Naked Shorts (6 page)

It would fade soon. The magic of the armband would wear off, eventually. Maybe just one more time could she feel him inside her. One more time. After that, his desire would have worn off too.

“Just one more time. After that we”ll part ways. You”ll let me go.” She was crazy offering it, yet she looked at him asking for his promise.

“I”m not sure I can do that,” he hedged.

“Please, you have to promise me.”

Seconds ticked away as he considered her plea. “Okay. But you”ll give me twenty-four hours with you, and if you still want to leave after that, you can. But I won”t promise that I won”t try to convince you to come back to me even after that.”

Marcus offered his hand to lead her upstairs, and she took it. When they were halfway up the stairs, the door bell rang. She stopped.

“Ignore it,” he said and kept walking.

“What if it”s important?”

The burning desire in his eyes spoke volumes. “You are important.”

The door bell rang again. This time it was accompanied by several loud knocks and an insistent male voice. “Mr. Montcrieff? Simon Hammerlein from Christie”s. Mr. Montcrieff?”

A surprised look washed over Marcus” face. “I”d better see what he wants.”

Olivia recognized the man who stood outside the front door. She”d seen him at the auction house and knew he was one of the administrators. Next to him stood a man she”d never met.

“I”m so sorry to disturb you, Mr. Montcrieff. But there has been a problem. Hmm …”

He seemed overly nervous.

“This is Inspector Chadwick from Scotland Yard.”

The inspector showed his identification. Olivia”s heart stopped. Had he called the coppers on her nevertheless? Disappointment swept over her. So his word wasn”t worth anything after all.

“Maybe we could have a word in private?”

“Concerning?” Marcus” voice sounded tight.

“The artifact you purchased at the auction. There has been a theft.”

Marcus shot a glance over his shoulder to where Olivia stood at the bottom of the stairs, the armband in her hand, willing her to remain calm.

“There”s been no theft. As you can see, my girlfriend is holding it.”

The two men looked past him and nodded as they saw her with the artifact in the palm of her hand. She tried to steady her shaking hands, hoping they couldn”t see her fear from where they stood.

“Unfortunately the theft occurred
before
the auction,” the inspector explained pointedly.

“This one is a forgery.”

Marcus motioned the two men to come in. They entered the foyer.

“A forgery?” Olivia echoed and stepped toward them. Marcus put his arm around her waist.

His touch was reassuring, as was the knowledge that he was as surprised about the police showing up at his door as she was.

“Would you care to elaborate?” Marcus asked the inspector.

“We”ve apprehended an employee of the auction house,” Inspector Chadwick explained as Mr. Hammerlein cringed. “The employee was trying to smuggle the item out of the country, no doubt to sell it to a foreign collector.”

“What makes you so sure that his is the real one, and this is the forgery?”

Marcus” hand around Olivia”s waist held her closer to him as if he felt her unease around the policeman. His thumb stroked her tenderly.

“He confessed, and we found the workshop where he made the replica. We”ll of course have to test both items to make sure. Therefore, we”ll have to confiscate the artifact for now.”

“Baby, why don”t you give the armband to the inspector?”

She was unable to move. Marcus took the armband from her hands and passed it to the inspector.

“Very sorry, Madam, Sir,” Mr. Hammerlein apologized. “The auction house will of course make sure you”ll receive the real armband once the investigation is closed. And your money will be put into an interest bearing account for your benefit. May I say, we at Christie”s are shocked and -”

Marcus waved him off. “I”m sure you”ll sort it out.”

Then he looked at Olivia, and a big smile spread over his face. He seemed completely unfazed about the revelation that he”d purchased a forgery.

“Gentlemen, if you”ll excuse us. My girlfriend and I have plans …” The way he said
girlfriend
and
plans
in one sentence coupled with the way his eyes devoured her told her exactly what he wanted.

“Of course,” Hammerlein stammered.

After an exchange of business cards and a receipt for the fake armband they were alone.

Gone was the armband, replaced by the knowledge that there was no legend or magic

attached to the forgery.

It was worse than she”d thought. If there was no magic, no legend, then she had fallen for Marcus, fallen for the man she”d robbed.

“I”ve got to leave,” Olivia burst out and made for the door pushing past him.

He gripped her arm and pulled her back. “You”re not going anywhere, love.”

Her lips trembled. She was scared. Scared of the emotions she carried in her chest. “But -”

Marcus shook his head. “There”s no legend. No magic. It”s real. You and I - that”s real.”

“But it can”t be. It”s not possible.” She tried to deny it, hoping that if she said the words, she could will the feelings away.

“What are you scared of? Me? Or yourself?”

He hit the nail on the head. His hand snaked around her waist, and he pulled her closer until her body was pressed against his.

“I”m a thief. You don”t want me.”

“You”re a thief, I can”t deny that. Do you want to know what you”ve stolen this time?” He paused and looked into her eyes. She saw warmth and affection coupled with the same hunger she”d seen in him earlier.

“My heart. You”ve stolen my heart. And I”m going to punish you for it every day for the rest of my life.”

“You don”t know what you”re saying.” Olivia continued resisting, but her body was calling her a liar, and she knew it.

His leg pushed her thighs apart, and he rubbed against her sex. She sighed.

“You don”t fight fair,” she whispered as he sank his lips onto her neck.

“I fight as dirty as I want to. The prize is worth it.”

His hands tugged at her sweater, and with one swift move he pulled it over her head. As usual she didn”t wear a bra. Hot lips sank onto her skin, blazing a trail to her nipple before taking the treacherous erect bud into his mouth.

“We have to stop this,” she insisted as she ran her hands through his hair. “You don”t want me. I”m a thief.”

Marcus chuckled. “I guess I”ll just have to keep you busy then, so you won”t have time to steal anything else.”

“You should let me go.”

“No, I should make you come.”

Seconds later they were undressing each other in the middle of the foyer.

“Just one more time, then you”ll let me go,” she relented, but knew she was lying. She wanted more than just one more time.

“Maybe,” he agreed. Or did he? He freed her from her last stitch of clothing and pressed her against his naked body. His hands urged her to surrender, and his kisses murdered her resolve to walk away.

“Do I have to remind you of who”s boss?” he asked as he pushed her toward the living room.

Before she knew what he would do, he”d turned her body and slung her over the backrest of the armchair. A second later his body was behind her, his erection probing at the apex of her thighs.

The sensation of feeling him made her even wetter than she already was. She knew she was lost.

Maybe it was time to admit it.

His cock slid along her moist folds, teasing her. “One more time is not nearly enough, and you know it.”

As if to torture her, he slid back and forth without entering her.

“Oh, Marcus, please!”

With a triumphant groan he plunged into her, filling her completely. It felt better than the times before. Better than anything. Olivia instantly realized why it was so different. No condom.

“Where are the condoms?” She tried to pull away, but he thrust deeper.

“Upstairs. I can pull out before I come.” Then she felt his hot breath in her ear, low and sweet. “Unless you don”t want me to.”

What was he suggesting? “What do you want from me?”

His cock stroked back and forth inside her, slowly and deliberately, stealing a moan from her lips.

“Everything you”re willing to give me.” His voice was hoarse, colored with desire and passion, laced with hope.

“Everything?” He couldn”t possibly be serious. “You don”t know me.”

“Then help me get to know you. I want you, Olivia, and I”m not going to give up. We”re right together. Doesn”t this feel right?” Marcus deliberately pumped harder, and she absorbed every thrust greedily.

“We have nothing in common, it”ll never work.”

“I collect art, you steal art. We have a lot in common.” His warm lips kissed the sensitive skin along her shoulders. Moments later she felt his thumb stroking her clit as if to emphasize what else they had in common.

“You”re crazy.” She tilted her head offering her neck to the caress of his lips.

Marcus chuckled. “I believe you said that already. And besides, I remember you giving me twenty-four hours to make my case.”

His mouth latched onto her soft skin. Then his teeth scraped her neck, biting down gently until a shiver ran through her body.

She wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she wasn”t ready to tell him. If they were to have a meaningful relationship, she”d have to establish ground rules first. And one was that he couldn”t win every argument without a fight. Even though she was willing to let him win this one.

Not immediately of course.

“You”re on. You have twenty-four hours to convince me.”

And she would enjoy every single second of it, as would he.

THE END

CAPTURED TO BREED

by

Tina Folsom

Leif felt his head spin when he lifted it to find his bearings. How long he”d been unconscious he couldn”t say. It was dim in the place he found himself. The stale, damp air assaulted his senses. The stiffness in his muscles supported his assumption that he”d been out for many hours. As he tried to sit up, he instantly noticed the heaviness around his numb wrists.

He twisted his head toward his restraints. Heavy irons bound not only his arms but also his legs, making it impossible for him to take more than two steps. Not that there was much to explore in the dark and humid stone cell he found himself in. He rattled his chains, but they were anchored solidly behind him in the wall.

Even with his unusual strength, he wouldn”t be able to loosen them. He was a strong warrior, a leader, and the heir to his father”s throne, but at present it mattered little. Without weapons or allies even he would perish. His men probably already had.

He”d seen some of them being struck down in the ambush. Their attackers had come out of nowhere in the thick of the forest they”d camped in. Under cover of night, a group of fighters had come upon them and had made easy work defeating them. Leif hadn”t even gotten a look at the warrior who”d sent him tumbling.

Angry at his vulnerability, he pulled at the chains again. “Get me out of here,” he yelled.

Minutes later the heavy wooden door opened with a loud crank. In stepped his captors, the torches they brought with them illuminating his cell.

Women! They were all women. Five of them. Two carrying swords were clearly

warriors, clad in leathers. The three others were dressed in flowing gowns. The tallest of the three was obviously their leader. She carried herself in the same regal way only a king would, yet she was a woman.

“I see he”s finally awoken,” she stated and smiled at the petite woman next to her. Leif could see a resemblance between them, a similar facial structure, the same auburn hair. However, the smaller woman”s eyes were of a fiery green. Siblings, most likely. Both of them beautiful in their own right.

“Where am I?” Leif demanded to know.

One of the warrior women lashed at him with a leather whip. “You will only speak when you”re spoken to.”

“Are you certain, Aurora? We can still -” the green-eyed beauty asked the tall woman next to her.

An angry hand movement cut her off. “Selena, my decision is made.” Aurora”s voice

brooked no refusal. Leif could hear the hardness in her sharp tone. She was used to ruling and would not take orders from anyone.

Where on Earth had he ended up? What kind of society was this where women appeared to have such power?

“My
vekker
will test him,” Aurora continued.

While Leif understood her dialect, which wasn”t too far from his own, he was not

familiar with the word
vekker
. But he sure hoped it didn”t mean whip. He had no taste for the leather cutting his skin. He needed all his strength if he wanted to get out of this place.

A third woman wearing a robe that was almost transparent, approached him. He could see her lush curves through her clothing. Her long hair hung loose over her back, but several strands had fallen forward and bounced off her ample breasts. His gaze dropped lower - to where a triangle of dark curls marked the entrance to her inner cave.

She appeared to feel no embarrassment as she approached him and noticed his stares.

What woman would willingly allow a stranger to look at her female charms like this?

“
Vekker
, make him come for me. I want to see how potent he is,” Aurora ordered the young woman.

Leif was sure he”d misunderstood - maybe what she”d said meant something else in their dialect, for she could not possibly want to do what he suspected. When the woman stopped in front of him and started loosening the strings on his tunic, he realized to his shock that he”d understood only too well.

“Stop this! What are you doing?” he shouted. He”d be damned if he”d let these witches touch him and take his manhood for their pleasure. He wouldn”t let himself be humiliated like this.

The woman stepped aside only to allow one of the warrior women to lash her whip

against him again. “There will be no talking.” The whip bit into his upper arms, and he reared forward, but the chains held him back, and he couldn”t reach either of the women.