Page 27 of Passion's Prey

She saw his fingers bunch on the reins and he came up alongside her again. As she flinched away he reached across, and one lean hand gripped her jaw, his fingers sinking deep into her flesh and forcing her to look straight into those cold eyes.

'Petra, my sweet . . . ' at the silky menace behind the soft voice she shivered ' . . . I swear that before I've finished with you I'll have you begging me to make love to you. I'll have you sobbing in my arms for me to take you,' She gazed blankly back at him stunned by the terrifying image his words had conjured up, but when, almost contemptuously, he opened his hand to release her she wrenched herself free of their spell. With this man, she knew, it was fight or be destroyed, She forced her lips to curl into a sneer. 'What's the matter, Jared? Suffering from a bad case of sexual frustration? After all, it's well over a day now since Kate was in your bed.'

'Shut up, damn you!' The raw fury in his voice silenced her for a moment, but then she jutted her chin defiantly. 'No, I won't. And don't worry there are still plenty of women down in the village, I've no doubt, who—'

'Be quiet.'

At the ferocity in his tone her horse whinnied then tossed his head and took ii couple of prancing steps sideways. As she fought to steady him Jared grabbed the bridle again and brought the horse buck alongside his own. Then he went mi more calmly, 'You're wrong, Petra. It not ft—

frustration, I mean. At least, not for myself.'

There was something very like weary compassion in his voice now, but she would not drop her guard.

'There's no need for you to feel sorry for me, Jared. I'm perfectly happy. At least, I was—until you decided to make a trip home.'

'I've told you—be quiet,' he said again, but less harshly this time. 'How can I convince you?'

Taking off his riding hat, he raked his fingers through his dark, wind-blown curls. 'You love this place, don't you?' His sweeping gesture encompassed the whole scene before them. 'You told me so.'

'Well, yes, you know I do,' she replied warily.

'Well, then—if you can see all this beauty around you and love it so, why can't you let all those inhibitions of yours go?'

'For the last time, I have no—'

'Look, Petra,' he broke in roughly, in-spite of all the dark things, this is a glorious world—

and part of its glory for us, lies in having a fulfilling, deeply passionate relationship with another human being.'

'And in my case that other human being should be you, of course.' She laughed bitterly.

'You've obviously found your true vocation, Jared. You'll such a wonderful word-spinner that you make it sound as if making me fulfilled is your only mission in life. Well, sorry but, as far as I'm concerned, it's mission impossible.'

He gave her a smile, which did not quite reach his eyes. 'Another challenge, Petra? But I've told you already, I never back away from a challenge.'

'And I've told you,' she gazed up at him, stormy-eyed, 'that I will never give way to passion. At least—' too late she realised what she had said ' — not until I'm married to Simon. And then—'

'And then you'll spend the rest of your life imprisoned in the centre of an iceberg! But don't let it worry you. That way, at least, you'll have something over poor Iseult.'

'Oh, and what's that?'

'You'll never know what you're missing.'

Jamming his riding hat back down on his head, he swung his horse away, flicked her flanks with his heels and took off at a headlong

gallop, not even glancing back to see whether she was following him or not.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Neither of them spoke one word on the drive back from the stables. As Jared braked viciously, sending up a spun of gravel outside the cottages, Petra opened her door and climbed out before he could come round to her side.

'I'll go in and wash and get changed she said stiffly, and turned towards her gate.

'I'm sure you'd rather wash in hot water.' His voice was clipped. 'And there's no need to change—we shan't be dressing for dinner.'

At the chill greyness of his eyes which barely glanced in her direction she felt tiny goosebumps break out all over her body. He was still very angry with her, and she'd always feared Jared's anger, those bleak, unpredictable moods when he seemed to delight shutting himself away from the entire human race.

So when he gestured her through a gate she gave a little shrug and obeyed. When she came back down from her shower he was in the kitchen. 'We'll eat early. Will steak suit you?'

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