He was moving, bucking,keeping her sealed tight but making her feel every inch, every sensation. Hernipples were hardening against his chest, she realized in despair. "Holdme tighter," he muttered, punctuating every word with a thrust."Give—me—more."
She didn't want to giveanything but found her legs instinctively tightening around him. That spiralingtension she had known in the railway car had returned and was growing withevery second. How could her body betray her when it meant victory for him?
He moved, turned, and somehowshe was on her back, lying sidewise on the chaise. There was room only for hertorso on the tufted cushion and her head arched over the edge, her hair brushingthe floor with Ruel's every thrust. She could feel a scream building in herthroat, building in her entire body, waiting to be released.
"Stop holding back,"Ruel muttered as he rotated, drew out slowly, and then plunged deep. "Giveit to me."
She could fight him no longer.The primal scream broke free, her body convulsed, climaxed, and she heard hislow cry of satisfaction above her. She was barely aware of the short flurry ofthrusts that brought him his own release. He had won, she thought wearily. Hehad manipulated her body and taken what he wanted, and she had not been able tokeep even that final victory from him.
He was carrying her toward thebed, the towel still draped loosely about her.
Her breath was coming in gaspsas she looked up at him.
"You didn't expect it,did you?" he asked as he deposited her on the bed. "Our bodies don'tcare if we hate or love. It's going to happen every time. I'll make it happenwhether you want it or not."
"No!"
"Yes, I've never had ataste for compliance even in my whores."
She flinched at the unexpectedthrust. "You took me by surprise," she said haltingly. "It won'thappen again."
"It will and very soon. Ifind I'm fairly insatiable where you're concerned, and I assure you that's justthe first surprise. I've had three years to plan many, many more." Hereached over to the bedside table, and the next moment he was holding somethingbefore her. "Do you remember that night at Zabrie's?"
A mask, an extravagant sable andturquoise feather mask.
A picture flooded back to herof Ruel standing in the center of the room, mocking blue eyes glittering as hegazed at her through the slits in a mask very like this one.
"I recall very little ofthat night. It's not a memory I treasure."
"Nor I." He brushedthe feathered mask over her nipple. "But that's because I was undergoing agreat deal of frustration at the time."
Her breasts were swelling, hernipples becoming more acutely sensitive with every lazy stroke of the feathers."Is that necessary? I wish... you would stop it," she said haltingly.
"Presently." Hemoved the mask down and brushed it lightly back and forth over her lowerabdomen.
She felt a hot tingling beginbetween her thighs. Not again, she told herself despairingly. Lie still. Don'tgive him any more response than he can take from you.
"Zabrie was very clever.She knew that in a house of pleasure a man doesn't care who a woman is as longas she gives him what he wants," he murmured. "There's nothing moreanonymous than a mask, is there, Jane?"
She didn't answer.
He moved over her, parted herthighs, and entered her again, sliding slowly to the hilt. "Ah, you'reready for me. I thought you would be. You're proving very accommodating."He placed the feathered mask on her face and leisurely tied the velvet cordsbehind her head before arranging her hair to fan around her on the pillow. Hesat quite still, gazing at her. "You look quite splendidly erotic."His tone was mocking, but his voice had thickened, hoarsened.
Sweet heaven, she wasclenching around him.
"And evidently that'salso how you feel." He smiled faintly. "I approve. That's how a womanof pleasure should feel and behave. You're learning fast, Jane. When we'vetaken the edge off this, I'll give you another lesson." He began to movewith excruciating, teasing slowness. He whispered, "There are many otherpurposes and places for feathers than the obvious."
"You didn't do itright," Jane murmured as she gazed at the window through which the firstgray light of dawn was beginning to stream.
"Really?" Ruelgathered her closer, his fingers idly toying with her red hair spread acrosshis shoulder. "I | would never have known it by your response."
"Oh, you made me feel… "She trailed off. He already knew how he had made her feel during these lasthours. Possessed, completely in his power, bent to his will like a twig in awindstorm. Her body ached with that possession, and yet she knew he couldarouse her again if he chose to do so. Yet, gradually, she had begun to realizesomething that had filled her with infinite relief. "But I'm not afraid ofyou anymore."
"I didn't know you everwere."
"I think you did. I'm notvery clever about hiding my feelings." She gazed unseeingly at thepatterns of pale sunlight on the royal-blue and cream carpet. "But youdidn't know why."
"Are you going to tellme?"
