Barbara Faith - Kiss of the dragon

by mag

  "I knew this afternoon that I would kiss your breasts tonight," Tiger said against her skin. His hands slid around her back, forcing her breasts upward. She heard his indrawn breath as he gazed at her intently. Slowly, with loving care, he bestowed butterfly kisses on her skin. When Bethany sighed and her fingers curled in the blackness of his hair, he flicked one peaked tip with his tongue, then took it into his mouth to tease and suckle.

  It was a sweet torture that left Bethany whispering helplessly as she stroked Tiger's shoulders. Wave after wave of ecstasy flooded her body and an urgency that was almost past bearing took possession of her. She murmured his name as he continued to caress her.

  Gently he soothed her throbbing breasts and came up to kiss her parted lips. "Now we will be one person," he said. He rose above her. "Look at me, Bethany. Look at me when our bodies join."

  Before she could speak he entered her and the feel of him inside her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She cried out. Her heart beat in rhythm to his thrusts as he moved deeper and ever deeper. She welcomed the weight of his body covering hers, rejoiced in his strength as she moved with him. The need to be closer and still closer grew as Bethany lifted her body to his. Small cries of delight whispered through her trembling lips as her hands tightened on his shoulders. Fire seared her loins as she gave herself up to the urgency of Tiger's demands and to the demands of her own body.

  "Bethany, my love," he whispered as his body moved against hers, then quickened. It was more than Bethany could bear. Her fingers tangled and tightened in Tiger's hair. She tasted his shoulder, not even aware that her teeth were scraping his skin, and lifted her body to his in one final, glorious moment of passion.

  With a cry Tiger sought Bethany's mouth, and united as one, they climbed the heights of love and fell slowly back to reality in the warm comfort of each other's arms.

  Heart beating wildly against heart, Tiger rained kisses on her face. He told her in Chinese and in English how beautiful she was, how wonderful it had been for him.

  Bethany's eyes were luminous in the aftermath of love as she caressed Tiger's back. As they lay side by side Tiger took Bethany's hand and brought it to his lips. "I hope I have made you as happy as you have made me." He looked at her. His face was calm, his green eyes serious. "I think I have known from the first moment I saw you what would be between us, Bethany. But I did not expect... I did not dare to dream that it would be so much."

  Dazed by happiness that was mingled with an edge of apprehension, Bethany looked at Tiger in wonder. How is it possible, she thought, that something like this could happen so fast? I don't even know him. He's different from all that I'm familiar with, yet with him I've experienced a joy I never thought possible.

  She closed her eyes and rested her face against his chest. Tiger Malone. She repeated his name like a litany before she fell into a deep sleep.

  The next morning they dived off the bow of the Golden Dragon. There was the threat of rain in the air as they swam leisurely, side by side, around the lee side of the island. When they were out of sight of the boat and their feet touched bottom, Tiger pulled Bethany close and gave her a salty kiss.

  "You are even more beautiful this morning than you were last night," he told her. "Your eyes are shining, your face has a look of pleasure."

  "Because of you," Bethany said. "Because of the way you make me feel." She smoothed the sleek black hair off his forehead. "I didn't want all this to happen, Tiger. But I think I, too, knew that it was inevitable."

  "As inevitable as love." His hands caressed her back, then gently crept around to push the bikini top aside so that he could touch her breasts.

  Bethany shivered in the early morning air. Head back, long blond hair streaming over her shoulders, she yielded herself up to the lips so tenderly caressing her. When Tiger picked her up and carried her toward the shore she buried her face in his throat, shivering with the anticipation of what was to come.

  He laid her down under the shelter of a sea grape tree. For a moment he looked down at her, then knelt to slide the bikini bottom down over her hips.

  Bethany heard the soft patter of raindrops on the overhang of leaves as she held up her arms to receive Tiger. He kissed her. "You taste of the sea," he said with a smile. "I must see if you taste this way all over."

  "Tiger...?" Then his mouth found her breasts and there was no need for words.

  When he came up over her, she received him with a glad cry, embracing him with her arms and her legs as she lifted herself to him. She was unmindful of the rain or the hard-packed sand beneath her body. All that mattered was the feel of him inside her, the lovely slowness of his movements, the look on his face. She reached up to touch him, to trace the high cheekbones, the line of his jaw, the curve of his mouth.

  "Bethany!" Tiger's green eyes closed, his face tensed, his movements quickened as he carried Bethany higher and higher into a vortex of emotion that left her throbbing with need. She cried his name. He took her cry into his mouth; his body tightened and exploded.

  They lay on the sand, still heedless of the rain and of the rising wind, until Tiger said, "There's a storm coming, we have to get back." He helped Bethany up and led her down to the beach. Then he kissed her and smoothed the rain-wet hair back from her face. "I wish you could see the way you look," he said. "Your eyes are beautiful and your lips are swollen from my kisses." He ran his hands down her shoulders to the rise of her breasts, circled her waist and smoothed the curve of her hips. "I'd like to keep you naked forever," he said, "but we must dress and swim back to the Dragon."

  Tiger hesitated. His hands crept around to cup her bare buttocks. "But first..." He dropped to his knees on the sand. Still cupping Bethany he urged her closer and rested his face against her before he began to trail a line of kisses across her stomach, down and down. A tickle of flame licked at her insides.

  "No," Bethany whispered. "Tiger, no, please." She tried to move away but his hands tightened and he pressed her closer. He nipped the inside of her thighs, then quickly, before Bethany could stop him, found the burning heart of her.

  She cried out and tried to break free. But the hands that held her were implacable, the lips that caressed her immovable.

  The rain was falling harder now, but still Tiger held her, held her and kissed her in that secret place until her fingers tightened in his rain-wet hair. Until her legs trembled and threatened to give way and she cried his name into the wind, shattered and weeping with an ecstasy she'd never known before.

  When finally he held her in his arms he said, "There has never been anyone like you, Bethany. There will never be anyone like you." He tilted her chin and looked directly into her wide gray eyes. "I am not a promiscuous man, but there have been other women in my life. But there have been none with whom I have felt what I feel for you." He smoothed her hair back from her face once more. "We'll talk about this later; now we really must leave." Then he took her hand and led her into the water.

  The sea was rough, even here in the lee of the island. Bethany was a strong swimmer, but Tiger cursed himself for having endangered her this way. They shouldn't have lingered on the island when the rain began, but when he had touched her, when he had kissed her, the heat of his desire had driven every sensible thought from his head. He looked at her, so close beside him, white arms cutting through the waves, the golden hair streaming out behind her. What am I doing? he thought. Why does this woman make the blood sing in my veins and make me forget that I am a sensible man who does not take unnecessary risks? This was foolhardy; I've put her in danger. If anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself.

  Then through the roll of the waves Bethany flashed him a smile, and it seemed to Tiger as though his heart stood still.

  Chang was waiting for them. As soon as he spotted them he lowered the ladder and reaching a hand down to Bethany, helped her aboard.

  "I've been watching for you," he said to Tiger. "In another five minutes I would have lowered the raft and come out lo
oking for you."

  "We were waiting for the rain to stop," Tiger lied. He took one of the robes Chang offered and wrapped it around Bethany. "Take a warm shower," he said. "We'll stay here until the storm passes."

  "No, we can't wait." Chang's face was serious. "I looked for you through the binoculars a short while ago and I saw a boat heading in our direction. After what you told me..." He glanced at Bethany and hesitated.

  "It's all right, you may speak in front of Bethany." Tiger put an arm around her shoulders. "Go below," he said. And to Chang he said, "Raise the anchor, we're heading out."

  Bethany stared at Tiger, lower lip caught between her teeth, feeling a chill through her body that had nothing to do with the wind or the rain. As she started toward the stairs Tiger ran forward to the wheel-house.

  By the time Bethany had showered and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved pullover, the sky had darkened to a sullen gray. Rain slashed against the porthole, the wind was stronger and thunder rumbled in the distance. She bent to pull on her sneakers, hanging on to the headboard to stop herself from falling. Like a drunkard she staggered across the cabin to the door, lurching with the roll of the ship. Out in the companionway she grasped the railing to keep herself steady, then headed for the ladder leading to the deck.

  The wind hit Bethany hard, almost knocking her off her feet. She clutched a rail for support, trying to see through the driving rain. Tiger was in the wheel-house, bare feet braced against the terrible swaying of the ship as giant gray waves splashed over the Dragon's sides threatening to swamp her.

  Bethany bent her head against the force of the wind and started toward the wheelhouse just as Chang reached her. "Go back," he said. "Stay in your stateroom until this is over."

  "I want to help." Bethany raised her voice, trying to be heard above the roar of the wind.

  Chang shook his head. "This is a typhoon," he said. "Go below."

  Half falling, half staggering, Bethany groped her way back to her cabin. The door slammed behind her as she zigzagged to the bed. It seemed impossible that the cruiser could withstand the force of the storm. She'd seen the high waves, the deep troughs of gray water lashing over the decks as the Dragon plunged down, hesitated for a heart-stopping moment, then roller-coastered back up. She'd almost forgotten about the boat that Chang said might be following them. That seemed of little importance now. All that mattered was making it safely through the storm.

  Hours passed. Bethany sat up in bed, her back braced against the bulkhead. Too frightened to be seasick, all she could do was hang on and pray that the Dragon would weather the storm. By late afternoon she couldn't stand the solitude any longer. She put on a sweater, covered her hair with a scarf, and fought her way to the galley. Lee Tung, his round face wrinkled in a worried frown, short legs hooked around the rungs of a fastened-down chair, looked up. "You hungry, missy?" he asked.

  Bethany shook her head. "But I'd like a cup of coffee."

  "There is a fresh pot in the oven." Seeing her puzzled frown he said, "It would not stay on top of stove so I put it in the oven."

  Bethany braced herself against the wall as she opened the oven door. She looked at the stove, not sure how to light it. With a sigh Lee Tung unwrapped his feet and lunged for the stove. Quickly he lit it, then angled back to his chair.

  When the coffee was hot Bethany poured a cup for herself. Then she looked inside the refrigerator and finding wrapped ham and cheese, took them out and made six fat sandwiches. She filled a thermos with coffee, and added a good-sized dollop of brandy, then put everything into a canvas bag she found under the counter. Putting the bag over her shoulder and taking a deep breath she bade goodbye to the frightened cook and aimed for the door.

  The force of the wind was even stronger now. It flung the door out of Bethany's hand and threw her back against the boat. Quickly she grabbed a safety line. She managed to close the door, then began her slow struggle toward the wheelhouse. Waves lashed over the Dragon's bow. Rain blinded her and her hand tightened on the line.

  As she grew closer the door of the wheelhouse was flung open and Tiger pulled her inside.

  "You were told to stay in your stateroom," he said. He looked tired. His face was drawn and grim.

  "I couldn't stand it in there another minute. Besides you had to have something to eat, and from the look of Lee Tung I doubt that he's fixed anything for you."

  "Lee does not like storms," Chang said from the helm. "Each time we go through one he vows he will never set foot on a ship again."

  "I made some sandwiches," Bethany said. "You've got to eat something."

  Tiger looked at her approvingly. "You're wet," he said. He helped her remove the sweater and handed her a towel and a windbreaker. "Dry off, then put this jacket on." To Chang he said, "I'll take the wheel now; you have a sandwich and a cup of coffee."

  "No, you eat first. I will stay until you finish."

  Tiger took Bethany's arm, and bracing himself, led her to the curved seat at the side of the wheelhouse. When she handed him a sandwich he took a bite and said, "I didn't realize how hungry I was." He looked at her. "Are you all right? I was afraid you would be sick."

  "I was much too frightened to be sick," she said with a smile.

  "Was? Does that mean you are no longer afraid?"

  "Not here with you, Tiger." Bethany touched his hand. "You look so tired."

  He ran a hand across his face. "I am, and so is Chang. After he eats I'll make him go and rest." He took another bite of the sandwich. "As soon as we left the island I used the radio. What we are in now is the tag end of a typhoon by the name of Angelica." His lips quirked. "But Angelica is no angel. This is one of the worst storms I've ever been in. I've never seen anything like it before."

  "How long will it last?"

  Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's after six. The storm has been raging for almost eight hours. It can go on far into the night. Or into the morning. We just have to ride her out."

  "Can we?" She took a deep breath. "I don't see how a boat can take a beating like this and still stay afloat."

  "The Dragon's a seaworthy craft. She'll weather this." Tiger took a second sandwich and drank his coffee. Then he leaned back against the curved seat, and with his arm around Bethany, closed his eyes.

  Bethany let him rest. Trying not to disturb him, she managed to hand the coffee and sandwiches to Chang, then sat close to Tiger. After a while she too closed her eyes and slept.

  She awoke to silence. The wind had stopped. The sea was still rough but not as bad as it had been. Beside her Tiger stirred and opened his eyes. "It's over," Bethany said as she turned to him. "Tiger, the storm's over."

  He sat up straighter and flexed his shoulders. "No, Bethany, this is the eye of the storm." He stood up. "How long have we been in it?" he asked Chang.

  "Twenty minutes."

  Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's nine-fifteen. Why don't you check for any damage now, while there is the opportunity? Report back to me, then get some rest. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

  "But there's no wind," Bethany said. "Aren't we all right now?"

  Tiger shook his head. "A typhoon is shaped something like a donut. One section of it comes, then there is the hole—the eye—where nothing happens. After that there is the other side of the storm."

  "How long will the eye last?"

  "Anywhere from half an hour to an hour, or even a little longer. But when it passes the storm will begin again, probably even worse than before." Tiger looked down at her. "Perhaps you would be better off in your cabin," he said.

  "No." Bethany shook her head. "I want to stay with you."

  "It may be a long night."

  "That doesn't matter."

  Tiger's green eyes appraised her. "Very well," he said, "you may stay."

  He was right, it was a long night. The wind rose to a furious pitch. Each wave that crashed over the Dragon's bow seemed even more menacing than the last. Down, down, down, the cruiser plunged and each time
Bethany held her breath, praying, tensing her shoulders as though by sheer willpower she could bring the boat out of the trough that appeared to be carrying her down into the depths of the sea.

  Tiger fought the wheel, his face grimly determined as he brought the boat back up out of the waves.

  Bethany stood beside him through the long dark night, her feet braced, hands curled around a strut as she tried to keep her balance. At last, just before dawn, the wind lessened and Tiger's grip on the wheel relaxed. With a tired smile he looked at her and said, "We've made it, Bethany. We'll be all right now."

  A few minutes later Chang came into the wheel-house, full of apologies for having slept so long. "I'll take the wheel," he said to Tiger.

  "How is the Dragon! Was there any damage?"

  "Only to the salon. The glass in one of the portholes shattered and there's water damage. Lee is mopping up. Also he has managed to prepare something for you and Miss Bethany to eat. Then you must rest, Tiger."

  "I will." Tiger stepped aside to give Chang the wheel. "Is there any sign of the boat that was following us?"

  Chang shook his head. "I searched the sea with binoculars. I could see no one. I've told Lee that as soon as he serves you he's to keep watch. But don't worry, Tiger, I'm sure we lost them in the storm."

  "You're probably right." Tiger took Bethany's arm. "I'll relieve you at noon," he told Chang as he guided her out of the pilothouse.

  They went down to the galley where they breaked on bacon and eggs, hot rolls and coffee. When they were finished Tiger said, "Let's get some sleep now." His hand closed over Bethany's.

  They left the galley and headed for the companion-way. Tiger led Bethany to the door of his cabin. "I must sleep," he said, "but I want to sleep with you beside me."

  Bethany looked up at him for a moment. Then she rested her hand against the side of her face. "I want to sleep beside you, too," she said softly.