Dragon Song (13 page)

Of course, he had tied up loose ends in the U.S. before he flew home. That good-for-nothing he’d used to kidnap Tielle hadn’t worked out, and since Noah couldn’t risk him exposing him after the fact, Noah’d killed him. He glanced down at his fingers curled around his reins. Well, he’d
had
the man killed. Dirtying his hands for that bastard was out of the question. Noah knew how to cover his tracks, and he’d made sure the authorities would come to a wrong conclusion.

The knowledge gave Noah a sense of satisfaction. He grinned and kicked his mount into action. Racing over the earth, he let the wind take his dark thoughts and whip away the impatience he felt knowing this was all the air he’d experience if he didn’t get the blood he needed from Stone. He’d never take to the
skies,
never feel the wind beneath his wings.

Anger and frustration drove him to push his horse faster. They ate up the miles within moments and were soon drawing in to the stables at the back of the castle. Noah, who kept a house in
Dublin
intended to barge in announcing that he was down for a visit, but Einin stopped him.

“Noah,” Einin barked in his usual fashion. “I have been attempting to contact you. I want you on the business trip I’m taking.”

Being dressed for travel and having ordered the limo, Noah assumed his uncle meant right this moment. His instinct was to frown, but he adjusted it mid-formation to offer an insincere smile. “You know I am always at your beck and call, Einin, but this is a bit sudden, don’t you think? Looks like you’re pulling out. Maybe I can catch up with you in a day or two.”

“No! That doesn’t work for me.” Einin stood proud and stiff, his legs somewhat apart as if that would make him seem taller than his five foot six inches. Noah dreamed of the day he could tell the shrimp what he thought about him.

With effort, Noah kept his smile in place. Then I will run in and gather some clothing to take along. I’m sure I have sufficient suits at the castle to be appropriate. I can have my man send me whatever else is needed from my Dublin house.”

Noah grit his teeth at the attitude Einin gave him, as if he were the one being inconvenienced with this unplanned trip. Noah had wanted to move on his ideas for getting someone working in the castle who would keep him abreast of the activity, but there was no telling when he and Einin would return. If ever there was a micro-manager, Einin was it. He didn’t allow the staff in the warehouses and at their various offices to breathe without his say-so.

“Five minutes,” Einin barked, looking at his watch. Noah heaved a sigh and dismounted to allow a stable hand to take his horse. He turned to go inside the castle, picking up his pace since he knew Einin was dead serious about the time limit. If Noah missed the deadline by seconds, he’d never hear the end of it for the entire trip. He comforted himself with visions of clawing Einin’s throat to ribbons after he’d awakened his dragon form. Yes, that would be perfect.

Chapter Seventeen

Tielle descended the stairs and headed toward the front door. The familiar step behind her let her know that damn guard Stone had put on her a couple weeks ago was still dogging her steps. She’d called Jamie every other day complaining, and every time her poor friend reminded her that some people were living in the lap of luxury waited on hand and foot while others were being bossed around a frantic emergency room by the head beast nurse from hell. Tielle laughed remembering her friend’s frustration. At the time, she’d felt guilty and promised to send for Jamie the moment she got some time off, that is if Tielle wasn’t back in the states by then.

Sometimes she wondered if Stone was working on finding out who was behind the kidnapping. He seemed quite content leaving her as a prisoner in his castle. The situation was so damn medieval, she could scream.

When an arm moved past he to bar the door, she stopped, grumbling.

“I’m
sorry,
Ms. Tielle, but I have my orders. You can’t leave the house. If you need fresh air, you can—”

“I know, damn it,” she shouted. “I can visit that claustrophobic courtyard in the center of the castle. It’s beautiful and all that with the exotic flowers and the grass and trees, but it’s still surrounded by four walls. I need my freedom.” She put her hands on her hips. “And I told your ass to stop calling me
miss
!”

The man paled. Tielle wanted to punch him she was so angry, but something told her the man built like wall would do more damage to her hand than the other way around. She eyed his face, kind but unrelenting. He wasn’t good-looking in the least, having a jagged scar along his brow and down over one eye. It should have been sexy, but it wasn’t coupled with his bone structure. She wondered if Stone had chosen Jimmy to watch her on purpose as if he didn’t want any hot men around her while he was out of town.

While she and Jimmy argued, the butler shuffled by on his aging legs and opened the front door. Tielle was about to make a break for it, but Jimmy grabbed her arm. She jerked on his hold to no avail. His grip was almost as unyielding as Stone’s.

“Mister Hughes, sir, welcome home,” Lawrence announced.

Jimmy and Tielle both swung their heads toward the door. Stone filled the gap, his attention on them, a frown marring his handsome face. He didn’t bother answering Lawrence. “Would you tell me,” she said in a low menacing tone, “why you have your hands on her, Jimmy?”

“I-I-I.”
Jimmy dropped her arm like she had a disease. “Sir, I was just following your orders. You said she couldn’t go outside. She was trying to leave, and I didn’t know how else to stop her. I meant no harm.”

Stone advanced on them. “You find some other means. You don’t touch her.
Ever!”

Tielle rolled her eyes and slapped Stone’s arm. “Stop bullying the man, Stone. It’s not like he was coming on to me or something. Trust me, if we were getting busy, it wouldn’t be in the hallway for everyone to see.”

She laughed, but Stone didn’t crack a smile.

“Dismissed,” he said, and Jimmy took off in the opposite direction. Lawrence directed a maid to take Stone’s bags like none of it fazed him. Tielle wasn’t planning on being bullied either. She raised an eyebrow ready to do battle with her lover, but he jerked her into his arms and planted a hungry kiss on her lips. For several long minutes, she thought of nothing other than the feel of his hard body, the taste of his mouth slanted over hers, and what they would get up to later in her room. At last when she had totally ruined her panties creaming all over them, he let her go and tipped her chin up. “I’ve been gone three days. You greet me with that scene?”

She remembered she was pissed off at him. “Whatever. You didn’t tell me when you were coming back, and I don’t appreciate being locked up in your house like a prisoner. This isn’t the dark ages unless you’ve forgotten, way out here in the sticks with your fancy castle.”

A muffled chuckle shifted their attention to a maid dusting a vase, and Stone took her arm to propel her toward a waiting room. She hated this particular one because, from what she’d heard, Monica had had a hand in decorating it, and the woman had an obsession with the color yellow. Tielle detested any shade of it.

When Stone had closed the door, giving them privacy, he said, “I don’t know what you mean by ‘sticks,’ but you are not a prisoner. You said you understood the danger of going off by yourself, and with me being gone, I couldn’t take the chance, even with Jimmy guarding you.”

“You’ve been gone more than you’ve been here.”

His expression softened, and he drew her close in the circle of his arm. “You’ve missed me. Is that it?” His lips brushed hers. Tielle almost lost herself again, but she maintained a clear mind, turning her head. Stone grunted. “Fine, let me
change,
and I will take you out for a long walk. How’s that? It’s a beautiful, warm day. I’ll show you some of the places I played as a child.”

Tielle beamed. “Okay, I’ll change too.”

“What for?
You look great as you are. That dress shows off your curves well.” He gave her a swift spank on the ass.

Tielle wasn’t going to explain she wanted to wash and change her panties. He’d smirk like a proud peacock that he could get her so excited that she needed fresh underwear. He didn’t need to know. “Just wait for me. I’ll hurry.”

Within twenty minutes they were out on a narrow paved road with no sidewalk on either side. The sun shone with clear skies stretching overhead. Rolling hills of green lay in every direction. Stone took Tielle’s hand to lead her closer to the roadside when an old man came ambling along on a cart being pulled by a donkey. If Tielle hadn’t seen the limo being washed just as they were leaving the castle, she would have sworn they’d dropped into the past before cars were invented.

“Oh man, I love it here.
So clean and fresh.
The people are down to earth and friendly. Even the food is simple but good.” She patted her slightly rounded belly. “A little hearty though. I’m going to have to go light on the biscuits Betsy’s mom makes.”

Stone seemed pleased although he didn’t smile. “I’m glad you like my home.” He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “That pleases me.” His dark eyes spoke volumes. Stone was all about how well his woman pleased him, she knew. She’d thought a man so demanding would make her stress about being good enough, but that wasn’t the case with Stone. Being
herself
was a good fit for him.

“So, where did you play?” She cocked her head to the side. “Did you play at all? I can’t get the picture of a tiny little Stone in a suit out of my head.” She laughed and pointed at him. “I mean look at you. You intended to change so we could go for a walk, but you still have on slacks and a collared shirt. Don’t you ever loosen up, Mr. Business Man?”

He shrugged, tucking a hand in his pocket. The affect was stiffer. “I’m relaxed. Work went well.”

“Uh-huh, whatever.”
When Tielle faced the road, she noticed a small dirt lane leading between two low hills. She pulled from Stone’s hand and ran down to the lane. The worn path led through to a body of water. Tielle let out a whoop and kicked off her shoes. She had waded in a little ways by the time Stone caught up with her.

“Tielle, what are you doing? You’re not dressed for the water.”

“No kidding?” She waved to him, suppressing a shiver. The water was ice cold, but she didn’t let on. “Come in and join me, Stone. It’s refreshing.”

He shook his head. “I learned to swim in these waters. I know how cold you are right now.”

“So you’re chicken. Is that it?” She threw him a challenging look with her hands on her hips. The darkening in his gaze let her know he was thinking of more than how chilly the water was. The man had a one track mind. Tielle could make him loosen up and get the stick out of his ass. She turned to face him and began unbuttoning her dress.

“Tielle!” he shouted. “It’s too cold. Come out of the water.”

She had no intensions of going under. Wetting her feet was enough, but she wanted him to think she would do more. That and expose her cleavage to him. Tielle pinched open two more buttons and tugged the two sides of her dress apart. The swell of her breasts just showed, stopping short of revealing too much. She wished she hadn’t worn a bra, but then the one she wore was peach silk, and it cupped her mounds just right. They set high and firm, making Stone’s mouth water from the look of him.

“Well?” she teased, tilting her head to one side. “Don’t you want to join me, baby?”

Stone couldn’t shuck his shoes fast enough. She laughed while he ripped off his socks, tossed them aside and came splashing into the water. Tielle tried to get some distance from him, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. With one smooth motion, he flipped her around and crushed her to his chest. With the wind knocked out of her, she had barely a moment to realize what he intended before his hand skimmed her thigh, dipped past her dress’ hem, and he cupped her mound.

Tielle gasped.
“Stone.”

His eyebrows went up as if he was innocent of wrong-doing. “What? This is what you wanted, right?” He pushed his fingers past her panties to brush her pussy lips. A shiver raced down Tielle’s spin that had nothing to do with the water’s temperature.

“You’re not being fair,” she managed between moans, as her eyelids threatened to close and her neck lost the ability to keep her head upright. Her lips parted when Stone eased a finger into her pussy.

“Hm, already wet,” he mused. She protested, that this wasn’t the place
nor
the time, but Stone ignored her. He captured her clit and squeezed it with gentle pressure. Tielle bit off a scream. She raised one thigh, encircled his wrist, and pulled him closer. Stone began a rhythmic stroke along her bud at the same time he closed his mouth over hers. Their surroundings faded. All Tielle was aware of was Stone, his body, his hands. She ached for more of him—all of him he had to offer.

She strained to get closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Stone shifted his fingers to her tunnel, gliding deep. Tielle was on her way to an orgasm. She panted under his kiss, sucked at his bottom lip, and murmured his name. He picked up the pace, devoured her mouth. Tielle rotated her hips, pumping into his fingers each time he thrust. She was so close. She promised herself she’d satisfy her man just like he was doing to her when he finished. He was everything to her.

Just when she crested, ready to explode, something—a sound—brought her out of her lust-filled haze. Stone had broken the kiss and gone stiff. Tielle forced her eyes open and glanced up at him, and then to whatever he stared at. Two men stood on shore wearing twin offended expressions on their faces.

The taller, more disapproving man spoke first. “Do you think this is an appropriate spot to do…
that
, Stone? What would your father think? Surely, you know it reflects badly on the Hughes name?”

Stone pulled his fingers from between her legs. Tielle twisted around to keep them from seeing just how much of herself she’d been fine showing off a moment ago. Embarrassment made her want to hide, but she was also pissed that these men thought they could judge what was right and wrong about what she and Stone did. Who the hell did they think they were?

Stone pushed her behind him while she straightened her dress. “I hardly think my sex life is your business, Gladstone.
If you’ll excuse us?”

The man Stone had called Gladstone harrumphed and pivoted away. The other man who’d said nothing but glared followed him. The tension that had risen with their holier than thou attitudes lightened as soon as they were gone. Still, Tielle felt guilty. She’d been the one to lure Stone into the water. She certainly hadn’t meant to make him look bad.

As she followed him out of the water, she said, “I’m sorry. That was my fault. I shouldn’t have convinced you to forget yourself and come into the water. I hope they weren’t a business deal that’s now gone bad because of me.”

Stone dropped a light kiss on her lips and moved to put his shoes and socks on. “Don’t worry. They’re just a couple of my father’s cronies. Everything that comes out of his mouth as far as Gladstone and his partner are concerned is law.” He shrugged. “They’ll report every detail to the old man, I’m sure. It doesn’t matter. He learned a long time ago that I do not live in his pocket.”

Panic rose in Tielle’s chest. “Are you kidding me? Did you forget that I haven’t even met the man yet? I wanted to make a good impression, keep the peace and all that, but he hasn’t been home since I arrived.” She gestured toward the water. “But now with all this, I can forget it.”

On a rock at the side of the path, Stone sat down and pulled her onto his lap. He nuzzled her cheek and made her relax against him. “Let’s get something straight. Einin Hughes will never accept you, no matter what you do. He barely likes me, I think, or anyone. We’re all peons beneath him, people to be manipulated into doing just what he wants.”

“Different from you,” she commented.

His eyes glazed, and then he glanced up at the sky. Tielle had a strange feeling like up there was where Stone wanted to be. That couldn’t be right, though. He had told her he didn’t enjoy flying, even though it was in the lap of luxury on his family’s jet. He’d said it confined him too much.

“No,” Stone said after a few minutes. “Not so different from me. He raised me to think that I am superior to all others because of who I am. I believed that for a long time. Sometimes, I fall back into it, the times when you accuse me of being arrogant.” His gaze met hers, daring her to deny it. She rolled her eyes, not even feeling like she needed to. Stone was arrogant, but he wasn’t the cruel, evil thing his father was from all the reports she’d heard and from her small experience talking to him.

“I wouldn’t be with you if you were like him,” she admitted.

Stone smiled. “Maybe my arrogance would have me force you.”

“Not.” She put a hand up. He captured it and sucked one of her fingers. Tielle shivered. “Stone, stop.”

He released her finger from his mouth but didn’t let her hand go. “You didn’t get to come because of those pricks.”