That obstinacy was definitely in full flower at the
moment. "It isn't as if we haven't provided you with everything you could possibly want, Dr. Ryker," Betz persisted. "We have orders that you're to have anything you ask for. You know that."
"Yes, I know that. And I'm finding that three weeks of having everything I want is two weeks too long. I'm so damned bored I'm about ready to set myself up as a target for those Chinese you're so paranoid about, just to stir up a little excitement."
"That would be very foolish," Betz said, frowning uncertainly. "You're joking, aren't you, Dr. Ryker?"
"Yes, I'm joking. I have no intention of becoming a victim any more then I intend to tolerate having my activities circumscribed." His expression was set and grim. "And now that I've made everything crystal clear, you'll have to excuse me. I have a lady waiting."
Betz's brown basset gaze was fixed on the door behind which Nina had disappeared. "Was it the women?" he asked abruptly. "We ascertained from your dossier that you would require a woman frequently. Weren't the women we supplied you with satisfactory?"
"How could they help but be 'satisfactory?' The call girls you invited to the chateau were all beautiful, talented, and willing to do anything."
"You didn't want them to be willing?" Betz asked, his brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "If you had explained that to them, I'm sure they—"
"Oh, for God's sake, will you get out of here, Betz?"
Betz's gaze wandered once again to the bedroom door. "Does she please you more? Perhaps we could persuade her to come to the chateau."
"No!" Jared drew a deep breath. There was no use letting himself become any more exasperated. Betz was as thick as an ox. "Listen very carefully, Betz. I do not want the lady at the chateau even if she'd consent to come. And charming as she is, she couldn't persuade me to stay on your mountain top even to accommodate her. No woman could." He shifted restlessly, and his glance fell on the program on the end table. Tania Orlinovs face was gazing up at him, revealing that marvelous joie de vivre of hers, and for a moment it arrested his attention so completely he forgot what he was saying. He looked up to see Betz staring at him. "Do you understand, Betz?" he finished crisply.
Ed Betz nodded absently, his expression thoughtful. "Whatever you say, Dr. Ryker. You'll return to the chateau soon?"
"In a day or so." Jared was moving swiftly toward the bedroom. "Lock the door on your way out."
Edward Betz watched the door close behind Ryker, his expression still absorbed. He turned away slowly and picked up the book of crossword puzzles from the end table and the program Jared had seemed so drawn to. He studied it for a moment before tucking it carefully between the pages of his book and closing it. He turned out the top light, obediently locked the front door behind him, and quietly left the hotel suite.
"I love your body," Nina murmured softly, pushing the crisp white dress shirt from his shoulders. Her hands moved deftly to his belt. "It comes as such a lovely surprise every time. With your clothes on you look so civilized, almost elegantly thin, yet when I peel everything away you're hard and powerful." She pressed her lips to the whipcord muscles of his upper arms. "So strong. I like to know that strength is there." She was pushing his pants and briefs over his hips, her tongue licking at his nipple. "I like to know that you have the power to break me if you want to." Her soft hands were kneading the tightness of his buttocks.
My God, Jared thought, he should be ready to explode by now and he wasn't feeling a damn thing! He was as unmoved as a block of ice.
"It makes me so hot to feel all that leashed violence inside you."
"Violence?" he asked, frowning. "You make me sound like the Marquis de Sade. I don't recall ever using violence on you or any other woman."
"You haven't," she said, rubbing her full breasts against the hair-roughened muscles of his chest. "You never lose control, no matter how difficult I make it for you."
He had to think of something, anything, to rid himself of this blasted indifference.
"You're the perfect lover, Jared. Gentle, considerate, and so damned skilled you drive me out of my mind." Her tongue licked delicately at the pulse pounding in the hollow of his throat.
Dark hair flowing to a tiny waist, small, thrusting breasts barely covered by sheer scarlet draperies. He felt the welcome stiffening in his loins with immense relief. Then, as he realized what he was doing, he instinctively rejected it. Nina deserved better than being used as a substitute for Tania Orlinov. She was no whore, but a woman who was expecting to receive pleasure as generous as the pleasure she was willing to give him. He wouldn't think of the dancer. He'd concentrate on the act itself, feed erotic stimuli to keep desire hot for the woman kneeling before him on the bed.
"But the violence is there waiting," she whispered, "and one of these nights I'm going to break that control and drive you a little crazy too."
Nina always found it exciting to talk as a form of foreplay, and he usually had the patience to let her have her way. But if he was going to keep this urgency and provide her with the satisfaction she deserved, there must be no delay tonight.
"I had no idea you were into force, Nina," he drawled as he pushed her back on the bed. He quickly stripped away the rest of his clothes and joined her. "I'll have to see if I can't oblige you."
Her blue eyes were wide with surprise as he gently parted her thighs and settled between them without the customary preliminaries. He thrust forward into her welcoming warmth, and she gave a gasp that was half surprise, half satisfaction, before her legs curled eagerly around his hips to help him.
As always, Nina took his manhood quite comfortably. There were many women who couldn't, who had to be carefully prepared before they were able to accept him. Tania appeared so tiny, with that fragile, pixie delicacy. He'd have to be very careful not to hurt her, to be especially gentle until she was used to him. He felt himself swell in response to the thought of that tightness surrounding him, before he realized that he was doing it again. He firmly banished Tania Orlinov from his mind and concentrated on pleasing the woman beneath his body.
There was little doubt that he'd succeeded some minutes later as he held Nina gently in his arms, his hand stroking the ash-blond hair of the head on his shoulder. "I almost did it, didn't I?" she gasped. "I could feel it in you, Jared. There was something different tonight."
"Yes, there was something different tonight," he said, his voice gentle. "Now, go to sleep, Nina."
She sighed happily as she curled up against him, her lids closing drowsily.
His hand continued to stroke her hair even after her breathing had deepened and he knew she was sleeping. His eyes were alert and wide awake in his dark face. Something different? Yes, despite all his efforts there had been something different tonight. Tania Orlinovs hold
on his emotions was stronger than he'd imagined. There was no question in his mind now that she was going to belong to him. Only the timing was in doubt.
He was suddenly as impatient and restless as a boy. He didn't want to be wise and discreet. He didn't want to wait until there wasn't an object or a person on the face of the earth he couldn't have just by lifting a finger. For a little while it was probably going to be almost like being a god, he thought distastefully. He'd never wanted that kind of power. All he'd ever wanted was to be left alone so he could work in peace. He wasn't worried about the loneliness that degree of power would bring—he was used to that. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't conscious of that aloneness, which was now a part of him. No, it was the boredom that he feared the most. Without challenge a man's mind and spirit could wither and die even if his body lived on.
He shrugged restlessly, carefully removing his arm from about Nina Bartletts shoulders and shifting himself away from the warmth of her body. Despite his impatience he'd have to wait for his pleasure. Tania Orlinov would still be there for him in six months' time. To take her now wouldn't only be unwise, it could possibly constitute an actual physical danger for both of
them.
It was an entirely sane, prudent decision, typical of his usual cool, analytical approach to life. That being the case, it was entirely illogical for him to lie awake for the next several hours, his silver eyes gazing into the darkness and his memory replaying the hauntingly melodic strains of the Piper.
Chapter 2
“A hundred thousand dollars?" Tania gasped, her eyes widening with shock. "That's what you said, isn't it?" She glanced down at the card in her hand. "Mr. Betz."
He nodded. "We realize your time is very valuable, Miss Orlinov. We expect to have to compensate you accordingly."
"I see," Tania said slowly as she sank into the padded straight chair before her dressing table. Her dark eyes were bright with curiosity as she motioned the funny little man into a wing chair across the dressing room. "How very interesting. And what am I supposed to do to earn this hundred thousand dollars?"
Edward Betz sat down in the chair she'd indicated, his highly polished black shoes placed precisely in front of him. "It will be a relatively simple task. We just want you to act as companion to a gentleman for the next six weeks. We'll issue a certified check for half the amount in advance and the remainder at the completion of the assignment."
"Companion?" she echoed blankly. She absently wiped the nape of her neck with the hand towel draped around her shoulders. This interview was becoming increasingly bizarre. Her gaze traveled warily over her visitors conservatively dressed figure. There had been nothing in the manner of the man's approach to indicate he was something of a lunatic. That was the reason she'd invited him into her dressing room when he'd shown up after rehearsal this morning. But reasonable men didn't go around offering a hundred thousand dollars so casually. "What kind of companion are we speaking of, Mr. Betz? And why me?"
"It has to be you because the gentleman in question seems to find you totally fascinating, for some reason." He frowned, as if trying to puzzle it out. "No one else seems to be able to hold his interest. He requested video tapes of all your performances two weeks ago, and last weekend he came back to New York to see you dance." His lips tightened. "We knew then that measures would have to be taken to rectify the situation."
"I'm happy to know that I have such a devoted fan," Tania said lightly. "But I'm afraid I'm not available for private engagements, even when the inducement is so great. Your client will just have to be content with seeing my performances from the third row on the aisle."
"That's not possible." Betz's voice was clipped. "We can't permit him to return to New York." He scowled. "The remuneration is more than generous, but it's still open to negotiation. If we increase the amount, will you reconsider?"
"More than a hundred thousand dollars?" Her lips quirked. "I'm tempted to see just how high you'd go, Mr. Betz, but I feel I must warn you that as fantastic a performer as I undoubtedly am, you'd be grossly overpaying me."
Betz's face was expressionless. "Money is irrelevant in this case, Miss Orlinov. And it wasn't your skill as a dancer we had in mind."
"No?" She was puzzled. Then, as he continued to stare at her with the same bland look on his face, she understood. "You want me to go to bed with your client? You want me to be his mistress for the next six weeks?" It was as wildly unbelievable as the conversation that had gone before, but the funny little man nodded with perfect seriousness. It was too much for her, and she threw back her head and roared with laughter, her face alight, her dark eyes dancing. God, she was glad she'd consented to see this solemn little man, even if he was a bit crazy. She'd not enjoyed anything so much in a long time.
When she finally sobered enough to control herself, Ed Betz was still gazing at her with those expressionless, puppy-dog eyes and waiting patiently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Betz," she said, her lips still twitching. "I'm afraid I can't accept your client's offer. I make it a practice never to perform unless I can excel in a role." She cleared her throat to mask the laughter that persisted in bubbling. "In this case, I don't believe I have the required training for the job. I'm sure you'll be able to find someone else with far better qualifications if you make the effort."
He shook his head. "We've tried that," he said gloomily. "This isn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, Miss Orlinov. I've considered several other possibilities, but I've come to the conclusion that it has to be you. How much more can I give you to make you change your mind? The sky's the limit."
She couldn't suppress the chuckle any longer. The man was absolutely priceless. She shook her head firmly as she stood up. "I'm afraid that my decision is final, Mr. Betz," she said gently. "You'll have to look elsewhere."
He must have stared at her for a full minute before he got reluctantly to his feet. "You're sure I can't persuade you to change your mind?" he asked with a frown. "We're prepared to pay a great deal of money, you know."
"I have enough money for all my needs at the
moment, Mr. Betz," she said solemnly, her dark eyes twinkling. "And having money is not really one of my top priorities. As I said, you'll have to find someone who makes a specialty of that sort of thing."
"That's regrettable," he said slowly. "Its going to make things much more complicated."
"I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me now, Mr. Betz," she said softly. "I have an engagement for lunch." She waved her hand to indicate her leotard-clad figure. "And you can see that I still have to shower and dress. Thank you for dropping by." A mischievous smile tugged at her lips. "If I ever decide to change my vocation, I'll be sure to get in touch with you. Good luck in finding a replacement."
He was moving across the room to the door. "A replacement won't be possible," he muttered obstinately. "It has to be you, Miss Orlinov." The door closed softly behind him.
There was a lingering smile still on her face as Tania trailed him to the door and shot home the lock. She stripped off her leotard, slippers, and caramel-colored leg warmers before padding toward the adjoining bathroom. Lord, the man was peculiar. There was no way he could be for real, but it had been an interesting episode to brighten up a dull morning. She turned on the shower and tested the temperature quickly before stepping beneath the warm flow. It was one of the truly wonderful aspects of life that all manner of fascinating things happened. There was always something exciting just around the next corner if you took the trouble to look for it. For instance, there was her luncheon date today. A grin of delighted anticipation lit her face as she contemplated the afternoon to come.
Forty minutes later she glanced in the mirror as she was preparing to leave the dressing room. In the worn, faded blue jeans and tennis shoes she looked about
sixteen. The shapeless thigh-length sweater in fuzzy pink angora was warm and comfortable, but no one would ever call it alluring. She had fixed her dark, waist-length hair in a single thick braid over one shoulder, and it contributed to her youthful air. She grinned, deeply amused. If Edward Betz's client could see her now, no further discouragement would be needed to convince him to look elsewhere for a mistress! Laughing, she shook her head and turned away from the mirror. The whole incident had been wildly ridiculous, and it was time she dismissed it from her mind. Besides, her appearance might not be calculated to rouse lust in a doddering old recluse, but she was sure her escort would find it more than satisfactory.
Barry Montclair opened the door of the charming brownstone, a grave smile lighting his thin face. "Hi, Tania. Mama's in the shower. I'm supposed to entertain you until she comes down." His voice had a gravelly hoarseness endearingly odd in a five-year-old. Then as if remembering his manners, he added with quaint formality, "Won't you please come in?"
"I'd be delighted," Tania said with equal formality as she entered the high-ceilinged, mahogany book-lined foyer. She'd always loved this old house, with its air of mellow warmth. She glanced up the gold-carpeted staircase to the upper level with a sigh of impatience. Marguerite was a perfectly delightful human being, as well as being her best friend, but she had absolutely no sense of time. Tania chided herself to be more understanding. Marguerite took
advantage of Tania's weekly excursions with Barry to snatch a few hours alone with her husband, Michael, who was the company's principal choreographer. Barry's mama was probably expending a lot of effort right now to look especially glamorous for Michael. She looked down at Barry. "And how do you suggest we go about entertaining ourselves, Master Montclair?"
He closed the door, carefully fastening the chain lock. He cocked his head consideringly. "Well, we could look at the picture book Daddy gave me yesterday. It has all kinds of dinosaurs and legends and junk. He said since you were taking me to the Museum of Natural History today, it was only sensible to have some background."
"Only sensible," she agreed solemnly, her dark eyes twinkling. Marguerite always said that Barry was five going on seventy. In addition to his precocity he was totally adorable in many other ways. In blue jeans and Return of the Jedi sweatshirt, his sturdy diminutive form gave the appearance of being both tough and oddly vulnerable. Barry's acorn-brown hair was shining with the silky luster found only in very young children, and she had a sudden urge to run her fingers through it caressingly. She restrained the impulse. Barry's dignity would be much affronted. "I have a better idea. Would you like to see the present I brought you?"
Barry's hazel eyes lit up with interest, and he nodded eagerly.
"Good," Tania said, walking briskly to the staircase and plopping down on the fourth step. She patted the step beside her. "Then, come over here and we'll take a look at it." She opened her large, cream-colored shoulder bag and drew out a small, cloth-covered package. "I bought it for you in Chinatown the other day." He was beside her on the step now, cuddling close to her in his eagerness, his sturdy warmth pressing into the curve of her arm. She ventured an unobtrusive hug as he quickly tore the wrapping off the gift. It was odd how infinitely dear the weight of a child could feel. Odd and rather wonderful.