"I'll give you onereason." He paused and then said deliberately, "I plan on trying thatposition we saw in the painting in the railway car with you."
Her gaze flew to his face. Hisexpression was impassive, his tone so casual she wasn't sure she had heardcorrectly."What?"
"Oh, yes, it's becomesomething of an obsession with me in the past few days. I think about it allthe time. How I'd position you on your hands and knees, how I'd cup yourbreasts in my hands. How I'd slowly slide in and feel you tighten aroundme," His voice hoarsened. "How I'd start easy and then push harder,deeper, how I'd make you scream when I—"
"Stop! I don't want tohear this," she interrupted, moistening her lips. "Go back to Zabrieif you need a woman."
"I don't want awoman." He paused. "I want you."
"One woman is as good asanother for what you want."
"That's what I used tothink. I've changed my mind."
"Well, change it backagain. I don't want... that."
"I could make you wantit. I believe you discovered at Zabrie's that we were very compatible."His gaze suddenly shifted to her face. "Perhaps too compatible. Did Ifrighten you?"
"You?" She tried tomake her tone scoffing. "You've never frightened me."
"Perhaps not in the usualway, but then, you're not the usual woman. You're used to your independence.Are you afraid you might not be able to control me?"
"I don't think about youat all. I don't have time for wondering about such foolishness."
"We often respond withoutthinking in this kind of situation."
"Not you. You're alwaysthinking and plotting and planning." She added grimly, "And you havethe arrogance to believe you know everything about me."
"Not everything. I findout new things every day. I've also discovered the longer I study you, the moredisturbed I'm becoming. That's why I've finally decided I have to do somethingabout it." He smiled recklessly. "Shall I tell you what?"
"I thought you'd alreadytold me."
"Oh, that's only thebeginning."
"Zabrie," she saiddesperately.
"Jane," he saidsoftly. "Only Jane."
"You're not listening tome." Her hands clenched on the reins. "I want you to go away. Ishould never have let you start work on the line to begin with."
"Why did you?"
"You were amusing."Having Ruel near had been more than amusing. It had been like staring infascination into the glittering depths of a magician's crystal ball waitingbreathlessly to see what new vision would appear. She felt an odd wrenchingpang at the knowledge that that excitement was about to end. She would get overit, she quickly assured herself. The emotion he made her feel was too intense,the fascination too dangerous.
"I won't be used by you,Ruel."
"Yes, you will. We'regoing to use each other and enjoy every minute of it." He saw her start toprotest and held up his hand. "And there's no way I'm going to rush when Ifinally have you. You won't find me 'fast,' Jane."
The raw words evoked a pictureof Ruel lying naked on the bed at Zabrie's, his foot rubbing lazily back andforth, testing the textures of the sheet. Her chest felt suddenly tight, herbreath constricted. "I won't enjoy any—"
"Dammit, youwill."His coolness was suddenly gone, his blue eyes blazing at her. "I won't bemade to feel I'm brutalizing you. I'm not one of those men in that stew whereyou grew up and I'm not a stranger in a darkened room, waiting to give you whatyou need and be dismissed. I'm Ruel MacClaren, and you'll know who I am everyminute I'm with you."
Another picture—tannedmuscular legs braced against the white counterpane as he pushed slowly forward…
She felt the heat sting hercheeks. "I don't want to talk about this."
"Then we won't talk aboutit." He looked straight ahead, and his words came hard and fast. "ButI'll be thinking about it and so will you. You'll know I want you so badly Ihurt most of the day. You'll know every single time I position a spike I'mthinking about you. Every time I give it that first gentle tap to get itstarted I'm thinking about coming into you. Every time I swing that hammer I'llthink of it as a thrust sinking deep and warm inside you." His voicethickened. "And I'll hit each stroke with every bit of my strength andpower because I want to go very, very deep." He kicked his horse into agallop that sent it springing ahead of her. "You might keep that in mind,Jane."
The spike bit deep into thewood.
