by Jayne Castle
"I've got an after-dinner liqueur I've been saving for a special occasion," he told her as the last of the dishes was stacked in the dishwasher. "Let's have it in front of the fire." Without waiting for her response, Adam switched off the kitchen light, taking Janna's arm and guiding her into the living room where the flames flickered merrily on the hearth. There was no other light in the room now and darkness had closed in outside.
"Come down here and sit beside me," Adam instructed, holding the bottle and two glasses in one hand and yanking on Janna's wrist with the other. There was no option but to sink down beside him on the thickly piled rug in front of the fire.
"Never say I'm not a romantic," he told her, pouring fragrant liqueur into two stemmed glasses and handing her one. His eyes met hers over the crystal and the barely dampened male desire in their depths made Janna draw in her breath in a little gasp.
"An isolated house on a beach, a fire blazing in the fireplace and a soft rug," Adam itemized slowly, the velvet in his words sending a tingle down Janna's spine. "I have given my woman just enough good wine and liqueur to relax her and soon she will thank me for the wonderful day." His voice roughened sexily on the last words and Janna felt the glass in her hand shake. Hastily she took a small sip, hoping to lower the risk of spilling sticky liqueur on the beautiful rug.
"Such a well-staged scene implies a lot of practice," she retorted, determined not to sink completely under his spell. She tool another sip of her drink for courage and flashed him a look from beneath her lashes.
"Ah," he smiled slowly. "This is the part where I'm supposed to tell you very sincerely that no other woman has ever been privileged to share my seaside retreat."
"Are you going to tell me that?" she whispered quietly.
"Would you believe me if I did?" he inquired, lifting one heavy brow interestedly.
Janna met his eyes. "Yes. As annoying and irritating and domineering as you are, I admit I would trust you, regardless of what you told me," she stated simply, factually.
"Isn't it nice to be able to trust someone completely?" he asked huskily, trying his drink, his gaze locked with hers.
Janna's fingers tightened and again the glass in her hand trembled. She was unable to break the hold he had on her now. "Yes."
"That's the way I'm going to be able to trust you after you give yourself to me, sweetheart," he murmured richly.
"You...you haven't answered the question," she managed in a ragged little voice.
"About having brought other women here? The answer is that I haven't had the opportunity. I barely finished the house a few months ago and since then the decorator has been busy with it." A touch of the highwayman's grin moved his lips. "Honesty compels me to admit, however, that all the time I was building it, I wasn't planning on spending a lot of lonely, isolated weekends in this house!"
The humor of his confession broke through Janna's feeling of being deliberately seduced long enough to make her chuckle in response.
"Oh, Adam! Complete honesty isn't always called for, you know! You could have left it at telling me you've never brought another woman here!"
"Not good enough between us, my queen. We will know each other totally." On a note of deepening passion, Adam reached across to remove the glass from her fingers, setting it safely down beside his on the hearth. Then his hands moved to shape her face and hold her still for his kiss.
In that moment when she knew it was too late to run, too late to fight, Janna made one last effort to resist the persuasion of his embrace. But Adam's ruthlessly demanding mouth overpowered her weakened defenses with an easy, hungry approach that made a joke of her efforts. He forced her lips apart, drinking the nectar within as if it were a drug he had to have without any further delay.
But Janna felt as if she were the one being drugged. The now-familiar flicker of response she had experienced before in Adam's arms flared forth in full glory, seeking more intimate knowledge of this man who had come to dominate her senses. Adam's hands slid to the back of her head, loosening the knot of hair and letting the dark brown strands tumble over his fingers.
"Adam!" she breathed on a mere thread of sound. Her arms found their way around his neck and at this sign of response on her part he took the opportunity to lower her beneath him until Janna lay nestled in the rug.
"You are so perfect for me," he murmured, leaning on his elbow beside her and stroking one roughened palm along her throat, over her breast and then along the curving line of her hip. He lowered his head and kissed her again and when her lips parted willingly this time his hand on her hip tightened, drawing her against him.
Janna breathed deeply as her thigh came into contact with his strongly muscled one. She sensed his rising passion and took a female delight in knowing she could satisfy it.
And she could satisfy it, Janna told herself fiercely. She knew it deep within and longed to prove it to him. She allowed her fingers to trail caressingly around his neck and down his back, stopping now and then instinctively to knead the sinewy skin. His answering groan told her she was having as great an effect on him as he was having on her.
Janna was dimly aware of Adam's fingers on the buttons of her blouse as his mouth made its way over to the delicacy of her earlobe. She stiffened briefly, remembering how he had once nipped the lobe in sharp punishment. But this time he only played gently with it between his teeth and by the time her attention went back to the fingers on her buttons it was too late to stop that particular invasion, even if she had found the strength.
"When I packed this shirt of yours," he whispered in her ear, sliding the garment off her shoulders, "I imagined what it would be like to take it off you. The reality is for superior to my fantasy!"
"Adam?" Janna's voice came hesitantly, "Are you...are you going to...."
"Am I going to make love to you?" he supplied, his fingers at work now on the snap of her beige colored bra. "Sweetheart, for a well educated young woman, you do ask the silliest questions!" He chuckled affectionately against her smooth skin as the bra came free, exposing her softness to his eyes.
"Don't you want to make love to me?" he questioned, his hand gliding up to cup her breast, the sensation causing J anna to arch against him involuntarily. He held her quivering body closer. "Don't you?" he demanded gently.
"Oh, Adam," she sighed. She buried her face against his chest, her trembling fingers beneath his shirt, stroking his muscular back.
"Please hold me, Adam," Janna begged, her palms loving the feel of his chest, delighting in the crispness of hair which covered it.
"I told you I would give my woman whatever she wanted as long as I thought it was good for her," he teased lightly, complying with her request.
"Adam, I love you," 3anna heard herself murmur as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck again, drawing his head down to hers. But before his lips met hers she felt him grow suddenly still.
"Whs...what's wrong?" she pleaded, opening her eyes to find him gazing intently down into her face. She knew her passion and love must be clearly revealed to him in the light of the fire. How could anyone hide such strong emotions? "Don't you..." She broke off and tried again. "Adam, don't you...."
"What I want," he said very distinctly, his voice unexpectedly harsh, "is to hear you tell me again what you just said."
She didn't pretend to misunderstand him. What was the point? She couldn't now lie to Adam and knew she never would be able to do so again.
"I love you," she repeated quietly, a little anxious as she waited for him to make some answer, now that he had the surrender he wanted.
But Adam had told her he was nothing if not thorough and his next words made it plain he intended to complete his revenge. The lesson he had promised to teach her must be unmistakably proven to have been learned.
"How much do you love me, Janna?" he rasped softly.
"Enough...enough to admit that you have the surrender you wanted," she breathed softly, her hand moving to touch his cheek. One of his hands intercepted
hers, however, closing shut around it and pinning it gently to the rug as if it were a distracting influence.
"You're prepared to come and live with me in San jose? Without benefit of marriage?" he prompted, sounding tense. Why was he so tense, she wondered, not understanding his reaction. She had expected masculine triumph, not this tension!
"I'll live with you wherever you wish." She smiled gently, knowing she wanted to be with this man more than anything else in the world. She would accept any terms he cared to offer and pray that eventually she could make him love her as much as she did him. She would devote her life to that task!
"Yes," he said softly, "I can see what I wanted to see there in your beautiful eyes." He nodded his head once and then, to her complete astonishment, bounded to his feet, stretching down a hand to help her rise.
"Adam! What's wrong? Why...."
"Hush, little queen," he ordered gently, smiling again with infinite tenderness while he placed the blouse lightly around her shoulders. "And don't look so confused," he added. "Everything's going to be alright. But I've decided we're going to wait a while longer to enjoy each other to the fullest. There is one other thing I want to see...."
"What are you talking about, Adam?" Janna begged, struggling into her blouse and standing still while he did up the buttons.
"We're going to wait," he informed her deliberately, "until I have a chance to see that look in your eyes in the full light of day. In the morning if I still see all that love and surrender I'll know the victory is complete. I'll know what I'm viewing tonight isn't just caused by too much alcohol and romance. Then we'll talk about our future. Now, sweetheart, off to bed with you!"
"But, Adam!" she protested bleakly, not comprehending.
"Do as you're told, Janna," he ordered firmly, standing back from her.
"Yes, Adam," she sighed, turning to walk slowly toward the bedroom hallway. She hesitated half way, glancing hopefully back over her shoulder but he only arched one eyebrow warningly in response. With a small groan, she turned obediently back toward the hall.
She had almost reached it when the doorbell rang.
"What the hell...!" Adam's surprise was clear in his startled exclamation.
Janna glanced at the clock, noting it was after midnight. She watched Adam stride briskly across the wooden floor, throw open the door and then heard his words of annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded rudely of whoever stood outside.
"I came to see you, naturally, darling," a woman's voice announced, undaunted. "Had a heck of a time finding the place, I might add. Your secretary gave very poor directions. I've been driving into strange driveways for the past hour trying to find a house that fit this description. I must say, you did a nice job on it, Adam."
Janna watched, stunned, as a blue-eyed, beautiful young redheaded woman pushed past Adam and walked into the foyer.
"Allow me to present Christy Benson," Adam said wryly to Janna as both women stood, staring at each other. "She's, a, uh, friend of mine."
"A very close friend," Christy Benson amended, eyeing Janna's greater height with a narrowing gaze.
One look at the tiny little redhead was enough to tell Janna that never in a million years was she going to like the younger woman. How dared this puny little female arrive unannounced like this and ruin everything? The idea that at this time last night she would have welcomed the presence of another woman didn't even occur to Janna.
CHAPTER 8
"How do you do, Miss Benson," janna managed in a remarkably calm tone. She shifted her gaze to meet Adam's eyes over the top of Christy Benson's short, artfully styled curls. "A friend of yours, I believe you said?" she added drily.
"Christy is the daughter of a business associate of mine," Adam said very firmly, meeting janna's inquiring look fully.
"Adam and I have known each other for years," Christy put in breezily, apparently not appreciating the way the conversation was being held literally over her head.
"About a year and a half, to be precise," Adam corrected mildly. "We were first introduced when your father commissioned my outfit to build his new office building in San Jose. You were just going off to college, as I recall." Janna had to admire the way Adam mentioned that last bit. It somehow conveyed the idea that he considered Christy quite young. Too young?
"I think," he went on determinedly, "that you owe me an explanation for your presence, Christy."
"I told you, Adam," she smiled sweetly up at him, "I came to see you. I knew you were building a new place somewhere near Carmel and I was anxious to see it. I would have been here much earlier if Mrs. Craddock had provided me with clearer directions."
"That would have been difficult for her as she's never been here, herself! Now let's have the whole story, Christy." The note of impatience was strong in Adam's voice and Janna watched to see how the redhead would respond. In Christy's shoes, Janna told herself, she might have argued, tried a logical explanation, or played the scene very coolly, depending on what the real story was. But never, never would she have dissolved into beautiful tears and thrown herself into Adam's arms as Christy was doing!
"Oh, Adam! Please don't be angry. I know I should never have come here, but I had to! Believe me! There was no where else to go and I had to get away from Dad! He...he's getting impossible!"
The tears, Janna had to admit, were well done. Delicate, shimmering drops which made the blue eyes glisten and didn't even spoil the eye makeup. She must be wearing the waterproof kind, Janna thought grimly. Adam disentangled himself gently from the clinging girl, using his hands on her upper arms to set her a short distance away from him.
"Calm down, Christy," he instructed, sounding less impatient than he had a moment ago. The tears were having the proper affect, Janna decided with growing irritation. "Let's have the whole tale in twenty-five words or less, okay?"
Christy, giving a great imitation of a drowned flower, gazed up at Adam and nodded hesitantly. Janna wanted to shake the girl severely and send her back home. Couldn't Adam see it was all an act and not a very good one at that? What did Christy really hope to achieve tonight?
"Dad is th-threatening to send me away to school somewhere in the Midwest this fall. He's trying to separate me from Larry and, oh, Adam! I don't know what to do! I came to you for advice. Please help me..."
Janna turned away in disgust. If Adam couldn't see this was a well-rehearsed little play...!
"Christy," Adam began, sounding a little harrassed. "I don't know what you imagine I can do about the situation! I don't even know this Larry and I'm sure your father has his reasons..."
"It's because Larry doesn't have any money. He's going to school on a scholarship, you see. Trying to make something of himself. But Dad refuses to see that. He wants me to marry someone with a...a solid financial background. He'll do anything to separate Larry and me. Adam, what am I going to do?"
"Christy, be reasonable. There's nothing I can do! Besides, the Fall semester is a long way off and by then you'll probably have your father wrapped around your little finger again. As I remember, you certainly did the last time I saw the two of you together!"
"Not this time," Christy announced mournfully. "I've never seen him this determined."
"Well? What do you expect me to accomplish?" Adam demanded, beginning to sound annoyed.
"You could talk to him, Adam! Explain that you made your way up in the world and people like Larry can do it, too!" Christy told him eagerly, blue eyes filled with such pleading hope that Janna finally felt obliged to take matters in hand.
"I think," she interrupted with royal firmness, "that it is much too late at night to be engaging in discussions which involve Christy's whole future." The other two turned immediately to look at her; Adam with a relieved expression; Christy with an irritated one. "I suggest we all go to bed and renew the conversation in the morning. Are you staying at one of the motels near Carmel, Christy?" she asked pointedly, knowing full well what the answer would be.
"No...I came directly here. I had hoped..." Christy broke off, glancing endearingly at Adam who, like the male he was, picked up his cue immediately.
"Christy can sleep in the study. There's a couch that makes into a bed in there. Janna, would you...?" It was Adam's turn to look hopeful.
"Come with me, Christy, and I'll get you settled. Did you bring a suitcase?" Janna inquired, swallowing a sigh.
"I packed a little bag before I left," Christy acknowledged, casting a disgusted look at Janna who returned it blandly. "It's in the car."
"I'll get it," Adam volunteered instantly and disappeared through the door before either of the two women could say a word.
"This way, Christy," Janna ordered, leading the way down the hall to the study. She had only glanced into the small room once before earlier in the evening but Adam was right. It did indeed contain a couch which Janna deftly changed into a bed while Christy stood watching coldly.
"There's a bathroom across the hall," Janna explained mildly, observing the now coolly calculating expression on Christy's young face. "And I think you'll find a towel in the closet to the right as you enter..."
"Who are you?" Christy finally snapped, apparently not the least interested in the facilities.
"Janna Courtney, as Adam told you when he introduced us," Janna smiled innocently, knowing that wasn't what the other girl had meant.
"I mean what are you to Adam?" Christy demanded, sounding on the edge of a temper tantrum.
"What do you think I am?" Janna smiled kindly as if making allowance for the other girl's lack of intelligence. She straightened from her work on the bed and regarded Christy with a direct look.
"I'm not sure," Christy drawled. "When I first saw you I thought you might be Adam's latest mistress."
