He stopped for a second, leaned against a large crate, and breathed. Staring up at the light clouds overhead, he managed to force his prick and his desires to rest.
By the location of the sun, it must be close to the noon hour. That would explain why he didn’t have a bad head after all the port he’d consumed last night.
He would make it to his room. He would bathe, as best he could with the ewer of salt water he received every morning, and then he would… He would what? He’d written all the letters he needed to send before leaving England. He had no occupation on ship. He’d already read everything there was to read on running plantations and on curing diseases that exhibit a consumptive habit. What could he do?
He knew what he would like to keep doing, but unfortunately, the captain had duties.
Perhaps he could learn something about sailing or read the book on navigation.
“Rhain.”
He turned at Lydia’s cry.
Wearing a cotton dress and gloves, she sat crossed-legged in the sun, twining rope together in an intricate fashion. Each strand of jute looked as big around as her delicate fingers.
He walked over. “Of course you know you will ruin all your clothing before we reach Dominica, do you not?”
The imp shrugged. Something the sailors must have taught her, along with rope splicing. “Good morning to you, brother; did you sleep well?” She had the devil’s own twinkle in her eyes.
He sat down next to her, not nearly as graceful as she, as he couldn’t even comprehend getting his legs twisted up into that position. “I was, umm, conversing with—”
“Don’t even try to prevaricate, Rhain. I know where you were. All night long and all morning.”
He felt himself blush. “It was important to—”
“And I know what you were doing. I’m surprised you’re hiding it; you know I won’t judge you.”
He wrapped one arm around her and gave her a quick hug. “Lydia, I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you as a sister.”
She smiled up at him. “Why, I think I’m the one who got the best hand of cards. I’ve never met any other brothers who would tend to a sick and opinionated little brat as unquestioningly as you have, my dear.” Looking down at the rope to continue the tedious—and to him incomprehensible—process of splicing in a new length of jute, she whispered, “I’m glad you stayed with him. I think he will be good for you, Rhain. After all, you have not had anyone who cared for you since Robert, and he was only bearable part of the time.”
“Lydia.”
“No, please listen, and don’t disregard this. You deserve to be happy with someone who will take care of you as you have always taken care of everyone else.”
“That is not true.”
“Yes it is. Father would have succumbed to despair after Mother died if you hadn’t kept him from dwelling in his misery for the rest of his life, and then you started taking care of me. And you so young.” Eyes downcast, she shook her head slowly, then said, “Just let this thing happen between you and the captain. See where it goes.”
“It will end as soon as we land in Dominica, if not sooner; you know that, Lyd.”
She looked at him with lips puckered and shook her head. “I wish you would stop being so black and white and enjoy the grays for once in your life.”
“Why do people keep saying that to me?” he grumbled.
“Perhaps because you need to hear it, brother of mine.”
He patted her knee, his cupped palm making a popping sound on the smooth cotton, and then rose from the scrubbed wooden decking. “Thank you for your blessing, Lyd. I think I can promise you that currently I’m very much enjoying the grays.” He left her to her splicing and couldn’t seem to stop smiling as he went belowdeck.
Dunn stood over Alastair with a very big smirk. Actually, he’d come into the captain’s chamber smirking, smirked through the whole dialogue about their need to stop for more supplies because the easterlies had been against them the whole time, and pronounced this would likely delay them by another sennight.
Alastair was getting right and tired of the smirk. “Out with it, Dunn.”
The man’s lips trembled as he spoke. “Have a good time with the nob, sir?”
“Quite nice. But I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“No, sir. None of my business for a certainty, sir.” Dunn nearly choked on a chuckle.
“I find it hard to understand what you think is so funny at the moment. Please do enlighten me.”
“Oh, it is nothing. Nothing at all, sir… Except, I believe, you were under the impression that I would prick the nob girl before you had a chance to soften up and prick the nob boy.”
Alastair waved that nonsense off. “Not at all, not at all. Because you see, I was not the one doing the pricking.”
Dunn lost his composure at that and roared with laughter.
Holding back his own mirth as best he could, he waited until his first mate got himself under control. “Our delay in Morocco ate into our profits, but perhaps we can pick up some extra trade in Dominica.”
“Hmm, yes. Haven’t heard that their goods are worth much the past few years, Captain, but we can carry sugar. That is always of interest in Boston Town and London.”
With a shift as fast as a waterspout, Dunn changed topics. “I hope we can make up time. Would be nice to spend some time in my little house this trip.”
Alastair absentmindedly drew circles on the tabletop with one finger as he listened to Dunn prattle on. The first mate had purchased a small plot of land and a home a few miles outside of Boston Town two years ago, with plans to retire and try his hand at farming. Someplace close to water so he could hop on a boat if he needed a taste of the sea. So far he’d only been able to check on the place once a year to make certain the caretaker managed it well.
The room went quiet.
Alastair looked up.
“Captain.”
“Hmm?”
Dunn’s expression turned serious as he pushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead. “We’ve been in the doldrums since last night and before that a few days of the easterlies. We should have stopped at the Canaries for provisions.”
Nodding and fighting the prickle of unease, he handed Dunn the day’s navigation plan and said, “Set a course, then, in case we catch a wind.”
“Captain?”
“What now, Dunn?”
“You will tell Mr. Morgan, then? Since the two of you are so close, that is.”
Alastair sighed and straightened a pile of smooth parchment. “Stop smirking, or I’ll make you tell the uptight Mr. Morgan.”
“Aye, sir.”
The insufferable first mate left, but the sound of his laughter could be heard through the closed door.
Chapter Seven
Later that day—the surprising part of the day—Rhain was pleasant and didn’t seem to mind the delay.
“Rhain?”
“Yes?”
“You do realize this will delay us reaching Dominica? Last time we were stuck in the doldrums, we spun around in circles for ten days. We will start rationing immediately in case we have similarly bad luck.”
“Ten days?” The young man shrugged one powerful shoulder. “Well, there isn’t anything we can do, I suppose, so we might as well enjoy the trip, even with empty bellies. I mean… God, man, just look at that beautiful blue expanse and the light, fluffy clouds. So peaceful. I see why sailors take to the seas.”
Rhain had been on his ship for more than two fortnights, and he just now noticed the allure of the ocean? The man seemed relaxed for the first time since Alastair met him. He left off the coat and leaned against the bulwark cap in shirt sleeves, brown hair ruffled by the clement ocean breeze, slight smile playing across wide, kissable lips. In this moment, he was beyond beautiful; ten rungs above handsome. He wanted him again; right here, right now, on the main deck, in front of his crew and God. The raging desire in his gut made him take a step closer without
conscious thought. “Rhain, dine with me again tonight.”
The boy closed his eyes as if comparing what he wanted with what he knew to be right, then gave one decisive nod before the smile on his face grew to a full happy-to-be-alive smile. He turned, and whiskey-brown eyes stared directly at Alastair. “I’d like that, pirate. I’d like that very much.”
Well, I’ll be… Guess the man just needed a dab of buggery now and again to set his personality to rights. Pirate, hmmm? Yes, he most certainly liked the content, less prickly Rhain. He liked him immensely.
He took a huge lungful of fresh sea air and anticipated his evening.
RHAIN WATCHED THE pirate walk away and then climb the stairs to the quarterdeck. The tight, worn buckskin breeches clung to his perfect arse like a lover’s touch. So rare to see a firm, neat waist flare just the right amount to make the transition from lower back to strong buttocks and thighs. One of God’s masterpieces instead of a mere backend. He sighed again. Damn, but he felt good with the clean smell of the salty breeze on his face, unfiltered through coal soot, the warmth of the sun on his shoulders, the sound of a sail snapping as it filled with air, and seamen cheering at the gust of wind.
A warm buzz fluttered low in his abdomen, and a slow, lazy feeling he’d not felt in… Well, years in fact.
He smiled again, his face muscles aching from overuse. He wished to throw his head back and laugh just because he could do it without faking happiness for the first time since Lydia contracted her illness. He didn’t laugh only because he would look like a fool.
All this contentment and a dark, sensual pirate possibly for an extra ten days. Now they had around a month left on ship. He had at least thirty more days in a safe place where he and his pirate could fashion memories. Enough memories to store up and take out miserly when he needed confirmation that at one time he’d been desired for himself and had fully acted upon that desire.
These memories would see him through the rest of his celibate life. For a moment that thought threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced the black wave of despair away and remembered his vow from late last night: he would continue his celibacy once off this ship, but this time he would control the urge and be fully celibate until his death.
He’d decided he would not wed. He could not do that, knowing his preference for men was so strong.
No one on the island would learn of his debauched crossing, and as long as he had this month with his pirate—and he would embrace each and every day with both hands, both legs, his emotions, and his prick—then he could return to his safe but celibate life.
A surge of desire raced up his legs and touched every fiber of his body, from toes to fingers and everything in between.
He scanned the deck, looking for Lydia, but didn’t see her. Instead he saw a large man staring right at him. That in and of itself was not unusual. First Mate Dunn told him the interest in them stemmed from the sailors not being used to landlubbers on the ship. What was unusual—and this stood out to Rhain—was the glare on the man’s sun-browned face and his whispering to an equally angry-looking friend.
A small cough behind him made him jump, so absorbed he’d been in ferreting out why these men were unhappy.
“Is it not a perfect day, dear brother?” Lydia said, her voice clear and free from the congestion that plagued her since her nineteenth year.
“Yes, perfect, and you seem much improved. Very good to see you pink-cheeked and smiling.”
She laughed. “It is wonderful to feel well enough to enjoy myself. Thank you.” In a fashion so unlike her, she threw her arms around him in a spontaneous hug.
He squeezed her back.
“Is there not any way we can stay on this boat forever? The air is so clean, I feel as though I can breathe enough of it for every soul in London.” She squeezed with all her slight strength and then let him go.
“Very pleased to give you the good news, sister. We are delayed, and it will be no earlier than thirty days before we must leave the Hurricane.”
“Truly?”
“Yes, truly.”
“Oh, how lovely. Lovely indeed. I must go tell First Mate Dunn. He will be pleased.”
He put a hand on her sleeve. “Dear, I’m certain he was one of the first to know.”
“Oh, right. How stupid of me. I suppose… I suppose I am just so giddy from the news.” She beamed beautifully. Her unruly curls slipped from their pins, losing the battle against the sea air.
“I am going to find him anyway. I like him, and I want to enjoy feeling young and healthy, while I feel healthy. And I think you should…” She stopped and scanned the ship until she spotted the pirate. “You should enjoy your captain’s attentions as long as we are here. He likes you, I can tell. And you like him. Don’t be daft and allow this time to be wasted.” She, his young sister, grabbed his arm and told him, “Nothing you can be responsible for while on this boat, so enjoy your freedom and enjoy your pirate.” She skipped away, giggling, before he could grab her and tell her to be careful.
He laughed at her antics and then looked up. His pirate stared at him, and lust once again blossomed inside him. He smiled, letting his pirate know his thoughts were on tonight.
Chapter Eight
They didn’t make it until supper. By tea, Rhain had Alastair bent over the captain’s table and tried to feel the man’s tonsils with his cock by ramming it as far as he could up the man’s arse. He planned to claim that perfect dusky hole so that Alastair never forgot him.
Rhain put his hand between Alastair’s shoulders and forced him against the dark, stained tabletop. Alastair turned his head, placed his cheek to the polished surface, and stretched his hands across to grasp the far edge. The view of that whipcord, tough body spread out as if in bonds set his cock to donkey-sized proportions.
“Alastair, this will be over much too soon, but I will make it up to you afterward. Is that all right with you?”
Alastair nodded and groaned when Rhain pumped with whirlwind speed.
The climax shot through him like lightning fire through a haystack. His vision blacked, and his legs buckled. Supporting himself with a hand on the table, he stayed there, cock in his lover’s arse, until all the glorious contractions subsided and he could actually see again.
Pulling out slowly, he ran light caresses down Alastair’s long lean back.
The man sighed quietly, and his arse hole winked at him.
“Can you make it to the bed, or should I carry you?”
Alastair laughed. “I’m going; just give me a moment.” He stood slowly as if his arse were sore, but his cock jutted full and bold and pointing to the ceiling.
When his lover sprawled on the rumpled sheets, Rhain climbed onto the foot of the bed and crawled up that gorgeous body until his mouth was level with that pretty, long prick. He took one long moment to breathe in the smell of aroused male laced with wintergreen and the scent of sunshine.
Alastair traced his fingers through Rhain’s hair. “So soft. Such a rich color, I think it could warm my fingers on a cold night.” The questing fingers caressed his cheek, then his lips, in a gesture so loving, Rhain briefly contemplated running from the room.
Fighting the impulse, he decided to embrace the intimacy and see where it would lead them. He leaned down and captured the tip of Alastair’s cock while gazing into ocean-deep black eyes. Alastair pushed up gently as Rhain engulfed the iron-hard rod.
The flavor was amazingly arousing. He’d always enjoyed sucking men off, but no one had ever tasted like this—clean outdoors and masculine strength. He could stay here forever, with his mouth full, his nose inhaling heaven, and gazing at one of the loveliest men he could ever remember seeing.
Alastair twined his fingers into Rhain’s hair but never pulled, never forced. He pumped his hips in time with Rhain’s rhythm but never shoved himself in or choked Rhain with a surprise lunge.
In essence, he was the most considerate man he’d ever lain with. And that scared the ever living hell out of hi
m. His heart started doing all kinds of funny trips and lurches, the damn organ.
For such a vibrant man, who yelled and bellowed and demanded outside the bedroom, he was a quiet, gentle lover. The dichotomy proved to be an unexpected stimulant. He would come again just by sucking Alastair and rubbing against the bedding.
Nearly over the top already, he increased his pressure on Alastair’s cock. The change in position caused a slurping noise more exciting than a hand to his own prick.
They came together, gazes locked, breaths raspy, muscles tensing. Rhain didn’t cry out only because his mouth was full of cock and come.
Alastair moaned and then sighed. “Rhain.”
Damn, but he loved the sound of his name on this man’s lips.
He milked Alastair’s cock until it started to soften and no more come leaked out.
“Come up here,” Alastair said quietly.
He settled beside the lithe, long body and pulled Alastair close so he could rest his head on Rhain’s chest. Stroking a hand slowly up and down his lover’s back, he thought Alastair had fallen asleep, when he said, “I do not mean to pry, but I must know something. I expected Miss Lydia to be viper-spitting angry today. She was not. Instead she gave me more smiles and ‘good days’ than she has before. The girl even teased me. Teased.”
Stroking Alastair’s sweat-dampened hair behind one ear, he said, “She knows my preferences.”
“And she accepts this? How is that so?”
“It happened so slowly, I’m not exactly certain when she fully comprehended what it meant that I slept with other men. For so long she would encourage my attention to certain boys I would bring home from school for the holidays and away from others she didn’t like. She would put it something like, ‘He is not good enough for you, Rhain.’ That slowly turned into more forward statements like, ‘He is much more handsome than your other friend. You will like him better, I think.’ Then one day I found that she and I were wondering if we should invite a particular friend of mine to move into our guest chamber.”
“Astounding.”
“Yes, Lydia is that.” He smiled. “The best parts were that I never had to lie to her, and when she fended off marriage-minded women. One time, she convinced a very persistent Miss Mary Thompson that I would not suit because I was a bear in the morning and yelled at everyone until afternoon tea.”
His Pirate (Second Chance Book 2) Page 7