Chapter 14

The helicopter circled one end of the island, passing over the graceful two-story home surrounded by magnificent landscaping, then settled down on a helipad at the side of the house. As soon as the rotors stopped spinning, the pilot jumped out, opened the passenger door and helped Miranda to alight.

A tall, slender man with straight black hair, dressed in linen slacks and a silk shirt the color of his hair crossed the lawn to meet her. Silver eyes raked her from head to toe and a tiny smile quirked the corners of his mouth.

"Welcome to Coral Cay, Miss Fox." His voice was as smooth as his appearance. "You grace me with your presence."

The first thought that popped into Miranda's head was, I'll bet he's a sophisticated lover. Her second thought was, I have to stop thinking about sex all the time.

But her quest for the perfect lover so absorbed her that meeting a man like Lucien Rivard immediately kicked her hormones into high gear.

She shook the outstretched hand offered to her. "Thank you but you must know this is a business trip for me."

"Ah yes. The infamous pearl pendant. I was most fortunate to be able to purchase it for my collection."

"Then you have it?" She couldn't keep the anxiety from her voice. "It's the right one?"

"You shall examine it thoroughly. But first, my cook has prepared a magnificent lunch and doesn't like to be kept waiting."

He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and escorted her into the house.

The entry hall was magnificent, with its slate floor and wide stairway that swept gracefully to the second floor. Heavy silver vases stood everywhere, filled with hibiscus blooms of every color. Lucien led her through a spacious living room through French doors to a patio overlooking the Caribbean. A table had been set for two with linen, fine china and crystal. A white-jacketed servant stood to one side, waiting.

"I'm impressed, Mr. Rivard." She gazed around her. "Your home is magnificent."

"I hope to show you the rest of it later," he said smoothly. "And please. Call me Luc."

Lunch was an epicurean delight, served with copious amounts of wine. Luc entertained her with stories of his business ventures and some of his more daring activities. By the time desert was served, Miranda was feeling bonelessly relaxed from the wine and the conversation. And wondering again what this man would be like in bed. What his inventive brain could do to stimulate her.

She barely noticed at what point Luc began stroking her arm, his fingers playing a magic tune on her skin.

"You are so soft, Miranda." His voice was warm and soothing. "Like velvet. Are you like velvet all over?"

"Hmmm?" The scene was a study in serenity. The azure water lapped at the shoreline, birds swooped from tree to tree and bush to bush in bright splashes of vivid colors. Gentle breezes ruffled her long hair.

She watched the waiter refill her wine goblet and lifted it to her lips. The crisp white had such a pleasant taste to it.

"I'd be willing to bet you are," Luc continued and slid his chair closer to her. "The moment I laid eyes on you I knew you were a woman of sensuous feelings that I have to possess. Will you let me see your beauty? Look at you?" His fingers easily undid the buttons on her blouse and before she realized it the fabric had slipped from her shoulders.

I should not be letting this man undress me but his touch is so pleasant and it feels so good.

So she sat there as he caressed the slope of her breasts, petting her with a light touch. Then her bra was gone, leaving her breasts completely exposed and Luc was rolling her nipples in his lean fingers. They hardened almost at once, tingling under his touch.

"Your breasts are beautiful," he crooned, "and your nipples are magnificent. So ripe and rosy. Like sweet berries." He leaned forward and took one of them into his mouth, sucking on it and grazing it with his teeth.

When he bit down lightly she jumped, startled by the instant of pain but shocked even more by the arrow of heat that shot directly to her cunt, releasing a flood of liquid arousal.

Miranda lay back against the chair, sipping at her wine as Luc continued to suck and pull on her nipples, his tongue like silk against her throbbing nubs. There was something so surreal about the entire situation. She felt almost as if she was watching someone else. But Luc's touch was real, igniting fires in her, small flames that grew with each caress of his hands, each lick of his tongue.

His warm hands cupped her breasts, holding them as if they were precious treasures, stroking them with his thumbs as he continued to lave her nipples.

"Do you like that, Miranda? I think you do. And you feel and taste just as good as I imagined. Let me see the rest of you."

Taking her wine glass from her hand and placing it on the table, he helped her to rise from the chair. She heard the zipper rasp on her slacks and in a moment they pooled around her feet. She heard the indrawn hiss of Luc's breath as he slid her thong past her hips and tossed it to the side with the rest of her clothing. One lean finger traced her slit from the very top, along the outer edges of her labia to her wet opening.

When she teetered slightly he lifted her and placed her on the table, now cleared of all china and silverware. Gentle hands pried her thighs apart.

"If possible, the beauty of your cunt exceeds that of your breasts. Open yourself for me, Miranda. Let me see how wet and pink you are."

As if in a dream, she placed her fingers on her labia and pulled them as far apart as she could. Luc stroked her pussy with his fingertips, one lean finger advancing into her tempting vagina, then retreating. He lifted it to his mouth and licked her juices, a sound of rapture coming from his lips.

"Delicious. Like the best honey." He bent forward and lapped at her with his tongue.

His touch awakened every nerve in her body. Tiny jolts of electricity flickered through her. She tried to lift her pelvis toward him but he backed away and chuckled.

"For what I have planned, my dear, I think we should take this inside."

He scooped her up in his arms and moved effortlessly into the house and up the stairs. At the end of the hallway he carried her through open double doors, kicking them shut behind him and placing her on the bed like a precious gem. He stared at her with an avid look in his eyes.

"Oh, my dear Miranda. The things we are about to do."