“That sight tempts my jolly Roger,” he said coyly. He bent her back a little further and kissed the soft top curves that spilled over the gown’s neckline. Guttural sounds of appreciation rumbled from his throat.
Millie pushed lightly at his shoulders, but his skilled attention had drained her of the energy for much playful resistance. “You must stop,” she protested in an airy tone.
“I’m the captain here. I can do anything I want with you.”
“You shock me, sir.”
He raised his head and blew softly on her lips, his breath hot. “I’ll shock you more before I’m done.”
His mouth covered hers with easy possessiveness, leaving her weak-kneed and hungry. Millie kissed him back with sudden abandon, twisting her mouth into his and darting her tongue along his lips. She pulled back to whisper, “You ake advantage of a lady’s baser passions.”
“Aye, and I’m good at it too.” He brushed his mouth over hers as he picked her up and placed her on the bunk. Brig lay down beside her and caressed her breasts through the gown. “Gets in the way, this dress.”
“You’re not suggesting that I disrobe!”
“Nah.” Smiling devilishly, he reached under her and caught the zipper between his fingers. “I’ll do it for you.”
With quick, impatient movements he tugged the zipper down. The bodice gaped loosely, allowing his fingers easy access. His eyes gleaming with desire, he pushed the green silk off her shoulders and slowly uncovered her breasts. Millie whimpered with pleasure.
“Well, what have we here?” he asked coyly, while his fingers circled the tight peaks. “Here’s evidence, m’lady, that you like a pirate’s touch.”
She sighed dramatically. “I can’t control my willful body.”
“Oh? Let me see how willful the rest of it is.”
While she clasped at her nakedness and protested firmly, he got on his knees and stripped the gown down her legs.
“Barefoot, are you? And wearin’ nothing but panties. A willful body indeed.” He removed the panties and continued to kneel beside her, studying her with obvious enjoyment.
“You are no gentleman.”
“ ’Fraid you’re right. No gentleman would do this.”
He tangled his fingers in the blond curls between her thighs. Her legs shifted languidly. “No lady would like it so much,” he noted with a wicked chuckle. His voice became serious and gruff. “But maybe some ladies are more sensible than others.”
Millie looked at him solemnly. She could feel a mist of desire rising on her breasts and stomach. “I’m very sensible, Captain.”
He made a growling sound of happiness. “Not frightened by crocodiles, are you?”
She feigned innocence. “Whatever can you mean?”
“This.” He stood beside the bed and began undressing himself. The black boots went flying. The shirt was tossed without a second look. His gaze holding hers, Brig slid his knee britches down and kicked them aside.
Hearty appreciation flickered in her eyes. “It hardly looks like a crocodile. And it looks somewhat, well, lonely.”
Laughing softly, he lowered himself on top of her and nibbled her breasts. “M’lady, do you have sympathy for it?”
“I’m a tenderhearted woman.” She paused, luxuriating in the feel of his strong, hard body pressing hers into the bunk’s satin coverlet. “Tell me, pirate, is this what I should do?” She drew her knees up so that her thighs could squeeze his hips.
His voice was throaty, tender. “That’s a temptin’ way to cure my loneliness.”
“Mine too.” She touched his face gently, skimming her fingers over the rugged angles, feeling him shudder with restraint. Suddenly the game was over. Happiness caught in the back of her throat, and she gave him a teary smile. “Oh, Brig. Oh, Brig.”
The world of love in her voice made him exhale sharply. “You’re tryin’ me patience.”
“No patience necessary.”
“Don’t move like that, temptress.”
“Like that?”
“Melisande.” After a moment, he said much softer, “Melisande, don’t stop.”
Much later, he left her napping on the bunk, her hair tossled about her face, and her hands curled under her chin. Brig moved about the cabin, humming under his breath. When he returned to the bunk, he caressed her face tenderly.
She stretched, opened her eyes, and gazed up at him with sleepy devotion. Brig took one of her hands, kissed it, then cupped it over his heart. Her small, lithe fingers stroked his skin reverently.
“Now Melisande, you listen and try to keep an open mind. Will you give up your job and move to Nashville?”
“Sure.” She smiled.
He looked at her askance. “No argument? You’re givin’ me no argument?”
“None. But I’ll keep my land and house in Paradise Springs. Maybe Jeopard or Kyle will want to live there someday.”
“Fine.” Still prepared for conflict, he frowned at her and spoke firmly. “And whatever kind of work you want to do in Nashville, it won’t be so dangerous that my hair turns gray.”
“If you’ll take me along when you tour, I’ll have the perfect job.”
This was going much too easily. “Of course I’ll take you along … what job?”
She sighed happily. “Your bodyguard.”
“Ah hah. I knew there was a catch.”
“I have to keep you out of trouble.”
“Woman, you cause trouble,” he grumbled, but his eyes were amused. “And I’m stuck with you. All right, you’ll be my bodyguard.” He slipped something over her third finger.
Millie raised her head slowly and stared at the large diamond glittering on her hand. “Pirate booty?”
“I raided Tiffany’s.” Their eyes met. “Will you marry me, Melisande?”
The expression in her eyes said that she adored him. “Yes, Captain.” She wrapped both arms around his neck. Between fervent kisses she repeated, “Oh, yes, Captain. Brig, yes. I love you.”
“And I love you, m’lady.”
They smiled at each other, and she told him, “You kidnapped me, but I captured you.”
“Granny Melisande said the same thing about her and Jacques.”
Millie nodded. “A very smart lady.” A sheepish expression came over her face. “And Brig?”
He touched his lips to her forehead. “Hmmm?”
“You were right. I’ve always wanted to be carried off by a pirate.” She paused. “Though I never expected him to be an Australian pirate.”
Brig smiled blithely. “Surprise.”
“Where are you taking me?” The devotion in her eyes told him that she didn’t much care.
And he gave his answer without hesitating. “Wherever I go, m’lady, for the rest of my life.”
Epilogue
Dinah and Rucker watched from the upstairs bedroom as the schooner moved gracefully toward the horizon. Slanting afternoon sun illuminated the sails and gave the ship a golden outline.
Dinah sighed with delight. “Since they’re leaving, I assume that everything went well.”
“I expected it. Brig can talk the ears off a snake. Millie didn’t have a chance.”
Dinah turned to him and lifted a dark brown brow in mock reproach. “I’ll tell Millie that you compared her to a snake.”
Smiling, he put his arms around her and kissed the tip of her nose. “I just meant that no woman can resist a smart, sincere, good-lookin’ man.”
“When I find such a creature, I won’t resist him, I assure you.”
“Hah. Mean woman.”
He drew her close and kissed her hard. She smiled against his mouth and nuzzled his mustache. “I suppose you qualify as irresistible,” she whispered. “I love you dearly.”
His deep voice was soft with pleasure. “You know, I liked the way you squealed when I licked your ear a while ago.”
“I liked the way you licked my ear.”
They were still wearing the lightweight robes they’d donned
before the “pirates” came to capture Millie. Dinah snuggled her lower body tightly to him. Her eyes gleamed with new desire. “Vacations agree with you, sweetheart.”
He laughed throatily. “You agree with me.”
She hugged him, and he led her back to bed.
Dinah woke up an hour later, giving in to the knot of worry that had lain in her stomach all day. Now that Millie’s predicament was solved, she couldn’t put the errand off any longer. Rucker held her spoon-style, his back and hips cupping her body while one hand curved possessively over her hip.
Dinah moved away from him carefully then turned over. He had a rough-cut, masculine face that reminded some people of Tom Selleck’s, and she smiled at his rumpled, relaxed expression.
She’d never grow tired of looking at him, and she hated the fact that she was about to tell him a small white lie. Her errand was such a ridiculous, innocent thing, a favor to a friend, but technically it was smuggling.
Dinah sighed. Butterfly cocoons. No one cared whether people smuggled butterfly cocoons. She’d just leave the small package at the appointed place and come right back.
She ducked her head and kissed her husband lightly. “Sweetheart, I’m going to run into town. I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
“Hmmm?” His dark auburn lashes fluttered slightly. “Why?”
Dinah winced. “I’m going to buy some milk.” And she would too, just to make herself feel less guilty about deceiving him.
“Be careful. Hurry back.” He opened his eyes halfway, draped an arm around her neck, and pulled her to him for a sleepy kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you too, big guy,”
His eyes shut. She moved his arm away and held his hand for a moment, wishing that she didn’t have to leave him even for a short amount of time. All six-feet-three inches of him was sprawled naked amid the rumpled sheets, and she wanted nothing more than to sit there and admire him.
“Bye,” she whispered, and forced herself to get up. Dinah pulled a sheet over him, patted his rump, then quickly dressed in a white shorts set. She picked up her purse and slipped sandals onto her feet, then went to the door and stood for a moment in the fading summer light. She watched him sleep, then blew him a kiss and tiptoed away.
Something was wrong. Rucker knew it instantly when he jerked awake. After a second he realized that the room was dark, far darker than the dusk of early evening, and he was alone.
He sat up in bed, jammed a hand through his hair, and tried to think. He was relatively certain that the room had been full of sunlight when Dinah left. Rucker switched on a lamp and grabbed his watch off the nightstand. Nine-thirty. The house was so silent that the ocean sounded eerily close by.
“Dee!” No answer.
She must be downstairs, though the hallway outside the bedroom was completely dark too. Rucker leaped out of bed and reached for the nearest clothing, which happened to be his blue swimtrunks. “Dee!”
He hurriedly pulled the trunks on and ran to the top of the stairs. Dread filled the pit of his stomach. The whole house was dark. “Dee!” he called again louder.
There was an explanation—car trouble, maybe. But the house had a phone, and Dinah would have called him if she’d been delayed. As he ran downstairs, Rucker started telling himself that he was worried over nothing. He went through the house, turning on lights.
He walked out on the front porch to make certain that the car wasn’t back. She might have taken a stroll on the beach. But the car was still gone.
The phone rang, and he vaulted back inside. Rucker ran to the old rotary set on the kitchen wall and grabbed the receiver. The police in Key West had found a black Cadillac Seville abandoned on a deserted road. A receipt for the house rent contained Rucker’s name. Was the car his?
Rucker braced one elbow against the kitchen wall and held his stomach with his free hand. Fighting nausea, he said that his wife had been driving the car.
The police would send an officer to the house immediately. He heard those words through a haze of sick fear. Rucker hung the phone up and walked outside, off the porch, beyond the light, until at last he stood staring at the dark ocean.
For some reason, he felt compelled to search the black horizon. “Dee where are you?” he whispered.
The distant night wind was all that answered.
Caught by Surprise Page 18
