“I want to remove the doubt shadowing your beautiful eyes and replace it with happiness and pleasure. If the stone is still where I buried it and if I’m not cast back to my own time, I will use the profits to start a shipping business. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”
She didn’t know what to say. Tears welled in her eyes. How could she allow her heart to make such a wish when so much was at stake? He had to go back. And she had to let him.
His expression beheld a distant appeal and she wondered if he shared her concern.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
He smiled. “Just pondering how scrawny I’m going to be if ye don’t let me eat every now and again, wench.” He winked and hugged her tight, as though he never wanted to let her go.
“Well in that case, we’d better speed it up.” She snatched the map off the dresser as he had promised to explain the path he’d taken to get to the secluded cove in which he’d buried the mysterious treasure. But when she tugged on the map, something fell to the floor.
“Oh!” She bent to pick it up.
Jacque lunged for the photo, a little too late.
Her heart slammed against the wall of her chest as she stared at the picture of Sid with the pretty blonde. Patty. Her mouth went dry, her breath came hard and fast. It was no coincidence she’d been at the hotel. She’d been with Sid. The two timing bastard! He had some nerve accusing her of being untrue when he was right under her nose, sharing the bed of another woman. And he’d made her think he despised the sneaky bitch. How naïve she’d been.
“Where did you get this?” Her voice croaked while her gaze remained fixed on the picture.
“Esa, I’m sorry.”
“Where did you get it?” She yelled this time, eyes brimming with unshed tears.
“I discovered it between the bed and nightstand a few nights past. I would have shown—”
“You should have shown me. Why didn’t you tell me?” Her eyes darted between Jacque and the photo. “That son-of-a-bitch!” She wasn’t sure if she was more upset with Sid for his betrayal, or Jacque for his deceit. Unable to control her emotions, she moved to flee the room, but Jacque braced himself against the doorframe.
“Get the hell out of my way!”
“Look, correct me if I’m wrong, I’d be the last to defend the blithering rapscallion, but have ye not been guilty of the same offense?” His dark brows were raised in challenge.
“It’s not the same.” But even as the words toppled from her lips, she knew he spoke the truth.
“Aye? Why not?”
“Dammit Jacque! Let me pass or I’ll scream!” After a few heated moments of staring each other down, he stepped aside and let her pass.
~ * ~
Several hours later, Jacque gathered a plate of barbecued chicken, rice and mixed veggies and made his way to the upper deck. He would have eaten in the galley, but was in no mood to dine with the addled Candy and blasé Brad.
Why hadn’t she come out yet? Had he misread her feelings toward him? His own words lifted up to slap his face. Ye see what you want to see…
Once again, he’d played the fool, having allowed a troublesome wench to come between him and his mission. He’d actually been praying for Father Time not to reclaim him. Foolish indeed. Selfish even. At all cost, he must find a way to return to his own time. His family was counting on him.
But, God help him, he never wanted to let her go!
He’d never come across a more intelligent woman. The yearning in Esa’s voice when she talked about the freedom the sea proposed made him think she’d plucked the very thoughts from his mind. While it still vexed him as to why he would dare step foot aboard a vessel carrying a woman—much less two—he couldn’t dismiss the joy that consumed him to hear such admiration in her voice.
She was like something straight out of a dream. Everything he wanted, needed and desired was right in front of him…and in a ripe, luscious package to boot!
As he trudged passed Esa’s cabin, he paused and tapped lightly on the door. “Lass, I’ve brought ye sustenance, I know you must be hungry. Will ye not open the door?”
“Leave me alone!”
He flinched at the sting of her words. “As ye wish, mademoiselle.” Cursing, he climbed the steps to the upper deck, his own appetite waning.
~ * ~
Stacey and Mike seemed shocked to see Jacque arrive in the galley without Esa locked to his hip.
Stacey’s lips curved into a victorious sneer as she watched him load a solitary plate of food and snatch a full bottle of rum before thundering back out again.
“Excuse me,” she whispered, beaming at Mike as she dropped her napkin in her still full plate. “I have to prepare to conquer my giant!”
~ * ~
Jacque tipped the bottle bottoms-up and swallowed the last droplets of rum. He glanced at the bar and then got up to exchange the empty vessel for a full one. Returning to his seat, he propped his booted feet on the side of the boat, breathing in the salt filtered air as the breeze caressed his weary bones.
The ocean had proved to be his one true love, a loyal friend and only means of escape. On land, it seemed there were always demands, a vast array of loose ends he didn’t care to tie up. No freedom, no independence a life at sea offered a man. And, no chance of some fickle wench ripping his heart out.
As the sun set in the orange and purple tinted sky, he was reminded of a similar one he’d once captured on canvas. He wished Esa were here to share it with him.
Her painful reaction to the photograph deeply disturbed him. After their passion-filled time together he felt certain that he’d be the one she chose. But she’d actually shed tears for the scrawny bastard, and turned on him—as though Sid’s betrayal was his doing.
It bothered the hell out of him that she’d not taken off the engagement ring Sid had given her. But he’d not said a word to her regarding the damned pauper chip, nor would he. It was her choice. Two weeks was all she’d committed to. Nothing more.
He wanted to replace Sid’s ring with a piece of the king’s jewel.
He brought the fresh bottle to his lips, savoring the warm comfort of the amber liquid therein. What a fool he was to think he could find a woman to love him.
Women only wanted one thing, and, until he met Esa, he’d been perfectly content to oblige them. He’d noted the fervent need in her eyes when they’d first met. Hot, sensual lust sizzled like raindrops on a hot iron skillet between them. He wanted her. She wanted him.
But he would not share her with another.
If Sid were the man she wanted, though it would tear his heart out, he wouldn’t stand in her way. He’d retrieve his treasure and, if he were destined to remain in this century, he’d buy himself a boat, perhaps one such as this, and spend the rest of his life traveling uncharted waters, sating his needs on wanton wenches, having to answer to no one.
~ * ~
Esa checked her make-up in the mirror. Having spent the evening in her room mulling things over, she’d come to some conclusions. After the initial shock of seeing Sid with another woman, she realized his unfaithfulness didn’t really bother her as much as it should, as much as it might have had it not been for Jacque.
In truth, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Finally she felt free, confident she could move forward in a relationship with Jacque without feelings of guilt nagging at her conscience.
She loved Jacque. More than life itself. Her heart had realized it long before her mind was ready to accept it.
Jacque made her feel alive, brought electrifying senses to the surface with just a single thought. What she felt with him after such a short amount of time opened her eyes to the fact that she’d never truly loved Sid, not the kind of love that would last anyway.
Making love to Sid, who was her first and only lover besides Jacque, was like driving a car, the first time thrilling and new, but then it became part of a monotonous routine. The thrill long gone, having dwindled to noth
ing more than a habit.
It would never be that way with Jacque. Life with him would be anything but repetitive. She smiled at her reflection. Why was she wasting time sulking over a man she didn’t love, when she could be in the passion-filled arms of the man of her dreams?
It was time to tell Jacque exactly how she felt.
She glanced at the clock on the dresser. Twelve forty-five. She wondered if he was sleeping, then her lips curved into a wicked smile. If her brawny buccaneer was asleep, he was about to get a handful of wanton wench as a wake-up call.
~ * ~
Jacque eased his boots off and settled his feet on the bed then closed his eyes and leaned his head against the cool wood of the headboard. He’d drunk a lot of rum.
A light tap on the door sent his heart soaring as though it rode on eagle’s wings. Esa! His arms had felt so empty without her soft warmth encased in them.
Before he got to his feet, the door opened and in glided…Candy? She wore naught but a short, skimpy frock, the sheer fabric leaving nothing to the imagination as she stalked him like a vulture does its prey.
“Hello Jacque,” she purred. “I thought you might like some company.” She stopped in front of him, tugging the knot on her frock free and exposing her nakedness beneath.
Jacque closed his mouth and swallowed. “Er, lass—”
He didn’t get to finish. Candy let the robe slide off her shoulders and practically lunged at him. She climbed into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist, planting her lips firmly on his.
Just as Jacque grabbed her waist to cease her scandalous behavior, the door opened once again to the mortified gaze of Esa. She was there one second and gone the next.
He settled Candy on her feet and threw the frock at her while muttering a fury of curses, “Blimey woman! What in the name of all saints is on ye mind?”
“Jacque, please. Forget about her, make love to me.”
“Bloody hell! Go back to ye man, wench. And do not dare attempt access to my quarters again.” His eyes seared her with a lethal warning before he stormed across the narrow hallway to Esa’s room.
“Esa? Open the door!”
No reply.
He turned the doorknob, but it was locked. “Esa? ‘Tis not what ye think, lass. I swear it. Give me a chance to explain, will ye?”
Still, no answer.
He could hear her sobbing and blowing her nose. “Isn’t that what men always say when they’re caught in the act? It’s not what you think. Really, what kind of fools must you think women to be?”
“Open the door.”
“Damn you Jacque! It hadn’t been but a few hours since I left your bed before you brought in a replacement. I guess I saw in you what I wanted to see, I should thank you for opening up my eyes to the truth.”
“Esa, open the door else I’ll break it down!” Jacque ranted, jiggling the knob.
“Don’t think you can use your threats on me! Get the hell away from my door you son of a—”
The sound of splitting wood startled her into silence as Jacque burst through the door. “I don’t make threats, and if you’ll recall, you’ve already had ye warning.”
Jaw to the floor, she gaped at him in horror. Rage fueled his inner furnace. He followed her gaze to his shirt, unbuttoned at the waist. As if he could read her thoughts, he knew she envisioned Candy caressing the exposed flesh.
She looked at him with great loathing. “You bastard! How dare you—”
“Avast woman! Cease ye mindless ranting and listen.” His fiery gaze pinned her where she stood.
“Go to hell!”
“Aye lass, and just where do ye think I’ve been for the last few hours?”
“With that plastic whore! I wasn’t born yesterday, LaFleur.”
“I wasn’t implying that ye were. The wench entered my cabin uninvited.”
“Bullshit!” Their eyes met in challenge. Her body visibly trembled and her voice shook with outrage. “That’s not what it looked like to me.”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to believe everything ye see—and only half of what ye hear? I swear it on my mother’s soul; she hadn’t been in the cabin but a moment before ye—”
“Interrupted? Sorry I ruined it for you Jacque, I’m sure the slut’ll be more than willing to pick up where you left off.”
Stubborn wench! Jacque turned and stalked from the cabin, returning a few moments later, though he wasn’t alone. “Tell her!” He demanded, holding a half-naked Candy firmly by the arm. Her eyes rounded in horror as she spied the shattered door amongst the floor.
“Tell her wha-owww!” she squealed when he tightened his grip. She didn’t seem to like what she saw lurking behind his eyes. Raw ruthless rage. She cleared her throat. “All right! I went to his cabin.” Jacque squeezed her arm even tighter as evidenced by the white ring outlining his grip. “I went to his cabin to seduce him!” She glared at Esa. “You said you weren’t dating him.”
Jacque didn’t release her arm just yet. Nostrils flaring, he asked, “And were ye invited?” He gave her arm a tug when she didn’t answer right away. “Did anything happen between us?”
“No! Nothing happened.”
He released his hold and the teary eyed woman scurried from the cabin rubbing the tender spot on her arm. He looked at Esa but said nothing. She looked as if she wanted to pummel Candy and coil her in chains before sending her over the edge of the boat.
“Well what do you expect? I open the door to see her naked in your lap and your lips locked together—well, what would you think?”
“Esa, ye should know by now how I feel about you, what ye do to me. What ye mean to me. Before I met ye, I’ll admit odds are high I would have bedded the wench, but as it now stands, ye are the only woman I want sharing my bed.” He stepped toward her.
She swallowed. “What are you saying, Jacque?”
“I’m saying, that in all my travels, in me own time and in yours, I’d yet to meet a woman that caused me innards to buckle at just the sight of her, the mere scent of her. A woman that could make me want to leave behind my wanton ways and settle down, perhaps even start a family. That is, until I saw you. As ‘tis, I fear my heart is no longer my own, but yours to do with as ye please. But, I beg of ye, be gentle with it?” He pulled her into his arms and claimed her mouth in a fevering kiss.
Thirteen
The Abigail dropped anchor in the bustling port of Sainte Anne, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe the next morning. Jacque’s mouth hit the deck as he gaped in stunned silence at the traffic of tourists parading about the once peaceful paradise.
Godsteeth! Things had changed since he was last here. He prayed the same didn’t hold true of the cove where he’d buried the king’s treasure. His blood pounded to the drum of his thunderous heart as fear took hold of his testicles. It had been over two hundred and fifty years since he buried the Stone of Sita. What if it wasn’t there? Would Esa think him a crazed impostor? Would he lose her?
Brad left the boat sporting a black eye, a souvenir from Jacque and in reference to his previous warning regarding Candy upsetting his woman. Esa made it perfectly clear that Candy and Brad were no longer welcome companions and they parted ways when the boat docked. It wasn’t as though they’d served their purpose as dotting chaperones anyway, nor did she require their companionship.
Guadeloupe was a tourists’ dream. Beautiful, white powdery beaches, willowy palms and warm turquoise water hugged the entire island. Though the array of colorful blooms that dotted the paradise were scant from what he recalled.
It smelled nothing like he remembered. Coconut, tobacco and sweat invaded his nostrils. What had happened to the fresh tropical scent that mingled with the salty musk of the sea to create an invigorating aroma like none he’d ever smelled?
“Blimey lass, so much has changed. I pray what we seek is still in its resting place.” Jacque shook his head and pulled the heavy backpack onto his shoulder. They brought only necessary provisions: bottled water, a few s
andwiches, beef jerky, a knife, a first-aid kit, and a blanket, per Esa’s request.
He offered his arm and she weaved hers through. “Only one way to find out.” She beamed and her contagious smile filled his heart with renewed optimism.
Of course it would be there. No one, but no one knew of his secret, let alone where to find it. “Have I told ye today how much I love you?” He beamed and leaned down for a kiss before heading off.
“Only about a dozen times, but feel free to remind me anytime you feel the itch.”
He paused, chuckling and turned back to face her. “The itch?” With a playful lift in his brow, he added, “Lass, if I reminded ye every time I had a blasted itch, my bleedin’ skin would have been wrenched from the bone by now!”
“Promises, promises!” She chuckled and fell in beside him.
Jacque halted mid-stride, the same dark brow now quirked in roguish challenge. “Aye? Perhaps we should return to the cabin for a spell?”
Esa chuckled and gave him an encouraging shove to keep moving. “Later. I’m as anxious as you are to see if your treasure is still here.”
She didn’t have to speak the words for him to know how excited she was. She’d bustled around all morning talking about how much fun it was going to be to hunt for a real-life pirate treasure.
He hoped like hell she wouldn’t be disappointed, even with the underlying dread that should he find the stone, he may very well be ripped from her side. In saving his family, he would lose his heart. Somehow, it was easier not to dwell on the technicalities and just be grateful for the precious moments he had left with Esa.
No matter how few, they were more than he’d ever thought possible, and everything he’d ever dreamed of. They made their way into the uninhibited section of shady forest, grateful the entire island hadn’t been converted to resorts and gift shops.
There was hope yet.
Corsair Cove Page 20