She stared blindly down at thewater in the tub. "It's not going to work. You're going to bedisappointed."
"Am I?" His voicecame from behind her. "Why do you think so?"
"I'm not going—" shepaused as she felt his hands on her hair, quickly unloosening herbraid—"to let you hurt me.
"No?" His fingersmoved through her braid from scalp to the ends of her hair, gently tagging andseparating until it was in wild disarray around her shoulders.
Clever Ruel. The soft, silkyhair brushing her flesh increased tenfold her feeling of vulnerability andwomanliness. She moistened her lips. "I had time to think while I wasriding here. I can stand anything for a few days."
"Can you?" She couldhear him moving behind her. "How do you know it will be for only a fewdays?"
"A few days," sherepeated firmly. "You'll grow tired of it and go back to doing what'simportant to you."
"This is important tome."
"Not like Cinnidar."
"At times I'm not sure ofthat."
"You'll be certain whenboredom sets in." She rushed on. "And then I'll go back and I'llfinish that railroad on schedule."
"And what if yourdisobliging elephant pays you another visit?"
She had been trying not to thinkof that possibility. "Li Sung will see that Dilam guards against thathappening. It was all I could do to keep him from rushing into the jungle afterDanor."
"I've noticed he appearsa bit obsessed with getting rid of him." He moved from behind her andseated himself on the chaise longue a few feet from the tub. "Isympathize. I understand obsession."
He was naked, his thighsslightly parted to reveal bold arousal.
Her lungs constricted and shefound herself unable to look away from his lower body. Soon that part of himwould be joined to her, he would be moving in and out, and she would feel thathelpless bonding she had first known in the maharajah's railway car. This timehe would not be careful of her and she should be frightened. Shewasfrightened,but there also existed that dark fascination he always held for her.
"I assume Li Sung willsend a message if there's any further trouble?"
"What?" She managedto pull her gaze away from him and looked down at the water again. "Idon't expect any more problems."
"Danor seems to do theunexpected. Lift your breasts. I want to see the water glisten on them."
Her hand tightened on thesponge.
"Anything I want, Ibelieve you said," he reminded her softly. "I'm perfectly willing toguide you in this, but you do have a promise to keep."
She closed her eyes tightlyand dropped the sponge. Her hands reached up to cup the undersides of herbreasts.
"That's right." Hisvoice was closer, beside her now. "Higher. Now offer them to me. Good… "
His lips closed on her nipple.
She gasped and her eyes flewopen. His mouth was enveloping her breast, but his light eyes were fastened onhers, watching her expression as he slowly sucked and bit at the sensitive tip.The muscles of her stomach clenched in instinctive response as sensation aftersensation rippled through her. "Now keep quite still and I'll give you areward for obedience." His hands were beneath the water, probing, finding.She gasped as his thumb began to press and rotate on the tiny nub. Hot, explosivesplinters of sensation rippled through her with every motion. His other handmoved still farther down is he murmured, "Don't tighten up."
She couldn't help it. Onefinger. Two. Three. She arched back against the tub, her hands gripping theporcelain sides as his fingers plunged deep, out, in, fast, slow, in a rhythmthat caused her to bite her lips to keep from crying out. He finally sat backon his heels. "Very good." His chest was lifting and falling with theharshness of his breathing. "Perhaps a little too good. I'm growingimpatient. I believe we'll put an end to this first lesson. We'll have plentyof time for others." He stood up and reached for the large towel on thechaise longue. Stand up."
She didn't know if she couldstand. Her knees were shaking, her entire body was shaking with the effort notto reveal her response to him.
"Up." Ruel didn'twait for her to obey but jerked her out of the tub and into the folds of thetowel. He cast a quick glance at the bed. "Too far." He dropped backdown on the chaise longue. "I can't—wait."
His fingers were searching,adjusting, drawing her limbs on either side of his hips. His hands cupped herbuttocks and jerked her forward, impaling her to the quick.
She cried out as she felt thewarm, hard length in the depths of her. Heat. Tightness. Hunger. No, nothunger, let it not be hunger.
