going anywhere near him.”
She shook her head. “I’ll stay near you.”
“You’ll stay far away from me. I’ll be stringing up the Corsair.”
Her face paled. “You plan to garrote him?”
“I plan to…bring him to justice” He pretended to think over her comment. “But lynching the bastard isn’t a bad suggestion.”
Doubt clouded her eyes for the first time since her unexpected appearance.
Good. He might not be the sort to take advantage of a misguided widow playing at adventure, but not all pirates would do the same. Not all men would do the same.
He picked up the tray and placed it outside of the cabin, where one of his men would come by and return it to the galley. He turned to warn Clara he’d be right back after he walked his final round of the ship…and discovered her following him so close behind she’d nearly tripped over him when he’d turned to face her.
He caught her. “Don’t follow me.”
She shook her head. “I won’t.”
He tightened his grip on her arms. “I’m serious. Go nowhere without my permission.”
“What about the mess tables?”
“You just ate,” he growled.
She tilted her head. “What about breakfast?”
“I’ll be back before breakfast,” he bit out. “You stay here.”
“In your cabin.” She cast a glance over her shoulder then blinked up at him coyly.
He released her. “Yes.”
She arched a brow and smiled. “In your bed.”
He leaned against the open doorframe. “Clara—”
“I’ll be lying there, awaiting your next command.” She trapped her lower lip between her teeth. “Eagerly.”
He pulled her to him, his voice harsh. His heart banged against his ribs. “Be careful what you start.”
“Why should I?” She tilted her face up toward his.
“Because you just might get it.”
He closed his mouth over hers. She tasted as rich and sweet as port. As forbidden as a sacred temple. Every kiss was a promise he couldn’t keep. He would not be waltzing in assembly rooms or promenading in public gardens. He lived here, in the moment.
And now, in this moment, she was right here with him.
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her with the hunger he normally kept tightly leashed. Kissed her not like a man with a future, but a man who well knew tomorrow may never come. Kissed her with savage passion, with desperation, with every pulse of his blood begging him to take her here and now, up against the doorjamb, quick and carnal and satisfying.
So he pushed her away.
“You’re not cargo under contract,” he warned her, his voice ragged with checked desire. “Which means you’re no longer under Carlisle’s protection.”
She blinked. “You were paid not to touch me?”
He stepped out of the cabin. “I was. Not anymore.”
She licked her lips. “Well, I’m certainly glad that’s over.”
His blood heated. As he stared at her wordlessly, she swung the door closed behind him.
Chapter 14
Steele eased open the cabin door and slipped inside.
It was late. Far later than usual. Besides his normal rounds, he’d had to discuss the new development with each of his men. It wasn’t the best of situations. Besides the obvious disadvantage of having a distraction on board, Steele’s crew had never before witnessed anyone take him by surprise. That it came at the hand of a mere woman…well. It wasn’t good for his image or for morale.
More to the point, what was to be done with her now? He ran his fingers through his hair. Of all the luck. He had lied when he’d said she was no longer under anyone’s protection. She was under his.
The men knew without asking that they were to treat her with respect and guard her life at all costs. Steele had reminded them anyway.
They were heading into uncharted waters. The map might or might not lead to a cove. The cover might or might not be the Corsair’s secret lair. The lair might or might not contain heavily guarded treasure. Blackheart’s crew might or might
She shook her head. “I’ll stay near you.”
“You’ll stay far away from me. I’ll be stringing up the Corsair.”
Her face paled. “You plan to garrote him?”
“I plan to…bring him to justice” He pretended to think over her comment. “But lynching the bastard isn’t a bad suggestion.”
Doubt clouded her eyes for the first time since her unexpected appearance.
Good. He might not be the sort to take advantage of a misguided widow playing at adventure, but not all pirates would do the same. Not all men would do the same.
He picked up the tray and placed it outside of the cabin, where one of his men would come by and return it to the galley. He turned to warn Clara he’d be right back after he walked his final round of the ship…and discovered her following him so close behind she’d nearly tripped over him when he’d turned to face her.
He caught her. “Don’t follow me.”
She shook her head. “I won’t.”
He tightened his grip on her arms. “I’m serious. Go nowhere without my permission.”
“What about the mess tables?”
“You just ate,” he growled.
She tilted her head. “What about breakfast?”
“I’ll be back before breakfast,” he bit out. “You stay here.”
“In your cabin.” She cast a glance over her shoulder then blinked up at him coyly.
He released her. “Yes.”
She arched a brow and smiled. “In your bed.”
He leaned against the open doorframe. “Clara—”
“I’ll be lying there, awaiting your next command.” She trapped her lower lip between her teeth. “Eagerly.”
He pulled her to him, his voice harsh. His heart banged against his ribs. “Be careful what you start.”
“Why should I?” She tilted her face up toward his.
“Because you just might get it.”
He closed his mouth over hers. She tasted as rich and sweet as port. As forbidden as a sacred temple. Every kiss was a promise he couldn’t keep. He would not be waltzing in assembly rooms or promenading in public gardens. He lived here, in the moment.
And now, in this moment, she was right here with him.
He cupped the back of her head and kissed her with the hunger he normally kept tightly leashed. Kissed her not like a man with a future, but a man who well knew tomorrow may never come. Kissed her with savage passion, with desperation, with every pulse of his blood begging him to take her here and now, up against the doorjamb, quick and carnal and satisfying.
So he pushed her away.
“You’re not cargo under contract,” he warned her, his voice ragged with checked desire. “Which means you’re no longer under Carlisle’s protection.”
She blinked. “You were paid not to touch me?”
He stepped out of the cabin. “I was. Not anymore.”
She licked her lips. “Well, I’m certainly glad that’s over.”
His blood heated. As he stared at her wordlessly, she swung the door closed behind him.
Chapter 14
Steele eased open the cabin door and slipped inside.
It was late. Far later than usual. Besides his normal rounds, he’d had to discuss the new development with each of his men. It wasn’t the best of situations. Besides the obvious disadvantage of having a distraction on board, Steele’s crew had never before witnessed anyone take him by surprise. That it came at the hand of a mere woman…well. It wasn’t good for his image or for morale.
More to the point, what was to be done with her now? He ran his fingers through his hair. Of all the luck. He had lied when he’d said she was no longer under anyone’s protection. She was under his.
The men knew without asking that they were to treat her with respect and guard her life at all costs. Steele had reminded them anyway.
They were heading into uncharted waters. The map might or might not lead to a cove. The cover might or might not be the Corsair’s secret lair. The lair might or might not contain heavily guarded treasure. Blackheart’s crew might or might
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