Tristan (Pirate Lords Series Book 1)

by Elizabeth Rose

  “Then take me,” she encouraged him, throwing down the challenge. “Make me scream out the way ye did last night.”

  Gavina’s breathing deepened as she quickly unbuckled his weapon belt and dropped it to the deck with a loud clank. Her hands shook in heightened anticipation as her fingers nimbly untied the lacing on his trews, and slipped them down his legs. She was so aroused right now, that she grabbed his hardened manhood in both hands and squeezed, making him gasp once again. When she looked up and saw his eyes closed, a playful, wicked smile crossed her face. She decided to give him the same kind of pleasure that he’d given to her.

  Sinking down to her knees, she daringly tried something she’d never done before, and neither was she sure how to do it. She opened her mouth and tasted him, just like he had done to her.

  “Dammit, that feels . . . so . . . good,” he said through ragged breathing, pushing her head further down his length. When she couldn’t take all of him, she pulled back with a jerk and got to her feet. “Nay! Don’t stop now,” he begged her. “I have to have you.”

  “Then go ahead and roger me at the rail,” she said, feeling naughty giving him permission to do that.

  He chuckled. “Lass, you have no idea what you’re asking.”

  “I want to experience everything aboard this ship. Now do it.”

  “Bid the devil, you shouldn’t have said that. I’m to the point of no return.” He stepped out of his trews and pulled her over to the rail of the ship, leaning her forward while he lifted her skirts and entered her from behind.

  “Oh!” she gasped, not expecting that. As he thrust into her, she started to get excited, but then she saw the swirling waters of the sea far below her and she froze. “Tristan, I’m afraid,” she said and he suddenly stopped his action.

  He turned her around and released a deep breath, gritting his teeth and looking angry at himself.

  “I’m sorry, Gavina. I never meant to frighten you. This was a bad idea.”

  “Nay, I enjoyed what ye were doin’,” she told him. “I just can no longer look down into the water because it is frightenin’ me from this height.”

  “So you . . . you still want to do it?” he asked, confused.

  “Aye. More than ever. Just not overlookin’ the water please.”

  He bent down and lifted her up, spreading her legs, causing their bare skin to touch under her skirt that hung down around them. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

  “Then we’ll continue but over here. And this time, close your eyes.”

  Before she understood what he was doing, he had her back up against the bulkhead and he was making love to her standing up. She liked this exciting way of making love, impressed that he could do this while maintaining his sea legs and that they didn’t fall over when the ship rocked. Her eyes closed and, once again, she forgot all about the height, the water, and even the crew. Her only focus was on enjoying the ride.

  “Oh, Gavina,” he all but shouted as their bodies met with no restraint, slapping up against each other. She moved in rhythm to meet his thrusts, gripping her fingers into his shoulders and squeezing her legs around his waist. His hands were on her bare bottom helping it to move as he thrust in and out. He started slow and sensuous, but as both of their passions grew, the coupling became faster and faster.

  “Aaah, ahhh, oooh,” she cooed, feeling herself climbing the precipice of desire. At first, she didn’t want to be too loud and hid her face against his shoulder.

  “Cry out, Gavina. Don’t hold back.”

  “But what if your men hear us?”

  “I hope they do. I want them all to wish they were as lucky as me to have such an enticing wife. If I hear your cries of passion, then I’ll know that I’ve pleased you.”

  Gavina’s entire body was vibrating as she welcomed him in this unusual way of making love. Hearing his moans of desire only made her passion stronger. She was making love to a dark and dangerous pirate out in the open and she loved every minute of it! He asked her not to muffle her cries and, by God, she wasn’t going to hold back any longer because this felt so damned good.

  “Tristan . . . Tristan . . . Oooooh, Tristan!” she shouted, squealing high and loud when she found her release. As she experienced the orgasmic feeling over and over, she moaned in passion, louder and louder, until he’d found his release as well.

  “Arrrrrgh! he cried out, just like a pirate.

  “Arrrrgh,” she shouted, mimicking him, and making them both laugh.

  “What the hell is going on over there?” boomed Mardon’s voice from behind them.

  “Is someone hurt?” Aaron swung down from up above, landing next to Mardon.

  Tristan hurriedly put Gavina back on her feet and helped her pull her bodice back into place.

  “Oh!” said Aaron, seeing Tristan’s bare bottom. He made a face and looked the other way.

  “What the hell is the matter with you two?” Tristan hurriedly stepped into his trews and pulled them back into place. “Don’t you know the sounds of two people in the midst of unbridled passion?”

  Gavina turned around to see Mardon and Aaron standing there motionless with their jaws dropped open wide.

  “Mayhap Nairnie needs my help in cleanin’ up,” said Gavina, almost laughing as she walked past the brothers.

  “Get the hell back to work,” grumbled Tristan, picking up his weapon belt and following her to the helm.

  Gavina felt sexually satisfied and, at the same time, pleasingly smug. What started out as naught but a distraction to keep Tristan from asking about the map turned into something enjoyable for both of them. She decided they would have to do this more often. She really liked making love out in the sunshine. Taking in a deep breath of the salty sea air, she released it, starting to get used to living on the sea.

  “Gavina, don’t go down to the main deck right now.” Tristan’s hand shot out and clamped around her arm just as she was about to use the stairs.

  “Why no’?” she asked. “I’ve got to help Nairnie clean up the mess from the fire.”

  “It’s not safe right now.”

  “What do you mean? The fire is out, isna it?”

  “Aye, the fire to the bow has been extinguished, but I’m afraid there is another fire raging down below that neither of us is going to be able to put out.”

  “Tristan, ye make no sense at all. What are ye tryin’ to say?”

  She turned to look down at the main deck, but he stopped her.

  “Don’t look,” he said, turning her and pulling her against his chest. “Mardon, get us the hell to shore as fast as possible, and take some gold along to buy each man a drink and to pay for some whores. Aaron, get down there and stop them before I have to do it myself. But I swear if I do, it’s not going to be a pretty sight.”

  “Tristan, I dinna understand,” she told him. “What is it ye dinna want me to see?”

  Tristan let out a sigh, shaking his head. “Well, if you’re going to be the wife of a pirate, I suppose you need to know.”

  “Know what?” she asked, thinking her husband was acting very odd.

  “Come,” he told her, holding her hand. “No matter what happens, just don’t let go of my hand.”

  Chapter 14

  “Keep walking,” Tristan told Gavina, rushing her through the randy crowd of men, headed for his cabin. “Just keep your eyes straight ahead and don’t make eye contact with anyone. Don’t even look at any of the crew or I promise you, you’re going to see things you’ll never be able to forget.”

  “Tristan, I’m no’ a child,” she told him, appreciating the fact he wanted to protect her, but not liking to be treated this way. “I’m the wife of a pirate now, and I need to ken everythin’ that is goin’ on aboard yer ship.”

  “All right, if you insist.” He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest. “Go ahead and look, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  When she turned to look at the crew, she realized
exactly what he meant. Her eyes opened wide and she gasped when she saw what the men were all doing.

  “Gavina, Gavina,” one of the men moaned, undulating his hips when he spoke.

  “Like what ye see, lass?” asked another, pulling his aroused manhood out of his trews and showing it to her. “Want to touch it?” As far as she could tell, all the men had their hands down their trews. And every one of them had lust in their eyes and was looking directly at her!

  “Let’s go!” She turned on her heel and ran to the cabin, making Tristan laugh. He entered the room behind her, closing the door.

  “However bad you think a pirate is, I assure you, he’s much worse,” Tristan explained. “Pirates, my dear, are – and I hate to admit it – are bad to the bone. Most of them hold no respect for anyone or anything, only thinking about themselves.”

  “And treasure,” she mumbled, but Tristan heard her. There was something about this treasure map that bothered her. He figured it was because she wanted to find the treasure for herself. Which she never would, of course. That is, not without his help.

  “Come here,” he said, holding out his arms. She smiled and came toward him very willingly. “I want to have a closer look at that map.” She stopped in her tracks. “My crew awaits my instructions. If I’m going to keep them under control, I need to dangle it in front of their noses as motivation.”

  “Ye’re goin’ to show them . . . my back?” she asked, aghast.

  “Nay, not them, just me,” he chuckled, waving her over. “Come here and sit on my lap, Wife. Let me help you out of your clothes.”

  He picked up a bottle of whisky off the table, and straddled the barrel and sat down.

  “Tristan,” she said, slowly moving toward him. “There is somethin’ I need to tell ye.”

  “We can talk later. Now come closer and turn around. I’m anxious to see the island and the actual spot where this treasure is buried.”

  “Me, too,” she said softly.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you where it is since you can’t see your back.”

  “That’s no’ what I mean.”

  “Then what do you mean?”

  “I mean . . . I mean . . . Tristan, I want to tell ye that I love bein’ yer wife. I didna think I would, because ye’re a pirate, but I do. I really do.”

  She seemed as if she were avoiding telling him something but, for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what. All he knew was that she kept talking and talking and sounding a lot like Ramble right about now.

  “I’m happy being married to you, too,” he told her. “Now turn around so I can see that map.”

  “I dinna ever want to lose ye.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. A tear rolled down her cheek. “Ye’re all I have and I dinna want to live my life all alone.” She talked fast but by the look on her face, Tristan could tell that she meant every word of it. God’s bones, he hoped she wasn’t going to start crying again because he couldn’t stand seeing a woman cry.

  “Gavina, you’re not alone,” he assured her, putting the bottle on the table and reaching up to touch her on one shoulder. “I’m your husband now, so stop worrying.”

  “Aye, ye’re my husband but yet ye lock me in my room and get angry with me all the time,” she blurted out.

  “Not all the time,” he corrected her. “Just sometimes. And I want you to know, I only lock you away for your own safety. Or did you forget what you saw on the way in here? Things like that, I’m sure you’ll never be able to erase from your mind.”

  “Oh. I suppose ye are right. Well, I dinna want ye to get angry with me again.”

  “I’m sorry our marriage hasn’t started out smoothly.” He looked into her bright blue eyes, hoping she could tell he was being sincere. He was about to admit something that he probably never should because it was only going to make him vulnerable. But since she was pouring out her heart to him, he figured he’d do the same. “I . . . I sometimes can’t believe I’m really married.”

  “Aye. Me, too.” She sniffled and smiled.

  “Gavina, I might sound harsh at times but it’s only because I feel like . . .”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you deserve someone so much better than me,” he said, before he could talk himself out of it.

  “Ye do?” She slowly sat down on his lap and put her arm around his shoulders.

  “Aye,” he admitted. “I do. You see, since turning to piracy, I never thought I’d get married. This is a whole different way of life. Then when I met you, I started wondering what it would be like if I wed. I suppose having Nairnie on board and hearing about my sister being married to an ex-pirate, as well as her having a large family made me think someday it might happen to me as well.”

  “Well, now it has happened and ye’ll have all those things.” She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, sounding as if she honestly believed it.

  “I’m a pirate,” he reminded her in a low voice. “Sweetheart, I can never have a life like my sister’s.”

  “Well, why dinna ye stop bein’ a pirate then?” she asked, reaching out and pushing back a long strand of hair from his face.

  “I don’t think I can,” he said in a mere whisper, taking her hand in his and gently kissing her fingers one by one. “Being a pirate is all I know. It’s in my blood, and I can’t change that.”

  “Nay, I dinna believe that at all. Ye said ye were once a fisherman along with yer faither and brathairs. Ye can go back to doin’ that.”

  “Be a fisherman? Hah! Not likely. That’s a pauper’s way of life.” Tristan wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Nay. My brothers and I made a decision. We chose this life, and we can never go back. You’re being naught but daft if you think we can.”

  “I dinna see why no’,” she told him.

  “Gavina.” He took a deep breath and released it. There was something else he had to say and he might as well do it and get it over with. “If we even step foot on the mainland for too long, it’s taking a chance that I will be killed. We’re a lot safer sticking to the sea.”

  “I dinna understand.”

  “I’ve done a lot of things that make me a wanted man,” he explained. “If a pirate is caught, it is the law that he is killed. I’d die by hanging.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. “I’ve pillaged, plundered, and even killed to take what I wanted. I don’t belong on land in a little cottage with a wife and family depending on me. The only place I belong is right here on this ship.”

  “What about yer family who are lookin’ for ye? Dinna ye want to be with yer sister?”

  “Nay,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve got my brothers here, and now even Nairnie, so I have family. Plus, I have my crew. Gwen is better off without my brothers and me. Trying to see her is only going to put her in danger. Especially since she is married to a man who was once a pirate as well. She has children that need to be protected. It’s better this way. My home is on the sea now.”

  “Well, I would give anythin’ to have a family that wants me,” she told him. “Yet ye have a sister with a husband and children lookin’ for ye but ye want nothin’ to do with her at all.”

  He didn’t know how to respond to that. Part of him did want to see Gwen again, as well as his nephews and nieces. Having his grandmother aboard was starting to rub off on him and making him feel homesick in a way, even though he’d never admit it. He actually enjoyed having his grandmother around since he never even knew she existed. Nairnie was brash and brave and he liked that about the old woman. It made him wonder how Gwen had turned out after all these years. However, even longing for all this, another part of him craved the life of a pirate and the bounties it brought him. He longed for the sea. It made him feel alive. It was an exciting life with new adventures and more riches every day. Plus, he also liked his freedom. Aboard the Falcon, he could go wherever he wanted and do whatever he pleased. His only responsibility was to his brothers, the crew, and the ship.

  “Has your family all died then?” he
asked her, changing the subject before she dragged any more emotions out of him like she had the ability to do. He’d prided himself on keeping his emotions intact and he didn’t want to start looking weak in front of his men.

  “Aye, almost all of them have passed on,” she answered.

  “Tell me about it. I want to hear all about your late father as well. He was a gambler and a drunk, right?” He lifted the whisky bottle to his mouth, but stopped in mid-motion when he saw her eyes flash over to it. He lowered it slowly without taking any.

  “I dinna like it when ye call him that.”

  “Well, what else would you call a man who was willing to gamble away his own daughter?” The pain showed in her eyes and he started wondering if he shouldn’t have said that. However, it was reality and the faster Gavina accepted the truth the better.

  “He had guid reason to do it.” She sounded as if she honestly believed it.

  “Nay, sweetheart.” Tristan took a deep draw and handed her the bottle but she refused it. “No reason is a good reason to be treating a woman like a piece of property. Especially when it’s being done by the girl’s own father.”

  “How can ye say that? After all, when ye abducted me from the Crooked Crow, that made me yer property, didna it? So ye’re no better than him.”

  “That is different. I didn’t know you were a girl. Not at first.” He wasn’t sure how different it really was and she did have a point. But hell, if he was going to admit it. He’d already put himself in a vulnerable position once today opening up to her, and he wasn’t going to do it again.

  “My faither said he was goin’ to use me as part of his bet but only because he kent he was sure to win. Otherwise, I’m sure he never would have done it.”

  “Or mayhap he was just greedy like most men and wanted the treasure for himself, no matter what the cost.”

  “Nay!” she spat. “That treasure was goin’ to be used to make up for his mistakes of the past.”