Read Online Base by Cathleen Ross - Free Book Online Page B

o’clock shadow on his normally clean-shaven face, the darkness on his tanned skin highlighting the intense green of his eyes. A line of hair led from his belly button to the waistband of his pants. His torso had the kind of musculature that defined every ridge and every groove. In his hand he held two steaming cups of coffee.
    She sniffed the air like a hound. Coffee. It smelled real. ‘How did you know I’m a coffee girl in the morning?’
    He grinned. ‘You’re salivating.’
    She rolled her eyes. ‘I thought I was in heaven, then I realised I was still in your bed.’
    His gaze flicked over to the place he’d vacated and then lingered on her. ‘I could make it heaven for you.’
    â€˜Try uncuffing me. I can hardly feel my fingers.’
    â€˜If I do, will you promise to behave?’ He stepped towards her and stood by her side of the bed.
    Her mouth watered. How long had it been since she’d drunk real coffee? ‘Define behave.’
    â€˜I free you. You act like a normal person instead of a possessed demon determined to rip my nuts off. We sit, have coffee together like a normal couple do.’
    â€˜You free me, keep your hands off me and your reproductive organs will stay attached to your body. Even better, you let me go and find another female who enjoys navy men and restraints.’
    Jack shrugged, took a long sip of his coffee and placed her cup on the bedside table just out of reach. ‘I have a problem with your terms. You see I already have you. If I discover any female survivors, it’s my duty to distribute them to the other men who’ve risked their lives to save them.’ He put his cup down next to hers.
    She rolled her eyes. ‘But that’s just it. You don’t have me. You’ve restrained me against my will and you can’t see that you’re doing anything wrong.’
    â€˜That’s because I’m not. There are hordes of braindeads out there.’ He sat next to her and cupped his hand under her chin. ‘And, Ruth, you’re mine. Accept it.’
    Ruth tried to pull her face away. She pushed at him with her free hand hitting rock-hard chest muscle. ‘You don’t get to make decisions that affect my life. You do not own me.’
    His thumb grazed over her lips. ‘Yeah, I do.’
    When he brought his lips down towards hers, she shoved the heel of her hand at his face, but he caught her hand in his and pushed it back on the pillow. She twisted her face aside. She had never felt so vulnerable. When his lips grazed her throat, a ripple of pleasure travelled down her neck until her nipples ached.
    â€˜You have no idea how beautiful you are. So desirable.’ His voice was low and husky, his breathing fast. His hand cupped her breast, while the pad of his thumb rubbed over her nipple.
    This close she could smell fresh coffee on his breath and soap from the shower tinged with the musk of sheer male horniness. Her nipple responded by tightening into a bud. Part of her wanted to surrender, to give in and let him take her. With his army-cropped hair and semi-nakedness, he looked like he’d stepped out of a magazine shoot for a male sporting magazine. She realised he was desperately looking for something normal in this hellish situation, but she refused to submit. ‘You rape me, Jack, I’ll never forgive you.’
    He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the pulse point at her wrist and continued until he found the crease at her elbow. ‘I want you so much it hurts. I can smell you. You’re sweet. Last night seeing you naked.’ He let loose a ragged sigh. ‘You don’t know what you’re doing to me.’
    She shoved hard. ‘Jack!’
    He groaned and pushed himself off her, grabbed his coffee cup and strode from the room. For a moment, he stopped at the door, fished into his pocket and pulled out a key. ‘Here. Undo your cuff.’ He threw it to her