He cleared his throat and chose a lead-in sentence. "I have a confession to make." Although he avoided looking at her, he sensed her coming to his side.
"A confession?" she asked, her tone of voice revealing her eagerness for an acceptable excuse.
He nodded. "I'm... I'm incredibly shy around women. Especially exceptionally beautiful women like yourself. I never know quite what to say or how to behave."
She sat next to him and smiled as he tried to make more space between them. "I really do make you nervous, don't I?" she asked sweetly. "I don't mean to. I just go after what I want. Really, there's no reason to be nervous," Robin assured him. "Unless you're a virgin. You're not, are you?"
Geoffrey was able to chuckle at that. "No, I am not a virgin either."
"Good. Then there really is nothing for you to be shy about with me. I have all the same parts as any other woman you've been with. And if there's anything you're not sure about, I'll be more than happy to help."
He cleared his throat again and tried another tack. "My being shy is not the only thing holding me back from... from acting on my attraction to you. I pride myself on being a gentleman, as old-fashioned as that may sound. A gentleman would never take advantage of a woman when her resistance was down, even if she thought she wanted him at the moment. To pursue you in any way while you are so vulnerable, would be akin to my seducing a grieving widow. Only a rogue would behave so unconscionably."
Robin narrowed her eyes at him. "Hold on one teeny second. Let me try to rephrase your explanation into plain English... I mean, American. You think this wacky situation we're in has made me a weak little girl whose mind is too mucked up to know the difference between being attracted to a man and needing a strong shoulder to lean on."
Geoffrey grimaced at her annoyed tone. "I merely said that you're vulnerable right now—"
"News flash, smartass. I was attracted to you the first time I saw you, before we boarded the plane. Not only did I think you were an absolutely gorgeous specimen, there was something about you—your aura maybe—who knows, but it made me want to find out more about you. If all I needed was a man to protect me from the unknown, do you honestly believe I would have picked you rather than Logan or T.J. or any of the other muscle-bound young apes in our group?"
Geoffrey didn't know whether he'd just been flattered, insulted or chastised, so he gave no reply whatsoever. It worried him that her arguments sounded logical. Despite his belief that this was all just a game to someone as attractive as Robin, he realized she had the power to force him to play if she remained determined to do so.
"Time's up, Geoffrey," Robin said, breaking into his imaginings. "You don't want to answer my question because you know I'm right and you're wrong, but you're not ready to admit it. So let's make a deal. You say you're attracted to me but don't want to take advantage because I'm vulnerable right now. Okay. How much time do you think needs to go by before I stop being vulnerable and start knowing my own mind?"
He could see where this was headed and tried to derail her. "A year."
"Bzzt! Wrong answer. Try a week. One has gone by already. More than enough time to get over a shock."
"Not true. The current situation, with us sharing living quarters, is a brand new shock. Six months."
"One."
"Three," he said, combing his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Dammit, woman! I don't even know what I'm negotiating about any more."
"Two months," she said firmly. "I won't insist you give up this foolish chivalry for two months. But if I still want us to be more than roommates after that, you're mine to do whatever I want with."
Geoffrey shook his head and sighed. Since he was certain her interest in him could never last as long as two months, he agreed to her ultimatum.
"Good. Now there's just one more thing." Before he could avoid her, she twined her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his. He gently resisted for a moment, but she held tight until he was kissing her back. For a few more seconds she savored the intimacy, then she eased away. "I just thought you should have a taste of what you'd be enjoying tonight if you weren't such a perfect gentleman."
Before she went back into the bedroom, he asked, "You really didn't find any of the other men to your liking? I would think Logan—"
"Nope. You're the one. Besides, Logan's not available. He just doesn't know it yet."
She left him in the confused condition she'd intended and returned to her own bed, alone. She didn't feel badly that he'd negotiated her into a two-month period of neutrality. After a kiss that magical, he'd never be able to hold out that long.
* * *
Nadia shoved her breakfast aside. How could they expect her to eat this slop every day for the next five years? The least Parisia could have done was to send Fulton over to prepare her meals and take care of her laundry!
Losing Fulton after putting so much time into his unique training made her punishment that much worse. She wondered who would hire him now, and whether his new employer would figure out how to bribe him for gossip about his previous mistress, even though it was strictly forbidden for housemen to discuss their past or present employers.
If others learned of the services she had required of him, she might have difficulty hiring any houseman in the future. Even if she managed to acquire someone suitable, she knew she would never again be able to take the risks she had before—not if she ever wanted to climb back up the political ladder.
And the only thing that was going to keep her spirits up for five years was the belief that it was possible for her to recapture lost ground one day.
She was no longer under guard and the restraints on her wrists and ankles had been removed, but what good did it do? She was still a prisoner in a primitive commune while the Earth women now had freedom in her world. Ray Higgs, the scarred man, and the pretty blond man were gone too. By eavesdropping she'd learned of the outrageous defense plan Parisia had pushed through Parliament. If only she had been there...
But she hadn't been and there was no use fretting over past mistakes. What she had to do now was figure out how to improve her present circumstances.
Escaping was not an option at the moment. The controller had gone with the pretty man and her earlier plan to get Simone to help her was no longer feasible. Not that anyone would stop her from going into the transfer room and pleading for assistance while Simone was on duty. It was just logical to assume that Simone would never jeopardize her own future by aiding an ostracized citizen.
Actually, the only option she did have was which communal task she would perform in exchange for sustenance. As if it wasn't demeaning enough to have to manage without a servant, the earth cretins kept insisting she would have to do manual labor or she would not be permitted to eat. And it wasn't even decent food!
The mere thought of dealing with smelly four-legged beasts or dirtying her hands in the fields was completely repulsive to her. It was beyond her imagination to envision herself serving or cleaning up after men. The only chore she thought she might learn to tolerate was the preparation of food. At least that work was done indoors and required clean hands.
"Mornin', ma'am. Nadia, aint' it?"
Nadia looked up... and up. The man who had dared to approach appeared to be taller and broader across the shoulders than she was. His hair was blond, but cut so close to his scalp that he looked nearly bald.
"I'm Guy Wilkes," he said, as if she should be impressed, then sat next to her without asking permission.
She glared at him but it didn't seem to faze him in the least.
"Thought you might be needin' a friend about now." With a bold look on his face, he placed his hand over her knee.
Shocked at his impertinence, she bolted up from her seat. "How dare you touch me without permission?" she hissed. "I will report you to... to whomever has a semblance of authority in this deplorable place."
Wilkes laughed out loud and slapped his thigh. "I'll be goddamned! You really do think you're some sort
of queen bee, don't you?"
She rose abruptly and started to walk away but he grabbed her robe and brought her up short. Sneering at him over her shoulder, she ordered, "Release me this instant, or I'll..."
"Or you'll what?" he challenged her right back. Standing up, he exchanged his hold on her robe for a fistful of black hair, tugging hard enough to make her eyes water. "If you think you can scare me like you did that wimp Higgs, you'd better think again, babe. In my world—which happens to be this here farm at the moment—men do the orderin', not broads. And that includes when, where and how we screw."
Nadia's heart pounded with fear. It was quite clear that this man was capable of hurting her very badly, but she had no idea why he would or what he wanted from her. She had no experience with physical force, other than the few times she had caused Fulton minor pain to keep him obedient. This man made her remember all the frightening things she'd heard about men while she was growing up. Not knowing what else to do, her gaze darted from side to side in search of someone to come to her rescue. However the elderly men working in the kitchen seemed completely oblivious to her plight.
"Don't bother lookin' to them for help. These old geezers can't move fast enough to get out of their own way, and everyone else is out doin' their chores already. But don't get the idea that the others would help even if they were still around. Let me tell you the score, plain and simple. There's a whole bunch of men on this farm who are both angry about bein' left behind and bored with havin' only five-fingered Mary for company. It don't matter how important you were where you come from. Here, you're just a horny broad who's already spread her legs for one of our kind, so you oughta be just as obligin' for everybody else."
She inhaled sharply. Though some of his expressions were unknown to her, his hand gestures had been adequately explicit. "I was conducting an experiment."
Wilkes smirked. "Yeah, right, babe. You just stick to that story if it makes you feel better. As a matter of fact, I have a little experiment you can help me with right now."
"I have no intention of helping you with anything!" She tried to pull out of this grasp, but he only held on tighter.
"Listen up, bitch. Every man here heard how you ordered that pint-sized Higgs to give it to you, and I'm not the only one who thinks you should try a real man on for size. Now, before this situation gets really messy, I figger somebody oughta take control of it."
She angled her head at him. The word control caught her attention. "And I suppose that somebody is you?"
"None other," he answered with a cocky grin. "I have a business proposition for you, but I don't want anyone to overhear it. Let's go to my tent."
A business proposition, like control, was something she could understand, even if his methods and other terminology were unfamiliar. Thinking she had a chance of coming out ahead in this encounter after all, her self-confidence returned. Straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin, she demanded, "Remove your hand from my person, then I will allow you to accompany me to your tent for a discussion." He released her hair but she could see he didn't like giving her even that slight advantage.
Wilkes had been right about everyone being gone. There wasn't a man in sight between the big house and his tent. At the last moment something warned Nadia not to go inside with him. "No one can hear you now," she said, stopping in front of the tent. "What is your proposition?"
He motioned for her to enter. "Inside first. I don't want to take the chance of anyone seein' us talkin' either. Your people could be watchin'."
That seemed unlikely since everyone was supposed to be at their work stations, but Nadia decided she was better off doing as he suggested rather than risk angering him again. Since the tent wasn't high enough for her to stand erect, she sat on one of the costs while he closed the tent flap and lit a lamp. Her patience and confidence were both fading quickly, but her curiosity kept her from walking out on him.
Without warning Wilkes turned and backhanded her cheek. She cried out more from shock than pain. When she tried to get up and away, he hit her again, this time so hard she fell back onto the cot. A scream welled up in her throat but before it erupted, his hand closed over her mouth.
"Not a sound," he growled and viciously squeezed her cheeks while he straddled her body to hold her in place. "Rule number one, you keep your goddamned mouth shut 'cept when I tell you otherwise. I'm the boss here and the sooner you understand that, the faster we can get down to business. What you just felt were nothin' but love pats compared to what you'll feel if you don't behave. Got it?"
With her cheeks throbbing and his greater weight holding her down, she did the only logical thing she could—she nodded in understanding.
"Good bitch. Rule number two, you don't go nowhere or do nothin' without me. From now on we're Siamese twins. Got it?"
She nodded again. With a sinking sensation she now realized the reality of the brutal male was even worse than the stories she'd been taught.
But Ray Higgs hadn't been cruel, or even aggressive. And the pretty man had seemed quite rational. Perhaps one of the other men left behind would be willing to protect her—She tossed that thought out. None of the others she'd seen looked nearly as strong or mean as Guy Wilkes. She had to accept the fact that she was completely at his mercy—for the moment.
Wilkes released her cheeks and stared down at her, as if daring her to speak without his permission. After a few seconds he seemed satisfied with her obedience and said, "Here's the deal. You gotta work to eat around here. Now I figger, you bein' the only pussy around here oughta be worth a hell of a lot. 'Specially one who likes gettin' fucked as much as you do. If you keep givin' it away though, it ain't gonna be worth nothin'."
She thought she comprehended what he was saying, but his speech was so peculiar, she couldn't be certain. Rather than question him, however, she held her tongue and hoped she'd catch on as he continued.
"Instead of you doin' chores like the men, you'll provide them with your personal, one-of-a-kind service and they'll make sure you get all your needs taken care of. 'Course, you gotta have somebody plenty smart and strong to manage your business for you and make sure you're protected against anybody tryin' to steal the goods without payin', and I just happen to be sick of wastin' my talents pickin' fruit and milkin' cows. You got the picture now, babe?"
She could hardly believe her ears. She had been fretting over what chore she could tolerate in exchange for food and, though she found Guy Wilkes to be as repugnant as a man could be, he had come up with an option she hadn't thought of. Thinking of how enjoyable her experiences with Ray Higgs had been, she smiled up at the man who thought he was so smart.
He grinned back at her. "Rule number three, no lyin' here like a dead fish. No matter who you're with, you act like you're lovin' every minute of it, just like you did with Higgs. And just to be sure you do, I'll be right here watchin' you every minute you're workin'. Got it?"
She gave him another nod as she felt a twinge of anticipation in her lower abdomen. The thought of him observing while another man pleasured her was strangely exciting. Even better than watching herself with Fulton in the bathroom mirror. She wondered if the image had a similar effect on Guy Wilkes. The answer to that came the next instant.
"Time to show your boss what a good little worker you're gonna be," he said and tore open the front of her robe. Letting out a soft whistle of appreciation at the sight of her breasts, he groped and kneaded them in his big, meaty hands. "The boys are gonna love these tits, babe."
Feeling a surge of power at his male weakness, she made the mistake of letting him see it in her eyes. He immediately repaid her by giving her nipples a harsh, twisting pinch. "Ow," she whimpered before recalling his order not to speak, and he quickly pinched her again.
"That was just a taste of how it can be between us. You obey the rules..." He bent down and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, teasing her with his tongue and teeth until she moaned for him. Then he abruptly bit into her flesh. "Or you can fi
ght me and get hurt. It's your choice, babe."
She massaged her bruised breast with one hand while wiping the moisture from her eyes with the other. When he rose to his knees and shoved his pants down below his partially swollen manpiece, she was no longer certain this was going to be better than dealing with smelly four-legged beasts.
"Now use that mouth of yours the way it's supposed to be used," he told her with an ugly sneer on his face.
She obeyed his command, but what followed wasn't anything like it had been with Ray Higgs, or even Fulton. Obviously the ultimate pleasure could only be achieved when she was the one giving the orders.
* * *
Simone stretched luxuriantly and moved her arms and legs over the satin sheets on Nadia's big bed. She mentally congratulated herself once again on having made such an excellent move.
Nadia's unusual tastes had proven to be an unexpected bonus. Simone knew she was supposed to disapprove of the lavish bathroom with its mirrored wall, the rich foods Fulton served and the satin sheets. But the truth was, she found it all very stimulating to her senses, as well as her thought processes.
There was only one thing that truly shocked her, and even that had turned out to be delightful. When Fulton had offered to prepare a bath for her, she certainly hadn't expected to find him waiting to attend her in the nude. Nor could she possibly have guessed the extent of his assistance. When he had asked her about her wishes, she had simply told him to do whatever he normally did for Nadia. Once she got over the initial embarrassment of being disrobed by him, she quickly overcame the shock of being touched as well. Wanting to learn everything there was to know about Nadia and recalling the scene she had witnessed in the transfer room, Simone decided to allow Fulton total freedom and soon made some amazing discoveries!
She stretched again and ran her hands over her body, touching and stroking places where she had never lingered before. That sort of contact was considered sinful and ultimately harmful to one's mental health. Perhaps there was a good deal of truth to that. Giving in to the physical pleasure that could be derived from such touches had certainly caused problems for Nadia.
LOGAN (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 5) Page 22
