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‘Is it a hovel?’
‘I don’t think so.’ He had fallen into step alongside. Bethany had hoped desperately that this far too attractive, far too controlled man would somehow just disappear and leave her in peace; she didn’t want strangers upsetting her equilibrium, she didn’t want this man from another world making her feel self-conscious and inadequate all over again. She had been through that once and it had not been a pleasurable experience.
Bethany threw Chad a glance that bristled animosity. ‘I think it’s perfectly habitable.’
‘You live here permanently?’
They were through the gate now, crossing Bethany’s intensively worked front garden with its neat rows of vegetables. ‘Does it look like a holiday cottage?’ she asked waspishly, turning to face him. ‘Look, I’m damp and I’m chilly. Would you mind?’
‘Would I mind what?’ Chad crossed his arms across his damp, sculptured, bronzed chest and surveyed Bethany with a casual gaze.
‘Leaving!’ Bethany enunciated clearly, knowing full well his density was deliberate. ‘If you don’t mind!’
‘So this is the thanks I get for saving your life, is it?’ he enquired, a faint smile touching his lips. ‘You’re not a very grateful girl, are you?’
A frisson of something approaching fear scorched its way up her spine. ‘What...what do you mean?’ Bethany’s voice was taut suddenly. It had been eighteen months since she had heard that phrase. Eighteen long months. She stiffened, unaware of what Chad was saying any more, gripping the heavy knob of the cabin door until her knuckles whitened, remembering... Grateful! How many times had Philip cursed her for not being grateful? A hundred? A thousand times? She was his wife and there were certain wifely duties that were expected. How dared she refuse him? How dared she cower in the corner looking frightened! And after all that he had done for her too! Didn’t she have a lifestyle that a thousand women would die for? Didn’t she want for nothing?
‘P-please...!’ There was a faint note of desperation in Bethany’s voice. Stupid, stupid memories! She shouldn’t be thinking about all that now. She raised her face and implored, with wide, luminous green eyes, ‘Don’t... don’t talk like that...’
‘What’s the matter?’ The deep voice was sharp, but not like Philip’s; his had been higher, the vowels twisted in that strange manner that signified someone from the upper classes. When he had shouted her nerves had jangled at the sound of irate instability, her body trembling because she could anticipate only too well what would be coming next...
Bethany felt the firm grip of Chad’s hands on her shoulders. ‘Hey! Are you with me? What is it? Don’t you feel well?’
She shook her head and tried to drag her thoughts back from the past. This voice was strong and resonant. It wasn’t Philip. She must not think of him; that part of her life was all gone...gone. He couldn’t hurt her any more...
Bethany inhaled a deep breath and looked up into Chad’s face. She was acting like a fool...The first man to come anywhere near her since moving out here and she was acting like a complete idiot! ‘If you would just... just go!’ She thought she had regained control but, to her shame, hot tears stung her eyes and with a small, strangled sob she wrenched herself from Chad’s grasp, fumbled with the door-catch and flung herself inside the cabin.
‘I can’t leave you like this.’ He moved into the clean, spartan room, practically filling the small space with his tall, broad frame, and looked at Bethany’s tense face, a perplexed frown creasing his forehead. ‘Was it something I said?’
Bethany shook her head and brushed the tears wildly from her cheeks with the back of her hand. It was, of course, but if she said as much, tried to explain... ‘Look, please...!’ She gulped back a sob and placed a trembling hand over her eyes. ‘It’s not you...please just go... I’ll be fine...fine...’ Her voice trailed away as a vision, sharp and real enough to make her frown, flew into her head. Philip with his hand raised in anger. Philip with that alcoholic leer that always, always made her cringe... Why was she allowing the thoughts to invade now? Why?
‘You look far from fine to me!’ Chad commented, surveying her huddled form with a critical eye. He moved towards her, his gaze narrowing sharply as Bethany shrank back from his outstretched hands. ‘Hey, come on!’ His voice was as reassuring as the hand that gently stroked the fine damp strands of hair away from Bethany’s face. ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of! I’m not going to hurt you, for heaven’s sake.’ Bethany opened her mouth to speak but there were no words. She closed her eyes, her body rigid with confusion and shaky mistrust. ‘Don’t make me feel bad,’ Chad murmured, ‘I’m not always such a swine.’
‘It...it doesn’t matter.’ Bethany pressed a clenched fist to her mouth and worked hard at preventing an embarrassing flood of tears from flowing down her cheeks.
‘But it does.’ Chad placed firm hands on Bethany’s arms and turned her gently towards his strong, magnificent torso. ‘You really must not pay any heed to my rough, brusque outer shell. My name comes from the Welsh, meaning battle—maybe that’s why I come on so strong sometimes. Beneath it all I’m as weak and gentle as a kitten—honestly! Ah! That’s better!’ He tilted Bethany’s face towards his and looked approvingly at the small half-smile that had sprung automatically to her lips. ‘Does that mean I’m forgiven?’ he enquired smoothly, shockingly slipping his arms around her waist, drawing her close towards the rugged physique. ‘Can I leave you with my conscience absolutely clear?’
Bethany nodded, staring up into the compelling face in silence. She felt strange. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but the thought of this man leaving her alone left her with an empty, hollow feeling inside.
‘You...saved my life.’ Bethany struggled to breathe, searching frantically through her mind for something else to say, something trivial and mundane that would break this...this ridiculous spell. ‘I haven’t even thanked you.’
‘Don’t mention it.’ His voice, when it finally came, was slightly rough, husky suddenly. Dark eyes glimmered down at her, transfixing Bethany with their magnetic force. ‘This is all the thanks I need...’ He lowered his head and his mouth brushed hers without warning, moving slowly and surely over her parted lips in a kiss that was pure expert seduction. ‘I didn’t mean to make you cry,’ he murmured gently, raising his head after a moment, looking down into Bethany’s stunned face. ‘I was angry when I rescued you from the sea. A foolish argument with someone else. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.’
‘It...it doesn’t matter...’ Her voice was barely audible as she gazed into the stunningly handsome face. She swallowed, amazement stalling her expression. ‘You...you kissed me.’
His mouth curved into an attractive smile at the sheer wonderment in Bethany’s voice. ‘I’m glad you noticed. Would you like me to do it again?’
It had felt good, so good...warm...real...
‘Bethany?’ Chad’s voice was smooth and deep, a husky growl that sent shivers of awareness down her spine. ‘If you keep looking at me like that,’ he murmured warningly, ‘with those desperately beautiful green eyes, that make me want to believe a million impossible things, then I may not be totally responsible for my actions. Bethany!’ His voice was stronger, urgent suddenly. She felt the warmth of his breath on her face, the surge of power through his hands as they dragged her even closer against his hard, rugged length. ‘Do you understand what I’m saying?’ he asked sharply. One hand tilted her chin to prevent her from lowering her head. ‘Are you listening, Bethany?’
She felt as if she were in a dream. Her heart was pounding, her mind barely comprehending the words that were spoken with such dynamic force. Feelings she had never experienced before were stirring inside her. The emptiness, the loneliness—they didn’t seem to be there any more. How could it be? How could this man make her feel this way?
‘Chad...!’ His name was a scorch of emotion on her lips, no sooner spoken than crushed by the erotic pressure of his mouth.
She waited for pain, revulsion, sickness to rise up and overwhelm her, and when there was none, only passion and a deep frantic longing that leaped out of nowhere, shocking her with its intensity, Bethany sagged like a helpless invalid against the raw male strength, gripped the bronzed skin with a feverish touch that only served to heighten the electricity that sparked between them and opened her mouth wider to accept the totally dominant mouth.
‘God, you’re so beautiful!’ She felt herself lifted after many, many minutes, her legs swung from beneath her by potent masculine arms. Chad carried her across the room to the rug that lay in front of the warming black stove, laid her gently back on to the striped rainbow rug, his mouth all the while continuing to consume her blazing skin, continuing to touch her with relentless, uncompromising passion. ‘This is crazy! Absolutely crazy!’ He spoke between kisses, his lips warm and moist against the soft skin of her throat, the tender places of her neck, his hands roaming and touching in a way that Bethany had never dreamed of. ‘You must know what you’re doing to me!’
‘Y-yes.’ Oh, God! What was wrong with her? She had forgotten how to breathe, how to move...
‘Chad...!’ Her voice was husky with tension. She couldn’t even begin to understand what was going on, how or why she found herself now in this position with...with a man who oozed vitality and sexuality, and Bethany gasped in shock as she experienced the scorch of bare flesh against bare flesh, felt his hands, warm and firm, holding her dose, cradling her body, moving it against his own as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
When had she ever been held like this? When had she ever experienced such exhilaration... such overwhelming need to be held and loved? Not until now, not until she found herself in the arms of this man, in the arms of a stranger...
She flinched. Through the heat of desire the realisation of what she was doing bit into her with all its dreadful force. What was happening to her? What was she thinking of?
‘I can’t!’ Bethany felt Chad’s body stiffen beside her, his hands cease their knowledgeable journey over her skin. She flicked open her dark lashes and found him breathing heavily, his brown eyes narrowed, scrutinising her face with an intense expression. ‘No!’ Bethany shook her head and closed her eyes in anguish. ‘This...this is crazy!’
‘You think I don’t know that?’ He raised himself up on one elbow and studied Bethany’s trembling features with an unflinching gaze. ‘But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong,’ he murmured, ‘does it?’
‘Yes, it does!’ Bethany replied wildly. ‘Of course it does! It has to be!’
He reached out to touch her again, but Bethany, shamed by her own lack of self-control, afraid of the power of his touch, hit out wildly, catching the carved profile with the edge of her loosely clenched fist.
‘No more!’ Chad’s large hand snaked out and gripped her wrist as her hand proceeded to strike out with erratic force. His dark eyes smouldered ominously. ‘I think I’ve got the message.’
He rose fluidly, gazing at Bethany with an expression that was beyond her comprehension. She had expected fury, anger, a slap in return maybe, all the old familiar reactions, but not this control, not this smouldering tension.
She gazed into the rugged planes of Chad’s face, her eyes drawn to the reddened place high up on his cheekbone where her fist had landed. ‘You think I deserved this?’ he enquired, gesturing to his face, a grim curve twisting his mouth as Bethany scrambled hastily to her feet.
‘Y-yes!’ He didn’t; she knew that. But admitting as much to this man would be too humiliating for words.
‘Really?’ His gaze was impassive: straight and direct. She saw what he thought of her answer, what he thought of her. ‘OK, if lying about it makes you feel better...’ He lifted his broad shoulders in a shrug. ‘I’ll even apologise—then you’ll really be able to salve your conscience. We can pretend that I took unfair advantage. A lie, of course, because you wanted me as much as I wanted you.’
‘Don’t say that!’ Bethany’s voice vibrated with smouldering tension. ‘Get out! Get out of my house now!’
She turned then, with glistening eyes, and ran towards the doorway that led to her tiny, functional bedroom and flicked the catch firmly behind her.
I wanted him. I wanted him. The words repeated themselves endlessly in her mind. Over and over.
With trembling fingers she peeled the damp bikini from her body and rummaged like an automaton in the small chest of drawers beside her bed for something—anything—to wear. She dragged on a pair of loose jeans and buttoned up a crisp, cotton shirt.
‘I still want him,’ Bethany whispered frantically, disbelievingly. He had touched her and the ache of longing wouldn’t go away.
It was a long while before she finally dragged up enough courage to open the door of her room. When she emerged, she saw that Chad Alington had gone.
CHAPTER TWO
SHE walked, trance-like, to the wooden rocking-chair by the stove and slumped down into it, closing her eyes against the memory of his touch, the feelings of desire he had so easily aroused. She couldn’t bear to think about it. The taste of his mouth against her own, firm and demanding, yet with a fierce, sweet intensity...
Over and over. So many thoughts confusing her. She should be feeling ashamed, relieved that she had had the good sense to stop things before they had gone too far. Why then did she feel so...so empty, so unfulfilled ...so incredibly lonely all of a sudden?
With a despairing gesture Bethany rose from the rocking-chair and, grabbing her old coat from a peg by the door, snatched up her canvas trainers and went outside.
A beautiful full moon glimmered in the night sky. Bethany, keeping her mind on the mundane, wrapped the long coat close around her slender frame and picked her way through the vegetable garden towards the small adjacent field. The goats and chickens were fine. She flicked the catch on the coop and stood up, taking in a deep breath of the fresh sea air, rubbing the back of her aching neck. It had been a long day. Maybe all she needed was a good night’s sleep. Maybe everything would seem better in the morning...maybe, just maybe, she would find enough good sense to forget all about Chad Alington...
The yellow beam of light, like a beacon on the cliff-top, stopped her in her tracks. Bethany leaned her arms on the top rail of the fence and gazed towards the dark, imposing outline of the old Victorian edifice. Why hadn’t she noticed it before? she wondered. Who could it be? Surely not squatters? The place was so far off the beaten track... Vandals, then?
She began to feel just a trifle uneasy. Living out here alone had been one of the hardest things to get used to, after so many months of being stifled in busy bustling cities, surrounded by people she didn’t know who professed to be bosom friends, suffocated by servants, intimidated by Philip...It had taken her a good long while to get used to the emptiness, the often wild, windswept loneliness of the place, especially in winter. There had been no automatic adjustment. It had taken months before she had lain peacefully in her bed at nights, without listening out for any small sign and imagining the worst...
She opened the cabin door and picked up her air-rifle from its usual place. She wouldn’t get any sleep tonight, not until she knew what was going on up there. She’d just have a quick look. The old place was a bit of an eyesore, but she had become attached to it over the months and she wouldn’t want anyone doing anything really destructive to it.
Bethany stumbled and dropped her rifle on to the ground. She crouched down on all fours, her breath catching in her throat after the steep climb, and listened. Silence, just the waves crashing on the shore far below, the occasional screech of an owl. Bethany fumbled frantically on the ground for her rifle and thanked heaven, as she gripped it tightly in her hands, that the moonlight was strong enough to see by. She craned her neck up at the light which was coming from one of the rounded turrets and gulped a breath. She knew her way around inside well enough. She would be cautious, just find out what was going on...
The stairs in this part of the building wound around at a tight angle, and with every step Bethany took she became more and more nervous.
Clutching her rifle, Bethany moved onwards and upwards. There was a door ahead. It wasn’t properly shut. Light, not as bright as she had first supposed, was streaming out on to the landing, helping to guide her way. She heard a noise, a muffled sound that sent prickles of alarm shivering up and down her spine. This was where he...they...whoever had chosen to hole up—the most habitable part of the prison. I must stop calling it that! Bethany thought desperately, inching forward so that she could peer around the partly opened door, it sounds so dreadful...
Her imagination had forced her into expecting any number of desperate sights: several Mafia-types torturing their prisoner, perhaps; a solitary tramp with a bottle of methylated spirits in one hand and a knife in the other, leaning menacingly over some poor defenceless woman; a million other equally horrendous scenes had been conjured up by Bethany’s vivid imagination—but not this, certainly never this.
She stared, paralysed by a shock that didn’t have its roots in horror or fear, but in a burning, indignant mortification.
It didn’t take more than a swift glance to assess what was going on, what was about to go on: rugs and cushions were strewn about the floor, a picnic hamper nestled in the corner of the room along with a couple of kerosene lamps and several bottles of liquid refreshment.
She had known from the very first moment that this would be Chad’s favourite occupation. She had sensed that uncompromising sexual quality the very first time she had set eyes on him. Why now did she feel so let down, so disheartened, such a fool? She should have been prepared. She should have followed her instincts and stayed in her cabin...
Bethany’s gaze fixed hypnotically on the two bodies. Chad was whispering something in the woman’s ear as they lay entwined together on the rugs and she was gazing up into his face and laughing happily as his strong, masculine hands travelled sensually over the sheer, clinging fabric of her dress...
Bethany, feeling like a voyeuse, turned sharply and began tiptoeing back down the staircase, desperate to get right away before she was discovered. Oh, what an idiot she would look now if he knew she was here! Gangs of men and abductors, indeed! She had been reading too many thrillers, that was her trouble!
Haste and embarrassment made her clumsy. Somehow she managed to bang the butt of the rifle on the wall. It wasn’t much of a noise, just a scrape really. Bethany cursed silently and listened; clearly the seduction had reached a quiet stage. The image of the two of them stretched out on the cushions, kissing with passion and hunger, flashed unwanted into her mind. She frowned. Damn! Why on earth had she been so stupid?
‘Who’s there?’
Bethany held her breath, swivelling wide green eyes to the top of the landing. Chad appeared, his muscular frame illuminated magnificently by the light from the room, dressed in faded jeans and a denim shirt that had been dragged impatiently from the waistband of his trousers and was doing an inadequate job of hiding the broad tanned chest.
Bethany closed her eyes and pressed herself flat against the wall. There was every chance that he wouldn’t see her at all; the bottom half of the winding staircase was in darkness, and unless Chad bothered to investigate further she would be all right; she would be able to escape unseen. After all, Bethany reasoned, praying desperately, he did have other, far more interesting things to attend to. The state of his clothes, clearly showed the proceedings had moved on a stage. Surely the model-type was enough to keep him occupied?
It seemed not. Chad disappeared into the room, reappeared with one of the lamps and began descending the worn stairs with a tread that was firm and intimidating in the extreme.
‘Well, well! What do we have here?’
Bethany flicked open her eyes and stared speechless as the firm mouth twisted into a mocking smile. ‘Bethany Jones, trespasser, no less!’ Chad held the lamp high above Bethany’s head and surveyed her with cool detachment. ‘Just passing?’ he drawled smoothly. ‘Or did you come to borrow a cup of sugar?’
‘Chad! Who is it, darling?’
He turned his head and shouted back up the stairs. ‘Just someone I met earlier this evening, Theo, dropped by for a visit—nothing for you to worry about. Oh, no!’ Chad swiftly grabbed hold of Bethany’s arm to prevent her from scuttling back down the staircase. ‘You don’t escape that easily, my girl! I’d like to know what you’re doing here—or do you consider that too presumptuous a question?’
Bethany’s gaze shifted towards the landing. His dishevelled partner had appeared, her wild black hair all messed up and the buttons of her dress partly undone, allowing more than a glimpse of a frothy black lace bra.
Chad followed Bethany’s gaze. ‘Make yourself decent, Theo,’ he drawled lazily. ‘I’m bringing our visitor up.’
‘You’re doing no such thing!’ Bethany hissed, glaring at the rugged features and trying desperately to drag her arm free from its hold. ‘You can’t make me enter your...your harem!’
Chad’s mouth twitched for a moment and then his eyes lighted on Bethany’s expression and his jaw tightened ominously. ‘Just watch me!’ he growled.
‘Let go of my arm!’ Bethany cried tightly. ‘You can’t do this! I’m going back home.’
‘After coming all this way?’ Chad enquired with mocking concern. ‘In the dark too, and on such a blustery night as this? Oh, no, I couldn’t allow that! Come on! Up the stairs and into my harem, as you inaccurately call it. As you’ve no doubt seen, it’s a little more hospitable up there. You can take your coat off. I can even offer you a glass of wine.’ His mouth curved provocatively. ‘We could really turn it into a party—I’m perfectly willing if you are!’
‘I don’t want any of your kind of hospitality and I most certainly do not want a glass of wine!’ Bethany snapped. She felt hot and flustered and extremely foolish, and the thought of standing before Chad and his woman trying to explain why she had walked half a mile along the cliff path in what was practically the middle of the night didn’t bear thinking about.
‘Don’t argue with me, Bethany,’ Chad replied conversationally, ‘And there’s no need to look quite so alarmed either. Group sex really isn’t my style.’ His eyes gleamed suggestively. ‘I prefer more of a one to one situation, more along the lines of our experience earlier this evening.’ He raised a hand and tilted her chin so that she had no choice but to look straight into his eyes. ‘You know, you really should have hung in there, Bethany,’ Chad advised, with a coolness that shocked her almost as much as the reference to polygamous activities. ‘We could have had a pretty good time together.’
‘You seemed to be having a pretty good time just a moment ago!’ Bethany retorted bitterly, green eyes flashing. ‘Don’t let me spoil your fun!’
‘I don’t know quite why I’m bothering to explain,’ Chad murmured, ‘but I’ll do it anyway. Theo’s an old friend——’
‘Oh, please!’ Bethany released an angry breath. ‘Spare me the sordid details!’ She summoned up enough courage to glare at the handsome face. ‘Look, I hate to disappoint you,’ she continued with heavy sarcasm, ‘but I have been around! It may suit you to take me for an absolute innocent, but——’
‘You reacted like an innocent this afternoon. In fact you were extremely sweet,’ Chad cut in smoothly, completely throwing Bethany off balance with a voice that was pure intimacy. ‘Very sweet indeed—up until that moment when, for some reason, you decided that beating the life out of me was your best course of action.’
‘Don’t...exaggerate!’ Bethany retorted unsteadily. ‘And anyway, I came to my senses, that’s all! Look, I’d prefer not to talk about that...particular incident! I was in shock. I’d just had a nasty experience——’
‘Really?’ Dark eyes gleamed down at her. Bethany felt a lurch of excitement as Chad leaned towards her. She could smell the musky scent of his aftershave, could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. ‘I’m...I’m talking about finding myself stranded in the middle of the sea!’ she retorted confusedly.
‘So you’re willing to admit that our experience wasn’t nasty, then?’ Chad enquired, watching her with amusement as she looked at him in dismay. ‘That’s something, I suppose. You know, Bethany, after I left your cabin I found myself wishing I’d pressed home my advantage further. Looking at you now I still can’t work out why I was quite so...’ He hesitated, his dark brown eyes lingering intently on Bethany’s flushed face. ‘So chivalrous.’
‘Chivalrous!’ Bethany snapped herself out of the trance-like state that Chad had so easily induced with unbelieving venom in her voice. ‘What the hell would you know about being chivalrous? You... you took outrageous advantage of me! I wasn’t thinking straight.... I was upset and...and——’
‘Chad! What are you doing down there?’ The plaintive wail floated down from above. Clearly Theo was becoming impatient.
‘Now let me get the hell out of here!’ Bethany demanded furiously, trying to drag free from his hold. ‘Theo’s obviously desperate for your body——’
‘Oh, she has her moments,’ Chad drawled, ‘but then don’t we all?’ he added, fixing Bethany with dark, mocking eyes. ‘Oh, of course, I’m sorry!’ he murmured silkily. ‘I forgot. You don’t want me to refer to your rather passionate mistake earlier this evening, do you?’
‘You...you arrogant swine!’ Bethany hissed, hating the fact that he could refer to their moment together with such off-hand amusement. ‘You really can’t accept the fact that I didn’t want you!’
‘Bethany, you may be sweet but, as you’ve already informed me, you aren’t innocent!’ Chad responded with lazy provocation. ‘We both know what could, what would have taken place between us had I elected to stay in your cabin any longer.’ His eyes glinted fire, daring her to deny what they both knew to be the truth. ‘Now come with me! I suddenly find that I’m not in the mood for any more of your childish bluster. If you will insist on mooching about in this highly irregular manner then you have to be prepared to face the consequences. I told you trespassing would get you into trouble——’
‘Me? Trespassing? How can you stand there and say that? At least I’m not making a party of it!’ Bethany cried indignantly as Chad determinedly led her up the stairs. ‘I roused your interest in this place earlier this afternoon, didn’t I?’ she continued. ‘And you decided to see what it was like for yourself——’
‘What the hell is this?’
They were in the room now. Bethany glanced swiftly at Theo, who was lounging attractively on one of the cushions with an expression on her face that could have soured milk, and then looked mulishly back at Chad. ‘It’s a gun. What does it look like?’ she snapped, snatching his hand from her arm and gripping the barrel which was at her side a little more tightly.
‘And dare I ask what you thought you were doing, dressed in a coat that is at least ten sizes too big, prowling around with an air-rifle?’ Chad asked irritably. ‘Looking for bandits, perhaps?’
