Сандра Браун - Adam's Fall

Using the methods she had taught him, he maneuvered himself back to his wheelchair and hoisted himself into it. When he was situated, he looked down at her and said, "But not the callousness."

Stung, Lilah snatched up her T-shirt and held it against her chest. "I'm not callous."

"Then cruel."

"I'm not cruel either."

"Oh, no?" He wheeled his chair around, summarily turning his back on her.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To my room."

"I'll bring you your lunch."

"Don't bother."

"No bother. It's my duty."

"Duty be damned," he called over his shoulder. "I'd rather go hungry than be hustled by you."

His wheelchair disappeared into the shadows of the house. Lilah remained staring after him for a long time, feeling a desperate need to cry again. She was a good one for laying down plans. Too bad they always backfired in her face.

At first she couldn't identify the sound that had awakened her. Before opening her eyes, she lay motionless in her bed and swept the cobwebs of sleep from her brain. When she did open her eyes, she was surprised to see that the guest bedroom was bathed in the violet light of dusk. She had slept longer than she'd planned to.

When she had come in from the pool hours earlier, she'd been drained of energy and spirit. After a quick shower and shampoo she had barely had the strength to crawl beneath the sheet and position the pillow under her head. She'd fallen asleep instantly, being physically and emotionally exhausted after her sleepless night.

But she had intended to wake up long before now. It was way past time for Adam's session. Feeling guilty, she rolled to her back and kicked the sheet aside.

That's when she noticed the sound again. And this time recognition went through her brain like a painful splinter. "What the devil?"

Her feet hit the floor at a run. She grabbed a kimono from the end of her bed and shoved her arms through the sleeves as she dashed toward the door of her bedroom. By the time she reached Adam's room and flung open the door, she had carelessly tied the belt of the robe.

But it was still a disheveled Lilah, with hair in a tangle and eyes puffy from sleep, that he addressed from his standing position between the parallel bars. "It's about time you got here."

"Adam!" she cried, rushing forward. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Watch."

She gasped softly as he bent from the waist and supporting himself with one hand, touched the floor with the other. It was a struggle, but he pulled himself erect. "How'd you learn to do that?"

"You left your book in here." He hitched his head to indicate the therapy manual lying on his nightstand. "It's to stretch the hamstrings and calf muscles."

"I know what the exercise is for," she retorted. "I also know you're not ready for it."

"Who says?"

"I do. How'd you get yourself to stand? Where are your knee cages?"

Ignoring her interrogation, he said, "Watch what else I can do. Without you I might add." He concentrated so hard that sweat popped out over his brow. The muscles of his arms and chest bulged. His thighs contracted. His efforts allowed him to take a few shuffling steps.

Lilah ducked under one of the bars and stood between them only a few inches away from him. "That's wonderful, Adam, but don't do anymore for now. You'll hurt — Adam! Did you hear what I said?"

"Yes."

"Then stop. Right there. I mean it. Don't, I said!"

He took another step. It brought him chest to chest with her. She threw her arms around his waist to lend him support. But she discovered him to be the stronger. He knotted the fingers of one hand in her hair, formed a fist, and jerked her hard against his front.

"What's your game?" he growled.

"I don't play games."

"The hell you don't. You've been playing one with me. I want to know why. Do you have a warped sense of humor? Is that how you get your jollies? Or is this give-the-gimp-a-thrill week?" He pulled her hair tight enough to bring tears to her eyes. "Why have you done everything in your female power to keep me hard?"

Smiling seductively, Lilah bumped her middle against his. She watched his eyes grow smoky. She came up on tiptoe and kissed his mouth. Against his lips she whispered, "I want you hard."

With a hungry sound his mouth came down on hers. He ground a savage kiss on her lips. "You knew what you were doing to me, didn't you?"

"Yes," she said defiantly.

"You tortured me intentionally."

"Not tortured, enticed."

"Why?"

"Because I want you, Adam."

He kissed her again with a release of pent-up violence, anger, and passion. His free hand raked open her kimono. He touched her breast, fanned his fingertips over her nipple, then slid his hand down the tapering shape of her body and encircled her waist with his arm. His hand splayed wide over her derriere and pulled her higher against him. When she responded with a tilt of her hips, he quickly released her.

But he was far from finished. Using his arms, he walked himself backward and dropped into his wheelchair. In a matter of moments he was in bed, lying on his back, and drawing her down on top of him.

"Give me your best, baby," he growled.

She did. They kissed endlessly, with honest, soul-bearing lust. When they finally pulled apart, he shoved the kimono off her shoulders. She shrugged out of it and stood on her knees before him, proud and unashamed. She reached for the waistband of his shorts.

In that instant she saw the first flicker of doubt appear in his eyes. He caught her hand. "Lilah, wait, I — "

She slapped his hand away and aimed her index finger at the center of his chest. "Don't you dare freeze up on me again, Adam Cavanaugh. I let you get by with it last night, but damned if I will again."

"I — "

"Shut up and listen to me." Aggravated, she ran a hand through her hair to get it off her face. "You're scared that you won't be able to see this through. But you'll never know until you try." She drew a long, unsteady breath that made her breasts quiver with emotion. "And you can lay your worries to rest that I'll taunt you if you're slow or awkward or even a total failure. I won't know the difference. I won't know if your performance is good, bad, or indifferent because … because you'll be my first lover."

He stared at her blankly. Seconds later, when he began to laugh, it was a nasty sound. "You lying little conniver. You've got more gall than anybody I ever met. You'll do anything, say anything, to get your patient to respond to your idea of therapy. Well, I don't want to hear your lies. And I damn sure don't want your pity."

Lilah propped her fists on her hips. "Look, Ace, there's only one way you'll ever find out if I'm lying or not."

She efficiently removed his shorts and straddled his lap. Bridging his chest with her arms, she bent low over him and swept his lips with hers. "I dare you to chance it." She kissed him in earnest, running her tongue across his teeth. "Dare you, Cavanaugh. Double dare you." Lowering her head, she nuzzled his furry chest, then touched his nipple with her parted lips. He hissed a swear word and caught double handfuls of her hair. But he didn't pull her head away, especially not when she flicked her tongue over his nipple. "Dare you."

She had barely breathed the words before he bracketed her hips between his hands and pulled her down to his rigid sex. He wasn't gentle.

Resistance.

A little gasp of pain.

He froze.

"Ah, God, Lilah. I'm sorry." His expression registered two emotions at once — regret and bewilderment. "I didn't mean to … I don't understand how… This is… You really are — Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did." She looked into his face. "It's the truth. You're my first. And you can believe this too. If you stop now, I'll kill you."