Lock froze and pulled away from her, his teeth gritted with rage. The b.i.t.c.h had played him with the wiles of a seasoned wh.o.r.e! His hand clamped over hers that still held the key. "Drop it."

Her blue eyes opened wide. "But, Lock-"

"I know what you're after. Don't even think about it, Sparrow. This key is mine, just as you are."

"I'm not yours!"

He glanced at her hard nipples and kiss-bruised lips and said with a smile, "Aren't you? I don't think a woman who sucked my c.o.c.k with such feeling belongs to anyone but me. Finish your bath and I'll get you a towel and fresh clothes... Come to think of it, I'll just bring you the towel. I like you naked."

"If you don't bring me clothes, Lock, you will regret it," she spoke through clenched teeth.

His eyes swept her firm, round b.r.e.a.s.t.s and sleekly muscled arms and belly. He didn't think he could get any harder than he'd been moments ago, but the idea of her chained there naked all night made him feel like a steel pike. He said, "I'm sure I will, but it's a risk I'll have to take."

Chapter Ten.

"Give me some clothes!" Sparrow sang at the top of her voice.

The house had been dark for hours, the lanterns long burned-out. Lock lay on his stomach, a pillow clutched over his head to drown out the b.i.t.c.h's incessant screeching.

"Clothes. Clothes. I want clothes!" she chanted.

Lock jumped out of the bed. "Will you shut up!"

"Not until you clothe me." Sparrow began singing a folk song and Lock was mystified that such a beautiful woman could have such a terrible voice. Sparrow began adding her own verses, "Bring me some clothes! I'm cold to my toes!"

"It's sweltering in here!" he snapped.

"Not when you're naked."

"Get under the blankets."

"No. I want clothes!"

Lock trudged to her corner of the room and grasped her shoulders, holding her so they were nose to nose. He hissed through clenched teeth, "Shut your mouth or I will cut out your tongue!"

"No you won't. I'm through being intimidated by you, Lock," she told him and slid her arms around his neck, pressing her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s to his bare chest. The sensation nearly made Lock groan. She squirmed closer, and Lock began to feel as if he had a permanent erection. She whispered in his ear, "I want something to wear. I can sing all night and sleep all day while you have to tend the farm tomorrow."

"I don't have to."

"Of course you do! It's your farm now, remember? If someone doesn't take care of it, you'll have nothing. So, what will it be?"

"I don't give a d.a.m.n about this farm. I can take you out of here any time I want."

"And no matter where you go, Lock, I can sing all night!"

She began humming, and he kissed her, his hands roaming over her back and b.u.t.tocks. She slapped his wrists. "None of that! I won't make love with you while I'm tied up."

"You'll sleep with me whenever I tell you. If I choose to respect your wishes-"

"Respect? Hah! You don't even know the meaning of the word. Now give me some clothes!"

He sighed deeply, took one of his shirts, and tossed it to her.

"Getting soft, are you?" she asked as she slipped the shirt over her head. It hung past her knees, and she settled into the blankets. "Goodnight, Lock."

He growled in response and returned to the bed. To his annoyance, touching her had aroused him so much he was unable to sleep for nearly an hour.

Sparrow smiled to herself as she finished cleaning the dishes and stretched out on her blankets. Lock had awakened her before he'd left, and she knew he'd done it for spite about her behavior the night before.

Now she prepared to catch up on the sleep she'd missed. She closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of his body against hers, the way he'd run the soap over her. He was spiteful and arrogant, but he wasn't as vicious as he pretended to be-at least not with her. She knew his reputation and wasn't foolish enough to believe he wasn't guilty of the crimes he was accused of, but she did know that even though he chained her up, he still felt something for her. It was just a matter of which of them would come around first and admit there was more than l.u.s.t between them.

Sparrow guessed it was noon when Lock returned to the house carrying a bag of meat sc.r.a.ps that he added to the stew.

"Did you go hunting?" she asked.

He wiped his hands, stained with b.l.o.o.d.y juice, and glanced at her. "I'd intended to, but I realized there was no need. You have a farm full of animals waiting for slaughter."

She stared at him. "You killed one of my animals? Which one?"

He shrugged. "Just the cow."

Sparrow felt her belly drop to the floor. "You killed Daphne?"

"Why not? She's an animal, isn't she? Or should I say was."

Sparrow's vision blackened with rage, and she ran as far as the chains would allow, her hands stretching toward him like claws. "You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You killed my cow!"

"For the next few days we'll have Daphne stew, Daphne pie, Daphne..."

Sparrow thought she might be sick. Daphne! She hadn't just been another farm animal, she'd been Sparrow's favorite. Daphne with her dark brown eyes and sweet face. Any feeling she had left for Lock dissolved with the tears that streamed down her face. She turned from him, lay on her blankets, and cried.

"All this over a b.l.o.o.d.y cow?" he snapped.

"Go to h.e.l.l!" she sobbed.

She felt his hand on her shoulder and she jerked away.

"I didn't kill the d.a.m.n cow," he said. "I'm cooking a rabbit."

"You're a liar! It's my cow. You are the most unfeeling son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h I've ever known! You'd do anything to get back at me for saving your life. Shea-Ann warned me not to buy you, but no, I wouldn't listen. I felt sorry for you. What a fool!"

"Will you stop crying?"

She ignored him and continued sobbing, releasing the sadness and frustration she'd repressed since she'd brought the b.a.s.t.a.r.d into her house.

Moments later, she felt something blowing on her, then something bristly brushed her face. She glanced up and could have laughed with happiness.

"Daphne!" She hugged the cow's thick neck, not even caring about the muddy tracks leading across her rope carpet.

Lock leaned against the wall and stared at Sparrow hugging the cow and speaking to it with more affection than his own mother had ever spoken to him. Sparrow's hands gently stroked the animal's neck and she actually kissed the ugly beast's face.

Was it possible to be jealous of a cow? Evidently, because he was. Of course, she'd tried being kind to him, but he'd have none of it. The more she attempted to reach him, the worse he'd treat her. Maybe she'd been right. Maybe he was hesitant to explore any feelings for her, because if he allowed such a woman to infiltrate his life, he'd have to change-something he wasn't sure he was ready to do.

"I told you I didn't kill her," Lock said.

"So you've proven it." Sparrow wiped her eyes and gave Daphne a final affectionate pat. She glared at Lock. "Now get this cow out of my house. There's mud all over the place."

He guided the cow back to the field, and when he returned, Sparrow was still crying softly, facing the wall. He never imagined a woman's tears over a stupid cow could affect him, but before he could stop himself, he was on his knees beside her, smoothing hair from her hot, tear-streaked face.

"Now what's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong? You have me chained up in my own house. You treat me worse than a wh.o.r.e."

"I do not."

"Maybe not according to the way you're used to living!"

A smile played around his lips. She had a point.

"If you hate me so much, Lock, why don't you just leave? You can't really care whether or not they punish me for your escape."

"I don't hate you."

"Then I'd hate to see how you'd treat me if you did."

"That's true."

She shot him a scathing look, her eyes glistening, her face flushed and nose red from crying. He used his sleeve to dry her face before he brushed a chaste kiss across her lips.

"I shouldn't have said I killed the stupid cow."

She shrugged, gaining back her self-control. "At least you didn't really do it."

He stared at her for a long moment before lifting the key from around his neck and removing her shackles. His hand clamped gently over one of her feet, his thumb stroking the arch.

She jerked backward, unable to control a smile. "That tickles."

His hand slid up her leg, dipped beneath the shirt, and stroked her inner thigh. He moved closer, one hand clasping her nape and drawing her nearer for a lingering kiss.

"I want you," he said, his voice husky.

She shook her head. "Then what? The shackles again?"

"No. No more chains for either of us."

"I'd be a fool to trust you."

"Yes, you would." He stroked her cheek with his knuckles before he took her face in his hands and kissed her, his tongue slipping between her lips and stroking hers, stealing her breath.

Lock heard her soft sigh and his heartbeat quickened. She held him close, her palms splayed across his back, her tongue slashing his. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.

Lock gazed down at her face, the thick lashes framing her blue eyes, the hint of freckles across her pert nose and full cheeks, and the alluring shape of her moist lips. His fingers tangled with hers, gently pressing her hands to the mattress as he kissed her. His mouth opened on hers, and she mimicked the gesture. Their tongues met, stroking and teasing. Lock closed his eyes, surrendering completely to the sensations of his sweet fallen princess.

Sparrow tugged her hands from his grip and slipped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. Lock traced her hairline with his lips. He pressed tender kisses to her temples and the tip of her nose. Bedding a woman with love in his heart was such a new experience that each time he and Sparrow shared pleasures of the flesh, he almost felt like a novice. His heart pounded and his insides trembled with the most genuine pleasure he'd ever experienced.

"Oh, Lock," she breathed when he licked her ear and nuzzled her neck.

He unfastened the ties on her shirt, parting the front and baring her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Leaning forward, he captured one nipple between his teeth, nibbling carefully while teasing with the very tip of his tongue. He slipped his hand beneath the shirt and stroked her hip. His thumb parted the soft curls of pubic hair partially hiding her c.l.i.t and caressed the nub. She sighed, wiggling against his hand as it slid between her legs, his palm covering her c.l.i.t while his fingers traced her p.u.s.s.y. Dipping two fingers inside her slit, he gathered moisture and circled her c.l.i.t.

Lock tugged off her shirt and rolled her onto her stomach.

"What are you doing?" She tried glancing at him, but he lifted her hair over her shoulder and kissed her nape before moving his lips down her spine to the crack of her bottom cheeks. He kissed each round globe, marveling at the smoothness of her skin. Placing one hand under her belly, he lifted her slightly and licked the ultra sensitive flesh between her p.u.s.s.y and sphincter.

"Lock!" Her sharp tone was tainted by a giggle. "Don't do that!"

"You don't like it?"

"No, I like it, but-"

"Then shut up and enjoy it, Princess." He continued licking, feeling her stomach and b.u.t.tocks clench with pleasure. Flipping her onto her back, he covered her c.l.i.t with his mouth and ran the tip of his tongue down each side. She gasped and clutched handfuls of his hair. Lock grinned before thrusting his tongue into her p.u.s.s.y and exploring as far as he could reach before returning to her c.l.i.t and lapping.

"Oh, G.o.ddess, I can't stand this!" Sparrow moaned.

With closed eyes, Lock continued lapping and thrusting, enjoying her cries and the squirming of her hips and bottom that he cupped and held steady.

"Oh, oh, oh!!" Sparrow's voice rose in pitch with each word as his tongue fixed on her c.l.i.t, stroking fast and steady until she exploded. Lock shoved his tongue inside her again, feeling her pulse and quiver. Arousing her hardened his c.o.c.k to bursting. He covered her body, still jerking in the final throes of her climax, and thrust into her hot, drenched p.u.s.s.y.

"Lock, please!" she panted, clinging to him as he began thrusting, driving her back to the peak almost before she'd completely descended.

"That's it, girl! Tell me what you want!"

"Don't stop! Don't!"

"I don't think I could even if I wanted to," he gasped, speeding up his thrusts. Never in his life had he desired a woman so much. He kissed her, his heart throbbing madly as his tongue slipped in and out of her mouth in time with his ramming c.o.c.k. He tore his lips away to draw sips of air.

"You need me?" There was a hint of triumph in her breathless voice.

Need her? At that moment he felt he'd rather die than leave her quaking, heating body. In spite of his almost blinding desire, something stopped him from admitting such need for anyone.