Tempting a Sinner (4 page)

She pulled back and simply studied him, the lean muscle at his hips, the intriguing lines down to his groin, and the fair thatch of hair between his legs. Careful not to jog his shoulder she climbed over his hips and sat on his stomach, his cock settled behind her buttocks.

“When you are well, I’m going to take you in the arse while you fuck me. I’m not sure what I’ll use, but something nice and wide and . . .” She undulated her hips and felt her own arousal slide against his skin. “Rigid, harder than a cock, and I’ll make you take all of it until you beg me not to stop.”

She rose up onto her knees and placed her hand on the top of the headboard bringing her breasts close to his face. With her other hand, she pushed her loosened corset down, cupped her breast, and brought it to his mouth.

“Kiss me here.”

With a helpless sound, he opened his mouth and started to suck and lick her nipple. Desire coursed through her and she thrust her fingers into her sex to the rhythm of his sucking until she was so close to coming she shook with it. His cock thrust against her buttocks, wet now and as hot as she was.

“Look at me,” she ordered, and he obeyed, his eyes narrowed with lust. “Watch me take you.”

She shifted down and lifted herself over him, one hand holding his cock upright. With a soft moan, she used him to rub her clit and then around her aching, needy sex.

“Take me.” His words were less of a command and more of a desperate plea. She liked that.

She lowered herself over the first inch of him and then off and then took a little more. The sensation of fullness was exquisite. The third time she took all of him, her greedy moan joining his as she rocked against him straining to take every bit of his impressive shaft. She touched her clit and circled the now swollen bud, let him watch her use him as she wanted for her own pleasure. He was trapped beneath her, his cock at her bidding, his beautiful body straining to give her what she wanted.

She should have felt triumphant. But he didn’t know who she was....

“Set me free, damn you.” His hoarse words broke the spell. “Let me touch you.”

The thought of his hands on her . . . She climaxed and barely held on to her ability to breathe, let alone contemplate untying him. Did he think her vulnerable now; did he truly think he could make demands of her?

She rocked against him, driving herself toward another peak, using his stiff cock as it was meant to be used, for
her
pleasure, not his, never his.

“God, I need to come, I—”

Before he even finished speaking, she pulled away from him and watched as he climaxed, his seed soaking the sheets between his thighs. It was an impressive sight. This time, when he slumped back against the pillows, he truly did look exhausted. Malinda suffered a slight pang of remorse. She needed him to recover. She’d allowed her emotions to override the success of her overall plan. It was imperative that she didn’t let that happen again.

Damn her
.

He’d wanted to come inside her. Wanted her to know what it was like to be filled with his seed. Wanted to see her lose control as she’d made him lose control. But she’d moved off him, leaving his cock suddenly cold and vulnerable and watched him come as though he were some kind of botanical project.

Perhaps she was keeping score of his prowess so that she could report back to Madame Helene when she’d had enough of him.

Would he ever have enough of her?

She got off the bed and returned with a basin of water to wash him clean. It took quite a while. He submitted because he was exhausted and he had no other choice. When she’d dried him off, she came around to untie his wrists and helped him lower his arms. He winced as his left shoulder protested the change of position. She massaged his neck and shoulder until the ache eased sufficiently for him to relax into the pleasurable afterglow of sex.

“Thank you for attending to my shoulder.”

“It was nothing.”

“Nonsense. You could’ve left me tied up all night and walked away without a care in the world.”

She paused at the door to look back at him. “And damage the merchandise?”

His faint gratitude died an instant death. “I keep forgetting that I am nothing more than the equivalent of a lapdog or a stallion to you.”

“You sound rather bitter.” She raised her eyebrows, her face austere in the flicker of the candlelight. “Are you regretting your decision to fulfill your part of the bargain?”

“Regretting fornicating?” He gave her his best lazy smile. “I’m a man. I’ll fuck anything that lies down with me.”

“As long as you are paid.”

He allowed his gaze to slide down over her body. “Sometimes even a man needs an incentive.”

“Damn you to
hell,
Benedict.”

She opened the door in a swirl of skirts and departed, banging it behind her. His smile died. Antagonizing the woman who held the key to his future recovery and freedom was hardly wise. If he was a prostitute, he was obviously an outrageous one. Had he hurt her with his last comment? It was impossible to tell. She guarded her expressions almost as well as he did.

She’d called him Benedict.

He sighed and cupped his still-throbbing cock and balls. He was starting to lose track of what was real and what wasn’t. Her sexual appetite was certainly unusual for a lady, but had she really brought a prostitute into her home to satisfy her needs? She struck him as an intensely private person. Perhaps she believed she had no other option. And if he was Ben, and she was a lonely, deprived widow, he’d just as good as told her that the only reason he was touching her was for money . . . not the best way to win a lady’s trust.

The sound of Jim’s snoring filtered through the thickness of the door, and Benedict reached over to blow out the candle. As he lay back down, a sense of conviction flooded over him. He wasn’t Ben, and she wasn’t a frustrated widow. It was as if he was punching blindfolded in the dark. Eventually he was bound to connect with something. Therefore, anything he said was acceptable in the uneven battle of wills they were currently engaged in. When he did remember exactly who he was, nothing would stand in his way, and he would continue to use any weapons at his disposal.

He imagined her tied to
his
bed, her legs spread wide, and her sex open to his gaze, begging him to fill her with his cock. His shaft twitched. She must never know that if their positions were reversed, he’d willingly pay for her touch for the rest of his life.

“H
old still, sir.”

J
im staggered as Benedict deliberately leaned most of his weight on the smaller man. In an effort to stop him from falling, Jim rocked back and forth, his feet planted wide, but it was no use. His legs gave way like a toppling tree, bringing them both down to the wooden floorboards. Jim’s breath whooshed out as Benedict landed squarely on top of him.

He pretended to scrabble for purchase, and eventually managed to roll away.

“I’m sorry, Jim. I’m obviously weaker than I thought.” He got back into bed wincing with pain. “Are you all right?”

Jim sat up, too, his expression aggrieved. “I’m fine now that your huge carcass isn’t crushing the life out of me. You weigh as much as one of those elephants from India!”

“I’m sorry.” Benedict lay back and closed his eyes. “I won’t try to do that again today, I promise.”

Jim harrumphed, gathered up the discarded towels and soapy water, and departed, with his nose in the air.

After counting to a thousand, Benedict opened his hand to reveal the bone handle of the pocketknife he’d taken from Jim’s coat pocket. With one eye on the door, he pulled back the sheets and studied the shackle around his ankle and the chain that connected it to the bed. There’d been no sign of Mally for the last three days, but Gwen had come to see him regularly, as had the most timid of the three, Miss Doris. When Benedict asked after their intimidating leader, he’d been informed that it was quarter day week, and she was busy paying wages, settling disputes between farmers, and organizing the disposal of the crops brought in from various outlying orchards and fields.

Somehow, he understood the needs of a country estate, and had no problem accepting the answer—even though he assumed she was avoiding him too. Every day meant a growth in his strength and a new revelation about who he might be. The idea of stealing the knife had come to him from nowhere, but had been incredibly easy to orchestrate.

He bent closer to examine the metal. The band around his ankle looked very solid, and he doubted the puny knife would have any impact on it. The chain was older and rusting in places. It looked as if it had been attached to the iron in something of a hurry. He carefully checked each individual link and then the final link that was attached to the shackle. Using the tip of the knife, he found a weak spot in the weld, inserted the blade into the tiny gap, and, careful not to break off the tip, wiggled it back and forth. He breathed a sigh of thanks as he felt the metal give very slightly. It was highly possible that he could detach the shackle from the chain.

The sound of voices at the door gave him just enough time to rearrange the covers and slip the knife under his pillow. He was sitting up when Miss Doris came into the room carrying a tray. She smiled hesitantly at him.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Miss Doris.” He inclined his head respectfully.

“I’ve brought you some chicken soup. Cook says there is more if you require it.”

“That is very good of her, and it is very kind of you to bring it up for me.”

She settled the tray on his lap and handed him a spoon. Her eyes were a cornflower blue that reminded him forcibly of someone else. “You are most welcome. Everyone is rather busy today. I was worried that you might be overlooked.”

“I understand that your sister is running the house by herself?”

“When we arrived here from the Continent, there was no staff and the place was a shambles. Mally had to arrange everything.” She sighed. “She is a remarkably competent woman.”

“So I understand.” He sipped at his soup. If he wasn’t mistaken, this was the first time Miss Doris had visited him by herself. Did they think she wasn’t to be trusted, or was she simply indiscreet? He gave her his warmest smile and she blushed.

“Miss Mally is lucky to have such devoted helpers as you and Miss Gwen. I’m sure you both take on much of the burden of running a large household.”

“We do our best, but Mally oversees everything.”

He continued to sip his soup. “It must be difficult to get staff in this part of the country.”

“It is, indeed. Lindsey St. Joan is close by, but most of the inhabitants prefer to go and work on the fishing fleet rather than into service.” She sighed. “And this house isn’t the most convenient of locations. The rooms have been added over centuries. The kitchens are at one end of the house, the dining room the other, and the remains of the medieval hall plonked right in between them! The food is always cold by the time it reaches your plate. That’s why we’ve ended up eating in the kitchen.”

He concentrated on finishing his food, using his bread to mop up the last of the delicious broth. Miss Doris watched him approvingly.

“Would you like some more, sir?”

He pushed the tray away. “No, I thank you. That was excellent.” He dropped his napkin on the tray, concealing the contents, and handed the whole thing back to her. He yawned and covered his mouth. “Excuse me. After that excellent repast, I think I’ll take a nap.”

“Then I’ll make sure that no one disturbs you.”

Her smile reminded him of her sister, but there the likeness ended. Where Doris was petite and fair, Mally was built like a queen, her hair the dark auburn of an autumn leaf. He guessed Doris was considerably younger than her sister, or had been protected sufficiently for her beauty to survive. Doris was sweetly pretty. Mally was
formidable
. He preferred the latter. It was more of a challenge.

“Miss Doris, did you say you had lived abroad? I’ve always wanted to travel.”

“Yes, indeed. Our mother was married twice to military men, so we traveled all over Europe.”

“How exciting.”

Her ready smile wavered. “Sometimes it was exciting, but most of the time it was quite frightening. If it hadn’t have been for Mally, I don’t think I would’ve survived.” She glanced down at the tray. “I must be getting this back to the kitchen.”

Benedict let her go, aware that if they realized she’d been alone with him, she’d probably be interrogated by her sister or Gwen. He pondered what she’d revealed. He was in an old house, near the coast, and in a desolate area. The name of the village was familiar to him, and the description of the house had resonated too. The problem was, the harder he tried to pin something down—the more it dissipated into nothingness. The memories emerged randomly and at their own pace. It was quite infuriating.

With a sigh, he retrieved his latest acquisition and focused on what he could control. He’d managed to steal his spoon, which could be used as a bigger wedge to separate the link of the chain.

He set to work on the metal, easing the knife into the weld and cleaning out the rusted parts, shoving the thicker part of the blade ever deeper until he could finally wedge the end of the spoon in there. The link started to distort and he renewed his efforts, his fingers aching with the strain as he wrestled with the intractable metal. He had to find a way to detach it from the rest of the chain but also be able to put it back, at least temporarily, until he was ready to leave.

He cursed as his fingers slipped and he scraped his knuckles. Wiping his sweating hand on the sheets, he assessed his work, took a deep breath, and managed to twist the link free. He listened intently but there was no sound of an imminent interruption, so he detached the link, leaving his ankle still enclosed in the metal band. At least he could now move off the bed. He placed his right foot on the floor and then the other and stood up. For a second, the room dipped and swayed, and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

He’d been in bed for at least two weeks, maybe even three, and had lost both weight and strength. Instinct made him take two stumbling steps toward the door, before he forced himself to stop. There was no need to leave until his memory returned or he gained a sense of where to go. If he could recover his mobility without the ladies realizing it, he would be in a better position to run when the occasion arose.

By God, it was good simply to be free. He took a moment to stretch his cramped muscles and then crawled back into bed. His energy was low and he was afraid he’d be discovered before he worked out how to reattach the chain. It took him a while, but he eventually lay back down, his chest heaving as though he’d run a mile. He allowed his thoughts to wander as to what Mally would do when she discovered he could overpower her with ease . . . well, perhaps not with ease, she had shot him in cold blood after all, and he still didn’t really know why.

He heard Jim’s low voice out in the corridor and the higher-pitched tones of a flustered Doris. He found the spoon, laid it on the bedside table, and closed his eyes.

Doris crept up to the side of the bed and he heard the soft
clang
as she picked up the spoon.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she whispered. “As if you would be able to use such a thing as a weapon. Mally’s imagination is really too wild sometimes.”

She retreated with a soft rustle of petticoats until he heard the door open. This time Benedict really did fall asleep, only to be awakened by the sound of raised voices outside his window.

Heart beating wildly, he removed the chain and hobbled over to the nearest open window that looked down onto the side of the house and the stables beyond. Below him stood Mally, with a shotgun aimed at two strangers who were wisely holding their hands up. One of the men was a redhead; the other had crow-black hair and was dressed like a fashionable country gentleman. He was the one doing all the talking. Despite his charming smile, Benedict could’ve told him he’d get nowhere with his hostess.

He couldn’t hear what they were talking about. The fact that Mally considered them a threat might mean anything. She guarded her home with the ferocity of a mother bear. Should he call out? If he did so, would they hear him, or even know who he was? And what if Mally shot them both because of him? While he was frozen with indecision, the men began to back away and disappeared into the undergrowth that choked the once-formal gardens and the long drive.

Mally whistled once and the household dogs emerged from all directions and set off in pursuit of the two hapless men, barking loudly. Whoever they were, he hoped they made it safely over the high wall that surrounded the estate and also had the means to get away. He leaned against the windowsill and studied the terrain. How had he known the estate was walled? Had he ridden up that driveway?

He touched his still-bandaged shoulder. He must have done so to fall far enough from his horse to lose consciousness. Where was his horse now? If it was in the stables, he had the opportunity of retrieving it when he made his escape. His gaze came to rest on a stone fountain on the edge of the driveway facing the front of the house. Its classical lines were covered with ivy, but he remembered it flowing with water, the naked goddess pouring water from a large urn at the center.

Alford Park.

He smiled.

Mally stared at the door to the crimson bedchamber. She supposed it was time to check on her patient, but she was increasingly reluctant to do so. On the last occasion she’d seen him, he’d given her immense pleasure and then deliberately insulted her. She sensed the latter had more to do with his loss of control than his true feelings about the sex they’d shared. It had been quite extraordinary, after all.

She squared her shoulders and went in. Perhaps it was time to end the charade. She could hardly keep him chained up forever, and she had
questions
for him. The visit from the two men had shaken her resolve. The one who claimed to be a secretary to the Honorable John Lennox had asked for her by
name.
She’d hoped that no one apart from Benedict knew she was even in the country, let alone at Alford Park.

Had the men really come in search of Lord Keyes, or was their mission more sinister? Whom would he have told that he was coming to Alford Park, and when would his friends and associates start getting worried about his non-return? After the visitors today, it was possible that they already had . . . She’d been a fool to capture him. Lord Keyes wasn’t exactly a nonentity. As keeper of the nation’s secrets, he was far too valuable to lose.

She summoned a smile. “Good evening, Benedict.”

“I thought you preferred me to be Ben.”

He turned his head toward her as she crossed the carpet to sit beside his bed.

“Benedict suits you.”

“I have to agree.” He hesitated. “You look tired.”

“I’ve been rather busy.”

“So I heard.” He smoothed his hand over the covers. “Whom did you set the dogs on this afternoon?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I heard a commotion outside, and Jim muttered something about intruders. Were you in danger?”

“Hardly. I persuaded them to leave quite quickly.”

“You didn’t shoot them? Was the thought of being the warden of three wounded men too much for you?”

“Being your captor is quite enough, thank you.” She frowned at him. “I’m beginning to suspect you are more trouble than you are worth.”

He wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “Then why capture me in the first place?”

“I’ve already explained that.”

His grip tightened and she was drawn inexorably toward him. “And I don’t believe a word of it.”

She met his searching blue gaze, her nose almost touching his. “You are not in your right mind, sir, you don’t count.”

Incredibly he smiled. “Then why am I worth anything to you at all?”

“As I said, you have caused me nothing but trouble. I hardly expected you to lose your memory!”

“Then why not tell me who I am, and have done with this farce?”

She tried to shake off his hand but he wouldn’t release her, and instead yanked hard and pulled her half over him on the bed.

“Let me
go!
”

He slid one arm around her waist and dumped her unceremoniously in his lap, her back to his chest. “Didn’t you promise to fuck my arse as I fucked you?”

“I . . .”

She wiggled to get free, and his hand slid lower, pushing her hips back until she could feel the heated rod of his cock against her buttocks. He nipped her ear, and then her throat and her body was instantly on fire.