Page 26 of Pirate's Intent
Heat flushed her skin at the sight of him. Lord, he had really filled out, his muscular frame impossible to look away from.
“You bathe on this side.” He gestured at the other side of the pond and pulled off his boots, his expression grim. “I will go there.”
Before she could respond, he turned away, pulled off his breeches, and strode into the water, his tone biting, “Now, Rose, if you mean to. We need to get off this island.”
He really was upset with her, wasn’t he?
Best that she do as he suggested because she really could use a bath.
Yet she found herself watching rather than doing as he strode in. Though she never got a glimpse of his front, she managed a good eyeful of his back. His long body was so much more than she imagined from the tight globes of his buttocks to all the muscles and battle wounds. Her cheeks flamed, and once again, an aching sort of pleasure blossomed between her thighs.
“Hurry, Rose,” he called out as if he knew she watched him rather than seeing to herself. “Before a pirate happens along.”
She rounded her eyes. Would one? It was a distinct possibility she supposed. So she quickly removed her kerchief, unbraided her hair, undressed, saw to herself the best she could, then redressed, glancing at him every so often. When she went to speak, he ordered her silent, saying it was best not to draw unnecessary attention. She had so many questions, though. Ones she was desperate to ask but bit her tongue.
If he peeked her way, she never saw it and discovered that disappointed her. A lot, actually. Was he not interested in seeing her nude? He had certainly seemed interested the first night on the ship.
“Where are we setting sail for now?” she asked when he pulled her after him toward his ship a short time later.
“I believe I said that was up to you,” he replied, glancing with discomfort at Big Devil’s ship.
“Yes, you said as much.” She was vastly relieved when no one on the enemy ship seemed to pay them any mind. “But you never elaborated. What does that mean precisely? Especially when it’s rather clear, I have nowhere to go.” She swallowed hard and accepted the cold hard truth. “I am homeless.”
He remained silent until he helped her down into his ship, pulled her close, and cupped her cheek, the look in his eyes suddenly tender. His earlier aggravation at last gone.
Instead, she saw hope.
“What do you want to happen next, Rose?” he said softly.
“I want answers.”
“And I will give them to you.” His eyes searched hers. “But what do you want beyond that? What do you want for your future?”
While she could say yet again she wanted answers, she realized he was getting at something more specific. Beyond the answers that would no doubt leave her standing right where she was. With him. Here and now.
Which was, to simplify it, exactly what she wanted in the future.
What she had, deep down, wanted since the moment Thomas saved her. Even, she was startled to realize, before she knew her uncle had died. Now that he was gone, it made things clearer still.
Or should she say freed her?
Now she could say what was in her heart and not worry about propriety. There was no line between sinner and saint. Not in this world. Not for a woman who had nothing left but who she chose to be and where she ended up.
So she played the role she had wanted to play years ago.
Since the very moment he asked her to marry him.
She stood on her tip-toes the best she could on the swaying ship and pulled his head down so she could murmur in his ear, “I want to return to your bed, Thomas.” She met his eyes. “I want to do what we should have done years ago.”
While she certainly intended to question him more about his exchange with Big Devil, right now, all that mattered was them. The life they had left behind and the life they could have ahead of them.
Wouldhave ahead if she had her say.
Either way, she would not let him walk away again. Not without them finally having each other as they should have back then. Be damned scruples and what was proper. He had been going off to war. They should have snuck off and enjoyed one another while they still could. How often had she dreamt of such since? What it might have been like?
Rather than ask her if she were sure like he would have in their youth, the pirate he was now gave no quarter but scooped her up again, brought her into his cabin and slammed the door shut with his foot.
Instead of setting Rose down like the gentleman he once was, he tossed her on the bed and eyed her with a hunger that made everything inside her come alive. A need that made it impossible to breathe. He yanked off his shirt, tossed it aside, then came over her so swiftly it caught her off guard.
