The Darker Side of Pleasure (40 page)

Authors: Eden Bradley

Tags: #Fiction, #Erotica, #General, #Romance

Back out in the bright sunlight, they climbed into a neat, white golf cart and followed one of the paths across the lawn. When they reached a pair of heavy iron-scrollwork gates, a guard nodded them through.

Instantly the air felt different. More moist, sultry. Dense, tropical foliage crowded the edges of the narrow, pebbled path and the scent of flowers was heavy in the air. From somewhere in the distance, Lilli heard birds call.

The cart rounded a turn in the path and Lilli caught her breath as a structure came into view. A long, narrow pool of pure, blue water led to what appeared to be a small reproduction of the Taj Majal, complete with graceful minarets and domes, and walls inlaid with graceful calligraphy and flowering patterns of colored stones.

“I’ve never seen such a beautiful place.”

“It does take your breath away, doesn’t it?”

Caroline stopped the golf cart at the front entrance. They got out and walked up a short, tiled pathway to the open archway leading inside. Lilli’s heart was pounding, yet she was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of her surroundings. She put her hand out to touch the carved stone of a pillar, then pulled back.

“It’s all right. You can touch it. You can touch anything you like here.”

Lilli turned to Caroline, saw her smile, then turned back to the column and laid her fingers against the surface. She was surprised at how soft it was, almost like soapstone. And the jewels set into the carving looked like real jasper, rubies, sapphires.

“Incredible,” she whispered.

“There’s more inside.”

Caroline parted the dark red silk curtains hanging like a sheer mist across the entrance and Lilli walked through.

Inside was a private garden courtyard, surrounded on all four sides by the walls of the building. Clusters of date palms stood here and there, glorious flowering vines climbed everywhere, and birdcages stood on pedestals amidst the lush vegetation. Greens in every shade, splashes of red, pink, gold, and the sweet perfume of exotic flowers surrounded her. The delicate strains of sitar music floated on the air.

Caroline guided her along the path, up a shallow flight of steps and into what appeared to be a bedroom. There were few solid walls, just the silk-curtained archways. The floors were made of gorgeous tiles interlocking in a complicated pattern. In the middle of the room stood a bed on a high, carved teak platform. The four intricately carved posts were draped with lengths of embroidered silk, the bed piled high with pillows in every shade of the sunset and sunrise: pinks, oranges, reds, ambers. On a low table inlaid with mother-of-pearl stood a silver burner full of incense, the smoke lending an exotic fragrance to the air that smelled like pure sex to her.

She turned to Caroline. “This is too lovely.”

Caroline nodded. “Wait until you see Rajan. I should go now. He’s waiting for you on the terrace. Will you be all right?”

Lilli nodded. She was nervous again. She felt like some shy schoolgirl. But she was an adult, nearly forty. She was being ridiculous.

“Thank you, Caroline.”

Her friend gave her a quick hug. “Call me if you need anything.”

Lilli nodded, then watched as Caroline left. Once she’d disappeared through the curtain, she turned to face the open archway leading to the outer terrace.

He was on the other side.

She set her purse down on a small table, smoothed out her linen skirt, which suddenly felt too heavy on her skin. She tucked a strand of her curling hair behind one ear. And went to meet her Kama Sutra lover.

Pulling the curtain aside, she stepped through, onto the tiled mosaic floor. The sun was softer here, filtered by the silk drapes fluttering at the edges of the terrace. The sun shone through the silk, casting shadows in red and gold everywhere.

At first all she could see was his silhouette against the sun, the shifting colors of the silk playing over his skin. He was long and lean, resting on the edge of a pool of water, a fountain making music from the center of the pool. He was shirtless, and she could make out the rounded curve of wide shoulders and strong, muscular arms.

“I am Rajan.”

A deep voice, edged with a soft, husky tone, and an accent that was English and exotic all at the same time. She took another step forward, and the glare of the sun moved into shadow, revealing him to her.

Long, dark hair curling to just below his shoulder blades framed a face that was all chiseled planes, softened by the lush curve of his mouth as he smiled at her. Teeth so white and perfect. Dazzling. His eyes were dark, nearly black. His skin was the color of dark honey, and so smooth. Touchable. She unconsciously flexed her fingers.

When he stood, graceful as a cat, he towered over her five foot four frame. She felt small, delicate in his presence. He moved toward her, one hand outstretched, slowly, gracefully.

“You must be Lillian.”

“Lilli, please.” Why was her throat so dry? He was only a man.

But no, that was a lie. He was the most spectacularly beautiful man she had ever seen. Her skin was alive, tingling, simply looking at him.

In a moment he was in front of her, that smile making her lightheaded as her blood rushed through her veins. She had to look beyond him for a moment, to the view of the rugged, dusky gray mountains like paper cutouts against the backdrop of stark blue sky.

Her breath went right out of her when he touched her hand. Like fire. Like electricity on her skin.

“Come and sit by the water with me. It’s cool out here.”

His fingers folded around hers and her skin went hot beneath his touch as she followed him across the terrace silently. She couldn’t speak, could barely think. She’d never been so stunned by the mere presence of another person in her life. She gave herself a mental shake.

Calm down.

He led her to the edge of the marble pool. The water was blue, sparkling. She watched the play of it in the fountain in the center. Someone had placed handfuls of flower petals there, and they danced as the water moved.

Then his hand was on her chin, lifting her face so that she was forced to look into those bottomless, black eyes.

“Don’t look away, Lilli. I want to see you. And you need to see me, to know me. We’re going to become very close during our time together. You mustn’t be afraid.”

She blinked up at him. “I’m not. I’m just…you’re a little larger than life.”

He laughed, a deep-throated tone that was a natural reaction. She felt her shoulders drop at the sound. His mouth was too beautiful when he smiled. And she was going to touch it. To kiss him.

God.

Too good to contemplate, really. But she needed to calm herself, to let go of her fear, her tension, if she was going to enjoy this. And he was far too good not to enjoy. She pushed away those lingering doubts about him not finding her pretty enough, sexy enough, with a good mental shove. This was for
her
.

“You’re very thoughtful, aren’t you, Lilli? I’m not speaking of being considerate, although I have a feeling you’re that, too. But your mind is working. I can feel it.”

“Yes.” She felt heat creep into her cheeks.

“I believe I may have the perfect cure for that.”

That smile again, practically knocking her to her knees.

She wouldn’t mind being on her knees for this man. Oh no, not at all.

He moved around behind her, slid his hands over her shoulders. He was so close she could feel the heat of him against her back. When he leaned in she felt the warmth of his breath in her hair. His voice was low, soft. “Give yourself over to this, Lilli. To me. I will take care of your every need, I promise you. And if I don’t anticipate something, all you have to do is ask. But I’ll try not to make you ask. I’ll do my best to read you, to know what it is you desire before you can put it into words.”

A shiver ran through her, making goose flesh rise on her skin.

He went on. “But you must learn to relax. To let go all of those thoughts running through your mind, holding you back from the pleasure of the moment. I’ll help you.”

His hands slid down her bare arms. His soft palms were warm, reassuring, and lighting tiny fires of need on her skin that arrowed down, deep in her belly.

“Will you allow me to do this for you, Lilli?”

God, right now she’d allow him to do anything he wanted, this total stranger. This beautiful stranger.
Her
stranger.

The word came out in a whisper. “Yes.”

THE DARKER SIDE OF PLEASURE

A Bantam Book / October 2007

Published by
Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York

Bantam Books and the rooster colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bradley, Eden.

The darker side of pleasure / Eden Bradley.

p. cm.