Except, he knew that wasn’t true.
Even the thought of leaving her with that man who called himself her father caused an ache in Damien’s chest. He couldn’t do it.
He tried telling himself it was because she still had a job to do for him, but he knew better. It was so much more than a job, just as it had been from the moment he’d laid eyes on her - started studying her, decided she’d be perfect for what he wanted.
If only he could figure out exactly what it was that he wanted her for.
“I can’t believe you would do that. Bree is going to hunt you down and –”
“And what, Sierra? You play hot and cold, do things however you like, want everything your way. Well, this is the real world, and its time you learn that actions have consequences. If you push me, I’m going to push back,” Damien thundered as he made a sharp right turn.
“Where are you taking me? I demand you return me at once!”
“Not going to happen.”
“Stop this car right now or I swear I’ll jump out of it,” she threatened as she reached for the door handle.
Damien’s emotions were sliding on a thin sheet of ice. He could already feel it begin to crack beneath him. His anger was consuming, but his need was overwhelming. He saw a sign for a park, and swerved into the parking lot, needing to pull over before he ended up crashing the vehicle.
Damien turned in his seat, looking over Sierra, her flushed cheeks, heaving chest and rage filled eyes. His arousal jumped at how badly he wanted to pull her onto his lap. He had to end the torture, had to sink inside her – now.
“Why keep fighting me, Sierra. You want this just as badly. I’m not forcing you. I’m not demanding anything you don’t want to give, so why don’t you stop playing games and tell me what you want?” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
∞∞∞
Sierra felt his words all the way to her core. She did want him, desired him in a way that had to be unnatural. She just couldn’t think when he spoke to her like that, used that tone of voice.
“You have to stop, Damien. This is wrong.”
“Why, Sierra? Are you afraid of the passion between us? I’ve thought of little else but you for the past two weeks, because each day that I wake up, I smell your scent and it sends desire coursing through me. I come in at the end of the night, wanting to find you waiting for me, hungry, aching with need. If you want to play games, that’s fine by me – I’ll play all the games you want.” His tone was melting her. She was falling quick.
“I don’t want to play games. I…I need air,” Sierra told him as his hand moved to the handle.
“Where are you going?” he demanded, all seduction leaving his tone.
“Wherever I feel like,” Sierra snapped. Exhilaration filled her as she realized he was the first man she’d ever so openly defied.
“You’re not leaving. We haven’t finished this,” he said, his voice oddly calm, though the anger fueled his words.
“You can’t stop me.”
“Sierra, I swear if you run off –” He suddenly stopped as if trying to compose himself.
Sierra felt a twinge of alarm at the implied threat of his command. Old habits die hard. If she’d ever argued like this with her father, he would’ve beaten her to a pulp. She knew Damien wouldn’t hit her – she didn’t know how she knew, but she just did.
Sierra didn’t give him a chance to finish the rest of his statement. She opened the door and jumped from the car. Not taking any chances, she started running toward the trailhead straight ahead.
For a few brief moments she thought she’d actually achieved her goal – that she’d gotten away. At least she did until she heard footsteps quickly approaching from behind only seconds before Damien’s hand snagged her around the waist and lifted her in the air.
She thought about crying out, but she didn’t have a chance. Within seconds she was cradled against his chest and his mouth descended.
She didn’t even have time to take a breath of air before his mouth sucked all protests away. He kissed her long and hard, his tongue quickly slipping inside her mouth and tangling with hers. She felt the movement from Damien’s footsteps, knowing he was going somewhere but she was lost in the moment and couldn’t focus on anything else but being in his arms again.
“You make me burn. One minute I want to throttle you, and then the next I want to make you submit to me. Just remember, Sierra, I love a good chase. You can run from me anytime you want, because I’ll always catch you. Lucky for you, the punishment will be mutually satisfying,” Damien said with a wicked gleam in his eye before he set her down and gripped her blouse.