The Forever Dream (34 page)

"No, I don't think you're a fool. I think you're as wise as a seer and as sweet as honey. I suppose I was just trying to keep your mind off tomorrow." Suddenly there was a flicker of mischief in his eyes. "I should have known the only way to distract a little fireball of energy like you was to keep you busy." He tilted his head consideringly. "Yes, I believe that's the only solution."

"What are you talking about?" she asked in exasperation.

"I have to keep you occupied," he told her, his lips twitching. "I'm prepared to make the supreme sacrifice." His voice softened to a seductive murmur. "But you have to remember I'm not entirely recovered and I may need a little help."

"Help?"

"Undress me, pixie."

She gazed at him with annoyance that faded as swiftly as it had come. She'd thought for a moment that this was the ploy with which he'd teased her, that he was still offering her that patronizing comfort. But there was none of that in Jared's face as he looked down at her. There was only tenderness and humor and something else that made her catch her breath and take a step closer. Something wild and sad, yet so loving that flooded into every corner of her being.

"You want me?" she asked.

"I'll always want you." His gaze was holding hers with a look that was almost a joyous benediction. "I'll want your laughter, your strength, and your zest that turns every moment into an adventure. I'll want your courage and thirst for knowledge that will make you even more tomorrow than you are today." He drew a deep, ragged breath. "Yes, I want you, my love."

Her lips parted in surprise, and she experienced a sweet, heady joy that was like no other she'd ever known. She'd expected desire and had received something infinitely more precious. She tried to laugh, but it came out husky and uncertain. "That wasn't what I meant."

"I know." He took a step nearer, and his fingers were deftly unfastening the cloth-covered buttons of her tailored silk blouse. "But the other goes without saying.

There isn't a moment I'm with you that I don't want to ravish your beautiful body." He pushed the edges of the material aside and slipped his arms around her waist, his thumbs rubbing sensuously at the hollow of her spine. "You should know that by now." He pulled her closer to bury his face in the fine silky hair at her temple. Her bare breasts brushed against the rough wool of his crew-necked sweater, and she felt a mist of heat start to envelop her. "So don't react as if this is a love snatched from beneath the shadow of the sword or some such nonsense."

She went still. "Love? You were talking about wanting."

"Love," he said quietly. "I'm tired of using all the pat, safe euphemisms we've been hiding behind." He lifted his head and looked down at her. "It's time we took another step forward, Tania. I'll go first, if you like. I love you, and I believe I always will." His expression was grave. "I don't know if marriage as we know it will exist in the future, but I think there will always be a ritual of commitment in which two people who love each other can state their love. I want that with you, Tania Orlinov." He kissed her gently on the lips, and it was as sweetly solemn as the ritual of love he'd been speaking about. "Will you belong to me until beyond childhood's end, as I will belong to you, little Piper?"

She nodded, her dark eyes shining with tears. She felt as if her heart were swelling with such emotion that it was in danger of exploding. Oh, Lord, how beautiful and moving were those simple words. "I want to belong to you," she said, burrowing her head in his chest as her arms went around him and she hugged him fiercely. She wanted to be so close to him that she was actually a part of him. "Until beyond childhoods end."

She heard his chuckle reverberate beneath her ear. Trust you never to do things in the accustomed order, sweetheart. Now that we've made the commitment, will you please tell me you love me?"

She opened her lips to give him what he wanted and suddenly felt her throat close with panic. Of course she loved him. She'd known that for some time. It filled her whole world and colored everything in it with rainbows. Why couldn't she say the words?

He must have felt her stiffen. "Tania?" He pushed her away a little to look down at her searchingly, effortlessly reading the panic and tension in her expression. There was a flicker of disappointment in his face that was gone the next instant. "Not yet?" he asked softly. "Don't worry about it, love. I know what you're feeling. It was a little hard for me too."

But far harder for her to take that final important step toward total commitment, he thought pityingly. Considering her background, it was a miracle she'd been able to come to love him at all. She'd given him so much that he had no right to push her into a corner just to obtain a verbal acknowledgment he didn't really need.

"Jared, you know ..." Her dark eyes were enormous in her troubled face.

"Shhh." He put his finger over her lips. "Easy. Don't force it. It will come when the time is right. I don't feel cheated." His fingers moved caressingly over the fullness of her lower lip. "I have everything I want. More than I ever expected to have."

Oh, God, she did love him. How could she help but love him, when he seemed to know her every thought and feeling and treated each one with the most exquisite I delicacy? Suddenly the intense emotion she was experiencing seemed too much to bear, and she had to lighten it or see it splinter.

Her teeth suddenly closed on his fingers and nipped them teasingly. "I don't think you have quite everything you want," she said, her eyes sparkling impishly. "Not at

the moment, anyway. What did you say about wanting me to undress you?"

His smile lit the somberness of his face. "I've changed my mind," he said, his hands moving to push the silk blouse from her shoulders. "I think to celebrate our new commitment, it should definitely be a mutual effort. Besides, it will be much faster if we each contribute our bit."

It was faster, and in minutes they were slipping into the king-sized bed and into each other's arms. He was so deliciously hard and firm, she thought, running her hands over the supple, whipcord muscles of his shoulders. She should have been familiar with the lovely feel of him now, but every time they were like this, flesh to flesh, it was as fresh and new as if she'd never touched him before.

"You're so strong," she murmured, her lips moving over the pulse point just below his chin. "I love to feel that surge of power beneath the sleekness." She shook her head wryly. "Some convalescent."

"It's always nice to be appreciated," he answered as he suddenly rolled her over on top of him. "But I fully intend to exercise my sick-bed privileges and let you do the work tonight, love." He lifted her to a sitting position, so that she was astride him, and grinned up into her surprised face. "I'm waiting for the music to begin, little Piper."

"Are you indeed?" she asked silkily, gazing at him from beneath her lashes. After the first moment of surprise, she found she very much liked the feeling of being in control of their lovemaking tonight. The edginess of apprehension at what lay before them tomorrow had sharpened her emotions to fever pitch. It helped soothe away her feeling of frustration and helplessness to have command of something involving the two of them, Did Jared know that about her as well? It was more than

likely, when he seemed to know every other nuance of her personality. Once again he was giving her what he thought she needed. He was always giving to her, she realized with a sudden pang of tenderness.

"I'll play your music, Jared." Her eyes were glowing softly in a face illuminated with the love she found so difficult to express in words. "I'll weave you a melody that will call you down from your mountain and bring you home to me."

The melody began as a faint overture of haunting chords as she slowly bent her head to kiss his lips with lingering sweetness. Then she began to build on the basic theme with hands and tongue in a slow teasing arousal that caused Jared's chest to labor harshly with the force of his breathing. She could see the look of glazed pleasure on his face as her hands plucked delicately at his tiny nipples. He still made no move, but merely accepted, though she could see his fists clench involuntarily with the effort to keep from reaching out for her.

She adjusted herself and slowly, carefully s rounded him with her warmth, until she felt that every cell of her body was full of the glorious abundance that was Jared. Her breasts were heaving and she could feel that brand inside her burning and melting everything in its path. She gazed down at him and smiled lovingly. "If I remember correctly, at this point a pas de deux is artistically required," she whispered. "Do you know the steps, Jared?"

"God, yes!" He groaned as his hands flew to her hips. "I was only waiting for an invitation." His hips lunged powerfully upward while his hands pressed her down to him. She gasped and clutched desperately at his shoulders as she took more of him than she would have believed possible. Then she was lost in a fiery rhythm of thrusts and withdrawals that indeed was like the intricate moves of the most passionate of dances. But it was more exciting than any dance she'd ever known, she thought hazily, more intense, more meaningful, more… Then she couldn't think anymore as they took the grand jete that was like an exultant leap for the stars.

Her heart was still pounding with a jerky cadence that matched Jared's when he carefully rolled her over so they lay facing each other, his hands cupping her buttocks so that she remained locked in their enchanted union. She felt his chest heaving against her own and the dew of perspiration on the shoulders where her cheek was resting. Her lips brushed his flesh with a kiss that was redolent of tenderness and gratitude. It was strange to be able to feel gratitude untainted by resentment or wariness, she thought dreamily. Another gift.

"It gets better all the time," she murmured with a contented sigh. "Yet it's always different. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Wonderful." His hand was stroking her temple with mesmerizing gentleness, willing her to sleep before the tension and apprehension returned to disturb her. Lying relaxed against him, she felt as light and small as a child, and he knew that swift surge of aching tenderness that was a familiar part of his love for her. "Now, go to sleep, sweetheart."

"Soon," she said drowsily, nestling closer to him. "Will it always be like this, Jared?"

"Different?"

She nodded.

"I think we have every chance of its staying that way as long as we both continue to change and grow." He kissed the top of her head. "And I have no intention of standing still no matter how many years the future encompasses. I wouldn't dare, with a little dynamo like you to keep up with."

No, Jared would always be moving forward, she thought, her heavy lids closing. It would be she who'd be hard-pressed to keep up with his pace. But it would be a challenge she would embrace with eagerness and joy. She could hardly wait to . . .

He could tell by the deepening of her breathing that she was asleep, and he drew her gently closer with instinctive possessiveness. Thank heaven she'd drifted off so easily. She'd surely need all the strength she had tomorrow. God, he'd do anything to be able to protect her from that danger. At moments like this, she seemed so endearingly dependent and helpless that he almost forgot how strong she really was.

There was no question but that they'd have to make the attempt to escape, no matter how hazardous it proved to be. That bastard Corbett! Escape was the only answer, and Jared wasn't nearly as confident of their chances of success as he'd pretended.

It was over two hours later when he, too, fell asleep.

Chapter 15

Her shoulder was being shaken gently but firmly. "Come on, princess, we have to get this show on the road."

She opened sleepy lids to see Kevin’s bright blue eyes only a few feet away and immediately was jerked into full consciousness. "Kevin!"

"None other," he said with a grin. "I decided I couldn't chance Jared's trying to hold out alone against Corbett's men. Not with your safety in the balance."

"You're going to help us?" she asked eagerly. She sat up hurriedly, holding the sheet up to her chin, and for the first time noticed that Jared wasn't in bed beside her. Her alarmed glance flew back to Kevin's face.

"He's in the bathroom getting dressed and taking all the wonder drugs from his medical bag," Kevin said reassuringly. "He wants to be prepared for any emergency. You're bound to be on the run for a while before Jared can arrange a permanent safe haven for the two of you." His lips tightened grimly. "The senator's not one to give up easily, and you can bet he'll have everyone from the FBI to the CIA looking for you on some pretext or other."

"What time is it?" The room was lit by the bedside lamp, and one quick glance revealed only darkness beyond the panes of the French doors.

"Only a little after three," he said as he picked up her robe from the chair beside the bed and crossed the few paces to hand it to her. "Jennings flew in at about one, and I invited him into the library for a friendly drink together with the two guards who patrol the rear of the chateau." He politely turned his back as she tossed back the covers, jumped out of bed, and quickly slipped on the robe. "Unfortunately, they all felt the sudden need for a little siesta," he said cheerfully. "They're all napping as peacefully as newborn babies, but I can't guarantee how long they'll sleep. I burgled the first-aid room for the sedatives I put in their drinks, but there weren't any instructions on the bottle about how to use them as knockout drops. Very remiss of the pharmaceutical company, don't you think?"

"Yes, very remiss," she agreed, chuckling, as she moved swiftly across the room to the bureau and quickly extracted underthings, a dark, bulky ski sweater, jeans, socks, and then moved to the armoire to grab her tennis shoes. "You plan for us to steal the helicopter, then?"

He nodded. "It stated in Jared's dossier that he could fly one, and it seems the safest way for you to exit the scene. You'll have to ditch it as soon as possible, though. Corbett will have the registration number and be able to track you."