Pirate’s Promise: The Girl Had Nowhere To Go But Into His Arms...

by Bobbi Smith

  Satisfied that things were finally working out, they drank a silent toast to their progress and then sat back to enjoy the rest of their ale.

  Chapter Twelve

  The last thing Lianne wanted to do was to have dinner with Adam and one of his business associates. Her spirits sank at the thought as she waited in Becky's room while she got ready. Alex was taking dinner in the room he and Lianne were sharing and then was going to retire early. Lianne tried to plead tiredness, so she could stay closeted with Alex, but Becky refused to believe her.

  "What is going on between you and Adam?" she asked shrewdly, her eyes narrowing as she tried to gauge Lianne's reaction to her bold, assessing statement.

  Lianne blanched at her newfound friend's perceptiveness, fearing that somehow Becky had learned what had happened. But as quickly as she had the thought, she discarded it. No one knew, and it was going to stay that way.

  "I don't know what you mean," Lianne replied with as much casualness as she could muster.

  "I mean," Becky drawled for effectiveness, "when I first asked you to stay on, you seemed certain that Adam was going to force you to leave."

  "Oh." She was almost relieved that that was what this was all about. "Well, I just thought he didn't like me, that's all. I mean, I did threaten him with a shotgun and all."

  "And," Becky went on with emphasis, "every time you two are around each other, you're both jumpy and nervous."

  "Really?" Lianne tried to sound surprised by this observation. "I hadn't noticed."

  Becky studied her for a long, silent moment before continuing to brush out her hair. "It doesn't really matter, I guess." She looked up in the mirror to watch Lianne's reaction. "It's just that I've never seen Adam react to another woman the way he does to you. And, believe me, I've seen Adam with a lot of women."

  It's probably because he can't stand the sight of me and wishes I was gone! Lianne thought caustically.

  "I imagine women do flock to him, don't they?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.

  "Oh, yes. He's always had a way with the opposite sex, but then he's a very attractive man." Becky wanted to goad Lianne into a revealing conversation.

  "I suppose he is," Lianne responded noncommittally, refusing to meet Becky's gaze in the mirror. If you like arrogant chauvinists, she completed the thought silently. "Who is this other man who's joining us for dinner tonight?"

  "It's Beau," Becky's tone softened as she said his name.

  Lianne noticed the slight change in her and quickly took advantage of the opportunity to change the subject away from Adam. "You like him, don't you?" she remarked insightfully.

  Becky glanced up at Lianne, and this time their gazes met. "Can you keep a secret?"

  "Yes, if you're sure you want to share it."

  She put down her brush and turned to face her, her expression conspiratorial. "I'm in love with Beau."

  "Becky! That's wonderful!"

  "I'm glad you think so, because I sure don't."

  "Why? Is there a problem?"

  "He doesn't love me."

  "How do you know? Has he ever told you that?"

  "No. You see, he's Adam's best friend, and it's almost as if I've known him all my life."

  "So?"

  "So, Beau thinks of me as a little girl . . . you know, Adam's little sister," Becky's heartache was obvious.

  "Then you have to do something about that," Lianne told her firmly.

  "What? I know all about Beau and Adam. They're two of a kind. They like beautiful, sophisticated women."

  "And you don't think you're beautiful and sophisticated?" She looked at her friend incredulously.

  "No."

  "Then take another look in that mirror, Becky. You're absolutely gorgeous."

  Becky considered that a high compliment coming from Lianne, for she thought her a fantastic combination of beauty and bravery. Turning to stare at her own reflection, she tried to see the woman Lianne was talking about, but she couldn't. Instead of noticing the loveliness of her own unblemished, fair complexion, Becky saw only the smattering of freckles on her nose. Instead of appreciating the thick, rich, mahogany tresses that swung past her shoulders now in glossy waves, she saw the curls as too wild and unmanageable. Instead of admiring her own petite figure, she thought herself too short and too thin to be lovely enough for Beau. She had seen some of the women Beau had courted, and she knew she fell short of their tall, buxom beauty.

  "You've never seen the women who attract him. Why, Beau can get any woman he wants," Becky mourned, feeling relieved to at last be sharing her deepest, most precious secret with someone. She had never dared tell Adam, so she had kept her love to herself all these years.

  "Then all we have to do is to convince him that you're the one he wants. Right?" Lianne prompted, feeling pleased that Becky had confided in her. It made her feel less like an unwelcome guest and more like a true friend. In fact, watching Becky's eyes light up at the thought made Lianne feel almost young and carefree again. It seemed so long since she'd had time to think about such things.

  The twinkle was back in Becky's eyes as she gave Lianne a wide, confident grin. "Right." Stalking to her trunk she started to sort through the pile of fashionable gowns she'd brought along. She snared a deep rose satin one and held it up for Lianne's inspection. "What do you think?"

  "I think you're on the right track." She returned her smile and began to help her dress.

  When they had finished, Becky posed before the cheval glass to admire their handiwork. The dress was simply cut and plain in style, but its lack of ornamentation made it perfect for the petite Becky. The bodice was modestly cut, but hinted at the tempting fullness beneath. The full skirts emphasized her tiny waist, and the rose color complimented her beautifully. Becky looked very chic.

  "Watch him not even notice!" she grumbled, afraid to get her hopes up.

  "Shame on you, Becky Trent! As easily as you handle your brother, you'd think this Beau Hamilton would be simple for you."

  "All right. I'm as ready as I'll ever be, but what about you? What are you going to wear?"

  Lianne realized then that she had no gown that could even compare to Becky's. "I've got a very nice one in my room. Let me go change, and I'll be right back."

  "I'm coming with you. You were kind enough to help me. Now I'm going to return the favor, but we've got to hurry. It's almost seven now, and I promised we'd meet Adam downstairs in the lobby no later than seven."

  They hurried to Lianne's room. Shooing Alex out of the way, Becky took charge, brushing out Lianne's long hair and then leaving it down, about her shoulders.

  "Don't you think I should style it up?" Lianne asked.

  "Absolutely not. If I'm wearing mine down, so are you. Here, we'll use this ribbon . . ." Artfully, Becky wove the ribbon through her hair. "There. Now for your dress and we're ready."

  Lianne drew out the only gown she owned that was suitable for dinner at the St. Louis. It was a sedate dinner dress that was several years old. Though not as stylish as Becky's, Lianne knew the deep emerald color suited her. The bodice was square-cut, and the sleeves were long and puffed. A wide band of ivory lace trimmed the cuffs and neckline, enhancing her pale, creamy complexion even as the rich green color drew attention to her eyes.

  If Becky was disappointed in the dress, she said nothing. Instead, she heaped compliments upon her, telling her how beautiful she looked. Standing back to look at Lianne, she nodded approvingly.

  "You look marvelous," she told her with pride, and then mumbled to herself under her breath, "I just hope someone notices."

  "Did you say something?" Lianne asked as she dabbed a bit of perfume at her pulse points.

  "Oh, no . . . nothing."

  Becky didn't know if there was anything happening between Adam and Lianne, but she knew her brother needed some encouragement to go on with his life. She knew, as he did, that his future with Elise was doubtful. In all these months, no doctor they'd seen had given them any hope. Adam neede
d to feel like a man again, and Becky felt certain that if there was a woman alive who could help Adam forget Elise, it was Lianne.

  "Lianne you look real pretty." Alex beamed at her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his big sister dressed up and looking so lovely.

  "Why, thank you, darling." Lianne gave him a quick hug.

  "You even smell pretty!"

  Lianne gave a lighthearted laugh as she ordered him under the covers. "To bed with you, young man. I'll kiss you again when I get back from dinner."

  "Oh, all right." Alex was less than enthused about being left behind this evening, but Lianne had explained to him earlier that tonight it was adults only.

  For the first time in ages, Lianne was feeling almost carefree as she descended the main curving staircase with Becky. All that ended abruptly, however, when she looked up to see Adam standing at the foot of the stairs, one arm resting casually on the newel post, watching her. There was another, blond-haired man at his side, but she had eyes only for him. Clad in basic black, his shirt and cravat a vivid snowy white contrast, Adam was remarkably handsome.

  Lianne's heart swelled in her breast, and her pulses raced as her eyes met his. Annoyed that just the sight of him could affect her so, she quickly looked away. She silently cursed the thought of having to spend the entire evening in his company. With fierce insistence, she reminded herself that she hated him.

  Adam didn't want to feel this attraction to Lianne, but he found he couldn't take his eyes off her as she came down the grand staircase with Becky. The dress she was wearing was not of the latest fashion, but the style was becoming to her. The décolletage was not by any means revealing, but the slight swell of her breasts above the square neckline sent a shaft of desire through Adam.

  Though Adam had been making a deliberate effort to try to forget that night, it all came back to him in a powerful surge of sensual recognition. He remembered Lianne's passionate response to his touch. He remembered her long, slender legs wrapped tightly about his waist as they were locked in love's embrace. He remembered the satiny softness of her breasts in his hands and the heat of her abandoned kisses as they sought bliss together.

  Adam bit back a groan as he struggled to keep his physical urges under control. He couldn't want her. He wouldn't want her. What had happened between them had been a terrible mistake. He'd been drinking, and she'd needed someone to comfort her. He'd had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wouldn't happen again, he repeated his vow to himself. No matter how drawn to her he was, he would not give in to this weakness. He turned away from the sight of Lianne to say something to Beau, but to his dismay, Beau was staring up at the two women, and he appeared just as entranced as Adam had been.

  "What the hell are you staring at?" Adam demanded a little too harshly.

  Beau cast him a questioning glance, wondering at his friend's reaction. "Is that Lianne Ducharme with Becky?"

  "Yes," he snapped.

  "From the way you've always spoken of her, I assumed that she was a young girl," Beau ventured, watching him with interest, trying to read his response. Ever since the attack, Adam had displayed absolutely no interest in women. Beau could tell that Adam's interest was reluctant, and he could well understand it. It wouldn't be easy to forget his memories of Elise, but Beau knew he had to if he ever wanted to rebuild his life. At least, he was glad that his friend was starting to feel things again. "And I had no idea she was so gorgeous."

  "She's pretty enough, I guess." Adam attempted to sound nonchalant as he went along with him.

  "What does your Suzanne think about her staying on at the plantation with you?" Beau asked, quirking one expressive brow.

  "She had no objection." He was tired of discussing Lianne already and wished Beau would drop it.

  "Understanding woman, your Suzanne," he said dryly.

  "She's not my anything!" Adam snarled under his breath just as Becky and Lianne reached them.

  "Good evening, ladies," Beau greeted them expansively.

  "Hello, Beau, Adam," Becky returned, her eyes only for Beau. She thought him the most magnificent-looking man in the whole wide world. She longed to throw herself in his arms and kiss him, but she knew he'd probably never recover from the shock.

  "You two are looking most lovely tonight." Beau turned on the charm. "Don't you think so, Adam?" he goaded with carefully disguised good humor.

  "Yes, you both look very nice."

  They accepted the compliments with good grace as the two men ushered them forth into the main dining room. Lianne could understand why Becky was in love with Beau. Not only was he very handsome, but he was interesting to talk to and had a great sense of humor. She liked him immediately and knew she would do all she could to help Becky further her cause.

  Beau carried most of the conversation as the meal progressed. Adam sat in an almost sullen silence. He refused to join willingly in their light repartee, and he answered only those questions that were posed directly to him. As Beau flirted openly with both women, Adam's expression grew more and more thunderous. Beau found Lianne a very intelligent, witty young woman, and, he had not sensed that there was more to his friend's reaction to Lianne then just aggravation at having her still in residence at Belle Arbor, he would have considered courting her. To Becky, Beau gave little real thought. She looked pretty, as she always did, but she was Becky. She had always been there, and she would always be there. She was cute and fun and Adam's little sister.

  Becky was growing frustrated. She knew she looked her absolute best tonight, and yet she was getting no more attention from Beau than she normally did. He was being his usual charming self, as always, but there had been no spark of sudden, male recognition in his eyes when he'd looked at her. It was just like it always was when they were together. He was nice to her, he was sweet to her, but he was not loverlike to her, and she wanted to strangle him.

  Adam thought the night would never end. Except for the news from Beau that they had almost caught up with Shark in the Gulf, the entire day had been a disaster. First, the damned, miserable carriage ride to town . . . Lord, he'd thought it would never end . . . then the visit to Elise, and now here he was, forced to sit and listen to Beau carry on with Lianne like some besotted fool. He wished he could just get up and leave. He wished he was anywhere but there. He wished this whole thing with Shark was over, and he was back home in Charleston. He wished —

  "Shall we go for a walk around the rotunda?" Beau asked, interrupting his somber musings.

  "I'd like that." Becky was thrilled at the chance to spend more time with Beau. She wanted the evening to go on and on and on.

  "I think I'll pass," Adam said curtly. He needed to get away by himself for a while, and a visit to the hotel's well-stocked bar seemed most appealing.

  "Me, too." Lianne quickly declined, for she wanted to give Becky time to work her wiles on Beau. "I need to get back upstairs and check on Alex."

  "Perhaps we'd better go upstairs with Lianne to make sure she gets to her room all right," Becky said slowly, disappointed that she was going to miss her opportunity to take a walk with Beau. "It is rather late, and no lady should be unescorted at this time of night."

  "Nonsense." Lianne hurried to discourage her friend. "I'll be fine. You go on ahead. There's no reason why I should ruin your evening."

  "Better yet, Adam can see you to your room," Beau suggested, pointedly ignoring the black look Adam shot his way.

  Having been put on the spot and seeing no way out of it, Adam agreed. Lianne wanted to argue that there was no need, but she didn't want to stand in the way of Becky having some time alone with Beau. Girding herself, she smiled her thanks politely and bid Becky and Beau good-night.

  As they left the restaurant, Becky and Beau wandered off across the rotunda while Adam and Lianne started up the staircase toward their rooms. They did not speak as they mounted the sweeping stairway. The tension between them was an almost palpable thing, but they both tried to ignore it. When t
hey reached the floor where their rooms were located, Lianne tried to rebuff Adam.

  "Thank you so much for seeing me this far. I'm sure I'll be fine from here," she said with pretended coolness. All through dinner she'd been trying to dismiss the strange excitement that filled her from just being near him. Now, as they stood here alone in the deeply shadowed privacy of the hall, the faint, fresh, manly scent of him sent her senses reeling. Lianne knew she had to get away from him as quickly as possible. She turned and started off down the hall.

  Perversely, Adam refused to let her go. Reacting without thinking, he snared her by her arm, stopping her. "I agreed to see you to your room, and I will."

  Lianne's expression was guarded as she looked from his hand up to his face. "There is really no need," she told him as she tried to ignore the feel of his touch.

  "Lianne . . ." Adam's tone was husky as he gazed down at her in the duskiness of the dimly-lighted hallway. The simple contact of his hand upon her arm was electric. There was only Lianne and him, here, alone . . . Adam couldn't stop himself from slowly drawing her closer.

  Lianne was caught up in the heat of his dark-eyed gaze. Entranced like a moth before a flame, she didn't resist as he pulled her near.

  Her thoughts grew chaotic as she struggled with her own reactions to his touch. She tried to remember that this was the man who'd refused to sell her her home . . . the man who'd taken her innocence and then told her he was sorry and that it had all been a mistake! She hated him! She knew she did! Yet . . .

  Adam bent to her then, his mouth descending to seek and find hers. Somewhere deep in the recesses of Adam's mind, he knew he shouldn't be doing this. He knew he should steer clear of Lianne. She was already a fire in his blood, and he knew it would only get worse if he tasted of her love again. Yet somehow, now that he was alone with her, he couldn't stop himself. It didn't matter to him that they were standing in the center of the hall and could easily be discovered at any moment. All that mattered was that he had to kiss her. He kissed her deeply, devouringly then, wanting to stir her to the heights again as he had that night.