The Ice Seduction (Ice Romance) (21 page)

68

‘Nod your head if you want me to untie you,’ he says.

I
kick him sharply on the thigh to tell him what I think of that question.

‘You, young lady, need a lesson in manners,’ says Patrick, striding around with an infuriating smile
on his face.

I struggle against the belt, and
as it twists against my wrists, I feel heat building between my legs.

Patrick climbs
onto the bed and slides his hand under my knees, lifting my legs up so my backside is a little raised off the bed. Then he raises his other hand high up and brings it towards my thigh and butt cheek.

‘
Oh
,’ I moan, before his hand even touches me.

My whole body clenches and tightens, a
nd I feel wetness building.

But just as I’m expecting to hear and feel a loud slap, Patrick stops – his h
and held inches from the side of my thigh.

‘
God
,’ I moan, squirming.

Patrick smiles
, his hand rubbing hard circles on my buttocks. He pulls his hand back again, and this time it comes down hard.

Slap!

‘Oh,’ I moan, wiggling against the bed sheets.

He slaps me three
more times, then slides his hand between my legs, into my wetness, letting his fingers probe and explore.

‘
Mmm.
Mmm
,’ I moan, thrashing about.

I hear the rip as he opens the condom packet, then
Patrick moves his hips between my legs, and pulls my ankles up over his shoulders. He reaches up to my mouth and loosens the gag.

‘
I want to hear you call my name when you come,’ he says, his voice thick and deep.

Before I can object, h
e plunges into me hard and fast, the bed beginning to move with us.

‘Oh god,’ I shout, wigging against the bel
t at my wrists. ‘Oh god Patrick. Oh god.’

He fucks me harder, going deeper and deeper, pushing my legs wider apart. His flingers slip into my hair, and his other hand grabs my breast
s.

With every pump he groans, pulling and squeezing, his eyes closed, his jaw tight.

‘You’re mine now,’ he moans. ‘Tell me. Tell me you belong to me. I want to hear you say it.’

‘I’m yours
,’ I cry out, lost in him. ‘I’m yours. I’m yours. I’m yours.’

Patrick
moves so hard against me then that the bed begins to shake.

I move
up and down against the bedclothes, my hair tangling beneath me.

When Patrick’
s fingers go between my legs and start rubbing, I can’t hold on any more.

Patrick is merciless. He carries on rubbing and grinding into me.

‘Oh god, I’m going to come,’ I yell.

My ankles and feet bob up and down over his shoulders, my pussy is on fi
re and my whole body feels electric.

‘
Oh Patrick,’ I moan, as an orgasm builds up. ‘I’m yours. I’m yours.’

The wo
rld explodes around me, and my wrists struggle against the leather as I try to pull my arms around Patrick, to draw him close to me. But of course, I can’t.

Patrick lays his whole body on top of mine and pumps a few more times before he comes too, shouting and moaning, his hands grasping my buttocks and pulling me into him.

He flings my ankles from his shoulders and pulls my body close to his, one arm going up to free me from the leather belt.

Once I’m free, I wrap my arms
and legs around his huge, broad back and feel the beautiful weight of him pressing me into the bed.

69

He smells so amazing.

God, if
I could bottle the way he smells, I’d carry it around with me all day. He’s like the mountains outside, and the stream and something cool and clean and wintery – like fresh snow.

I feel Patrick’s lips press against my ear, and he whispers: ‘You’re staying here tonight. You do know that, don’t you?’

‘Here?’ I murmur. ‘In your bedroom?’

‘Yes.’

‘But—’

‘No buts.’ Patrick runs
fingers over my lips. ‘Don’t make me gag you again.’

I laugh
and brush his fingers away. ‘Very funny.’

‘Don’t think I won
’t do it,’ says Patrick. ‘Especially now I know how much you like it.’

‘Who says I liked being gagged
?’ I say, raising an eyebrow.

‘
I didn’t see you nodding.’

‘Maybe you weren’t watching closely enough.’

Patrick moves so his eyes are inches from mine. They’re softer than usual. Less fierce. ‘I watched you very, very carefully. Believe me. I have done from the moment you arrived at this castle.’

‘From the moment I arrived?’

Patrick nods.

A thought occurs to me.
‘Was it you at the window?’ I ask. ‘When I first got here?’

Patrick frowns. ‘
You saw someone at the window?’

‘I thought I did. Maybe I just imagined it.’

‘Where? Which window?’

‘Just above the main ent
rance, in the tower a little to the left.’

Patrick
frowns. ‘You mean the West Tower.’

‘I … the West Tower?’ I frown back.
‘Yes, I thought it must be near there ... But then again, I thought it was supposed to be all locked up.’

‘It s
hould be.’ Patrick throws a smile at me.

‘So was it you?’ I ask.

‘No,’ says Patrick. ‘No, it wasn’t me. The first time I saw you, you were lost and unable to walk, if I remember right. And singing. I’ve been watching you ever since.’

‘Watching or stalking?
’

‘
A little of both,’ says Patrick. ‘For your protection.’

‘An
d who says I need protection?’

‘I do.’ His e
yes are fierce again now. He runs a hand up into my hair and strokes red strands away from my forehead. ‘You have to stay with me tonight. That’s an order. I can’t let you go right now.’

‘Well. I guess if the boss is
telling
me to stay—’

Patrick reaches down and playfully slaps my backside.
‘I told you. No more B word.’

‘How can I resist saying it when it makes you so m
ad?’ I say, a smile creeping onto my face

‘Oh, so you like making me mad?’

‘I love it,’ I say.

‘And why is that?’

‘Because I like showing you that I’m not afraid of your temper.’

Patrick’s lips dart down to plant a kiss on mine. ‘
And I love it that you’re not afraid.’

My throat tightens. ‘
Patrick … is this
all
a big game to you?’

Patrick moves
his huge, beautiful shoulders. ‘No. We’re meant to be together. There’s no other way. And if you run again, I’ll find you.’

I laugh. ‘And
you say you’re not stalking me?’

‘You can only st
alk someone who doesn’t want to be followed. Are you telling me you could walk away from this? From me? Could you go back to London and pretend that this was just some throwaway thing? That I don’t mean anything to you?’

‘I’ve thought about running away from you,’ I say, biting my lip.
‘If it wasn’t for Bertie, maybe I would have done.’

‘
And I would have found you. Let go now, Seraphina. It’s time to give in.’

‘Give
in? How romantic …’

‘If romance is what you’re looking
for, you’re out of luck,’ says Patrick. ‘But if you want commitment. Devotion …’

‘
Seriously Patrick. What you and I could there be? You’re a Lord. And I’m a nobody. What kind of life would we have together, really? I’m not from your world. I don’t understand it. And you don’t understand mine.’

‘What’s to understand
about my world?’ says Patrick.

‘A lot. Come on, Patrick. We’re different.’

‘And the same, too. If you want to know about my world, I can teach you. And I’ll learn everything about your world too.’

‘That’s what scares me.’

‘Why?’

I turn away from him. ‘Because maybe, if you learn about my world, you won’t want me any
more.’

‘Try me,
’ says Patrick, putting his fingers to my chin and turning my head back to face him.

‘Well.
’ I swallow. ‘For a start, my family is totally messed up. I left home as soon as I could, and I’m basically a parent to my little sister. I mean, I don’t mind. Not at all. My whole life is about looking after her, and I’m happy to do it.’

‘I know about your sister,’ says Patrick. ‘Her name is
Wila. She’s at the Prince Regent Ballet School. She’s lived with you since you were sixteen, and you took the job here so you could pay her school fees.’

I open and close my mouth. ‘How … how did you know that?’

Patrick laughs. ‘Didn’t you think I’d find out everything I could about you? A good hunter finds out what he can about his prey.’

‘His
prey
?’ I try to wiggle out from under him. ‘Is that what I am to you? Some girl to catch in your net? Say the right words, figure out what I like and then
bam
, I fall into bed with you? How many other women have been your
prey
?’

Patrick’s hands c
lamp down on my shoulders. ‘None.’

‘Oh, so you’ve never been with a woman before?’ I say sarcastically. ‘Funny. You seem to have a pret
ty good grasp of how things work.’

I know that’s
an ugly thing to say. But jealousy has reared up out of nowhere.

70

‘You’re the first women I’ve ever felt this …
obsession
for,’ says Patrick. ‘I think about you constantly. I watch you. I know your every movement. I’m obsessed with keeping you safe. And that means finding out all I can about you.’

I stop wiggling. ‘How did you find out that stuff about me?’

‘It wasn’t hard. I had someone check the electoral role. I found out who you lived with and when. Once I had names, it wasn’t difficult to find out more about your family.’

‘So what else did y
ou find out?’ I say, my voice going all high pitched. ‘Do you know that I have a crazy, chaotic mother who can’t pay her bills on time or keep a job down? And a dope-head step-dad who I can’t stand?’

‘I knew some of that
,’ says Patrick softly.

‘There’s more
,’ I say, hearing the edge of tears in my voice. ‘My brother’s been in and out of prison. And I have no real qualifications. No real education. Probably no real prospects after this job. I’m just a nobody, Patrick. So if you know so much about me already, why the hell aren’t you walking away?’

‘You’re not a nobody,’ says Patrick, his voice stern. ‘Never, ever say that about yourself Seraphin
a. I couldn’t care less about your family, your education, or anything else for that matter. I care about you. I want you. All of you. Even the parts of you that aren’t perfect.’

I feel myself smile then, even though I’m close to tears. ‘Me? Not perfect? How could
you say such a thing?’

‘You’re far from perfect.’
Patrick gives a half smile back. ‘You won’t do as you’re told, and you don’t listen. You defy me at every turn. And still, I’m in love with you.’

I give a little choky, sobbing sound and sink into the bed, feeling Patrick’s arms wrap around me.

‘Patrick—’

‘Let me in, Seraphina. L
et me have you and protect you. I won’t walk away. You have my word. There’s nothing that I could find out about you that would make you any less beautiful to me.’

I
look at him, tears in my eyes.

‘Why do I find it so hard to believe you?’
I say.

‘Because you’re scared.’

‘Yes,’ I admit. ‘I guess a man like you wouldn’t know what fear feels like.’

‘Of course I do
.’

‘
What are you afraid of, Patrick Mansfield?’

‘Of you walk
ing away from me.’

‘
Patrick. What are we going to do?’

‘We’re going to sleep together here, in my bed. And in the morning, you’re going to wake up with a clear head. And you’re going to reali
ze that I’m the man you’re meant to be with. You’re going to let down your barriers and let me in. All the way in.’

‘That’s
a lot to ask after one night’s sleep,’ I say.

‘Maybe
,’ says Patrick. ‘But deep down, you already know everything I’ve just said is true. We’re meant to be together.’

He rolls ove
r and pulls me tighter into him so our noses are nearly touching. Then he reaches down and pulls the duvet from the floor, throwing it over us.

As I feel his hard, strong body beside me, I feel so safe and warm and protected.
It really is the most amazing feeling. Being here just feels so right, even though my head tells me it’s wrong.

I press my cheek against Patrick’s
chest.

Patrick is righ
t, I realize. I am still holding back. I am still scared. And deep down, I do know that everything he said is true. But that doesn’t mean things will work out …