Miranda Lee – Seduction: The Billionaire's Bride of Vengeance (страница 17)

Russell rose onto his knees behind her and smoothed her hair back from one beautifully bare shoulder.

Nicole managed to smother the gasp which rose to her lips, her whole back stiffening as her head twisted round to glare at him.

But he wasn’t looking at her. He was busy nuzzling away at her shoulder, the tantalising graze of his lips making her skin break out into goose-pimples.

‘Nicole, are you there?’ her mother asked.

‘Yes, Mum, I’m here,’ came her brusque answer.

‘What did you wear, darling?’

Did she really have to answer these silly questions?

‘Nothing special, Mum. Just a dress. The green one I wore on Christmas Day last year.’

‘You didn’t! Not to a formal wedding. Oh, Nicole, I thought I’d taught you better than that. I hope you at least wore some decent jewellery.’

Nicole had had enough of this conversation. And of Russell doing what he was doing. He knew she was talking to her mother. Didn’t he have any sense of decorum at all? Kissing her shoulder had been bad enough. Now his hands had found their way around to her breasts.

When his wicked fingers began plucking away at her nipples, she almost dropped the phone.

‘I wore my emeralds,’ she choked out as she gripped the phone harder. Dear heaven, but it was hard to concentrate on anything when your head was swimming and your nipples burning.

‘The ones Alistair gave you for your twenty-first?’

‘Yes.’

Nicole almost cried out when Russell pulled her back onto the bed, her eyes flinging wide once she realised what he was going to do.

She clasped the phone with both hands, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from making embarrassing noises.

‘Better than nothing, I suppose,’ her mother was saying grudgingly. ‘But you should have worn something really glamorous. You might have met someone. James Logan’s wedding would have been full of suitable catches.’

She almost blurted out that she had met someone. But that would have started a whole lot more questions and she was desperate now to get off the phone.

‘Mum, I … I really have to go. I’ll call you back later this week and we’ll have a nice long chat.’

‘You promise?’

‘I promise. Bye.’

‘Bye, darling. Be good now. And if you can’t be good, be careful.’

Nicole grimaced as she flipped her phone shut. These were words her mother had often used in the past when she went out on a date.

Never before had they struck home so strongly. Because she wasn’t being good tonight, or particularly careful.

But, right at this moment, she didn’t give a hoot.

Yes, she thought wildly as her phone slipped from her grasp. Oh, yes.

‘Don’t stop!’ she cried out.

He didn’t.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

RUSSELL stood at the side of the bed and stared down at Nicole’s naked body.

She was still dead to the world—little wonder after what he’d subjected her to. It wasn’t unusual for Russell to make love to a woman several times in succession. His mainly celibate existence tended to make him needy and greedy.

But she hadn’t objected. Hell, no. She’d been more than happy to accommodate him every which way. By this stage, Russell hadn’t questioned if she’d been faking it. He’d been way too enamoured of her charms to question anything.

In the cold light of day, however, he rather hoped she’d been pretending. He wanted her to continue being his willing little love slave for a while longer, wanted an excuse to have more vengeful sex with her.

Because let’s face it, Russell, one night simply wasn’t enough to cure what’s driven you all these years. You want more: more revenge, more sex. More of the very beautiful Nicole Power.

He might have joined her back in bed if he hadn’t been so damned hungry. With no food in the house, there was no option but to go out and get some. The continuing blackout had put paid to a local café. Russell would have to go further afield. He knew exactly where to take her. To a place where there was electricity, plenty of food and an extremely comfy bed.

His unit at McMahon’s Point.

Without hesitation, he leant down to shake her shoulder.

‘There’s still no electricity,’ were the first words Russell said when she opened her eyes.

Nicole groaned, then closed her eyes again.

It wasn’t the continuing blackout which had evoked the sound of dismay, however. More the kaleidoscope of memories which suddenly filled her mind.

She’d heard about morning-after regrets. But had never suffered from them before.

How could I have done the things I did last night? Nicole agonised. How could I have let him do the things he did?

‘The water’s still hot in the shower,’ he continued. ‘A miracle considering the time we spent in there last night.’

Nicole wished he hadn’t mentioned that. What was it about this man which made her such a willing victim to his wicked demands?

She wasn’t in love with him. She wasn’t even sure that she liked him. But oh, how he could turn her on!

‘Come on, sleepyhead, get up,’ he ordered. ‘It’s after nine. I’ve rung the powers that be. The electricity’s not expected to be on in this part of town for another couple of hours.’

Steeling herself, Nicole opened her eyes, adopted what she hoped was a woman-of-the-world expression, after which she rolled over to face her nemesis.

He wasn’t naked, thank God. He was fully dressed in grey chinos and a royal-blue polo top, his darkly damp hair suggesting a recent shower. His face was freshly shaven, his chin no longer sporting the stubble which he’d used to erotic effect on her in the early hours of the morning.

He glanced up from where he’d been putting his wallet and mobile phone into various pockets.

‘I don’t know about you,’ he said, ‘but I’m famished. I can’t wait till the power comes back on. Once you’re dressed, we’ll drive over to my apartment at McMahon’s Point and I’ll cook us both some breakfast.’

Nicole was totally taken aback by his offer.

His smile was wry. ‘You should see the look on your face. Yes, I can cook, and no, last night was not just a one-night stand. Did you think it was?’

‘It did cross my mind,’ she said truthfully.

‘Do you want it to be?’

Did she?

Common sense advised that it would be wise to cut and run. He was everything that she’d vowed to avoid.

The right answer was obvious. Yes, yes, let’s leave it at that, shall we?

Instead, she heard herself say no. Lord, what a fool she was where he was concerned!

No…

Not a word any man usually liked hearing on a woman’s lips.

But it was the right reply this time.

Russell walked round the bed and picked up her clothes from the floor. ‘Try not to be too long in the bathroom,’ he said as he offered them to her.

She took the clothes but didn’t make a move to get out of the bed. She just clutched them to her chest.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

‘I … I’d like some privacy.’