She gulped down a large sip and watched him warily.
He wished she would hurry. He wanted to get started. Already his erection was straining against his trousers. He didn't know what he'd do when he stripped her naked. He had been dreaming of this for so long.
"Finished?" he asked.
Fear flashed in her eyes then, sending another spark of arousal through him. He loved having her at his mercy.
"Come, m'lady." He stood and waited at the door. "I'll show you to your chamber." Well, their chamber… the one he'd had specially prepared.
She swallowed hard and pushed herself to her feet. Her skin was pale and her lips blush-red. He would taste them in a matter of minutes.
He held out his elbow but she ignored it. He grinned.
As they passed through the entry hall and moved up the staircase, he glanced about at the various guards and servants he'd placed in discreet spots. He was no idiot. He knew that once that damned Highlander, Rebbinglen, learned she was here, he would try to take her. But he wouldn't be successful. Claybourne had hired additional men for his garrison, including several mercenaries who knew how to deal with barbarous Highlanders.
At the top of the steps,Claybourne'sexcitement grew. He opened the last door on the corridor and invited her inside. The dark draperies were drawn closed and dozens of candles lit the room. The four-poster bed was large with ropes secured to each of the posts.
He couldn't wait to have her naked and bound beneath him.
***
Seeing the ropes on the bed, Calla felt as if all the blood drained from her body. A chilling nausea consumed her. Claybourne was going to bind her? She frowned at him. What kind of monster was he? Even Stanbury hadn't done that.
"There's no need for you to tie me."
"Come now, Calla.'Twillbe fun." His vile grin said he would enjoy torturing her.
He was mad. If Rebbie tied her up, she might enjoy it. But this maniac?
She would be trapped, unable to move, having to endure whatever perverse acts he decided to perform on her. She shuddered. "Nay, I don't wish to be tied."
He closed the door behind them with an echoing thud. "You have little choice in the matter," he said in a harsher tone.
"'Twasnot part of the contract."
"Nay, but you agreed toworkfor me for a fortnight. That implies doing whatever I want you to do."
Her heart pounded hard as a battering-ram smashing into wood. "Are you going to hurt me?"
He lifted a brow, his lustful, dark green eyes pinning her to the spot. "Do you enjoy pain, my sweet?"
"Nay."
"Well then, I'll be as gentle as I can." His roving gaze again dipped to her breasts. "Remove your clothing, leaving on only your smock."
Oh dear God, help me.Her hands trembled as she slowly unlaced her clothing. His gaze crawled over her every movement, like a slimy slug.
When most of her clothes lay in a heap on the elegant Turkish carpet, she crossed her arms over her chest. At least he'd allowed her to keep on her plain linen smock.
"Lie on the bed." His breathing grew heavy.
Her stomach rebelled and she felt like spewing all the wine she'd drunk earlier. She'd thought it would help her endure. Now, she wasn't so certain anything would help, other than a knife to stab him with. But she couldn’t do that. He'd said if anything happened to him, his steward would send the damning missive. And she didn't even ken what his steward looked like or where he was. She had his signed contract, but didn't know if 'twas worth as much as the parchment it was scribed on. She also had the deed to theCrambyEstate.
Climbing up on the high bed, she thought of Rebbie. Aye, if she closed her eyes and imagined Rebbie, mayhap she could survive this.
Once she lay down, Claybourne tied the rough, narrow brown ropes around her wrists and ankles, smiling like a pitiless demon the entire time.
Oh, how she wanted to vomit. And maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. It would disgust him and he wouldn't do the deed.
