Sarah’s cheeks flamed. She should have fled, but she couldn’t. Instead, she let her gaze slowly slide down his body.
His front was even more enticing than his back had been. She took in his heavily muscled chest and arms, his rippling abdomen, and the thin line of black hair that trailed downward. Her eyes followed the line and widened further at the sight of his erection. It sprang out of a nest of black hair and stood at full attention. It was terrifying … large, swollen, thick, and incredibly intimidating.
She couldn’t take her eyes off his shaft. She imagined having it inside her, and the ache in her lower belly intensified. Her mouth felt suddenly dry, and she swallowed hard.
Brian didn’t appear the least bit embarrassed by his nudity. In fact, he gave her a wicked grin.
“Did you want something, Sarah?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but her voice came out as a squeak. She cleared her throat and looked down, nervously wringing her hands.
“Yes, I wanted … I mean, I was going to ask whether … It’s just that I …” she broke off with a mortified groan.
Brian prowled toward her and stopped with mere inches between them. He braced his forearms on either side of her head and leaned toward her.
Her eyes were locked on his chest. She could feel his hot breath on her face. Her breasts brushed against his chest with every shallow, frantic breath. The backs of her hands brushed against his scalding shaft, and she jerked them behind her back with a gasp. The tip of his erection pressed against her lower belly, right where she felt hollow and achy. She felt caged, trapped, cornered. Excited. Eager. Aroused.
“Look at me, angel.” Brian’s voice was firm and commanding. He waited while she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his.“Good girl. Now, tell me. Why did you come in here? You must have wanted something.”
Sarah felt as if her cheeks were on fire. It was so hard to look him in the eye. She took a wobbly breath, and her voice was so low that he could barely hear her.
“I came, because I don’t want you to go into town. I don’t want you to be with some whore.”
Surprise flickered briefly in Brian’s beautiful green eyes, and then it was replaced by flaming hot desire. He cupped her cheek and ran the pad of his thumb over her lower lip.
“You listened to my conversation with Liam,” he said with a grin.“Naughty girl.”
Her cheeks burned even hotter.“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she whispered lamely.“I just couldn’t help overhearing. Please don’t go into town.”
His grin deepened, and he raised one dark, taunting brow.“What are you prepared to offer to make me want to stay, angel?”
She gulped and dropped her gaze to his chest once again. Her heart pounded wildly, and she could feel heat pooling in her loins. That little nub of flesh between her thighs was persistently throbbing again. Her lower belly felt incredibly empty, like a vessel waiting to be filled. By him. Her bodice was suddenly much too tight, and it chafed against her sensitive nipples.
“Answer me, angel. What are you prepared to offer me?”
“Anything you want,” she whispered.
Hot blood flooded Brian’s already aching cock. It twitched and throbbed, urging him to seize all she was offering. Still, there were too many unanswered questions between them. Her memory could return anytime, and when it did, it was quite likely they would discover that she belonged to another man.
Brian was willing to take the chance. He wanted her so badly that any gamble to have her as his own would be worth the risk. However, he wasn’t willing to risk her future happiness. If they became lovers and then she discovered that she actually loved another man, it would shatter her. She would be tortured by guilt and remorse. She would eventually grow to hate him for taking advantage of her vulnerability. As badly as he wanted her, he just couldn’t do it.
“Why is it so important to you that I not go into town, Sarah?”
He studied her closely. She nibbled her bottom lip. She looked adorably uncertain and shy. His cock throbbed even more painfully, but he waited patiently for her reply.
“I don’t want you to be with any woman except me, Brian. I couldn’t bear it. Please don’t go.”
His heart soared. Her admission was exactly what he had been hoping to hear. The temptation to seize her trembling lips and devour them was strong. The only thing that stopped him was knowing that if he kissed her, he would never be able to stop. Instead, he curled a finger beneath her chin and lifted, waiting until her eyes met his. When he spoke, his low voice was gruff with desire.
“I never had any intention of going into town tonight, angel.”
Her brow crinkled.“But I heard you tell Liam that you would.”
“I only told him that to keep him from harassing me. I have no interest in being with a whore.”
“Oh,” she said softly.
She looked down again, and her cheeks flamed. Even though his answer pleased her immensely, she felt so foolish. And yet, she wasn’t sorry she had come to him. She wanted him desperately. She swallowed hard and peeked up at him from beneath her lashes.
“I’m glad to hear that, Brian. But I still meant what I said. I’m willing to do anything you want.”
“Anything I want?” he asked. He cocked one black brow and studied her intently.
Sarah swallowed again but nodded.“Yes, Brian. If you want to make love to me, you can do anything you want.”
“That’s a very tempting offer angel, but I’m afraid I must decline. You see, I don’t want to make love to you.”
“You don’t?” She sounded so disappointed and forlorn.“Oh.”
“No, I don’t. What I want is to strip off all your clothes, carry you to my bed and fuck you long and hard. All. Night. Long.”
His voice was seductive and velvety smooth as he emphasized those last three words, and he paused when she gasped. He continued, listing just a few of the things he wanted to do to her.
“I want to shove my cock into your sweet, wet, tight little pussy, and then I want to wallow in your delicious heat. I want to watch your beautiful face while I hold you down and fuck you. I’m not talking lovemaking, angel. There would be no gentleness, no tenderness. It would be rough, raunchy, no-holds-barred fucking, until we both collapse from exhaustion. I want to lick and bite and fondle every sweet inch of your luscious, ripe body until you go insane with pleasure. I want to make you beg for my cock. I want to master you, bend you to my will, and force you to obey my commands. I want to teach you every single way you can use your body to please me.”
He leaned even closer, until his lips were almost touching hers while he spoke. His eyes were burning, and he snared her startled gaze. His voice was deep and gravelly with desire.
“And after I’ve fucked you until I have no more strength left and you are tender and sore, I want to shoot my hot, thick seed inside you. I want to look into your eyes while your glorious, tight pussy milks every drop of my seed so deep inside your womb that you’ll never have another doubt that you belong to me and only me. I want to watch your belly swell with my child, and once it’s born, I want to watch it suckle at your breast.”
He took a deep breath and straightened away from her just slightly. He forced the next words out, even though he knew that by saying them, he would be destroying any chance of finding relief for his raging lust.
“And I want to do all those things for the rest of our lives, angel. So unless you are prepared for me to do them, I suggest you leave right now, because I don’t know how much longer I can resist doing all the things I want to do with you.”
Sarah’s mouth had fallen open while he spoke and her eyes were wide with shock. Her cheeks were as red as cherries. He was certain she had never had anyone talk to her like that. He had intended to shock and frighten her, so that she would flee to safety. After the space of three heartbeats, she did.
She ducked under his arm and raced from the room as if the devil was breathing down her neck. Brian heard her enter his
bedroom down the hall and close the door with a bang. He groaned and leaned his forehead against the door, where she had stood just moments before.
His chest was so tight, he could barely draw breath. When he did manage, he released another agonized groan. Her sweet fragrance still hung in the air. Giving voice to all his desires had only increased the intensity of his hunger. The hardest thing he had ever done was to turn away from the door and don his clothes.
Sarah leaned back against her bedroom door and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Her body was a flickering bundle of nerves. Her skin felt hot and too tightly stretched over her flesh. She ached everywhere, in her breasts, in her belly, and especially between her thighs.
She knew Brian had purposely been trying to frighten her, and she knew why. He was trying to do the right thing. He was trying to protect her. He had used crude language and vivid images to shock and scare her. He had succeeded in frightening her, but not in the way he had intended.
Listening to him list all the things he wanted to do to her had frightened her only because she had realized that his desires were entirely in line with her own. She wanted him to do all those things, and she wanted it with terrifying intensity. And most terrifying of all, she had realized with blinding clarity that the reason she so badly wanted those things was because she had fallen in love with Brian.
She felt completely out of control. If she gave Brian what he wanted, she realized she would never have control again. She would be his, to do with as he wished. Was she really ready to cede that much control into his hands? Was she prepared to give herself to him without any reservations? Was she willing to submit to him and do anything he asked of her?
The thought of doing so appealed to her on the most basic and primal level. It felt right. It felt necessary in order for her to achieve happiness and peace of mind and spirit.
If she submitted to his wishes, he would have the power to make her life into a heaven or a hell. He would hold her heart and her happiness in the palm of his hand. Did she trust him that much? Was she willing to risk her heart?
Even if she wanted to give herself wholeheartedly to Brian, she didn’t know whether she was truly free to do so. The two visions she had seen gave strong evidence that she was married to another man. However, she was beginning to think it really didn’t matter. Even if there was a husband waiting for her, she couldn’t imagine loving him the way she loved Brian. How could she possibly return to live with him when she would always love and long for Brian? Was she willing to divorce her husband in order to be with Brian?
She fell across the bed and silent tears poured down her cheeks. No matter what she did, she felt as if her heart would break. There was no solution. There was no way that everyone’s needs could be met. Someone was bound to be hurt.
She curled into a miserable ball and cried quietly. After a long time, she heard Brian climb into bed in the room next to hers. Another couple of hours passed before she heard Liam return and quietly make his own way to bed. She rose and donned her nightgown and crawled beneath the quilt. Finally, she fell into an exhausted sleep.
Her sleep was restless, filled with wispy dreams. The images swirled in her head, and she frowned in her sleep, trying to understand the meaning of the snatches she was seeing. Eventually, her dreams settled.
She saw herself once more, leaning over a large bed as she fluffed the pillows. Strong hands gripped her waist and tossed her onto her back on the mattress. She gasped with surprise, looking up to see Brian’s laughing green eyes as he smiled down at her. She relaxed, pulling him down for a kiss.
His lips were firm and warm as they explored her mouth, and then her neck. He unbuttoned her dress and chemise, baring her breasts to his hungry gaze.
“Sarah,” he murmured.“My sweet Sarah. I’ve been waiting all day for this.”
She moaned and eagerly arched her back, pressing her breast up to meet his mouth as it descended. He suckled hard, and she felt moisture beginning to pool between her thighs. She clutched his head to her, never wanting him to stop the sweet torment he was inflicting on her nipple.
He released her breast and raised his head, giving her a leering grin. Only, it wasn’t Brian. It was the man from her visions.
Sarah awoke with a gasp, bolting upright in the bed. She searched the room with panicked eyes, her heart pounding and her palms sweating. She felt terrified and deeply troubled. She didn’t know how much of what she had seen was a dream and how much was a memory. All she knew for certain was that she was frightened, and she was convinced that her terror was due to the man in the visions.
Suddenly, she didn’t care about right or wrong. She didn’t care whether she was married to the man in her visions. She needed comfort. She needed Brian. She was willing to do whatever it took to be with Brian, even if that meant abandoning her husband.
Once she reached that conclusion, her heart felt instantly lighter. Her conscience no longer railed at her. Her mind felt clear for the first time since she had met Brian. She knew with certainty what she wanted, and she knew with certainty what she had to do.
She padded silently on bare feet to the room next door. Without knocking, she eased the door open and slipped inside, closing it behind her with a soft click of finality.
Chapter Four
Brian rose onto an elbow, surprised by Sarah’s sudden appearance in his bedroom. He had been lying awake, thinking of her, picturing her in his bed, in his life. He had been agonizing all night, wishing he could go to her but knowing he shouldn’t. Couldn’t in good conscience. Now, here she was, like a beautiful vision in a flowing white nightgown.
“Sarah?” he whispered, wondering whether she was real or just a figment of his imagination.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she murmured softly.“Please let me sleep with you”
Brian swallowed hard, trying to calm the pounding of his heart. He wanted nothing more than to say yes, but he was trying so hard to do the right thing.
“You shouldn’t, Sarah. What if you are in love with someone else? What if you have a husband or fiancé?”
“I don’t care,” she murmured urgently.“I don’t care about anything. I want to be with you. I need you, Brian.”
Her statement made Brian’s heart pound even harder, and he felt hot blood flooding his already aching erection. He swallowed hard. His self-control had never been so tenuous.
“I’ve told you what I want from you, Sarah. I will demand your complete obedience to all my wishes. Are you sure you’re ready to give me that, knowing what I will expect? I will accept nothing less from you.”
“Yes,” she said softly. “Please, Brian. Let me stay.”
She held her breath as he studied her. Her heart was racing, and she prayed that he would accept her offer. She couldn’t bear it if he sent her away. Finally, she saw him give a small nod, and she sighed with relief.
“If you’re sure this is what you want,” he said quietly.“But understand, Sarah. Once we cross this bridge, there’s no going back, no matter what we find out about your past. Once you give yourself to me, you will belong to me and only me. I won’t ever let you go back to another man.” He paused for a few moments to let his words sink in.“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
His words should have frightened her. Instead, they thrilled her. She desperately wanted to belong to him and no one else.
“I understand,” she whispered.
He searched her face, seeing only eager acceptance. His heart was beating so hard he thought his chest would burst. He knew in that moment that he had found his perfect mate. He lifted the edge of the covers, inviting her to join him in the bed. When she stepped forward, he stopped her. His voice was low but vibrated with unmistakable command.
“Wait. Before you join me, take your nightgown off. You won’t be needing it.”
Sarah shivered with desire. The moon was nearly full, and its rays streamed in through the window, bathing the room and her in a silvery glow. Sarah could see the glitter of Bri
an’s eyes as he watched her closely. She unbuttoned her nightgown slowly, before peeling it off her shoulders so that it could slither to the floor.
Brian made her skin burn with the heat of his gaze as he inspected her naked form. He catalogued every sweet curve and hollow, paying special attention to her pouting breasts, rounded hips, tiny waist, and coy thatch of hair over her mound.
“Turn around slowly.”
She did as he had instructed, shivering with awareness. When he had finally looked his fill, he reached for her hand, tugging gently. She came willingly into his bed.
He crushed her against him, and the heat from his naked body made her gasp as he pinned her beneath him. She could feel his erection, fiery hot and throbbing against her lower belly. The ache in her loins intensified. She wanted him inside her, and she said as much.
“Make love to me, Brian,” she whispered urgently.“Please. I want you so desperately.”
Brian hesitated as he studied her eyes in the moonlight. Did she truly know what she wanted, he wondered. There was no question for him. He wanted her … now. Forever. He had never wanted anything as badly as he wanted her. But if he made her his own, only to find out she really hadn’t understood what he expected of her, she might change her mind. He thought it just might kill him if he lost her now. He had said he wouldn’t let her go, but he knew he would if she asked it of him. He would never force her to stay with him against her will.
Sarah knew he was wavering, and she decided their fate when she stroked a finger along his lower lip.“Please, Brian. Don’t stop. I need you, and I’m willing to do all the things you want.”
Her words were an answer to his prayers. With a primitive growl of satisfaction, he kissed her. He didn’t bother to hide the depth of his passion. He let it overflow, drowning her in a sea of sensation as he fed voraciously to satisfy his hunger. She was a tender morsel, a tasty tidbit, and he ravenously consumed her like a starving man.
Naughty Angel: Brian's Bride (The McKenzie Series #2) Page 7
