“Believe it? I know it to be true.”
“Then more’s the pity for you. A life without love is an empty one.”
“A life without love is a happy one.”
Heaven above, but he was dense. Or was he merely doing it to perturb her?
“You’ve never once known the thrill of being in love?” Lorelei asked. “Never felt your heart quicken when someone special approached you? Longed to spend every moment of every day with one person?”
“That’s called lust.”
“It’s called love.”
“Then yes, I’ve been in love countless times. In fact, I’m in love right now. For all I can think of is holding your naked body against mine, of tasting—”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said between clenched teeth as heat stole across her face.
“It’s what you said.”
Flustered, she drew a deep breath to settle the vexing anger he provoked.
His look deepened as he cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand and stroked her chin with his thumb. His touch burned her, and it took all her strength not to turn her face in his hand and taste the flesh of that palm.
Oh, but his touch was warm and magical and…Inviting.
And she wanted to accept that invitation, she realized with a start.
He pulled her against his hard chest and captured her with one arm about her waist. “I could show you delights you’ve never before conceived, my sweet. Not once in all the times you and your girlfriends giggled together did you ever imagine what I can give you.”
Wicked desire swirled in her stomach and a part of her begged for him to educate her. What would it be like to hold a man so handsome? So dangerous?
One whose touch filled her with such white-hot desire.
This was madness, and well she knew it. She was spoken for and he was an outlaw. A wanted man whose life would be forfeit the moment she was rescued.
No matter what her body thought, she was a creature of logic and logic dictated that she keep a goodly distance between them.
“The world will surely come to an end before I allow that to happen. The only thing I crave from you is your absence.”
He inclined his head in mock sadness. “And that is the one thing I refuse to give you.”
“Then you are in for a great disappointment.”
Humor danced in his eyes. “You think so?”
“I know so.”
“Now who is the one so cocky?” he asked.
“It’s still you. I merely know the facts.”
He laughed. “As do I, and the facts clearly state that no woman can resist me. Not for long anyway.”
What arrogance, she thought, seething at him. He had to be the most conceited man to ever draw breath. And if there was one thing she hated, it was that type of cocksure attitude.
Well, it was time someone taught Black Jack Rhys a lesson in manners. Time someone showed him he was not the end-all, be-all of masculinity.
And she was certainly up to that task.
“I assure you, Captain Rhys, that I can resist your most dubious charms. You’d drop to one knee and declare your undying love for me long before I ever give myself to you.”
“Is that a challenge?”
Lorelei thought it over. Was it? She’d meant it as a comparison, but now that the words were out, she pondered it.
There’s not a man born I can’t wrap around my little finger.
That boast had seemed so simple the night of the party, and yet as she stared at Jack, she wondered if maybe she’d met the one man she couldn’t control so easily.
Nay, she decided.
This time Jack Rhys had met his match.
“Aye, ’tis a challenge. I’ll claim your heart before you claim my body.”
5
Jack’s laughter rippled in her ears. “Jack Rhys down on his knee before a woman, declaring his undying love. Now there’s a thought borne of pure fantasy.”
“On the contrary,” Lorelei said haughtily, fortified by her experience with the opposite sex. She remembered a time when Justin had also laughed at the idea. But in the end, she had won him over, and she was certain she would win this time as well. “Men, for all their denials, are susceptible to the same emotions as women. More so, in fact.”
“And how do you figure that?”
“You live your life for vengeance. I live mine for peaceful tranquility. Tell me, whose life is more emotional, more volatile?”
“I can certainly tell you whose life is more boring.”
“Ah, there ya are, child.”
Lorelei turned her head to see Kesi coming down the ladder Jack had just used a few moments ago. Kesi held a small basket in her arms that was covered with a green gingham cloth. “I was just bringing ya some bread and cheese to break your fast.”
Once again grateful for the woman’s kindness, Lorelei walked the short distance that separated them and took the basket of food from her hands. “Thank you, I am a bit famished.”
“I thought ya might be.” Kesi greeted Jack. “How’s your shoulder doing?”
“Throbbing actually.”
Kesi’s eyes glowed. “Ya always say that.”
The pirate walked forward to address them. “If you ladies will excuse me, I have duties to attend.” He paused beside Lorelei and spoke in a whisper only she could hear. “And a seduction to plan.”
Flames of embarrassment burned her cheeks. “You’re wasting your time.”
A light of self-assurance sparked in his eyes. “Nay, Lorelei, ’tis you who are wasting your denials.”
Kesi frowned at them while Jack took his leave. “What was that about?”
Lorelei pursed her lips, not willing to share such an indelicate matter with a stranger. “Nothing important.”
“Come on then, let’s go topside and get a bit of fresh air. ’Tis truly a lovely day.”
Lorelei hesitated. “Is it safe up there?”
“Aye,” Kesi said. “You’re safer here than anywhere else on earth.”
“But the pirates—”
“They won’t touch ya, child. Captain Jack already told them that he’d have the life of any man who so much as frowns in your direction. And ya can trust in the fact that none of them are willing to face the captain’s wrath.”
A chill crept up her spine. Jack must be terrible to intimidate his crew so. When scary men became scared, it wasn’t a good sign.
“Now don’t be giving me none of that sour frown,” Kesi chided. “It’ll make ya look old before nature intends. Now, come. The other women are all wanting to meet ya.”
Shifting the basket to the crook of her arm, Lorelei followed her up the ladder to the main deck.
She supposed it was a beautiful morning, provided she didn’t think about the fact she was on board a ship full of pirates and headed for an unknown destination while the king of the pirate brood had sworn to seduce her.
But then, given the number of rude stares she collected from the ruffian bunch as she crossed the deck a step behind Kesi, how could she think of anything else?
All around her, young men were stripped to the waist as they went about hoisting sails, cleaning the deck, polishing capstans, and doing a thousand other tasks. The high wind blew through her hair and carried aloft the bawdy songs and curses of the crew as they worked.
The dress Kesi had brought her last night fit everywhere except the bust, which was just tight enough to be annoying. It was a dark green cambric with short sleeves, but if the truth were known, she wished herself wrapped up in a thick, oversized woolen sack. Anything to keep the men from looking at her.
As they walked on, she noted a group of three women who were standing together at the prow of the ship. The eldest, a matronly, plump woman in her mid-forties with salt and pepper hair, held a large silver serving platter while the younger two women were tossing bread scraps up to a circling flock of seagulls.
“Watch your head now, Alice, that last one about took your c
ap off,” the elder said as she pulled a young woman of about twenty-four back from the circling birds.
“Go on with you, Mavis. I know what I’m doing,” the younger woman snapped as she tossed another handful of bread at the birds. “Besides, ’twas your idea.”
The third woman, a petite brunette, jabbed Mavis in the side with her elbow and nodded toward Kesi and Lorelei.
Releasing Alice’s arm, Mavis beamed a bright smile that lit up her entire face. “Well, well. So this be our guest.”
Kesi stepped aside for them to get a good look at her and suddenly Lorelei felt completely self-conscious, as if these women were sizing her up like a possible opponent.
“This be Lorelei Dupree.” Kesi touched Lorelei lightly on the arm. “Poor child. Captain Jack done gone and stole her in the middle of the night.”
“It’s a bad thing for a man to steal a woman away in the middle of the night, indeed,” Alice said with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“It is when ya not be wanting to be took,” Kesi said.
“Oh, pay them no mind,” Mavis said as she crossed the short distance between them. She clucked her tongue at Alice. “Alice is just jealous the captain carried you on board so easily. Poor Billy broke his back as he carried her out her parents’ window.”
“I resent your implication, Mistress Mavis. ’Twas not my weight that broke him.” Alice’s cheeks turned bright red. She stood before Mavis with her fists clenched and gestured to show Mavis how Billy had fallen. “He slipped from ladder on the way down.”
Mavis snorted. “Says you.”
“Ladies, please.” Kesi moved to stand between them. “What’s Lorelei to think with the two of ya carrying on so?”
“She’s to be thinking we’re a rude lot to be sure,” Mavis said good-naturedly as she turned back toward Lorelei. “You’ll have to forgive us. It gets so boring here that me and Alice pick on each other just so’s we’ll have something to do.”
The knot in Lorelei’s stomach loosened and she sensed a ready friendship from the women, as if they’d already accepted her into their group.
Kesi pulled the third woman forward. The girl crossed her arms over her chest and shyly tilted her chin down.
“This is Sarah Little. She’s married to the cook.”
Sarah inclined her head to Lorelei and offered a generous smile.
“She can’t talk,” Alice explained.
“But she can whistle like a lark and make a sweet biscuit that’ll bring tears to your eyes.” Mavis tossed the last bit of bread to the birds, then wiped her hand on her white apron. “My name’s Mavis Browne and I’m the wife of the ship’s navigator.”
Alice stepped forward. “And I’m Alice Young-blood. My husband’s Billy.” She paused, looked past Lorelei’s shoulder, then raised her voice. “And if he doesn’t stop gawking at you, I’ll make sure he sleeps alone for the next month of Sundays.”
Turning her head, Lorelei saw one of the youthful sailors as his cheeks darkened. “I was only looking at you, love.”
“Phew,” Alice scoffed. “I saw where your eyes were, Billy-boy. And if you be wanting to keep ’em in your head, you’d best be tending your duties.”
Billy gave her a charming grin before hoisting himself up one of the masts.
Sarah made several quick gestures with her hands before she took the platter from Mavis.
“She says welcome aboard and that she hopes ya won’t think her a dullard for not speaking,” Kesi interpreted.
Confused, Lorelei looked back and forth between Kesi and Sarah. “How do you know…”
“Her husband used to be a priest under a vow of silence,” Mavis explained. “He taught her to speak with her hands. We all learned it so that we could talk to her.”
Lorelei was elated and intrigued by the idea. “I would love to learn, too.”
“And so we’ll show ya, child,” Kesi said. “But for the time being we all got chores to do.”
Alice sighed. “Why is it you always say that, Kesi? I declare, you are addicted to your chores.”
Alice took the platter and cast a parting look at Lorelei. “We’ll talk later, after chores.” Alice led Sarah off toward a ladder.
“Are you handy with a needle?” Mavis asked Lorelei.
“Why, yes, yes I am.” It probably should irk her that she would be abducted only to work for her captors, but it didn’t. After all, most anything would be preferable to sitting around and doing nothing all day.
“Then you can help me mend the men’s clothes.”
Kesi grabbed an empty bucket off the deck of the ship. “Then I’ll leave the two of ya to it and tend my own work.” She headed off in the direction opposite the one Sarah and Alice had taken.
Mavis led Lorelei over to a shaded spot on the deck where a large pile of shirts, pants, and socks waited. From where she stood, it was a daunting task.
“How long have you been working on that?” Lorelei asked. “Just since the dawn of time, or eternally?”
Mavis laughed and took a seat on a small stool under the overhang of the poop deck. “It’s not as bad as it seems.” She indicated another stool across from her and Lorelei took a seat. “I actually like doing it, since I can sit up here in the fresh air.”
Unwrapping her breakfast, Lorelei had to grant her that it was a pleasant morning.
Mavis took a needle and white thread from a small sewing kit that was set next to her stool. “You go ahead and eat while I get started. You need to put some weight on yourself or you’ll get blown overboard.”
Lorelei laughed. Her friend Amanda would argue that point, but it was nice to hear the contradiction from Mavis. She uncorked the bottle of milk and poured some into the mug Kesi had placed in the basket. She saw a small green bottle laying in the bottom. Pulling it out, she uncorked it and took a whiff. It had next to no scent whatsoever.
“That be Kesi’s sleeping tonic,” Mavis explained.
“Sleeping tonic?”
“Aye, we’ve all had it at some point. No doubt she was thinking you’d be having trouble sleeping at night.”
The truth could not have been spoken more plainly. Recorking the bottle, she returned it to the basket unsure if she would ever bother to use it. Still, it was nice to have it just in case it came in handy one day.
“So, how long have you traveled with the…” Lorelei paused as she tried to think of a word that wouldn’t offend her companion.
“Pirates?” Mavis asked. “You can say the word. All of us here know what it is we do for a living.”
Heat stung her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to offend—”
Mavis interrupted her with a snort. “The truth doesn’t offend me. Only lies do that.” Mavis picked up a small white shirt that looked like it belonged to a boy. She started mending a small tear in the left sleeve. “I know you probably think of us as monsters, but let a woman who’s lived twice as long as you have tell you that monsters exist everywhere. You’ll find no more meanness on board this ship than what you’re used to.”
Lorelei wanted to argue, but refrained lest she alienate the only allies she could hope to have until Justin rescued her. Yet, she didn’t understand how Mavis could rationalize the pirates’ behavior. They were killers and bullies who traveled the seas just looking for hapless victims.
Of course, Mavis probably had to rationalize the violence in order to live with the pirates. Otherwise the guilt would no doubt drive her mad.
Mavis looked past her shoulder and her gaze narrowed speculatively. “Well now, Mr. Kit, did you finally decide to grace us with your presence?”
Lorelei looked up to see a boy of about eleven standing behind her. He was a handsome lad with brown hair and bright green eyes. He stared at her intently as if trying to size her up. She couldn’t tell how he felt; he seemed to have Jack’s ability to camouflage his emotions.
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked Lorelei.
She frowned at such an odd question. “Yellow.”
“Yellow,” he sneered. “That’s a girl’s color.”
“Now, Kit, watch your manners. You’ve not yet introduced yourself to her and already you’re insulting her. At least let her think you a good lad until she gets to know you.”
Shrugging aside Mavis’s reproach, he took a step forward. “I’m Kristopher,” he said, extending his hand to Lorelei. “Most folks call me Kit though.”
Lorelei shook his proffered hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kit.”
He moved to stand beside her as he sized her up yet again. “So, you’re the booty from last night. Kind of scrawny, ain’t you?” He looked to Mavis. “We should probably throw her back. She’s too little to keep. Barely enough flesh on her for a man to get a hold of.”
Mavis’s mouth dropped. “You little scamp!” she scolded, rising to her feet. “I’ll tan your backside for that.”
Before she could reach him, Kit took off in the opposite direction.
Stunned by his words, Lorelei watched him dart across the deck like a nimble cat before he dodged down a ladder.
“What an odd boy,” she said as Mavis retook her seat. Maybe “crude boy” was more to the point. “Whose is he?”
“The devil’s, if the truth were told,” Mavis said under her breath. She sighed and picked up the shirt that Lorelei realized was Kit’s and returned to mending the sleeve. “He’s Captain Jack’s son.”
The unexpected news hit her like a blow. Lorelei looked once more in the direction Kit had flown. Jack Rhys had a child?
Where was the boy’s mother?
“Who’s his mother?” she asked.
“Don’t know. I was told she died before I came here. Kesi said the captain took the boy in and has kept him ever since.”
“That’s rather unusual, isn’t it?”
Mavis bit the thread in twain, then set the needle aside. “Most things about the captain are unusual.”
Lorelei stood at the ship’s railing, staring out at the ocean. Sunlight played on the white-capped waves as the ship skimmed over the water’s surface.
For hours she had sat sewing with Mavis and now her entire body was cramped. Rubbing her neck, she tilted her head to stretch the taut muscles.
Master of Seduction Page 7