sexually. In case you didn’t notice, we’re pretty terrific together.”

“I noticed,” she said softly. Heavens, he was beautiful, Dany thought. The strong line of his thighs was pure singing grace, and the muscles of his chest and shoulders, while powerful, had a sleek suppleness that was a warm, tactile invitation. Suddenly she wanted to be back in his arms with an urgency that shocked her slightly. So soon? She drew a deep, steadying breath. “But it’s not enough. I’m going to ask more from you than that.” Her lips tightened determinedly. “No, I’m going to demand it.”

“Demand.” He repeated the word as if it left a sour taste on his tongue. “I don’t believe I like the
nuances in that word. You’d get a great deal further with me by asking. I don’t particularly appreciate that touch of aggressiveness in you, Dany.”

“Don’t you? Jack likes it very much,” she said with deliberate provocation. “He appreciates a good many of the more liberated facets of my personality.” She watched the swift frown that darkened Anthony’s face with almost objective curiosity. “But then, we’re very open with each other. That has a way of breeding”—she paused before adding—“intimacy.”

“I know what you’re doing, you know,” he said curtly, his eyes flashing. “Jealousy is the oldest ploy in history, and you’re not being overly subtle.”

“I’m not trying to be. I’m just pointing out that if you’re not willing to give me what I want, there are other men who will.” She looked away so that he wouldn’t see the tenderness mixed with pain in her eyes. She didn’t want any other man. Only Anthony—for the rest of her life. Only Anthony. “Men who are willing to give more of themselves than a token.”

“The bottom line, Dany?” The crispness of his
tone was belied by the smoldering flicker in his eyes. “You’re leading up to something. I want the bottom line.”

“The bottom line is that I’m going to own you body and soul,” she said simply. “And if you’ll let me do that, I’ll let you own me in the same way.” Her gaze returned to regard him steadily. “And if you don’t, we’re going to have to say good-bye. I wouldn’t be able to bear it any other way.”

“You make it sound so damn easy,” he said harshly. “I told you I’m not a generous man where my feelings are concerned.” His face was shadowed with strain. “I
can’t
give you what you want. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to. There’s something inside me that won’t let go. Don’t you think I’d like to be as open and uncomplicated as that son of a bitch Kowalt?”

Oh, dear heaven, how she loved him. She felt a rush of maternal tenderness so intense, it was almost painful. She wanted to take him in her arms and soothe away the pain she felt in him, to tell him it was all right, that she’d accept whatever he could give her. No. She mustn’t do that. She’d be
cheating them both of their chance to have it all if she gave in now.

“Then I’ll teach you,” she said, keeping her voice steady with an effort. “You’ve taught me any number of things over the years.” She smiled shakily. “After all, turnabout is only fair play. It’ll work.”

“And if it doesn’t?” His voice was rough. “If you think I’m going to let you go, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Let me try. At least let me try,” she whispered. “Just promise that you won’t get angry and close up when I probe, when I won’t let you shut me out.”

He was silent for a long moment, and she could feel the tension in him reaching out to her. “You’re a determined little thing, aren’t you?” he asked jerkily. “Okay, I’ll do my best.” Then, as she smiled delightedly, he added, “But you’re not getting everything your own way. I’m taking out a little insurance just in case you can’t turn me into Mr. Warm and Wonderful.”

“Insurance?”

He nodded. “Propinquity, intimacy, and sex
constitute an umbrella policy that’s pretty darn unbeatable. You just might find after two weeks of constant inundation that you may not want to be quite so adamant in your demands.”

“Two weeks?” Her brow knotted in puzzlement. “I still don’t understand.”

“We’re going away together for the next two weeks,” he said coolly. “I have a lodge in the White Mountains I use occasionally. It’s very small and completely isolated. There’s not even a telephone. There’s a pond on the property that always stays frozen this time of year, and we can use it to keep you in shape and correct those rough places in your routine.” He smiled slightly. “I can assure you, you won’t overtrain up there. You’ll be spending too much time in bed.”

“Do you think that’s wise?” Dany asked hesitantly. “I’ll have to leave immediately for Calgary after those two weeks. Will I be ready?”

“It’s a little late to think of that now. I told you where my priorities would lie if I ever made love to you.” His eyes were moving over her, lingering on her pert breasts beneath the black wool of the
sweater. “You first, the gold second. You made the choice.”

“You don’t mean that,” she said quietly. “You want that gold as much as I do. You wouldn’t let me lose it this late in the game.”

“Wouldn’t I?” His lips twisted. “How would you know what a ‘stranger’ would do?” Then he shrugged wearily. “I hope to heaven I wouldn’t. I think I’m right about the overtraining. If I am, this is the best move you could make.” His eyes met hers. “On the other hand, I could be rationalizing to give myself an excuse to put you where I’ve wanted you for the last six years. You’d better consider that.”

She shook her head. “I won’t consider it,” she said firmly. “Not for a minute. I trust you, Anthony.”

“That’s more than I do myself,” he said dryly. “I hope you won’t regret it.”

“I won’t,” she said with a serene smile. “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow morning,” he said absently. “Late morning. We aren’t going to get much sleep tonight.” He reached for the bottom of the sweater
that was hugging her thighs. “I can see these pretty nipples standing up and pushing against this. The wool is irritating them, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t noti—” She broke off as the sweater was pulled swiftly over her head and tossed aside.

Then he was leaning forward, his dark head bent, his warm tongue gently moving over the tips of her breasts. “Does this make them feel better, Dany?” he asked thickly, nipping and suckling at the sensitive tips. His hand was between her legs, petting her with a deliciously sensual skill. “Is that what you want?”

She jerked as he touched her with sudden erotic force that sent her rocketing into a volcano of heat. “Yes, that’s what I want.”

He was bearing her back on the cushions, his expression intent and heavy. “Just relax. I want to make it last a long time this time. I want to give you so much pleasure that you’ll go crazy with it.” His hand shaped and molded one firm breast with lazy skill. “I’m going to find out what you like and what you don’t.” His lips lowered and he blew on the moist, rosy tip. “Everything.”

She felt a fire shoot from his manipulating
hand to the center of her womanhood and the tingle of urgency begin. “Insurance?” she gasped faintly.

“Oh, yes,” he agreed as his hand moved over to the other breast and clasped it with the same exciting possession. “Insurance, Dany. Insurance of the very best kind.”

The snowflakes were beginning to fall at a much faster pace now, no longer star-shaped flutters that glittered here and there on the ice. It was time for Dany to come in, dammit.

Anthony jammed his hands in the pockets of his sheepskin jacket and called again from the snow-covered bank. “Dany, that’s enough. We’ve got to get back to the lodge.” He knew how Dany always got wrapped up once she hit the ice. Look at her, he mused—whirling and leaping as if the surface were glass-smooth instead of becoming increasingly rough with every passing minute. He’d
just opened his lips to call again when she turned and waved and the words died unspoken.