Nothing but Trouble

by Tory Richards

  His masculine chuckle spread over Sophie like a ray of sunshine, leaving her skin tingling in places. “Unfortunately our dinner is feeding the fish right now. It went over the side when I dropped it to catch you. I’ll see what I can round up in the galley.”

  Sophie clamped down on her lip to keep from crying out for him to stay. She didn’t want to be left alone. It was easy forgetting where she was when he was there, keeping her mind busy. His large presence made her feel safe and protected. Panic nearly overwhelmed her the closer he moved to the door. He’d told her they weren’t leaving the marina but if he’d changed his mind and they were floating out to sea somewhere right now, she didn’t want to know. She was too chicken to face that possibility.

  Escape seemed further away than ever. Brent couldn’t have chosen a better place to ensure she wouldn’t even try. She reluctantly glanced at the small porthole, which was covered with a sheer red curtain. Revealing they weren’t below water level was a small comfort. He opened the door and was gone before Sophie could find her voice. She didn’t waste any time rolling off the bed once he closed the door behind him. There was no way she was going to be lying there when he returned, like some frightened virgin waiting to be conquered.

  She glanced around at her surroundings, noticing two other doors besides the one Brent disappeared through. After snooping around, she discovered one opened up to a tiny closet and the other to a bathroom about the same size. She paused long enough to survey her disheveled appearance in the mirror over the sink, and then reached up to run her fingers through her untamed hair.

  Goodness, she hardly recognized herself. There was nothing in her reflection to indicate she was a woman of means. She fingered the hanging threads where the buttons had popped off her shirt, embarrassed to discover the dark outline of her nipples were showing right through the thin material. Maybe Brent hadn’t noticed. She turned on the tap, letting the water run a few seconds before scooping some in her palms, then running it over her tear-streaked face and burning eyes. All too soon a noise from the outer room told her Brent had returned. She emerged from the bathroom hoping she looked more composed.

  Her gaze fell briefly to the tray in his hands. “I suppose this is to be my new prison?” She didn’t take her stare off him as he walked across the room, her mouth watering over the delicious aroma reaching her nose.

  Brent didn’t look at her until he made his way to the small table beneath the porthole. “For the time being.” He set the tray down.

  “And how long is that? How long before you get the ransom money?” Sophie slapped her hands on her hips in an unconscious challenge.

  “I see your spunk has returned.” He turned her way after straightening up. His gaze dropped to the front of her shirt, narrowing.

  Sophie tried to ignore the gleam of interest in his eyes. “I’ll give you the money myself if you’ll let me go. I have plenty.” When a tick appeared in his jaw and his stare didn’t waver she glanced down, fully prepared to see the faint outline of her nipples through the material. What she saw was far more damaging, and revealing. The front of her shirt was wet in places; plastered against her breasts as if it’d been glued there. Her nipples were clearly visible through the material, as well as the rounded shape of her breasts. She gasped sharply and reached up to pluck the material away.

  With growing panic Sophie glanced back at Brent but his expression hadn’t changed. Maybe he’d fallen asleep with his eyes open or something, because he didn’t so much as blink. Then, as if in slow motion, his lazy gaze swept up to meet hers. What she saw there caused her whole body to come to life.

  “You’re too late.” His voice was low and sexy, filling Sophie’s blood with fire. “Is this a new trick to get me to let down my guard?”

  Acute embarrassment coupled with the feeling of helplessness ruled the biting response on her tongue. That and the need to deny the feelings he roused in her. “I’m glad one of us finds this amusing. But then, you’re not the one being terrorized…”

  “Terrorized!” He burst out laughing; the deep, rich sound flowing over Sophie in a sensual caress that caused her breath to catch with sharp awareness, even as it choked her with annoyance.

  “Yes!” she insisted.

  “You’ve been treated like a princess compared to most kidnap victims.” His arms made a sweep of the food.

  “That’s not just bread and water on your plate,” he said in reference to the steamed vegetables and seared salmon.

  Eyebrows arching, Sophie went on recklessly, “I’ve been attacked…”

  Eyes brimming with a mixture of desire and humor, Brent’s gaze moved over her again, this time inspecting her for a different reason. “Were you hurt?”

  Crossing her arms, her chin rose stubbornly. “I’m being shuffled around from place to place…”

  Brent crossed his arms. “It’s better than being buried alive in a wooden box with a jug of water and an air tube to keep you company.”

  Sophie was going to wipe that smug grin off his face if it killed her. “I’ve been stripped and, and, manhandled. You practically forced yourself on me.”

  The grin on Brent’s face slowly faded as the laughter in his hooded eyes disappeared, leaving a lazy, seductive look in its place. Unexpectedly leaving her hot and weak at the knees. Sophie realized her mistake the minute the words passed through her lips. She wasn’t in the habit of letting her tongue run away with her, but lately she was becoming a pro at it.

  “Manhandled?” he repeated softly. “That sounds like a serious complaint.”

  “Yes,” she insisted, unconsciously adding fuel to the fire. She didn’t like the expression crossing his face, as though he was contemplating something. Maybe now was a good time to change the subject. After all, what do I really know about him? Other then his kisses turned her inside out.

  He was right, damn him, he’d treated her much better than any kidnap victim had a right to expect. The things he’d done had been out of necessity, hardly causing her more than a few embarrassing moments. If she’d left well enough alone, they’d still be back in his cozy apartment, waiting for Jonathan to pay the ransom.

  She took a nervous step backward. “I’m sorry; I don’t usually let my tongue run away like that.”

  The unyielding look in his eyes revealed her apology fell on deaf ears. Her glances darted around the small room looking for an avenue of escape, finding none that didn’t include going topside. For a moment she weighed what she thought was the lesser evil. By the time she made her mind up to duck into the bathroom and lock the door it was too late. Brent closed the distance between them with blinding speed.

  “You’re not very smart, princess. There are rules to this little game,” he surprised her by saying.

  “Ru-Rules?” she stammered with rounded eyes. Her pulse leapt at his nearness, which had nothing to do with being afraid.

  Brent nodded slowly. “Rule number one, the kidnapper calls the shots. Whether that insults your delicate sensibilities or not doesn’t matter. What he says goes, period.”

  “I didn’t mean…”

  “Rule number two, the kidnapper has the right to stuff a sock in your mouth and keep you tied to the bed if you prove difficult.”

  Her eyes widened even more. “But…”

  “And rule number three, never insinuate that a kidnapper is lacking, in any area. You sound disappointed that all I’ve done so far is steal a couple kisses.”

  “Not hardly,” she responded, her tone not sounding very convincing. She tried to step away but there was nowhere to go, since his body trapped her against the bed. “Please…” The air between them became electrically charged.

  “Please?” he whispered huskily, his eyes falling to her mouth.

  Sophie wasn’t sure what she was asking for, only knowing his nearness caused a fire to erupt inside her belly. When he looked at her like he was now, she couldn’t think past the sensuous warmth in his eyes or the desire etched his strong, hard face. Her lips parted
beneath his visual caress, unexpected desire licking through her body. She tried to deny the warmth suddenly pooling between her thighs; thankful he couldn’t possibly know how her body was responding to him. Praying he didn’t guess. She couldn’t understand it herself. Except that he radiated a vitality that drew her like a magnet.

  He moved as if in slow motion, curling his arm around her waist and hauling her to him until she was flush against his aroused body. “Please?” he repeated in a soft growl, slowly lowering his head. “That sounds like an invitation, princess.”

  Hands automatically moving between them, Sophie was torn between pushing him away and curling her nails into his shirt to pull him closer. “What are you going to do?” she whispered, leaning back so she could look into his eyes.

  Brent grinned and Sophie realized her mistake at once. His body was taut and throbbing with strong arousal. She caught her breath, meeting his gaze. His gaze made a slow-moving sweep over her face. There was no disguising the subtle changes that indicated his excitement. His erratic breathing through slightly flared nostrils, the dilated pupils of his darkening eyes.

  She could even feel the fierce pounding of his heart beat. His body was like a live wire against her, the current strong and steady. Binding. At that point she wanted him more than she needed to breathe. Yet part of her struggled not to succumb to weakness.

  Because this time she sensed Brent wasn’t going to stop with a kiss.

  Chapter 13

  “Brent…”

  “Don’t try that scared little girl act on me. It won’t wash this time.” The husky timbre of his voice left little doubt where his emotions lay. “You said you were an honest woman,” he reminded her.

  Brent knew he’d lost the battle when her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. He intended to kiss her and this time it wasn’t to quiet her or put on a show for anyone. The hunger heating his blood was nearly paralyzing. He was hard as iron, his flesh pushing against her impatiently. It took all his strength not to show her how much he wanted her by pushing her back upon the bed and following her there.

  Instead, he held on to the thin string of what self-control he had left. Wrong or right, he wanted Sophie willing. He wanted her to melt in his arms, and to hear those little purring sounds that indicated she was hot.

  “I am honest,” she insisted, running her tongue over her bottom lip, her eyes half closed. Her heightened color held him mesmerized.

  “How honest?” he demanded, his nostrils flaring with the scent of their combined arousal. Her breasts were crushed against him; rounded softness peaked with hard little crowns digging into his chest. Demanding he notice them. He watched her throat work as she tried to swallow, denial warring with inevitability on her expression.

  “Honest enough to admit I want you.” Her words were low and barely audible, drawn from the very heart of her. She didn’t just want him to kiss her; she wanted him. It couldn’t get any plainer than that.

  The passion simmering in his gut was replaced with something he was afraid to explore, an emotion frightening in its intensity. His heart rate picked up speed, every nerve ending becoming raw and exposed. There was nothing on God’s green earth that was going to stop him from taking her lips. Even thoughts of prison for the next twenty-five years didn’t cool his libido.

  He leaned in closer, doing what he’d wanted since the first time he’d sampled that soft, snobbish mouth. The very air around them crackled with unspent energy. Brent took her mouth with an urgent hunger in a kiss not tempered with finesse or tenderness. It was basic and raw, revealing the wild need surging through his body. Sophie surprised him by matching his passion, leaning into him and whimpering softly with abandon, not showing any signs of reluctance. Her nails curled into his shirt with ardor. Her response was more than he could have hoped for.

  Her moan was low and weak beneath his mouth. There was no way it could be misinterpreted as a sound of protest. Her surrender caused desire to lick through Brent like wildfire on a dry summer day. It was hot and rapid, totally out of control. Driving him to press his attack until Sophie was on the same sensual plateau as him. He wanted her just as demanding. He wanted her wild.

  She opened her mouth and he slipped his tongue inside, invading the cavern to caress her tongue, explore its secrets, and taste a sweetness that matched no other. His hand left her hip and glided over her breast, slipping inside the opening of her shirt to cup her warm, naked flesh. She tore her mouth away, crying out with sharp surprise. Her flesh swelled against Brent’s palm; her body trembled wildly when he purposely grazed her nipple with the rough pad of his thumb. She arched against him with a sharp gasp.

  Her reaction fired the lust boiling in his blood; he thrust his hips against her seeking relief. Knowing the answer lay in her body. He tried to pull away, knowing what they were doing was wrong. The muscles in his arms flexed as he fought the mixed emotions sweeping through his shell-shocked mind. Part of him wanted to continue, the other half just as determined to end it. But nothing had ever felt so right.

  Her body was alive against his, prompting Brent to caress her more boldly. He pulled her shirt up so he could touch her naked flesh, and then his hand moved to her bottom, kneading the rounded globe barely concealed by her silk panties. His exploration took him to the soft dampness between her legs. Flicking his finger across her mound seemed the natural thing to do.

  “Oh!” She arched against him. Her control seemed to snap and she began her own aggressive assault. Brent didn’t stand a chance when her hands smoothed over his shoulders and down his back. She raked her nails over his muscles like a cat sharpening her claws. The pain sent sharp pleasure shooting down to his groin. She pulled his shirt out of the waistband of his jeans and then her hands were smoothing over his bare torso, as though wanting to memorize what she was feeling.

  Brent sucked in his breath, and groaned, as their passion grew to gigantic proportions. He felt like a rocket getting ready to launch. Sophie moved suggestively against his arousal, with a purr that was anything but satisfied. It revealed her hunger, while fueling his to uncontrollable heights. She lifted his shirt, spreading wildfire along his abdomen and chest with her soft, open mouth. Using her teeth and tongue on him in a way that drove him crazy. Words seemed unnecessary as they traveled the same path to pleasure.

  Losing control, Brent gave her a little nudge and together they fell back upon the bed. Her fingers curled into his shoulders as he impatiently tugged at the buttons left on her shirt, exposing more of her skin to his marauding lips and tongue. He suckled her quivering breasts, tugging on her nipples. Rolling them with his tongue until she was arching against him with a cry. He was hungry for more, letting her know in no uncertain terms that he wanted her.

  All of her!

  He rolled, bringing Sophie with him until she was on top. His eyes feasted on the perfection of her full breasts with their rosy tips. For a moment their movements ceased; their gazes met and clung; they held their breaths. Then Sophie’s hands went to his shirt, pulling it open without unbuttoning it. He shuddered uncontrollably when she lowered her head, reining hot little kisses along his neck and shoulders before traveling down his chest until she reached his nipples. Her hair tickled him, but stopping her didn’t enter his mind when her warm, wet mouth closed over one tight protuberance. The flick of her tongue across that hardened nub rendered him powerless. He felt control slipping away.

  She leaned forward, and Brent let out a strangled groan. Excitement slammed through him as he caught the reflection of her wild movements in the mirror above. He’d been meaning to have it removed. Now he was glad he hadn’t gotten around to it. Seeing their reflection as they made love was far stronger than any stimulus on the market. He was entrapped in the erotic scene playing out; the excitement of watching Sophie making love to him with her hands and mouth. She kissed and nipped at his skin, while caressing him wherever she could reach.

  When her hand glided over his pulsing arousal, his moved to her only underga
rment. It was easy slipping his finger inside, reaching the damp heart of her and testing her readiness. Brent nearly had heart failure when Sophie’s hips shot forward, giving him better access. His nostrils flared, taking in a deep breath of her arousal. With half-closed eyes, she glanced down at him, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. With one finger buried deep inside her body, his thumb manipulated the bud of her desire.

  “Oh!” she said breathlessly, rocking against his finger.

  Brent knew the signs. Her lovely expression said she was close to climaxing. And he was about to have his own huge explosion. Only this wasn’t the way he wanted it to end. He slid his finger out, ignoring her cry of frustration. Jamming his fingers into her thick hair he pulled Sophie to him, the throbbing in his body almost too painful to endure. Every part of him was attuned to her. He wanted her in the most basic way, but first he intended to kiss her.

  As their lips joined, he felt her hands smooth over his shoulders, tugging impatiently on his shirt when it got in the way. Brent felt her breasts brush against his chest, appreciating their fullness and the hard little nipples digging into his flesh where his shirt was open. Then, without warning, Sophie tugged on his bottom lip, groaning out in frustration as she yanked on his shirt again.

  Smiling beneath her mouth, Brent held her close to him while he reversed their positions, once again placing Sophie beneath him. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, he ripped her panties from her body, before smoothing his hand over her hip to her naked buttocks. She thrust her hips against his erection, nearly ending what little willpower he had left.

  Sensing her distress, Brent tore away long enough to pull his shirt off and toss it to the floor, before reaching for the snap to his jeans. He took a moment to look down at Sophie, seeing the desire on her beautiful face, and amazed by it. His gaze raked over her lovely nudity with a fierce hunger, before tugging the snap open and the zipper down. Leaving them on, he lowered over her again, knowing what he was doing was a mistake. Making love to her wasn’t part of the plan. It never had been. Still, he couldn’t recall a time when a woman had fired him up with the need to take her no matter what the consequences.