by Ann Cory
There was no mistaking the predatory gleam in his eyes. “I can think of other ways to keep you in line, lassie, if need be."
She shuddered, but not from fear. Where he'd touched her face, a new feeling blazed and spread throughout her body. A feeling she needed to ignore. Hadn't she learned anything from all her past encounters with strangers? Even if he did make her body buzz all over with a single look, it didn't give her the green light to act like an idiot with an overactive libido. She was through falling for mysterious brooding men. Well, almost.
Lips pursed, she narrowed her eyes. “I shouldn't be talking to you."
He cocked a brow. “And why is that, lass? I'm curious."
She didn't really have a reason, other than his very presence put her at risk of showing weakness. “Because ... we hardly know one another."
"Allow me to remedy that.” With grace, he removed his hat and bowed. “My name is Captain Phineas Parr, fierce pirate of the sea. I command this very ship, The Fortune, and I've come to the island in search of buried treasure. I have a nasty temper when provoked, drink far too much rum, and don't give my trust freely. Not much more to tell. What about you?"
Charlotte found herself tongue-tied from his introduction. While she was charmed by the bow, she had a hard time getting past the fact he was a pirate, of all things. How could she have thought about running her hands across his chest? Or sink into his strong embrace? Pirates were vile, disgusting thieves. Monsters, who pillaged, plundered and well, she didn't want to continue along that train of thought. At least that was how they are perceived in movies and books. Maybe it was best he didn't know anything about her.
His heavy stare made her uneasy. “What's the matter, lass, cat got your tongue all of a sudden?"
She trembled. “No, I—"
He curled his lips into a scowl. “You what? I tell you something about myself and you clam up? Or are you fishing for information to use against me?"
"No!” she exclaimed, dumbstruck by his sudden change in manner. “Of course not."
Darkness stormed behind his eyes. “Like I said, I don't give me trust freely, wench. Either you be giving up your name or I'll be forced to lock you up like some prisoner."
Charlotte tensed. What was she thinking by angering a pirate? A moment ago, he nearly seduced her with his eyes and now she worried about that whole piercing her bosom threat coming to fruition. She had only herself to blame by allowing her imagination to run wild. Maybe he was a good pirate, if such a thing existed. He'd treated her decent enough, all things considered. He could have walked away and left her on the beach to die or become some animal's meal.
She wet her lips and decided some damage control was in order. Her very life depended on it. “Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm Charlotte Alderman. I ended up on this island by accident thanks to foolishly putting my trust in a stranger, and well, I'm afraid I don't have any fancy title to impress you with."
His expression softened. “And here I figured you for a duchess."
She'd almost felt like one aboard the cruise ship, up until she was thrown overboard and knocked around by pounding waves for hours on end. “Nope. I'm a simple and old-fashioned kind of gal."
He snorted. “I'll bet.” Before she could counter his words, he started to pace back and forth, the feather of his hat rippling. “Now that we've gotten formalities out of the way, I'm not entirely convinced you aren't a spy."
She stopped watching the gold coin sway across his chest, and gave him a dirty look. “A spy? You find me nearly drowned with a bruise on my face, and have the nerve to think me a spy?"
He shrugged his powerful shoulders. “They come in all shapes and sizes, lass, and in your case, I'd say you're the most dangerous kind of all."
The man was infuriating. One minute he acted charming and the next he made her want to reach over and strangle him with his chain. “If you'd thought me some traitorous whore, you should have left me to battle the elements on my own. How dare you accuse me of something so ridiculous?"
His brows arched. “Is it ridiculous?"
She snorted. “Yes, it is. I'm offended you would think me a spy. I demand you apologize."
"Oh, you are a spirited one, lass. Let me remind you of one important fact here. I'm the captain. I don't have to make an apology for my words or behavior."
While her body was still exhausted, her temper had no problem flaring up. “I could care less about you being the captain. I'm not part of your crew and I sure as hell don't appreciate being called something I'm not. You're rude and could learn a serious lesson in tactfulness."
Charlotte watched the vein in his forehead throb as he cast her a vicious look.
"I see you don't mind doing the name calling."
She blinked. Whether he was right or not didn't make much difference to her. She'd had enough of his testosterone-fueled tantrum. In her experience, men felt obligated to tell her what to do. No pirate was going to pick up where the last jerk left off. Charlotte clenched her fists. “You arrogant ass. You don't know anything about me and yet so far, you've managed to belittle me in front of your crew, threaten me with your sword, and call me inappropriate names. I'm so mad I could—spit."
Amusement sprinkled across the pirate's face. It was then she noticed a dimple in his left cheek, subtle but alluring nonetheless. Damn him for being exasperating and sexy at the same time. She started to look away, only to have his fingers brush against her chin and gently force her to keep eye contact.
"Easy, lass. I haven't made up my mind about you yet so don't get yer garments in a bind.” His gaze lingered, making it difficult for her to breathe. “It's been a long time since a woman has tried to seduce a treasure map right out from underneath me, and I'll be damned if it ever happens again."
Charlotte's pulse pounded. His voice a rough and tumble caress. “I can assure you I'm not a spy, and as for the seduction..."
He removed his fingers and resumed pacing, leaving her words dangling in the air. His touch had been more wanted than she cared to admit, and it jostled her mind.
She watched the way he paced, three large steps, a sharp turn, and another three large steps, as if a soldier marching. All the while, she wondered what kind of command he took in his bedchambers.
After several minutes of silence, he cleared his throat and glanced her way. “My dear, for all I know, you could be lying straight through your pretty teeth. Women can't be trusted onboard a ship."
"Then, as I mentioned, why didn't you leave me where I was? I think I'd almost rather be subjected to the harsh elements than deal with the likes of you."
His deep sigh resonated around the room. “Truth be told, at the moment I almost regret my decision. Almost. Regardless, I brought you here because I didn't want you to think me completely ruthless. And you were hurt. Then it occurred to me that you might have come here to distract me from finding the treasure. At least here on my ship I can keep a proper eye on you."
"Do you mean to say you're keeping me against my will?” Arms crossed, she gave him a pointed stare.
His chuckle vibrated low in her belly. “Oh no, lass. You are free to leave the ship, but seeing as how you're on an island, you won't be getting very far."
Oh yes, an island, she'd almost forgotten. All those silly schoolgirl dreams of being stranded on a deserted island with a handsome stud of a man—wild sex on the sand at sunset, and again at sunrise—none included a pirate per se, but didn't mean there couldn't be one.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm certain someone will come look for me."
"I'm counting on it, lass. Then I'll have my answer."
She blinked back another wave of confusion. “What answer?"
"To whether or not you're a spy, of course. I know there's gold somewhere on this island, in fact, I bet me life on it. I have a hunch you didn't come alone, so where are the people who sent you? We're close, aren't we, and they're getting nervous. I can smell their fear."
Charlotte massaged her te
mples and groaned. The guy had a one-track mind. “You're irritating me with your line of questioning. If I had a choice, this would be the last place I'd pick to be. Not to mention in better company."
His brows furrowed. “Why else would you have showed up on the very same island as me? The timing is too much of a coincidence."
She'd about had enough. “Look, I'm not a spy and I haven't been brought here to take away the supposed treasure. Up until late last night or maybe it was early this morning, I can't recall, I was on a cruise ship. We're talking a fun-in-the-sun, catered to, spoiled rotten, dream vacation I'd saved up years to take, and then all hell broke loose."
"Ah, so you're a fancy living wench. And here you tried to claim you were simple."
Charlotte wanted to tell him to shut up, but instead she ignored him and continued. “The last thing I remember was dancing with a man I thought enjoyed my company, only come to find out he preferred my jewels.” She reached up and smoothed her fingers along her exposed neck. “I felt like a princess at a ball wearing my sapphire and diamond necklace. The man I'd flirted with really knew how to throw on the charm, and literally swept me off my feet. It all happened so fast I didn't have time to stop him. In the middle of a kiss, he seized my necklace, struck my face, and tossed me overboard. I screamed and hollered, but no one heard me. I had no other choice but to swim until I reached shore."
He smirked. “Yer a treasure hunter. I knew it."
Charlotte laughed despite herself. Damn pirate, always thinking about treasure. “No. When my mother died, she left me her collection of precious jewelry. I don't normally wear them out, but I considered the trip a special occasion. Evidently, I made a poor choice. So no, I didn't hunt them, they were a gift. They belong to me."
He grunted. “Treasure belongs to the one who finds it."
"You're impossible.” She sighed. Didn't he recognize the difference between finding and robbing? “Let me try this again. The man stole my necklace. What don't you understand?"
She highly considered reaching over and giving him a good shake when a foreign voice broke in. “Pardon me, Cap'n."
Charlotte snapped her head toward the doorway. In walked a stout man wearing clothing far less formal than Phineas. Long blond hair poked out from beneath his tattered hat, and when he turned, she admired the large gold hoop in his ear.
"Don't mean to interrupt, Cap'n, but I wondered if the lady will be joining us for supper. Cook requested I find out."
Her stomach rumbled at the mere mention of food.
Phineas sighed deeply. “I don't think the lass will be up for dining with the likes of our motley crew. Make her up a plate, and bring it here. Some wine too. Seems she likes fancy living."
The man gave a nod to them both. “Aye, Cap'n. I'll let you know when supper's ready."
Charlotte folded her arms and watched the man leave. The way Phineas talked made her sound like a child who couldn't speak for herself.
"Excuse me. I don't have a problem eating a meal with a bunch of men. It's rude of you to assume otherwise."
The pirate held up his hand, palm aimed at her face, and shook his head. “It's not you I worry about, lass, it's the crew. Some of them varmints are the scurviest things you'll ever see, could make you lose your appetite. While they're shoveling food in their mouths, they'll be feasting on you, with their eyes. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."
She sensed a hint of protectiveness in his voice, or at least she hoped. “I'm not helpless. I can handle myself fine, thank you."
"Aye, and so far you've proven yourself quite well at that, have you? Robbed of yer jewels, thrown overboard, and taken hostage by a bloodthirsty pirate."
When he put it that way, she found it hard to plead her case. “Well, I'd hardly call you bloodthirsty."
"You've seen only what I want you to see, lass. The bloodthirsty comes when you cross me."
Charlotte thanked her lucky stars she hadn't witnessed that yet, and hoped she never would. She stretched her arms high above her head and yawned. “I think all this arguing with you is sapping my energy."
He nearly tripped over himself to step up close to her. “Are you feeling faint? Should I get you something to drink?"
She couldn't help the smile spreading across her face. “Now, Captain, are you fussing over me? You know—the possible spy?"
There was no mistaking the perplexed stare. “What? No, of course not. I don't care if you're thirsty or not. Lay back and get some sleep."
Charlotte wanted to fight the exhaustion long enough to tell him to stop ordering her around, but she didn't get the chance. She sank back into the cot, her head comfortable on the firm pillow. The prospect of another sensuous dream beckoned to her. Through half-closed eyes, she watched Phineas grab a blanket and place it over her body. Maybe she'd been wrong about pirates all along.
* * * *
Phineas almost needed a nap himself after dealing with the feisty woman. She'd rattled him within moments of waking up. There hadn't been any fear in her eyes, only attitude. He'd been used to riding out treacherous storms and dodging cannon fire, but Charlotte was something else. He didn't know what the hell hit him. Here he'd considered her a fragile creature, but once she opened her mouth, she proved a worthy adversary. At least with words.
If the story she told were true, and a man did rob and throw her overboard, she'd certainly suffered enough already. He knew betrayal all too well, and learned it early on. Trust didn't come easy to him, and less when it came to women. It took only one time to have a woman con him out of a small fortune, and he vowed never to fall for a female's charms again. With a smile, he realized how much easier that promise was to keep when none were onboard.
Phineas paced for several minutes and then paused in front of the cot. He watched her sleep and listened to the peaceful way she breathed. Like a gentle wind guiding him across a calm sea. Her mussed red hair framed her face beautifully. At least when she was silent she appeared soft-spoken and innocent. He chuckled at the way she'd talked back to him. Mischief reflected from her eyes and more than once, he'd seen color bloom on her face out of anger.
Tired from standing on his feet, he took a seat on a nearby barrel. He could probably leave for a few hours, but worried she would wake and forget where she was. Phineas considered it his duty to stand guard over her.
Bart rapped his knuckles against the doorway and popped his head in.
"How is the lady, Cap'n?"
He shook his head. “She's a firecracker, to say the least."
"How so?"
"Doesn't take much to light her fire, so to speak. I'd say other than being tired, she's going to be fine."
His friend grinned. “Ah, so I take it she didn't put up with your telling her what to do?"
The pirate chuckled. “Let's just say she could easily win at a duel of words. Nearly made me head spin right off. To look at her you wouldn't think so, but she is far from shy.” He stopped himself when he realized how he sounded. “Err, despite all that, I'm not about to let her move around freely about the ship. She may very well be a spy."
"Aye, Cap'n, if you say so. I better get back to the crew. I'll stop by later with a plate of food for her."
Phineas glanced out the porthole window and cursed himself for stepping out of character. He couldn't afford to let his crew see him go all soft over a woman. Especially Bart, who would hang it over his head forever. He had a reputation to uphold. When she woke up again, he'd remind her who was the one in charge. If he didn't pull himself together, he'd do something he would only regret later.
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Chapter 3
Charlotte didn't know how much time had passed when she woke, but Phineas was still in the room. On his face, he wore a pensive expression as he stared out the small porthole window. One leg crossed over the other, his body resting against the wall. Beneath his layers of pigheadedness, she noted his handsome features. Strong, determined, and a trace of mischief. He might ha
ve the crew fooled into thinking he had a wicked temper, but she rather liked it. Okay, so she really wasn't done with brooding strangers after all.
A smile gleamed her lips as she recalled the explicit dream she had. It felt too real and left her body in a state of need. Desire ebbed in her veins and she noticed the warmth between her thighs. She considered fingering her clit while she studied him. Imagining the touch as his. It wouldn't take much to elicit an orgasm at this point, she was far too revved up, but the fear of being caught helped tame her.
Charlotte cleared her throat and watched as he shook himself out of his thoughtful daze.
"Ah, you're awake, lass."
When he wasn't spouting his theory of her being a spy, she didn't mind his company. Perhaps it was premature to think it, but she really did believe him to be different. Right down to his strapping black boots.
"Yes. I hope I wasn't out too long."
"No, not long, but sleep is what you need most."
A yawn escaped her lips. “Part of me wishes I could sleep for a year.” She rubbed at her eyes. “I don't expect you to hang around here and babysit me all day. Don't you have buried treasure to find?"
He removed his hat and scratched his head. “My men do the digging. I supervise. How you be feeling, lass?"
The rest helped get rid of her headache. “Much better, thank you. Did you stay with me the entire time?"
He gave her a crossed look. “Of course not. I don't have time to sit around here all day. I'm a busy man with responsibilities. I only came back to let you know yer supper is on its way, but I didn't know whether to wake you or not."
Charlotte suppressed a comment about his quick to flare temper and swung her legs off the cot. She sat up and rested her elbows on top of her knees. “I'm so hungry I could eat sand, though I'm not partial to the grainy taste."
"Yer in luck. Our cook makes us hearty meals that taste damn good. For being on a ship and all. In fact, we're often spoiled."
"I thought the pirate's life was harsh and unforgiving, but you make it sound exciting."
She couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lit up. “Oh, it's very exciting. The sea is full of stories.” Phineas slid a wooden crate in front of her and set a brass candleholder on top. He struck a match and lit three taper candles burned down to stubs. The little gestures were quickly breaking down her defenses. “Best I can do for a table and mood. I'll bet the ship you were on before did up a nice display."