Passions Out of Time

  Not that she minded his out of character behavior, but he’d never shown such boldness before when it came to sex. She used to be the one to goad him into losing his always-composed attitude, not the other way round. The thought of another man in her life obviously got under his skin.

  Without raising her voice, she pursed her lips. “I asked you a question.”

  No reply came from him. Instead, his tie and shirt flew over her head. Probably the only answer she’d get. His arm muscles swelled up with the throw, and warmth flooded her. She remembered every little detail, the square slant of his shoulders, the outward curve of his broad chest, the flatness of his stomach, even the black line of hair running up his belly.

  A thump made her jump. He’d kicked off his shoes while unfastening the buttons of his pants. Where was the detached, austere Lord Burnes who went through a hell of guilt after screwing her for the first time? He’d rambled on about wronging her and bringing shame on her at the time, not so now.

  Her thighs quivered when he pushed his pants down, uncovering his bulging underwear. He might babble later on about being disrespectful toward her virtue, but right this instant, he looked enthralled.

  “Garrett, I—”

  He grabbed the back of her head to bring her face to him, his impatient fingers digging into her hair.

  “Does he kiss you like this?”

  He smashed her lips with his and desire blinded her. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and the sudden weakness attacking her legs forced her to cling to him. She latched onto his shoulders. Yearning swelled in her, and she pressed her erect buds against his chest while he suckled her lips.

  “Does he?”

  She was so wet that she felt like ripping off her own panties. This new, undaunted Garrett spoke to all the fantasies she concealed within her mind, and his roughness turned her on even more than his jealousy.

  When he released her to step out of his crumpled pants and seize her arm, she refrained from moaning out loud. Her heart banged in unison with her erratic pulse, her eyes fixed on the furious man standing so tall before her.

  He dragged her across the room. She stumbled along, her high heels challenging her balance with every step, the delicious rush in her veins making it even harder to keep up with him. But he didn’t care. When they reached his destination, he lifted her up and threw her onto the high bed.

  She landed on her back, the mattress softening her fall as she instantly drew herself up on her elbows.

  “Stay!”

  His commanding tone sent pinpricks all the way down her chest and stomach. She froze, her chest palpitating from the steely resolve in his eyes, her throat closing when he gripped her hips and snatched the elastic band of her panties. He pulled hard on them, the taut fabric grazing her skin.

  “You belong to me, Tracy.”

  Why did he insist on making statements so far away from the truth? He’d dumped her like she never existed and simply because a common enemy put them back together for a while, he now ignored the past four years? Well, she couldn’t so easily overlook the pain and the nightmares.

  Except that he seized the back of her thighs, hauled her legs over his shoulders, pulled her straight to him and looked at her soaked folds. In that intense second, she overlooked everything.

  She managed to stay on her elbows despite her bottom hanging mid-air and her spine arching from the slanted position. Although he stared at her most private parts, his features didn’t relax one bit. Watching his pissed expression should have cooled her down, yet her pussy craved to be licked and fondled. She tightened her lips when he glanced up to focus on her face.

  “Does he touch you like this?”

  He flattened his palm against her throbbing flesh. She gasped and jerked from the violent sensation piercing her body, her inner muscles fluttering and twitching. Even without trying, he kindled the blaze inside her with a single touch, and she began fighting the wave rising in her loins.

  No way she’d come in that position, her knees on each side of his face and her thighs wide open, subjected to this wicked anger she didn’t deserve. If she could just glide her legs down, the . . .

  “Look at me.”

  She jumped, his hissing voice penetrating her to the core. His features twisted into a mask of indignation, he rubbed her up and down, his warm palm inflaming her every nerve. Her ragged breathing filled the room as she gritted her teeth to smother the harsh pleasure he elicited.

  Fists clenched, she rooted her gaze into his, silently challenging him to go further. But whatever writhed and raged inside him, he was too infuriated to think clearly. What the hell brought this on?

  He planted two fingers into her pussy and the yell she let loose accelerated his motion. Eyes smoldering, he went in and out, brushing her clit with every stroke, drawing her out of her mind. If this was his idea of a severe sanction, he had it all wrong because the enjoyment made her whimper.

  Nails digging into her palms, she panted with exaltation, captured by the obstinate determination in his gaze, engrossed in the movement of his fingers. And when he spoke, she exploded in his hand.

  “Say you are mine.”

  The fierce orgasm prevented her from uttering any sound except cries of rapture. Above her, the ceiling swayed left and right several times, or maybe her hazy vision modified her perception. She dropped back onto the mattress, her legs sliding off his shoulders as he removed his fingers.

  She inhaled deeply to assuage the wild beating of her heart and the tremors coursing through her. Had Garrett gone insane since the last time she saw him? If that was the case, good for her.

  Her pulse dwindled and she risked a glance at him. He still stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes as feverish as ever. Not a trace of his usual stony composure on his face, just resentment and anger. Why? Although she loved his punishment, the situation needed to be straightened out.

  “Let me talk, Garrett.”

  He opened his mouth, but she lifted a finger to silence him. Could she explain her side with her thighs still wide open? Slowly, so as not to stir up his wrath, she sat up then kneeled on the bed. “I have no idea why you’re so cross with me.”

  “Oh, nonsense.”

  His quirked eyebrow showed his genuine surprise. Unwilling to bring out the worst in him, she softened her voice. “I’m not kidding. You keep saying that I’m the bad guy in the story, but I swear I didn’t do anything.”

  “That cheers me up to no end.”

  His ironic tone felt like a bitter slap. A knot forming in her belly, she joined her hands without a second thought. “Garrett, why don’t you believe me? Have I ever lied to you?”

  “Not until this day, no. And it pains me that you deem it necessary to let the blow fall by degrees.”

  “What blow? What degrees? Listen, if we are to understand each other, you’d better not go cryptic on me.”

  He shrugged as though she was too stupid to catch his meaning. Coming from him, the hurtful gesture stabbed her. Time and distance obviously destroyed his feelings for her because after all the compliments he paid her years ago, he now treated her with a contempt she couldn’t bear.

  “Please, Garrett, let’s behave like adults.”

  Her pleading voice seemed to hit home as he ran a hand through his hair and finally regarded her with less bitterness. “I cannot disguise my distress and unhappiness. It’s my devout hope and wish that together we can settle the matter, however I have a request.”

  “Go ahead, ask me anything.”

  His chest swelled from the force of his respiration, and she held her breath. About to come out with his question, a curious light flitted across his gaze.

  “Tracy, why have you forsaken me?”

  He didn’t lie or conjecture. He was truly convinced she gave up on him and the notion
sent her pulse racing.

  “I didn’t.”

  Palms open, she stared at the man whom she never forgot, and brought forth all the sincerity she could muster. “I swear to you I only accepted my father’s deal.”

  His shoulders slumped a little. Brow creasing, he shifted on his feet, his hard gaze penetrating her. “Which deal?”

  Her stomach cramped, and her heart dropped. Oh, God, no. Coldness infiltrated her, touching her bones, slithering all the way through her marrow. Oh, God, no. A black shadow passed before her eyes, silent as a grave. She put both hands across her chest, over the spot where her breaths shortened.

  Please, please, no. Feeling rapid palpitations underneath her palms, she fixed her gaze on his face.

  “You’re very important to your family,” she said, “and I agreed to wait for a year before we got married. So did you.”

  His eyes widened as she ended her statement. Dad, you wouldn’t have . . . The space between her and Garrett seemed to expand, the bedspread under her shins sticking to her flesh. Then he slowly shook his head.

  The biting tide now roaming through her body hurt worse than the lethal grip of the immortal. When her fingers started to shake, she unstuck them from her chest and balled them into fists, her voice barely audible.

  “You agreed to the deal, right?”

  He shook his head again, the darkness in his gaze fluctuating between disbelief, anger, and something else altogether. “You suppose wrongly.”

  A hot poker pierced her loins, back and forth. To make it worse, he didn’t even try to explain himself, but kept looking at her. Well, if he felt too outraged or skeptical to say the words, she’d do that for him.

  “Okay, Garrett, let me remind you then. We fell asleep, then our parents drugged us and I woke up alone in my room the next morning. That’s when Dad told me I was being a selfish bitch because I meant to take you away from your family, your position, your friends, and basically your whole life. He also added that you needed time to adjust to the consequences of marrying me so it would be responsible to give you a year to make the most informed decision possible. I hated the idea of being away from you, yet I agreed because I might not be such a selfish bitch after all.”

  She talked in bursts, retelling the story with energy, immense relief liberating her constricted belly. He didn’t attempt to interrupt, his expression mirroring the emotion pouring out of her.

  “I waited, Garrett, but you never came for me. Then your father died, and I’m very sorry for your loss by the way, but that’s when you chose to forget about me and stay in your world. You abandoned me.”

  He blinked. He stared at her. Seconds ticked by, probably the time he needed to come up with an excuse and try to twist her around his little finger. But nothing would do the trick, not a damn thing.

  Straightening up, he darted glances across the room. Her muscles tensed when he abruptly walked toward his jacket lying on the floor, picked it up, fished an object from an inside pocket, and discarded the piece of clothing. He came back to the foot of the bed to hand her a white square.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  “Our ill wind.”

  Bad luck never had been a factor in their stormy relationship. Danger, evil guys, an immortal, complicated circumstances, and sadistic schemes plotted by their parents, hell yes, but not bad luck.

  “Listen, Garrett, whatever happened between us is water over the dam. I didn’t say all this to put the blame on you, I just wanted you to know I didn’t betray or leave you willingly. I acted for the best.”

  “I appreciate your forwardness, however I should think you’ll want to comprehend the nature of my ire.”

  He jiggled the white square in front of her face, stirring up her curiosity. Besides, he wouldn’t let it go until she did what he wanted. All right, why not? With a sigh, she grabbed the piece of paper.

  “Do you—”

  “Read.”

  Okay, no need to be so testy. She unfolded the letter and her bottom lip dropped as soon as she saw the handwriting.

  Dear Garrett,

  Starting a relationship with you is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. You belong to a world I have no part in, and I now realize that my father and your parents are right. I’m going back to my universe with Dad.

  You and I can’t be together so please, don’t follow me, don’t try to contact me in any way. My decision is made. Whatever you say, I won’t change my mind. My life isn’t with you, but I hope you’ll find it in you to forgive me some day.

  Tracy

  She held the proof in her hand. Between her thumb and forefingers, she hung onto the reason Garrett stranded her and married Miss Perfect. Was he a lamebrain or what? She raised her eyes to find him staring at her. A burning sensation whooshing up her limbs, she threw the letter at him.

  “You, dumbass!”

  The paper hit his chest before fluttering and falling to the floor. Without giving a shit about his reaction or her bare bottom, she slid off the edge of the bed, leaped up and strode to the only table. She grabbed a pen along with the guest pad and scribbled down the first line of the crap she’d just read.

  Writing that bullshit didn’t take long. She might have missed a word or two, but he wouldn’t hold that against her. When she was done, she came back to him and stuck the note right in his face.

  “This is my handwriting.”

  He continued staring at her for a brief instant. Then he took a single look at the line and understanding sparked in his eyes. “William.”

  “Yes, William, who else? My dear father has been in league with your mother since you decided to marry me. They don’t want us together, they never did, and we both fell into their devious trap. Damn it, Garrett, they drugged us and they gave you a fake letter.”

  “But surely—”

  “There’s no surely. It’s way too late for surely. Why did you trust him, Garrett? You knew how I felt about you.”

  The more she raised her voice, the more he appeared to detach himself from their predicament. What was wrong with him? Where did his fury disappear to now that he should let it fly?

  She loosened her cramped fingers. “Doesn’t it make you mad? Don’t you feel like beating the crap out of them and watch them suffer?”

  Apparently he didn’t because the light vanished from his gaze as he simply inhaled a long breath. His lack of response spurred her frustration and anger. She bit her lip and stamped her foot. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, say something.”

  He winced at the ‘F’ word. Fantastic. Their parents’ meddling tore them apart, yet he flinched at her use of the English language. Really, really fantastic. So what now? They simply dropped the subject and went back home?

  “Tracy, let’s not muddy the pool by discussing past errors.”

  Not what she wanted to hear. They weren’t dealing with a slight mistake here but a major upheaval. Why couldn’t he see that?

  “Garrett, I don’t give a damn about crapping into that pool. My father and your mother have ruined our lives, and I intend to make them pay.”

  “Your instincts do you credit, however I’d advise strongly against taking ill-considered actions.”

  “Why?”

  “Through no fault of our own, I’m certain at present that we shan’t be able to alter the course of events.”

  True, because the ring on his fourth finger separated them more effectively than living in different worlds and eras. Time and pain didn’t change people. At this precise moment, his lordly upbringing raised its hackles and regarded her with obstinacy. He wouldn’t rebel or exact revenge.

  She refrained from quivering. “I know we can’t change anything, I’m not stupid. But that doesn’t mean I’ll stand by and watch them gloat over their victory.”

  As though total
ly uninterested in her vengeance wish, Garrett kept staring at her lips. She’d always been able to free him of his shackles in the past, but four years wrongly believing she had let him down toughened his invisible armor. Sure, he lusted after her like he always had, and maybe he still cared for her. But he no longer loved her or resented what their parents did to them.

  Sickened by his indifference, she looked around for her clothes. The dress was ruined yet the ripped bits would have to hold until she got to the car.

  She spotted the torn fabric, half of it lying underneath his jacket and shirt. Good, let’s get the hell out of this place. She was about to go for it when he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back onto the bed.

  Chapter 7

  “Hey!”

  Garrett didn’t shove hard. Surprise prompted her exclamation of protest as her butt collided with the soft mattress. What had gotten into him now? Retaliation didn’t hold any interest for him, fine, but he didn’t have to take it out on her. She tried to ass-crawl away from him, but he seized her ankles.

  Desire submerged her. This was madness, complete and utter insanity, yet the heat coursing through her swelled to a torrent when he lifted one of her legs and slowly grazed the length of her calf.

  “I think of you each day, Tracy.”

  She thought of him every day, and every night, too, which didn’t mean she’d shred his three-piece suit to pieces and tumble him onto the bed. Yet, there she was, naked, except for her bra and high-heeled shoes, gasping under the force of her lust for him, and open to all winds. Where did her dignity go?

  Recalling they weren’t in this room to enjoy themselves but to hide from an immortal, she tried to pull her limb free. He strengthened his grip with one hand while he yanked down his underwear with the other. And when he did, she quit resisting.