She hadn’t hidden her distrust of him. The barrier she fought so hard to build slipped only in the height of an impassioned kiss or during a sparring match of words and wit.
Yet it slipped.
For a few brief moments, she allowed him to view something more than aloofness in the depths of those emerald eyes. A competitive spirit. Humor. A zest and passion for life. She was not afraid to take risks. He liked that.
But her assessment of him was accurate.
He would never sacrifice his business or his crew by leaving the sea for a married life. He loved the adventure and the thrill of experiencing new things too much to give it up entirely. The sea was as much a part of him as his skin.
Could a maiden gently raised possibly care for a man who offered her love, but not marriage; loyalty, but not lands; riches, but not lineage? She’d admitted she cared nothing about titles and wealth, but could love alone truly satisfy her?
Could love, alone, really win her?
Could a lifetime of devotion, loyalty, and protection be enough to claim her? If he asked, would she join him, share a life with him? Her eyes flared with a passionate light when she spoke about selling exotic items in her shop. He’d known her a few days, yet it seemed they’d known each other for years. He could see inside her somehow. She wanted him, she wanted to refuse him, but more, she wanted her independence, which meant she would always chose life in town over life on the water. He could never tame that part of her, nor would he ever want to.
He stroked the soft skin of her cheek and neck. The little noise she made deep in her throat vibrated lightly against his fingers, and he sucked in his breath. Restraint was almost impossible with her so close he could see the flecks of gold in her irises. She was a siren, and he was helpless against her wild, sensual call.
He stared at the beauty who gazed at him with raw, untamed passion. She had no idea the affect she had on him, the power she had over him. A throbbing pressure flared through his core. Was he strong enough to keep himself in check? He wanted nothing more than to lay Keelan down and make love to her, but common sense urged restraint. Here was a rare jewel, one he must earn. To take her this moment would probably earn him her hatred later. Normally, there wouldn’t be a later, and now he surprised himself by desiring it.
Keelan’s lips were parted as she took a ragged breath. Gone was the mistrust and haughty shield of indifference, replaced now by the vulnerable wonder of a maiden, and the heated need of a woman. His desire for her intensified, and with a low curse, he pulled her against his chest and eased her back down onto the saddle blanket. The mere thought of kissing her tore at his control. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against the sweet skin of her neck.
He was weak.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Keelan hungered in a way she couldn’t describe. The taste of his lips on her mouth, the hard, warm press of his body, the air she could barely draw into her lungs left her intoxicated. She craved the sensation of his kisses. He moved to a tender spot behind her ear, which made her lose all sense of time and space. She wasn’t sure of anything except that she didn’t want this to end. A strange thrill fluttered over every inch of her skin, making it tingle and vibrate. She put her hand under his jaw, brought his mouth to hers, and kissed his lower lip before sucking on it gently. A low growl reverberated within his chest, and he slid his fingers around the back of her neck and into her hair and kissed her.
His mouth ravaged hers, stealing her breath, and leaving her swirling somewhere in the clouds high above the storm. The shock of his palm on her breast was quickly replaced by a torturous bliss when his thumb began to rub circles around her nipple. It hardened beneath the fabric of her gown, and she covered his hand with her own, before pressing it more firmly against her. His caresses became more urgent, making her moan at the unexpected pleasure of it. The touch of his fingers as they traced a trail down her ribcage lured her closer, and she arched toward his heat. His hand found her hip and pulled it flush against him. He was hard and hot, and she could barely breathe.
Her tongue danced with Landon’s. How could anyone tire of kisses like this? Kissing him was like breathing; it was a requirement.
She wanted more. Needed more.
She wanted to move away.
She wanted to press against his hand and beg him for another caress.
She…wanted.
Landon eased his hand under her skirt and caressed her calf. Her breath hitched when his fingers traced an invisible line up over her thigh. The intense throbbing at the juncture where her legs joined made it impossible to think of anything else. It was impossible to even think.
Keelan’s hand closed around his forearm, stilling his fingers inches away from the moist heat he sought. He would not push her beyond her demand. For a reason eluding his logical mind at the moment, he needed her to crave his touch, even demand it. God, how he wanted her. He raised his head and searched her face for the answer he needed. Her breath came in light pants.
“Landon…I…”
“Tell me you don’t want this and I’ll stop,” he whispered hoarsely. He kissed the spot that pulsed wildly on her neck and she moaned. “I only want to touch you, Keelan, no more, I promise.” His hand stayed in place, but he moved his thumb in tiny circles on the inside of her thigh. Her grip on his arm tightened, and her pupils widened with desire. She closed her eyes and breathed his name as his fingers brushed over the fine curls covering her womanhood.
“Touching your skin is like touching the sun and the rain. So warm…” Her hips moved up against his palm. “…So moist.” She opened her eyes, and he lost himself in the darkened pools of green that captured his gaze. They were filled with need, desire, and bewilderment.
“What is it that makes me want to breathe you in as if you are the last breath of air on earth?” It baffled him.
“Sometimes,” she whispered, “the same thought flows through my mind.”
His heart jolted and his mouth went dry. For once, he had no words. She reached up and pulled his head down and kissed him and he fell into a pool of fire and emeralds.
He lightly slipped his fingers into her soft silky folds to made languid circles around her opening before moving up to that pleasure spot and repeating the movement. Her soft gasp against his mouth pleased him.
“You were made to be worshipped, Keelan,” he said. “I want to show you how a man should pay homage to a goddess.”
“Landon…” she breathed. “What is this? It…oh!”
He increased the pressure against that small sensitive place, until she moaned his name. Her cheeks flushed with passion and her eyes went limpid. Keelan’s full, lush lips parted, and he had to taste them. She entwined her fingers in his hair and opened her mouth against his, accepting his tongue, warm and slick against her own.
He wanted to devour her.
Taste her.
Please her.
Claim her.
He caressed her and she ground her hips into his hand until he slid a finger inside her.
“Please,” she whispered. “I don’t know why, but Landon, please.”
“Just let go, Keelan.” He pushed down the shoulder of her dress enough to expose her breast and he cupped it while he traced his tongue down her throat. She smelled of rain and sunshine all at once. The musky scent of a woman pulled at him, and he struggled to keep himself from breaking his earlier promise. Every beat of his heart made his body throb with need.
He trailed kisses along her collarbone, then licked the pink peak. She shuddered and arched against him, her hips pressing harder into his hand, clenching his finger inside her. Her lids fluttered shut and she tilted her head back, revealing the creamy skin of her throat as he slowly sucked her nipple. She clenched again as a small cry burst from her beautiful mouth.
Sanity had abandoned Keelan’s mind. Even as warning bells began to bang harshly in her head, her body continued to fight them. She wanted to experience more of this; she wanted Landon to be the one to te
ach her how to make love. And she was only a caress away from begging him to do so.
What next, then? Her mind asked sluggishly. A wedding? Followed by a farewell? Would he still make you happy, then? Or perhaps no wedding for you and no commitment from him. Remember his game; you may be nothing more than a pawn, insignificant and expendable.
Where was her head? Why was she so weak around this man?
She finally caught her breath enough to speak. “Landon, please stop. We can’t…”
He brought his lips to hers and kissed her. She wanted to stop him before she lost herself again, but this kiss was different. Gentle, barely probing…tender. It was tender. It mesmerized her like a cobra to a lute. It took a long moment, but she managed to brace her palms on Landon’s chest and push. It wasn’t a particularly strong push, but it worked and he released her.
“I can’t let this happen,” she gasped. “No matter—”
“No matter how you feel about me?” His words were soft and quiet, but they hit her hard.
She fumbled with the fabric of her skirt, pulling it down as she scooted away from him. Her chest heaved as if she had run for miles. The heat still consumed her. His touch had done things to her that she could never have imagined possible. She tried to slow her breathing and compose herself. She had acted like an addle-brained fool. Was a moment of bliss, the rapture of a touch worth the cost of her future happiness? Who was she to him, anyway? All he had done was seduce her and then remind her that she wanted him. Perhaps he had accomplished his goal. Shame and anger hit her full force.
“Your word as a gentleman…” she choked, still barely able to form the words. “You lied.”
Landon quirked a brow. “I promised to only touch you. I promised your virtue would remain intact.”
“You promised to protect me from….” The shame at what she had allowed him to do pulled hot tears from her eyes. “You took advantage.”
Landon peered at her closely. “Are you saying I am solely responsible for what happened between us?”
“Yes.” Keelan sat up and scooted further toward the wall behind her. Thinking back to the way she had pressed her hips into his hand made her feel weak and vivacious at the same time. “No…not entirely. But… I should have been stronger. I shouldn’t have let you manipulate me. I know to never trust your kind. I knew that, and I still…”
“My kind?” Landon’s eyes narrowed. “What is my kind… exactly?”
Her embarrassment had reached its peak. Unable to contain a harsh laugh, she whispered hoarsely, “You know what kind of man you are…one who seduces women for sport. It’s a game to you. I’m well-aware I’m nothing more than your current fancy, a way to bide the time while you’re in Charleston.” She dropped her chin and pressed her lips into a thin line. “And I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m weak. And gullible and apparently easy to seduce.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “That’s not a role I want to play.” She closed her eyes and spoke before he could cast his spell on her again. “I want you to stay away from me. Find another to warm your bed. I’ll not sacrifice my virtue for your simple, primal pleasures.” Her voice dropped to a choked whisper, “Please.”
Yet, she was aware that even as she said the words, the image of him touching another woman the same way he had touched her left her stomach twisted and churning. As hard as she had tried to avoid it, she’d allowed her heart to slip a little from her center of logic.
Soon, Captain Hart would sail away from the port of Charleston, and she would be left bearing a yoke of misery because she wasn’t strong enough.
He’d already left a mark on her heart.
Damn him.
Landon’s voice dropped. “I see.”
The chill in his tone made her wince. She lifted her nose and ignored the bite of Landon’s words. She combed them through her storm-blown hair with trembling fingers and tried to push away the thoughts and images of the exuberant sensations he’d stirred in her core.
“Boy, girl, temptress, lady, now shrew, the many faces of Keelan Grey.” The quiet words he spoke affected her more than if he had shouted them. “Which will you show next, I wonder?”
Did he know how each word sliced off another piece of her heart?
“Our lives follow different paths,” she whispered. “You’re a man of the sea. I’m a woman who enjoys the busy atmosphere of the city. I want to run a shop and have a family someday.” She wanted more than that, now, thanks to him. Now, she wanted something she’d never have. “A complete one, with a husband beside me, not hundreds of miles away.”
Landon’s voice was low and hoarse in her ear, “Then ’tis a dangerous course you tread now, my sweet.” He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, dismissing her from his sight.
Keelan turned her back to him and wiped away the hot tears before they traveled too far down her cheeks.
They sat in silence as the wind wailed forlornly; branches and debris hit the outer walls. Gusts clawed and ripped at the shingles around the damaged corner of the roof. The pelting rain found its way further into the small structure, causing the fire to sputter and hiss angrily at the intrusion. Landon jumped up and quickly doused the flames, which extinguished much of the light in the cellar.
“Why did you put out the fire?” she cried, thinking there would be no way to dry their rain-soaked garments.
“The hole in the floorboards above served as our chimney, but if it becomes covered with debris, the cellar will fill with smoke,” Landon answered from a few feet away. She could barely make out his silhouette in the diminished light.
Seeking something solid for support, Keelan groped for the wall behind her and scampered backward until her spine pressed against it. The wind sounded like a giant, angry beast and when it ripped away another portion of the cabin, she couldn’t contain her scream. The force yanked a large section of the wall above them and tossed it straight up into the sky. She let out a strangled cry and covered her head as splintering wood shrieked above the howling wind.
Landon’s arms gathered her close, his voice firm in her ear, “I have you, Keelan. Don’t be afraid.” He murmured something else, but a loud screech of twisting wood drowned out his words. He pressed her back to the ground against the wall and covered her body with his as shards of wood and debris rained down on them. Keelan squeezed her eyes closed, wrapped her arms around Landon’s neck and head, and clung to him with all her might.
More of the cabin collapsed above them, covering the hole and plunging them into complete darkness, muffling the sound of the storm outside. Landon held her tightly, and Keelan prayed the floorboards above wouldn’t collapse. They stayed that way for a long time, while the wind and rain lashed the land above them. She pressed her face against the warmth of Landon’s neck and jaw and when she opened her eyes, her lashes flickered against his skin. He shifted and rose slightly.
“I remember my mother doing that to me when I was a young lad,” he said with a smile in his voice.
“Doing what?” Keelan asked, confused. She tried to ignore the lovely pressure of his body pressed against hers.
“This.” Landon blinked his lashes against her cheek, drawing a surprised giggle from her. “She called them ‘fairy kisses.'” He dipped his head and did it again.
“I like fairy kisses,” Keelan said, unable to contain her laughter at the ticklish sensation his lashes made against her cheek.
“My parents died of a fever during the voyage from Ireland to Boston when I was young.”
“Oh,” Keelan said, saddened. “How awful for you. What did you do? Where did you live?”
Landon shifted his weight to the side. “Conal’s uncle took me in and taught me everything I know about sailing ships and bartering for goods. Eventually, Uncle Fynn rented a small space in his hold to me, and I would purchase goods and sell them at a profit. When I’d saved enough money, I bought my own ship. After a few years, Fynn turned his trading company over to four of us: his sons, Ronan and Br
endan, his nephew, Conal, and me. Ronan is still a young lad, only fourteen. Brendan was Fynn’s first mate on the Reward. We were running a new trade route together a few weeks ago when we were attacked. We continued to Charleston to try to complete Fynn’s original plan while our ships were repaired.”
“And what was Fynn’s original plan?”
Landon shrugged. “He never told us the details.”
Keelan already suspected Fynn’s reasons. She took a resigned breath, wishing she didn’t have to admit to Landon an act that might have horribly affected Landon’s adopted family.
“I might know why Captain O'Brien’s Uncle Fynn wanted to speak with my father.” She was now grateful for the darkened cellar; Landon wouldn’t be able to see the embarrassment in her eyes, although she was uncertain if she could keep it from her voice.
“My father inadvertently gave orders to sink a ship off the coast of Ireland about two years ago. He assumed is was a French privateer being duplicitous by flying American colors. Unfortunately, it was an American passenger ship. Almost everyone on the vessel was killed. There was a rather large public outcry. He was court marshaled, and if it hadn’t been for the influence of one of his old war comrades, he would have even been hanged.”
Her mother had to close and board up the shop after stones had been thrown through the front windows on two different occasions. Less than a week later, she was killed.
“We suspect it’s the reason our family has been targeted by an assassin. Someone seeks revenge against my father. My mother was killed, then my aunt and cousin. Papa’s friend managed to help us escape to Charleston, where we hoped we’d be safe.”
“So you’re wondering if Fynn Ahern had a family member on that ship,” Landon stated.
“Yes.”
He was silent a moment. “No,” he mused. “I don’t think that was the reason. Fynn was like a father to me, so I know Conal’s entire family. I would know of such a tragedy. I doubt Fynn journeyed to Charleston for retribution,” he added, as if reading Keelan’s mind.
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