A Date With Fate Read Online Free Page B

forearm, he forcibly wedged my resisting legs apart. I tried to keep my thighs clamped and legs crossed at the ankles, but he was too strong.
    The next was a blur it happened so fast. With his upper body weight pinning me down, he hooked his elbows under both my knees, and then raised both my legs up and out.
    My legs were spread and I was open to him. My attacker was lying between my thighs with his whole body aligned tightly against mine, pressing me to the bed. He was breathing quickly and smiling. He flexed his hips in a deliberate, age-old motion.
    Feeling him heavy and hard between my legs shot a final spike of adrenaline through me. I was bucking, heaving, and pushing trying to propel him off me. Muscle Man pinned my hands to the bed on either side of my face and rode me until I tired, never once losing that superior grin.
    Nothing I did fazed him and it made me insane.
    I felt a fiery blush of heat wash over my cheeks. I closed my eyes. Not in fear or defeat, but because I was so goddamn mad I was no real match for his physical strength. I had really tried to beat him and get away tonight, any way I could. I wanted to burst with the roiling emotions churning up my insides. I hated losing. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lost at anything important.
    He rose up on both elbows. I slowly opened my eyes to see him looking down impassively at my scowling face. The impassive expression couldn’t disguise that his green eyes were glittering with triumph. If my eyes could kill, he’d be dead meat.
    My assaulter suddenly smiled. The arrogant ass had straight teeth that were startling white against his tanned skin. And he had one dimple.
    He reached back with a hand and pulled open my nightstand drawer. He came back with a condom. He leaned to his side. Never taking his intense gaze from mine, he tore it open and smoothed it down over his erection with no wasted motions.
    He came back over me. He ordered softly, “Enough play. Put your arms around my neck and hold me tight.”
    I was pinned flat on my back and in no position to negotiate. I didn’t let that minor fact stop me from taking my time thinking over his words. Our faces were only inches apart. He watched me with wary, lowered eyes as I slowly ran my hands up his thickly muscled arms. I trailed my fingers along the top of his smooth-skinned shoulders. Still inherently unable to completely give in, I held him loosely about his neck with my arms crossed at the wrists.
    I waited.
    He gave me a sardonic look and lifted one black eyebrow.
    I moaned softly at that single, arched brow and finally obeyed to the letter of his demands. I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck. With both hands, I ran my long fingernails through the back of his hair against his scalp. I pulled his face down to mine.
    I whispered an inch from his lips, “You win. Tonight.”
    Then we were kissing—wild, endless, drugging kisses. I soon lost myself in abandon. I was in the place where conscious thought has no meaning and nothing existed beyond the touching of our entwined bodies on the bed.
    Poised above me, he murmured against my mouth, “Christ, I’ve missed you.” He kissed me deeper and continued proving it.
    Much later, he gave me a little squeeze within his arms. “Seriously, a baseball bat, Anabel?”
    I lay across his chest, my face nuzzled against his warm neck. I was too exquisitely exhausted to move, but I couldn’t help my tiny grin at his aggrieved tone.
    I murmured drowsily, “Luke, Luke. No harm, no foul balls, right?”
    Hands around my waist slid lower. He positioned me on top of him while responding dryly, “Yeah, it was a real no-hitter.”
    I guess I wasn’t so exhausted after all.
     

Chapter II
    “Fever” by Peggy Lee
     
     
    Saturday, 11/17/12
    6:30 AM
     
     
    My name is Anabel Katrina Axelrod. I also answer to Bel or Junior. I’m the namesake of my maternal grandmother, Anabel Katrina MacKenzie. Hence the Junior. Hopefully, Bel is