Page 66 of Realm of Thieves

“Did I…?” she begins.

“Did you what?” I ask, enjoying this too much already.

She licks her lips, her brows furrowed uneasily as she looks away. “Did I…Did we…I have a memory, a feeling…”

“Ah,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. “You were drunk, that’s for certain, but you were fine. You didn’t do anything stupid.”

Relief floods her features and her shoulders lower. “Oh, thank the gods,” she says, giving me a nervous smile.

I nod and look back at the land. “You did kiss me, though.” She gasps. “Sorry it wasn’t very memorable,” I add.

I glance at her with a grin and she blinks, her face paling even more, holding her hand at her chest. “I’m so sorry,” she says, glancing at me only briefly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

I chuckle. “I do. You were drunk on grog rum or rum grog and your inhibitions were tossed overboard. Don’t worry, I found it mostly amusing.”

She breathes out shakily. “We didn’t…”

I shake my head and lean sideways against the rail, facing her. “No. We didn’t do anything else. Your dog would have never let that happen.”

She looks chagrined. “I guess that’s good to know. Wait. You found itmostlyamusing?”

I give her a pointed look. “I enjoyed seeing that side of you, lavender girl,” I say, my voice lowering. “And I encourage you to let her out more often. But perhaps stay sober next time. So that I can take you up on it and not let my stupid morals get in the way. Though I have to say, if it weren’t for your dog, perhaps I’d be one moral less this morning.”

Her dark eyes widen slightly and I reach out, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “Saying no to you was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.”

She gulps audibly and I run my thumb over her knuckles, knowing I might be overstepping my bounds, but after last night perhaps anything goes now. “It was the best kiss I’ve ever had,” I add. “I hope you decide to do it again one day.”

Her cheeks flush pink and she shakes her head, looking down at the deck. “Now I think I’m going to be sick.”

I laugh and let go of her hand. “Just what a man wants to hear. Not only is he an unmemorable kiss, but that same kiss has the ability to make a woman sick.”

She looks up and gives me a pained look, unsure of what to say.

“I’m just giving you a hard time,” I tell her, smacking her on the side of the arm. I lean in. “And I’m pretty good at giving it hard.”

Then I walk off down the deck to discuss our landing operations with Toombs, knowing that Brynla is watching me go.

“Not much longer, is there?” I say to Toombs as I take my place beside him at the helm.

“Not much,” he agrees. “You should get the rest of the crew up soon. I’m surprised the lady is standing up on her two legs.”

“She’s tougher than she looks,” I tell him.

“That’s what worries me,” he says, his voice lowering.

“I know,” I tell him, meeting his kindly eyes. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Because you’re smitten with her,” he says gruffly.

“Yes,” I agree with a long sigh. “I am.”

“This won’t end well, Andor,” he says.

I ignore the pinch in my ribs. “No. It probably won’t. But I’m used to that by now.”

Now he sighs and places his meaty palm on my shoulder. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, my boy. I want to trust her and I wanther to be good for you. Maybe she can be, what do I know? I’m a grumpy old sea captain. But I still worry. You deserve a good woman and an equal match…”

“She is a good woman and she is an equal match,” I say to him, my tone coming out sharper than I intended.

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