Harnessed (3 page)

He shuddered then, taking a trio of breaths, but it seemed to settle him.

Athena opened her blouse in a leisurely gesture, treating him to a visual feast. “I should hate to get chocolate on my clothing,” she whispered as she shrugged out of the blouse and set it aside. She liked how he couldn’t keep from looking at her breasts. She was wearing a corset still from Windswept, but it was one that cupped her breasts and left them bare.

She lifted the second chocolate from the box and licked the bottom of it with a slow and sensuous gesture. He watched her avidly, catching his breath again as she smeared dark chocolate across her nipples. “See how easily it happens?” She watched him through her lashes as she fondled the nipples, rubbing the chocolate into her own skin even as she teased the nipples to tight peaks.

“Don’t I get a bite?” he whispered, his voice husky.

“Only if you’re very, very good.”

His eyes gleamed. “I’ve heard I am, my lady.”

Athena laughed despite herself, liking his very masculine confidence. “I’ll be the judge of that.” She rose to a kneel, regretting the loss of contact with his cock, then leaned against his chest. She caught his nape with one hand and held him close. His face was buried between her breasts. He took a deep breath of the scent of her, closing his eyes in pleasure. “Show me how good you are,” she invited, giving him enough leeway to take that bite.

Steele flicked a glance at her before he turned his head and licked her nipple slowly. He laved it deliberately, taking his time as few men did, then flicked his tongue across the tight peak. He kissed it slowly and sweetly, then closed his mouth around it, sucking and licking the chocolate from her skin. He was so leisurely and thorough, so good at alternating little nips from his teeth with the slow strokes of his tongue that Athena leaned her head back and savored the moment. She made only a little moan of surrender when he turned his attentions on the other nipple, her eyes closing with pleasure.

She felt his breath on her hand, and opened her eyes to discover he’d stolen a bite of the second chocolate, the one she’d forgotten she was still holding. “Saving me from myself?”

His smile was wicked. “Something like that.”

Athena considered the bitten chocolate. “These are very good, too good, really.” She pretended to pout. “But how will I ever work off the extra calories?”

“I have a few ideas, Countess.”

“I’m glad you do. I do like to reward initiative.” His quick smile was wolfish, his survey of her sufficiently appreciative to please even Athena. “I think you’ve earned a treat, Steele.” She bit into the edge of that chocolate herself, then leaned closer to offer it to him. Their gazes held for a sizzling moment before he took it from her with his teeth. He claimed the chocolate, but didn’t stop there, moving to capture Athena’s lips in a sweet and potent kiss.

Oh yes, Athena’s new assistant would suit her very, very well.

* * *

She was going to get caught.

And then there would be hell to pay.

Elise couldn’t even look at Tyler. She was afraid some little gesture would give her plan away and he’d put a stop to everything in the last minutes. She just had to hold it together another hour, and then it would be too late for him to change anything.

It was going to be the longest hour of her life. He had to be able to hear how loudly her heart was pounding. He had to be able to taste her fear. She shot sidelong glances at him and prayed with all her heart this would succeed.

They’d taken a cab from the airport and she forced herself to look around at their surroundings. England was completely different from Denver, comparatively flat and lushly green. It was strange having the driver on the right side of the car, never mind to have him driving on the left side of the road. The cab itself was just like the ones you saw in the movies: black and old-fashioned with lots of room in the back seat. It must have had a diesel engine because it rattled as they drove.

If she hadn’t been so wound up, Elise would have been excited and interested in the adventure. She’d never been outside of the United States before. As it was, she stared out the window, not really registering anything, feeling a cold trickle of sweat slide down her back as the moments passed with agonizing slowness.

The only good thing was that Tyler was keyed up. He was rubbernecking like crazy, talking to the driver and commenting on whatever he saw. His monologue meant Elise could be silent without anyone—especially him—noticing.

Eventually, the cab took an exit from the highway and there was a sign for the heliport.

Elise bit her lip. One step closer.

Tyler caught her hand in his and gave her fingers an enthusiastic squeeze. She smiled at him, hoping the expression looked genuine. He looked as gorgeous as the night she’d met him, the night he’d singled her out. At the time, she’d been thrilled.

Now she knew better. He was still as buff and tanned as he’d been then, but now his blond hair a little bit tousled and his blue eyes full of wicked mischief. “Your hands are freezing,” he said, then his smile faded. “You okay with this?”

Elise nodded quickly and lied. “Just never been on a helicopter before.”

He grinned, all rugged confidence and charm. It was the best side of his nature, and the part that hid his dark impulses. Even so, his tone turned condescending. “It’ll be fine. Don’t be chicken-shit.” He nodded at the window as the cab pulled out onto the tarmac. “Look. It’s a huge one.”

Elisa looked. The helicopter was a sleek silver executive model with a purple Phoenix logo on the fuselage. She guessed it would seat half a dozen passengers, plus the two pilots. The pilots were standing outside the helicopter, and both prime specimens in uniform and reflective sunglasses. The man had dark hair cut short and was both tall and lean. He’d taken off his jacket and was walking around the helicopter doing some kind of inspection. His forearms were tanned to a deep gold, and a stainless steel watch glinted on his wrist. The woman had long fair hair pulled up in a ponytail that fell like silk down her back. She’d taken off her jacket, as well, but the pilot uniform didn’t look at all masculine on her. Her waist was small and tightly belted, and the curve of her breasts was evident beneath the white shirt. Elise didn’t imagine for a moment she was much less muscular than her partner. Both could have starred in advertisements for fitness clubs.

Or maybe private sex clubs, like The Phoenix. The female pilot was checking a list on a clipboard, and the other pilot came back to her side to point out a couple of things. They laughed together, showing perfect white teeth.

“Wow,” Tyler said under his breath. “Major eye candy. I wouldn’t mind being trapped on a desert island with her.”

“Different site,” Elise said automatically.

He turned a hard glance on her, one that made her remember every reason she had for escaping him. His tone was even harder. “Are you correcting me? Maybe thinking you know better than me?”

“No, no.” Elise flicked a look at the driver, knowing she couldn’t call Tyler ‘master’ in this situation. “Of course not. I just remember another resort.”

He leaned close to whisper his threat into her ear. “What you’d better remember is your place.”

Elise nodded, quickly and obediently, adding another silent prayer for good measure.

To her relief, Tyler smiled back at her, reassured. “I can’t wait to get to there,” he murmured, then got out of the cab, leaving her to pay the fare. Elise was well aware of the curiosity in the cab driver’s gaze, but she meekly did as Tyler expected before getting out of the cab herself.

He was practically bouncing in anticipation, and tossed her bag at her before striding off. Maybe that was just as well. If she was going to break Tyler’s hold on her, she had to make sure he didn’t catch wind of her escape plan.

Yet.

That was when Elise noticed the other passenger strolling across the tarmac. He wasn’t as tall as the pilot, but he was more muscular. His hair was as dark as ebony and long enough to get tousled in the wind. There was a stillness about him, or a confidence, Elise wasn’t sure which, but his figure caught her eye. She was reminded of thunderclouds before a storm breaks. He had a powerful and commanding presence, one that drew her eye immediately.

There was also something faintly familiar about him. Elise didn’t dare let her gaze linger, but followed Tyler to the helicopter. She hadn’t lied completely about her trepidation. She’d never been on an aircraft so small.

Tyler, of course, was first on board, talking a mile a minute to the female pilot as he clearly tried to charm her. The other passenger waited beside the helicopter, his gaze upon Elise. She tried to ignore her own reaction to his perusal. When she reached the helicopter, the rotors were already starting to turn again. The intense man inclined his head slightly and stepped back so she could go first, and Elise had a hard time taking a breath.

When she was stepping up, she stumbled and he caught her elbow, as if by instinct. His grip on her elbow was strong and warm. She could feel the power in him, but liked how he tempered it. “Easy,” he said, his voice a delicious low rumble that sent a shiver through her. He had a slight accent, but with a single word, she couldn’t identify it. She glanced up at him and could have lost herself in his dark eyes.

Elise was oddly convinced that it would be impossible to fool him.

“Thank you,’ she managed to say and he held her gaze for a second that stretched long. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, as if he’d guessed her plan and was amused by it.

Elise thought she’d have a heart attack.

Then he released her elbow and she climbed in, taking the seat beside Tyler. She fastened her seatbelt and stared out the window fixedly. Her heart was racing and her mouth was dry. How many people knew? Would Tyler guess? Would Rex’s suggestion fall to pieces before they even got to the island? Elise seldom had wanted anything as much as she wanted this fantasy—and the escape it would facilitate. It would be too cruel if the chance was lost right before her wish came true.

Fortunately, Tyler was busy talking to the other guy, who gave him only short answers, then the door was shut behind the pilots. The man took his seat at the front and the woman reviewed the safety features. Tyler flirted with her shamelessly, but she gave him only a tolerant smile before buckling in herself.

Once the rotors started, it was impossible to have any conversation, which was a relief to Elise. Tyler was doing his possessive thing, even though she was ignoring the other passenger, holding her hand and pressing his leg against hers. He had her cornered, almost imprisoned against the wall of the aircraft, just the way he liked it. Elise swallowed and prayed that these last moments would pass soon. She felt smothered and trapped, helpless—the way Tyler liked it and she’d realized she didn’t.

There was no saying “no” to Tyler, though, and no easy way out of this relationship. Windswept, and Rex’s suggestion, was her only hope.

He leaned closer and pressed his lips against her ear. “Wait until I get you harnessed up in that stall, my little filly,” he said, his voice dark with promise. “You’ll be helpless and at my mercy the whole week long.” His smile of anticipation filled her with dread. “I’ll get you branded, so you never forget you’re mine.”

Branded? That was part of his plan? Elise stared at him in horror and he laughed, clearly loving the sight of her dismay.

The helicopter lifted off quickly and turned over the airport, moving more quickly than Elise expected. Their cruising altitude was low enough that she could still see the countryside passing beneath them. Finally, they passed over the coast, leaving landfall behind them. It was a bit disconcerting to be over the ocean, especially as she could see the choppy waves right beneath them. They flew far out to sea, well beyond the sailboats and fishing boats. Elise had a moment of concern when she couldn’t see land on the horizon. Finally, the helicopter turned over an island.

It was bigger than Elise had expected and farther from the coast. The helicopter flew around the island, as if to show it to them, then descended to a heliport on a secluded point. That point seemed to be barricaded from the rest of the island, divided off with a long concrete building.

Elise caught a glimpse of a manor house with extensive gardens, including a maze. Some distance away was a cluster of outbuildings that must include the stables. There were roads or paths that encircled and crossed the island, as well as a forest that covered probably a third of the island. Cliffs fell to the ocean behind the manor house and she thought she glimpsed a small dilapidated cottage on the opposite side of the island. Maybe it had been there before The Phoenix had built the house. She knew the manor house was new construction because the brochure listed its features.

Incredibly, the house looked as if it had been perched on that cliff for two hundred years.

Elise shivered in anticipation as they descended. Escape was so close now. She could almost taste it. The helicopter landed and the rotors didn’t even stop.

The pilot opened the door and handed them off, giving them each their luggage. Elise’s hair was whipped around and she ducked her head to enter the small plain building, not even bothering to say anything to Tyler. What she wanted was refuge.

The building was modern and clinical in appearance. It could have been an airport terminal anywhere.