Sweet Silken Bondage (24 page)

Clay glanced up at Reina just then from where
he knelt on the cover, and the sight of her looking
so absolutely breathtaking sent a shaft of unwanted
desire racing through him. He wanted to pull her
down on the blanket with him and make mad,
passionate love to her right then and there. He
wanted to -

With rigid control, Clay managed to subdue his
wayward passion. He told himself sternly that it
didn't matter if Reina looked like an innocent angel
today. It was all an elaborate ruse. She was no more a sweet innocent than she'd been a nun on
the stage in California!

Clay girded himself for the upcoming scene with
her. He would play his role, but he would not
forget why he was here! He would not allow this
purely animal attraction he felt for her to detract
him from his purpose! He smiled at her and held
out his hand, inviting her to join him on the
blanket. He was more than pleased when she didn't
hesitate to sit beside him.

"I've been waiting for this moment since last
night," she told him, meaning every word of it.

Reina sounded so believable that Clay wondered
how she'd ever become so accomplished at her acting. He realized with some disgust that he might
have fallen for her lies had he not known the truth.

"I've been waiting for this moment, too," he returned, keeping his tone serious. "I think I have
been all of my life." Or at least it seemed like a lifetime
since he and Dev were together last.

Reina's breath caught in her throat at his declaration. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. Clay
did want her! He did care! She had to tell him -

Reina hesitated. The moment was so perfect that
she didn't want to ruin what promised to be a
perfect day. The weather was glorious, the delicate
scent of flowers perfumed the air, Clay was here.
Right now, she needed nothing else. There would
be plenty of time later to confess, maybe after
they'd eaten.

"Then the waiting's over now for both of us." Her
words were a whisper. Feeling almost magnetically
drawn to Clay, she leaned toward him.

Clay shifted toward her just enough to meet her
in a single, gentle kiss. He didn't try to touch her
or try to deepen the embrace, yet even so, hot
excitement radiated through him. Instead of thrill ing to his own reaction, he was annoyed by it. He
pulled back first, schooling his expression into one
of tenderness and affection.

"Hungry?" he asked with a slight smile as he
opened the basket.

"Starving," Reina replied, craving more than just
sustenance for the body. She was starving for Clay
...for his touch and his kiss. She felt oddly bereft
that he'd drawn away from her so quickly.

"So am I," he echoed.

Clay began laying out the feast the cook had
prepared for them on the blanket before them-a
big, thick chunk of cheese, crusty french bread,
golden butter and crisp fried chicken. He set aside
the plates and utensils, and then withdrew two
crystal glasses and the bottle of wine he'd chosen
personally for the occasion.

"Would you like some wine?" he offered, praying
desperately that she wouldn't refuse.

"Yes, please," she quickly agreed.

At her acceptance, he casually uncorked the bottle and poured her a glass, though there was nothing casual about his intent. He handed her a glass,
then poured one for himself.

"A toast.. .to us." Clay lifted his glass to her.

"To us," Reina repeated, her heart swelling with joy

"May we always remember the first time we met."
Clay finished, knowing full well that he would
never, ever forget Sister Mary Regina. None of his
bitterness of the memory showed in his eyes,
though. He was acting like a man deliriously in
love.

Reina found the last of his toast a bit odd since
she believed they'd only met the night before. She
rationalized, though, that maybe Clay thought last
night had been extra special since he'd won her away from all the other men who'd been pursuing
her.

"And may we always remember today," she
breathed taking a sip of the fine vintage.

You'll remember today, all right, Clay thought with
vicious sarcasm. He gave the appearance of taking
a small drink of the wine before setting his glass
aside. It pleased him that she was drinking deeply
of the wine.

"More?" He invited, picking up the wine bottle.

"Yes, it's delicious." She enjoyed wine and thought
this one quite good.

When Reina held her near-empty glass out to
him, he added to it. Their hands accidentally
touched, and all concept of time evaporated as their
eyes met. The moment seemed to last an eternity.

Clay could not believe the feverish need that
threatened to overpower him. He tried to deny it,
but his body rebelled against his mind's dictates. He
told himself angrily that it was only physical desire
he felt for her. He told himself that despite the
romantic setting he still had a firm grip on things.
He was a man who prided himself on being in
control, and he would not allow Reina to break that
mastery.

Desire pulsed through Reina, too. She took another deep drink from her glass, but her eyes never
left his.

"The wine really is wonderful, Clay."

"I'm glad you like it. I took particular care selecting it. I wanted something just for today.. .something memorable."

"This whole day is special."

"I'm glad you think so. It is for me, too," Clay
said with a smile as, again, he added more of his
select vintage to her glass. "I want everything to go
perfectly."

"Well, it's been perfect so far, and I can't imagine
anything that could possibly ruin the rest of the day
for us."

"I think we'll both remember today for a long
time to come. I know I will." Clay's baser instincts
urged him relentlessly to take her in his arms and
kiss her again, but he fought against it and busied
himself fixing them plates of food. He handed
Reina her plate, piled high with a sampling of every
good thing. They ate slowly, enjoying the simple yet
delicious fare. Reina finished her wine and willingly
accepted Clay's offer of another refill. She noticed
that he had not drunk any more of his own.

"You aren't drinking much wine," she remarked,
feeling delightfully relaxed. "You do like it, don't
you? You didn't just bring it along for me, did
you?"

"I have to admit that I did choose that particular
bottle for you. I wanted you to have the very best
this afternoon. And, as far as me not drinking
much, I don't need any help feeling good right now,
I feel heady enough just being with you."

Reina gazed up at him rapturously, thinking him
the most handsome, most thoughtful, most exciting
man she'd ever met. The guilt she'd been experiencing over keeping her secret from him faded as she
was filled with a pleasantly drowsy sensation. All
that mattered was that she was there with Clay,
alone in the countryside.

The memory of the ardent kisses they'd shared
the night before came to her, and she was feeling so
wonderful and so perfect that she found it easy to
ignore the last clinging fragments of her inhibitions.
She was with the man she loved.

"Clay-" Reina's voice sounded strangely distant
to her, and had she not been feeling so delightfully
happy, she would have worried. Right then, though, it didn't seem very important. She was afire with
the need to be held by him. She desperately wanted
him to kiss her. "Kiss me."

At Reina's unexpected invitation, Clay's desire for
her flamed even hotter. But knowing her for the liar
that she was, he firmly believed her display of
wanting him was just a put-on. He thought she
might eventually try to use his passion as a tool
against him, and he was not going to let that
happen. He would play along with her. He would
match her lies with lies of his own, but only for as
long as he had to. Taking her in his arms as an
ardent lover should, he claimed her lips in a commanding kiss.

Reina was enthralled that he hadn't thought her
too brazen. She melted eagerly against him. This
was what she'd wanted... this was what she'd been
longing for.

Clay's mouth moved hungrily over hers, his
tongue seeking and dueling with hers in an intimate
dance of love. She returned his fervent ardor without reserve. Her hands restlessly touching him, exploring the broad width of his chest and the
strength of his powerful shoulders. She wanted to
get close to him, closer than she'd ever been to
anyone before.

Reina's wanton, unbridled response excited Clay
even against his will. She was like a fire in his
blood, yet he struggled against surrendering to the
need to cast fate to the wind and slake his passion
for her. Her kisses really meant nothing to him, he told
himself angrily. Her touch did not thrill him. This was
his job. He had to be convincing.

Yet, even as Clay tried to persuade himself that
that was all true, he was being swept away by a
force of emotions he didn't understand. Rational
thought deserted him completely at the feel of her body close to his. No matter how much he'd tried
to deny it, he did want her. God, how he wanted
her! Consumed by his driving need, he began to
caress her.

Reina was feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and she
attributed it all to Clay's exhilarating kisses. Every
nerve in her body was tingling in anticipation.
When he finally sought the soft roundness of her
breast, a moan of pure ecstasy escaped her. Overnight, she'd pondered the intimacies she'd allowed
him and how she'd been so excited by his touch.
Reina had found it difficult to believe that anything
could have really felt that exquisite. She'd thought
that maybe she'd made it all up, imagined it all.
Now, however, she knew her memory hadn't been
faulty. Clay's caress was intoxicating. Why, even
now, the joy of it was so great, she felt as if she
might faint.

At the sound of her pleasure, Clay shifted them
both down onto the blanket. Reina thought it was
heaven to lie next to him and to have him stretched
out full length beside her. His kisses deepened,
becoming even more fervid as he began to undo the
buttons on her bodice. She shivered in anticipation
of his touch, and when he parted the fabric, she
cried out softly to him of her eagerness.

His breathing ragged, his face flushed with excitement, Clay stared down at the beauty of Reina's
bared breasts. His passion for her raged at a fever
pitch. He was like a man possessed as he moved to
press hot, stirring kisses to her lips, throat and then
lower to the creamy mounds of her breasts.

At the caress of his lips upon her bosom, Reina
arched upward in surprise. The touch of his hand
had been wonderful. The touch of his mouth was
pure bliss. Reina was on fire with yearning, yet she
couldn't think any more. Her thoughts were a con fusing jumble. Only Clay was reality.. .only Clay.

Clay continued to arouse her with practiced expertise. When she began to move restlessly beneath
his caresses, he moved up over her and sought her
lips in a devouring kiss.

Breathlessly, Reina returned it full measure. She
found she suddenly wanted to give him as much
pleasure as he was giving her. In the way of innocents because she wasn't sure exactly what to do,
she just tried to imitate his caresses. She thought it
odd that her arms felt so heavy and awkward as she
lifted them to him, but she was too enthralled by
the erotic sensations that were throbbing through
her to worry over much.

Clay began to caress her again, exploring the taut
peaks and silken valleys of her breasts. Brushing
aside her skirts and underthings, he sought that
which made her woman. Frightened, Reina initially
shied from this boldness.

"Easy, love... easy ...I won't hurt you," he
promised.

Her heart swelled as she heard him call her
love." She believed him. She believed he would
never hurt her. She trusted him and wanted him.
When he touched her so intimately again, she did
not resist.

"Clay... there's something-" she started to
confess all, but his lips sought hers again, and it
was momentarily forgotten.

His passion was surging. His need was hot and
real.

"Clay... oh, Clay," she cried as his touch created sensations within her that she'd never experienced before.

He had been intent on making love to Reina
until the sound of her calling his name jolted him
from his sensual reverie and chilled him to his heart. Think! Remember! his conscience screamed.
Was it worth risking Dev's safety for one quick moment of
sensual pleasure? For that's all this was-a flash of
passion and desire, nothing else. His body throbbed
with need, but he ignored it. Angry, and wanting to
let her know her little charade was over, he rose
above her.

"Isabel..." Clay began.

She tried to focus on him, knowing that she had
something important to tell him, but she found
herself befuddled. It seemed as if reality was slipping away from her. She suddenly felt very sleepy.
She was having trouble keeping her eyes open, and
when the fight became too much to continue she let
them drift closed. The last words she heard as she
drifted off were...

"Isabel," he repeated, "if I were a religious man, I'd
swear I'd been blessed in finding you. You really must be a
godsend"

Clay paused, waiting and watching. He'd expected her to react in some way to his words, but
when Reina went limp in his arms, he was not
disappointed. He smiled sharkishly, pleased that at
last, the laudanum had done its work.

Clay took a deep, steadying breath, then shifted
away from her. He quickly straightened her clothes,
and it was an exercise in self-discipline to rebutton
the bodice of her dress. Reina was lovely. It would
be a hard man who could refuse her, but he considered himself a hard man. A little frustrated right
now, but hard.

He carried Reina to the carriage, then made
short work of cleaning up the area. He kept only
the wine bottle with them. A short time later, he
reached the rendezvous point he'd set up with
Calvin and Jefferson, two of his father's servants.
He was glad to find that they were there right on time just as he'd instructed.