Bound For Eden (15 page)

Alex meant to order him out. She really did. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But the sight of him lounging against the door, large and intimidating, and yet with one boyish lock of hair curling over his forehead, making him so very approachable, dissolved the words in her mouth. She had a mad impulse to push the silky dark lock away from his eyes.

The way he was looking at her caused a loosening in her belly. He looked so very serious . . . no, not serious . . . intense.
It's desire,
the little voice sighed, and Alex shivered. She'd had men look at her with lust in their eyes, but never with desire like this. His slippery black gaze was full of silent promises.

If that wasn't an invitation in those smoky-gray eyes . . .

Desire flooded him and he knew from the charged air between them that she felt the same way. She was breathing fast and shallow again, causing her lush breasts to surge against the near-indecent depth of her neckline. It was the dress that clinched it. Without that scrap of gauze, she was no lady. It proved him right. No virgin kissed the way she did; no virgin looked at a man with such desire; and no virgin wore a dress like that.

Alex felt her knees turn to water as he moved towards her. He walked with a slow predatory grace and she felt like a helpless deer, preyed upon, frozen by the stare of a creature about to devour her. If she could have spoken, she would have broken the spell. But she couldn't speak. And even if she could have, she wasn't sure she wanted to.

He towered over her. She had to tilt her head back in order to meet his gaze. He stopped so close to her she could feel the heat radiating from his body, and feel his breath on her cheek. The moment stretched out for an eternity, until Alex's nerves were stretched to breaking point.

And then he lowered his head, and his mouth claimed hers in a searing kiss.

The only part of him to touch her were his lips, but she felt utterly possessed. His full, soft mouth moved over hers, so tender despite his hunger for her. Skillfully, he teased her lips apart and then his tongue was sliding into her, sending ripples of fire coursing through her.

She swayed, and reached for him in order to steady herself.

Luke felt her hands slide up his chest and over his shoulders. It was the final invitation. He moaned and crushed her against him, his strong hands finally seizing her.

She felt the kiss deepen and had to cling to him for dear life. She had no idea what was happening to her. She'd never felt such a storm of sensation. One of his hands gripped the back of her neck, while the other hand curved over her buttocks and pulled her hard against the heat of him.

Luke was growing wild, struggling to control his desire. No kiss had ever driven him to the edge like this. She kissed him with such passion, promising so much. He had to pull away. He wanted to savour the experience, not to have it over in one swift and glorious explosion.

‘Slow down, sweetheart,' he whispered against her lips. He tried to set her back from him, but she swayed on her feet and he couldn't help smiling. He didn't think she was aware of how her fingers were digging into the muscles of his back. He took her hands in his and lowered them to her sides.

Alex couldn't think. She could barely breathe.

She almost moaned when he stepped away from her. She didn't want him to stop. His kisses felt so wonderful; they sent a warm river cascading through her.

It didn't help, Luke realised. Standing back had only allowed him to see her swollen lips and the plea for him to continue in the swirling smoke of her eyes.

He was taut with wanting her.

Alex gasped when his fingers brushed against her mouth. His thumb rubbed over her swollen lips. Instinctively, she kissed it. He froze. Feeling an unexpected pulse of power, Alex shyly flicked her tongue against the pad of his thumb. She heard his swift intake of breath and smiled against the press of his skin.

What was she doing? Some fading, rational part of her mind was appalled when she licked circles against his paralysed thumb. But she was tired of being rational. She wanted this wild moment when all thought was driven from her head. Right now she wasn't Alexandra Barratt; she wasn't responsible for the welfare of her family; she wasn't being pursued by one man who wanted to own her, and three more who wanted to kill her. Right now, in this moment, she was merely a physical being swamped by sensation. All that mattered was this moment, and this man, who wanted her.

Her tongue was driving him wild. He didn't understand it. He felt like a callow youth again, struggling to contain himself. She was disappointed when he pulled his hand away, he could tell by the look in her eyes. Well, he wouldn't let her be disappointed for long.

Alex melted into him when he kissed her again, and didn't notice his fingers on the buttons at her back. He had her half out of her dress before she realised what was happening. He felt her stiffen and deepened his kiss again. His fingertips traced the line of her spine and she felt shivers of delight follow in their wake.

Was it wrong to enjoy his touch? Was it wrong to want him to keep touching her . . . to touch her everywhere?

She was every bit as perfect as he remembered. His kisses trailed to her neck as he fumbled with the laces of her corset. He found her pulse and grazed it with his teeth; by the time he reached the hollow of her neck and lapped at it with a hot, demanding tongue, the corset had fallen to the floor. Now lush, soft curves were pressing against him. Sweat beaded on his brow and his hands grew rough as they tugged the chemise down over her shoulders. He wanted to see her.

She should feel ashamed, she thought dazedly, but she didn't. Strangely, as her clothes fell away, she felt freer, and more confident. Maybe it was because of the awe in his face and the hunger in his eyes.

When she was naked, except for the sheer stockings tied with satin ribbons at her thighs, he pulled back again, in order to look at the length of her. She was magnificent. Her skin was rosy and dewy with perspiration, her breasts were full and heavy, the nipples dark and thrusting with desire, and the rest of her was one delicious curve after another.

She noticed the tremor when he reached to touch her and felt her confidence grow. She arched towards him as his hands slid over her, following every dip and crescent. The deep languorous pulse was back, thrumming through her. She had never felt so alive. She wanted . . .
something . . .
so badly.

She tensed when he sank to his knees in front of her. His fingers pulled at the satin ribbons and then his hands were running over her legs as he eased the stockings over her calves. As he went he trailed kisses over her abdomen, pausing to look up at her wickedly when he reached the dark shadow at the juncture of her thighs.

Alex flushed.

When he stood again she was suddenly aware of the fact that he was still fully dressed. ‘I don't think that's fair,' she breathed.

‘What?' he asked as he reached for her.

She eluded him, retreating until the back of her thighs hit the bed. ‘I want to see you too.'

Her words were almost his undoing. He swallowed hard when she slid onto the bed, her arm draping over the brass post and her eyes all but devouring him.

A dark light ignited in his eyes and he gave her a slow wolfish grin. Alex felt a fluttering in her belly as he removed his jacket and let it fall to the floor. He had no idea that she'd seen it all before . . . and the fact that she'd seen every last naked inch of him only seemed to heighten her anticipation now.

The white shirt fell, revealing the familiar expanse of burnished rosewood flesh and the dark line of hair curling down in a V to the waistband of his trousers.

He could feel the intensity of her gaze focussed squarely on his fingers as he undid his buttons. His pulse was racing.

As he was revealed to her she unconsciously pressed against the brass of the bed, and the cold metal felt delicious against her overheated flesh. This time she didn't look away. She drank in every detail.

He couldn't take much more. Or so he thought. But then she rose and came towards him. He tensed, expecting her hand to sweep across him as his had caressed her. Instead she paused, within arm's reach, and tilted her face up to him.

‘Kiss me,' she whispered.

It unleashed him. He swept her into his arms as his mouth came crushing down on hers, and he carried her to the bed. He was frantic with wanting her; his hands were everywhere at once as his tongue explored her, and his knee parted her thighs.

The river coursing through her became a flood and she was helpless, borne along by its power. The pressure of his knee against her drove her wild. She was moaning into his kisses and he could take no more.

The first touch of his heat was marvellous. But then, with an awful, shocking thrust came pain.

Alex went rigid and instantaneously her head cleared. What was she
doing
?

Through the mad red haze of desire Luke felt the resistance, and then felt her sudden stillness, but he was beyond thought. That one thrust was enough to send him spinning over the edge into ecstasy.

Alex clenched her teeth against the unbelievable pain. Tears stung her eyes. Dear God, what was she doing?

As Luke swam back to consciousness the realisation assailed him. She was a virgin. How could that be? He raised himself up on his elbows and looked down at her. Her face was turned to the side. Her eyes were scrunched closed and there was the slick sparkle of tears on her cheeks. ‘Beatrice,' he sighed, and she winced.

Before he could say more they were aware of a commotion in the yard outside. An orange glare lit the window and they could hear raised voices and feet pounding down the corridor outside the door.

Luke rolled away from her and went to the window. He swore. ‘The stable. It's on fire.'

Numbly, she watched as he struggled into his clothes. Then she heard a scream and her eyes grew wide. Adam. That was Adam screaming.

Fourteen

Alex tumbled out onto the balcony and stopped dead as she was slammed by a wall of heat. She clutched the bed sheet closer. Gideon, she thought desperately. This was Gideon's work. The stable was an inferno. The flames licked at the stars, flaring white-orange like giant pointed tongues, and the roof of the stable cracked alarmingly. She couldn't see Adam anywhere.

‘Damnation!' Dolly yelled, flying from the house, feathers streaming. ‘Somebody run, fetch the sheriff before it spreads to the house! Cora, Gracie, get to the water pump – the rest of you fetch all the buckets and pails you can lay your hands on!'

‘Get dressed,' Luke said tightly from the bedroom doorway. He was pulling his boots on. ‘The house is liable to go up too.' As soon as his boots were on he was off down the stairs to help Dolly.

Alex struggled to breathe. The night air was acrid with rolling black smoke. She scoured the yard below, looking for Adam. Through a swirl of sparks, flying like fireflies, she spotted him. He was lying face down by the water trough.

‘Adam!' Alex's voice cracked. She pelted down the stairs and across the yard, feeling the sparks burn as they touched her. The sheet she'd carelessly thrown around herself was in danger of catching fire. ‘Adam!' There was blood all down his face. So much blood.

Collapsing beside him, she pushed the hair of his face. He had a gash across his forehead and his left eye was swollen closed. But he was breathing.

It was her fault. She was responsible for him and she'd left him at the mercy of the Gradys while she . . . while she . . .

She'd
known
the Gradys were in the house. What had she been
thinking?

Were they still here? Terrified, Alex clutched the sheet to her naked body and looked around the yard, which was hellish in the light from the fire. She had to get Adam out of here. But he was so big, how could she ever lift him? Madly she scooped water from the trough and flung it at her brother's face. ‘Wake up, Adam.'

There was an almighty crack. Alex turned to see the stable collapsing, sending a volcanic burst of sparks and debris skyward. Timber from the roof of the stable landed on the cathouse, setting off a dozen more fires. Was Gideon watching his handiwork? Was he waiting in the shadows for her?

Adam moaned. Alex rubbed her wet hand through his hair and bent to kiss him. She felt like bursting into tears when she saw him open his eyes. ‘We need to go,' she urged him. Could he stand? ‘Please, Adam. We need to get out of here before the Gradys find us.'

‘The Gradys,' he moaned.

Somehow she managed to get him to his feet, although she bore most of his weight. They took a few staggering steps. The town fire bell was ringing and people were flocking to the fire, some to help, some to gawk. Alex led Adam behind the burning cathouse, into the darkness. Once they got away from the cathouse the streets were near deserted. Everyone was at the fire. Thank the Lord, Alex thought, groaning under Adam's weight. She made a less than convincing boy dressed only in a sheet.

They snuck in the back door of Ralph Taylor's hotel. He and his boy were on the front porch, watching the flames leap above the rooftops. ‘Whole town might go up if they don't put it out soon,' Taylor was saying as Alex and Adam disappeared up the stairs.

Alex's knees gave out as they reached their room and both of them went tumbling onto the brass bed, which rocked and screeched under their combined weight. Alex regained her breath and then settled Adam. She yanked his overalls off, so she'd have something to wear, and covered him with the blankets. He was clammy and his eyes were glassy. ‘Hold on,' she huffed. ‘Let me just get dressed and I'll fetch the doctor.' She clambered into his shirt and overalls. There was no hat. Hers was still at Dolly's and Adam's was lost to the fire. She glanced in the mirror. She was covered with soot. The Gradys wouldn't know her if they saw her. She hoped. Her boots were back at the cathouse, so she had no choice but to go back out barefoot.