Stormy Vows/Tempest at Sea (39 page)

She arched against him helplessly and again made a sound more purr than moan. “Jake, please, I want…” She trailed off as he suddenly lifted the gauze top to bare her breasts to his ravaging lips and tongue.

He chuckled again. “I know what you want, little love,” he said mischievously, nibbling teasingly at a rosy nipple. “And I have every intention of giving it to you.” His tongue toyed with the other peak lazily. “In my own time. Damn, I knew you'd be this responsive!”

He rolled her over and with deft experienced hands pulled the gauze top over her head and threw it to the side. “How lovely you are,” he said thickly, as his hands cupped her breasts. “All strength and silk and fire.” His head bent slowly to take her lips in a long slow kiss. “I've got to have you, Jane,” he said hoarsely. “If you don't want it, for God's sake tell me to stop.” He nibbled at the lobe of her ear. “I'm going to take you if you don't tell me no.”

Her hands caressed the light stubble on his cheek with loving hands. “I'll never tell you no, Jake Dominic,” she said tenderly, “until the day that you tell me to leave you.”

His body stiffened above her, and he was suddenly still. His lips lingered for a moment on her earlobe, and then he breathed incredulously. “My God, what am I doing?”

In one swift movement he rolled away from her, leaving her bewildered, and chilled without the warmth of his arms. He reached over and fumbled with the lamp on the bedside table. Suddenly the cabin was illuminated by a pool of light.

Jane sat up dazedly, her golden eyes smoky and clouded with desire, her bare breasts still swollen and rosy from his lips. What had happened? she wondered in bewilderment as she watched Jake swing out of bed and march angrily to the wardrobe. When he returned, he was shrugging into a wine velour robe, and he tossed her a man's white shirt.

“Cover up!”

She looked up pleadingly into his dark eyes, but there was relentless purpose in their ebony depths. She slipped on the white shirt and began to button it despondently. “What did I do wrong?” she asked quietly.

“Not a damn thing,” he said harshly, his black eyes flashing. “It was as pretty a seduction as I've ever seen. You had me crazy for you.”

She brushed the flaming ringlets from her forehead, her puzzled eyes on his dark angry face. He fumbled in the drawer of the nightstand and drew out a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray, which he placed on the table.

“I didn't know you smoked,” she said, rolling up the sleeves of the shirt.

“I don't. I gave it up years ago,” he answered harshly as he lit one and inhaled deeply. “I keep them around for moments of stress, and this, my dear Jane, is definitely a moment of stress!” He sat down on the bed and eyed her bare golden legs impatiently. She quickly straightened and tucked them under her tailor fashion.

His face was set and hard, and he spoke curtly. “I'm in no mood for evasion, Jane, so you'd be wise to be honest with me. You knew exactly what you were doing to me tonight. You also knew that I had no intention of taking you, before you staged your seduction scene.” His lips twisted sardonically. “May I ask why I was chosen to initiate you into the carnal arts? It couldn't be, by any chance, that you'd taken it into that tiny little mind that you owe me something?”

Her golden eyes widened. “Owe you something?” she asked, puzzled. It had never occurred to her that he would interpret her action as anything but what it was.

“It's remarkably coincidental that the day I'm instrumental in saving you from a shark, you feel called upon to present me with your nubile young body.”

“It's true I owe you my life,” she said quietly. “But that isn't the reason that I want to belong to you.”

“Then may I ask why I'm so honored?” he asked, looking down at his cigarette with narrowed eyes.

“I love you,” she said simply, her golden eyes serene.

His dark gaze flew to meet hers, and he smiled cynically. “I might be touched if I thought you knew what you were talking about. If such an emotion exists, it's not the hodgepodge of gratitude and sex that you're feeling right now.”

“You're wrong, gratitude has nothing to do with it,” she said softly, her eyes lingering on the bold planes of his face. “As for sex, if this sample was anything to go by, it promises to be pretty terrific, but I made the first move before I knew that, Jake.”

His gaze returned to the glowing end of his cigarette. “So when did you get this great revelation?” he asked mockingly. “I saw no sign of it before tonight.”

“I only knew today,” she said calmly. “I watched you sitting on that deck looking so blasted pleased with yourself that I wanted to murder you, and I knew that I'd love you forever.” Her lips twisted wryly. “It came as quite a shock to me.”

“And you say it's not gratitude,” he scoffed. “Let's face it, Jane, you were in a highly emotional state and you convinced yourself that you were feeling something that just wouldn't exist under normal conditions.”

She shook her head, her lips curving in a tender smile. “If you want to believe that, I can't stop you. I just know what I feel, Jake.”

His eyes were diamond-hard as he looked up again. “Then
you'd better get over it damn quick. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not a safe person to care about. You'd come out of any relationship with me covered with battle scars. I don't think you could survive the game the way I play it.”

She smiled sadly. “Don't worry about me—I'll survive,” she said gently. “You're not responsible in any way.”

He muttered a curse beneath his breath and crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray. “Charming,” he said savagely. “So I'm to take what you offer and when I tire of you, simply cast you aside?”

“I hope not,” she replied tranquilly. “I'm going to work very hard to make sure that I always have a place in your life.” Her expression was endearingly earnest as she continued. “I promise I won't make things uncomfortable for you.”

“You're not going to get the chance,” he said roughly. “I've never found the idea of seducing innocents particularly appealing, and I have no intention of assuming the responsibility of your brand of commitment.” His lips tightened ruthlessly. “I admit that I have a yen for that alluring little body of yours, but I can satisfy that urge with any number of women.” His eyes were merciless on her suddenly pale face. “Benjamin said I should have sent you home, and he was right. You leave tomorrow.”

She had listened to him silently, pain gradually dulling the gold of her eyes. She shook her head. “I won't go,” she told him quietly. “I won't be a bother to you, but I won't leave you either, Jake.”

“God, what a little fool you are!” he said brutally. “Don't you know when you're fighting a losing cause? I use women, I don't love them. What makes you think that a fresh-faced college kid is going to change my mind?”

“I don't expect you to love me,” she answered passionately. “I only know that I love you and want to be with you. I don't know what place I'll find in your life. But whether it's as your mistress or your friend or just a steward on the
Sea Breeze
, I
won't stand any chance at all if I let you send me away. I'm not leaving you, Jake!”

“I think you will,” he said coolly, “when you find what a mistake you're making.”

She shook her head, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I told you once that there is only one way for me. It's still the truth, Jake.”

His dark eyes were burning fitfully as he stared into her woebegone face. “Damn it to hell.” His tone was exasperated. “You know I'll hurt you if you stay. Why can't you be sensible and put a few thousand miles between us? You just might be safe then.”

She shook her head again, and suddenly two tears brimmed over and ran silently down her cheeks.

“Oh God, not again!” he groaned, and pulled her into his arms, rocking her as if she were a child and pushing her face into the soft velour of his robe. He stroked her hair gently for a long peaceful moment before he pleaded huskily, “Won't you please go away, redhead? I don't want to hurt you.”

Jane nestled closer to his strong, warm body, her hand tangled intimately in the wiry dark patch of hair on his chest. She pressed her lips lovingly to his shoulder. “I have a chance,” she whispered. “You like me.” She kissed him again. “You want me. That's quite a bit to start with.”

His chuckle reverberated under her ear. “You're so blasted determined,” he said softly, his fingers gently rubbing the sensitive cord behind her ear. “I'm going to get rid of you, you know. I won't stand by and watch you mess up your life for an infatuation.”

“You can try to discourage me tomorrow,” she whispered teasingly. “But will you hold me tonight?”

He laughed again and shook his head ruefully. “Not on your life, redhead,” he told her firmly. “I'm not about to let you consolidate
your position in that particular fashion. We both know that you'd be my mistress by morning.”

“Exactly,” she said, grinning.

He slapped her lightly on her bottom and then pushed her firmly away. Pulling back the covers, he motioned sternly. “Get in, brat, and stay on your own side from now on.”

She scrambled happily under the covers and scooted obediently to the far side of the bed. Without removing his robe, he also slipped beneath the covers, and flipped out the lamp. Jane sighed with contentment as she curled up on her side and prepared to go to sleep, which she did in only a few minutes.

On the other side of the broad expanse of mattress, Jake Dominic listened to the girl's even breathing with a grim smile on his face and eyes that were alert and wide awake. It was several hours later before he too fell asleep.

eight

SIMON WAS WAITING FOR HER ON DECK A
few mornings later, and, as he turned to watch her hurrying toward him, Jane felt a thrill of uneasiness as she noticed the troubled expression on his usually sunny face.

“What is it, Simon?” she asked, puzzled.

“Look, Jane, it's none of my business,” he burst out abruptly, running a hand through his blond hair. “But I thought someone should tell you.”

Jane felt a cold finger of fear run down her spine at Simon's words. Her mind jumped immediately to the subject that dominated her life these days. She turned away to stare sightlessly at the sparkling sapphire sea. If Jake insisted, how could she prevent him from physically ejecting her from the
Sea Breeze
? Was this why Simon was so embarrassed and hesitant this morning?

Simon drew a deep breath. “Jane, I don't know how deeply you're involved with Jake Dominic, and I won't ask you to confide in me,” he said awkwardly. “But I think you should know that he sent a radio message yesterday morning.”

She turned to look at him, her body tense. “Yes, Simon?” she whispered.

He frowned unhappily, his blue eyes warmly sympathetic. “Oh, damn!” he said desperately. “The message was to Lola
Torres. He invited her to join the cruise. He's sending a launch this afternoon to pick her up at Cozumel.”

Lola Torres. For a moment Jane couldn't place the name, and then it clicked depressingly. Lola Torres was a very well known personality—though in some circles she was considered more notorious than famous. The gorgeous Spanish-American woman had clawed her way up from the barrios of Los Angeles to become one of the highest-priced call girls in the world, but this hadn't satisfied her. She had wanted to be her own woman, and at twenty-six had written an autobiographical novel entitled,
Kiss and Tell
, wherein she had not only revealed the bedroom secrets of her famous lovers but had had the gall to rate their sexual techniques from one to ten. The book had become a best-seller, and made Lola Torres not only rich but famous. Her warm beauty and razor-sharp wit had made her a favorite on the talk-show circuit.

Jake had definitely brought out the big guns, Jane thought with a pang. He not only intended to show her her own relative unimportance in his life by flaunting another woman before her, but he'd chosen one of the most desirable women in the world to accomplish his aim.

Jane's expression was miserable as she tried to smile at Simon's worried face. “Thank you for telling me, Simon,” she said dully. “You're a good friend.”

Simon's blue eyes were filled with sympathy as he continued reluctantly, “That's not all, Jane. Captain Benjamin posted a new duty roster last night. You've been replaced as Brockmeyer's helper. Besides acting as Jake Dominic's meal steward, Benjamin has given you duty as Miss Torres's personal maid.”

So he not only intended for her to observe his affair with Lola at agonizingly close quarters; he'd placed her quite deliberately in a humiliatingly subservient position to his mistress. He had wanted to hurt her and drive her away, and he'd chosen a method worthy of the Borgias.

She patted Simon's arm comfortingly. “It's all right, Simon.” She spoke quietly, with a little ghost of a smile. “Jake's really not being as ruthless as it appears. He probably believes he's being quite benevolent. I'll be fine.”

That afternoon as she watched a launch speed across the water toward the
Sea Breeze
, Jane was not quite so confident. At lunch Jake had arrogantly ordered her to be on deck to meet Miss Torres and show her to her cabin. His dark eyes had been alert for any sign of rebellion or distress on her pale heart-shaped face. She would not allow him that victory. She had merely nodded gallantly and carefully assumed a smooth mask to hide the anger and misery this new taunt had caused.