Love me if you dare Read online

If she knew … if she knew she would not lean into him for support … she would hate him to the end of days. As he came to hate Jason Wieldman!

  The slow soothing melody and swinging in Desmond’s arms calmed her down and at the end of the song, she laughed gaily as she was passed from one pair of hands to the others to dance the night away.

  Nicolas watched her moving from one partner to the other and his anger sizzled higher with each change. Even when he danced with Liza his eyes were trained on her, but she deliberately avoided looking at him.

  It was getting late and Samantha was on the verge of excusing herself and sighed tiredly when another partner drew her in his arms, ignoring her excuses. He pulled her too tight against him and she realized he was drunk. His hands roamed and now she felt like a victim to an octopus. His hands were everywhere and she had difficulty trying to keep his hands at bay as well as a distance between their bodies.

  She sighed heavily when his hand strayed over her buttocks for the umpteenth time. She tried pulling his hand up, but he just leered at her and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. The next moment his expression turned painful and he let her go so quickly she stumbled back against another hard body.

  “Hey … I am dancing with the lady!” He complained rubbing his wrist.

  “If you treasure your hand and you want to continue to have it attached to your arm, I suggest you keep your leeching hands of this woman!”

  Samantha glanced at Nicolas in amazement. His expression was viscous and frightening. The man blanched and backed off cautiously.

  “Easy there, buddy, we were only dancing.”

  “Well, I am cutting in!”

  He yanked Samantha forcefully in his arms and expertly waltzed away. His arm around her waist held her tight against him, molded together from chest to thigh, his one leg pressed intimately between hers. His warm breath feathered against her temple where his mouth was pressed. She closed her eyes as the first tremors of desire slivered down her body.

  “Thank you, Nicolas.”

  “What?”

  “I am waiting for you to thank me.”

  “I didn’t need your help. I was quite capable of taking care of myself.”

  “From where I stood it didn’t seem as if you had enough hands to stop him.”

  She giggled, and the sound shot straight to his groin. “I must admit, I did wonder if he was related to an octopus!”

  “It’s not funny, Samantha. I nearly choked the life out of that bastard!”

  She drew her head back and realized that he was livid, his face hard and his lips drawn in a straight line.

  “Nicolas …” His eyes pierced into hers.

  “I hated his hands on you. I hated every damn man who you danced with hands on you!”

  “I didn’t even know half of them!”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “You are jealous!”

  “Yes, damn you! And don’t you dare gloat about that! I am also very possessive about what is mine … I warned you about that already!”

  “Look who is talking! And you just negated any … any promise or … or expectation with me tonight! I warned you before you left for Cape Town about your busty blond and the repercussion should you indulge! And look, at the first little hurdle we encountered you … you … Well, Miss busty blond is gesticulating at you! I presume it is time to share your superb … skills! Something, by your own actions, you will never share with me!”

  “Nici, honey, you promised me this dance!”

  “Not now, Liza!” But Samantha wrenched from his grip and literally ran out the ballroom. He turned on Liza. “I told you not to overdo it! Now all has been blown to hell!”

  Upon arriving home Samantha took a tepid shower and stepping out of the booth, wrapped a short towel around her body. She pulled off the clip that had held her hair, and the dark tresses cascaded down her back. Picking up her brush she sat on the bed brushing her hair in long even strokes.

  She was weary and realized she was bone tired. She hardly had any sleep the past week. She was scared she might have the nightmare and wake Nicolas up with her cries.

  She glanced at her bedside clock and noticed with a heavy heart it has been three hours since she left the function. It was apparent that Nicolas was spending the night with his ‘busty blond’ and she flung the brush with all her might against the wall, shattering the fragile handle in pieces.

  So much for her being the one to quench his desires! She stood up, tugged the towel off and dropped it on one the chairs, folded the duvet to the foot end of the bed and slipped naked between the cool sheets. She switched off the bedside lamps and leaned back wearily against the fluffy pillows and fell asleep almost instantaneously.

  Nicolas wanted to leave the minute Samantha did, but Elaine and Shona pulled him into the welfare auctioning proceedings, which nearly took two and a half frustrating hours.

  Desmond and Liza seemed to have hit it off and he was relieved when she indicated he need not take her home. All the way home he concentrated on getting his emotions and anger under control. He could kick himself for taking Liza with him, but his jealously took over when Mary told him she had a date. Now he regretted his impulsive action. He gave her the ammunition she had been looking for. A valid reason to deny him what he desired the most. Her!

  He sighed in relief when he saw her car parked in her usual spot, but was frustrated that the house was in total darkness, except for the garden and outside lights. She obviously went to bed already. Not that he blamed her; it was past three hours since she had left the party.

  He took his clothes off warily and took a quick shower. Wrapping a towel around his waist he started back to his room but his feet turned the opposite direction as if drawn by an invisible force into Samantha’s room. He pushed her door open softly and stepped through. Her balcony door and curtains were open as usual and a bright beam of moonlight shone through the opening to caress the woman on the bed with a soft white hue.

  In a trance he moved closer to stand next to the bed, his eyes hungrily caressing her beautiful face. Her hair was fanned out across the pillow; he reached out to run the soft strands through his fingers. His eyes moved over her sleeping features and he smiled. Her hand was tugged beneath her cheek, her long lashes fluttered lightly against her cheeks. He glanced lower and his breathing became labored.

  The sheet had fallen away from her chest and the moonlight streaks were playing over her pale breasts. Her other hand moved from where it rested beside her to her flat stomach and he gasped when her hand moved higher to curl around her breast, her fingers framing the rosy nipple.

  Her hips moved sideways in an involuntary seductive way and her legs pulled the sheet further down. This time he could not retain the groan that escaped his lips when a perfectly formed naked hip was exposed to his greedy eyes. Good lord, she was naked!

  His hand lifted, as of its own accord, and caressed softly down her cheek, to hesitate on her chest. She moaned as his hand moved lower still to gently circle her nipple and he had to bite his lip when it immediately shriveled into a hard bud. He slid his hand over her waist to flatten on her rounded hip, then down her thigh. She sighed, turned and pulled the sheet up to cover and hide her treasures from his greedy eyes.

  He took a deep tortured breath; rushed back to the bathroom and took a long, cold shower.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nicolas struggled to shake of the dark remnants of sleep and sat up. He drew his hands through his sleep tousled hair. He frowned and looked around his room, wondering what woke him. He glanced at the bedside clock and with a groan noticed it was not even three o’ clock. No wonder he felt like death. After the cold shower he battled to fall asleep and only dosed off less than two hours ago.

  Shrugging, he fell back on the pillows, only to jump up again as a terrified scream echoed from Samantha’s room.

  “No … please …nooo!”

  He threw the sheet off and raced through the interconnectin
g door, which thankfully was not locked, his heart pounding. He went straight to her bed and gasped when he realized the bed was empty.

  Raw, tortured sobs reached him and he swung in the direction they came from. He found her shivering and shaking in the corner next to the window where she huddled on the floor, her knees drawn up against her chest with her hands clamped around them; her face buried between her knees. He rushed over to her but stepped back when she lashed out at him the moment he touched her shoulder.

  “Nooo … don’t touch me! Stay away from me! Please, please don’t hurt me!”

  Nicolas’s face was drawn, his whole body tightened in anger and shock. Terror and pain were edged so clearly in her features he could distinguish it even in the moonlight. Her eyes were wild and she shrank back against the wall when he stepped closer again. He realized she was still in the grasp of the nightmare and went down on his knees in front of her, slowly extending his hand to her.

  “Samantha, Samantha, my baby … it’s me, Nicolas. Wake up, honey.”

  Wildly she slapped his hands away, her voice raw and frightened. “Noooo … please stop!”

  “Samantha, please wake up! I will never hurt you, baby. Please … look at me!”

  He saw her blanch as his voice penetrated her frightened mind and he noticed the bleakness dissipating and her eyes focused on him. She shivered even more realizing what had happened and nearly cried at the expression on his face. She never wanted him to see her this way! She shrank back from him hovering over her and leaned her head against the wall.

  “Please go away. I don’t want you here.”

  “Samantha, I want to help you. Honey, talk to me!”

  “NO! I don’t want to talk about it. I can handle it myself. Just go away!” But her words ended in tears and her body shook she shivered so badly. Nicolas took her by the shoulders and pulled her tight against him. Her nakedness seared against him; his tight jockeys leaving him as good as naked.

  “No, I will not go away. You have to talk about this, honey!”

  His heat engulfed her and her shivering diminished bit by bit and she relaxed against him. He held her tight against him, his one hand slowly stroking her hair, whilst the other made gentle small circles on her naked back. The hair on his chest brushed her nipples and she stiffened just as they shriveled and went painfully hard. She recalled her dreams and gave an agonizing moan. The details were so vivid, so real this time; it was more than a dream, she had relived the hellish experience, felt the pain and her breathing turned haggard, the shivers resuming in full force.

  Weakly she leaned into Nicolas, her hands groping and clasping around his neck, with a strength that astonished him. She was frantic to draw strength from him and tried to get closer and closer. His arms folded around her and he pulled her as close as she could get.

  “It’s alright … I’m here and it is all over now … relax, honey … just let it go.” His breath was hot against her brow.

  “Nicolas, hold me, please hold me!” Her voice was strangely soft and he groaned. Her pain became his and he drew her up with him as he stood up to fold his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. Her warm, soft nakedness against his was torture, but when he tried to push her away, she clutched at him even tighter.

  “Nooo … please don’t leave me alone!”

  He groaned, picked her up and carried her to the bed to lay her down gently, intending to tug her below the duvet and sit with her until she fell asleep again. She refused to let go of his neck and pulled him down with her and they both tumbled on the bed.

  “Samantha, don’t do this! Not now.”

  “Just hold me. I don’t want to be alone just now!” Her voice sounded thin and scared. He put his treacherous thoughts away and he turned so they were lying facing each other, their arms around the other. He pulled the sheet over them and continued to stroke her hair and back until her shivers receded and she started to relax in his arms.

  Her arms loosened from around his neck and slowly moved down over his chest and under his arm to go around his back. His body tightened and all the fire, need and desire rushed down his body. He knew if he did not get off this bed immediately, he would not be able to leave at all.

  “Do you feel better now? He asked hoarsely.

  “Hmmm.”

  “Samantha … I … I have to get out of here.”

  “NO. Stay awhile longer.”

  “You don’t know what you are asking, honey. I have to get out of here. NOW!”

  He pulled his arms from around her and pushed on his elbow to rise, but she clung to him. Her voice was frantic and desperate.

  “No Nicolas!”

  “Samantha, if I stay longer I won’t be able to keep my hands, my body off yours!”

  “Then don’t! You said you’d make me yours when you came back from Cape Town! It is long overdue! You came back more than a week ago!”

  “No, Samantha, not while you’re still in the quarry of emotion from your nightmare.”

  “Please, Nicolas. I beg you. You said you wanted to help me. Then help me now! Please make the pain go away … please make me forget …”

  “Forget what?”

  “Don’t talk anymore … please.” She lifted her head and closed her lips around his, softly stroking, pressing her body urgently into his.

  She overwhelmed him with her nearness; her warm naked body pressed so intimately against his turned his body in a mass of Jell-O. When she lifted her leg and locked it around his hips, his self-control shattered into a million pieces. She lifted her hips higher to press her heat against his fully aroused shaft that jumped against her womanly cleft when she rubbed against him.

  Her moan echoed his and their kiss turned wild and hotly passionate. Their mouths slanted this way then that, their teeth grinded against each other and their tongues fought a fiery duel of passion. They twirled, licked and sucked at each other, as if they tried to pull the other into themselves.

  They strained closer, their breathing shallow and haggard. Nicolas gulped deep breaths into his lungs, forcing himself to calm down. He realized he was very close to losing complete control over his body and if he did, he would do the one thing he promised her he never would. He would hurt her, his desire was that strong for her, and she was feeding it higher and higher with her wantonness.

  He pulled her hands from around him and drew them over her head and kept them there, just holding her with his head resting against her forehead, until both their breathing settled. He drew back and looked deeply into her passion filled eyes, softly caressing her cheek, then her neck with his fingertips.

  “It’s okay, baby, I’m not going anywhere. But we have to slow down, otherwise I will hurt you.”

  “No, I need you now!” His breath hissed out his body hearing those words, but he shook his head.

  “Samantha, listen to me. If we don’t slow down, I will hurt you. Not intentionally, but I won’t be able to hold back.” He clasped her one hand and drew it down his body and folded it around his large shaft.

  Her eyes widened and fear suffused her heart. “Oh!” He gasped and growled, “Yes oh!” Her hand involuntary started exploring his length and he gnashed on his teeth. He seized her hand and drew it back over her head.

  “But I want to …”

  “No, not this time!”

  She sulked, remembering the velvet softness, even though it was as hard as steel. He was big, much bigger than she thought, she couldn’t even close her hand around his girth and her desire mingled with fear pulsed urgently in her groin.

  “Keep your hands off me! If you don’t, I am leaving this bed!” He warned her when she started to object and she pulled her full bottom lip between her teeth in vexation.

  His hands moved down her arms over her ribs to stroke her breasts and then roll and pinch her sensitive nipples between his fingers. His lips stroked slowly down her neck until he pulled her budding nipple deep into the recess of his mouth. He sucked strong and deep, fondling the other
with his fingers, drawing a deep mewling moan from her. He swopped breasts and sucked harder, pulling her breast deeper into his mouth as if he would take all of her. Her back arched off the bed, pushing her breast deeper into his mouth. He accepted it gladly and suckled loudly, moaning around the delicious and sweet flesh in his mouth.

  Samantha moved restlessly against him, her whole body a mass of need. Her skin tingled all over and sizzled everywhere he touched and kissed. His mouth brushed hers tenderly and she fisted her hands to keep from touching him. His mouth kissed his way to her ear and he sucked her earlobe, and once again she lifted of the bed. Heat rushed down her body and the wet need for him flushed from her body.

  He kissed down her neck to softly lick the salty sweat from between her breasts. Her back arched again and she pleaded hoarsely, “Nico, please!”

  His mouth captured her nipple again and he was merciless in his possession of it. He pulled at her nipple, he drew and suckled on it loudly, he moved wildly and hungrily from the one to the other, softly scraping his slight stubble beard over the sensitized tips, causing her to cry out in need.

  “Nico … I can’t anymore … please!”

  Her passionate plea urged him on and he felt his control slipping. His shaft was so hard it throbbed painfully against her leg. He moved his hand over her flat stomach, and exulted in her bare mound rising to meet his searching fingers. He lifted his head and watched her head move from side to side on the pillow, gasping for breath when his fingers found her velvet bud and he caressed and rubbed it urgently.

  The desire to see her go wild for him, increased his passion, his breathing fast and haggard, he urgently and slightly roughly pulled her legs apart. She stiffened slightly, but he pushed his leg between hers and his hand moved down to urgently part her soft folds and enter her body with two of his fingers. He moaned loud at the heat and wetness that engulfed his fingers; Samantha cried out and froze.

  Nicolas moved his fingers deep inside her, then pulled out and back in urgently. He was so engulfed by her heat around him that he did not realize she was not with him anymore. His urgent and slightly rough entry with his fingers had transferred her back to another place, another time. When her sobs penetrated his passion induced brain he lifted his head and froze.