glad you know now, though. Anyone who wants to can know now, since Victor knew all along. And I thought I was being so crafty.”
“Tell you what, babe. It didn't look so terrible, all decked out in the ball gown with Grandma's necklace on. Victor's pampered darling. You took to it pretty smooth, if you ask me.”
“I didn't plan that!” she protested. “He sent me out here to work, Seth! I got shanghaied by a gang of women who wrestled me down and dressed me like a doll! I didn't know what else to do, so I went with it!”
“Let's see how you turned out. Come on, open up the shawl and let me take a look.”
He yanked the stole open. It slipped to the floor, and he stopped her lunge to catch it, seizing her upper arms. She jerked away at the rough contact, but his grip was hard and fast. “I love what that dress does for your tits,” he said. “So did every other man in the room. Did you see them all staring, Raine? You must have. Did you like it?”
“Don't, Seth.” She touched his face, trying to get him to meet her eyes, but he was staring fixedly at her body. He grabbed the bottom of the tight bodice and yanked it down. The tops of her breasts spilled out over the neckline, her nipples taut and puckered from the cold.
She tried to slap his hands away. “Stop it, Seth! You have got to stop wrecking my clothes!”
No problem, princess. Uncle Victor will buy you another one.” Seth's hands slid hungrily up over the front of her bodice, cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples between his fingers.
“It's not like that” she protested.
“Oh no?” His hands slid down, cupping her bottom. “I like this skirt. I'd like to fuck you with all that shiny stuff rustling around you, and your nipples poking out of that corset. This dress was made for sex. Most dresses a guy just wants to rip off so he can get on with it, but this one, whoa. This one can stay on, no problem.”
She grabbed his wrists and tried to drag them off of her. “Stop it,” she hissed. “Don't you dare touch me when you're angry. I—”
“And check out the sparkler. The crowning touch.” He held the opal pendant up to the light. “Victor's princess was a good girl today, huh?”
“I told you, it belonged to my grandfather, and it was a—oh!”
He snapped the jeweled clasp and flung it behind him. It bounced off the wall with a ping and clattered to the floor. “Now if you'd get your hair down and wipe some of that paint off, I might even recognize you.”
That was it The outrage inside her coalesced. She launched herself at him with a shout of fury. Seth let out a surprised grunt as he fell back onto the bench. She landed on top of him. The boat rocked wildly. “Goddamn it, Seth,” she hissed. “You listen to me.”
He opened his mouth. She clapped her hand over it. “I
His eyes bored into hers for a moment. He gave a short nod.
She was so startled at his acquiescence that for a long, panting moment, she could think of nothing to say. She squeezed her eyes shut and searched for words. “You say you can feel what I really want, no matter what I might say to the contrary, you arrogant bastard. What I really want right now is for you to calm down and listen to me like a rational, civilized man. Not a lunatic with rocks in his head. Can you do that for me, Seth? I challenge you to do that for me.”
He stared up at her for a moment, and the smile lines around his eyes crinkled. He nodded, and his face changed beneath her hand.
He was smiling. She lifted her hand away.
“This position really does it for me,” he said softly.
She looked down. She was straddling him, resting against what had become a very prominent erection. He radiated heat even through all the layers of fabric. She scrambled to her feet.
“Don't even,” she snapped. “Forget it. I'm not finished!”
“Go right ahead. Tell me some more stories.” His eyes were still fixed on her breasts, which were still overflowing their bounds extravagantly. “The view's great from here, no matter what you say.”
“I was not lying to you, damn it!”
“Keep it down, babe.”
“Stop goading me, then! And don't call me that!” She rearranged her bodice until it more or less encompassed her breasts. “I never lied to you. The only thing I withheld was my father's real name, and—”
“Pretty goddamn important detail, if you ask me.”
“As I was saying,” she went on icily, “everything I told you is true, and a matter of public record. Check on my story all you want.”
Their eyes locked, and she stood there quietly for long, silent minutes and let him probe her with his burning gaze. She didn't allow herself to look away or flinch.
He seized a handful of her skirt and tugged her till she swayed towards him. “So where'd you go today, sweetheart?” His voice was soft and challenging. He pulled until she was standing between his legs, clasped her hips with his big, warm hands and waited for her answer.
She was cautiously encouraged by the gentle physical contact. “I went to see the doctor who signed my father's autopsy report” she told him. “She told me that there were two FBI agents investigating Victor at the time. She remembered one of their names. I tracked him down, too. My father was going to testify against Victor back in the summer of '85. He drowned before he had the chance.”
Seth's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He made no comment.
Her mouth tightened as she thought of the interview with Bill Haley. “The guy wasn't very encouraging,” she said. “He basically told me to keep my head down and be a good girl.”
“That was damn good advice,” Seth said. “Say the word, and I'll start up this motor and get you the hell away from here. For good.”
Raine closed her eyes and let herself imagine it, for one wistful, weary moment She shook her head. “No. The dreams will never stop if I run. I'll spend some time with Victor tomorrow, and see what happens. He wants to show me his collection. Whatever that is.”
Seth stroked the slick taffeta that covered her bottom, a remote, calculating look in his eyes. “His collection? Is that so?”
She nodded, steadying herself on his shoulders. Exhaustion rolled over her, and she swayed closer. He pulled her gentry down until she was perched on his lap, his arms clasped around her waist.
She should be furious with him. He had behaved very badly but now he was nuzzling her bosom and kissing her neck, the slick, seductive bastard. She was too tired and dizzy to protest. She leaned against him, soaking up his sustaining heat. An idea came to her.
“Seth?” she whispered.
'Hmm?” He kissed the top of one of her breasts, then the other, then buried his face in her cleavage. “What?”
“I was wondering if you could... help me.”
“Help you what?” His head lifted. He frowned at her.
“Garner information,” she said softly. “I'm just blundering along. I know that you have a lot of experience in —in—”
“Sneaking around in the dark? Engaging in morally questionable activities to find out things that are none of my goddamn business?”
She nodded eagerly. “Exactly. I could really use some pointers”
He nuzzled her shoulder. She could actually feel the quality of his concentration, buzzing like electricity as he pondered her request. The boat rocked gently back and forth like a cradle as she waited. Water lapped against it in a slow, gurgling rhythm that measured his silence.
He looked up. “I'll do it. But you have to do something for me.”
Heat swept up into her face. He let out a harsh laugh. “No, sweetheart. Not what you're thinking. I'll have that no matter what deal we cut. We don't negotiate with that coin.
Got it?”
She nodded, waiting for the blush to subside before she dared to speak. “What is it that you want from me, then?” she ventured timidly.
His hand slid over her bare back, stroking her as if she were a wild animal that might bolt. “A favor. You said Victor wants to show you his collection tomorrow, right?”
