Desire In His Eyes

by Kaitlin O’Riley

  He gathered her into his arms and sank back into the pillows with her, enjoying the feel of her next to him. Placing a kiss on her soft lips, he beamed at her. “You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. You don’t need to feel ridiculous about anything.”

  “Don’t I though?” she asked.

  “Not at this moment.”

  He then gave her a kiss that definitely did not make her feel ridiculous.

  11

  One of the Boys

  “Just so you don’t end up killing yourself by doing something foolish, I will show you how to get around on the Sea Minx,” Harrison declared with determination.

  After the day they spent in bed together, Harrison put Juliette to work in a different way, learning about the workings of a clipper ship. No longer confined to his cabin, Harrison now allowed Juliette full rein of his ship.

  The better she knew Harrison, the more she admired him and the more she found that she could not resist him. Since that first night in his bed, their relationship sped into vastly uncharted waters. Now that she was finally let in on a widely kept secret of the great mystery between men and women, Juliette felt a glowing sense of triumph in her glorious discovery. There was so much more involved than she would have guessed!

  Harrison’s kisses filled her with passion and evoked sensations within her that she had never imagined. She slept with him each night, lying in his arms, watching him sleep, listening to the sound of his breathing. Having Harrison’s muscular, naked body next to hers gave her a sense of contentment. For the first time in her life, she did not think of the future or the past. She simply lived in the moment. Every delicious and thrilling moment.

  Being on the Sea Minx gave her the freedom to do things that she never would have done at home in London. It was as if she and Harrison were suspended in a special cocoon, separated from reality. Nothing and no one else seemed to matter but the two of them.

  Sometimes Juliette and Harrison dined alone in his cabin, where they talked and made love for hours. Sometimes they joined the crew in the main galley. Harrison had introduced her to every man on board, from the cook to his first mate, Charlie. Although Juliette assumed they knew what was going on between her and Harrison, the men were incredibly respectful to her and never let on. They regarded her as the captain’s lady and she couldn’t refute that claim.

  She spent nights in Harrison’s arms and days at his side, learning about the things he loved.

  Harrison showed Juliette every part of the ship, from the cargo hold, which was stowed tight with barrels and crates to the officers’ mess and the galley. He explained to Juliette in detail how the many sails captured the wind to increase the ship’s speed. He defined nautical terms, described how the rigging was laid and how the sails were lowered and raised. He taught her how to read the compass which was housed in the binnacle box, how to use a sextant to find their latitude, how to use a chronometer for determining their longitude and how to chart a course on a map. He even admitted that he was amazed by her aptitude. He showed her how to make entries in the logbook about the weather and had her ring the bell to signal the change of the watch. He let her climb the rigging again, but only once, when the sea was extremely calm. When he discovered that she had never learned to swim, he demanded that she wear the cork lifejacket, in case she fell overboard.

  At first the crew treated her as a special and most welcome guest, and then as they got to know her better, they considered her as one of the boys. They called her “Miss Juliette” and assisted with her nautical education, insisting she learn the ropes of a clipper ship. They enlightened her on everything from the correct usage of the basic terms of stern, bow, fore and aft to teaching her how to tie strong knots in the ropes to the names of the many sails on the masts. Juliette could easily tell the difference between the tiny skysails, the royals, the topgallants, and the wide topsails and mainsails, but did not think she would ever be able to distinguish which rigging lines were main-topmast backstays and main-topsail buntlines. However, she now knew that eight bells meant noon and could tell which bells signaled when a watch began and ended.

  Robbie Deane, delighted with her progress and apparent elevated status on the ship, took over her sailing lessons when Harrison needed to devote his attention to the actual sailing of the Sea Minx.

  “It’s good to see you and the captain getting along so well,” Robbie said shyly to her.

  Slightly uncomfortable with his veiled reference to her intimate relationship with Harrison, Juliette merely said, “Thank you.”

  “The captain ain’t never had a woman on the ship before.”

  “You look up to Captain Fleming, don’t you, Robbie?”

  “Of course I do! We all do. He’s a good captain. The best. You always know where you stand with him and he’s fair. And there’s not one of us on this ship that he hasn’t helped out in some way or another.”

  “How does he help?” she asked curiously.

  “Oh, he pays us well, first off. And he has helped with our families and problems like that,” Robbie explained, as he slowly coiled up some rope. “Last year the captain gave money to my mother for a house, when my father died and left her with nothing.

  “He just helps that way. Quiet-like and without a fuss,” Robbie continued easily. “You won’t find a crew more loyal to their captain than us.”

  Juliette could not argue that point. Even she had picked up on the fact that Harrison’s crew admired and respected him.

  “That’s why it was so unusual to see him angry with you. He hardly ever gets angry.”

  “Yes, he was quite angry with me for climbing the mast that first day,” Juliette admitted, recalling how he had dragged her to his cabin.

  “That was something!” Robbie laughed. “Afterwards I told the captain straight off that I thought you were a natural born sailor,” Robbie stated with a bit of awe in his voice. “You took to those rigging lines like I’ve never seen anybody do. Me and the other fellows couldn’t get over it.”

  Juliette too had wondered at her easy adaptation to life at sea. “It is funny, isn’t it, considering I have never been on a ship before in my life?”

  “My point exactly,” Robbie agreed. “And that you are a lady to boot!”

  Yes, she was a lady. But she was also a woman. That was something that Harrison never let her forget once she was in his arms. And she did not mind it one bit.

  Nor did she mind the company of the other sailors.

  The men sang bawdy songs, including one about a sailor named Barnacle Bill, which they promised they toned down just for her, but she laughed with them just the same. One night they held an impromptu concert and took turns dancing with her. Dancing with Harrison had been the highlight of the night for her, for he surprised her by lifting her off her feet and spinning her around until they both collapsed with laughter.

  The crew let her join in on some of their card games as well. The men confided in her about their families, their wives, and their sweethearts and asked her advice, which she readily gave. Having spent her entire life in a household dominated by women and feminine ideals, Juliette delighted in this sudden exposure to male company. She had never laughed so heartily or so often before.

  Harrison had changed in his approach to her as well. He allowed her to be herself on the ship. He didn’t censure her or demand that she behave like a lady. He let her do as she pleased. If that meant wearing trousers all day or playing cards with Robbie and Charlie and others, he did not mind. Harrison was almost amused by her.

  He seemed to be oddly fascinated by her interest in his ship and he took pride in showing her how to do whatever it was she wanted to do. With his guidance and by placing his hands over hers, he let her steer the wheel of the ship one afternoon.

  “You have the sea in your blood, Juliette,” Harrison declared with a sense of wonder. “I should take you on as one of my crew!”

  Feeling happier than she could ever remember being, she gave him a sly glance and w
hispered pointedly, “I think you have already taken me on.”

  He grinned lustily, drew her into his embrace and kissed her, heedless of the crew watching them.

  Nights in his cabin were no different than her days aboard the Sea Minx. She gave herself over entirely to the captain’s expert tutelage. In Harrison’s bed, Juliette became completely uninhibited as she learned how to give and receive pleasure, as they spent hour after hour endlessly making love.

  12

  Land, Ho!

  Land. As the sun set Juliette could see the pale blue outline of the shore in the distance and her heart nearly burst with happiness. Although she loved her time aboard the Sea Minx, she had never been so glad to see anything in her life. She looked forward with great relief to the time she could once again place her feet on solid ground.

  She stood on the deck near the forecastle and gripped the railing tightly. The billowy white canvas sails of the foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast floated like clouds above her as the Sea Minx flew across the waves. This was it. She had finally arrived in the United States. A little thrill raced through her at the thought. She had never been a studious girl and had shunned most of the academic books her father had pressed her to read in the bookshop, but she had picked up enough information to know that she had more in common with this young, innovative, and daring new country than she ever had with England.

  Suddenly not sure what to expect when she arrived, she experienced a brief moment of panic. What if America did not meet her expectations and proved just as disappointing as London? What if all she had done was for nothing? She shook her head and took a hearty gulp of sea air. No, she would not think negatively. She could not, would not, fail now. Not after everything that had happened to her.

  Harrison’s arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed the top of her head. Juliette sank back against him, breathing in his now familiar scent. He stood behind her, his head resting over her shoulder. A strong breeze blew around them, ruffling the skirt of her gown and causing her hair to whip around them.

  “We’ll be docking by morning,” he whispered low in her ear. He pointed out toward the land. “We’ll be coming up near Sandy Hook where a pilot schooner will meet us and guide us in through the Narrows to the East River and to a berth at South Street in New York. Your little journey has come to an end, Juliette.”

  “It’s so thrilling!” She squeezed his hands, which rested comfortably on her waist. “I cannot believe that I am finally here in America.”

  “Well, you are not quite there yet,” he teased.

  “I know that!” She playfully swatted his hands. “But now that I can actually see land, I know that I am close and at last it all seems more real.”

  Harrison held her tighter. The strength in his arms sent a jolt of desire through her.

  He said, “I had originally intended to send you back to London on the next ship.”

  “And now?” She asked, her heart suddenly pounding an erratic rhythm. He couldn’t still mean to do that to her, could he? She could not go back to London. Not now, not yet, anyway. Oh, of course someday she would go back home, after she had lived a little and had had a taste of life on her own.

  Stowing away on the Sea Minx had been a grand adventure so far. While being with Captain Harrison Fleming had proven to be a most wonderful adventure as well, one that Juliette had not anticipated when she had first climbed aboard. Their intimate relationship had been an eye-opening experience for her. She felt more sophisticated and like a mature woman of the world. She had dallied with a man, with no thought of marriage or the future. She had behaved scandalously and it was very freeing. Admittedly she had grown fond of Harrison. Her heart constricted a little at the thought of leaving him, but the idea of having to return to London immediately made her nauseous.

  “Your family must be overcome with worry about you. We should inform them at once that you are well. I will send them a cable to let them know you arrived safely and are under my protection.”

  “And then?” She held her breath.

  “Then what?”

  She could barely utter the words. “Are you going to send me back home on another ship?”

  As if weighing his options, Harrison did not immediately reply. “I should.”

  “But you won’t, will you?” She hated that her voice squeaked when she asked that question.

  He thought for a moment before giving his response, increasing her tension. “If I had any sanity left, I still should send you home. Your behavior has been dangerous and reckless.”

  “I cannot go back yet, Harrison,” she said decisively, pulling away from him. “I simply cannot.”

  “Then tell me, who is he?”

  “Who is who?”

  “Juliette.” He sighed heavily and drew her into his arms again, forcing her to look at him. “Things between us have changed.”

  She blinked. “I am not sure what you mean.” But in her heart she knew exactly what he meant.

  “Don’t act the fool,” he snapped. “It doesn’t become you.”

  She attempted to break from his hold, but he held fast. She stilled and stared up at him. “Nothing has changed, Harrison. When we dock, I will be on my way and you need never worry about me again.”

  He grimaced ruefully. “If only it were that easy.”

  “But it is.”

  “You’ve spent practically the entire last week in my bed, Juliette. We have to make it right. You know as well as I do what that means.”

  “It means naught, if we don’t share that information with anyone.”

  “My crew is not stupid. They all know exactly what has been going on between us.”

  She gave a slight shrug. “I don’t believe that they care, do you?”

  “I care.” His steely eyes pinned her in place.

  “Don’t play the white knight to my virtue now, Harrison,” she said heatedly. “It’s too late for that.”

  “What if you are carrying my child?”

  What if she were carrying Harrison’s baby? That thought had worried her, but she had pushed it to the back of her mind. She did not wish to consider the consequences. Juliette turned away.

  He called after her. “Juliette!”

  She came to a stop but did not face him. Her back went stiff.

  Harrison came up behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around. His mouth came down hard upon hers and he kissed her with a possessiveness that sounded alarm bells in her head.

  He released her suddenly. Her head spun but she managed to focus her eyes upon his. He stated in a very low voice, “You have no choice in this, Juliette. I am not asking, I am telling you. I am marrying you as soon as we get to New York.”

  Before she could utter a response, he kissed her again, weakening her resolve. Her traitorous body melted under his touch and she found herself responding to his kisses passionately. In one powerful movement he swept her into his arms and carried her to his cabin.

  Juliette smiled to herself at Harrison’s typical behavior. He simply thought he could tell her what to do and that she would do it. He believed that he could pick her up and have his way with her. He certainly had a lesson or two coming his way. No, sir. Harrison may be used to being a captain and giving orders and being obeyed, but she was not going to allow him to order her about for the rest of her life.

  Well, maybe he could this time. This one last time. For she simply could not resist his incredibly sensuous mouth and the feel of his mouth on hers. And his wickedly skilled hands…Juliette melted against him.

  For just this one last time.

  13

  All Ashore That’s Going Ashore

  It felt good to be home again, back in the city he loved. There at the dock at South Street on the East River, Harrison was back where he belonged. Even after he had traveled around the world, nothing compared to being in New York City.

  As usual, Harrison rose before dawn that morning to oversee the massive responsibility of the docking of
the Sea Minx and unloading his precious cargo of glassware, fine china, and cutlery, as well as French wine. He left Juliette sleeping soundly in his bed, positive that she would sleep until at least midmorning, since they had been up most of the night. Just before they fell asleep, they had made plans for Juliette’s first day in New York. Reluctant to leave her but not wishing to wake her, he had kissed her cheek softly before going up on deck.

  Once he had taken care of the business of unloading the ship, he would take her into the city. There was so much he wanted to show her while she was here. He wanted to bring her to a theater in Union Square to see a play and to hear one of the concerts at Central Park. It would even be fun to take her to see a New York Mutuals baseball game at Union Grounds. He wanted to show her his office building. He found that he looked forward to showing her the sights. And of course, they would get married.

  Harrison became so absorbed with his work that he hadn’t given Juliette another thought until it was close to noon.

  “Have you seen Miss Hamilton at all this morning?” he asked one of his sailors.

  The man shook his head. “No, Captain. Should I have?”

  Harrison went down to his cabin, thinking he would have to resort to dragging Juliette’s pretty bottom out of bed to get her to wake up. Instead he stared at the rumpled bed. He glanced around the empty room. Juliette was not there. And neither was her little satchel of belongings.

  Harrison could barely suppress his panic. He raced to the deck and called to his crew, “I want the ship searched for Miss Hamilton.”

  Even as he said the words, Harrison knew they would not find her. He sensed without a doubt that she had already left the ship. Sickened, he turned to look at the city. In the dazzling sunlight, he squinted at the buildings along South Street and beyond to Wall Street, now bustling with people, horses, carts, and carriages. He could see his own building, where the offices of H.G. Fleming and Company were located.