Three Redeemable Rogues

by Tanya Anne Crosby

  She gasped, her hands going about his neck. Her fingers dug into the back of his neck, but he wanted her to speak the words.

  “Say it, Sophia,” he demanded of her.

  Sophie shuddered beneath him. Her body tightened about his finger, hungry for what he would give her. He caressed her body, pleasuring her until she cried out.

  “Yes!” she exclaimed, and tilted to urge him deeper.

  His fingers pressed harder, deeper, and she whimpered softly.

  Wetness, warm and wonderful filled her.

  Bliss.

  And then suddenly he was atop her, his body pressing into hers.

  Sophie opened her eyes and looked into his, her breath coming labored.

  “First and last,” he whispered enigmatically, and closed his eyes, forcing himself within her.

  Sophie arched to receive him fully, crying out in delight at the silky feel of him as he entered her. He filled her deliciously.

  She wanted him deeper and clutched his buttocks, pulling him inside her... inside her heart.

  Forever.

  I love you, Jack, she tried to say. But his name was the only word to emerge.

  And then she was lost to the sensations his every thrust evoked. She gasped softly with every stroke, and cried out in ecstasy as her body sought that expanding thread of pleasure. It uncoiled within her, teasing her and teasing her until suddenly her body found completion.

  The world exploded behind her lids.

  Jack felt her release in the intense shuddering of her body. Her tremors and her cry of passion thrust him over the edge. He cried out with his own release and clutched her against him, feeling in that moment an intense satisfaction he had never experienced before now.

  If he lived a thousand lifetimes, this instant would be imprinted on his brain... if he died tomorrow he would die fulfilled.

  This moment was what he had lived for.

  This instant he had discovered what he had searched for all his life—he knew that now, because for the first time, joined with the woman in his arms, he felt complete.

  He had searched a lifetime, and others as well through his studies of bygone eras and peoples... devoting his entire life to discovering the purpose of his existence and that of mankind itself... and all the while the answer had lain within Sophie Vanderwahl’s arms.

  He’d be damned if he’d lose her now.

  Chapter 27

  The weather was perfect the next morning when they sailed into port: The sky was blue, the water was bluer, and the sun shone crisply.

  Sophie’s mood was buoyant and filled with anticipation.

  She had no regrets over the decisions she had made and even fewer reservations over the task left before her. She had no idea how long it would be before she faced Harlan at last, but she no longer felt the least bit of fear or sorrow over it. Harlan was a burden she was eager to have lifted off her shoulders.

  If she was saddened by anything at all, it was the simple fact that her journey was nearly over, and at the journey’s end she would be forced to make new decisions... decisions that could take her far from Jack.

  She didn’t want to leave him, and the very thought of it wrenched at her heart.

  But maybe she wouldn’t have to.

  She eyed the papers she had placed on his desk. He had yet to see them; he’d been so preoccupied.

  Sophie wasn’t such a fool to believe that simply because of what they had shared she could have a life as his wife, but she did hope that perhaps he would allow her to stay on and assist him in his work. She didn’t want to go back to Boston, back to social engagements that bored her out of her wits, back to her mother’s home where she was expected to be perfect at all times, back to her restrictive dresses that sucked the breath and life and joy from her.

  The thought of having to answer the first question about Harlan made her physically ill. No matter what he had done to her, she would never tell anyone the truth—except, of course, her mother and father, and they would likely try to talk her out of her decision. She could hear her mother now as though she were standing before her this instant, her expression dour.

  Sophie, my dear, all men stray at some time or another. It bears no reflection on their ability to be a proper husband. Harlan is a favorable match. What will people say if you simply discard him to live your life as a spinster!

  Well, by damn, Sophie didn’t care what people would say!

  No one would understand, of course, but she didn’t need them to. She was beginning to like wearing men’s pants and shirts and was looking forward to getting dirt under her nails. The very idea left her as titillated as did Jack’s very presence—Sophie had never felt so breathless. It excited her beyond her wildest dreams. In her entire life she had never felt so alive and vigorous and full of energy and expectation. She couldn’t wait to begin their journey!

  Every day would be an adventure!

  She couldn’t wait to cook Jack and his crew breakfast!

  It was silly perhaps, but she wanted to prove she could do it. She refused to give in. Practice made perfect. She knew that much from her drawings.

  “Sophia!” she heard Jack call, and hurriedly finished packing the few items she intended to take. She’d discarded her dresses completely—no reason to take them at all. They were dirty and far too unwieldy besides. Instead, she’d borrowed a few more of Shorty’s trousers and shirts, stuffing as many as she could into the backpack Jack had let her borrow. She wore a pair of Shorty’s boots and socks as well, though the boots were at least three sizes too large for her feet. It couldn’t be helped. Jack had advised her they would be far more suitable to the remainder of the journey than were her slippers. So she’d stuffed the toes with socks, and could scarcely tell except by looking at them that they were much too big.

  “I’m coming, Jack!” she shouted back at him, and shoved a few selected toiletry items into the sack.

  He came to the door then, leaning against the frame as he watched her with that look in his eyes. He seemed to like to look at her since she’d begun wearing Shorty’s pants, and what was more, she liked the way that he looked at her.

  Her heart leapt a little at the sight of him. “Jack,” she said breathlessly.

  He always managed to do that... steal her breath away. The very sight of him left her dizzy. A single look of his made her heart dance against her ribs.

  “Whenever you’re ready, princess.”

  He wasn’t upset with her, Sophie knew that by the smile on his face, but she grimaced at his endearment. “Harlan calls me that!” she reminded once more, and hoped he would understand how it grated on her nerves. “Please don’t.”

  He pushed away from the doorframe, straightening.

  “Anyway, I’m ready!” Sophie assured him. “Except ...” She hesitated, glancing at the papers on his desk, wanting so badly for him to see them.

  She went back to the desk, lingering there, plucking Harlan’s picture from the desktop. She couldn’t very well forget the picture when she’d tucked Harlan’s letter into the back of it.

  Jack eyed it distastefully as she placed it, too, into her backpack, and gave her a look she couldn’t quite decipher. “By all means, you can’t forget that,” he said caustically, and then pivoted on his heels and left her to follow.

  “Jack, wait!”

  She wanted desperately for him to see her drawings.

  Disappointment surged through her as he disappeared from her sight. It took her an instant longer to realize what it was that had rankled him, but when she did, she smiled a secret smile.

  He was jealous, and that fact pleased her.

  Quickly she seized the stack of drawings from his desk and placed them into her backpack, then hoisted the backpack over her shoulder.

  He would discover her journey’s purpose soon enough. In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt him to wonder just a little. Somehow, telling him about her decision to leave Harlan didn’t seem quite as fulfilling as the thought of showing him.<
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  The market square was pungent with the aroma of fish and meats, sweetened only by the more elusive scent of fruits and vegetables.

  Jack remembered the way through the tangle of booths, though it had been nearly three years since his last visit. He’d brought Randall and Pete with him, just in case Jose wasn’t in a forgiving mood. He would have preferred not to bring Sophie, but she’d been babbling excitedly about the breakfast she intended to make them, and he suspected he’d have had to tie her down to keep her from accompanying him once she’d realized their destination.

  Anyway, Kell had gone after supplies, and the rest of his crew were busy setting up camp. And it wasn’t as though he didn’t trust them with Sophie, but he really didn’t trust Sophie with them.

  Besides, he had promised her that she could cook for them. She wanted to help and he couldn’t quite bring himself to deny her. Nor could he help but be amused at the look of wonder on her face as she followed him through the market. Instead of overripe fruits and day-old meat that made up the market’s wares, one would have thought she were surrounded by nuggets of gold and glinting diamonds.

  To her credit, she seemed eager to redeem herself to his men and unwilling to accept defeat. Unfortunately, his men were secretly praying Jack would banish her from more attempts. He’d never met a woman in his life who took such joy in her efforts and failed so miserably every time.

  Jack actually found it a charming quality.

  It wasn’t difficult to find Jose’s booth, and he recognized Maria at once. He was grateful Sophie’s attention had been momentarily distracted by a batch of particularly colorful peppers two booths away. She lingered to inspect them, lifting several and turning them in her hand as though they were precious gems.

  Jack smiled a little at the sight of her, then returned to the unpleasant task at hand, hoping the peppers would keep Sophie’s attention.

  Maria hadn’t changed at all, and her pretty face brightened as she recognized him. Guilt tugged at him.

  “Jack!” she exclaimed, and leaped up from the stool she had been occupying.

  “Hello, Maria.” He smiled a little uncertainly at her, and cast a hasty glance over his shoulder at Sophie.

  Sophie’s attention was riveted on the peppers. As he watched, she began to select only the finest for the masterpiece breakfast she intended to prepare.

  Jack had a sudden desire to be there at her side... to look over them with her... smell her hair... touch her shoulders.

  She was beautiful, and it was killing him that she had to drag that damned picture of Penn around with her.

  It turned his stomach to think of the two of them together.

  Maria’s arms were around his neck the instant he turned around again. She nearly choked the breath from him. “Oh, Jack!” she squealed.

  Jack patted her back, grimacing as he cast yet another glance over his shoulder at Sophie.

  Considering the damnable picture she was carrying, he didn’t know why it should bother him so much that Sophie might be hurt by Maria’s attention. He ought to be more concerned with Maria’s feelings...

  Or his own hide.

  Jose came into the booth, his eyes narrowing in displeasure as he spotted Jack with Maria. If he’d had them before, Jack had no doubts any longer that her father knew. His stomach roiled again, and he grimaced at the older man’s expression.

  “Get away from my daughter!” her father demanded at once, and came to pry Maria’s hands from around his neck.

  Jack tried to assist him as best he could, hoping his immediate compliance would sweeten Jose’s mood, but Maria proved stronger than either of them realized.

  She held fast, jumping up and down excitedly, strangling Jack with her enthusiasm. “Oh Jack!” she exclaimed, and hugged him tighter, resisting her father as he railed at her in Spanish to release Jack at once.

  Jack had a niggling suspicion suddenly that her enthusiasm had less to do with him and more to do with defying her father, because her grip tightened at his furious demands.

  “No!” she refused him outright, her tone petulant. And she hugged Jack even tighter in a show of defiance. He was grateful she was fairly tall, otherwise he’d be a hunchback right now. She continued in Spanish. “No me puedes ordenar!”

  “Maria!” her father thundered, giving up trying to fight her hold on Jack. There was little affection in the stranglehold.

  “Déjalo Papá!”

  Attempting to follow their conversation, Jack was unclear as to whether she was trying to protect him or merely defy her father. Maybe both. And evidently she was determined to protect him to death.

  Jose seemed ready to trounce him—not that Jack was particularly afraid of the man, but it didn’t help his own cause that he felt Jose was justified in his anger. Jack wasn’t honestly certain he could even hit the man back if Jose decided to hurl a punch.

  He concentrated on breathing and gave up the struggle, hoping she’d notice on her own that she was throttling him to death sometime before he passed out at her feet.

  His Spanish was good, but not good enough to follow the heated discourse that followed. At last she said something that calmed her father, because he took a step backward, and Maria loosened her grip.

  Jack stood there uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck while Jose glared at him. His malaise intensified as Sophie came over with her colorful basket of peppers in hand, her attention obviously having been captured by the scene the three of them had made. She cast him a curious glance, and then turned to assess Maria.

  Maria stood defiantly beside him, refusing to give up her place at his side, and gave Sophie the very same assessing look in return.

  Jack groaned and felt the pit of his stomach tighten. Christ, it was going to be a long day.

  As best he could, he explained to Jose what had happened, in Spanish so Sophie wouldn’t understand, taking full responsibility for his actions. He didn’t want Maria to feel the brunt of her father’s wrath so he took all the blame, but Maria apparently wasn’t about to allow it.

  She interrupted at once, making it clear that she was at an age where she had a right to do what she chose... which led to a lengthy argument between father and daughter about a daughter’s rights.

  “What’s happening?” Sophie whispered to him. Her brows were drawn together in confusion. She obviously didn’t understand a single word, and for that Jack was grateful.

  Jack shrugged. Now wasn’t precisely the time for explanations.

  Sophie gave him a frown.

  Let her be annoyed with him... he wasn’t the one carting around pictures of past lovers.

  And it really didn’t matter that she hadn’t actually been Penn’s lover. She apparently still had every intention of becoming just that. He grit his teeth at the thought.

  “Jose…” He interrupted father and daughter. “Perdón. La culpa es mía.”

  “No!” Jose exploded. “La culpa es de mi puta hija, que no le puede cerrar las piernas por nadie!”

  Jack winced: Apparently he hadn’t been Maria’s only conquest.

  Maria turned ten shades of red at her father’s degrading remark and averted her gaze. Jack wasn’t exactly sure if it was out of anger or embarrassment, but it quieted her at once. He explained his reason for coming—not to cause trouble but to ask for Jose’s help.

  Jose remained quiet, listening, his thick brows drawn together in a hefty frown. He was much smaller than Jack, but his shoulders must have been twice as broad as Jack’s, and they were tense now as he listened, giving Jack a sense of unease.

  Jose began to shake his head as Jack went on to explain exactly what he needed from him, refusing him outright. He didn’t blame the man, but still he tried. He didn’t know who else to ask.

  Sophie and Maria went back to inspecting each other.

  In the meantime, a man came up to the booth and asked Maria for onions. Maria’s cheeks turned pink, and she shook her head briskly to say they had none. She waved him away, eyei
ng her father warily, and then turned again to the smiling customer. The two shared a brief look, and she tilted him a pleading glance. He nodded and hurriedly left.

  Jack lifted his brows, wondering what else the man had wanted besides onions.

  “What did that man say?” Sophie asked Jack as Jose launched into a fervent explanation for why he wouldn’t guide them. Jack tried to keep up with him and listen to Sophie at the same time.

  She tugged at his sleeve. “What did that man say?”

  He frowned at her. “What man?” he answered impatiently.

  Sophie raised herself on tiptoes to whisper in his ear, while Jose continued explaining that it was not only his anger for his daughter that kept him from agreeing to guide Jack to the jungle ruins, but his sense of responsibility to his family. He could no longer justify traipsing off into the jungles and leaving his family to fend for themselves. It was his fault, he added, that his daughter was so loose with her favors because he hadn’t been around to keep her safe. He intended to change all that... beginning today.

  “The one who was just here,” Sophie explained, and pointed out the man in question, who was now lingering at another booth trying to buy his onions elsewhere, making flirty eyes at the woman behind the counter. “What did he say?”

  Jack blinked at her. “He wanted to know if they had onions for sale.”

  Sophie’s brows knit as she considered that, and Jack returned his full attention to Jose.

  Sophie tried to remember exactly how he’d worded it: No tienes sayboyas? That was it precisely. No tienes sayboyas? “No tienes sayboyas?” she repeated to herself, trying to memorize the phrase.

  She tapped Jack on the shoulder. He turned to look at her, his expression somewhat harried. She didn’t bother to remind him how rude it was to leave her so completely out of his conversation. He hadn’t even bothered to introduce her. Was she supposed to twiddle her thumbs until he decided to include her? “I really hate to interrupt,” she told him, “but how do you say onions in Spanish?”

  He blinked at her. “Cebollas,” he answered.

  Sophie nodded.