To my dismay, she closed her eyes and shook her head like a wet dog. “No. No. I am not willing. I am mad at you, Sterling. You should be apologizing to me instead of taunting me with your saucy ways.” Pointing at my upper body, she continued to scold me about all the things I had done wrong.
Finding myself too distracted by the ample display of cleavage bursting from the tear in her dress, I didn’t hear a word she was saying.
Catching my line of sight, she inhaled a mortified gasp. Covering her chest with her hand, she snipped, “Would you stop violating me with your eyes while I am upset with you.”
I was tempted to ask if she’d rather me violate her with my hands, but my playful thoughts were brashly interrupted when she said, “I am serious. You hurt my feelings.”
Damn it. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I didn’t know how to deal with them either. Just thinking about my options caused my face to twist in confusion. Looking at her sitting there with her arms crossed—glaring at me like an ol’ mother—I could clearly tell by the look on her pretty face that reconciliation would not happen without the apology she was expecting. Having better things on my mind than fighting, I decided it would be best to give her what she wanted. “I’m sorry, Charlie.”
“Sorry for what?” she pressed.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I huffed in frustration.
“Well then, you must not be sorry,” she snapped. Then that saucy little vixen poked at her lips. “If you ever want any of this again, you’re going to have to learn to talk about the problems you cause. I am not one of your strumpets, Sterling Bentley, and it will take more than your rugged good looks to appease me.”
Shit. She was right. I was used to having women throw themselves at me no matter how poorly I behaved, but this one was different. There was more to her, and I’d have to work to earn her favors. Though it was rather annoying at the moment, overall I liked her more for her firm stance. After cursing under my breath about the mysteriously bewitching ways of a woman, I covered my face with my hands and exhaled a frustrated laugh of defeat. “I’m sorry I was mean to you.” Then I peeked at her from behind my hand. She wanted more. Damn it. “I said things I shouldn’t have and…and, well, I’m just sorry.”
She looked satisfied. What a relief. Watching her lips rise in a smile, I chuckled, “You’re the smallest opponent to ever defeat me.”
She giggled. “Thank you for apologizing. I could tell how difficult that was for you, but I truly appreciate it. I am also sorry. I was mean, too, and I shouldn’t have thrown your coat at you. Now, I don’t want to fight with you anymore, so let’s just forget about it.”
Glad to see the problem resolved so easily, I reached for my rum. After taking a shot to wash my mouth out, I passed her the bottle and continued to enjoy my view of her while we talked on. The disheveled frill of the golden dress bunched up around her, and the tear along the chest had fallen down again, flashing me with a tempting visual of her cleavage. Her skin was evenly tanned with a soft golden glow, and her wild hair surrounded her sleepy face with a terribly seductive allure. Yet, beyond the wild presentation of her untamed persona, her smile was sweet as ever and her hazel eyes beamed with unsullied warmth.
Somehow, she still seemed untouchable, but I wanted to touch her. There was no one around and nothing between us. She was done being angry and I was done resisting my urges. Lazily reaching towards her, I wrapped my hand around her arm and tugged her over to my bunk.
Her legs stumbled beneath her as I dragged her on top of me. Pulling her legs around so she straddled my lap, I smiled. “I think you fit here just right, beauty.”
Her cheeks turned red. Trying to adjust herself on top of me, she bumped her head on the bed above. “Oh, dear. How does an enormous sailor like you tolerate these cramped quarters? You will make me hit my head if I stay in this position.”
“You mean if I do this?” I bumped my hips under her.
“Oh.” She squeaked with surprise. The vibration of her moan blazed right through me, igniting a fire of carnal desire in my blood. More than just her body was rising as I pushed up between her legs. Judging by the face she was making, I could tell she felt it too. Due to the quickness of her breath, I could tell she was a bit uncertain about being with me this way, but I was sure she’d get used to it.
Reaching my hands up her dress, I grabbed onto her hips and pulled her harder against me.
While I moved her across my lap, she squeezed onto my chest. Her breath heightened. My heart rate intensified. Damn! I wanted to rip her dress off and make her mine. I’d never worked so hard for sex, and the challenge intensified my longing in a way I’d never experienced afore. She was one hell of a prize and was well worth the waiting, but I couldn’t wait much longer. Knowing I would be her first made me want her all the more. I wanted to show her how good it could be, and I wanted to be the one to make her go wild…Then an agitating thought bounced through my mind. I had told her I’d marry her first…
The passion blasting through my body slowed for a moment. Pausing, I looked for that sweet angel who usually reminded me to behave, but she was nowhere to be found. Rather, I set eyes on an unbearably saucy woman swaying and twisting on top of me. Her body was provocative as all hell, and her wild hair hung over her face as she inhaled and exhaled heavy breaths of passion. Her breasts protruded from the tattered chest line of her dress, and as I thrust my hips in between her legs I watched the soft supple flesh jiggle. Her cheeks were flushed with sensual rouge and her eyes were hot with wild flames of desire. There was only one way to extinguish the fire burning in my blood…
Wrapping my hands around her waist, I tossed her down on the bed beneath me. While kissing her on the mouth, I moved my hips between her legs. She wrapped her legs around me. With her hands tangled in my hair, I moved my kiss across her heaving chest and began to undo my breeches. Damn, I could hardly believe it was about to happen.
With only the frill of her dress keeping me from her, I decided it had to go. Grabbing the tattered fabric along the chest line of her dress, I ripped the rest of it open.
Just as quickly as I laid eyes on her bare breasts, she squeaked like a terrified mouse and pulled the fabric back to cover herself up. Rolling over, she knocked my arm out on the way, causing me to flop face first on the bed next to her. She then tucked into my arm and giggled bashfully as she hid from me.
Sink my soul at sea! This woman was going to be the death of me.
Chapter 4
Fighting Chance
As Told By Charlotte Wetherby
Sterling’s breath was so forceful and intimidating, I was almost afraid of the tension he exuded. He had just been so close, yet now, even beneath the heat of his body he seemed stone cold and distant. I felt terrible. Not wanting him to be angry with me, I peeked up at his face and flashed him a silly smile to apologize. “I love you, Sterling.”
Sarcastically chuckling at my playful whisper, he shook his head with an agitated huff. “Aye, I love you, too, Charlie. You tantalizing vixen.”
To my great relief, the awkward moment steaming between us was diffused by a pounding knock on the door.
Captain Flynn’s loud and rowdy voice blasted through the bulkheads. “Get the bloody hell up, Bentley, you lazy pox face. Bring that bonny to my cabin.”
After yelling to Faron that he would be right out, Sterling squeezed my bottom and growled at me. I stayed where I was when he got up. The moment he came to his feet and I saw the bulge in his breeches, my jaw dropped.
He must have noticed the look of shock on my face, because while sticking his hand in there to situate himself, he winked at me. “See what you do to me, beauty.”
Entirely embarrassed by his blatant expression, I somehow managed the nerve to shyly whisper, “How long will it stay that way?”
He responded with a crude laugh. “If you walk around looking like that it’ll never go away.” The scar on his cheek lifted with his smile as he grabbed his shirt and t
hrew it at me. “I’m the only one who gets to see you like that. Put this over yourself afore we go out.”
Frozen in my place on his bed, I admired my view of the man who had just melted me into a molten whirlpool of lust. His suntanned torso was long and hard, his compass rose tattoo sprawled across his chest, and I could see the stab wound down the right side of his abdomen. His battle scar from the fight in Panama slashed across his left side, and the white welts of scar tissue twisted into the golden shades of his skin. Somehow all his fearsome markings intensified the allure of his rugged charm.
I watched in wonder as he got ready for the day. Since he gave me his shirt, he only wore his black waistcoat, and after wrapping his waist with his ornate buckled belt and red silk sash, he draped a leather baldric across his chest. He looked stunning with his sword hanging from the scabbard of his baldric, but the two pistols he stuck in his belt caused me to stir with envy. If I was in the frame of mind to speak I might have asked for one.
Once his daggers were all stashed, he underlined his enchanting green eyes with a layer of kohl. I knew the dark liner was to deflect the light, but I adored the way it contrasted against his light irises.
While putting on his coat, he said, “Get up. We’ve got shit to do.”
Attempting to clear my mind of the emotional tidal wave that had just washed over me, I took a deep breath. How in the world could he carry on so casually after enduring such an erotic rush? Gathering enough composure to rise, I felt lightheaded as I came to my feet.
Leaning against the bulkhead, Sterling watched me pull myself together. Immediately noticing the awful tear he’d inflicted upon my dress, I squawked, “You tore it all the way down the middle, you ravenous boar.”
After tying the matted ends of my dress together, I covered myself with his shirt, and while lacing up the front I complained, “It’s enormous, Sterling, large and unbecoming. I feel like I’m swimming in it.”
He winked at me. “Good. Then no one can see the shape of my prize.”
I playfully rolled my eyes. “I don’t feel like much of a prize.” While running my fingers through my tangled hair, I said, “In fact, I feel like I drank too much rum, and I am sure I look like I hardly survived a burning shipwreck.”
Taking me under his arm, he led me out the door. “Ah, don’t worry, beauty. You damn sure got my attention.” Heading down the hall, he playfully groped my breast. “Especially now that I know what you have under there.”
His rowdy gesture clearly insinuated that there was more to come, and I promised myself I wouldn’t be so bloody shy next time.
Reaching the deck, we found warm morning sun beating down on the timbers. There were a few clouds rolling overhead, and the air was engulfed with swamping humidity. Having no idea what I would be doing on this ship that I was not allowed to sail, I was interested to see what news awaited us in Captain Flynn’s cabin.
The moment we reached the door, Faron came walking over with Lawrence and Kathleen in tow. Being near Lawrence, the proper, courteous, and respectful man my father had wanted me to marry, I began feeling terribly guilty for doing the things I had done in that bunkroom. Though no one but me, Sterling, and the devil knew I had almost given myself away before marriage, I felt transparent under Lawrence’s gaze. Feeling guilty, I tried to step away from Sterling, but he pulled me closer and growled at Lawrence like the territorial dog that chased him up on my rooftop the night we met.
Before they had a moment to fuss at each other, Captain Flynn stood between them and called for Mary. He was so loud she would have heard him at the bow, but she was on the other side of the door right behind him. Opening the door, Mary came tiptoeing out with her lean white legs poking out from the bottom of Faron’s black coat. “Sheesh, Faron, you could fill the sails with all that wind you blow out of them big ol’ lungs.”
While shooing her back into his room, Faron angrily whispered, “What the bloody hell are you doing coming out here dressed like that?”
As he shoved her along she fussed, “You were so loud and angry sounding I thought it was urgent.”
Completely ignoring Mary’s words, he rushed Kathleen and me into the room behind her. Once we were inside, Faron stuck his head in the door and ordered, “Get some clothes out of the chests we plundered from Royal Anthem. No more running around like pretty little chickens tempting my roosters into cockfighting out here. But hurry it along. I’ve got work to do.”
The moment Faron slammed the door behind us, Mary handed me a pile of clothes. “Here, I already picked these out for you. They are just your size and I figured you would love the colors.”
Oh, how I loved the colors. The coat was red and gold paisley, the ivory shirt was trimmed with lace, and the breeches and waistcoat were a matching shade of brown. “You know me so well, Mary.” I smiled, then rushed to put on the new, clean outfit.
As I dressed myself, I heard Mary introduce herself to Kathleen. After stating her name, Kathleen twiddled her fingers and shyly asked, “Are you the captain’s wife?”
Holding her hand over her heart, Mary laughed. “That man would gouge his eyes out before he would commit to marriage, but he loves me. He just has his own audacious way of showing it.”
Slipping on the breeches, I laughed at Mary’s comment but Kathleen winced with worry. Putting a brown coat over her bloodstained dress, she said, “He seems so terrifying. How are you not afraid of him?”
Putting on a blue shirt that accented her eyes, Mary responded with a chuckle. “Faron Flynn comes off as quite the ogre nowadays, but we were children together. I saw him pout like a baby when I ran faster than him in the field, and I saw him cry when his mother slapped him upside the head for mouthing off.” Mary sighed as she relived the memories of her youth. “I know the man he is underneath all those muscles and that dominating voice. Don’t ever tell him—or anyone else—I spoke of it, but Faron Flynn is a good man.”
Kathleen squinted her eyes at Mary as if she were trying to believe her.
While putting on a black pair of breeches, Mary went on to clarify. “I know it sounds rather contradictory, but the reason he is so short tempered with us women is because he cares. The notion of keeping us safe troubles him, and it’s easier for him to curse and name call than to just admit he gives a damn.”
Though Kathleen nodded her head in understanding, I don’t think she understood. Trying to fix her messy hair, she confessed, “This has all been so traumatic. I am glad you women are aboard this ship or I might have died from terror by now. Oh, and Charlotte, I have yet to thank you for your bravery during that awful invasion. You saved my life.”
Happy about the new outfit Mary had picked out for me, I smiled as I fastened the gold buttons on the coat. “You’re welcome. And thank you for stabbing that rancid man with your fork.” Suddenly finding outlandish humor in the gory scene, I snickered like a little witch. Kathleen saw no humor in the memory, but Mary chuckled. “With a fork, aye? Very resourceful.”
Mary started telling Kathleen a comparable story, but while combing through my tangled hair, I drifted off to the memory of what happened in Sterling’s bunkroom. Feeling my heart flutter and my cheeks heat, I waited for a pause in their conversation and decided to tell my friends what had transpired.
Combing through her hair, Mary said, “Oh deary. I thought he was going to wait until he married you.”
I pouted. “He has not mentioned marrying me since I got here, but he seemed entirely willing to break his promise this morning. I guess I wouldn’t have minded if I only had the nerve.”
“You are adorably innocent, Charlotte.” Mary rubbed my arm. “I am sure marriage will come in time. I know for a fact that Sterling loves you something fierce. In case he didn’t mention it, I think you ought to know that he was going to row a little boat back to Port Royal to find you if the captain hadn’t agreed to turn around.”
Moved by the news, I gasped, “He was going to row to me? That is rather romantic. Well, I guess he is swe
et in his own savage way.”
“Very much so,” Mary smiled. “Also, you must appreciate how sweet he is for letting you deny him.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “I suppose you are right. But in truth, I wish I hadn’t been so timid. What is it like having an intimate relationship, Mary?”
“With the right man, it is a beautiful thing. Sex itself is fun, but when you truly care about someone, it is a very different experience. I’d have to say, of all the men I have been with, Faron is my favorite. Of course he is irresistibly handsome and wickedly satisfying, but the thing that makes him stand out above the rest is the way he is with me afterwards.”
I nudged Mary’s shoulder. “Well, go on, you can’t stop there.”
“Oh, if you insist.” She giggled. “He wraps those big strong arms around me, holds me close and…well…he talks to me.” Mary smiled at the simplicity of the statement. “I know it sounds silly, but I love that side of him so much, I will deal with the rest of his shit to have him in such a way. His heart of gold is like a buried treasure I can only uncover by making love to him.”
Sitting at the table next to Kathleen, I sighed. “Oh, that is beautiful, Mary. I can’t wait to experience such a thing.”
“Don’t rush it, honey,” Kathleen said, shaking her head as if she regretted ever having sex at all. “Once it’s done, it’s done, and don’t forget the lifelong consequences that can follow the act.”
“That’s right,” Mary added. “You need to be careful with your future and your feelings. Remember, a man can find sex anywhere. You don’t have to be anything special for him to want that, but you are a gem, Charlotte. Don’t forget that you are worth the commitment.”
Kathleen agreed, “What Mary says is true, Charlotte. I might not be in the mess I am had I taken more time to get to know the man I married.”
Mary had already combed through her long, black hair, but as she began to braid it over her shoulder, Faron started pounding on the door. The wood frame trembled with his force and his voice shook the timbers. “What the bloody hell is taking you so long? I know you don’t have corsets to lace up, and you better not be styling your hair on my time. Get it done already.”
Tarnished Persuasion (Justified Treason, Book 2): Endless Horizon Pirate Stories Page 8