Nothing but Trouble (5 page)

“Now pucker up, princess, and kiss me like you mean it.” His mouth was hovering over hers, so close Sophie could feel his breath against her trembling lips.

Kiss him?
Her eyes grew round at his command but before she could utter a protest, his mouth closed firmly over hers, stealing her breath away. The crazy thought flashed through her mind that if all he wanted was a kiss, she could cope with that. Only when he deepened his sensual attack she felt him slowly lower his weight against her.

If he thought she wouldn’t notice what he was doing then he was in for a big surprise. Furious at his boldness and feeling betrayed by his action, she began to squirm like an eel out of water; trying everything she could to dislodge him. When nothing seemed to work she moved her hands between them, pushing against his chest. Using her nails like lethal weapons, she raked his flesh, getting an immediate response out of him.

He pulled back, sucking in his breath, his eyes blazing. “You little witch!”

“You’re taking advantage…”

They both stilled when they heard Tom say in an overloud tone, “I’m telling you, there’s no one in the bedroom except my brother and sister-in-law.”

A glimmer of hope filled Sophie. If the security guards didn’t pick up on Tom’s obvious nervousness, then they weren’t very good at their jobs. Before she had a chance to react to their muted responses, Brent slammed his mouth down on hers. She found her wrists grabbed and brought over her head. He clamped them together in one hand, using his other to reach for the edge of the comforter.

At least he was showing some consideration to the implied intimacy of their situation, even if it was for show. Yet knowing that didn’t keep Sophie from struggling against him. If security opened the door she wanted them to see she wasn’t a willing participant, in spite of telling Brent she’d cooperate. Instincts warned her she wouldn’t get another chance like this.

Brent tore his mouth away from hers. “If this little show is going to work, the security guards have to believe we’re very involved beneath the covers. So absorbed that a tornado can rip through the damn building and we wouldn’t notice. You’re acting more like a woman fighting off an assailant.”

What did he expect? “Then maybe you’d better change your technique!”

His eyes blazed with sudden anger at her remark, and the next thing Sophie knew, he was giving her ear a barely controlled tug with his teeth. “You have about five seconds to start cooperating like you promised, or someone’s going to get hurt,” he rasped, sucking in a deep breath before lowering his mouth to hers again. This time in a more tender assault.

His threat couldn’t be any clearer. Sophie forced herself to calm down, accepting the return of his mouth on hers. But that turned out to be a mistake. Once she stopped struggling, she became aware of other sensations: the sharp taste of his kiss; the sound of his hunger rumbling inside his chest, and the unwilling response of her own starved senses.

How could this be? It didn’t make sense. She became afraid for other reasons, moaning deeply beneath the mastery of his persuasive mouth. She’d never been kissed so forcefully before, with a mixture of tenderness and savagery that left her confused and trembling with weakness, drunk with desire.

The invasion of his tongue made her hot inside and moist in places that ached for fulfillment. Yet she refused to give in, pushing her tongue against his in an effort to force him out of her mouth. It was a mistake. Though they each battled for dominance, the fire surging through Sophie’s blood caught her completely unaware.

Something, a small noise, alerted her to the fact the bedroom door was opening. In spite of her promise, desperation forced her to twist her head to the side in a futile effort to break away. She unintentionally gave Brent’s bottom lip a bite in the process. The animal sound that followed both frightened and excited her.

“Oops! See? I told you they were in here,” Sophie heard Tom say in a slightly hushed tone. “They just returned from their honeymoon,” he went on, just before closing the door again.

Sophie felt the change in Brent almost immediately, not realizing how tense he was until that moment. He gradually relaxed against her. Though he didn’t break off the kiss, she sensed his concentration was more on what was going on around them, than what they were doing. Part of her balked at the ease in which he detached himself. He remained in complete control, while she was as hot as a furnace inside, her body pulsing with sensation. Finding the strength, she pushed against his shoulders, angrier with herself than frightened of him.

It seemed an eternity before he allowed her to push him away. Her gaze fell to his smooth, sensual mouth; hers still tingling by his masterful possession. Hardly understanding how it had brought her so much pleasure. Or, is it simply because I haven’t been kissed in a long time? No, she quickly dismissed that thought. It hasn’t been that long. She watched as his tongue slipped out to trace his bottom lip where her teeth had grazed him. There was a dollop of blood there.

Slowly reining in the desire riding her body she looked at him. The undisguised hunger she saw in those lazy, half-closed orbs made her yearn for him to take her lips again. Yet she forced the urge away, wondering where in heavens it had come from. Out of nowhere, a kiss meant to serve a purpose, had sparked a need of want so hard and fast in her body that she didn’t know what to make of it. Did he feel it too?

She opened her mouth, not even sure what she was going to say, when he slapped his hand over it. He shifted his weight until she was completely pinned down by his hard body. Sophie’s eyes widened when the move revealed he was hard as steel. She arched against him in an effort to throw him off, which only brought to attention how perfectly aligned their bodies were for lovemaking. She stiffened, fear and excitement overwhelming her senses at the same time.

“If I were you, I’d stop moving,” he warned in a guttural tone. “I’ll release you as soon as Tom gives me the okay.”

Sophie could only guess that meant the three little knocks she heard at the bedroom door a minute later. Next thing she knew Brent released an audible sigh and rolled away from her. He got to his feet and glanced down at her, mild amusement, and something else, swimming in his sexy eyes.

“I can see it in your eyes, princess. Go ahead, blast away.”

“You’re despicable!” Sophie spat out, clutching the gown to her quivering breasts. “That’s the last time I’m cooperating with you…”

Brent snorted, which turned her face even redder. “If that was cooperation, you need lessons, princess.”

“You took advantage of me,” she declared with anger, a matching gleam of disdain in her accusing eyes.

“I told you what I intended; when’s the last time you made love with a man that didn’t involve kissing?” It had been necessary to his plan. Only his reaction to the moment was definitely not part of it, catching him off-guard. He knew revealing that would be a huge mistake and possibly give Sophie the upper hand.

The last thing she needed to know was the taste of her mouth had rendered him temporarily mindless. That kind of power would give her the leverage she needed to have him eating right out of her pretty little hand. Brent had enough experience with women to know most of them were manipulative actresses who didn’t have a faithful bone in their bodies. Doing anything to get them what they wanted.

He forced a smile he was far from feeling, hoping to disguise the desire still gripping him. No, not desire, lust. When he desired a woman it was because he held affection for her. Sophie had pushed him to the depths of raw, animal hunger without half trying.

“I demand you let me go.” Her scathing tone cut through his thoughts as easy as a warm knife slicing through butter.

“Save your breath, lady, because you’re not going anywhere, at least for a little while. In case it hasn’t sunk in yet, you’ve been kidnapped. You’re worth a lot of money.”

“You’re a bas-bastard!” she stammered, losing control. Obvious embarrassment over her outburst caused her to lower her face.

Brent grinned. The senator had told him Sophie hardly ever lost control, so he assumed what he was witnessing now was a new experience for her. “I’ve been called worse.”

For a moment something about his mouth seemed to captivate her, before her gaze moved away to meet his. Was that fear in her eyes? Brent was willing to bet there’d been nothing in her life to prepare her for the mess she suddenly found herself. Although, according to the paper, her father had been the object of many such criminal attempts. One of which he’d been called in to help.

“You won’t get away with this,” she said quietly, peering at him from beneath the sweep of long lashes. He tried to pretend her innocent look wasn’t sexy as hell. He reached for his pants and slipped them on, carefully zipping them up over the bulge of his arousal. He had to give Sophie credit; she refused to break eye contact with him, even when he was forced to adjust himself.

“I already have,” he responded smugly, smiling in the face of her disdain.

She pressed her lips for a second before voicing, “I’d like nothing better then to wipe that smile off your face. The security guards couldn’t have gone far.”

Brent watched as she glanced about the room. He could just imagine what was going through that conniving mind of hers. There wouldn’t be much he could do were she to suddenly let out a scream, or jump off the bed and begin throwing things. He was thankful there were no pictures, lamps or knickknacks of any kind. Besides a bed and practical dresser, the only other furniture in the room was a small table and chair in front of the bay window. He doubted she could throw a chair very far.

Finally her gaze came back to him, the expression on her face giving her away. She was going to try something stupid. “Don’t even think about it,” Brent warned, his stare narrowing on her threateningly. “Maybe you should consider the fate of others before acting carelessly.” His brutal reminder quickly cleared the purpose in her eyes.

In time Brent would tell her everything but right now the less she knew the better. He needed her convinced this was the real thing, instinctively knowing if she knew her kidnapping was a scheme concocted by her own father she wouldn’t remain manageable for very long, especially if she was anything like her father.

“It takes a brave man to control someone by threatening to hurt innocent people. Your mother must be very proud of you,” she said in a voice laced with venom, her eyes snapping defiantly at him.

“Let’s leave my mother out of this, princess.” His tone was deceptively soft.

“And stop calling me princess,” she demanded. When Brent leaned toward her, she nervously pulled the coverlet up to her chin as though it offered protection.

He laughed softly, putting a long finger beneath her chin and tipping it up. Her lips parted slightly; he was close enough to feel the warmth of her breath against his face. “What do you want me to call you?” In spite of her attempt to jerk away he held her firmly.

“Miss Adams,” she replied smartly.

Her comment produced a bark of humorless laughter from him. She was serious. “I think we’re past those formalities, don’t you?” His gaze dropped, traveling from the startled expression in her eyes to her lips. She had a sassy mouth, just begging to be tamed. The memory of what she felt like squirming beneath him surfaced, hardening his resolve to ignore her appeal. “Consider yourself our guest until Lord pays up.” His tone became as cold and sharp as a glacier. She shuddered at the mention of Jonathan’s name, a reaction that didn’t go unnoticed by Brent.

“What makes you think Jonathan will pay any ransom to get me back?” she finally voiced.

His brows rose with surprise. “The fact he loves you. You were supposed to become his wife tomorrow.” Brent watched her reaction carefully, his gaze narrowing. “Weren’t you?”

Brent schooled himself not to show any interest by the transformation that came over her face. Her expression suddenly revealed precisely what she felt for her soon-to-be husband, which confirmed the senator’s suspicions. She wasn’t exactly ecstatic over the prospect of marrying the millionaire. The million-dollar question was why. So far the senator had yet to fill him in on all the details. He reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out the engagement ring he’d snatched off the table on their way out of her place.

“Maybe wearing his ring will give you some comfort.” The ring felt heavy in his hand. He glanced down at it, seeing the many facets of color catching the varying shades of light in the room. He’d always considered diamonds were cold stones resembling a chunk of ice. He glanced back at Sophie; she made him think of fiery opals and warm pearls.

Her gaze dropped to his palm and the truth became transparent in her lovely eyes. If he flushed it down the toilet she wouldn’t care. Only he knew she’d never admit to that. She was too well bred and private, too proud. She raised her chin, meeting his quiet gaze with the swell of tears swimming in her eyes, exposing her vulnerability. Brent forced down his protective instincts.

“That stone is worth millions, why don’t you just keep it and let me go?” she asked, breaking the silence.

He continued to hold the ring toward her. “Where would the fun be in that?”

She took the ring with obvious reluctance. “Thank you.” Her low tone exposed the degree of emotion running through her. For a second Brent was sure he saw how much she detested Jonathan reflected in her eyes before she masked it. She curled her hand around the cold stone until her knuckles turned white. “What now? You gag me and tie me to the bed?”