The Main Attraction by Jayne Ann Krentz Page B

harder to talk you into coming to Portland with me.“
    Filomena stood unmoving in the shadows. She tried to concentrate on the lights of the city below her, but the only thing she was really conscious of was the knowledge that Trent was almost upon her. He moved quietly, she thought, all silent grace and sleek male strength. A prowling male looking for a mate. And he wanted her.
    „But you would have tried to talk me into the trip, anyway?“ she asked in a whisper.
    He stopped directly behind her. His hand touched her shoulder, his palm warm and large and strong. The feel of him burned through the turquoise silk of her dress. „Would it have been so hard to convince you to come with me?“
    She hesitated and then turned slowly to face him. „I don’t know,“ she admitted honestly.
    Trent gently removed the glass from her hand and set it down beside his own on a nearby table. Then he slowly pushed his fingers into the depths of her fiery hair. „Are you sure?“ He lowered his head until his forehead was resting against hers. „Are you sure you don’t know the answer, Filomena?“
    „Is it important?“
    „I want to be sure you know what you’re doing.“
    She trembled as his fingers traced small, random circles on the nape of her neck. „I seem to be doing what you want me to do. Isn’t that enough?“ she demanded softly.
    „No.“
    „What do you want from me?“ She felt slightly desperate.
    He tilted her chin with his thumbs and brushed his mouth against hers. „I need to hear you say you want me. I’ve seen hints of it in your eyes, in the way you tease me by staying just out of reach, in the way you kissed me last night.
    But I want to hear the words. Is that simple and straightforward enough for you, Filomena?“
    „Yes.“
    „Then tell me,“ he ordered softly, his thumbs stroking her jaw in a slow, deliriously hypnotic manner. His eyes had been made colorless by the absence of light, but no shadow could dim the gleam of masculine desire in his gaze as he looked down at her.
    „I…1 want you, Trent.“ The words came out in a rush before Filomena could stop them. She bit her lip, wishing she could have called back the confession, but it was too late. And it wouldn’t have made much difference anyway, she thought with a flash of unnerving insight. He already knew. He was only making her say the words so that they would both know.
    „Thank you, Filomena. I swear you won’t regret it.“ He covered her mouth with his own, his breath a sighing groan of need and rising desire.
    Filomena felt his hands slide down her shoulders, and then his arms were around her, locking her to him as he kissed her with slow, drugging thoroughness. The strength and heat of him reached out to engulf her. She was trapped, not just by his physical size and power, but by something far more insidious. Filomena couldn’t put a name to the emotion that held her in a grip as unshakable as Trent’s arms, but it made her wary. For a moment or two she experienced a flare of panic. It warred with the flames of passion that were uncurling inside her, and Trent seemed to sense it.

    „You’re not afraid of me,“ he said against her soft mouth.
    „No.“ Her nails sank into his shirt.
    „Are you afraid of yourself?“ It was a challenge.
    „No!“
    „Then stop fighting both of us. I’m going to make love to you tonight, and I don’t want you thinking about anything else but that. Most of all I don’t want you thinking of escape.“
    She tipped her head back and met his gaze. He was filling her senses and her mind tonight. All of the excuses and distractions she had been using for the past two weeks to avoid this moment had dissolved into mist. Tonight there was nothing else to cling to except Trent. She couldn’t think of anything else except him, didn’t want anything else except him.
    For a moment they stared at each other and then, with a soft murmur of surrender, Filomena rested her head on Trent’s shoulder. She