Johanna Lindsey - Captive Bride

"Well, it does not matter between us. So this is the woman that you could not live without," Yasir said, staring intently at Christina. "Yes, I can see why you had to have her. You are a pleasure to look at, Christina Wakefield. I hope you will give me many beautiful grandchildren before I die."

Christina's eyes flew open wide, and her face quickly turned a becoming shade of pink. "Grandchildren! Why, I—"

Philip cut her off abruptly. "You will say no more." He glared at her, daring her to disobey him.

"It is all right, Abu. I can see that your Christina still has a lot of fight in her. Your mother was the same way when I first brought her to my camp. Only I was not so kind as you, for I had to beat her once."

Christina gasped in horror, but Yasir smiled at her knowingly.

"This shocks you, Christina Wakefield? Well, it did not sit well with me, either, after the deed was done. You must understand that I had been drinking heavily at the time and was in a blind rage because she was flirting openly with the men of my camp. She admitted to me afterward that she had been purposely trying to make me jealous enough to marry her.

"I never raised a hand against her after that, and we married the very next day. I had five treasured years with her, and she gave me my sons, Abu and Abin. But she could not endure the desert heat, so when she begged to go home, I could not refuse her. I still grieve over her death. I always will."

Philip's father had a sorrowful look in his dark-brown eyes, as if he were remembering those long-ago years of happiness. He only nodded, without looking at them, when Philip said they would come again.

Christina felt sorry for Yasir, who had had only five years with the woman he loved, but she had no such feelings for Philip. When they returned to his tent, she faced him with flashing dark-blue eyes.

"I will not give him grandchildren!" she stormed.

"What?" Philip laughed at her. "That's just an old man's dream. I don't expect you to give me any children. That's not why I brought you here."

"Then why did you bring me here?" Christina yelled at him shrilly.

"I have already told you, Tina. You're here for my pleasure. Because I want you," he replied simply.

He reached for her, and Christina moved away swiftly, her anger replaced by fear. "Where can I put these bolts of material?" she asked to distract him.

"I'll see if I can find you a chest next week. For now, you can leave them where they are. Come, let us go to bed," he said, and started to walk into the bedroom.

"It's only just dark, and I'm not tired. Besides, I won't sleep in that bed with you. And you have no right to force me!" She sat down and started to unbraid her hair.

Philip came over to the couch and picked her up in his arms. "I did not say we were going to sleep, my sweet," he chuckled wickedly.

"No!" she cried. "Put me down this instant!"

Philip smiled down at her as he carried her into the bedroom and threw her on the bed. "I told you you'd give me pleasure. Take off your clothes, Tina."

"I will do no such thing," Christina retorted indignantly.

She started to get off the bed, but it was a futile gesture, because Philip swiftly pulled her over to the middle of the bed and straddled her hips with his knees. He pulled the blouse over her head, pinning her arms with one hand, though she fought him with all her strength. He untied her skirt and rolled her over to pull it off.

"You can't do this. I won't stand for it!" she cried, trying desperately to push him away.

He laughed heartily. "When will you learn, my little one, that I'm master here? What I wish to do—I do."

Looking into her dark-blue eyes, Philip could see her fear, but he would not stop.

"Damn it, Tina. I gave you my word I wouldn't rape you, but I made no promise that I wouldn't kiss you or touch your body. Now be still!" he said harshly. He brought his lips forcefully down on hers.

Philip kissed her long and brutally. Christina felt so strange. Did she actually enjoy his kisses? Her breasts, her belly, her whole body tingled and felt tautly alive.

Philip released her and stood up beside the bed. He caressed her body with dark-green eyes as he removed his clothing piece by piece and threw it aside. Christina's eyes widened when she saw his naked desire. Fear gripped her, and she jumped from the bed, trying one last time to escape. But Philip grabbed her long braid as she ran, and pulled her forceably into his arms.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Tina," he said, pushing her down onto the bed.

He moved his lips over her face and down her neck, but when they nibbled at her breasts, she began to fight him again. He caught her arms and pulled them firmly above her head with one hand.

"Don't fight me, Tina. Relax and enjoy what I can do for you," he whispered deeply.

While Philip continued to kiss her peaking breasts, he rested his free hand on her upper thigh. When he moved his hand upward to the golden triangle of hair below her navel, Christina moaned and begged Philip to stop.

"I have only just started, Tina," he murmured, and pushed his knee between her legs to open them.

Christina felt on fire as Philip stroked her delicately between her legs. He covered her mouth with his as she began to moan softly. She didn't want him to stop now. She wanted to know the end of this strange tingling feeling inside her.

Philip released her hands and rolled on top of her. He held her head between his huge hands and kissed her hungrily. She could feel his hardness between her legs, but she didn't care anymore. Her mind cried out for him to stop, but her body demanded that he go on. Christina knew then that Philip was right. She hated her body for betraying her, but she wanted him.

She felt him start to enter her slowly. But he stopped and looked into her eyes.

"I want you, Tina. You are mine, and I want to make love to you. Do you want me to stop now? Do you want me to let you go?" He was smiling down at her, knowing that he had won. "Tell me, Tina, tell me not to stop."

She hated him, but he couldn't leave her now. She circled her arms around his neck. "Don't stop," she whispered breathlessly.

She felt a searing pain as he pushed deep into her. His lips muffled her scream as she raked her nails down his back.

"I'm sorry, Tina, that had to happen. It will never hurt again—I promise." He started to move slowly inside her.

He was right. It didn't hurt anymore. Her pleasure rose as Philip quickened his pace. Christina abandoned herself to him completely as she met each thrust. He took her higher and higher until her eyes flew open and she became one with him.

Philip showed her pleasure that she never knew existed. But now that she lay exhausted beneath him, she hated him all the more. She cursed herself for her newfound weakness. She said she would never give in to him, but she had, and she could not forgive herself.

Christina opened her eyes to find Philip staring at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I will never give you up, Tina. You will always be mine," he murmured softly. Then he rolled off her, but pulled her to him until her head rested on his shoulder. "And I give you warning. If you ever try to run away from me again, I will find you and whip the hide off your lovely back. I give you my word."

Christina remained silent. Soon she could hear his deep, even breathing and knew that Philip was asleep. She edged herself away from him and slipped off the bed.

Picking up Philip's robe, Christina put it on and left the tent. The fire in the middle of the camp burned brightly and cast dancing shadows that mocked her everywhere she looked, but she could see no one about. She walked carefully in the direction Philip had taken her that morning until she came to the little clearing. She dropped his robe and walked into the warm water.

She had made it this far without being seen. She thought briefly of stealing one of the horses in the corral and escaping while Philip slept. But her luck was no longer with her, and she was sure someone would hear her leave. She wasn't anxious to learn if Philip would keep his word and whip her. So Christina put the thought from her mind and let the warm water take the smell of him from her body.

THE sun was just clearing the mountains, taking away the sharp chill of the night past, when Philip awoke from a pleasant sleep. He looked to see if his captive still lay beside him. He frowned when he saw Christina lying on the far side of the bed and wearing his robe. He would have to speak to her, for he would allow no clothes between them in bed.

Remembering his victory of the night before, Philip smiled and played with the loose ends of Christina's braid. He noticed the deep red stain of blood on the sheet and felt the scratches on his back.

What a woman he had found! She had abandoned herself completely to him last night after admitting defeat. She had matched his own wild passion. Perhaps he should make her his wife to make sure she would never leave him. But she had refused him once, and there was no way he could force her to marry him.

Getting out of bed, Philip opened the chest that contained his clothes and donned a pair of light-tan trousers and a white, long-sleeved tunic. He left the tent and, seeing Amine by the fire, asked her to bring in the morning meal. Philip checked on his horse, Victory, and on two recently captured horses in the corral. He enjoyed working with horses, and breaking in the new ones would give him something to do besides raiding the passing caravans.

Philip remembered the incredulous look on the fat old merchant's face during yesterday's raid when he had asked if there were any books in the caravan. Philip had taken only the things he wanted for Christina, and had ordered bis men to take only foodstuffs and other necessities.

Philip had no need of the riches that could be accumulated by raiding caravans, for he had all the wealth he could ever need in England. His mother left him a very rich estate, and a title as well.

His half-brother Rashid took everything when he raided, and didn't care very much if anyone died in the process. Rashid was a hard and bitter man. Philip was glad he had not been in camp since his return.

Giving Victory a last rub on his velvety gray nose, Philip went back to the tent. He found Christina sitting on the couch eating breakfast. She had removed his robe and had on the skirt and blouse she had worn yesterday. As he approached, she shot him a look of hatred that would have frozen any other man.

"I was hoping that your disposition might have improved after last night, but I can see it hasn't," Philip remarked casually.

"And I was hoping that you'd have the decency not to mention last night. But you throw it in my face, like the cad you are! I promise I'll never let it happen again!"

Philip grinned wickedly as he calmly sat down beside her. "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep, Tina."

Christina swung viciously at his leering face, but he swiftly grabbed her wrist.

"This is hardly the time for a quarrel, my sweet. I suggest you put your energy to a better use and finish your meal. Afterward, I'll take you to bathe."

"No, thank you. I bathed last night," she said haughtily.

Philip's eyes narrowed dangerously. Christina winced when he seized her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"So that's why you were wearing my robe this morning!" he stormed, shaking her violently. "You little idiot! Do you think we're the only tribe in these hills? There are at least a dozen others, and we share our water and our bathing hole with Yamaid Alhabbal. His tribe doesn't speak English as mine does. Do you know where you'd be this morning, had one of his tribesmen discovered you? You'd be at a slave auction—bringing a healthy price. After Yamaid Alhabbal and all his men had sampled your charms, that is."

Philip pushed her away and stood before her, his eyes cold and unrelenting. "Never will you leave this camp unescorted again. Do you hear me?"

"Yes," she whispered meekly.

Seeing how frightened she looked, Philip calmed down. "I'm sorry, Tina. It's just that if you were sold, I probably wouldn't be able to find you. The fat old buzzard who could pay the most for you would hide you away for fear of losing you. I wouldn't want that to happen any more than you would."