Harnessed Passions (25 page)

"If that's all that's bothering you I can
remedy the problem fast enough," Daniel lowered his mouth on hers
to silence her shocked reaction, as his fingers worked to remove
her thin chemise. Julia squirmed against him, dislodging his
fingers before they could complete their task. She wiggled
frantically until Daniel released her and she climbed out of the
tub, to stand sopping wet in front of him.

"What's the matter, darling?" he asked with
a wicked smile, his tone still thick with the emotion burning
unchecked inside him.

"You know very well what the matter is, Mr.
Browning," she snapped, wrapping his towel around her dripping
chemise. "We agreed this was to be a marriage in name only, or have
you forgotten that arrangement?"

"I haven't forgotten a
damned thing,
Mrs.
Browning
, but apparently you have." His
tone changed to a soft growl; their teasing ending in a shouting
match.

"I most certainly have not!"

"Then why the hell did you come in here half
naked? You know very well a man can only handle so much teasing
until he accepts what's offered. If you don't want me taking you up
on your invitations, then stop parading around here like a barroom
harlot!" Daniel climbed out of the tub and stood in front of her in
an angry confrontation.

"How dare you?" she growled, anger turning
her delicate features a bright pink. "I did no such thing and you
know it. I merely came in to see what Bridget was screaming her
fool head over. If I had known you were in here I would never have
come so much as...Good God! Daniel, put some clothes on this
instant!" Julia's face deepened to a scarlet red realizing the man
was standing before her stark naked, dripping water all over the
already wet floor. He was fully aroused from their brief encounter
in the water and it was obvious it was still an intent memory in
his mind.

"I didn't bring any clothes in here with me
and you have the only towel," he defended himself. "If my lack of
attire embarrasses you so much, than hand it over." Daniel reached
his hand toward the towel wrapped protectively around Julia's
torso.

"I have a better idea," she snapped, trying
to divert her eyes from staring at him while she took a step
backward. "I'll just leave you alone." She turned toward the door,
but was pulled back as a quick hand grabbed hold of her slender
waist. Daniel arms wrapped around her so tight she couldn't
dislodge him, even if she tried. Her heart was racing, her mind was
screaming, but being this close to him she couldn't seem to find
the strength to resist. As though by some form of sixth sense
Daniel felt her surrender and lowered his mouth, capturing her lips
willingly.

He tugged her bottom lip gently between his
teeth, teasing it with the tip of his tongue, stoking the fire that
had been smoldering inside her all day. His mouth fell across hers
in a quick act that left her feeling slightly dizzy, as her arms
slid up around his neck; his tongue thrust into her mouth, sparring
an erratic battle with her senses until she joined in. It was easy
to mimic his actions when he was such an excellent instructor and
she found the courage to taste him as much as he played with her.
It was an act that had her body arching closer to him, silently
begging him for more.

"Tell me you don't want me now," he demanded
against her mouth as they broke apart for air. His lips moved
across her cheek to her neck, where he began to nip the delicate
skin until she moaned.

Daniel smiled to himself as he slowly led a
path of heat down her throat, branding her with hot wet kisses. She
leaned back slightly in his arms, her chin tipping up to giving him
full access to her slender throat. She barely registered the towel
being slipped free from around her, dropping in a damp heap on the
floor. Julia shivered slightly when the cool evening air filtered
through her wet chemise, but his large hands offered her the warmth
she needed and she sighed with the mixture of sensations.

He knew it was only a matter of time until
she came to her senses and he wasn't going to waste one second of
it. Pulling her up in his embrace he wrapped her in the heat of his
body as he divested her of the thin, wet cloth that clung to her
slender body. He lifted her higher, pressing her against the wall
behind the door and wrapping her legs around his waist. He had
never known desire as hot as this; he needed her more than he
needed oxygen to breathe. His lips continued to brand her until she
moaned again, encouraging him to go further. Leaning down across
her torso, he began to play with her hard nipple, licking it with
the tip of his tongue as his teeth slowly grazed it, offering just
enough pressure to cause her to gasp.

With a deep breath, he slowly began to
suckle the soft skin of her breast. Daniel scolded himself
mentally; she was a virgin and needed time to adjust to the
feelings he was bringing to life inside her. In time he would be
able to play with her the way he enjoyed, but until then he had to
go slowly. Rushing her would only help increase that wall that
stood between them and he was having quite a lucky streak crumbling
the mortar that held it up.

Julia couldn't think, she tried to consider
her position, but every time some light of reality flickered in her
mind, Daniel would drive it out with the urgency of his touch. His
lips were piercing her breasts with a trail of heat, moving from
one to the other and back again as his fingers began playing with
the triangle of curls between her legs. She moaned again as his
fingers moved slowly inside her, his mouth moving up across hers,
silencing her surprised gasps. This was insane, she warned herself,
but the feeling was so intense she could do nothing more than wrap
her fingers around his broad shoulders, holding him closer to
her.

Daniel heard Julia's soft moans, making the
need to bury his hard, quivering arousal into her tight body all
the more urgent, but he knew she wasn’t ready. As much as she was
enjoying the strange new sensations he was showing her, she was not
completely at ease with him. He had to give her time and that was
not going to be easy; she was his wife, desirable, beautiful and
sexier than anyone he had ever known before.

He slid her legs higher around his waist was
his tongue branded her delicate flesh with his lust. Daniel
continued to play inside her wet body pressing the soft pad of
flesh at the front of her vagina; he drew a deep breath, feeling
the tender satin of her inner thighs as they held him tightly. God,
she was incredible and he was eager to join her He had tasted her
release once that day as he sent her over the edge of ecstasy, but
it was nothing compared to the heat she would feel when they
reached their climax together.

Without warning or thought of consequences,
Daniel removed his finger and carried her to the bed, laying her
against the soft covers. Before she could think to object, he was
kissing her face, his fingers inside her as his mouth moved down
her sternum, over her tummy and into the soft curls. It was an
array of incredible sensations that she could no longer think. She
closed her eyes tightly allowing him to feel his way across her
body. When his tongue began caressing her clitoris, she moaned, but
when he began to suckle it she cried out. He told her this wasn’t
sex, but whatever it was, she liked it.

Daniel allowed her to feel the overpowering
heat of her release before he tempted fate again. He slowly moved
above her, kissing her lips hard and urgent. Holding himself back
was becoming unbearable and he knew if she didn’t try to stop him
soon, he would be sheathed inside her, bathing her with the flames
of his own desire.

Julia slowly opened her eyes as he
positioned against her, the tip of his erection hot and firm. Oh
God, she did want him, she wanted to know what love was and she
wanted him to teach her, but then she remembered what had brought
them together in the first place. The realization was back,
sobering the effects of his love making in a flood of confusion.
How could she have permitted him to go this far again? She had to
stop him before things got any further out of hand.

"Daniel," she interjected; her throat dry
and her words barely above a horse whisper.

"I know love," he told her, aware that
reality had finally caught up to her. "Oh dear God, Julia, I want
you."

"No Daniel you don't." That wasn't exactly
what she meant to say, but she couldn't stop the words once they
began. "You don't want me, you want my land."

"What?" Daniel leaned up on his elbow,
looking down into her wide eyes; tears filled the beautiful green
depths with sorrow and regret.

"Daniel please, get off me," she pleaded,
feeling a rush of embarrassment invading her. "This is wrong it
shouldn't be happening like this."

"Wrong?" he asked with a frown. “How is this
wrong? You’re my wife, I’m your husband; there has never been
anything more right before. I know you want me to finish as much as
I do, so why are you fighting me?”

"I don't want this...or you."

"Liar," he accused her with a dark scowl.
“After the way you just came, you can’t possibly expect me to
believe you don’t want me?” Daniel lowered his mouth to hers again,
capturing her trembling lips beneath his as he moved her hands
above her head, holding them in his gentle grasp.

Julia tried to squirm against his hold
without success; her mind reeling, her heart pounding a desperate
rhythm of passion and fear. She did want him, but he didn’t want
her, no matter how much he claimed otherwise. It was that thought
that made her finally break free of his mouth, turning her head to
hide the tears as they slid down her cheeks.

"Damn," she heard Daniel curse, as he stood
abruptly off her and turned away. He couldn't do this, no matter
how much he wanted to hurt her at that very minute; he couldn't
force her to be his wife - or his lover. He wanted her, the
evidence still throbbed painfully, demanding release, but he just
couldn't allow this to continue. He heard the soft rustle of fabric
behind him and turned slightly to see Julia climb out of the
opposite side of the bed, her slender frame hidden beneath the
bed’s comforter.

“
I’m sorry,” he began,
watching her turn her face away from him.

"Get out of here Daniel," she demanded
through the tears that stole her voice and tore at her heart.

“
Julia, please…” he began,
leaning against the mattress, watching her back away until she ran
into the dresser.

"I said get the hell out of here," she
shouted. “I don’t want you near me again.”

Daniel looked at her through eyes clouded
with emotion. He knew he had gone too far…again. He should have
given her time, he knew that and still he continued. With a heavy
sigh, he turned and left the room, using the adjoining door that
went into the spare room.

He was a fool; he cursed himself as he sat
on the edge of the double sized bed. No matter how many times he
reminded himself over the course of the day that she was a virgin,
he still tried to get her to accept him before she was ready. His
need for her was growing with each passing moment; she needed time
and he could not push her, though staying clear of his wife was
going to be murder on his libido.

Good God; was she crazy, Julia thought
watching her husband walk into the next room, completely naked and
fully aroused. She was the one who had ordered him to leave and yet
there she was, longing for his touch again. She ran to her bed and
threw herself on it sobbing into the pillows. She loved Daniel, she
knew it and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't deny it any
longer; but he didn't love her. He only wanted her for her father's
land. He wanted Turner Stables and all that came with
it...everything except her.

The pain was real, the hurt too consuming to
forget. She could still feel his lips against her body, his touch
branded her like an iron. She was convenient, that was all she was,
she told herself. He would have married Bridget if were Victor’s
heir; but then the flirtatious blonde would have loved that. She
wouldn’t have kicked Daniel out of her room, Julia thought as she
lifted her head off the pillow, wiping the tears from her
cheeks.

She had to get out of there. She had to go
someplace where he wouldn’t follow; take a walk, ride her mare,
perhaps, anything, she just didn't care. She had to leave, run as
far and as fast as she could, just so long as it was away from
Turner Stables and its new owner.

Julia hurried to her closet and pulled out
her wine colored velvet riding habit and quickly tugged it across
her naked body before Daniel had the chance to catch her. She
ignored her usual undergarments as she buttoned up her jacket and
tugged on her boots, wiping the tears away with the back of her
hand. Her heart couldn’t bear to feel his touch again, knowing she
really wasn’t what he wanted. She grabbed her hat before heading
down the stairs, tears staining her cheeks as she slowed her
departure. Julia could hear her mother and Thompson in the library
and groaned to herself, forcing back the sobs she wanted to set
free. She wanted to leave the house without any confrontations with
either Louise or the family butler. She had to get away from Daniel
and as far away from the feelings still echoing within her aching
soul.

Quietly she tip toed to the front door and
slipped the latch open, moving out the heavy wooden barrier. A
minute later she was on the gravel path that led to the stables,
running at top speed. She would saddle Biscuit and ride until she
couldn't think any more. She would go so far away she'd never find
her way home and perhaps then she'd find the freedom she so
desperately sought; freedoms from Daniel, freedom from her father’s
curse but most of all freedom from the knowledge that she was
desperately in love with her husband.