Hostage Of Lust Read Free

behind the steering wheel, he brushed some strands of hair from her face. “Please don’t hate me for this.” Then he started the vehicle and headed for the cabin.
    ***
    She woke up surrounded in darkness, but there was warmth and softness beneath her. A mattress. When she tried to move her hands and feet, she found they were bound to the head and footboard of this bed she lay upon. Lengths of chain tinkled as she yanked them tight in her struggle.
    She heard footsteps drawing close, then her husband spoke. “You’re awake.”
    For the first time in their marriage, Jim’s voice struck terror in her heart. It wasn’t the tone. It was the fact he’d done this to her, and she had no idea why.
    The affair , she thought. He must know. Dear god, and he’s flipped his lid.  
    His rough, broad hand touched her arm. “How do you feel?”
    “My head…hurts.” She went to put a hand on her brow, feeling frustration when she couldn’t. “My throat’s dry.”
    “I’m sorry. Would you like some water?”
    He held a glass up to her lips before she could answer, slowly tipping it against her lips. She drank, giving a grunt to let him know when she was finished. “Why’re you doing this to me?” She was alarmed by the severe shake in her voice. “Is it about the affair?”
    She heard him heave a big sigh. “No, no… it’s not about the affair.”
    “So, you knew.” Her fear kicked up a notch.
    “I suspected, but I didn’t know until just now.” His words were laced with hurt. “Why, Tara? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    She took a deep breath, tried to quell her panic. “I don’t know, Jim. Because … because I thought I’d lost you.” No time like the present to be honest, she figured. “We’d grown so far apart this last year… I even thought you were having an affair of your own. Daniel was just there at the right time. Or wrong time, really. He became a shoulder. I tried to talk to you about our relationship. Remember? Tried to get back inside, but you always seemed so busy. I figured you wanted a divorce but didn’t want to hurt me.”
    His wide palm caressed her cheek, and his tenderness further shaved the edge off her anxiety. “Oh, darling, I am so sorry. We’ve been silly, haven’t we? I thought you were leaving me for a younger man--”
    She snorted laughter at this. “Daniel? No, no worries there, sweetie. I don’t know what I was thinking. And, to be truthful, he’s being a pain in the ass about breaking it off.”
    She felt his hand stiffen slightly. “Want me to talk to him?”
    She grinned, love flooding her chest at his protective streak. “Let’s wait until we get back home to talk about that. Can we?” Then her focus went back to her current helpless state. “Now, ummm, exactly what are you doing to me?”
    His chuckle was deep and sexy, and a bit bashful, too. “You don’t remember the game?”
    “Game? What game?”
    His soft lips glided across her cheek and came to rest close to her ear. “The one you always wanted to play when we were first married. You used to beg me to tie you up and ravish you, as you put it. Used to tell me to take you unaware. You had this role playing fantasy about being kidnapped by a big guy and having him pleasure you while you were helpless. I was never too comfy with it, but seeing as how I thought you were leaving me, well…I thought if I gave you this, maybe, maybe it would be a last gift or save our marriage. I just wanted to please you. Sorry if I terrified you instead.”
    Then the memory surfaced, and she cursed herself for being a fool. Of course. Jim would never hurt her. He was a gentle giant. Always had been, and always would be.
    Ever since she first laid eyes on a gargantuan wrestler in her mid-teens, she’d had a preference for giants, as she’d come to think of these men. There was something about a wall of towering, muscled flesh that turned her on. And if the guy was a kind, gentle person in contrast to his powerful size,