Deep Longing (Bend to My Will #4) (9 page)

Chapter 9

That night Vivienne slept in Jacob’s bed, since he no longer required her to sleep in a separate room. She awakened from a peaceful sleep to the sound of Jacob moaning, as if in pain. It took her a moment to gain enough consciousness to realize he must be having a bad dream.

His sweating and rapid breathing alarmed her. Before she could reach out, Jacob slammed his fist against the mattress. Vivienne grabbed his arm and shook him. “Wake up…wake up…Jacob.”

When Jacob’s eyes flew open, his expression startled Vivienne, giving her a glimpse into the darkness he had spoken of. “Jacob,” she said, trying to wake him from the horror. But Jacob stared into empty space, as if uncertain where he was.

Then he looked over at Vivienne and, after a second, seemed to recognize her. Jacob pulled her close, and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “Are you okay?” she said.

His muscles were tense, and his breathing heavy. Jacob looked up at the ceiling. “It was just a dream,” he said. “Go back to sleep.”

Vivienne wanted to ask more, but Jacob’s dark mood prohibited it. He kept his arm around her, yet sleep did not come quickly. It disturbed her that Jacob had had such a dream, and since he wouldn’t tell her about it, it had probably been pretty bad.

What had happened to Jacob that he refused to share with her? Whatever it was haunted him, woke him in the night, and terrified him. Vivienne wondered how often he had such dreams. As far as she knew, the other times they’d slept together, Jacob hadn’t been awakened. Now one more piece of the puzzle fell into place.

It struck Vivienne that Jacob allowed her into his bed, knowing that she would learn of the nightmares. She appreciated his trust, and knew it signified growth in their relationship. Yet seeing him that way was unsettling. It would be better if Jacob told her what the dream was about, but she didn’t think he was ready for that yet.

After the sun rose, Vivienne woke up to find the bed empty. She put on a robe and found Jacob in the kitchen, already fully dressed for a summer outing. “It’s the perfect day for the beach,” he announced. She agreed, glad to see him in a good mood again.

After a hot shower, Vivienne dressed in shorts and a top with her swimsuit underneath. Jacob was ready to go, with Ian waiting in the garage to drive them to Coopers Beach in Southampton. They planned to make a day of it.

The trip was relaxed, and Vivienne enjoyed the drive. Jacob talked freely, but didn’t mention his dream of the night before. She nearly asked, but thought better of it. Once they arrived, the beach distracted her from any nagging thoughts about the incident.

The coastline was lovely, with fine sand, undulating dunes, and blue waters, backed by stately mansions. The deep blue water was serene, and the beach was as beautiful as a scene on a postcard.

There was a small house with a snack bar and restrooms, with some rinse stations. Jacob got beach chairs and an umbrella, then scouted out a stretch of beach that wasn’t as crowded as the rest. Looking across the white sand, out into the crystal clear water, was almost hypnotic.

When she got warm, Vivienne went into the water. The sand was really quite grainy, and reminded her of sea salt. The water was very cold, but the sun was warm. She dipped into the icy waves to enjoy the ocean, and Jacob followed.

At lunch, Jacob bought hotdogs at the beach café, with large Cokes. Vivienne felt like a college student on vacation, and Jacob seemed very comfortable in the casual public setting. If any stresses weighed on Vivienne, she couldn’t remember what they were.

By early afternoon the waves got pretty high and fierce, although surfers still navigated them with agility. Vivienne didn’t go back in the water, as she knew that Atlantic Ocean waves were not to be trifled with. The riptides could be, and often were, deadly.

The pristine beach with relatively small crowds lulled Vivienne into its tranquility. It was ideal for sunning, since it wasn’t too windy. Before they left, Jacob held her hand while they strolled along the coastline. Vivienne was grateful that the beautiful sand didn’t have too many rocks, except for some marble-like pebbles that had washed ashore. She picked one up to take with her.

When the afternoon sun lowered in the sky, they headed for the trendy beach town of Southampton. Vivienne spotted the Publick House and suggested they give it a try. They scanned the list on the chalkboard, then selected one of the brewed beers to quench their thirst. Vivienne ordered corn and clam chowder, while Jacob had fish tacos.

Vivienne didn’t even mind all the sand in her clothes. It was part of the fun, although she did look forward to showering later. Relaxed and unguarded, she began talking about whatever came to mind. Jacob listened as she spoke about her best friend’s relationship with Trace. He agreed that Trace had a thing for Lana, as it was the only way to explain the ongoing relationship.

When she talked about her parents, Jacob was attentive. He understood that she missed her mother and needed to figure out a way to go see her. “My dad is easier,” Vivienne said. “In fact, he’s likely to come visit me.”

“I’d like to meet him,” Jacob said.

The topic shifted to Sensual Scents, and the new possibilities it offered. Jacob stiffened, but Vivienne was chatting away and hardly noticed. During a lull in the conversation, she couldn’t help but notice his serious look.

“You’re not still ticked off because I didn’t come to you for technical support, are you?” Vivienne sipped her Coke. “Because you shouldn’t be. Alfred is doing a fine job.”

Jacob didn’t say anything, but his expression darkened.

“And I need to work closely with Alfred, since this is a co-venture,” Vivienne said, seeming unable to steer the conversation back on course. “We’re business partners.”

Jacob gripped his glass a little tighter.

“Jacob, please, you need to get used to the idea,” Vivienne said. “I might even need to go to Paris again, for more visits to suppliers. Alfred already suggested it, but hasn’t mentioned a date.”

Jacob’s blue eyes turned to steel. “I refuse to let you go,” he said. “It can be handled another way.”

Stunned, Vivienne didn’t say anything for a minute. Anger rose inside her, as she wasn’t used to such behavior. She had no intention of letting a man run her life, no matter how hot the sex was.

“It would be a business trip.” Vivienne struggled to keep the emotion out of her voice. “You
can’t
forbid it. It’s part of my career.”

Jacob’s voice was harsh, his words biting. “I just did forbid it.”

“You can’t do that.” Vivienne took a deep breath. “You have no reason to be jealous of Alfred.” She was acutely aware of Jacob’s possessiveness. Suddenly, it hit her hard. If she allowed this, it would drastically affect her life. It was one thing to acquiesce control for sexual pleasure, but quite another to relinquish the power to make decisions in her business.

“So you’re defying me?” Jacob’s blue eyes pierced into her, throwing her off for a moment.

Regaining her composure, Vivienne sat up straighter. This was not going to work if Jacob intended to bully her. “I follow your rules in the playroom,” she said, watching his reaction. “But you don’t control my
life
.”

Without another word, Jacob stood up, threw some cash on the table and headed for the car. Vivienne followed, upset and confused. He wasn’t a man she could walk away from, but she might have to. She wasn’t the type of woman to meekly follow a man’s orders.

Power play thrilled her when sexual intimacy was the goal. But not in the rest of her life. Vivienne’s heart wrenched with the impending loss of the one man she wanted, because the relationship wouldn’t work this way. But right then, Vivienne struggled to see how to make Jacob change…maybe the darkness would win after all.

# # #

“Will Jacob be forced to reveal his dark past?”

Read next: Illicit Craving (Bend To My Will #5)

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Deep Longing by Emily Jane Trent ©2015 All Rights Reserved

Published By Camden Lee Press

Cover Art by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design - www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk

Emily Jane Trent writes steamy romances about characters you’ll get to know and love. The sex scenes are hot, and the romance even hotter! If you are a fan of stories with a heroine that’s got spunk and a hunk of a hero that you’d like to take home with you, these stories are what you’re looking for.