"Angelica, what have you done?" he murmured.
Chapter Eight
Angelica opened her eyes to see Kadin's face inches from her own, sunlight streaming across his handsome features. She felt aches in places she'd never felt aches before. She longed to reach out and stroke his cheek, but a sick feeling quivered through her stomach as she realized what she'd done last night.
She'd thrown herself at a virtual stranger, giving up what she'd so jealously guarded for years. To a man who had intimidated her and threatened to punish her for a debt she did not owe.
She rolled away from him, fighting back tears.
Kadin opened his eyes to the bright, morning sunshine. He smiled as he gazed at Angelica, only inches away, her long, flowing hair draped across the sapphire-blue pillowcase.
Maybe there could be something lasting between them. He pushed himself up on his elbow and gazed at her sweet profile. He reached out to touch a wisp of hair that lay across her forehead, then stroked it away. Her eyes opened and she tilted her head to focus on him. No joy lit her beautiful, emerald eyes.
"Have I paid my debt yet?"
He froze as her voice, flat and emotionless, cut through him.
So, during the hours of closeness they had shared, for her it had been merely something to get through. A paying of a debt he'd demanded.
Anger scoured through him. That didn't excuse her tricking him.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a virgin?"
She arched her eyebrow.
"You didn't ask."
His teeth gnashed together.
"I never meant to take something of such value from you."
"You said it was a woman's only value," she shot back
He clenched his fists. "I didn't mean your virginity. The value of that is far greater than you should have paid."
Angelica pushed herself to a sitting position.
"Are you saying, had you known, you wouldn't have demanded the payment you did?"
And it was payment, Angelica reminded herself. Damn, how the cold light of day could change one's perspective.
He glared at her, holding his silence.
Damn him. He had tricked her into doing things she would never ordinarily have done, and now he seemed to think he had the right to be angry at her. And that made her even angrier.
"It's just as well. Now that I've jumped into the water, so to speak, I might as well take up swimming."
He tensed. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. Before, I was always looking for that someone extra-special. There was that sense of saving something special just for him. Now … well, let's just say I've lost that psychological barrier."
She didn't know why she'd said it, just that she wanted to strike out at him and, somehow, she knew it would get to him.
Kadin's gut clenched at the thought of any other man touching her. A consuming need drove him to pull her into his arms and capture her lips with his. The suddenness of his movement triggered a startled gasp from her lips, and he drew in her breath, letting it fill him with her sweetness.
The only man who should ever be allowed to touch her was him. The man she had saved herself for, that someone extra-special, should have been him.
It had been him.
She could not take that away from him.
She should not be allowed to share that special gift with any other man. Ever.
He released her lips, then leaped to his feet and strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.
Naja arrived with one of the other women who'd helped dress Angelica yesterday. Naja introduced her as Jazlyn. They fussed over Angelica, urging her into a warm bath, then washing her hair with the sweet, jasmine scented shampoo.
Afterward, dressed in a cool, pastel pink, gauze gown, she enjoyed a simple breakfast of pastries and coffee, then sat on the balcony and enjoyed the morning breeze.
Naja had returned Angelica's purse, so she pulled out one of her novels. As she read the part where the hero ravaged the young woman he'd kidnapped. Angelica couldn't get Kadin, and the arousing feel of his hands on her body, out of her mind.
She closed the book and slumped back in the lounge chair, cursing herself. Why had she been such a fool? She'd been so afraid that the morning would shatter the magic she'd found in his arms last night, so sure what they'd done had meant nothing to him, other than a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, that she'd come out fighting instead of waiting to gauge his mood.
She fidgeted with the book and tossed it on the table beside her chair. She had purposely hidden her virginal status from him, specifically because she selfishly wanted him to make love to her and feared he might have stopped.
It seemed she'd been right about that. He would have stopped.
In a way, she was just as guilty of using him as he was of using her. Maybe more.
Now, she realized she'd boxed him into a corner. He would not approach her again. He was struggling with a matter of honor.
She longed to see the unguarded Kadin of last night once again. The sweet lover who had laughed with her, who had given her the sweetest pleasure she had ever experienced.
Her body longed for his touch. He would probably send her away now, presuming his original purpose, to have her repay a debt-even though she now suspected that had been a ruse-was complete. He seemed to consider it overpaid.
She wanted to experience him again as a lover. She wanted to see if there could be more between them.
She had to find a way to draw him back to her bed.
"It is hot. Too hot for you, I think."
Angelica turned at the sound of a Jazlyn's voice.
She was right about the heat. Angelica's light gown was drenched with sweat and the air felt like a giant weight pressing down on her.
"There is a pool. Cool water. You come?"
"That's a wonderful idea." Angelica stood and followed Jazlyn inside.
They crossed the bedroom, then out the door to the wide hallway leading to other parts of the palace. The cool marble floor felt good on her bare feet.
A few moments later, she followed Jazlyn into a private courtyard, filled with flowers. They walked past the fragrant garden towards a large pool with soft, curved edges. What captured her attention, however, were the women. At least twenty of them, all totally naked, lounged around and in the pool.
Jazlyn stripped off her gown and glanced at Angelica expectantly. At first, she hesitated, then decided there was no point in being shy. Kadin would not come out here. He wanted to stay away from Angelica, she was sure. And the women wouldn't care about her nudity.
She tugged the gown over her head and Jazlyn plucked it from her hands and laid it in a heap with her own. As they stepped toward the pool, Angelica couldn't help staring at all the beautiful, naked woman-flesh. There were small breasted and large breasted women, petite to voluptuous. All happily relaxed with their nudity. Angelica leaned over the pool and splashed a little water on the hot stone edging to cool it off, then sat and dangled her legs in the water.
"Oh, miss, you must be careful of your fair skin. The sun will burn it crisp."
Jazlyn sat beside her and pulled a jar from a bag she'd carried with her.
Naja appeared beside Angelica.
"Good afternoon." Naja plucked a brush from the bag and brushed Angelica's hair with long, soothing strokes, then twisted it and clipped it at the back of her head.
Jazlyn opened the jar and started spreading cream on Angelica's shoulders. Finished with her hair, Naja began spreading cream, too.
"It will protect your lovely skin from the sun," she said.
While Jazlyn's hands caressed down Angelica's back, Naja's hands proceeded down Angelica's chest, then below her breast.
"I … uh … can handle that," Angelica said.
"Nonsense," Naja said, as her hand slid up and over Angelica's breast. "It is relaxing to have someone else do this. And I know how much cream you need. It is different than what you use in your country."
The feel of the woman's hand stroking over her breast sent Angelica's head into a spin. She'd been reliving last night's lovemaking with Kadin all morning, leaving her body hot and needy. The woman's sensual attention mesmerized her.
Done with Angelica's back, Jazlyn pulled on Angelica's shoulders, easing her into a reclining position. Now, she lay stretched out on the side of the pool. A couple of other women joined them. She felt soft hands stroke her calves, then glide up her thighs. Naja continued to rub the cream onto her breast. The nipple rose into her palm. She drew more cream from the jar and lovingly caressed it onto Angelica's other breast. One bold woman stroked along the top of Angelica's thigh, lightly brushing her pussy.
Oh, God, she wanted to open her legs and allow the woman entrance.
A sweet aroma aroused her senses.
"What is that smell?" she asked.
Naja held the jar to her nose. "The cream is scented with the nectar of apricots."
"It smells delicious."
"It is made of natural ingredients," Naja responded. "It is even safe to eat."
She smiled and, as if to prove her point, leaned forward and licked Angelica's breast.