Freedom To Love

Her hair she brushed loosely down her back, completely straight, held back from her face by two thin slides at her temples. Her make-up was light, just a light touch of brown eyeshadow and mascara, with a peach lip-gloss on her mouth. She felt satisfied with the result, feeling cool and self-assured.

That coolness and assurance disappeared as soon as Adam Wild’s warm gaze slid over her with slow assessment, reducing her to the blushing young girl that she really was. He had changed from the disreputable denims and shirt, and was now wearing navy blue trousers and a light blue silk shirt that fitted tautly across his broad shoulders. He looked very lithe and attractive, emitting an aura of male dominance that made Katy feel protected and resentful at one and the same time.

He took her arm in a firm grasp. ‘Drink?’

‘Thank you,’ she accepted gracefully.

He left her seated in one of the corner booths of the lounge-bar, going up to get their drinks. Katy couldn’t see Gemma and Gerald anywhere in the room, so her gaze strayed back to Adam Wild as he chatted easily with the bartender. He was very self-assured, the lazy charm he displayed shielding a much more steely nature. Those warm blue eyes could harden with cruel anger, the relaxed body tense with fury. He had reached the top in a profession that was highly competitive, and he hadn’t done it by sitting back and taking it easy.

‘Thank you,’ she accepted the Martini he put in front of her.

He relaxed back on the padded bench-seat next to her, his arm across the back of the seat and almost touching her. ‘You’re doing very well so far,’ he said with amusement.

She gave him a sharp look. ‘In what way?’

He shrugged, his expression amused. ‘You haven’t fallen over anything yet, not in my sight anyway, and the hotel still looks pretty much intact.’

Katy bristled angrily. ‘Do you have to keep bringing up a few trifling mistakes I made on the plane? I can assure you I’m not usually so accident-prone.’

‘I believe you,’ he scorned.

‘Tell me, Mr Wild,’ she said sweetly, ‘did you call me out of boredom or did you just lose your little black book for Canada?’

‘Well, I certainly didn’t lose my little black book,’ he drawled infuriatingly.

‘Thank you!’

He grinned. ‘You asked for that one, Katy. Actually, the explanation is much more simple. I was neither bored nor bereft of my “little black book”. I just happened to see your sister, put two and two together, and decided that there was no point in both of us being alone tonight.’

‘I see.’ Katy smoothed her dress down over her knees, then wished she hadn’t as she realised she had drawn Adam’s attention to the thigh-length slit up the side. Her cheeks warmed with colour as he made no effort to hide his interest.

‘You have nice legs, too,’ he remarked bluntly.

‘Nice legs, shame about the face,’ Katy taunted.

He took her remark seriously, seemingly giving each feature careful consideration. ‘Nice face,’ he corrected.

‘But you’ve seen better,’ she said dryly.

‘Yes,’ he agreed with cruel honesty.

She bent forward to pick up her drink. ‘You—Oh, lord!’ she broke off as the glass slipped out of her hand and the liquid flowed all over Adam Wild’s trousers before the glass smashed on the floor at his feet. ‘Oh no!’ She looked at him in horror.

After an initial look of surprise a look of resignation passed over his features. ‘I knew it was too good to last,’ he groaned, mopping up the surplus Martini with a napkin.

‘I couldn’t help it,’ Katy snapped. ‘It just——’

His eyes went heavenwards. ‘Where have I heard this before? Why is it it’s never your fault? I didn’t see anyone around when you dropped that little lot.’

Katy passed him another napkin. ’You were.’

‘So now it’s my fault. Ugh!’ he grimaced at the stickiness of his trousers. ‘When you do something you really do it well!’

‘Yes.’ She stood up. ‘I’ll get someone to clean up the glass.’

‘Don’t bother.’ He stood up too. ‘I’ll tell the barman. Then you can help me get cleaned up.’

‘Oh, but——’ He had already walked away, leaving her no choice but to wait for him outside.

He joined her within minutes. ‘Let’s go to your room,’ he growled, the drink stained into the left side of his trousers.

Katy stopped in her tracks. ’My room? But——’

‘It has to be your room,’ he said in exasperation. ‘I don’t happen to be staying here.’

‘But——’

He pushed her into the lift. ‘You seem to have got stuck on that word. Which floor?’

‘Tenth. But—I mean,’ she amended at his scathing look, ‘if you aren’t staying here why are you in the hotel?’

‘Don’t worry,’ he scorned, ‘I’m not following you. It just so happens that they serve a good steak here. The fact that you’re staying in this hotel was merely a coincidence.’

‘I’m sure it was.’ She couldn’t imagine him deliberately setting out to find any woman, they would always have to do the running where this man was concerned. ‘I’m really sorry about your trousers.’ Her look was rueful.

‘So am I,’ he said tersely. ‘Unless you can get this Martini out you’ve just ruined a third of my wardrobe. I came away with two pairs of denims and these trousers,’ he explained. ‘And I didn’t intend shopping for new clothes while I’m here.’

‘It should sponge out.’ She hoped! ‘It was just an accident. I——’

‘Accidents seem to follow you around.’ They stepped out on to the tenth floor. ‘Which room?’

Katy really had no choice. His trousers would have to be sponged before the liquid dried in and left a stain. ‘This way.’ She sounded disgruntled—and she was! To sponge his trousers he would have to take them off!

Katy blushed as Adam raised an eyebrow at the single bed in her room, keeping her expression enigmatic as she handed him her towelling robe. It would be a little short for him, but at least it would cover most of him—the most important part!

‘The bathroom is through there,’ she told him in a stilted voice.

While he was gone she straightened the rumpled bed, putting her discarded clothes back in her suitcase. She knew Adam Wild’s sharp gaze hadn’t missed the lacy bras and panties on top of her open suitcase, and she shut the lid with a bang.

She heard the bathroom door open behind her and knew he had taken his trousers off for her to clean. She held her breath and turned. The towelling robe managed to look masculine on him, barely reaching his thighs, and he had removed his shoes and socks too. Katy was glad about that, she might have laughed otherwise. There was something very funny about a man who had bare legs while still wearing his shoes and socks. At least, she thought there was.

Adam appeared unperturbed by his state of undress, totally sure of himself, and with good reason. His legs were long and muscular, with a fine sheen of dark hair on his tanned skin. Katy was mesmerised by him, and it was with great effort that she raised her darkened grey eyes to meet his curious stare. Her cheeks flamed as he seemed to guess her thoughts, a taunting smile playing about his lips.

‘Give them to me,’ she said sharply, holding out her hand for the trousers.

He held on to them. ‘It says on the hotel card that they provide a cleaning service—a speedy cleaning service,’ he added pointedly. ‘So if you don’t mind I won’t leave my only decent pair of trousers to your tender mercies. Going on past record you’ll probably rub a hole in them.’ He picked up the telephone next to the bed.

Katy watched him do it. ‘What are you doing?’ she demanded to know.

He gave her a scathing glance. ‘Calling for someone to collect my trousers,’ he explained patiently.

‘No!’ Katy sprang forward and cut the connection off. ‘You mustn’t,’ she said desperately. ‘What will people think?’

Adam removed her hand from the telephone. ‘I couldn’t give a damn what people think. And I’ll thank you not to touch this telephone again. Someone had just answered when you slammed your hand down on it. My trousers need cleaning, the hotel provide the service, so I intend letting them do it.’

‘But you can’t!’ she insisted frantically. ‘I—I only have a single room. What on earth will the management think if I send down a pair of men’s trousers?’

‘That you have a man in your room,’ he drawled mockingly. ‘What the hell does it matter what they think?’ he added angrily.

‘It matters to me. Oh, please, Adam,’ she begged. ‘I’ll be careful with them—honestly I will.’

He began dialling. ‘I’m sorry, Katy, but your careful isn’t good enough.’ He turned away to talk into the receiver.

Katy spun away from him. They were obviously an expensive pair of trousers, and as they were one of only three pairs he had with him he obviously wanted to take care of them, but it was very humiliating for her. She might only be staying in this hotel for one night, but she still didn’t like people to think that she had been picked up by Adam Wild and had invited him back to her room. And that was how it was going to look, she knew that.

‘Why do you only have a single room?’

She turned around at the sound of Adam talking to her, her eyes widening as she took in the fact that he was lying full length on her bed, his hands behind his head as he looked at her. The movement had hitohed the towelling robe even farther up his legs, revealing that he wore black close-fitting underpants.

Katy had never been this close to a partially naked man before, and her heart skipped a few beats as she willed herself not to show how nervous she was. She knew by the amusement in his eyes that she hadn’t succeeded, and his next remark confirmed it.

‘I have more clothing on now than I would have on a beach,’ he taunted her blushes.

‘This isn’t a beach,’ she snapped. ‘It’s ten o’clock at night, in my hotel room.’

He smiled. ‘Does that make a difference?’

‘Of course it does!’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t be stupid!’ Her eyes flashed.

‘I think I get the picture,’ he mocked. ‘Because it’s night-time and this is a hotel room I’m supposed to turn into some sort of sex maniac. You’re the one that’s being stupid, Katy,’ he scorned. ‘I don’t have a specific time for making love. I get the urge in the morning, afternoon, and evening.’

‘And I’m sure you get plenty of opportunities to satisfy this urge,’ she said icily. ‘I just——’ she broke off as a knock sounded on the door. ‘That will be the porter. Oh, dear, what shall I do?’

Adam shrugged. ‘Well, I should open the door. Unless you would like me to?’ He half rose from the bed.

‘No! You stay where you are.’

‘Gladly,’ he drawled, dropping back on to the pillows.

Katy grabbed the trousers and made for the door. Her face was scarlet as she met the speculative look in the young boy’s eyes.

She only opened the door far enough to hand the trousers out to him. ‘I—Will it take long?’ she asked nervously.

‘About an hour, ma’am,’ he said in a slow Canadian drawl.

An hour of Adam Wild lying half naked in her bedroom! ‘No sooner than that?’ she almost begged.

‘Afraid not. You see——’

‘Hurry up, darling,’ Adam Wild called from inside the room, ‘This bed is very lonely without you.’

The boy’s speculation grew—and so did Katy’s anger. ‘Thank you,’ she gave the boy a bright smile before turning furiously back into the room. ‘How dare you!’ she exploded. ‘Why on earth did you do such a thing?’

He lay back, a lazy smile on his lips. ‘He was bound to think that, I just didn’t want him to be disappointed.’

Katy marched over to stand next to the bed, her expression one of indignation. ‘You had no right—Oh!’ she gasped as one of his hands snaked out and pulled her down beside him on the bed. ‘Let me go!’ She struggled against him.

‘Don’t be silly,’ he murmured against her throat. ‘You went to all this trouble, don’t let’s waste the opportunity now that we’re here.’

‘What trouble?’ Katy fought against him, squirming as his lips probed the sensitive area beneath her earlobe. ‘Stop that. Stop it!’

‘Not on your life. I’ve had a lot of things tried on me, but no woman has ever gone to the lengths of tipping her drink down me to get my trousers off. You only had to ask, Katy, I would gladly have taken them off—for you.’

Anger burned deep within her. ‘I didn’t want your trousers off! And I certainly don’t want you in my room. Now take your hands off me!’

‘Just relax,’ his breath was warm against her cheek, his mouth coming to the edge of her lips. ‘Relax, Katy,’ he groaned as her struggles began to ebb. ‘Why fight what we both want?’

‘But I don’t. I don’t!’

‘Liar!’

She was a liar, she was even lying to herself. This man was an expert when it came to woman’s sensuality, knowing exactly what areas of a woman’s body to probe and caress. Katy had no defences against such expertise, trembling uncontrollably as his mouth finally claimed hers.

He was in no hurry to do more than kiss her, obviously thinking they had all night to progress. But his mouth on hers was enough to quell all the fight in her, taking her lips again and again as she lay beneath him. Katy hadn’t known there were so many ways of kissing, with gentleness, with passion, and finally with thrusting savagery, his lips probing hers to deepen the caress. She had never known such intimacy, feeling as if he really did possess her in that moment, quivering helplessly against the hard arousal of his body.

‘Aren’t you going to touch me?’ he whispered huskily.

‘I—I’ve never——’

‘Don’t play the innocent with me, Katy Harris.’ His voice hardened. ‘That routine bores me. No girl, of eighteen or otherwise, is innocent nowadays. Women are born offering themselves.’

Katy gasped, ‘That’s a cynical attitude!’

‘Learnt the hard way, little girl. Are you going to take this dress off or do you expect me to make love to you when you’re fully clothed?’ He pulled at the zip fastener at the back of her dress.

‘No!’ She stilled his movements, pulling away from him. ‘I don’t know what you think I am, Mr Wild, but I can assure you I don’t hop into bed with a man I only met today.’

‘Do I come back tomorrow?’ He watched with narrowed eyes as she stood up to straighten her dress.

‘I won’t be here tomorrow,’ she snapped.

‘Neither will I—Thank God! You’re a tease, do you know that? You’ve been giving me the green light ever since you got on the plane, and now I’ve decided to take you up on that offer you’re playing hard to get.’

‘Hard to get! Why, you——! You must be the most conceited man I’ve ever met! I’ve done nothing to encourage you, I even ripped up that card you gave me with your telephone number on.’

‘Only so that I stayed interested. I bet you didn’t rip up the second one?’

‘Well … no. But——’

‘I thought not. I’ve had every trick in the book tried on me, the “I’m not interested” routine is the most frequent.’

‘And if a girl really isn’t interested?’ Katy demanded.

‘That doesn’t happen very often,’ he said dryly.

‘Well, it’s happened this time,’ she said with dislike. ‘If and when I choose to sleep with a man I hope he doesn’t have your conceit. How awful to make love to someone because you feel it’s expected of you!’

Adam stiffened, his eyes hardening to blue slits. ‘Is that why you think I did it?’

‘Of course,’ she scorned, moving to the other side of the room to look out over the lit-up Calgary. ‘The irresistible Adam Wild has to keep up his reputation.’

‘Reputation?’

‘Oh yes. The newspapers are always reporting on your prowess. I’ve lost count of the amount of women you’ve been seen escorting.’

He lounged comfortably on Katy’s bed. ‘If it’s offered …’

‘You take it,’ she said disgustedly. ‘Only this time it wasn’t offered. And it never will be, not to you! God, you think you’re so magnificent, don’t you! Well, this is one time where you didn’t strike lucky. You’re the sort of man who most turns me off!’

‘That wasn’t the impression you gave a moment ago,’ he drawled insultingly.

‘How typical of you to bring up a thing like that!’

He smiled. ‘You have to take what you can in today’s world.’

‘Well, I’m not for the taking! God, I wish your trousers would come back so that you can get out of here!’

‘You can’t wish it any more than I do,’ he scowled.

‘Then stop looking so damned comfortable. Why can’t you sit in one of the chairs instead of lounging about on my bed?’

‘Because I am comfortable.’ A knock sounded on the door. ‘My trousers, I hope.’

It wasn’t. Gemma stood outside the door. Katy kept the door half closed, her heart in her mouth. If Gemma should find Adam Wild in her bedroom …! She would never hear the end of it!

‘Is there anything wrong?’ she asked Gemma with a calm she was far from feeling.

‘No, I just came to make sure you’re all right. You aren’t still sulking, are you?’

‘I don’t sulk,’ Katy said stiffly. ‘If you choose to sleep with Gerald then that’s your business.’

‘But you don’t like it,’ Gemma sighed.

‘It isn’t up to me to either like or dislike it, it’s your decision.’

‘You’re such a prude.’ She eyed Katy suspiciously. ‘I thought you were going to have an early night?’

Katy blushed. ‘I am. I’m just going to take a shower before going to bed. I——’ Oh no! Behind Gemma she could see the porter stepping out of the lift with Adam Wild’s newly cleaned trousers. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

‘Here we are, ma’am,’ the young boy grinned at her. ‘I got them back just as soon as I could.’

‘Thank you,’ she said through stiff lips, handing him a tip from her purse.

‘Thank you, ma’am.’

Gemma frowned, looking from Katy to the trousers and then back again. ‘But what——Who——’

‘Mine, I believe,’ drawled that deeply mocking voice.

Katy spun round to see Adam Wild standing beside her, the robe making the situation appear more intimate than it was. She almost groaned as Gemma’s eyes widened with shock.

Adam took the trousers out of her hand. ‘Good evening, Miss Harris,’ he greeted Gemma. ‘I hope you’ll excuse me while I get dressed?’

‘Katy!’ Gemma sounded scandalised, watching as Adam walked into the bathroom. She turned blazing eyes on Katy. ‘And you dared to disapprove of me! My God,’ she gave a bitter laugh, ‘you’re even worse than me. You only met the man today, and already you’ve been to bed with him. Well, in future don’t you dare to preach to me,’ she ended fiercely. ‘Goodnight!’

Katy watched her sister leave, turning angrily to tackle Adam Wild.

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