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A cardigan hid the evidence of her bra-less state from her parents as she said her goodbyes, guilt and desire mingling in almost equal quantities as she got on her bike and sped down the drive.
It had been a hot summer, and the French windows of the Savages' house stood open as she cycled down the drive and round to the back door.
Since their parents were close friends, it was not unusual for her to visit the house, but as she got off her bike she was filled with an awareness that she was trespassing, not just against the Savages' friendship but also against her parents' trust.
She would have turned back then if it hadn't been for the fact that she would have to face Helen in the morning, and so, quelling her feelings, she went round to the French windows and knocked briefly before walking in.
The sitting-room was empty; her heart thudding, she walked through into the hall, and then stood there transfixed as she saw Dominic coming towards her down the stairs, pulling on a white shirt.
His hair was damp, his skin tanned and firm against the powerful male muscles. Something seemed to expand and flower inside her, a deep pulsating excitement that brought a delicate flush of colour to her skin and deepened her eyes to dark jade.
'Christy, is everything all right?'
The sharpness in his voice brought her back to reality. 'Yes.'
'Then what are you doing here ?' He was frowning at her as he buttoned his shirt, and because he had never before spoken to her in anything other than a teasingly indulgent voice, Christy could only stare at him. 'I asked you what you came here for.'
He was at the bottom of the stairs now, frowning at her, and even though she was tall she had to tilt back her head to look at him. She had taken off her cardigan as she stepped back from him, the dying rays of the evening sun falling across the thin cotton of her blouse, revealing the uncovered peaks of her breasts.
She heard Dominic catch his breath on what sounded like an impatient sigh, and said hurriedly, 'I… I came to see you…'
'Me?' He was frowning even more now. 'What about?'
Panic flared inside her. This wasn't going the way it should. By now he shouldn't be questioning her; he should be looking at her… wanting her. It wasn't going to be as easy as Helen had said. Confusion flooded through her, and she turned puzzled, worried eyes up to him, betraying more than she knew.
'I… I just wanted to talk to you,' she said lamely, flushing a brilliant shade of red as he suddenly said harshly, 'Christy, what's this all about? You aren't in some… some kind of trouble, are you?'
Her eyes widened, and went brilliant with shock as she absorbed his meaning. There was only one kind of trouble he could mean, and she jerked back from him indignantly.
'No… no, of course not! How could you think anything like that…?' She was shocked and hurt that he could think that she would give herself to anyone other than him, barely taking in his curt, 'All too easily, especially when you parade yourself around dressed like that.' A flick of his hand indicated that he was aware of her near-nudity, and she flushed again. This wasn't the way he was supposed to react. Helen had said…
She bit her lip and moved closer to him, her voice shaking as she implored huskily, 'Dominic, please don't be angry with me…' Tears weren't very far away; she could feel them clogging up the back of her throat.
She heard him sigh, and then rapturously felt his arms go round her ; she was being cradled against him, her head resting on his shoulder, the bare heat of his chest against her thinly covered breasts.
She quivered with nerves and excitement, aching to reach out and touch him, but scarcely able to even draw breath, never mind do anything else.
Helen was right, and it had worked! Her legs shook and threatened to give way beneath her. Her heart seemed to have lodged somewhere in her throat and was threatening to suffocate her. Could Dominic feel it beating? She could feel the steady, even thud of his. Instinctively she moved her hand to touch the place where she could feel that strong beat.
Her fingertips trembled against his skin and then, shockingly, almost frighteningly, her wrist was seized in an iron grip and she was forcefully pushed away from him.
Angry grey eyes glared down into the bemused jade of hers. 'Just what the hell do you think you're doing?'
The shock of his sudden withdrawal was too much for her to cope with. She was still lost in the rapturous dream of her own intense desire and love, and without comprehending his anger she burst out eagerly, 'Dominic, make love to me. Please… I know you want to.'
For a moment it was as though they were frozen in time : she gazing pleadingly up at him, her mouth soft and trembling, her body, supple and eager for his touch; he, tense and angry, the grey eyes darkened almost to black, his mouth drawn in a tight hard line, his body tense as though he was too furious even to draw breath.
And then the spell was broken, and the reality of his anger crashed through her physical arousal as he breathed harshly, 'My God, I don't believe I'm hearing this. Is this why you came here dressed like… like… like a modern-day Lolita? To ask me to make love to you? And you're so damned blatant about it, as well!'
He saw the shock and pain on her face, and although she wasn't aware of it, his voice softened slightly. 'Christy, I can't make love to you… you know that.'
'Because you don't want me?' She made herself face him, and saw his face grow cold and shuttered.
'Among other things,' he agreed evenly, adding, 'it is customary for the woman to wait to be asked, you know. Who put you up to this? Come on, Christy, no lies. I know you; you'd never have thought of doing this for yourself.'
She had been too distraught and humiliated to keep back the truth, and he had kept on and on at her until she had told him everything. She had had to sit there answering his questions and seeing the look of contemptuous disgust darken his eyes, until he had moved away from her as though even to look at her had contaminated him.
'Well, now it's my turn to tell you something,' he had said at last, when she was finished. 'Contrary to what your friend informed you, it isn't that easy to make a man desire you.'
