Lone Rider (10 page)

             
She pushed the plate away. “I’m not hungry.”

             
Dallas
’ hand closed over hers, stilling the motion. “Starving yourself won’t change the situation.”

             
Tears stung her eyes at his unnecessary reminder. She glowered at him. His tendency to be thoughtful confused her. And infuriated her. “What will change it?”

             
“For now, nothing.”

             
“Don’t say that!”  She snatched her hand away. “You had no right to bring me here. If you’ve got a shred of decency left in you, you’ll let me go.”  Her voice lowered in desperation. “Please. I’ll do anything.”

             
“Anything?” 
Dallas
looked at her. Fueled by the memory of her beneath him in the bed, his imagination supplied searing images laden with hot potential.
Anything...
What would she look like wearing only willingness and all that long golden hair?

             
He shook himself mentally, yanking hard on his control. Not for the first time he felt the sting of regret over his actions. But that didn’t alter a thing. His path was carved in stone
,
and now she was part of it. A complicated part. And it was going to get personal.

             
Bogen had been right. She’d definitely gotten under his skin. Scrubbed free of dirt and makeup
,
he found
she was
even more attractive, her skin flawless, her cheeks delicate. And as he’d originally thought, she did have blue eyes. Dark blue, with long spiky lashes.

             
And right now those lashes were trembling as she attempted to hold back tears. She was angry and frightened. He didn’t blame her. She had to be bordering on a breakdown. She needed food. She needed comfort.

             
He needed to comfort her
.

             
“Come here.”

             
The silky undertone of his voice caught Tess by surprise. She opened her mouth to refuse, then stopped. Exactly what was she willing to do to gain her freedom? How far would she go? Was she willing to barter her body?

             
She swallowed, remembering the kiss he’d given her earlier. A part of her had been gratified by it. Without a doubt the man was accustomed to pleasure. Giving and taking.

             
And there was nothing to stop
Dallas
from taking. As if that wasn’t enough to cope with, Bogen’s threat came back to taunt her.
I can take you back if you’re a problem
. What would happen if she didn’t please
Dallas
? Would he hand her over to Bogen? Could she survive that?

Under the circumstances, she’d do whatever it took to remain with
Dallas
. To stay alive. To stay alert for an opportunity to escape.

             
She peeked at
Dallas
from beneath her lashes. She didn’t sense the same violence in him that she did in Snake and the others. Perhaps she could even appeal to him without...going all the way. He stared at her openly, his silvery eyes giving away nothing of his thoughts. Or his intentions. He was seated to the right of her, close enough to touch if she stretched out her hand.

             
“Come here.”  The order was repeated. Softly.

             
Swallowing nervously, she climbed to her feet. In two faltering steps she stood directly in front of him.
Dallas
took her hand, tugging her closer till she stood between his spread legs.

             
“Sit.” 

             
He indicated that he expected her to sit on his lap. She lowered her bottom until it made contact with his muscled thigh. She kept her eyes locked on his, wary, recalling the first time she saw him, when she’d been struck by what a handsome man he was. Potent. Sensual. Dangerous.

             
Dallas
’ body responded to her nearness, his jeans growing increasingly uncomfortable. She held herself as far away from him as possible, sitting as stiff and rigid as certain parts of his body. He knew she couldn’t be comfortable. And it reminded him that she didn’t want to be there. Th
at he shouldn’t be doing this.

             
But he needed for her to get used to him. He needed to establish a strong bond between them, and quickly. Her survival depended upon it. The fact that he wanted her was secondary.

             
Yeah, right.

             
“Relax.”  She couldn’t weigh more than his bed pillow. Reaching forward
,
he tugged her legs over his, drawing her tightly into his lap. She struggled, accidentally rubbing her palm against his groin. When she recognized the hardness, she stilled, snatching her hand away as if it burned.

             
Under different circumstances,
Dallas
would have taken her hand in his and stroked it up the entire length of him, in an intimate introduction. Did she like it fast or slow? Instead he reached for a piece of bacon.

             
“Open,” he commanded.

             
Caught off guard, Tess obeyed, automatically biting when he stuck the food in her mouth. It could have tasted like tree bark for all she knew. Her awareness was
focused on the ridge
pressed against her thigh. It felt hard and hot. Could she really go through with it? Use sex in exchange for freedom?
And live with herself afterward
?

             
“Chew.” 
Dallas
watched her, knew she felt his erection and wished he could read her mind.
Did she moan or scream
? He’d bet he could make her scream...

             
She chewed mechanically
,
then swallowed.
Dallas
held up a mug of coffee. “Hot,” he warned, watching as she took a cautious sip. Blistering hot.
Would he melt inside her
?

             
He offered the mug again. “More?”

When she shook her head, he set the coffee aside, shifting his position slightly. Pushing her away. He couldn’t take much more of this himself.

             
As soon as Tess swallowed the coffee a forkful of eggs appeared. “Open for me,”
Dallas
quietly urged.

             
“You don’t need to feed me,” she whispered
,
and drew her legs closed.

             
“You said you’d do anything. Right now I want you to eat.”

Right now
, her mind echoed. The
what about later
hung between them. “I can feed myself.”

             
“Humor me.”

             
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, the food did taste wonderful. And so far his requests had been reasonable. With little choice anyway, she opened her mouth, content for the moment to eat.

             
When she’d gone through half the eggs,
Dallas
grabbed a triangle of toast. She was about to tell him she was full when he put the toast to his own mouth and bit off a corner. Silver eyes held blue ones captive as the piece of toast turned, the already bitten end offered to her. She knew exactly what he was doing. Teasing. Testing.

             
The vague sense of well-being vanished. Cold reality set in once more. She would do this. She could do anything necessary to survive. She stared at his lips. He had a perfect mouth. A perfect kiss.

             
The toast shifted closer.

             
Very slowly she nibbled one edge, in her mind tasting him again.

             
The toast dropped, forgotten, as
Dallas
drew her close. In the space of a heartbeat, he lowered his mouth to hers, brushing her lips in a soft whisper. He kissed her, drawing his tongue lazily, reverently, across her bottom lip.

             
She pretended to enjoy the kiss. Or at least that was her intent.

Her lips throbbed under the tenderest of assaults as his fingers slowly threaded through her hair. He turned her head slightly, positioning her expertly, then drawing her closer. As he deepened the kiss, his teeth gently caught her lip, tugging, demanding entry, his rogue tongue delving deeply into her mouth when she finally opened to him.

             
She closed her eyes in an effort to hold back the small moan building at the back of her throat. Her hands pressed against his chest. Pushing him away...or urging him closer?

             
Dallas
wrapped his arms tighter around her, letting sensations bombard him. The scent of her, fresh from the shower. The creamy softness of her skin. And her magnificent breasts, tips pearl-hard, pressed against him, testing his sanity.

             
Suddenly the pressure grew too great. He had to stop this now. Or go forward. And considering the circumstances, he knew the former choice to be the right one...his turgid flesh be damned.

             
He pulled back, tucking her head beneath his chin, exhaling sharply as he fought for control.

             
Tess clamped her eyes shut, wishing she could disappear. How could she have allowed herself to lose track of her intentions? Her lips felt raw where he’d plundered, her pulse raced. And low, very low, a treacherous warmth blossomed, budding moisture. Desire?

             
It couldn’t be.

             
Yes, they’d shared a kiss. But it didn’t mean --
 

She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t close her eyes and pretend they were lovers, that he hadn’t kidnapped her. And what must
Dallas
be thinking now?
That she’d do anything
? She almost had.

But one thing puzzled her. He had been as affected by their momentary intimacy as she. And
now
it bothered him. Why? She would have expected him to act on his animal instincts, not struggle against them. Unless...

Did he feel guilty?
Maybe she did have more of a chance with him then she realized.

             
When a knock sounded at the front door, she started.
Dallas
swore, setting her on her feet.

             
“Just a minute,” he yelled out. Signaling to Tess, he lowered his voice. “Get in the bathroom and stay there.”

             
Thankful for the interruption, she didn’t argue, hurrying
toward
the bathroom as
Dallas
strode to the front door. Once inside, Tess eavesdropped. At first she heard nothing. Then she recognized Duke’s voice.

             
“Bogen’s called a meeting,” Duke said. “Thirty minutes, at the barn. You and Eddie are making a beer run afterwards.”

             
Knowing Tess probably listened,
Dallas
stepped outside, onto the porch
and shut the door. He pierced Duke with a cold stare.

             
“You wouldn’t know anything about the cut the woman’s got on her head, would you?”

             
Duke’s chest puffed belligerently
,
then just as quickly deflated when
Dallas
’ hands fisted at the collar of his shirt.

“Hey
,
man, she fell. It was an accident. If that bitch told you anything else
,
she’s lying.”

             
“She’s mine, Duke, and I’ll kill anyone who lays a finger on her while she’s in my possession. No excuses. Spread the word.”

             
Tripping over his own feet, Duke nearly fell down the steps in a hurry to get away.

It would have been a lot more satisfying to deck the little prick,
Dallas
thought. Except right now Duke was scared -- far more useful. He’d keep a healthy distance from Tess and warn the others as well. Oh sure, there’d be a few who wouldn’t listen. Like Snake. But
Dallas
knew who they were, knew to keep an eye out for them.

             
Turning, he went back inside.

Tess had listened, disappointed when the men stepped outside to talk. What were they discussing? And what would
Dallas
expect when he returned?

She grew warm, remembering. She had never thought of sharing food as a sensual act until
Dallas
offered her that piece of toast. The food had served as foreplay, the prelude to his kiss. Then she lost control. How could she respond that way toward a man she should despise?