Page 79 of Crossbones
“You’re wickedly stunning when you come,” he says quietly.
There’s no hint of embarrassment or hesitation when he says those words.
To my surprise, he peels off his shirt and tosses it to me to clean up with. After we’re presentable again, he steps into me, his eyes sharpening.
“I mean it—no one else gets to have you.” His thumb passes over my lower lip. “I may not know how to do this but I’m going to figure it the fuck out.”
“I think it’s safe to say you’re doing pretty good so far,” I say dryly.
To my surprise, a smile takes over his face. It’s a small one but it transforms his features, and I’m entirely swept away, caught up in studying every little feature brought to light. I realize right then and there I want to spend the rest of my life chasing that smile.
“You should do that more often,” I say, a little breathlessly.
He lets me go and walks off towards the main road. “Don’t get used to it.”
Too late.I think as I follow after him.Much too fucking late.
JAMES
We left Foxhollow in the early morning hours two days later to much fanfare and tears—on May’s part at least—okay and maybe I let a few fall discretely too. Finding out my sister is alive and having to leave her again so soon, made it difficult for me for once, to sail away from port.
Night has fallen and I can’t bring myself to go below deck yet. I lean over the rail of the forecastle, watching the dark water sparkle in the full moon. The ocean at night makes me feel like I’m sailing in some alternate universe—where there’s no distinction between sea and sky. Just an inky black landscape reflecting stars above and below.
I pull out a stick of tobacco, a guilty pleasure I don’t partake in often, but tonight is giving me a nostalgic feel and my mind is reeling with everything that’s happened the past few days. Caspian and I had once again been pulled in different directions the last two days—even though we’d fucked again that night after the alley behind theFox & Raven. I’d had to oversee the repairs of the ship and he’d been off doing—whatever it was he did. I still want to ask him about Foxhollow.
I’d just taken my first inhale when I feel his presence, like a physical force drawing me to him. Before I even turn around, he takes over my senses. I take a deep breath, not ready to admit it’s partially to wrap myself in his essence than to inhale the smoke.
“Committing treason,” I say as I exhale. “Now I know why you were flying the Black.”
I hear a huff of alaugh behind me and the whisper of fabric as he leans against the rail with me. The heat of him makes me conscious of where we’re closest.
“Yes, well, now you know why I called this situation delicate,” he says dryly.
“How long have you been leading a rebellion?”
“Okay, it’s not really a rebellion,” he insists.
“You’re shuttling refugees to a better life and funding it with your family’s coffers—it might not be violent, but I’d call that pretty damn close to a rebellion.”
Caspian sighs. “I suppose you’re right.” When I look at him questioningly, he shrugs, his shoulder brushing mine. “It just seemed like the right thing to do. It may have gotten a little out of hand.”
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye in amusement.
“A little out of hand…” I echo.
I hand him the stick, the glowing ember at the end reflecting in his eyes as he meets my gaze. His lopsided smirk tugs at his lips. His hand touching mine is electric and our eyes lock.
“You’re a good man, Caspian,” I say, looking away.
Something I’ll never be, that’s for sure.
He scoffs, then inhales and blows out the smoke slowly. He turns, so he’s leaning backwards against the rail, his brow furrows as the amusement bleeds away.
“Good men don’t carry scars like mine,” he says quietly. He takes another hit and hands the smoke back to me, directing his exhale away from my face before he speaks. “Good men don’t have shadows that try to drag them into the dark.”
I take a hit and exhale out to sea, watching the swirls get yanked away by the wind and disappear.
“You pull people out of the shadows because you know the way. Maybe you’re supposed to have a foot in both—a bridge between two worlds.”
