It seemed like only moments later when Rafe heard the sound of birds chirping outside the window. He drowsily cracked open his lids, grumbling at the bright sunlight filling the room. When he attempted to stretch, he came fully awake with a jerk.
Rafe frowned as he realized that his arms were pulled up, with one on either side of his head and tied securely to the headboard. His wrists had been bound with strips of sturdy red velvet that looked suspiciously as if they had been ripped from the riding habit Eleta had worn the previous day. Rafe gave a frustrated snarl and tried to sit up, only to discover that his feet had also been tied to the posts at the foot of the bed. He let out an enraged roar that shook the glass in the windows. He struggled like a crazed beast, pulling and twisting until he grew weary and was panting from his efforts. The massive bed frame never wobbled, and the cloth would not give the slightest inch.
He threw back his head and bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Eleta!"
The sound of his roar echoed from the high ceiling. The door opened, and Eleta appeared immediately as if she had been waiting just outside for his summons. She breezed into the room and gave him a smile that was as dazzling as the sun streaming through the windows.
"Good morning, Rafe," she said cheerily. She was carrying a tray, and she carefully set it on the dining table before turning back to him as if nothing was amiss. "Would you care for some breakfast?"
Eleta was once again dressed in the lavender silk robe, and with the sunlight behind her, no detail was withheld from his regard. "Untie me," Rafe growled ominously, keeping his gaze trained steadfastly on her face.
Eleta lifted a dish from the tray and brought it to the bed. "I am afraid I cannot do that." She climbed onto the bed beside him and sat looking down at him. Her breasts hung suspended just above him, reminiscent of the ripest and sweetest fruit. Once again, her erect nipples reminded him of juicy raspberries, and he longed to suckle them as he had the night before. Noticing the direction of his stare, she smiled knowingly.
"Here, have a bite to eat." Eleta lifted a piece of sausage in her fingers and bent down as she offered it to him. He could see all the way down to her navel through her gaping robe. His cock leaped, and he gave another frustrated groan.
Rafe jerked his face away, once again straining against his bonds. "Untie me, woman!"
He kicked and pulled, twisted and bucked, snarling furiously as he tried to work himself free. All manner of curses were hurled at her while he fought against the restraints. The tendons in his arms and neck stood out as he strained, but the velvet straps held firm against his struggles. Eleta watched him while she chewed on the meat he had refused. She appeared unconcerned by his anger, and she nibbled bites of fruit, bread and cheese as she waited patiently for him to tire. At long last, he lay panting, coated with a layer of sweat from his exertions.
Rafe fixed her with his most ominous frown. Most others, be they male or female, would have quaked beneath such a scowl. "Untie me!"
Eleta merely sighed as if greatly saddened by his frustration. "As I said, I cannot do that. Now, come Rafe, you must eat." She offered him another bite, along with yet another enticing glimpse down her robe. Her nipples peeked out at him as if they were begging for his attention.
Rafe gave a roar of anger and jerked his face away from her offering. "I am not some animal to be chained and fed at your whim. Untie me, woman, or so help me, I'll...I'll..." His mind raced as he tried to think of something to threaten her with. His gaze returned to her breasts against his will, and he groaned with lust.
"You'll what?" she goaded. "You'll ravish me?" Eleta gave a throaty chuckle and turned aside to set the plate on the table beside the bed, withdrawing her offering of both the food and the view.
She retrieved a pair of scissors. When she turned back to him, Rafe thought for a moment that she would cut the ties that bound him, and he was shocked to feel a tiny stab of disappointment. Perhaps it had all been a game to prove some point. Instead, she straddled his hips and ran the tip of her finger down his chest as she held his gaze. When she spoke, her voice had dropped to a husky purr.
"You don't understand, Rafe. I mean to have you, whatever it takes. I won't be denied."
Hot blood pounded through his loins, and he struggled to draw a breath as he stared at her. The fear he had felt of losing control before was nothing compared to the terror he felt now. If he didn't escape before she carried out her threat, he knew that their course would be permanently altered. She was betrothed to another man and seemed to think this would be just a temporary affair. Rafe knew better. Once they crossed this bridge, it would be burnt to cinders behind them. He already knew she was different than every other woman he had known. God help him if she ever discovered the true power she wielded over him.
He tried one last time to get free, twisting and pulling against the velvet straps. He bucked and reared, trying to force her to get off him, but she hung on, grinning at his vain efforts.