Silencing Eve

impossible but it was true. “I … still … want it.”
    “Of course, perfectly natural. It’s because we’ve held it at bay for too long. Then we’ll try it a little different this time.” He pulled her over on top of him. “But it will be just as good, then I have a few other ideas…”
    She climaxed again a few minutes later.
    “Again?” he whispered. “You’re such a delight, and I can tell how much I pleased you. Let me do it once more…”
    It wasn’t just once more. She didn’t know how many times they came together in a sexual frenzy. It seemed to go on and on, and she couldn’t get enough.
    But, at last, Caleb moved away from her. She felt terribly alone and instinctively tried to pull him back.
    “Shh, it’s time to sleep now. It was all right to have your mind active while the rest of the blood in your body was in motion, but you need to go dormant for a while.” He bent back over her and kissed her. “But wasn’t that spectacular?”
    She didn’t know what he was talking about. Spectacular, yes … Everything else was beginning to blur. The garden, the scent of roses, the sun …
    All had faded into nothingness.
    And darkness.
    *   *   *
    “ENOUGH.” CALEB’S VOICE WAS SOFT in her ear. “You should be ready now.”
    Ready? Ready for him to come over her and again begin that mad, sexual marathon that had driven her—
    Wrong. Something was wrong. How could that have happened? How could she have let it happen?
    And then she realized just how wrong it had been.
    Her eyes flew open. “No!” She bolted upright in bed. “You son of a bitch.” She glared at him. “Your damn tricks.”
    He chuckled as he rolled over and raised himself on one elbow. “You enjoyed those tricks enormously.” His smile faded. “And so did I. I had no idea you were that responsive. I had to force myself to stop.”
    “Responsive? It wasn’t real. It was a hallucination. You were playing mind games with me.”
    “And what games they were…” His eyes wandered slowly from her breasts down her body. “You’re beautiful, you know. Even more beautiful than you were in that garden. That’s one of the disadvantages of having to concentrate on maintaining a fantasy. I have to build the entire picture when I’d prefer to enjoy the reality of you.”
    “Bastard.” She was jerking on her clothes. “It was all fantasy. I had nothing to do with it.”
    He shook his head. “I’m sure that would be comforting, but it’s not true. All I did was lull you into a responsive state and give you a pleasant setting. Every one of those emotional reactions were your own. That’s the way it works, Jane.”
    “Then it was a physical response to what you were doing to the flow of my blood.”
    “Perhaps a little. Most of it was—”
    “I’m not going to listen to this.” She glared at him as she finished buttoning her blouse. “It was deceit. I’m not going to forgive this, Caleb.”
    “Someday. Just another hurdle to overcome.”
    “The hell it is.” She got to her feet and strode toward the bathroom. “That was an … invasion.”
    “Only mentally. Just imagine what it would have been like if I’d actually been in you.”
    “You imagine. You’re so damn good at it.” She splashed water in her face. “And my mind is as important as my body. You make me—”
    “Forget your outrage for a moment. I did nothing to hurt you physically. I was careful and didn’t let it interfere with getting you well. Do you realize how strong you’re feeling? Stop a minute and gauge the difference from when you walked into this room. I don’t want you to leave me until I’m certain that I’ve done my job.”
    “Done your job?” She wiped her face on the hand towel and threw it on the vanity. “Oh, you’ve done more than your job, Caleb.” She strode back into the bedroom. “I want to strangle you.”
    “No pain? No exhaustion?” He was ignoring her rage. “You feel entirely normal? Think. That’s why you came here. Let’s get that right.”
    She drew a deep breath. It was hard to think through this emotional turmoil. “I feel normal physically. I believe that part came out okay. Other than that I feel … used.”
    “Really? Then that makes two of us.” He sat up and leaned back against the headboard. He was still naked, and he looked arrogant, beautifully indolent, and an entirely sexual being. Yet she was suddenly aware that that indolence was false, beneath it a storm was