Dead Man's Kiss

by Jennifer Bray-Weber

  “Nay, you cannot.”

  She flung an indignant look over her shoulder. “Of course I can. You do not expect me to observe the sea life from the shore, do you?”

  “Aye. I do.”

  Catalina disrobed down to her shift and turned to face him full on. His heartbeat doubled in pace. She was an angelic vision there with the turquoise sea behind her kissing the white sands at her feet. The thin shift fluttered around her knees. And though the material covered most of the curves of her body, the contours of her breasts were blessedly apparent. Tendrils of her dark hair skimmed across her neck and shoulders. Valeryn wanted to release her hair from its braid, allow her tresses to flow with the breeze. He could not swallow, his mouth suddenly dry. He’d seen her in this state of undress before, but out here, out on the beach in the warm sun, ’twas most erotic.

  “Humph. I did not come all this way to dip my toes into the glassy surf. There are untold amounts of life under the water.”

  There was potential dangers in the sea, even the shallow parts. It never once crossed his mind the lady would want to get into the water. She was his charge. ’Twas his duty to keep her safe. Still, the very idea she wanted to go in and acted as if it were an adventure, not to mention seeing her wet, was tantalizing. Alas, keep her safe, he must. “We can use a net,” he declared.

  “And disrupt their environment? Nay. That would never do.” She threw her arms out this way and that. “The fish, the grasses, the crustaceans, the coral, I intend to immerse myself in it all.”

  “That’s quite ambitious,” he said.

  Catalina tilted her head, her upper lip curling with what Valeryn could only image an impish thought. “Can you swim, Capitán?”

  “Well enough,” he warily answered.

  “Bien.” She feigned an innocent apology. “I am going in to see all I can. If you want to stop me...or, mayhap, join me, I suggest you strip yourself of your clothes and weapons.”

  She turned with a flair and waded into the sea. Once the water had become waist deep, she dove under the surface. And there he stood, as if he were one of those damned mangrove trees rooted to the beach, watching as her dark head broke the surface, her slender arms gliding across the sparkling water. He imagined the gauzy shift flowing around her naked body underneath the waves. Heaven help him, he was a fool.

  His belt hit the sands.

  CHAPTER 13

  Splashing reached Catalina’s ears and she smiled. She needn’t turn around to know Valeryn had taken her bait. Now that he was on the hook, what would she do with him? She had many delicious ideas, most requiring skin-on-skin touch. But she was not in the water for a dalliance. Not this time. She had much work to do.

  Though the water was delightfully warm, it was refreshing and cooled the heat building in her skin from the sun’s rays. Her eyes burned from the salt, but she refrained from rubbing them. Squinting, the sting lessened and her vision cleared enough to see the underwater come to life. ’Twas a trick she learned as a child from hours of swimming near her home in the Mediterranean.

  She twisted around in the water to catch a glimpse of Valeryn. He’d stripped down to only his breeches. In truth, she was a tad disappointed he had left them on. But then, she still wore her chemise. Fair enough.

  He was a powerful swimmer, his sinewy arms easily slicing through the brine. Sunlight dappled over his sleek body and his long tawny hair rippled in his wake. He seemed to be at one with the sea below the surface as he was riding atop. Her heart stuttered and she suddenly needed to go above to catch her breath.

  Catalina was amazed by the wonderment of the reef. The turquoise and purple coral textures—mixtures of hard and soft, rounded, coiled, straight, and bumpy—were as abundant as the colorful fish. Blooms of rocks jutted out every which way and velvety pink straws swayed in the currents like wheat in fields. Blue and yellow fish flitted around in and out of unusual orange plants, creatures, maybe, with many tiny arms, much like a tiny squid. Large green fan-like leaves slowly waved in the drifts.

  ’Twas difficult to pry away from the beauty, but Catalina’s lungs singed with the need of air. She’d come up long enough to breathe in fresh air, then back down again she’d dive.

  Away from the reefs the seabed was just as fascinating. Stretches of pristine sand would give way to leafy grasses. Here and there, she spotted black urchins, orange sea stars, or a majestic ray gliding past. Breathtaking. All of it.

  She felt a tap on her shoulder. Valeryn was pointing off her right into the depths. Even with the water clear, any amount of distance became blurry. She searched the depths for what he wanted her to see. He pointed again. There. She saw it. Up to the surface she kicked. Gulping much needed air, she cried, “A turtle!”

  Valeryn smiled, nodding. Her heart soared. Was it because of the turtle, or his smile?

  Swiftly, she swam closer, but not too close as to startle the animal away. Glory be! It was magnificent. The turtle had not been alarmed and she was able to get near enough to make out its distinctions—mossy brown and green coloring, black scale-like spots on its head and flippers. ’Twas nearly as big as she. It sailed through the water like a bird soared on the winds.

  She must have followed the animals around for a half glass, committing to memory its every movement, what it ate.

  Valeryn brushed past her, gaining her attention once more. Again, he pointed, again she gazed out into the endless abyss. This time, however, she did not like what she saw.

  A reef shark stalked through the schools of fish, skimming along the tops of the reefs. Her blood iced. She probably needn’t worry. But, alas, she did. Sharks were scary beasts, and she didn’t fancy becoming his next meal. Likewise, she did not want Valeryn to know she was frightened. He may refuse to let her go back into the water if he thought she was afraid or perceived real danger.

  Not so reluctantly, she swam away from the turtle in favor of the shore. When she could touch bottom and waded in knee-deep, she spun to Valeryn a few feet behind.

  He swiped his wet hair from his face. Rivulets of water dripped from his square, unshaven jaw and streamed down the rock-solid, rippled planes of his bronzed chest. Soaked trousers clung to his thick thighs and his bulging... She should stop staring. Now!

  Throwing her arms around his neck, she squealed. “That was amazing!”

  He wrapped her into an embrace, his hands splaying across her back. His breath hitched and she wondered if it was because of the swim, the shark, or if he had felt the same electrifying shock she had when their bodies joined in the hug.

  “Aye, ’twas...amazing.”

  She pulled back to peer into his blood-shot coppery eyes. “You really thought so?” Could he have seen the underwater world with the same elation as she?

  “I’ve never seen anything like it...once my deadlights stopping burning like the devil shoved hot coals into them.”

  She laughed. He laughed, too. Her gaze dropped to his lips bracketed by the deep creases of his smile. Suddenly, she became all too aware of their wet bodies pressed together. It could have been the excitement. It could have been the heat. Could have been his masculine smell mingled with the salt, or her wanton tendencies, but she could stand it no more. She was drowning in her desire for him. She needed him.

  Catalina popped up on her tiptoes and planted her lips to his mouth. She half-expected him to pull away, to reject her once more. Instead, he returned her kiss, and in no gentle manner. His tongue swiped across the seam of her lips, a warning shot across the bow, and she quickly granted him access. The kiss deepened, tongues tangled, wild and tempestuous. The crush of their mouths inhibited breathing. She could hardly draw a gasp. It didn’t matter. Not in the slightest, as long as she was with him in this intimate embrace. He grasped her buttocks and lifted her up. She slung her legs about his waist, a comfortable fit. Cupping his stubbly face, she refused to stop the assault on his mouth—lapping, sucking, nipping, tasting. She was feral, driven by carnal instinct. Consumed by the fiery need to cla
im Valeryn for her own.

  Without warning, he broke the kiss and dropped her to her feet on the beach. Catalina hadn’t realized he walked them out of the surf. He pinched her chin and stared deep into her soul. She searched his hooded eyes, afraid of what she might find in them. Rejection? Pity? Nothing at all? What she caught was a glimpse of pain.

  A callused finger skimmed feather-soft across her swollen lips. She gently kissed the finger. His lids squeezed shut, his hand dropped away, and blew out a long, stuttered exhale. “Please control yourself, Catalina.”

  His request stung like a slap, but he quickly softened the blow, with his next muttered words. “Before you kill me.”

  “I want you, Valeryn. This you know. I have laid myself bare to you. Don’t you want me?”

  He turned away, dragging his hands down his face. “I do, belladonna.” When he turned back, his face hardened, as did his tone. “You do not know what you ask.”

  “I do! And no one has to know.”

  Acid dripped from his sour chuckle. “Do not insult me, lass.” His lip curled in disgust. “You know nothing of consequences,” he hissed.

  “You are wrong.” Her temper immediately flared into an assault. “I know quite a bit about consequences, Capitán.” She fisted her hands, all but spitting fire. “I know how the actions of one can destroy the life of another. How a once respected man could be cast out of Spanish society, forced to return to his own country. I know the mangled, lonely feeling of being the subject of sordid rumors, what it feels like to be at a ball with all the ladies, their heads together, slandering me behind their pretty little fans. I’ve all but been disowned by my mother. And in the face of her haughty attitude and her constant reminder that I am an embarrassment, I still love her. As a result of my actions, I know the hurt I’ve inflicted upon my father who was forced to send me away because of the scandal I created. I live everyday regretting the pain and disappointment I caused my beloved Papá. If that were not enough, I’ve suffered greatly by believing love transcended all. I gave someone my heart, succumbed to desire, and in return found unimaginable hurt and betrayal. All consequences, Valeryn. So do not say I know nothing of what I am asking. Don’t you dare!”

  He hadn’t moved throughout her entire rant. Not a muscle. And she could not read the expression on his stony face. Had she disgusted him further? She suddenly had the urge to stamp her feet and throw a tantrum.

  “The scholar,” he said, his voice guttural, “’twas with him, your scandal.”

  Catalina looked away, wrapping her arms about her.

  “He bedded you.”

  “I’m not a whore,” she spat.

  “You were a victim.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  Valeryn took one step forward and stopped. “You said it yourself. He opened your mind to free-thinking, tapped into your love for knowledge and, I’m willing to wager, promised you a way into that Royal Society.”

  “I fail to see how I was a victim.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Twenty and nine my senior.”

  “Not much younger than Henri.”

  “Age does not—”

  “Young, naive, innocent, pliable.” He clucked his tongue in contempt.

  “He loved me, and I him.” Her offensive gave way to the defensive wall she had begun to erect.

  “But he betrayed you.”

  A chill swept over her. She suddenly realized how exposed she was to him. Dios, her wet chemise hid nothing of her body. As he raked his gaze over her, ’twas as if he peeled away her layers baring the most ugly, painful parts of her soul.

  He came another step closer. She wished he’d open his arms to her, soothe her grief, tell her all would be fine.

  “Tell me how,” he pressed.

  She huffed, very much irked by his invasive prodding. “When my father found out about our affair, he threatened to kill Simeon. My mother had gone into hysterics over the black mar I indubitably placed upon our family. They did what they thought was right, to preserve the family name and their only daughter.” Catalina closed her eyes and threw her head back. Taking in a deep breath, she steadied herself for the truth she had yet to utter aloud since that awful night in her father’s parlor. “Simeon chose the money over our love.”

  “The bastard. I’m sorry he did that to you.”

  “He taught me much, Valeryn. So very much. For that, I thank him.” She smiled. “His choice broke me. But it also made me stronger. So you see, I know exactly what I am asking from you.” Somehow, her feet had edged her closer to him. “The way I feel about you, ’tis not like anything I’ve felt before. Not even for Simeon. A single look from you and my insides become twisted. Your touch, your kisses...” She looked skyward, imploring above. “El cielo me ayude,” she begged from above. “’Tis like I’m burning with fever, drunk on you, dying to crawl inside you. Don’t you understand?”

  She placed her hand upon his damp chest over his heart and searched his eyes, hoping he did understand, and that he might reciprocate all that she confessed. But she could not make out what the storm in his gaze meant.

  His hand covered hers. Her heart skipped.

  “I understand...”

  Her stomach fluttered

  “I understand the risk is too great.” Valeryn pulled her hand away from his chest and gave her his back. He waded off toward an outcropping of rock. “Get dressed, Catalina.”

  He was angry with her? He had no right! Did he? The sting of rejection colored to a bruise of humiliation. She had thrown herself at him again, and again, he, a pirate, no less, refused her advances.

  She gathered her belongings and donned her clothes overtop her soggy chemise.

  ’Twasn’t that she wanted anything horrible to happen to Valeryn and his men because of her need to fulfill her lechery. But she was determined to get what she wanted—enough research to pursue a respectable place as a naturalist and a certain dangerous pirate captain. How that played out in the end result, she didn’t know. Or cared. Just as long as she got both.

  There were results in her tenacity. But Catalina’s relentless curiosity fed the gossip mill, embarrassing Mamá. Papá had merely attributed her dogged pursuits as a fine virtue. That fine virtue bit her in the arse when she became indiscreet in the ways of the heart. The awful aftermath ultimately got her here, filling page after page in her journal, bringing her one step closer to her dream.

  Valeryn stood with his back still to her, his arms crossed, gazing out to sea. How she wanted to wrap her arms around him and press her head into the expanse of his powerful shoulders. The urge to throw herself upon him was far too great to manage, like wild, stampeding horses.

  She should have learned from her mistake with Simeon. She risked all when she placed her heart into the palms of a man. And she had lost. For a moment, she wondered if she inherited a gambling trait from an ancestor, as she willingly rolled the bones for Valeryn. Sí, she had a problem. Perhaps she should seek help. Nay. Whatever Valeryn had done, however it had happened, she wanted him. She'd pursue him until the end, be it in his arms or with a broken heart.

  A strident string of curses carried upon the breeze. Valeryn was hopping on one foot hissing obscenities. Catalina raced out to meet him, splashing water upon her dry skirt.

  “What’s wrong?” she called. “Did a crab pinch you?”

  By the looks of his red face, ’twasn’t a crab. He’d waded in enough to pull his barefoot up out of the water for a look. Black needles jutted from his sole and pricks of blood sprang forth, dotting his skin.

  “Madre de Dios!” Her hands flew to her mouth. “You stepped on an urchin. We have got to get those spines out of your foot. Come! Come!” She wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him to the beach. All the while, he exhaled in growls and curses.

  Once settled on the shore, she cradled his foot into her lap. The flesh around the needles had already begun to turn an angry red. The droplets of blood were gone, but black spots rema
ined under the skin. There was no doubt the venom caused Valeryn pain. “We’ll have to remove these straightaway.”

  “Let me.” He tried to pull away, but she would not let go.

  “No. You cannot just yank these out. If you’re not careful, you’ll break off the barbs leaving them inside your foot. Then you will be in more pain as it could become infected.”

  “I am not in pain.”

  Her brow raised as she gave him an incredulous frown.

  “I have been in worse condition,” he said flatly.

  Her mind reeled back to the first time she had seen him—eyes blackened and nearly swollen shut, torso bandaged, cuts and bruises on every visible part of his body. Her chest seized at the agony he surely suffered from the beating. No doubt he had been in many a fisticuff, and many a battle. It didn’t escape her notice, either, how since the swordplay on Cow Island he had continued to wince and rub upon his ribcage. A few needles in his sole was likely no more than an annoyance. “Sí, I suppose you have.”

  Before she could stop herself, she reached for his face and cupped his whiskered cheek. His lids flickered, the gold of his eyes darkening. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, his luscious lips that refused to welcome her. Blast it, she wanted him. But he would not have her. Not at that moment, anyway.

  Her hand fell away. “Never you mind, I will not cause you any more torment.” Today. The little voice inside her head held that familiar conviction she’d come to associate with the captain. No, no more today. Admittedly, she was battle worn from confessing her scandal and the raw emotions that had surged forth.

  With her attention turned away from his handsome, fierce countenance, Catalina gingerly plucked out each long spine. He did not flinch once during the extraction, but she knew well enough the bottom of the foot in the curve of the arch was a tender spot—even if the rest of the sole was thick from calluses. When she was done, she looked up and caught him staring intently, not at his wound, but at her. A tingle skittered up her spine; she chose to ignore it. She must control herself lest she throw herself at him again.