Harnessed Passions (44 page)

Julia sat at her vanity inspecting her image
as she counted away the minutes. Margie had insisted she wear one
of the new nightgowns she bought when they went shopping together
and loaned her the bees wax she carried with her to soften her
lips. Her friend insisted that looking as seductive as possible
would aide her attempt to a faster...climax, as she called it.
Julia laid out his seldom used robe in the bathroom and lit a
single lamp for light. The room was ready, the soft aroma of her
cologne, filtered around the room, making her anxious to get
started. The only thing missing was Daniel. Where the hell was
he?

The clock on the bedside table read seven
thirty-five. Daniel was usually up here by now. She couldn't help
wondering what had gone wrong. Bridget had come in and filled his
tub over fifteen minutes ago assuring Julia he had finished eating
and was in the family room with Louise. Slowly she began pacing
back and forth in the confines of the dark scented room like a
caged animal waiting for a chance to attack. What if it didn't
work? Her nerves continued to explode inside her, causing her
stomach to tighten and twist. What if Daniel really didn't want her
anymore? What if he felt trapped and decided to sleep in the room
next door instead of in here as usual? What if she backed out, as
she had before?

"Oh God," she whispered, softly. "Please let
everything work out." At that moment the door knob jiggled bringing
Julia back to reality with a jolt. She sat down at the vanity and
picked up her brush pretending to be occupied with the long dark
strands of hair. Her pulse was racing, her palms were sweating and
she was certain she looked guilty as sin. If she hadn’t already
eaten, she was sure she would have thrown up.

Daniel opened the door and cautiously
stepped inside. He glanced around the room until he spotted Julia
in front of the mirror. The room smelled of her, the lamp was low
and the bed was turned down in a silent invitation. He groaned
inwardly. He had worked himself into exhaustion every night just to
avoid rushing her and then she goes and does this. Didn't she
realize what she was doing to him? Didn't she realize how her
desperately he wanted her? Her innocence was drawing all his
strength and resistance out of him and it was growing difficult
lying beside her every night and not trying to make love to
her.

Daniel stepped up behind her and laid his
hands on her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. God she felt
good, her skin was soft and supple and smelled of flowers on a
spring day. Her hair was as soft as spun satin and hung loose like
a tempting seductress, her lips were moist and parted as he glanced
at her image in the mirror's reflection. Her gown was much thinner
than usual and revealed the delicate lines of her exquisite body,
bringing a rush of heat to his sore, aching limbs. His eyes
traveled slowly down her neck to the deep scoop of her nightgown,
locking with the sight of her breasts, ripe and full, begging him
to touch them...to taste them...to love them. He groaned again,
this time shaking himself mentally. Patience was quickly becoming
his undoing - not his virtue.

"I thought you'd be sleeping," he said, his
tone husky and deep as he tried to avoid her eyes.

Why won't you look at me,
Daniel
? she felt like shouting. Instead she
decided to just be patient and play this to the end as Margie had
instructed.

"I was just about to turn in," she lied,
hoping she sounded convincing. "I have a bath ready for you and
I've laid out your robe." Why did she have to sound so blasted
nervous?

"Thank you, I could use a bath," he kissed
the top of her head again. Oh God, even her hair smelled wonderful.
He walked to the wash closet and stepped through the door, hoping
the water was ice cold so he could force his desires back into
hibernation. Much to his surprise and disappointment it was warm,
nearly hot and there was no trace of Julia having bathed in it.
Apparently she had emptied the tub and had it refilled for him so
he wouldn't have to do it. But why?

"How are the stables coming along?" she
asked, still sitting at the vanity. Daniel tried to empty his mind,
his thoughts were so consumed with the woman he could barely think
beyond the image of her bathing naked in this very tub.

"They're looking good," he reported after
clearing his throat. "We should have them finished well before the
sales. When you're feeling better, I'll take you down and show them
to you."

"How about tomorrow?" she
asked, her tone was anxious and excited and it made him wish she
would sound that way in his arms.
Remember
she's still recovering
, he ordered
himself.

"I think you should get your strength back
before you try anything so strenuous. Just be patient, Princess,"
he suggested to her gently as he lathered the length of his hair
with the soap left beside the tub for him. He dipped his head into
the water, trying to wash as much of the erotic images out of his
mind as he could. When he emerged he saw Julia standing there in
the doorway. The light from the room behind her, silhouetted her
figure underneath the thin nightgown, making him vividly aware of
how naked she was beneath the pale blue material. Oh God, how could
she be so naive?

"To hell with being patient," she snapped,
forgetting her quest and thinking only on his patronizing tone.
"I'm not an invalid, Daniel. In case you haven't noticed, I've
recovered quite nicely and I'm ready to start living again." She
turned around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door as she
left.

Daniel sat staring at the closed barrier.
What she said stirred his blood and made the visions of her dance
around his mind. Then with a low groan, he realized why she was so
angry. She wasn't upset because he had refused to take her down to
the stables - not entirely. It was because he hadn't mentioned the
scene she had created in the next room. The soft light, the
cologne, the turned down bed, even the hot bath and her revealing
clothes led to only one possible answer. She was trying to seduce
him, but she wasn't certain how to accomplish her task once she'd
begun. How could he have been so blind? He should have recognized
the scenario; had it been that long since he was last in a woman’s
bedroom to recognize the romantic atmosphere?

He climbed out of the tub and dried off
before slipping his robe across his tall muscular frame, leaving
his rarely worn night shirt on the wash stand. He ran a comb
through his long hair and smiled back at the reflection in the
mirror over the washstand. This was her game and he would play it
her way, even if it killed him, he promised. Cautiously he opened
the door, carrying the lamp from the wash room with him.

Julia was in bed, the covers pulled to her
chin, the lamp next to her no longer glowing. Daniel felt the
thrill of the hunt burn to life inside him as he sat the lamp on
the table next to his side of the bed and removed the robe, tossing
it to the settee at the foot of the mattress. He crawled naked
beneath the covers and smiled as he laid his hand on her
shoulder.

Julia was trying very hard to keep control
over her temper, but all of the painstaking hours of careful
planning were blown all to hell by a few simple words. She realized
it wasn't that Daniel didn't want her; it was just that he hadn't
taken the time to notice she was alive! She heard the door open,
saw the light from the lamp and felt the bed sag beneath his weight
as he slid in next to her. The warmth of his touch surprised her
and she quickly moved away, edging closer to the side of the bed.
He touched her back and again she moved out of his reach. His hand
slid down her back causing a trail of goose bumps to erupt across
her body and she moved one more time. She heard him chuckle softly
and closed her eyes as tightly as she could, trying to block out
the effects of his voice.

"If you move any further away you'll fall
out of bed," he teased her, touching her waist. She moved a fourth
time and gasped as she felt the edge of the bed against her side.
Daniel reached out for her and pulled her back before she tumbled
to the floor, holding her close against his warm damp body.

"I wouldn't have to keep moving if you'd
stay on your own side of the bed," she snapped, trying to dislodge
the band of arms locked securely around her waist. Daniel chuckled
again, kissing the skin beneath her ear.

"But I like your side of the bed, Princess,"
he whispered in her ear, his hot breath sending chills of
anticipation running down her spine.

"Then we'll switch sides," she suggested,
her voice less than threatening as her struggle to resist him began
to weaken.

"But that would defeat your purpose my
darling little wife," he enlightened her, informing her of his
knowledge to her scheme. His hands moved up to cup her breast
beneath the material of her nightgown, feeling her nipple tighten
suddenly beneath his touch. Julia leaned back against him, the
anger burned away by the heat of desire. His hand caressed the firm
mound of her breast until she moaned her surrender.

"How did you know?" she whispered,
hoarsely.

"Know what? That you were trying to seduce
me?" his chuckle was soft, as he nuzzled her neck. "Where did you
ever get the idea anyway? All you had to do was ask sweetheart, I
would have given you everything you wanted."

"Margie suggested it."

"Margie?" he exclaimed with a gasp, leaning
up on one elbow. Julia turned around in his arms and frowned. He
stared down at her with curiosity and surprise, etching his darkly
tanned features.

"What's wrong with that?" she demanded in
defense of her friend.

"From what Harold's told me Margie is a
rather...unique lover. She does things I would have thought you'd
find embarrassing - or revolting."

"Like what? Nothing she told me was
revolting...well, not most of it."

"Exactly what did she tell you to do once
you got me lured into your web, my little temptress?" Julia
narrowed her gaze on him. She couldn't believe he was questioning
her motives.

"If you find my
web
so distasteful why
don't you just..."

"Now Princess, thinking things like that is
going to get you in trouble," he warned with a smile. "I never said
your web wasn't interesting; just the opposite in fact. I'm very
intrigued by what you had planned." He lowered his mouth to hers;
kissing her with such passion she couldn't resist giving over to
him. "Tell me what you had in mind," he whispered against her lips.
Julia blushed, realizing she hadn't actually thought she would have
to go through with any of Margie's suggestions.

"I'm not sure I can."

"Princess, there's no need to be
embarrassed," he assured her, turning her on her back. "I'm not
asking you to do anything you don't want to do. I'm just curious
what my best friend's wife suggested my innocent, inexperienced
wife should do. If you won't tell me," he said, leaning to whisper
in her ear, "then show me." Julia found her courage in the tone of
his voice and began feeling bold and daring.

She bit her lower lip, allowing her hand to
travel down across his back to his firm hips feeling the muscles
ripple beneath her touch. God, he was so masculine, so powerful and
yet so gentle. She was as nervous as a bride on her wedding night,
and then she realized this was her wedding night; a little late
perhaps, but hers nonetheless. Her stomach jerked with fear, her
heart pounded uncontrollably as she thought of what was yet to
come, but just knowing it was Daniel in bed next to her somehow
helped her find the strength to continue.

He kissed her neck softly, reveling in her
touch. She was so shy, yet her curiosity outweighed her fear. She
touched the soft matt of hair covering his chest with one hand,
winding her fingers in it, teasing his small hardened nipple. Her
other hand caressed and massaged his hip and thigh, before she
cautiously moved around to the front. He thought he would lose his
mind when her fingers began to stroke him, touching and wrapping
around him like satin threads forcing a groan of tortured pleasure
from his throat.

"Yes Princess," he whispered, against her
mouth. "Touch me. Oh God it feels so wonderful. Don't stop, please
don't stop." His words burned a deeper courage in her and she found
the strength to wrap her hand around him fully, stroking his hard,
firm penis as Margie had instructed. It seemed different than the
first time he insisted she do it; this time she was in control. She
was the master and he was her puppet; the thought made her feel
braver and she carefully began to kiss his chest.

Daniel moaned again, tugging her clothes
over her head and locking his lips to her breast. He cursed
himself, ordering control back into his raging soul. If she kept
this up he'd never survive!

Julia leaned up long enough for him to slip
her nightgown over her head, but instead of laying back down
against the pillow, she cautiously looked down to her hand. Daniel
moaned as her eyes traveled across his strong, tone body. It was
worse than her touch and his penis jerked in her hand.

“
Tell me what Margie wanted
you to do?” he whispered in a tortured, deep tone. Julia blushed;
she wasn’t sure if she could tell him much less do it.

“
She said…she suggested…”
How could she find the words to tell him? What if he found it
repulsive or was shocked and pushed her away.

As if reading her mind, he reached up and
cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. His eyes smoldered
with passion and curiosity; his penis twitched in her hand and the
smile on his lips was gentle and knowing.

“
If you’re not ready, we’ll
wait,” he whispered. Julia misunderstood; she had come this far,
she wasn’t willing to stop now. Waiting was torture and not having
him with her was worse.