by Vale, Jennae
Rourke was nearly bursting from his breeches as he watched her remove the last of her clothing. Standing naked before him, he was quite sure he’d never seen a more perfect woman.
Gooseflesh covered her as she waited. Rourke was gazing at her with the look of a ravenous predator, but she wasn’t frightened by it. He removed his shirt. A light sprinkling of hair covered his muscular chest, trailed down his belly and across more muscle, then disappeared below the waist of his breeches. The need to touch him overwhelmed her. Her hand grazed his arms, then her fingers traced the hair across his chest. Her exploration came to a halt at a jagged scar that almost resembled a lightning bolt in shape. She tentatively touched it, gazing up into his face to see if she had hurt him, but instead of looking pained, his eyes told a different story. She touched the scar again, this time covering it with her hand. He cupped his hand over hers, then raised her palm to his lips in a tender kiss.
Rourke lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed where he gently set her down. He removed his boots and then his breeches before quickly joining her.
Lizzie had never seen a naked man before and wanted a longer look. She knew she shouldn’t ask. It wouldn’t be appropriate behavior, but she felt comfortable with Rourke. Surely he wouldn’t mind. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. “I want to see you,” she whispered, somewhat embarrassed by her forwardness.
He seemed surprised by her request, but said nothing.
“You took advantage of my nakedness, now I would like the same courtesy, to see you.”
A mischievous grin spread across his face as he sprang up from the bed. Lizzie rolled onto her side, propping her head on her elbow for a better view. Rourke raised his arms out to the side and slowly turned for her. So that is what a man looks like, she thought. She stared at his erection. It was long, hard, and standing up straight. It fascinated her, and as he returned to the bed, she had to touch it.
Rourke growled as she wrapped her hand around his length. It was obvious from the expression on his face that she was giving him much pleasure.
“For a lass of no experience, ye seem to ken what ye’re doing,” Rourke said, removing her hand and drawing her to his body.
“But I don’t.”
“I ken ’tis yer first time. I’ll be gentle with ye,” he assured her. He wrapped a leg over hers as he moved her hair out of the way so he could kiss behind her ear.
“Mmm…”
“Ye like that, do ye?”
“Yes.”
His kisses were soft and sweet as his lips traveled from her neck to her breasts. He took them in his hands. “Beautiful,” he said, admiring her.
His hands encircled her waist as his tongue flicked across her belly and then down beneath the vee of curls at her opening. She cried out as his tongue gave her a rapturous pleasure she’d never known before. With each soft moan, Rourke seemed more intent on pleasing her. Her fingers raked through his hair as she was overcome with an intense need that built and built until it exploded inside of her. She writhed in ecstasy as Rourke held on to her hips, not allowing her to escape his caresses as the momentous waves of pleasure overtook her until she thought she might die.
With one last kiss, Rourke slowly moved up from between her legs until he was atop her and had placed his hardened shaft at her opening. “I will go slow. I doona mean to hurt ye.”
Lost as she was in that sensual fog, Lizzie couldn’t imagine anything he could do that might hurt her. She was still catching her breath when he entered her slowly. His lips met hers with passion as his tongue tangled with hers at the same time he glided more fully into her. She squirmed beneath him, in slight pain. He waited a moment, and she nodded her affirmation that the discomfort had subsided, and the pain was replaced with a new and enjoyable sensation. At first unsure of herself, Lizzie quickly realized that if she moved in rhythm with him, all the pleasure she’d felt before would return.
Moving more quickly now, Rourke raised himself up on his arms. She could see the rapture in his face as her own breathing quickened. The tingling and throbbing were building again. Climbing and climbing until she reached the peak of something perfect and indescribable. Rourke roared her name as he reached his climax.
Collapsing atop her, he rolled to his side, taking her with him and holding her close. He stared into her eyes, “Lizzie, love…” His warm, sweet smile reminded her of just how handsome he was.
She fell asleep in his arms happier than she’d ever been, and yet in the back of her mind, knew he would leave her.
Chapter Eleven
The sun had barely risen when Rourke’s skiff approached Las Animas. Pargo awaited him on deck surrounded by his crew. His first mate was nowhere in sight, which only confirmed the information Sara had given them at the tavern.
“I see you do not bring me my treasure,” Pargo said as Rourke hopped over the rail followed by Hawes and a few trusted crewmembers.
Pargo’s men aimed pistols, swords, and daggers at them, but Rourke wasn’t intimidated. “I doona, but I ken where it is, or at least who has it.”
“Leave your men and follow me.” Pargo signaled his men to stand fast as he turned toward his quarters. Rourke nodded to Hawes and followed behind.
Once inside with the door firmly closed, Pargo turned to Rourke. “Tell me what you know.”
“Your first mate, Agustin, is the one who took your treasure. He is also the one who killed the governor. I believe you were present, so that much ye ken.”
“Dios mío!” Pargo slammed his fist on his desk. “Where is he?”
“He has sailed with the French vessel, Sirène. If what I’ve heard is true, he had word of an English merchant sailing toward these waters. The information was shared, money changed hands, and the French will help him take the ship, which he intends to captain.”
Dark, stormy eyes glared at him from beneath a furrowed brow. “I should have known,” he growled.
“How is it that ye didn’t?” Rourke asked with a good deal of sarcasm in his tone.
“I trusted him more than I should have.” Pargo ignored the obvious intent of Rourke’s question.
“Why did he kill the governor if it was no’ at your command?”
Pargo shrugged. “It was not supposed to happen. I thought the governor had stolen my treasure.”
“He may have had a hand in stealing it,” Rourke admitted.
“I wished to frighten him into revealing its location. Agustin held him at pistol point. I heard his daughter calling, and when the governor believed I might harm her, he was ready to tell me everything. Agustin shot him. He must have known Wickham’s daughter was more important to him than any treasure, and feared what he would tell me.”
“Ye thought it was an accidental shooting?” Rourke asked, not sure he should believe him.
“Sí.” Pargo was pacing back and forth, seething with anger. “I must sail after him.”
“My crew are down on the docks. They’ll get the information you need to find him.”
“Will you join me?” Pargo asked.
“’Tis why I’m here. I would be happy to avenge my friend’s murder.” Rourke went to the door. “I’ll prepare my ship and signal ye when we’re ready to set sail.”
When Lizzie woke that morning, she was surprised to find that Rourke was no longer in her bed. She dressed and hurried downstairs to see if he was in the kitchen having something to eat. She was ravenous, but lost her appetite when she realized he wasn’t there or anywhere else in the house.
“Guyton!” she called.
“Yes, Miss.” he answered as he came hurrying to her.
“Where is Captain Mackall?”
“He’s gone back to his ship.”
“Will he return?” Panic struck. He was gone.
“I don’t believe so. He said goodbye to Daniel before he left. It seemed he planned to be gone for some time.”
Lizzie closed her eyes against the stinging tears gathering there. She would not cry, but she a
lso wouldn’t allow him to leave without seeing him.
“Thank you, Guyton. I may be gone for a while, but I’ll be back. Make sure that Daniel is safe.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Her feet couldn’t move fast enough. She had to find him before he was gone forever. She summoned the carriage to take her to the docks, and once there, she scanned the faces of the men. Lizzie looked for someone familiar who could help her, but saw no one she knew.
“Leave me here,” she said to the driver.
“But, Miss, how will you get home?” the driver asked, concern etched across his face.
“Don’t worry. Captain Mackall will see that I get home safely,” she lied.
As the carriage drove away, she made her way past men lining the path to Red Legs Tavern. It was the only place she could think of where someone might be able to help her.
The same scene she’d observed the day before greeted her again. She saw Sara talking with a man and hurried to her.
“Sara.” Lizzie was out of breath and feeling quite nervous as nearby groups of men ogled her and made lewd comments.
“Miss Lizette, what are you doing here?” Sara asked. “I’ll be back, wait for me,” she said to the man before taking Lizzie by the arm and leading her upstairs. “It’s dangerous for a lady like you to be here alone.”
“I’m looking for Captain Mackall.” She folded her hands neatly in front of her to stop them from shaking.
“He’s no’ here.”
“I need to get to his ship. Is there someone here who can help me?” Lizzie asked.
“One of his men is here,” Mistress Anna said as she appeared in the doorway to her rooms.
“Sara, go get Jordy Reeves before he leaves.”
Sara ran back down the stairs, leaving Lizzie alone with Anna. “Thank you again for taking such good care of Daniel. He told me how kind you were to him.”
Anna’s face softened as Lizzie spoke. “He’s a good lad. I was happy to spend time with him.”
A man arrived at the top of the stairs and stopped as he reached them. “Sara says ye need me.” He eyed both women.
“Not for what yer thinking,” Anna said. “Miss Lizette Wickham requires passage to The Dagger. Will you see that she gets there?”
The man seemed confused by this request, but nodded. “Aye. I can do that for ye. Does the cap’n ken yer coming?”
“No. It’s a surprise.”
“I see. I’ll gather the men. Sara will see that ye find our skiff.”
“Thank you,” Lizzie said as he hurried down the stairs. She turned to see Anna shaking her head. “What’s wrong?”
“Rourke will no’ be happy to see ye,” Anna said.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Lizzie thought he would be very happy to see her. She hadn’t thought there would be any reason he wouldn’t.
“He wants to protect ye. A woman such as yerself does no’ belong aboard a pirate ship,” Anna cautioned.
“I must see him before he leaves.”
“Ye love him.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, one that Lizzie couldn’t deny. “I can see it in yer eyes.”
What could she say? She did love him. How or when that had happened, she couldn’t say. The only thing she did know was that she wasn’t going to let him sail out of her life forever without seeing him one more time.
“Be careful. These men are dangerous. Ye risk much to see the captain.” She approached the railing and looking down, seemed to search the tavern. “Sara!” She called.
“Aye.”
“Take Miss Wickham to Jordy at the docks.”
Lizette made her way downstairs and scurried out of the tavern while avoiding groping hands and words she wished not to hear.
Sara led her through the streets and down an alleyway to the docks. Jordy stood waiting for her. The other men were already aboard the boat, including Jacob.
“Good day to ye, Miss. We meet again,” he called to her.
“Jacob,” she replied. “Good day.”
Hoots and cheers greeted Sara as they approached, leading Lizzie to wonder if there might be another way to get to The Dagger. Jordy held out a dirty, callused hand to her. Drawing in a deep breath, she took it and stepped into the boat where the men made room for her to sit. Sara waved from the dock as the men rowed towards Rourke’s ship.
“When did the ship return to the harbor?” Lizzie asked.
“Cap’n had us move her after the storm so we could load up on provisions.”
This confirmed her fears. He planned on leaving without even a goodbye. She couldn’t regret what had happened between them the night before. It had been what she wanted, and he’d told her he couldn’t promise more than the one night. The mere thought of his passionate kisses and the way he’d touched her sent a flush of heat through her body. She glanced up to see that none of the men were paying the least bit of attention to her, which was a relief.
The boat came to a stop at the base of the rope ladder. Jamie, the cabin boy, looked over the rail. A surprised smile brightened his face. “Don’t worry, Miss. I will no’ let ye fall.” He scrambled down the ladder, and when he neared the bottom, he held out a hand to her.
Jordy helped her stand and guided her to the ropes. “Excuse me fer what I’m about to do, Miss.” He placed his hands on her waist, steadying her so she could grab onto the ladder. As she stepped on the first rung, he gave her backside a push upward with both his hands.
Lizzie was mortified, but said not a word. It had been different when Rourke had done it. She silently vowed that in future, she would climb the ladder without help, no matter how long it took her.
Jamie led the way up, peering back down at her with every rung she climbed. Jordy was behind her, and she could feel his hands occasionally on her foot or leg as she stepped upward. Finally at the top, Jamie helped her onto deck. She nearly collapsed with relief.
“Where’s Captain Mackall?” she asked him.
“He’s on Las Animas. Why are ye here?” He seemed puzzled by her presence. “The cap’n did no’ tell me ye were joining us.”
“I wished to see him. Will you take me to his quarters? I’ll wait for him there.” Lizzie could feel the eyes of the crew on her, and she wanted to escape their scrutiny as soon as possible.
“Aye.” Jamie led the way.
“Doona worry, Miss. I will no’ say a word,” Jordy called after them.
“What did he mean by that?” Jamie asked as he opened the door to the cabin.
“I wish to surprise the captain.”
“Would ye like some tea?” he asked.
“That would be lovely, Jamie.”
“I’ll be back.” With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he placed his index finger to his lips. “I’ll no’ say a word, either.”
Rourke was back aboard The Dagger after his meeting with Pargo. He ordered his men to prepare the ship to set sail.
“Jordy, what did ye learn about Agustin?” Jacob stood behind Jordy. “Where did ye find him?”
“Good day to ye, Cap’n,” Jacob said.
“He said he had information for ye about La Sirène. Said it set sail in the dark of night.”
“What else do ye ken, Jacob?”
“There was no word on where they were headed, but I did find out the whereabouts of the English merchant ship. There are some very important passengers aboard who are being transported to the colonies.”
“Was there word on who the passengers might be?” Rourke pressed.
“None, but the ship also carries a good deal of loot.”
“I promised ye a place aboard The Dagger, and it seems ye’ve earned it.”
“Thank ye, sir.”
“Jordy will see ye get settled.” Rourke turned to his first mate. “Hawes, signal Las Animas. We’ll find the English ship and board her.”
He’d discussed this plan with Pargo and they’d agreed. Both men were only concerned with Agustin and Pargo’s treasure. It was their understanding that
the ship carried everyday goods such as clothing, furniture, tools, and leather goods. Neither he nor Pargo were interested.
The Dagger was underway in less than an hour. The prevailing winds would carry them directly to their target. Both The Dagger and Las Animas were built for speed. The French vessel was a bit more cumbersome. On the vast sea they sailed, chances were good they would pass La Sirène without even seeing her. It was important for them to reach The Rebecca before Agustin and the French. There they would lie in wait for their arrival. It was a good plan and one he hoped would see The Dagger return to Manta Cay without damage or casualties.
Everything on deck was going as planned. Hawes and the crew all knew their jobs and were good at them. This gave Rourke some time to think about last night and Lizzie. He hadn’t wanted to leave her without a goodbye, but he knew that given the chance, she would have insisted on joining him. He wanted her safe and far away from the coming battle. He hadn’t seen it happening, but he had somehow fallen in love with her, which had him rethinking everything in his life.
He wanted to be with her, but didn’t wish to subject her to life with a pirate. He had a lot of thinking to do and it seemed that now he would have the time. There would be little else to do until they reached The Rebecca.
“I’m going to my quarters if ye need me, Hawes.”
“Aye, Cap’n.”
Jamie tagged along beside him with a joyful bounce in his step.
“What are ye so happy about?” Rourke asked.
Jamie shrugged, but the smile on his face grew even larger.
Rourke eyed him with a furrowed brow. “I doona ken what yer about, lad, but it must be something.”
He opened the door to his quarters and walked inside. His attention focused on Jamie, it took a moment for him to realize there was someone waiting for him in the room. When he saw Lizzie, he had mixed emotions. His heart soared at the sight of her and then plummeted as he realized she would now be in danger.
“What are ye doing here?” he barked. “How did ye get here?” He’d have the heads of whoever had seen fit to bring her.
