“What do you want, Garrick?” Brenna asked in a throaty whisper.
“You,” was all he said.
She propped herself up on one elbow, her hair cascading over her shoulders. “I suppose this is one of those times you mentioned before, when your body craves a woman?”
He grunted at her, not pleased with her question. “You remember well.”
“Why should I not? After all, ’tis not the man Garrick who wants me, only his body,” she said lightly. “Will you have me here, or do you prefer your own bed?”
A frown crossed his brow as he puzzled over her compliance. Brenna felt nowhere near the calm she displayed, though his hesitating helped her.
“I see you cannot decide, Garrick. Well, this bed is much too small to fit your frame, so I will come with you.”
She slipped out of her bed gracefully and walked to the door, a sensuous smile playing on her lips. She stopped next to Garrick and placed a hand gently on his chest.
“Have you changed your mind, Garrick? Tell me now, before I go any further.”
His bafflement at her acquiescence turned to a dark scowl. “Nay, I have not changed my mind.”
“Well, come then,” she breathed and left the room before him.
Her heart was pounding in her chest almost like a throbbing pain. He would be furious with her for tricking him, but she would not bear the brunt of that anger unless he caught her, and she was determined he would not. When she reached the stairs, she dashed down them with frantic speed and raced for the back door. Outside in the black of night, she would find somewhere to hide until Garrick’s anger and his desire had cooled.
But Garrick had locked the door, which she had not counted on, and before she could throw the heavy bolt, he was behind her. She screamed when he hefted her in his arms and tossed her over his shoulder, rendering her breathless, but only for a moment. She kicked and twisted until he nearly dropped her as he made his way back up the stairs. A sound whack to her behind did not stop her struggles; it only increased them.
In his chamber, he kicked the door shut, then crossed the room and dumped his bundle on the bed. He stood and watched her scramble away from him to the foot of the bed, poised to jump if he pursued her. A cynical sneer played on his lips and he made no immediate move for her.
“From one extreme to the other, eh?” he remarked, his hands on his hips. “And here I thought you would fit comfortably between the two.”
“You speak in riddles,” Brenna said warily, relieved to see he was not blustering with rage.
“Do I? Explain to me then about your performance of a few minutes past. What was that all about, mistress?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said defensively, holding her chin high.
He shook his head, letting his hands drop to his sides. “I should know better than to expect honesty from a woman. I should have realized you were playing me falsely. You were just too obliging, which puzzled me, but then I was not expecting tricks from you. Nor did I expect you to run from me again like a frightened virgin. What game do you play, Brenna? Explain the rules to me.”
“I play no games. Do you really expect me to open my arms passively to you?”
“Yea, our last encounter did lead me to believe you would.” He grinned at her.
“Conceited cur!” she snapped, her courage returning twofold. “Have you forgotten that you lied to me that last time? You said you would not take advantage of me, but you did. And ’twas only my curiosity that allowed you to.”
He laughed derisively. “So ’twas curiosity that made you turn to me in passion.”
“You lie!” she gasped. “You wokeme, Viking, not I you!”
“But you did not try to escape. And by Thor, ’twas you who would not let me go and who brazenly taunted me to continue. Do you deny that?”
She shrugged, then grinned impishly. “You could not understand that, could you? You see, for you the act was completed, but I found it lacking.” At his dark scowl, she quickly added, “’Twas not your fault though. It just took me longer to solve the mystery.”
“The mystery?”
“Yea, to reach the end, as you did. To find out what made the act so desirable. How is that for honesty, Viking?”
“And you did enjoy it?”
“Yea, I admit it.”
