LITMIR.BIZ

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richness of the brocade drapes. The walls were lined with wood panels burnished to a warm shade of lustrous walnut, giving the room a morose, almost brooding atmosphere that Sarah found disconcerting.

      More disconcerting still was the massive four-poster bed. The headboard rose gracefully towards the center, the intricately carved wood culminating in a life-size rendering of a wolf’s head, an iron ring clasped between bared fangs.

      The covers of the bed had been pulled back, revealing snow-white sheets and six large pillows, arranged in pairs. A small bedside lamp on the far side of the bed cast a pinkish glow across the interior.

      A clicking sound attracted her attention. She turned just in time to see Develin open a small wall safe. He drew out the pistol from inside his jacket, checked the safety mechanism, and then deposited it in the safe. He turned. ‘The necklace please, if you don’t mind.’ He began to walk towards her.

      ‘Yes, of course,’ Sarah stammered. She was prepared to stand her ground, but found herself backing up, instinctively moving away from him as she sought the clasp with trembling fingers.

      ‘Allow me,’ he suggested as he rapidly closed the distance between them. ‘Turn around.’ Sarah stood stock-still as he pushed her hair to one side, found the clasp and quickly unlocked the intricate fastener.

      He found himself staring in fascination at the line of her neck, the shimmering red/gold of her hair, her pale, flawless skin. When he touched the back of her neck with the tips of his fingers, she recoiled.

      ‘Relax, Sarah, please. It would hardly do for me to initiate our relationship by hurting you.’

      ‘It’s just that I … I’m scared.’ She swallowed hard, on the verge of tears.

      ‘No you’re not.’ He whispered close to her ear. ‘I sense in you more a measure of exhilaration than fear, and unless I am very much mistaken you want me just as much as I want you. You know it, and so do I.’

      She trembled, breathing hard as he lightly kissed the base of her neck while running both hands across the smoothness of her shoulders. ‘You have nothing to be ashamed of, Sarah. There was nothing you did at the beginning to cause this, just as there is nothing you can do now to stop it. Do you understand me?’

      He turned her around gently before cupping her chin in his left hand, forcing her head up. Her eyes were closed. ‘Sarah, look at me.’ She shook her head and tried to pull back, to break free of him, but he anticipated her as his right arm wrapped around her waist and she was pulled closer. ‘Look at me,’ he demanded, tightening his grip on her. Slowly her eyes opened, only to be caught by his. At that precise moment she was lost, perhaps because she quite simply wanted to be.

      ******

      The next conscious thought she had was of him, warm flesh pressed close, pushing her down deep into the bed, suffocating her with the weight of his body, and his kisses.

      Stunned for a moment, she wondered why she couldn’t remember how she got here, how she lost her clothes, her shoes. ‘No,’ she whispered, trying to push him away, ‘I can’t. I can’t.’ She screamed.

      Certain that Sarah would offer nothing in the way of resistance he was caught completely off guard when she panicked, lashing out at him and screaming. Confronted by the specter of an hysterical female he moved fast, far faster in fact than he intended to, allowing his desire for her to outstrip all other considerations.

      When he finally let her go, Sarah shrank as far away from him as she could. She had stopped crying, partly because he was becoming more and more upset with her although he was fully aware that he was to blame. He had forced her, terrifying her in the process and hurting her.

      By the side of the bed was a control panel. From there he pushed the sequence which started the jacuzzi in the room next door, funneling in warm water mixed with scented foam.

      He picked her up in his arms. Her body felt cold and unresponsive as he carried her into the tiled room and gently laid her in the warm water. Her eyes were tightly shut; her face lined with tears.

      He knelt down beside the tub. She looked straight at him then, her eyes defensive, guarded. ‘I’m sorry, Sarah,’ he whispered as he reached out to touch her face, but she turned away from him.

      The tub was large enough for four people. He moved back to give her room, to allow her the opportunity to mentally explore what had happened and to absorb the shock of his assault. The water warmed and soothed her. After a few minutes she was able to take in her surroundings, finally rounding on him.

      ‘Why did you do that?’ he demanded. ‘Why did you spoil it ... for both of us?’

      ‘You … you hypnotized me or something. I …’

      ‘Nonsense: what happened was that you panicked. You panicked in a manner which suggests … Tell me Sarah, are you claustrophobic?’ He watched her closely. This was news to him and he didn’t like it; no, not one bit.

      ‘I couldn’t breathe. You were holding me so tight that I …’ Tears welled up. She remembered then what her professor said during a lecture on rape.

      “If you are going to say no, say it early on in the piece and get out. If you leave it too late or suddenly decide to change your mind and your partner is fully aroused, it’s very likely that making love will turn into rape just like that.” The professor had snapped her fingers, making several of the students jump. “We are talking power here; you say no and he’ll say yes; forcing the point if you take my meaning.”

      Several of the girls in the class laughed but not Sarah.

      “You would be living in an ideal world ladies if you believe that most men will back off. It’s not in the nature of the beast. They are not water taps that can be turned on and off at will, bless their little hearts. So, play it safe or don’t play at all.”

      And you did spoil it, didn’t you Sarah?

      ‘Spoil it? I’m sorry, but if that’s what all the noise is about, than a lot of people are hard of hearing.’ She threw a bar of soap, narrowly missing him.

      ‘It gets better, especially when both parties cooperate fully.’ She shot him a withering glance. ‘Are you all right?’

      ‘What do you think?’

      ‘I think, Miss Churchill, that if you come closer, I will rub your back.’

      ‘Tell me first about the new life you have to offer Doctor Laird.’

      His eyes narrowed slightly. ‘That is blackmail. Besides, under the circumstances, do you think Doctor Laird deserves another chance?’

      ‘Until proven guilty, yes.’

      ‘Murder is only one of Laird’s crimes.’ He paused, considering. ‘However, there is a plantation I own in Peru that needs a doctor. Perhaps I can … let me explore the possibilities. Come here.’

      She stayed where she was, studying him intently. He returned her gaze quite candidly, his pale blue eyes meeting hers. ‘You are not frightened of me, are you?’

      ‘Should I be?’

      ‘Perhaps.’

      She turned her head to the side slightly. ‘You’re left-handed.’

      ‘Not always,’ he replied, vaguely amused and pleased that she had, apparently, weathered the storm after all.

      ‘Answer me one question.’

      ‘If I can.’

      ‘Why me?’

      ‘I saw you last August and generally

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