“You need to rest.”
“So do you,” Tink countered. “See? I barely fill up your bed. There’s room for you, too.”
“It wouldn’t be appropriate for the men to know I’m sleeping in here with you.”
“Why not? You always sleep in here with me.”
“I—” He stopped short and then chuckled, running his hand up and down the back of his neck. “I suppose you’re right. However, it would be more prudent of me to take a hammock below.”
“James, please. It’s your bed and… and I like sleeping with you.” She loved listening to his even, deep breaths and seeing the peaceful look on his face.
“As you wish,” he said in a soft voice. Then he crossed to the door and turned the lock, ensuring no one would barge in upon them. “I didn’t think to ask the ladies for nightclothes for you.”
“That’s all right. I can wear this.”
James nodded, silent and pensive, crossing the room toward his desk while he began to fiddle with his hook.
“Here, let me help.” She bounced up from the bed and crossed the distance between them. Night after night, she had watched him remove his hook prior to bed. The limb had been severed above the wrist, a neat and rounded stump just below a muscular forearm. She traced her fingers down the cool metal before giving the device a twist. At least she tried to.
James smiled. “You have to press that little button there, remember?”
“Oh. Right.” As a sprite, she’d watched this part of his undressing ritual multiple times during their weeks at sea, but standing alongside him in a human body added a new layer of intimacy. Heat surged to her face again, so hot she feared her body was compensating for her lack of magic by glowing in another way.
She located the small depression and pushed as she twisted. The whole device came off smoothly, detaching from a metal cuff that had been fused to his arm by some unknown magic. It looked different now that she was big. James stood perfectly still while she explored his arm and ran her fingers over the band.
“Does it hurt?”
James’s stoic features softened. “No. Not really. There are phantom twinges at times, but I’ve learned to live with them.”
“The hook is so light.” She hefted it in her hand a few times, startled by the unexpected discovery. She’d always imagined it being heavy.
“Specially crafted in Samahara by their finest artisans. Nigel had it commissioned for me, actually. I think it started off as a joke, but I rather like it.”
“You always have a weapon,” she murmured.
“Indeed. It took a while to learn how to use it in a fight, but it’s saved my life more times than I can count.”
While she put the hook away in its case, James kicked off his boots. And nothing else. Tink put her hands on her hips and studied him.
“James, why do you always sleep in all of your clothes?”
“Not all of them.”
Her gaze dropped to his stocking feet and swept over his breeches, sash, gun belt, and shirt. “You took off your boots. That’s it.”
“Technically, that means I’m not in all of my clothes.”
“Smartass,” she muttered.
“Tsk, tsk, such language.”
“You’ve said worse,” she countered. “And you didn’t answer my question.”
“As the captain of the ship, it’s my duty to be prepared for anything. It wouldn’t do to be caught in my britches during an attack and, despite what you’ve seen, we are constantly at threat by the Eisland and Ridaeron navies.”
“Fair enough, but we’re in port now. In the one place you’ve said neither of those groups can ever breach.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?”
When Tink reached for his pistol, James grabbed her by the wrist. Her gaze darted to his face, hoping her eyes were as imploring as she wanted them to be. “Tonight, please?”
“Belle…”
“You don’t need this tonight.” Her wrist slid from his grip as easily as she drew the pistol from the tight leather band over his sash. She set it on the adjacent night table beside the bed and unbuckled him.
“Every night you undress behind the screen near your water closet. I want to see.”
“Surely you’ve seen a man naked before.”
Living among shifters and other sprites, who were prone to moments of spontaneous desire to skinny-dip in springs and puddles, meant she wasn’t a stranger to unclothed bodies. “All the time, because most of the wolves are big sillies who don’t know how to keep clothes on, but it’s not the same. I want to see you.”
“All right,” he agreed in a quiet breath.
While her heart pounded a staccato beat, drumming inside her chest, she loosened the scarlet sash circling his waist. His shirt fell open, revealing hard abs and a smooth chest. With each exquisite inch she unveiled, James’s perfection took her breath away. Seeing countless naked shifters throughout her lifetime hadn’t prepared her for the sight, as none of those men had been hers to appreciate and caress to her heart’s content.
“You don’t have hair everywhere,” she said, tracing her fingers across the muscled contours.
His husky chuckle made her stomach tighten and a flutter clench between her thighs. “Is that a bad thing?”
“No. It’s different.” She’d never met a shifter without a generous dusting of chest hair. Months ago, during a visit, she’d teased Ramsay that she couldn’t tell the difference between his human and bear forms, for both were covered in golden brown fur.
Not once, in all her time among them, had she ever felt anything remotely sexual for the shifters. She’d seen them as brothers, her kin, and beloved friends.
Was it the deep contrast between James and her dear friends that intrigued her the most, or was it something more?
It had to be more.
Fascinated with the carved dips and angles, as well as the muscular planes, she pushed his shirt back from his shoulders and let it pool on the floor. Her palms smoothed over his bare chest while James rested his hand on her hip.
“I want to see the rest.”
James inclined his head. “As you wish.”
A pair of laces stood between Tink and her goal. She tugged both loose. Once his breeches pooled around his ankles, desire made her mouth as dry as the Samaharan desert. She couldn’t focus on anything above his waist, awestruck by the sheer masculine beauty of him.
“You’re gorgeous,” Tink whispered when she could finally meet his gaze again, attention skimming over his chiseled torso. His golden, tanned skin was offset by the dark treasure trail beginning below his navel.
“Gorgeous?” His low chuckle sent a stutter to her pulse.
“Yes.” She couldn’t fathom a more appropriate word.
She trailed her fingers down over his hips, then inward, until her knuckles skimmed his stiffened erection. James’s fingers pressed into her soft skin, but he said nothing while she began her intimate exploration.
How was it possible, she wondered, for him to be both hard and soft all at once? Dark curls tickled her fingertips when she reached the base. Then she ran her fingers over the smooth skin and traced the ridges of its crown. His sharp breath prompted her to jerk her hand away. “I’m sorry!”
“For what?”
“I hurt you.”
“Far from it.” His gentle fingers interlaced with her slim digits. “I love your touch, but I won’t be responsible for what happens if you continue that.”
She shivered. Goose bumps arose over her skin, raising the hairs on her arms. “You don’t have to be…”
“I would prefer to be a gentleman this night, and nothing you say will persuade me otherwise, Belle. No matter how much it tempts me.” He kissed her, a tender and brief touch before parting contact altogether. James retreated to the small tile- and porcelain-lined box in his private privy, and then the sprinkling tap of water pelting the floor became the only noise in the room.
Now or never, Tink thought. She dropped the pretty s
heath around her ankles and stepped toward the small door.
When she stepped inside, it was to the delicious view of James’s muscled backside. His rear may as well have been carved from stone, the lean line of his back and sculpted shoulders as enticing as his front. Steam swept over her—she’d have to peek at their water source’s inner workings one day when she returned to her normal size—and the aroma of spicy soap invaded her senses.
“This space is tiny.”
He spun around to face her and slicked his hair back from his face. “What are you—”
“Joining you,” she said, figuring it was obvious. She squeezed in alongside him and squeaked at the hot temperature. James liked his water near boiling.
“Sorry,” he apologized, fumbling to reach the knobs.
“No, it’s fine. Surprised me is all.” She maneuvered around until the water sluiced over her cold body. Once wet, she adjusted to the temperature without any trouble. In truth, it was nothing compared to the heat of James’s wet, naked body pressed to hers.
“This is rather—”
“Inappropriate?” she offered with a smile. “You like that word a lot.”
“I was going to say delightful, but your word will suffice, as well.”
Her smile dimmed. “Three days, James. I only get three days like this, and I want to enjoy them. Propriety be damned.”
Indecision flickered across his face, as though he were waging an internal battle. Tink opened her mouth to say more, only to be silenced by a demanding kiss. Rather than sweet and chaste, he introduced her to her first true taste of passion, plundering her mouth with his lips and tongue. She moaned softly and surrendered beneath the onslaught, looping her arms around his neck.
Each kiss grew hungrier than the last, and sensation zipped along her body. His wandering, soapy left hand trailed over her ribs and teased her right breast, his coarse thumb circling the tensed nipple. Then his head dipped down to claim the same tight bud between his lips. She threw her head back and pleaded to the starry night beyond the porthole window for him to continue, but James didn’t linger. His mouth explored higher until his lips reached her ear.
“Gods, you’re tempting.”
“Is that bad?”
His teeth scraped across her earlobe. “You deserve more than me tossing you into bed, Belle. I’d like to give you a proper courtship.”
“But—”
“I know you have only three days. So, grant me this and let me make those three days count. I promise, by your final night, every moment we’ve waited will be worth it.” His nose skimmed down her bare throat. Then his lips sealed over the point of her wildly beating pulse. She trembled, body captured between the unyielding wall and his muscular physique.
“I need… I feel like I’m on fire,” she whispered. The heat blazed through her, spreading from her core to every slender extremity.
“Then let me quench the flames.”
His left hand slipped between her legs. With one touch, he turned her molten with desire. Tink writhed against the wall as the talented play of his fingers found her most sensitive spots. She rose to her tiptoes, and he followed with another thrust of his agile digits. The two fingers that had teased, buried inside her.
“James!”
His lips sought her mouth again and resumed the passionate kiss between them. Her entire body became sensitized and responsive to him, a flick of his thumb all it took to snap the tightening band of tension and reduce her to a quivering mess. Her knees no longer cooperated, and pleasure spread throughout her body in euphoric waves, turning her mind heady with bliss.
If not for James’s body pressed so close, Tink was certain she would collapse in a limp, boneless pile to the wet floor. She struggled to draw in a proper breath, eyes closed and heart racing while James delivered tender kisses to her brow and cheeks.
“Have I rendered you speechless?” he asked in a low voice filled with mirth.
“I—that…” Words were impossible, so she gave up the attempt, much to his amusement. He kissed her again.
“That was a mere glimpse of what I promise to show you, Belle. But not tonight.”
The knobs squeaked to her right, and the water shut off. James scooped her into his arms and carefully carried her from the shower to the bed. She didn’t even care that she was wet. After what he’d done, the cooler air felt good against her flushed skin.
After laying her down, he disappeared, only to return with a towel. Then he dried her body and hair with the utmost care.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Uh-huh.” She managed to crack open one eye, gaze focusing on his smiling face. “What?”
“I’ve never managed to render a woman mute before, and you look absolutely beautiful like this.”
“Like what?”
“Euphoric,” he replied. “You look as if I’ve made you the happiest woman in the world.”
“I am happy,” she agreed, reaching for him.
James tossed the towel aside and crawled beneath the sheets with her, pulling the blanket up to cover them both. Tink rolled over and snuggled against his side. If James’s plan had been to exhaust her from pursuing her original intent, he’d succeeded. She wanted nothing more than to cuddle close and sleep.
“Is what you did a normal part of human sex?” she asked.
“For many, yes. There are many ways to share pleasure, Belle. Even to grant it to yourself.”
His words provoked her curiosity, though, for once, she was hesitant to voice her questions. She didn’t want to please herself.
“Do your kind make love?” James asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Tink shook her head. “Sometimes. We have the parts, but the desire isn’t usually there. And if it is… we don’t have babies. Sprites never have babies.”
“Then how are sprites born? You came from somewhere. You didn’t merely blink into existence.”
“Oh, but we do. We’re tied to the lives of the little ones in Cairn Ocland, and whenever a new baby laughs for the first time, a new sprite is born. Only the big fae get to have babies.”
“I see. And what are big fae?”
“Fairy godmothers. Queen Anastasia’s grandmother is a big fae, but a nice one. Not evil like Maeval was. She’s beautiful and tall and radiant. I’m… an honorary fairy godmother, but I’m not the real thing.”
James smoothed the drying strands of hair back from her face before his gentle kisses touched her brow. “I’m sure to your little godson, you will be. Now sleep, my Belle. Tomorrow, there are many wonders to teach you.”
How could he possibly expect her to sleep for even a wink while his hard body pressed against her beneath the bedcovers?
Tink’s hand crept beneath the sheets. Before she reached her prize, James caught her by the wrist and pressed her small hand against his chest, instead.
Fiddlesticks. So much for that plan.
Chapter
BELLE DIDN’T REALIZE how much of a temptation she posed. Exercising his willpower, he managed to leave her snuggled in bed. He tossed on clothes, adorned himself with the usual wardrobe befitting pirate life, and tucked his pistol into his belt. All the while he prepared for the day, his golden Belle lay motionless.
Unable to bear disturbing her, he vacated the cabin and made his way to the galley to find Cook preparing the breakfast platter he normally took in his room.
She blinked at him, eyes owlish behind her horn-rimmed spectacles. “Why aren’t you in bed?”
“Should I be?”
“Well, we all assumed…”
Blast it all to oblivion. He’d been worried about this, and fixed Cook with a stern glare. “I know I’m not the purest man in the world, but I’m not a cad. You should know me better.”
Cook met his censure with a hard look of her own. The older woman never withered under his gaze. “No one thinks you are, sonny, so settle down. But you and Belle are so close, and I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“Sh
e’s a beautiful woman.”
“Before she grew to your size.”
James scowled, but he couldn’t say a word to the contrary. “It’s complicated.”
“I’ll say. I was certain I’d see neither hide nor hair of you both for three days. Nigel, Callum, and Eliza had already decided to divide your duties among them and set sail within the hour.”
“Honestly, Savina, I’m not about to keep her locked up just to sate my sexual appetites.”
Cook laughed and dished him up three fried eggs alongside crispy shredded yams with onion. “No one would blame you if you did, that’s all I’m saying. Still, I’m glad to hear it. What’s next then?”
“We get underway as planned. Belle wants to learn to sail.”
“I suggest you find her some pants then, else no work will be getting done.”
“Eliza’s things are too short for her.”
“Hmph. I’ll see what I can do. Now git. Begone from my kitchen.”
“As always, a pleasure talking with you, Cook.”
Hoping the aroma of breakfast and melted cheese over eggs would awaken Belle from her slumber, he placed a tray on the table in his quarters. Afterward, he sought Nigel on the lower deck.
“Well, well, well. I didn’t expect you to be up and moving this early.”
“Why’s that?” James asked, giving his friend the benefit of the doubt.
“Figured your face would still be buried between your Belle’s thighs, is all.”
James grunted. “You crass bastard.”
“We all know how you feel about her, mate. Honestly. I merely wonder why, if she’s got the magic to become a human woman, she’s waited so long.”
“She doesn’t. This is temporary.”
“Well then, as your best friend, I order you back to your cabin to get between those thighs.”
“Nigel, mention her thighs again and friendship won’t save you from this bullet.”
“What? Thighs or no thighs, the woman of your dreams is in your cabin while you waste time on the deck, preparing to perform duties Smee and I can accomplish without you.”
“Does everyone expect me to stay in my cabin shagging?”
“Pretty much. Callum and I had a wager on when you’d show your face. I lost.” Nigel’s frown placed deep furrows between his brows. “He said you’d be back to business as normal, and I thought you’d enjoy a little downtime with your lady love.”
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