Page 27 of Prisoner of War
“I see. So why did she call me an American as if it was an insult?”
“Your Spanish is getting better if you heard that. She did not say it that way to upset you but to upset me. We are so alike, she knows how to hurt me quickest.”
“And did it? Hurt you?”
He laughed softly. “Not at all. How can I get hurt by the truth?”
Intentional or not, the light weight of Duardo’s fingers against her chest had awakened her senses. She wanted to reach for him but couldn’t. “You are different here at home. I knew that would happen, but I didn’t expect you would be this way.”
“What way am I different?”
“There are no words for it. But I know this. The other Duardo, if I wanted him, I could reach for him and he would welcomeit. Not this Duardo.”
His cheer faded. “Do not be afraid of me. You must never be afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid. Only, here at home, you are more...Vistarian.”
“You do not like this Vistarian?” he asked softly.
“I like,” she confessed. “I like very much indeed. I am intimidated, though.”
He frowned and she translated as best she could for him. “I am overpowered. Cowed.”
“Ah. I know somethingabout power,” he said. “If you think you have no power over me, Miss Minerva Benning, then it means I am a better liar than I thought.” He picked up her hand and placed it on his chest. She could feel his heart thundering in his chest. “Merely from the mention that you might fear me,” he confessed. “That you might not accept all this,” and he waved his hand around. “My humble home. My competitivefamily. My life.”
“If I reach for you, what would you do?” she asked.
“Try. See what I do.”
She dropped her hands to his belt and unbuckled it. His eyes narrowed speculatively, but he did not move. “Nothing,” she declared. “That’s not good. That’s not the old Duardo.”
She ran her hands over him. He remained as solid as rock. He stood unmoving as she loosened all the buttons of his shirt andslid it from his shoulders. For long moments, she enjoyed tasting and touching his chest, shoulders and arms. He had soft flesh over iron-hard muscles. She had learned he had strength his lean length hid. He could pick her up with one hand and had done so in the past. Now, though, he stood still. Silent.
Mentally, she rolled up her sleeves. She used every technique she knew to seduce him, tobreak him and make him hers, to make him respond the way he had in the past. She used her hands and her mouth and her heated, trembling body.
Finally, he moved. He pulled her against him and down onto the low bed and took her with all the energy he had been holding back. Duardo was with her once more.
Minnie smiled at her victory and let him take her. He was merciless. He used every weapon athis disposal—teeth, tongue, lips. She writhed helplessly. Her moans and exhalations of pleasure formed without thought.
This was better, this was...oh! This was heaven!
That’s all I want, she heard herself whisper inside her mind.
They recovered lying together and she could feel his heartbeat grow slow and calm. Then she giggled.
“What is it?” he murmured, his voice sleepy.
“Do you realizethis is the first time we have made love in a bed?”
“We only finished here,” he pointed out.
“Well, let’s change that, huh?” She rolled over him and straddled him, but Duardo reached for her and kept her still.
“In a minute,” he promised. “But first, you distracted me by making me think you feared me.”
“God, you’re relentless, aren’t you?” she said, with a laugh.
His expression was gentle.“It is important to speak of these things, Minnie.”
