Gentle Control (13 page)

He was lucky she didn’t have a horde of men knocking each other down to get to her. Approaching her silently, he stood behind her and breathed in her floral scent. His cock grew hard…and decidedly hopeful…at being so close to her again. It shoved against his fly wanting to claim her now.

Gently, he skimmed his finger tips along her inner elbow, knowing the reaction that would come. He’d fostered it in her.

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on,” he murmured close to her ear. Tempest trembled, her breath arresting in her throat. Smug satisfaction filled him. Unless he missed his guess, her panties had just gotten very wet.

Tempest’s gaze flew up to meet his in the window. She panted as the aftermath of an unexpected orgasm continued to vibrate through her. How
did
he do that? How had he made it so her body recognized him? Her knees wobbled, but Josh pulled her against him to give her support. His hand splayed over her wildly contracting belly while she leaned weakly on him and waited for the room to stop spinning.

“I’m here, angel,” he whispered. “Don’t fight it. Your body remembers the pleasure between us. You know me. You know what is between us. Even with a touch. Even with a phrase.”

“Josh,” she gasped, unable to believe he was here and holding her. What was he doing here? How on earth had he found her? Did she really care? For the first time since she’d left him in the restaurant, she didn’t feel like crying. Her heart was in one piece, at least temporarily. Judging from the tremors rolling through her like gentle waves, the rest of her body was thrilled as well. He was right. She knew him. Instinctively.

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His cock pressed to her back, proving he wanted her too. He held her upright as he guided her through the double doors and into the chill of the autumn night. No one else had braved the sudden cold snap, leaving the balcony deserted.

Turning, she buried her face in the front of Josh’s shirt. “You’re here. You’re
here.
”

Relief filled her. This was right. Being in his arms. Being with him.

“I’ll never let you go, angel. Not if I have a choice.”

“But…I left…” That guilt might never leave her.

He lifted her chin and brushed a kiss over her trembling lips. “And I’m angry. We’ll deal with that later.” His knowing gaze searched hers. “You’ll feel better afterward.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

She blinked at him. Why wasn’t he raging at her? He seemed downright…saintly. It was his eyes that told her. Worry rimmed them, yet determination filled the gray depths. He had every intention of fighting whatever battle he must to claim her. The rest would come later.

Her guilt shifted and a glimmer of happiness started to burn away the emptiness inside her. He might find the battle easier than he thought.

“Your hair,” she exclaimed, suddenly realizing he’d changed his appearance.

He sheepishly ran his fingers through the newly shorn locks, the shorter strands curling without the extra weight pulling them down. A few errant curls fell toward his eye. “I hope it’s not a deal breaker. It looks like grown-up hair, don’t you think?”

He’d done this for her. The thick, wavy strands begged for her fingers. She ran her thumb over his naked eyebrow. He’d removed the ring there and all but a single stud in one of his ears. He’d seemed dangerous before. A good girl’s lust-filled dream. Now, with this new, clean-cut appearance, danger hid behind a guise of drop-dead sexy and waited to lure in his woman and capture her.

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“I like it,” she admitted. “But I liked your long hair too. And the earrings. You don’t have to change for me.”

“The piercings aren’t all gone,” he confessed, telling her clearly that her favorites remained.

“Thank goodness for
that
.”

“Mmm, yes,” he agreed as he waltzed her toward the shadowy corner of the balcony. He scraped his teeth on the sensitive flesh behind her ear. “My brothers flew up in the company chopper when you left. Ryan stayed with my truck and dealt with the motel. He suggested I flog you. I’m not going to.”

She could just imagine what his three siblings, Ryan, Max and Theo, had to say about her departure. They’d probably been irate that any woman would dare leave their baby brother—twice. She wasn’t surprised Ryan had suggested the flogger. It was mild compared to what they probably thought she deserved.

“I wouldn’t mind.” She didn’t prefer that but if it was what Josh wanted, she’d concede.

“I know. On the way to the airport, Max suggested spanking you.” He raised an eyebrow at her. A flutter flew through her belly and her panties grew more damp. She knew how heat flew through her on the few times he’d ever done that in the past.

He palmed her ass. “I might. Anyway, I missed you at the airport by five minutes.

That’s when Theo suggested, and I quote, that I ‘drag Tempest’s ass home and chain her’ in my dungeon. That’s not all he said, but I’ll keep his assessment of my Dom qualities to myself.”

She winced. He’d dealt with that because of her. “I don’t deserve for you to trust me—I’ve left you twice—but…oh God, Josh. I’m sorry. I’m miserable without you. I knew I would be, but I had to…deal with things. I-I don’t ever want to be apart from you.”

“What about the independence and freedom you want so badly?”

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“I am free with you.” She didn’t have to hide behind appearances or her fears. With Josh the real Tempest stopped hiding and stood boldly in the sun. “Please believe me. I promise you. I
want
to be with you.”

“I guess I could keep you chained up like Theo suggested.”

“If you must,” she answered, slipping her fingers inside his shirt. He’d never do it.

She knew him too well. He preferred mental chains to the physical type.

Pulling her tightly to him, he pressed open her lips, claiming them as fully as she knew he intended to claim the rest of her body when they were alone. She groaned, meeting his thrusting tongue and sucking it into her mouth. Josh’s fingers dug into her intricate twist. She didn’t care. If she had her way, it would be a disaster within an hour.

“I trust you, Tempest,” he admitted against her lips when they were both breathing heavily. “I know why you went and I should have listened to you. If I had, you wouldn’t have felt it was necessary to sneak away. I would have come with you.”

“So I’m not in trouble.”

He nipped her bottom lip. “Don’t count on that. I’ve made lots of plans for you. My sweet tooth has gone completely unfed since you left. I need a lot of Tempest to feed me.”

Lifting her onto the stone wall, he shielded her with his body and pushed his hand beneath her dress. He eased aside her panties and thrust his fingers into her with no preliminary. She whimpered. Her body immediately squeezed around him.

“So slick. So hot and ready for me,” he said, nuzzling her neck. “You want me to take you right here. Don’t you, Tempest? It excites you.”

“Yes. I’d let you take me anywhere.”

“Mine,” he grated through his teeth as he plunged his fingers forward.

“Tempest!”

She jumped at the sound of her father’s harsh admonition as it echoed across the balcony. She knew he couldn’t see what they’d been doing, but a blush burned up her 97

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neck anyway. Josh withdrew his hand and stepped back. His other arm remained tightly around her as he stared into her eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hand to his mouth and sucked away her essence.

She licked her lips.

“What the hell are you doing with my daughter, Cress?” her father demanded.

Josh turned and pulled her close to his side. “Taking her home.”

Her father’s face turned red in the moonlight bathing the area where he stood. If he’d truly had a health problem, she might have worried. “I’ll have you arrested for trespassing,” he exclaimed.

“I don’t think so, sir. Upon investigation, you’d find I own a great deal of stock in both Montgomery Enterprises and the Hartley Foundation who sponsor Miracles and Hope. I have every right to be here.” His chin lowered, the only indication, outside his sparkling eyes, that fury burned inside him. “I don’t take chances. Not when it entails my future. I paid the price for that lesson years ago. This time I don’t intend lose.” His arm tightened around Tempest but she shifted.

She was a prize? His words made her uneasy until he continued. “I love your daughter. I won’t lose her again.”

“Something you could have told me privately,” she murmured for his ears only.

He leaned down and kissed her. “I thought I did. I’ve been feeling it long enough.”

“You’re lying,” her father accused.

They both stared at him. Josh deciphered his meaning first. “No, sir, I’m not.” He looked at Tempest. “I bought the Montgomery stock a week after you left me last time. I just picked up the Hartley stocks yesterday. I knew you were arguing with him about attending something. After you left I put two and two together and took a chance. This is one of the biggest functions of the year for shareholders.”

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“It doesn’t matter. Owning shares doesn’t make you any less of a freak. Tempest, if you go with him now, that’s it. I’ll disown you. You’ll get none of the company. You don’t want that. I know you don’t.” He held out his hand. “Come with me now.”

Josh’s arm dropped and she knew he was giving her a choice. She also heard his intake of breath when she crossed to her father.
I’m sorry Josh
, she thought, knowing this must pain him. She stopped when she was even her father and kissed him on the cheek.

“I love you, Dad. Someday you’ll realize that.”

She backed away until she was flat against Josh’s chest. “I’m staying with Josh.”

“He’ll destroy you,” her father bellowed. “You’ll have nothing. You’ll have nowhere to go.”

“Yes, she will,” Josh growled. His arms closed around her. His support bolstered her.

“I’ll have everything,” she choked, her heart breaking that she had to make this choice. This time she knew she was making the right decision. It didn’t make the pain any less.

“That freak will tie you up and treat you like a slave.”

She crossed her arms over Josh’s. “What we do is none of your business, Dad.”

“You’re no better than he is.”

She glanced up at her Dom. “Nope. No better.”

Her father spluttered.

“If you’ll excuse me, sir,” Josh said. “I’m taking Tempest home.” He pulled a card from his pocket. “This is where you can contact her. I won’t keep her from seeing you, but I warn you… You’d better treat her well. I will not allow you to insult and degrade her.”

Her father’s bitter laugh scraped the air around them. “Oh that’s rich coming from you.”

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Josh stiffened, and his voice was razor sharp as he spoke. “I don’t expect you to understand, but know this well. I value Tempest more than my life. Don’t cross me. I will protect her.”

Leaving her father speechless, he guided her from the balcony and through the ballroom to the elevator in the foyer. He pushed the call button for an elevator to take them to the upper floors where the hotel rooms were located. “You don’t mind if we don’t go home until tomorrow, do you?”

She shrugged. “No. I need to get some of my things from my apartment anyway.”

She sighed. “I wish it didn’t have to be like this. You know, with my dad.”

Josh kissed her temple. “He’ll come around. He does love you. In his way. When he sees we’re happy, things will change.”

“I hope you’re right.” They stood silently, waiting. “It doesn’t change my mind,”

she finally said. “This is what I want.”

“Tempest…”

“No. Don’t let him put a pall over this. You’re right. He will come around. In the meantime I want to start living my life. With you.”

He smiled. “Have you ever had a tarot reading?”

“Well, yeah,” she replied, looking surprised by the apparent change in conversation. “You know me—self-help books, karma and all that. Why?”

“I had a reading right before you came back. I don’t know if I want to believe it… I mean, the metaphysical isn’t really my thing. But the Strength card came up. My sister-in-law insists that it’s about us. You and me.”

She knew the Strength card. “And my father,” she added. “I’m surprised,” she teased. “A big, tough Dom resorting to tarot cards. My image of you is shattered.”

“It solved our problems, didn’t it?” he grumbled. His fingers stroked over her hip and she sighed leaning into him. Yeah, Josh was all about gentle control and she was all about complying.

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“I like when you do that.”

He shook his head. “I love you. You know that?”

The bell over the elevator doors rang and the doors slid open. A moment later, they were enclosed in silence. He pushed the code that would take them directly to the penthouse without any stops. Leaning against the wall, he played with a lock of her hair that had escaped her twist. “I was thinking…maybe you’d like to continue our vacation.

Go back to the Four Star. Bob—Grizzly Adams—promised not to disable my car again.”

“Disable your car?” she asked, confused.

“That’s what happened this time… Bob, Marv and some of the other townspeople like to detain visitors. Marv would have even given me the repair ‘on the house’.

They’re harmless and just want more people to see their town. I should press charges, but I have a bit of an attachment to the place—thanks to you.”

“I think I have a bit of an attachment too.”

“I thought maybe this time you’d like to bring your camera and take pictures.”

She stared at him, mouth open, and suddenly realized he’d had her so distracted while they’d been marooned that she hadn’t thought of missed photo opportunities.

Yeah, she’d like to have a re-do on that. “I hear there’s a good Chinese place,” she laughed.

Linking his finger through her collar, he pulled her toward him and nibbled her bottom lip. “There might just be some good Chinese food upstairs, too. That and a whole lot of love.”