Fascinated by Marissa Day Page A

In his hands, he carried an intricately carved wooden chest, about the size of a thick book. It was banded with black iron and an iron key had been left in its lock.
    “What is that?” Alicia asked.
    “Call it a wedding present,” Edward replied as he set the box on one of the room’s small tables. “I’ll show it to you later.”
    “This is not a wedding. This is—”
    “Unfortunate in the extreme,” Edward cut her off as he turned to face her. “I can only hope that before long, Alicia, you will understand I meant to help you.”
    “How? By holding me against my will?”
    She expected another one of his callous replies, but none came. Instead, he spoke softly. “Do you know what your will is, Alicia? Truly?”
    This question settled uncomfortably in her mind.
It is just another of his tricks,
Alicia told herself. “You are trying to distract me yet again.”
    “I assure you, I truly wish to know. What is your will, madame?”
    “I…”
I want you to hold me, Edward. I want you to help me understand what’s happening.
Pain shivered through her mind and she backed away from that thought. “I want to go home.” Yes, that was better. That was safe.
    “Very well.” Edward stood back. “There is the door.”
    Alicia’s knees trembled. Edward left her a clear path past him to the door. He now stood by the foot of the bed. If she wanted to leave, that was the way. He would not prevent her, but he also would not help her. She must make the decision.
    He’d done this before, Alicia recalled suddenly. She swung around and stared at him, memory and confusion swirling together in her mind.
    “You’re remembering,” Edward breathed. “Tell me what you remember, Alicia.”
    “This afternoon. You…We were together. You showed me…” No, no, not again. She could not rise to that desire and longing again. It would break her.
    “What did I show you? What did you feel this afternoon?” Edward stepped toward her, each movement carefully controlled, as if he was afraid she might collapse, again. “Name it, Alicia.”
    I can’t. Don’t make me.
Alicia cast about for some way to retreat, but there was nowhere to go. She had no way out of this deceptively pleasant chamber except past Edward. He seemed tofill the room. There was no escape from his presence, because the moment she looked at him, she remembered his hands and his breath on her skin. She remembered his mouth as he kissed her. She remembered the lovers, Marcus and Freda, and Freda’s hands stroking that hard cock, and their cries of delight. She remembered how she had begged Edward to touch her.
    “What did you feel this afternoon, Alicia?” he repeated, softly, firmly.
    “Passion,” she heard herself whisper. “Desire.”
    “Yes.” He was nearer now. If she stretched out her hand, she would touch him. He would close his fingers around hers and pull her to him, as if they moved together in a country dance. “You wanted to know passion, and you wanted to know me. I could not show you as much as I would have liked then, but I can now that we are alone in my house.”
    “What is so very special about your house?” She meant to be haughty, like Verity when she was repulsing a clumsy beau, but to her own ears she just sounded breathless.
    That breathlessness made Edward smile. “My house is special because you are in it, and there is no one else to see what we do. Here, I can give you all you may desire.”
    His words seemed to caress her from the inside. He made her body into a traitor against her sense and safety. How was it possible he could arouse her without even touching her? She knew then if she stayed any longer she would give in to him and everything would end.
    “Please. Stop this. Let me go.”
    “I’ve told you, Alicia, you are perfectly free to go. But if you do, you will be beyond my power to help or hold. Go now, and you go forever.”
    “You say that, but you don’t mean it.” As she spoke, Alicia realized she was hoping