Sweet Silken Bondage (22 page)

"David, Lucien and I all grew up together," Clay
offered only sparse information. The less she knew
about him, the better he liked it.

"I'm surprised," Reina said, pausing. "My cousin,
Emilie Delacroix, was telling me who would be here
tonight, but I don't remember her mentioning you."
She knew if Emilie had mentioned anyone named
Cordell, she certainly wouldn't have come along.

"I've been away for a while, and I'm not personally acquainted with the Delacroix family," Clay answered. "That's a shortcoming of mine I intend to
remedy very soon, though."

"Clay's been out west," David spoke up, proud of
his friend's daring in leaving home and trying a
new way of life.

"Really? Where were you?"

"California mostly."

"How did you find it there? Was it exciting?"
Reina asked, wishing more than anything that he'd
go back.

"It has its moments," Clay responded dryly.
"Where's your home, Isabel?"

"I'm from San Antonio," Reina replied quickly.
She'd gone over and over the fake background she
and Emilie had created until she knew it by heart.

Another lie, he thought sarcastically, then complimented her through gritted teeth, "I'll bet you broke a lot of hearts when you left. Is there anyone
special waiting for you there?"

"No, there's no one back home."

For once Clay recognized that she'd told the
truth. She wasn't lying about that. She didn't care
about anyone she'd left behind. She cared only
about herself.

The music began once more, and Clay knew he
had to make his move quickly before Lucien or
David or some other young bachelor offered for her.
"Isabel, would you care to dance?"

Reina stayed coolly composed as she answered,
"Why I'd love to, Clay, thank you."

The lilting strains of the romantic waltz filled the
ballroom as Clay led Reina out onto the dance
floor. He was pleased that everything was going so
smoothly, and he congratulated himself on his own
thespian skills. He had her honestly believing that
he didn't recognize her. Clay was confident that if
he played it right for the rest of the night he would
soon be on his way to California with her in tow.

Clay turned to Reina then, and smiling warmly
down at her, took her in his arms ready to guide
her into the crowd of dancers. At that first intimate
contact of his arm at her waist, a flare of unexpected sensual awareness electrified them both. In a
moment of mute surprise, they hesitated, standing
perfectly still as they stared at each other in something akin to wonder.

The desire Reina stirred within Clay was potent,
but the last thing in the world he wanted to do was
get involved with her. The role he'd set out for
himself as her hopeful lover was just that ...a role
he was playing, nothing else.

"You're very beautiful, Isabel," he murmured seductively as they began to dance.

"Thank you, Clay," Reina replied, gazing up at
him through the pleasant, champagne-induced haze that tingled her senses, mellowing her mood.
Dreamily, she thought of that night at the waystation and how magnificent Clay had looked as he'd
stood there bare-chested in the moonlight. Her
pulse quickened at the memory. She regretted the
things that stood between them.

Reina wondered just how different everything
might have been had he not been working for her
father. Clay was an exciting man who, she knew,
could be fiercely brave or kind and gentle as the
situation warranted. He was everything she'd ever
wanted in a man, and Reina realized with some
amazement that if they'd met at any other time for
any other reason, she might have fallen in love with
him.

"Perhaps fate brought us together," Clay suggested
in low tones, drawing her a little closer. But then as
a surge of passion swept through him at her nearness, he reprimanded himself firmly. He told himself that he wasn't really enjoying holding her in his
arms. He reminded himself, again, that this was his
job.

"I'd like to think that," Reina answered, caught up
in the perfection of waltzing with him. They moved
together in unison, completely attuned to one another, swirling gracefully around the room to the
swelling melody as if they were made for each
other. Reina was conscious only of Clay's powerful
arms about her. She wanted to believe that maybe,
just maybe, it had been fate and not her father's
devious plan that had brought her to this moment.

They were both lost deep in thought as they
continued to dance, wrapped in one another's arms.
Clay knew he should concentrate on the reason he
was here. He knew he should remember Reina's
deceitful ways and Dev's suffering. But his usually
sturdy strength of will was weakened by the numer ous bourbons he'd had over the course of the
evening. Suddenly, the delicate scent that was only
Reina, the very feel of her slender, lovely body in
his arms and the memory of her combing out her
hair before the fire all undermined his iron control.
In that heady instant, he became ensnared in the
sweet, sweet, magic of the moment.

Clay looked down at Reina to find her dark-eyed,
liquid gaze warm upon him. Excitement lurched
through him, and he suddenly realized that he
wanted this. He wasn't acting anymore. He desired
Reina. He had when he'd thought she was a nun,
and he did, even more so now that he didn't have
to feel guilty about it.

As the music slowed and came to an end, Clay
made certain that they were near the ballroom's
double french doors that led to the balcony. Then,
before Reina could utter a word, he whisked her
out into the privacy of the cool, dark night.

Reina was startled by his daring, but she did not
resist as he drew her gently, but firmly away from
the doors and into the shadowy splendor of the
evening.

He gave her a wicked smile as he confided, "I
didn't want to risk running into one of the other
men. Now that I've finally found you, I don't ever
want to lose you - not to David or to Lucien or
anyone else."

A thrill of delight coursed through Reina at his
words. She was no longer looking for double meanings in his every statement. In her heart, she
wanted to believe everything he was saying.

Clay enfolded her in his strong embrace, and she
went willingly, eagerly. In the back of Clay's mind,
he thought distractedly that she was this way with
every man, but his passion was such that he pushed
the ugly possibility from him. He wanted only to hold her and kiss her. He didn't want to think...
not now.

Clay's mouth swooped down to claim hers in a
very possessive kiss, and Reina reveled in it. She
realized instinctively that this was what she'd wanted
ever since they'd met.

Passion erupted between them as their lips met
for the first time. Clay crushed her to his chest as
he deepened the exchange, parting her lips to seek
the honeyed sweetness within.

Clay's kiss was powerful - a man's kiss, and it was
unlike anything Reina had ever experienced before.
Nathan's embrace had left Reina cold, and the few
other men she'd kissed had never managed to stir
her in any way. Only Clay with his masterful,
persuasive embrace could ignite this deep, burning
need within her.. .only Clay. Linking her arms
around his neck, she pressed herself even more
closely to him as she returned his kiss with flaming
fervor. Engulfed by waves of heart-stopping pleasure, Reina wondered if this was love...

When they finally broke off, they did not move
apart, but remained locked in each other's arms,
their eyes closed, trying to understand the wildness
of the emotion that had just rocked them. They did
not speak. There was no need.

Clay was stunned by his own reaction and by
Reina's passionate response. He couldn't really believe what had happened, and he bent to her again,
testing, questioning. This time his kiss was gentler,
softer. His lips moved over hers with sweet encouragement, and once more hot desire raged through
him.

Reina, too, was lost in a maelstrom of sensual
excitement. The champagne's effect on her senses
left her uninhibited in her response to him. Her
obvious excitement encouraged Clay to even greater boldness. His mouth left hers to seek out the softness of her throat as he lifted his hands to cup the
sides of her breasts through the gown.

Reina's knees grew weak. When his mouth returned to hers, she welcomed him gladly, murmuring to him in a husky, love-laden voice, "Clay, oh,
Clay... please..." She didn't know what it was
she was begging for, she only knew that she wanted,
no needed, to be nearer to him.

At her urging, any thought Clay had of restraining himself disappeared. Thinking she knew exactly
what she wanted, he began to explore the full,
luscious curves of her breasts, boldly slipping one
hand within her bodice to fondle that silken flesh.

Never before had Reina allowed any man to
touch her so intimately. It was a new experience for
her, and she gasped out loud at the breathtaking
sensation of his hand hot upon her bare skin. With
practiced expertise, Clay sought and found the passion-hardened crest. Reina moaned in sheer ecstasy
as he caressed her. She was on fire for him, lost in
the sensual web he was weaving so expertly around
her.

Only vaguely were they aware of the sounds of
voices coming their way.

"Clay took her out here somewhere..." Lucien
was saying impatiently as he and David crossed the
ballroom toward the french doors.

"Don't worry, we'll find them," David answered,
and it was obvious from his tone of voice that he
found the situation quite humorous. "They couldn't
have gone too far..."

"Not if we get there soon." Lucien snapped in
return.

Lucien's sarcasm penetrated the mindless pleasure
Clay was finding in Reina's embrace and jarred him
back to the painful reality of knowing who he was and where he was. Giving a guttural groan of
frustration, he broke off the kiss. His breathing was
ragged as he struggled to pull himself together, and
his thoughts were in chaos. What the hell was the
matter with him? What had he been trying to do? Reina
was his prey. It was his job to capture her and take
her home to her father and fiance, not bed her.

"Clay?" Reina was startled at his pulling away
from her. His kisses and caresses had thrilled her,
and she didn't understand why he'd stopped. "What
is it?"

Clay glanced down at her and was almost unnerved to find her dark-eyed gaze wide and questioning upon him. It continued to amaze him that
she could affect this innocent look so convincingly
when he knew she was far from naive. He had no
doubts about that any more. Hadn't she just been
begging him to make love to her? Hell, he thought
viciously, he probably could have taken her right there if he
hadn't heard Lucien and David coming. At the thought,
a jolt of desire seared him, and he girded himself
against it.

Clay's continued silence upset Reina, and she
asked worriedly, "Clay ...have I done something
wrong?"

He almost gave a caustic laugh at her query. Have
I done something wrong? She'd done something wrong,
all right. She'd run out on her father and on the
man who loved her.

Lying, he answered, "You haven't done anything
wrong, Isabel." He moved slightly away from her,
grimly reminding himself of the parallel between his
mother and Reina. He stiffened at the recognition
of his own weakness, and he vowed silently that he
would not be caught in any kind of trap of her
making. There was no way he was going to allow
himself to feel anything for this woman. He knew she was acting. He knew this was all just a game to
her. She was only leading him on in hopes of
getting him to let his defenses down or to play on
his sympathies when he finally did try to take her
back.

"Then, why...?" Reina didn't understand why
he'd ended their kiss so abruptly.

"I heard someone coming, and I didn't want to
cause you any embarrassment."

"Oh..." Reina said in soft surprise. She blushed
as she realized just how carried away she'd been by
his kisses and caresses, and she was glad for the
concealing darkness to hide her distress. She was
grateful for Clay's presence of mind and for his
discretion.

"You're one very special woman, Isabel," Clay
said as he lifted one hand to tenderly caress her
cheek, playing the lovesick swain.

"I'm glad you think so. I want to be...for you
Reina answered, and as she said it, she was
startled to find that she honestly meant it. He was
the one man who could set her soul aflame, and
she wondered if it was possible to fall in love this
quickly...

Clay listened to her, but heard only lies. With
cold viciousness, he wondered how many other men
she'd told the same thing to and how many other
men had tasted her charms. He hardened his heart
against the powerful attraction that threatened his
control. He knew what he had to do, and he was
going to do it. He was continuing this charade only
until he could turn her over to her father and not a
minute longer. She meant nothing to him.