The Prisoner Of Desire

"Fair enough," Zach agreed. When she started to rise, he held up his hand. "Stay there. It will be easier if I come to you."

Slipping from the bench, he crossed the short space between them until he reached her side. "Scoot forward," he told her quietly.

After she had complied, Zach lifted his leg to straddle the bench so that he was behind her. Once he was seated, he pulled his coat open, and pulled her back against him.

Hayden was rigid as she sunk into him. It wasn't because of his proximity. It was because her muscles had begun to lock up from being exposed to such a low temperature for an extended period of time. When he wrapped the edges of his coat around her slight frame, and encircled her waist with his arms, Hayden shuddered.

He was like a human furnace. She could already feel his body heat seeping into her as it radiated off of his hard chest. Burrowing into him, she turned her head to press her cheek against his warm front as her teeth continued to chatter.

"Better?" he asked softly.

Hayden nodded.

"I would rub you to get you warmer faster, but I don't think my ears could handle it," he said with a laugh. Instead, he dropped his chin to her shoulder, and let out a deep sigh.

"You are really weird," she said with a shiver.

Her words made him smile. "Not usually. If you knew me outside of this particular circumstance, you would probably see me in a whole different light."

Hayden tilted her head back to look at him. "A different one from crazy?"

His brows furrowed as he met her eyes, but then he smiled. "Yes. A different one from crazy," he repeated.

"Can I ask you something?" she said quietly.

Peering down at her, he nodded. "Sure. Ask me whatever you'd like."

"If you have a driver's license, why were you sitting here? Don't you have a car?"

Zach hesitated before responding. "Yes. I have a car."

Hayden frowned. "Why were you taking the bus then?"

He seemed to think it over for a moment before he finally admitted, "I wasn't."

"Then why were you sitting here?" she asked in confusion.

Zach shrugged. "I went for a walk, then decided to sit down for a minute."

His explanation sounded odd to Hayden, but she didn't press it further. She was beginning to feel slightly warmer cocooned against him, and it was bringing back her ability to think clearly.

"So, what is your real name?" she wondered.

Zach grinned. "Uh uh. I offered that up before, and you turned it down. If you want to know what it is, you have to offer something in return."

"More deals," Hayden said with a sigh.

Zach nodded. "You have to give something to get something. That's how the world works."

Hayden peered back at him, and rolled her eyes. "I thought you wanted us to get to know each other better?" she said with a smirk.

Zach lifted his brows as he looked down into her smug face. "I would like nothing better, smart mouth. Should we start in the biblical sense?" he asked with a grin.

Hayden couldn't be certain, but she would swear that he had lifted his hips as he said that, but he quickly shifted his weight as if he was trying to get more comfortable, and she couldn't be certain.

"This whole trading thing seems to be a big thing of yours. Are you a stock broker?" she wondered.

Zach let out an abrupt laugh. "No. I am not a stock broker."

"Do you work in retail? I could easily picture you as a salesman."

Zach grinned. "I'm a lawyer."

Hayden scrunched her nose as she looked up at him. "I guess that makes sense," she finally admitted. "A lawyer breaking the law. Kind of ironic," she said with a twist of her lips.

"Only one so far. I'm fairly certain it wouldn't hold up in court if it came down to it though," he told her.

"What makes you so certain?" Hayden asked with a scowl.

Zach smiled. "Well, for one, you have no witnesses."

Hayden let out a snort at his response.

"Two. Everything we have done together has been consensual." Dipping his head, he slid his rough cheek against hers in a slight caress. It made her gasp, but he quickly lifted his head again.

"Three. You aren't injured in any way, shape, or form. If you go to the police, and tell them that you were held against your will, that's going to be the first thing they are going to look for. When they find nothing, the questions will start. Did you struggle? Did you cry out for help?"

Zach shifted slightly once more before continuing. "What are you going to tell them? No, officer. I snuggled with him in the corner because I was cold?"

Hayden didn't appreciate the chuckle that followed that statement, and pushed her body back against him in a rough nudge. It made a grunt leave his chest, and he squeezed her tighter in retaliation.

His lips brushed against her ear as he lowered his head. "Doing that is probably not a good idea. I'm hard enough as it is without you pushing against it," he said thickly.

Hayden's eyes widened, and she immediately made an effort to stay perfectly still.

"When you add it all up, you don't really have a case, beautiful. It's your word against mine," he finished.

Hayden bit down on her lip as she contemplated his words. He was probably right. Whenever he did decide to let her go, there was probably nothing she could do about it after the fact. The thought made her anger grow the more she thought about it.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked with irritation.

He sighed. "I already answered that question. I'm doing it because I want you."

Hayden's scowl grew darker. "Are you waiting for me to just give in? We're going to be here for a long time if that's the case," she told him.

Zach smiled again. "I'm not waiting for you to give in. I was hoping to persuade you."

"There's nothing you can offer me that would make me do that," Hayden said fiercely.

"I don't want to make you," he responded. "If I take you, it's going to be because you want me to. It will be because you want it just as much as I do."

Hayden snorted again. "Do you have a pocket full of magic pixie dust? That's never going to happen."

"Would it be so horrible?" he asked softly. "I know that you're not opposed to my touch. I can tell by the way that you react."

Hayden opened her mouth to deny his words, but thought better of it. He would only see it as another challenge, and she still hadn't completely recovered from the last one. Instead, she pulled on her restraint so that it clanked loudly in the confines of the shelter.

Zach sighed. "If you actually admitted that you want me, I might be willing to take that off."

Hayden shook her head against his chest. "If I wanted you then you wouldn't need it in the first place," she pointed out.

"God, you're stubborn," he sighed. Shifting his weight, he pulled her back against him tighter. "If you want me to take it off that damn bad then offer me something in return. Offer me something I can't pass up."

Hayden frowned at his words. "Besides the obvious, what do you want?"

Zach shook his head before responding. "I'm not going to ask you for anything. If you want your freedom then you have to offer a trade in return for it. If it's a good trade, I'll agree. If it's not, then I'll let you know, and you'll have to think of something better."

"You want me to negotiate?" Hayden asked in surprise.

Zach nodded. "That's right."

"I'll give you twenty dollars," she offered quickly.

Zach's chest shook with laughter. "I make five times that by going to work for an hour. What else do you got?"

Hayden frowned as she thought it over. "You can have my graduation ring," she finally responded. "It cost almost four hundred dollars."

Zach's lips twisted as he shook his head again. "I don't want money, Hayden, or your jewelry."

"Oh." Hayden's frown grew larger as she wracked her brain for something to trade. Finally, she sighed. "I don't really have anything else to offer. There's my car, but I'm sure you wouldn't even want it if you saw it."

His lips descended to the side of her neck, and he lightly pressed them against her skin. "Think harder," he said softly.

Hayden squirmed slightly in his grasp. "I could kiss you again, I suppose. If you wanted me to."

Zach's mouth parted, and his tongue came out to lightly taste her. "I want you to," he breathed. "It's not enough."

Hayden gasped as his lips grasped onto her earlobe. Pulling it into his mouth, he began to suck on it gently. She trembled as she took a deep breath. "What if I let you touch me?" she braved.

She could hear the light sounds of his breath as he grazed his teeth over the lobe before he released it to slide his cheek against hers. "Where?" he asked gruffly.

Lifting her hands beneath his coat, she pressed them to the front of her breasts before tilting her head to meet his heated gaze. "Here," she said.

For a long moment, he gazed into her grey eyes before he finally responded. "Where else?" he whispered.

Hayden felt entrapped within the blue pools before her. She was playing with fire, and she knew it. She had little resources left to her, and she knew that this is what he wanted.

Slipping her fingers down her torso, she grasped onto the back of his hand where it lay across her stomach, and lifted it to press it between her legs. Once he was cupping her mound through her jeans she took a halting breath.

"Here," she told him nervously.

She could feel his heartbeat accelerate where she was pressed against him, but his expression didn't alter. "For how long?" he asked softly.

Hayden wasn't sure how to respond. "How long will it take?" she finally asked.

His gaze never wavered. "Let me touch you until I give you an orgasm. If you can do that, I'll unlock the cuffs."

She swallowed slowly as she contemplated the request, and then she closed her eyes. When she opened them again she nodded. "Alright," she whispered.

Lifting his brows, he nodded back.

To her surprise, he pulled his hand away from where she had placed it, and lifted his fingers to the side of her neck. Tilting his head, he leaned in to touch her lips with his own.

When he pulled back there was a grimace upon his face. "I don't want you to feel... How did you put it? Mauled. We're going to go slow. Okay?"

Hayden took a halting breath. "Okay," she agreed.

"I need to warm my hands first. I saw how badly you jumped the last time, and I want you to enjoy this," he told her softly.

When she nodded in understanding, Zach lifted his palms and pressed them together in front of her. He rubbed them together quickly, then held them up in front of her face. "Breathe," he ordered quietly.

When she obediently huffed air into his cupped hands, he rubbed them together once more. "I don't want to open my jacket to do this, or you're just going to get cold again. I'm going to pull my arms inside," he warned her.

When she made no effort to balk at his intentions, Zach carefully pulled one appendage from his sleeve before freeing the other. Once they were inside of his warm coat, he wrapped them around her middle before squeezing her tightly. Hayden let out a shaky breath while awaiting his next move.

"We can stop anytime you want to," he assured her. "If it becomes too much, just tell me, and I will stop."

Closing her eyes, Hayden swallowed before nodding again. His fingers eased beneath the hem of her shirt slowly. When they came into contact with her soft skin, she jerked beneath him. His palms slid over her stomach in a back and forth motion as he pressed his lips to her ear.

"Relax," he breathed. "I won't hurt you."

His words were designed to soothe her, but the seductive timbre of his voice only put her further on edge. His hands began to venture further north, and she tensed when they reached the underside of both of her breasts.

Brushing his index fingers against her in the barest whisper of a touch, he repeated the motion several times before grazing lightly over both of her nipples. His thumbs began to circle the peaks in a gently teasing manner, and then he pinched them between his fingers causing Hayden to suck in a sharp breath.

He plucked at the tips as if he were playing a fine instrument. Stroking, twisting, and gliding over them until a small whimper passed from her lips.

His voice became strained. "Look at me."

Hayden turned her head, and met his intense blue eyes.

"Relax," he uttered softly once more.

It took Hayden a moment to realize that she had gripped onto the top of his thighs with her hands, and that her fingers were digging into him. Easing her hold, she took a steadying breath, and tried to calm her racing heart.

His large hands suddenly cupped both of her firm breasts, and lifted them as he squeezed. He massaged the flesh while continuously passing his thumbs across the erect points of her nipples. A rough breath escaped him, and then he dropped his mouth to her neck. Opening his lips wide, he roughly began to lick and suck the skin there.

Gasping, she tilted her head to give him greater access, and bit her lip to hold in a moan. She felt hot everywhere that he touched her, and the ache it sent down between her legs was becoming uncomfortable. His hungry mouth only added fuel to the fire, and within moments she was panting and squirming against him.

He leaned back abruptly, taking her with him. His warm palm slid down the expanse of her stomach before plunging into the front of her jeans beneath her panties to find a home between her legs.

The sudden pressure of his fingers latching onto her mound made her arch against his chest. When he gripped onto it firmly, and lifted upwards, Hayden cried out.

His middle finger curled, and began to lightly stroke between her folds. She was slick from his ministrations, and the digit glided easily as he ran it up and down her slit.

"You are so wet," he breathed in awe.

He was unbelievably hard where she pressed against him, and all that he wanted to do was bury himself between her legs, and ride out the ache until he exploded inside of her.

For a moment he contemplated doing just that. Taking the decision away from her by easing down the material of her jeans, and slipping between her thighs. He knew that once he was deep that she wouldn't resist him. That she would willingly accept the thick intrusion, and allow him to gratify himself, but he couldn't do it. He needed her to ask for it. To want it. To beg him for it.

Denying himself was torture, and a grunt of need escaped his throat as he continued to suck on her skin. His finger slid against the sensitive nub between her legs, and he began to rub it furiously. It made her tighten like a bow against him as another cry emerged from her throat.

"It's too much!" she panted. Her fingers dug into his thighs once more as she moaned. "Oh God! Please, Zach!"

He didn't relent for a moment. Breaking his mouth from her, he rubbed his cheek against hers in a rough caress before diverting his fingers to play along her slit. His other hand was still clasped firmly around her breast, and he tweaked her nipple to heighten the sensations further.

"Lucas," he groaned. "My name is Lucas."

Her mouth parted wordlessly, and her large grey eyes widened before darting to meet his impassioned gaze. Before she could speak a word, he tilted his head, and took her mouth urgently.

His lips pressed wide, and his tongue came out to swirl against hers while a low growl of pleasure erupted from his throat. His entire frame tensed with the exertion of willpower it took not to take her then and there.

"I want inside of you so bad," he uttered harshly. "Let me inside, Hayden."

He was so hard it was painful. It was making him lose all sense of control. Pulling her tighter up against him, he plunged his fingers between her legs, and buried them inside of her.

It took him a moment to become aware in his fevered mind that there was a barrier that was halting his progress. When the realization finally sunk in, his entire frame stilled in surprise.

"You're a virgin?" he croaked in disbelief.

Hayden's breath was still leaving her in winded gasps, but she quickly nodded.

"How can you be a virgin? You're beautiful," he said in amazement.

"I was waiting for the right person."

Burying his face against her neck, something akin to a tortured whimper left his throat. Squeezing her tightly for a moment, he held her frame against his then abruptly released her. His arms shot into the sleeves of his coat, and then he quickly stood taking his warmth away from her.

Storming to the end of the shelter, he placed his hands upon the wall, and his head sunk low for a moment as he tried to collect himself. No more than a moment had passed before he swiftly whirled back around, and stormed back to where she sat.

His lips were pressed into a grim line as he gazed down at her. When her wide grey eyes looked up at him questioningly, he reached inside of his coat pocket before leaning over her to snatch a hold of her wrist.

The cuff came open easily beneath his fingers, and he swiftly unlocked the other side before placing them into his pocket. When she was free he took a step back. His gaze was volatile as he looked at her.

"You're free to go," he said tightly.

Hayden absently rubbed her wrist as she frowned up at him. "Just like that?" she asked in confusion.

Lucas nodded. "Just like that."

Her confusion only increased, and it showed upon her delicate face. "I don't understand. Why now?"

Closing his eyes, Lucas fought for strength. When he opened them again his features contorted in a grimace.

"I want to fuck you, Hayden. Badly. I don't just want it. I need it. If I don't let you go I'm not going to be able to stop myself from doing it. I want you so much right now that I was even contemplating forcing the issue. I can't do that knowing how innocent you are. I don't want to hurt you."

Hayden was momentarily stunned by his admission. When he continued to glare at her, and said nothing more, she slowly rose to her feet.

"So, I can leave?" she asked softly.

"Yes. You can leave."

Straightening the hem of her shirt, Hayden lifted her fingers to close her jacket. When it was secured, she lifted her wary gaze to his once more. He was watching her in silence with the same pensive expression on his face.

"Alright," she whispered. Her legs trembled as she stepped away from the bench to pass him. She had taken only a few steps when she suddenly paused. Turning around, she faced him hesitantly. "How am I supposed to get home?" she wondered.

His angry strides brought him to her side almost instantly, making her gasp. Once he stood before her, he reached inside of her coat pocket until he found her cell phone, and pulled it out.

Slipping the casing from the back, he removed the battery, and clutched it in his palm before digging in his own pocket for the missing Sim Card. Reinserting it into the phone, he placed the battery back inside, and reattached the panel. When he was done, he handed it to her stiffly, and waited for her to take it.

"You can call someone now," he said tersely. "Even the police if you like."

"You're very angry," she acknowledged.

"I'm not angry," he denied.

Hayden frowned again before her gaze dropped to the sidewalk at her feet. "It's very late. I'm not sure who I should call."

"Your parents?" he suggested brusquely.

Hayden shook her head. "I don't want to call them."

"A friend?"

"At this time of night?" she said doubtfully.

Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Lucas scowled. "Hayden, you have to call someone. What about a cab?"

"I only have money for the bus," she told him sheepishly.

Looking down at her, his eyes suddenly crinkled in amusement. "I can give you money. Call them."

Nodding in acceptance, she pushed the button to turn the phone on. "Do you know the number?" she asked.