by Jan Springer
He smiled down at her as she lay sleeping on the bed in the yacht cabin.
God, he’d missed her.
He’d yearned to hold her in his arms. Had ached to touch her silky breasts. Most of all he missed plunging his rigid cock deep into her sweet cavern and listening to her sexy moans like when they’d been teenagers and before he’d gone to the Wars.
She looked so feminine, so soft and sultry.
Her shoulder length hair gave the appearance of a blonde halo splashed over the pillow. Her high pink cheekbones looked stunning. Sensually curved lips were red and slightly parted. Long eyelashes lay over her closed eyes.
Eyes that when open sparkled emerald green, like the ocean waves at sunrise.
He should have married her before he’d run off to fight the Wars. But everything had happened so fast. The terrorists had unleashed the final blow by setting loose that sexual virus.
Cate had been one of the millions of women who’d been hit by the virus. She’d almost died. Others hadn’t been so lucky, like his and Cate’s mothers. They’d died excruciating deaths.
That’s when he and his brothers had joined the fight against terrorists. They’d battled oversees for five long years.
During that time, world economies collapsed in a dominoes effect. Governments could no longer sustain their armies’ occupation of other countries. Soldiers were quickly being recalled. When Jude and his brothers received word they’d be pulling out they’d been glad.
The fights had been tough and long.
They were tired and anxious about the rumors they’d heard of the surviving women going into hiding to avoid the Claiming Law. Women who were barely existing off the land and stealing whatever they could get their hands on so they could buy the medicine that would keep them alive. Living like savages until captured by groups of men who would sexually claim them.
He’d feared for Cate’s safety and when he and his brothers had arrived home they’d discovered Cate had run off, too. She’d gone into hiding in order to avoid the Claiming Law.
Jude sighed wearily.
She shouldn’t have left. She should have waited for him. She should have given him a chance to tell her how much he loved her.
“Are you both okay?” Luke asked as he entered the cabin.
“Fine.” Jude replied tightly.
“I’m glad we finally caught her. It’ll make finding Tyler that much easier.”
Jude grit his teeth and closed his eyes as he thought of their missing younger brother. Up until a couple of weeks ago they’d thought he was dead, a casualty of the Terrorist Wars.
But Clay Barlow from a neighboring farm had told them different. Clay, the youngest brother of the Barlow’s, had snuck off to join the Wars a few years back. A couple of weeks ago he’d shown up at the Outlaw farm declaring Tyler was alive. At first they’d all been stunned with disbelief. But when Clay Barlow shared information only Tyler could know, they knew Clay spoke the truth.
However, their happiness had been short lived. Clay revealed Tyler was rotting away in a prison somewhere but he wouldn’t give his exact whereabouts unless Clay and his three brothers got something first.
They wanted Cate. That’s when Jude had realized why Cate had run. The evil Barlows must have told her they wanted to Claim her.
“She’s turned into quite a pretty woman from the tomboy we used to hang with,” Luke said softly.
“She sure has,” Jude admitted as he gazed at her. She was more than pretty. She was beautiful.
“Now that we have her you’re not going to change your mind are you? We’ll still use her to get the information about Tyler?”
Jude nodded his head slowly. Bile clogged up his throat at the idea of using Cate to get the information.
“You sure? Because the longer it takes to find Tyler the more he’s gonna suffer.”
“Dammit, Luke! I gave you all my word. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. So back off!”
Luke sighed.
“When are you going to tell her the news about the deal we struck with the Barlows regarding Tyler?”
“I don’t know.”
“The sooner you tell her then the more time you have to prepare her.”
Jude remained silent. How could he tell the woman he loved he was going to hand her over to those filthy bastards?
“She’s going to wake up soon. Tell her. Prepare her. She might take it easier if the news comes from you.”
“That’s a laugh. Those Barlows are the cruelest men I know. If something goes wrong, they’ll use her until there’s nothing left but an empty shell of the woman I love.”
Luke’s eyes narrowed with determination. “There’s no alternative. We have to find Ty as soon as possible. And the only way is to give the Barlow brothers what they want.”
“Would you give up the woman you love?” Jude snapped.
Luke’s face paled.
Jude cursed softly instantly realizing his mistake. Years ago, the authorities had taken Callie, Luke’s girlfriend who had been Cate’s sister, away for experimental testing. Testing because she’d shown no signs of being infected by the terrorist’s illness. The authorities had told Luke to never expect her back alive. He’d searched for her but had never found her.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’ve docked the Outlaw Lover,” Luke said tightly. “I’ll go get the Barlows and bring them back here. I shouldn’t be too long. Stay on board, okay?”
Jude nodded. He’d been so deep in his anger he hadn’t even noticed they’d stopped at the newly re-built New Portland docks.
A minute later Luke was strolling down the wharf, his shoulders slumped, his head bowed. Jude didn’t have to be a genius to know his insensitive words had gotten Luke to start thinking about Callie again. It was too late to take back what he’d said. Luke would have to deal with it, just like Jude had to deal with the anger churning deep inside him when he thought of the Barlow’s ultimatum.
They had made it quite clear that if they didn’t get Cate then the Outlaw brothers wouldn’t get Tyler.
That meant their youngest brother might be as good as dead.
* * * * *
The soft rumble of a boat engine drifted through the thick layers of Cate Callahan’s sleep, prodding her to open her eyes.
“Nice of you to wake up,” Jude said softly.
He sat on the bed beside her, his warm body heat zipping through the thin material of her dress and nestling wonderfully against her skin.
She fought against the need to move closer to him. Fought the insane hammering of her heart as his sexy earthy scent swarmed her senses.
Her eyes darted from the intensity of his dark gaze to quickly roam the length of the room.
Son of a bitch!
He’d secured her in the cabin of The Outlaw Lover, the Outlaw brothers’ sixty-foot cruiser.
Situated high in the cruiser the cabin had always appeared small and ultra cozy to her the few times Jude had brought her here before he’d left for the Wars. Now it seemed like a prison. Glass surrounded the entire room allowing her to look out at the sky darkened with bruised purple clouds. Screeching white seagulls sailed around outside and she saw nothing in the horizon but rolling gray ocean waves tipped with whitecaps.
Alarm zipped up her spine as she realized the boat was moving out into the ocean leaving Maine behind.
It was at that same point she realized her wrists were bound by soft velvet lined cuffs to the sides of the bed. Her legs were spread-eagle, her ankles bound.
Shit!
She pulled at her bonds. There was some give but not enough for her to break free.
“This isn’t the way to treat a woman you say you want to claim.”
He didn’t say anything but her heart hammered insanely in her ears as he reached over and caressed her jaw with a long hot, callused finger. He slid his digit off her jaw and drew a hearty line of fire down her neck and over the top swell of her left breast.
<
br /> “Where are you taking me?”
In response, he smiled warmly and she couldn’t stop the tingles of excitement shooting through her body.
“We’re going to get re-acquainted.”
Re-acquainted? Sweet heavens!
Guilt assaulted her when she noted the stark contrast of the white bandage wrapped against the darkly tanned flesh of his arm where she’d stabbed him. Her guilt turned to a sweet sexual awakening as his finger intimately brushed against the tip of her nipple that poked eagerly against her dress.
“What are you going to do to me?” She tried to keep her voice tough. Tried to show him his hot touch didn’t affect her but the cool knowledge in his eyes made her whimper.
“You have to ask?”
“Don’t bother. I don’t love you anymore,” she lied.
“You’d better make me believe you, Cate.”
“I won’t be claimed by your brothers or any other man.”
She saw the slightest tightening of his jaw.
“How can you live with yourself, Jude? Spreading my legs like a whore for you and your brothers. Do you call that love? If you cared a little…”
“I do care,” he snapped. Anger blazed in his eyes and muscles twitched in his jaw. She’d upset him.
Good.
She forced herself to lower her voice. She would get better results by keeping calm and talking sweet.
“Then let me go,” she said softly.
“I won’t let you go. At least not until I give you a taste of what you’ll be missing if you decide to leave me again.”
Oh! The heated arousal in his eyes ignited a fevered anticipation she knew only Jude could extinguish. Her self-control began to slip.
“I’m missing nothing,” she spat, as her anger rushed back with a vengeance. She hated that his touch made her weak.
“You shouldn’t have run, Cate,” he said.
“How’d you expect me to react? Having to be a wife to five men. And others…”
He winced at her words. “The old days are gone, compliments of the terrorists. We’re going to have to get used to it.”
“I won’t get used it!”
Ignoring her outburst, he whispered, “I’ve missed looking at your breasts.”
An anxious shiver of delight wracked her as his hands skimmed upward to the collar of her dress. Shaky masculine fingers opened one delicate button at a time, his gaze transfixed to hers. She tried to look away but couldn’t. She wanted his hands on her flesh.
He stopped unbuttoning the dress just above her belly button.
“I’ve missed touching you.” His voice sounded hoarse. “For years I thought about you. Thought about how you’d welcome me home. And now I’m going to find out…”
Ripples of fire rumbled through her as he spread the material wide open, allowing her breasts to spill out to his hungry appreciative gaze. She wasn’t wearing a bra. There had been no need out here on the ocean all alone. She sucked in a breath as his work-roughened hands slid exotically over her generous mounds, cupping them, making them swell. Beautiful sensations raced through her as his rough thumbs massaged her nipples until they became stiff and the size of marbles.
“Your nipples are an enchanting color. Just like the color of sparkling pink champagne,” he whispered.
He lifted a hot hand away and reached for a bottle she hadn’t noticed settled beside him on a night table. Using his teeth, he pulled on the cork. It opened with a loud pop and he gulped a generous drink.
His Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed the pink liquid.
When he finished, he looked at her. His gaze burned a searing path straight into her.
“Now it’s time for me to get a taste of what I’ve been missing.”
Suddenly he tipped the bottle over her breasts. The cool liquid shocked her flesh, making her cry out.
Her heart thundered as he bent his head. Flames of heat zipped across her flesh as he lapped the wine off her. She shivered beneath his lusty licks, her breaths coming in sharp gasps. Instinctively she arched against him, wanting more. When he took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth, pleasure and heat torched a line straight to her pussy.
The scent of wine in the air and the steady pressure of his mouth suckling her nipple had her gasping as her body hummed with appreciation.
“You bastard,” she cried out and arched against him as her resistance slipped away.
As he suckled, his large hand slid like a hot brand upward along her inner thigh.
She bolted against her restraints when a hot finger nudged at her vaginal opening. She struggled as she tried to reclaim her senses. She couldn’t allow him to do this. Couldn’t allow him to force her to remember how good it felt to have him making love to her.
“Jude, don’t…”
He tore his mouth from her nipple with a popping sound and blinked at her. The mesmerizing blueness of his eyes hypnotized her, calmed her. Well, maybe calm was the wrong word.
“Your sweetly drenched channel says otherwise, Cate.”
Damn him, he was right. She was wet for him. Wanted desperately to gyrate her pussy against his hot hand.
She’d always been wet whenever he’d looked her way. Had been weak in his arms. He’d always been so gentle and sweet with her.
But this time was different.
Five years had passed and there was a new desperation in his touch. A wonderful confidence she couldn’t ignore. A confidence that made a spear of jealousy shoot through her. How many of those conscripted women had he taken to his bed while he’d been away? She’d heard about them. Women who were ordered to sexually pleasure the troops. There had been rumors that some of those women had been kidnapped from their homeland and made into sexual slaves for the higher-ranking officers.
A thumb frayed against her clit making all thoughts of the Wars vanish. She clamped her jaw together in an effort not to cry out from the fascinating sensations ripping through her senses.
She felt hot. Feverish. Felt the cream of her arousal seep from her pussy. A finger slipped into her tightly drenched channel making her whimper with want. He inserted two more fingers then slid out and with an erotic rhythm until her vaginal muscles clenched around his fingers. Instinctively she wiggled her hips and pulled at the restraints wanting more of his pleasure. It had been too long since she’d had sex.
Oh, yes! Keep going.
She moved her pussy against his hand. Sucked in an excited breath as a fourth finger slid inside her.
The fit was tight. So hot. Like pieces of velvet covered steel impaling her.
His furnace-like fingers sent slurping sounds through the air as he thrust.
In and out of her.
Oh, yes! That’s it!
Her breasts rose and fell as she inhaled with the escalating pleasure.
Her eyes closed readying her body to fly. She was almost there. Tension mounted. Just a few more strokes and she’d be there…
Without warning, his fingers slid out of her.
“You always look so beautiful when you’re about to climax, Cate. But you’ve had enough for a while.”
“No,” she whimpered with frustration. Her eyes snapped open to find him standing.
His face had softened and a sensual look glazed his eyes.
Her heart clenched in remembrance. He’d always looked at her that way before he fucked her.
Oh God! Her mind screamed in desperation.
Don’t stop! Don’t leave! I want you, Jude. Please, fuck me!
He smiled warmly, knowingly and then he was gone. She tried to pull her thighs together to bring some relief. To douse the furious fire he’d stoked but the binds held her legs tightly in place.
“Damn you, Jude Outlaw!” she cried out.
Her answer came in an amused chuckle that left her to whimper in frustrated sexual distress.
Chapter Three
Cate must have drifted off to sleep because when she awoke, she discovered Jude leaning over her. His eyes were gla
zed with lust as he stared at her bared breasts.
He said nothing as he slowly reached down and lifted her dress up over her hips, tucking the material in around her waist, exposing her pussy to his full view.
Why he didn’t just rip the awkward clothes from her body and start making love to her, she didn’t know. The heated look in his blue gaze gave her the feeling he wanted to do just that and have mercy she wanted him to do it too.
“I’m so glad you remembered I prefer you without underwear,” he cooed.
Her pussy clenched as his eyes drifted downwards over her breasts to stop between her widespread legs.
It was then that she noted the bowl in his hand.
“What are you going to do?” she asked as the earlier sexual frustration quickly returned.
He tipped the bowl slightly. Her heart hammered as she spied the whipped shaving cream, a steaming cloth and a straight razor set inside.
“I only eat a woman who is bare,” Jude commented huskily.
The idea of his mouth suckling her pussy made her lower belly clench wonderfully.
The instant the cloth slapped onto her pussy she sucked in a sharp breath at the intoxicatingly hot impact. He grinned at her reaction, then inserted parts of the cloth snugly against her labia folds. The heat whipped her pubic area arousing her to new heights.
“How’s that feel?” he asked.
“Go to hell!” she spat. Anger at herself for being so weak, for wanting him to make love to her, made her see red.
He grinned knowingly and she clenched her fists in frustration.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
He didn’t say anything as he reached for the shaving cream.
“Are you sure you aren’t preparing me for your brothers?”
His lips tightened at her words. Obviously, the Claiming Law didn’t sit well with him either. That was an encouraging sign.
She held her breath as he tenderly ran his fingers through her tight blond pubic curls. Her pussy throbbed with anticipation, eager for his touch. Her clit swelled and dropped past her pussy lips, betraying her. Warmth fused her cheeks.
