Page 59 of Ghost Walk
There was no reason for Grace to have any confidence in a man of his illicit notoriety. Not unless she somehowknewhe wouldn’t hurt her. Unless sheknewshe belonged to him. Unless she knew he struggled with gentlemanly impulses, beneath his bad reputation. To her, he wasn’t a soon-to-be-forgotten scoundrel she was using to shock her parents. He was…
Husband material.
The strange words flited through his head and, while he wasn’t exactly sure what they meant, he knew they were true. Grace didn’t see him as just a passing diversion. She trusted him to care for her. To keep her safe. She knew thatJamie belonged to her, too.
His heart melted.
The woman would have been running for her life with any other man, but she gave the most notorious pirate in Virginia a bashful smile. “You brought me to… um… pleasure.” She explained in a rush. “But I couldn’t bring you.”
“Well, that’s a shame.”
“I wanted to, but it wasn’t really possible, because…” She trailed off and puffed out a breath. “It’sreallycomplicated.”
He shifted close enough that she could feel the hard ridge of his arousal. He nudged her gently, grinning a bit as she jolted in innocent surprise. “This time, I’ll simplify it for you, then.”
Her wide brown gaze slashed back up to his. “I’m not going to sleep with you, James Riordan!” She protested. “Absolutely not. I’m on a mission here. Jesus, you really do have a one-track mind, no matter the century. And I can’tbelieveyou haven’t even put pants on. You’re trying to get me all befuddled!”
But she still didn’t try to push past his naked body and flee the room. Instead, her attention drifted downward to the straining evidence of his desire and stayed there. Those small white teeth nibbled at her lower lip again. Whatever she thought they had done in the past (or future) she hadn’t seen him naked before. He could tell by her hesitant fascination.
The version of Jamie Riordan she’d metclearlyneeded to learn a few things.
“Is it working?” He asked, letting her look her fill. “Are you feeling befuddled? It only seems fair, since just being around you makes my brain cease functioning.”
Her tiny pink tongue touched the corner of her mouth. “Um… Speaking of which…” She seemed to be trying to rally. “Do you think you could drink this for me?” She dug in her pocket and came up with a vial of some unidentified green liquid.
He arched a brow. “Drink it?”
“Yeah. I know it sounds sketchy, but it will help you remember me. Really. Before you say no, just take a few minutes and listen to me explain some of this, okay?” She gave an earnest nod. “And if it helps befuddle you, you can --um-- touch me a little bit while we talk. The other you said to offer that and it seems like a good idea. Honestly, if you’re not thinking clearly, it’ll probably…”
Jamie snatched the potion out of her hand and belted it back. It tasted like shit, but what the hell? It was still far better than the watered-down ale at The Raven. He tossed the glass container over his shoulder and arched a brow. “No. Still donea recall you, love.”
“Oh for God’s sake!” She looked exasperated now. “You seriously just drank that, without even asking what it was. I could have been trying to poison you, you idiot! Did you even think of that?”
“You’re not here to hurt me.”
The confidence in his tone took the wind from her sails. “No.” She admitted. “I’m not.”
“You’ve come to save me.” He continued, knowing it was true. “Yes?”
“Yes.” Her eyes drifted south again. “I came back for you, Jamie.”
“And it’s about bloody time you got here, too.” It was in Jamie’s nature to take all he could, regardless of propriety or common sense. It was the only way a pirate got anywhere. He was going to push forward as far as he could until Grace gave him an outright refusal. And so far the lass wasn’t refusing. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to show up.”
Reaching over, he grasped her wrist, drawing it forward. That remarkable jolt of power went through him again, just as it had the last time he touched her hand. God, he couldn’t wait to feel it on his shaft. Grace’s breathing gave a hitch and she instinctively tried to yank back from the hot flesh. Jamie ignored her shy struggle, pressing himself into her hand.
Aw fuck… His eyes closed in pleasure. She truly did feel like heaven.
She looked scandalized. “You want me to…?”
“Aye.” He’d never wanted anything more. “You said I could touch you a bit. Instead, let’s haveyoutouchme. I need you, lass. You have no bloody idea how much.”
Uncertainty and burgeoning desire flickered across her face. “I’ve never done that before.” She blurted out, forgetting to be modest. “Not with anyone. You’re probably going to be disappointed.”
Her pessimism was adorable. “I’ll bet you this ship that I’m not.”
“For real, I’m not very good at embracing my inner pizza-tramp, yet. I’m still kinda semi-frigid.” She nodded like that made perfect sense. “You’re the only one who’s ever been able to give me an orgasm.”
Oh, shereallyshouldn’t have said that if she planned to talk him out of this. Jamie’s whole body reacted to that happy news and he didn’t even know what a pizza-tramp was. “All you have to do is touch me.” She let him wrap her fingers around him, filling her soft palm. “It’s not complicated, a’tall. Touch me just like this. Hard and fast.” Jamie guided her up and down for a few beats and then withdrew his hold. “Stroke me. Make me come.”
