Duty Bound: Bound and Tied, Book 2 (4 page)

KC pulled the front of her dress back up over her breasts and tied the strings holding it in place. She chewed on her lower lip. “I’d rather you did not mention my negotiations with you to my father.”

“And how do you expect me to get him to trade you for his money and ranch?”

“I will tell him that I’ve…I’ve…fallen in love and wish to marry you. You will present him the money and the ranch IOU as a measure of good faith for my hand in marriage.”

“But I’m not marryin’ you.”

“That will be our secret.” She stood straighter. “When you tire of me, I will return to my father’s ranch and make up a story that will satisfy him. Perhaps I will tell him that you died a tragic death, buried in a mine somewhere.”

The miner’s eyes narrowed. “Be careful, woman, that you don’t give yourself any ideas. I’ll want my money’s worth.”

“Oh, you’ll get your damned money’s worth.”

“I’m countin’ on it, or the deal’s off. You better be worth it or I’ll take back what I won fair and square.”

“You have my word I’ll be worth every penny.” She marched toward the door, fully intending to leave now that she’d solved her family’s dilemma.

Before KC could even reach for the handle, Jake spun her around and pushed her against the wood panels of the solid door. “Don’t you want to shake or kiss to seal the deal?”

Anger ranged through her at the same time desire flooded low in her belly. “I’d rather kiss a pig,” she said through clenched teeth.

Jake laughed out loud. “Then consider me a pig.” His mouth descended on hers, his tongue forcing its way through her teeth to stroke hers.

At first she held herself stiff, her body unyielding. But the longer the kiss went on, the more compliant she became.

When his hands smoothed over her shoulders, sliding the dress’s neckline down her arms, and her breasts sprang free of the fabric, she couldn’t even force a whimper of protest.

His hands came up to cup them, his thumb and forefinger pinching a nipple into a tight little nub.

KC groaned, her chest pushing forward into his hands.

How could she hate him so much and yet respond to his touch in such a wanton way?

His lips left hers, traveling across her cheek to her neck and downward. He kissed and nipped the tender skin, making his way lower until he took one of her nipples between his lips and sucked it into the warm moistness of his mouth.

KC gasped, her hands circling behind his head with every intention of pushing him away. But her fingers played traitor and pulled him even closer, urging him to take the other breast and lavish equal attention on it.

As he raised his head to stare down into her eyes, KC came back to earth. Sucking in a deep breath, she pulled away from him. “As you can see, you will be getting your money’s worth,” she said, her words more shaky than she cared to admit.

She’d played her cards. Come morning, would the gambler ante up?

Chapter Three

Just as KC’s shaking hand reached for the handle to the room she shared with Rosalyn, the other woman jerked open the door and dragged her through. “Well how did it go? Did he promise to give back the ranch?”

“Yes.”
For a cost
.

“Wonderful! Your father will be so proud.” Rosalyn hugged KC tight. “Tell me everything. What did you say? What did he say? How did you convince him?”

KC struggled with the ties on the front of the dress she’d borrowed from Rosalyn. She couldn’t get out of it soon enough, and her shaking fingers only managed to tangle the strings into knots.

Rosalyn slapped her hands away gently. “Here, allow me. I’ll undress you while you tell me what happened. By the frown on your face, I assume it didn’t go exactly as planned.”

With a sigh, KC shook her head. “No, it didn’t.” She told Rosalyn of the deal she’d struck with the miner. Her for the ranch and money.

Rosalyn frowned fiercely. “That’s prostitution.”

KC’s frown rivaled that of her new friend. “Call it what you may. I traded the only thing I had left to trade. Me. And he seemed more than willing.”

“Bastard.” Rosalyn lifted the dress up over KC’s shoulders and tossed it to the bed.

“It’s worse.” KC swallowed hard on the sob that threatened to escape from her throat. “He expects me to keep him entertained.”

Rosalyn’s brows rose in question. “As in sexually entertained?”

Heat rose in KC’s cheeks. Even talking about it made her blush. “How the hell am I supposed to keep him entertained when I have no experience in the matter?”

“Tell him to go to hell. We’ll think of something else to save your family from starvation.”

KC sighed. “It’s no use. He didn’t want anything else. Just me.” She laughed, the sound anything but amused. “Why, I don’t know. I’m just a cowgirl. I don’t have any womanly skills. If he finds out that I’m completely ignorant of the ways in which to entertain a man, he’ll demand the ranch and money back.”

Rosalyn clucked her tongue. “Dear, dear. You are in quite the pickle, aren’t you?”

With a nod, KC turned her back for Rosalyn to work the strings on the corset.

As Rosalyn tugged and loosened the constraints, she made soft soothing sounds. “Not to worry, sweet Katherine.”

“Not worry?” As the corset came lose, she stepped out of it, wearing nothing and feeling more like herself. After what had occurred between her and Rosalyn during her lessons, followed by the kiss Jake had forced on her and the touch of his lips and hands on her naked breasts, KC no longer felt as shy with Rosalyn.

“Honey, you have nothing to fear.” Rosalyn’s gaze ran over KC’s curves, from her chin to the apex of her thighs. “You have all the right attributes a woman needs. All you need is someone to teach you how to pleasure a man.”

“I only have until tomorrow when he goes to my father to seal the deal. He’ll expect me to be his immediately.”

“Are you certain this is the deal you wish to make?” Rosalyn rested her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed.

“I had to. Don’t you see? I’m duty bound to save my family.”

“I could shoot the man.”

“Who, my father or Jake?”

Rosalyn’s brows rose. “On a first-name basis, are we?”

KC’s cheeks burned. After he’d touched her breasts, it seemed silly to be on anything other than first-name basis.

“I think you’re making a big mistake.”

“Other than killing him…what choice do I have?”

Rosalyn’s mouth pressed together. “A little arsenic would do the job.”

KC gasped. “Rosalyn! I will not go to jail for murder.”

“Missy, we’re in gold country. Men murder other men all the time and no one ever finds the bodies.”

“Well, I’m not going to stoop to murder.” KC stared at her new friend, an uneasy feeling creeping over her.

The other woman smiled. “No, sweeting, I haven’t killed another man. Came close, but no.” She clapped her hands together. “If we aren’t plotting a murder, then, let’s make haste. We have the rest of the night for lessons in the art of seduction.”

“How can a woman teach me what I need to know about a man? Have you been with a man?”

“Sweeting, I’ve been with a man.” She sucked in a deep breath and let out a long, heartfelt sigh. “I’ve been with a man.”

By the softening of her lips and the faraway look in Rosalyn’s eyes, KC guessed she’d been in love with the man she’d been with. “Was he handsome?”

Rosalyn’s eyes clouded over, her gaze shifting toward the window. “The most handsome man I’ve ever met. As tall as a church steeple, with black hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes.” She hugged her arms around her middle. “He could charm the birds from the trees.” The smile on her lips faded and her arms dropped to her sides.

“What happened? Did he die?”

“No. He’s very much alive.”

“Then why aren’t you still with him?”

“Honey, he’s the worst kind of man there ever was.”

“A criminal?”

“No. A gambler.”

KC’s lips twisted. “Ah.”

“Let’s not get all maudlin. We have work to do, and you have to be in the right mood to make this work.”

“Mood? How so?”

“Let me show you.” Rosalyn snuffed the wick on the lamp perched on the washstand, leaving only one candle burning, sending a soft golden glow over the room. “When you have your man alone, less light is more romantic. Not complete darkness. A man likes to see a woman’s body.”

“It will be most difficult to be romantic when he’s traded for me like a horse.”

“If you don’t want him reneging on the deal, you’ll have to get past that. It can all be an act, or you can find enjoyment in the deed. It’s altogether up to you. Now are you going to stand there and argue, or learn something?”

KC sighed. “Learn.”

Rosalyn smiled. “That’s better. Now, watch and learn.” Her hands went to the tie at the front of her robe. “It’s all in the presentation. Make your movements slow, deliberate, dragging out the anticipation.” She untied the bow, letting the strings drop one by one. Her hands trailed along the open edges of the flimsy garment, down over her breasts to her belly and back up again, and then she pulled one side over her arm, exposing the nightgown. Her breast peaked, poking against the fabric that barely concealed the rosy-brown nipple.

KC’s body tensed and she found herself willing the other side to fall away so that all that stood between her and Rosalyn was the thin nightgown. Her tongue slid across her dry lips.

“Feel the anticipation?” Rosalyn said, her voice low and gravelly. “You can heighten the anticipation by touching yourself. Men love it when the lady touches parts of her body. They can imagine their own hands there.”

KC’s hand rose to touch her left nipple. “Mmmm. Yes. I see what you mean.” Her belly tightened, an ache spreading through her nether regions, warm wetness dribbling down her leg. “What should I do next?”

A flush spread over Rosalyn’s neck into her cheeks. “You fondle him, run your hands over his chest. Like this.” Rosalyn trailed a finger along KC’s neck and down the curve of her throat, skimming over her collarbone. As her fingers moved lower to the hardened nubs of KC’s nipples, KC tensed.

All this touching was so foreign to her as to rob her of her breath. But it did feel good. She reached out tentatively and plucked at one of Rosalyn’s breasts through the fabric.

“That’s right. Touch me as if I was him.” Rosalyn’s head dropped back as KC’s hand closed over her right breast and she pressed closer.

KC’s heart pounded, blood rushing up into her ears. “What next?”

“Even a man’s breasts are sensitive. Pinch the nipple softly until it forms a peak.”

“But you aren’t naked. I am.”

“Remember that. Are you not aroused by what you can barely see through the fabric?”

Ashamed yet mesmerized by the beautiful Rosalyn, KC didn’t have the words to respond. She nodded instead. “Isn’t this wrong for a woman to be attracted to another woman?”

“Only if you think it is. Pinch my nipples until they form hard little nubs. Make me want you as badly as you want me.”

“But I like you. How can I touch a man like this when I loathe the very sight of him?”

Rosalyn’s lips curled up in a very provocative smile. “You can close your eyes and think of me.”

KC tried closing her eyes and letting herself picture Rosalyn. Her hands cupped Rosalyn’s breasts, and she tweaked the nipples. They quickly formed into tight little peaks. Unable to resist, KC opened her eyes and stared at them. “Does that mean you’re enjoying this?”

“Oh, darlin’, yes.” Rosalyn drew in a deep breath and moved even closer. She wrapped her hands around KC’s neck. “Now, let’s talk about kissing.”

“Oh, I know about that. He kissed me tonight.”

“He did?” Rosalyn leaned back to stare into KC’s eyes. They were almost equal in height, with KC being perhaps an inch taller. “Was it like this?” Rosalyn touched her lips to KC’s, soft at first, then harder as her breast pressed into KC’s hand.

When Rosalyn backed away, KC shook her head. “No, more like this.” KC’s hands left Rosalyn’s breasts and cupped her face. Not certain how exactly to initiate the kiss, as it had been rather sudden to her, KC dove in, crushing her lips against Rosalyn’s full, sensuous mouth. She skimmed her tongue over the line between Rosalyn’s lips, pushing through until Rosalyn’s teeth opened and KC was able to poke her tongue into the other woman’s mouth.

She tasted different than the miner. Where he’d tasted of coffee and tobacco, Rosalyn tasted of tea and sugar. KC twisted her tongue around Rosalyn’s for the full effect she’d gotten from Jake. The actions were the same, but the effects completely different, although both kisses increased her level of desire.

Rosalyn’s pointed nipples rubbed against hers, the fabric softly abrading KC’s naked skin. That ache in her belly grew stronger, making her throb in that place between her legs. She wanted Rosalyn naked like her, to touch her bare skin and feel her warmth and the dampness between her legs. Shocked at her rising passion, she pulled away, wiping a hand over her pulsing lips.

Rosalyn’s eyes were glazed. “He kissed you like that?”

KC nodded. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Oh, no, not at all. It was quite good.” Rosalyn’s hand smoothed down over her breasts to rest on her belly. “We can move on to the next lesson.”

“When does the lady remove all of her clothing? This all seems to take such a long time.”

“The longer a man waits, the more satisfied he will be with the outcome. If you let him jump on you like a bull on a heifer, it will be over in seconds and though he’ll be satisfied, he may not be entertained.”

“Oh. I see.” KC really didn’t see at all. “Show me.”

“Very well.” Rosalyn stood away from KC. “Let the man undress you. Men take great pleasure in undressing a woman.” She nodded to KC. “Go ahead, undress me and see what I mean.”

Anxious now to see Rosalyn’s body and touch her as she’d touched KC, KC grabbed the hem of her gown and yanked it upward.

Rosalyn’s hands stopped her halfway up. “Slowly. Remember it heightens the anticipation.”

KC continued, raising the gown little by little, revealing an inch at a time of Rosalyn’s smooth, pearly white skin. The higher she lifted the gown, the harder she fought to breathe. “I see what you mean.”