Lone Rider (9 page)

             
A long strand of his dark hair lay across her cheek. Unbound, it fell thick and straight to his shoulders. His damp hair smelled of shampoo, soap. He must have showered while she slept.

             
It occurred to her that she really didn’t feel overly threatened by
Dallas
. Yes, he was bigger and stronger and could physically overpower her. But she didn’t feel personally endangered in his presence. Quite the opposite, she’d felt safe with him, especially when Snake and the others were around.

             
She sighed. Of course none of that took away from the fact she was being held against her will.

             
Still, a part of her wondered what had driven
Dallas
to a life of crime? Was he the product of a broken home? Had one or both parents abandoned him at a young age?

             
What did it matter?

             
She closed her eyes, clearing those thoughts. The bottom line remained unchanged. She was his prisoner
,
and her biggest concerns with
Dallas
remained unanswered.
What did he intend to do with her and how would she get free
?

             
At that moment,
Dallas
coughed. Then he stretched. His medal, warm from his skin, fell forward against her. His ribs grazed hers, muscles taut. Then she felt the growing hardness -- lower -- and remembered he wore little. Very little. She struggled for air as his head raised.

             
“Good morning,” he yawned.

             
“You’re squishing me!”

             
Frowning
,
he pushed up on his elbows, allowing her to draw a deep breath. While
he was in no hurry to move off
her
,
he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable. This new position brought his groin directly in contact with hers. The fit would be perfect.

“Sleep well?” he asked
,
dropping his head back down to nuzzle her neck, as if waking up on top of her was a normal, everyday occurrence. Gently he bit the sensitive skin below her ear
, then laved
the injury with his tongue.

             
Totally unprepared for his action, Tess jerked at the erotic gesture, inadvertently rubbing her lower body along the entire length of him. He hardened instantly, fully.

             
Dallas
drew a sharp breath, his teeth clenched as he struggled for control. “Don’t move. We’ve got a problem.”

             
There was no mistaking
the
problem
. She felt his erection burning against her abdomen, the length and breadth alarming her. He couldn’t really be that big, could he? She froze for what seemed like an eternity. When it became apparent he wasn’t moving, she spoke. “Let me up!”

             
“Say please.”

             
“Go to hell.”

             
“
Tsk. Tsk
. Are you always this grumpy when you wake up
,
or is it just me?”  He rubbed his nose against hers, Eskimo style, inhaling the delicate rose scent he adored. “Is that why you and Geoffrey broke up?”

             
She huffed, twisting her face away. She and Geoffrey had been ill matched from the beginning, but it had suited Tess to maintain the relationship to keep her mother from interfering in her life. Madeline Marsh fancied herself a matchmaker and when she wasn’t busy finding herself a husband, she was looking for one for her daughter.

             
Geoffrey was the last person Tess would discuss with
Dallas
...though she didn’t want him to know that. “Geoffrey and I are still very close.”

             
“The man must be an idiot to have let you get away.”

             
“He didn’t let me...oh! Quit trying to change the subject. I demand you let me up,” she began. “And you had no right
to remove
my clothes.”

             
He stared down at her, brows raised. He found her defense of Geoffrey irritating. “Right now I have every right. Remember that. Besides, you slept better without them. The handcuffs, too. Though I know you won’t admit it.”  He traced a finger lightly over her collarbone. “Holding on
to you was the only way I could remove the cuffs and know you couldn’t get free.”

             
She stared at him, wanting to disagree. “Let me go,
Dallas
. Please.”  Placing her hands on his shoulders
,
she shoved but couldn’t budge him.

             
He knew she asked for more than her freedom from the bed, from his embrace. A question he needed to deal with -- but not with her. He caught her hands, stretching them over her head and lowering his mouth to within inches of hers. He wanted to grind his hips against her again. Bury himself in her. Instead he grunted.

             
“I can’t release you, Tess. You have to know that and accept it. But I promise no harm will come to you while you’re in my care.”  Once more he felt torn. God he wanted her, he’d go crazy sharing a bed with her, holding her, touching her. But not taking her.

             
Unable to withstand another minute of torture, he moved to get up. “You can have the bathroom first.”  Bracing his hands on either side of her, he hovered above her.

For a moment their eyes met
,
and she thought he would kiss her. And for a moment she wanted it.

In the space of a heartbeat, he lowered his mouth to hers, brushing her lips in a soft whisper. Her hands pressed against his chest. Pushing him away...or drawing him closer?

Then just that quickly he jumped free of the bed. Tess struggled to sit up, grabbing for the sheet. “Go ahead and get up,” he said gruffly.

Stung by his sudden brusqueness, Tess snapped. “Am I allowed to use the bathroom in private? Or are you a pervert who likes to watch?”

Too late, she bit her tongue. No sense antagonizing the man. She needed to stay calm and maintain control. She waited for him to retaliate, wondering if the wiser move might be to apologize.

             
To her surprise
Dallas
ignored the remark, slipping a shirt over his head. She caught a brief glimpse of the bulge tenting his briefs before he turned away. “Help yourself,” he said.

             
Snagging her jeans from the floor, she slid them on and hurried into the bathroom.

The first thing she noticed, besides the fact
that
it was infinitely cleaner than the one at the main house, was no lock on the door. Then she noticed the small window. Her spirits soared. Yes! It would be a tight fit, but she co
uld squeeze through. And then--

Then she’d get as far away from the cabin as possible. She knew she wouldn’t get much of a head start so every second would have to count. Starting now.

Moving quietly, she attacked the window pushing determinedly on the wooden sill. It didn’t budge. Damn! She shoved again, then looked closer, spotting the bent nail hammered into the frame. She tugged at it, barely able to grasp it with her fingers, finding it immovable.

She needed something to pry the nail out. Scrambling back to the sink and turning on the water to cover the noise, she opened the mirrored medicine cabinet.

To her surprise the cabinet contained her toiletries. He’d undoubtedly unpacked her bag. Shampoo, deodorant, cosmetics. Her razor was conspicuously missing. So were her tweezers. She was disappointed, yet it didn’t surprise her.
Dallas
struck her as a thorough man. He’d never have let her in the bathroom alone otherwise.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Just a minute,” she yelled, quickly splashing water on her face. With no lock he could have simply walked in. She supposed she should have felt grateful, but she didn’t. Opening the door
,
she found
Dallas
holding a neat stack of her clothes.

             
“Any more dizziness?” he asked.

             
“No.”

             
He thrust the clothes at her. “Then go ahead and take a shower. The water’s good and hot
,
but it won’t last long.”

             
Her first instinct was to refuse. Except what did that gain her? A shower and clean clothes would feel heavenly. Still she hesitated.

             
“There’s no lock on this door,” she pointed out. What’s to stop him from barging in?

             
Dallas
shifted, leaning comfortably against the doorjamb. “After that pervert remark I ought to make you leave the door open. However, I’m a reasonable guy
,
and I’ll give you the privacy you need. As long as it’s not abused. Just remember that if I want to come in, nothing can stop me. Besides, if you got dizzy and fell--”

             
She snatched her clothes from him. “I won’t!”

He glanced at his watch. “Good. Then you’ve got ten minutes. Take it or leave it.” 

CHAPTER FOUR

Even though
Dallas
allotted her ten minutes for a shower, Tess only spent half that time beneath the water. First she tried again to pry the nail free with her fingertips. Unsuccessfully.

Damn, what she wouldn’t give for a claw hammer. Or a telephone. And a gun. Frustrated, she threw open the bathroom door.

             
A delicious aroma greeted her. Food. Her stomach growled, reminding her of exactly how long it had been since her last meal. She turned toward the kitchen, frowning at the man who controlled too much of her life.

             
Dallas
looked up, noting her scowl. Most people would have already buckled under the strain. Not Tess. Her moxie pleased him. And challenged him.

His glance swept to her stockinged feet then slowly traveled up as he recalled his plan. Exploitation. Seduction. The assignment wouldn’t be a problem on his part. He was keenly aware of her. Could still taste her. And fair or unfair, her survival hinged on his gaining her confidence, making her dependent.

“Feel better?” he asked.

She nodded.

His eyes held hers. “Head still hurt?”

             
“A little.”

             
He grabbed a bottle of aspirin from a shelf and tossed it to her. “Take two. It’ll help.” 

             
She started to toss the bottle back, then stopped. Her head did hurt. Bad. Moving past him to the sink, she ran a glass of water.

             
“Chow’s almost ready. Sit there.” 
Dallas
pointed to a chair, then turned back to the stove. “Eggs, bacon, toast. Nothing fancy.”

             
She ignored the chair, leaning instead against the counter. The shower had revived her, left her in the mood to pick a fight. “You cook for your prisoners? How quaint.”

             
“Only the skinny ones.”  He gave her a quick once-over then looked away again. “Personally, I prefer a woman with a little more
cush
on her tush.”

             
Tess opened her mouth, then closed it, glad to know she didn’t fit his image of an ideal woman. Ignoring his back, she surveyed the cabin, the urge to escape stronger than ever. She studied the brand new dead
bolt on the front door. On the off chance it was unlocked, she doubted she’d make it far without a better head start. Besides, where would she go?

             
The last thing she wanted was to get away from
Dallas
only to run into Snake. Or Bogen. For now she needed to be patient and learn the lay of the land. She also needed to make sure no one was around when she made her break.

             
“Hello?” 
Dallas
stood right beside her, skillet in hand. “Scrambled okay?”

             
She jumped, flustered that he’d caught her lost in thoughts of escape. Needing distance, she took the chair f
a
rthest from him. “Yes.”

             
Her eyes widened when
Dallas
set a plate in front of her and slid into the chair next to her. She stared at the plate. There was enough bacon to clog an elephant’s arteries. And it was extra
-
crispy -- just the way she liked it.