Releasing Kate by Cyna Kade Page A

still don’t understand what my ancestry has got to do with us.”
    “Give me five minutes and I’ll prove your ancestry.”
    Kate finished putting on her shoes. “No, I don’t think I can do that.”
    “Not yet,” said Michael. Opening the bedroom door, he waited for Kate to exit.
    Ignoring him, she picked up her coat and purse and walked out of the bedroom.
    He grabbed her arm and swung her around. “Why are you so afraid of my challenge?”
    “I don’t want your kind of sex.”
    “You want me. You will surrender eventually,” he countered.
    “Damn you!” Kate swore.
    “ Shhh ,” he murmured. “You know it isn’t me you’re fighting, it is yourself.”
    Kate glared at him then twisted free of his grip. She turned and found herself at the head of a stairway. Sighing, she started down, feeling a little wobbly. Michael moved close to her side and took her elbow. It didn’t matter that he’d caused her captivity. His strength was intoxicating. She wanted to protest when he led her to his collection room but she didn’t.
    “One more viewing,” whispered Michael into her ear. He moved her in front of the first glass case. She nearly fainted with need. The objects should have horrified her and some of them did but she couldn’t ignore the arousal she felt when she saw or thought about them. She glanced up to find Michael’s eyes on her.
    His arms closed around her and he pulled her back against his chest. She fought her rising need. He challenged her on every level and she wasn’t sure she wanted the challenge despite the fact she wanted him.
    “These positions allow you to turn your mind off. The woman becomes totally focused on her body and the sensations coursing through it.”
    “I’ve never turned my mind off during sex.”
    “Liar. You just did upstairs. You weren’t thinking when you climaxed.”
    Kate closed her eyes as a thrill anticipation raced through her. She knew on some level that she could trust him. She still hesitated. She’d never freely surrendered the way he demanded.
    “If I let you dominate me, then who am I?”
    “You are Eve,” he replied. “It works both ways, you know. You control me every bit as much as I control you.”
    “I’m afraid.”
    “Of what, specifically, are you afraid? Do you fear me? Fear harm?”
    “ Nooo ,” she reluctantly admitted. “I think I’ll lose me in you.”
    “More like I’ll lose me in you,” he countered.
    Sadly, reluctantly, she shook her head. “I’m leaving,” she stated. “War devastates the land it’s fought on and your war is fought on my body and in my mind. I can’t afford to lose either. You’ve occupied my body, I won’t deny my arousal, but I simply can’t surrender to you. Not the way you want.”
    Her anger flared when he laughed.
    “You remain untouched.” She spit out the words. “I’ll bet if I talked to prior lovers, I’d find they needed years to pull themselves back together. Always thinking you really cared about them as people, rather than realizing they were simply fodder for your ego.”
    He smiled, a chilling smile that lit his eyes with amber fire. “You are worthy,” he murmured. “No other woman has noticed that my interest might wane with capture. They thought I would always care. Tell me why my interest waned,” he commanded.
    Kate liked that he asked the question. That he paid attention. “Obviously, the chase mattered. Winning the goal finished the game.”
    He moved closer and gently caressed her face, scattering her thoughts.
    “You and I will never be finished,” he stated, still smiling. “You want to feel my power because my power gives you the ability to give up all control, to feel things you’ve never felt before.”
    Kate stepped away from him and he let her go. She turned and walked to the entryway. Her hand hesitated on the doorknob. She rested her forehead against the door. Damn he’s right. She did want to lose this battle. Yet she straightened, turned the handle