The Hostage Bride by Kate Walker Read Free Book Online Page B

threshold, mi ángel , what next, I wonder?’
    Rico had bent his arrogant dark head down to murmur in her ear, the warmth of his breath stirring the tendrils of her hair, brushing softly against her cheek.
    â€˜If you were truly my bride— mi esposa —I know exactly what I would do…’
    And his body knew it too. He knew he should set her down, put her on her feet and move well away. That was the sane, the only safe approach. But with her in his arms, with the scent of her skin all around him, the last thing on God’s earth he felt like was playing it safe. And he certainly didn’t feel sane . Instead he knew he was totally out of control—completely crazy and dangerously off balance.
    His heart was pounding, his blood flowing hot in his veins. Every sense he possessed clamoured in hunger, insistently demanding appeasement, making him ache with need. And the feel of those soft arms around his neck, the yielding pressure of her feminine body against his chest and the brush of her hair against his neck were almost more than he could bear. He wanted to drop her straight to the floor in order to end the sweet torment and yet at the same time he wanted to hold on to her so as to prolong it for ever.
    â€˜But I’m not your bride!’
    Felicity knew she had to break the spell that that low, husky voice had been weaving around her weakened senses. Listening to it had been like sliding slowly but irresistibly into a bath filled with warm, golden honey. She could feel it flowing around her, enfolding her, threatening to close over her head at any moment.
    â€˜I’m not your wife and I never will be! I’m just your prisoner, your captive—here under duress because youforced me into this! And whatever fantasies you might be harbouring, you can forget them right now! You lay one finger on me and I’ll—I’ll…’
    â€˜You’ll do what, belleza ?’ Rico enquired with silky menace when, suddenly realising just how hollow her threat was when he already had more than a hand on her, when she was held securely in his arms, her voice died away rapidly. ‘What was it you promised earlier? That you would kill me?’
    The sound of his laughter was shocking. It was all the more terrifying because there was no trace of any real humour in it, only the sardonic dismissal of her impotently angry words.
    â€˜Do you know, gatita , it might just be worth it.’
    â€˜You don’t mean that! You can’t…’
    â€˜Can’t I?’
    Rico’s smile turned her blood to ice. Now that she could see more clearly, she couldn’t be unaware of the way that his pupils had darkened, enlarged, until his eyes were almost all black, only the tiniest line of the deep brown at the very edge of the iris as he looked down into her still, white face.
    â€˜The way I feel right now, I think I could die happy if I only had you in my bed for one night.’
    â€˜One night…’
    She could barely get the words from her constricted throat, her voice just a raw, broken croak of disbelief.
    â€˜You’re crazy!’
    To her horror he nodded agreement.
    â€˜One night—but what a night, Felicity. A night that neither of us could ever forget, that we could only ever dream of in our wildest fantasies. A night when—’
    â€˜No!’
    Summoning up all her strength to snap free of the hypnotic trance in which he had imprisoned her, Felicitytwisted in his arms, struggling against the power of his hold. Clenching her hands into fists, she pummelled them against the powerful wall of his chest, aiming wildly at his shoulders, his arms, would have hit his face if he hadn’t seen it coming and instinctively flung his head back defensively.
    â€˜Let me go! Put me down! Put me down !’
    â€˜Your wish is my command,’ he returned, dark eyes burning into hers insolently.
    Adjusting her position very slightly, he lowered her slowly to