Gallagher’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Of course. And as soon as we are done with practice, you can go see her.”
“Oh, I would like that verra much. Can Jacob come?”
Quinn kissed Gallagher’s forehead. “Of course. You show me what you can do with a dagger, and I’ll take you both to see her.”
As Quinn watched Gallagher working with One Eye, Tavish stood beside her. “Love looks good on ya, lad.”
“Don’t make me hurt you,” Quinn said, suppressing a smile.
“Ya’ve got two months with her. Somethin’ ya never had before. Usually, ya get snippets here and there, but never that kinda time. You’ll either fall completely in or completely out. Either way, enjoy the ride.”
Quinn looked at her old friend. More and more grey streaks seemed to show up daily in his beard. “I wish I could, but I just doubt myself so much. I’ve not had much luck with women.”
“Sure ya have, lad. Ya fish for big fish, but when ya get one, ya always seem to throw it back.”
“Such as?”
“Sayyida, fer one. She risked everythin’ to keep ya safe. Her reputation, her crew, mebbe even her life. Ya sailed away from her just like ya did Becca and Fiona. Then ya chose to love a ghost instead.”
“Evan?”
He nodded. “Let her go. Kaylish is a beautiful woman. A good woman. Open yerself up to her. See what it feels like to love a good woman for longer than a moment.”
“I can do that.”
They stood in silence while watching Gallagher thrust her dagger at a sack full of grass.
“What are ya waitin’ fer, laddie? No time like the present.”
“Now?”
Tavish shoved her with one hand. “Aye. Go. We’ll keep the lass busy until yer done. When ya come back on deck to get her, it better be with a smile on yer face.”
Quinn inhaled deeply and made her way to her quarters.
Opening the door, Quinn found Kaylish sitting up in bed. Her hair was brushed and hung over her shoulders to settle on her chest.
But what caught Quinn’s breath was the look in her blue eyes. Kaylish looked at her with so much love, it filled the room.
In three strides, Quinn was across the room, her lips on Kaylish’s, her hands holding Kaylish’s face as Kaylish worked to get the buttons undone on Quinn’s pants.
Kicking off her boots and pants, Quinn completely disrobed without ever taking her lips off of Kaylish’s.
As Kaylish’s hands gently roamed across Quinn’s body, Quinn gently released Kaylish’s buttons on her nightgown.
“Don’t be nervous,” Quinn whispered in Kaylish’s ear as she kissed her neck.
“I’m not.” Kaylish pulled away slightly and gazed in Quinn’s eyes. “I’ve thought about little else these last two months. Little else, Quinn Callaghan, so if you do not soon touch me, I might just burst.”
Taking one of Quinn’s hands, Kaylish placed it between her legs.
Sliding her fingers over Kaylish’s incredibly wet pussy, she gently bit her neck, her shoulders, and her upper chest before finding her soft, warm nipple.
“My god…” Kaylish moaned. “This is… even better than my dreams.”
Quinn sucked on her nipple, caressing it gently with her tongue until it shrank and puckered. All the while, her fingers glided across Kaylish’s silky wetness.
Lifting her hips in response to Quinn’s touch, Kaylish played with Quinn’s hair with one hand while stroking her back with the other. “So… so soft.”
Quinn smiled to herself as she slipped two fingers inside of Kaylish’s warmth.
“Mercy me.”
With her other hand, Quinn toyed with Kaylish’s left nipple, her fingers working their way in and out, in and out.
Kaylish stopped undulating her hips and now kept them raised. “Please…”
Quinn looked into Kaylish’s face. “Please what?”
“Please release me.”
Quinn lowered her mouth back to Kaylish’s breast before stroking her engorged clitoris over and over… slowly, at first, then faster until she could sense Kaylish was at the breaking point.
“Oh… my… god…” Kaylish let out a squeal before covering her mouth with her hand and tensing her body.
The climax lasted for some time before she finally lowered her hips to the bed and releasing Quinn’s head. “Am I dead. Have ya killed me with yer wicked ways?”
Placing her mouth over Kaylish’s and giving her tongue, Quinn took Kaylish’s hand and pressed it against her wetness.
“I can move—” Kaylish started.
“No. You’re still healing.” Quinn knelt beside Kaylish and turned her palm over to kiss it. “I can wait.”
“No… please. I can do this.”
“I know you can, sweet girl, but if you start bleeding, Maggie will have my head.”
“It’s not your head I want.”
Quinn laughed. “No? It might be the best part of me.”
“Oh, I doubt that very much. From what I see, the whole lot of you is quite fetching, and when I feel better, I am going to make your toes curl and your spirit leave your body.”
“Promise?”
Kaylish chuckled. “Absolutely. You have… quite a touch. I… well… I am a loss for words. You make me feel beautiful inside and out. That was really…” Kaylish shook her head. “Simply amazing. I can’t wait to make you feel that way.”
Quinn splayed her fingers and set her hand on Kaylish’s chest. “I will greatly look forward to that. In the meantime, we must get you better… Healthy. I would like it if you would stay here. With me.”
“And how will your men feel about that?”
Quinn smiled. “My men practically pushed me in here. They just want me to be happy.”
Kaylish reached up and caressed Quinn’s cheek. “And are you?”
“Happy? I believe I am.”
“Do you want to be?”
“I do. I think I have spent so much time worrying about my crew, my captain, and my country, perhaps it is time I concern myself with my life.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Kaylish kissed Quinn softly. “Thank you for returning my affections. I can promise you I will not get in your way. I will not make you regret your—”
Quinn quickly kissed her. “Shh. I appreciate your concern, but at the end of the day, this is my ship and my crew, and they will accept whatever transpires between us.”
Kaylish nodded. “I understand.”
Lightly tracing the contours of Kaylish’s ample bosom, Quinn kissed her once more before rising. “Gallagher is dying to see you.”
Kaylish’s eyes lit up. “Excellent! I would really love to see her.”
“We’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be proper.”
After getting dressed, Quinn sat on the edge of the bed and held her hand. “I just need to say this. I may wear men’s clothes and pass as one every now and again, but my heart is still tender, and I am slightly nervous about it being hurt again.”
Kaylish smiled softly. “Then let’s not do that. Agreed?”
Quinn rose and kissed Kaylish softly. “Agreed.”
The first month of the voyage went without incident. The men practiced fighting, Gallagher seemed to grow like a weed, and Quinn found herself falling deeper in love with Kaylish every day.
They cuddled together every night, woke up in each other’s arms every morning, and watched the sun set every evening. Their time together was some of the easiest, best, most loving moments she’d ever had with anyone.
“Sun feels especially good today,” Kaylish said as she joined Quinn on the captain’s deck. Her color had returned, but she had lost a lot of weight while recovering.
“Aye. Halfway there and nothing but clear skies? The goddess favors us.” Quinn winked at Kaylish. “And she has favored me with you. I never had such a lover as you.”
Kaylish smiled back softly. “You never stayed long enough
to have a conversation much deeper than right then, right there.”
Quinn belted out laughter. “True. I only knew of Grace’s and Bronwen’s companionship, and both are more mentor than friend. You are my equal in so many ways.”
“The crew has accepted my presence because you do seem so much happier, my love.”
“Because I am. And why not? We have the wind at our backs, food is holding out, water supply is high, and I bed the most beautiful woman every night. I am a very lucky captain.”
“The men certainly enjoyed last night’s celebration with the Portuguese.”
Quinn looked out over the deck. Very few men were up yet after spending the night in celebration of the halfway point with the Portuguese. The revelry had been fun to see and be a part of. They deserved it, after all.
There was still an emptiness among them from the men they’d lost back at the New World.
It was a void Quinn did not think would ever be filled… ever again. She had brought them to their death. The only consolation, if there was one, was the fact that [?] of their exploits were life-threatening. That was the nature of the beast.
“… and the Portuguese will forever be in your debt.”
Quinn forced a grin. “Aye.”
“Last night, when the men asked you what your next adventure was, you avoided the answer.”
Quinn sighed. “I did.”
“Why?”
She looked at Kaylish. “Because they aren’t ready to hear what I have to say.”
“Which is what?”
“I have some business to take care of, and I—”
“You’re leaving them, aren’t you?”
Quinn didn’t know whether she respected Kaylish for knowing her so well already or to be afraid of her a little for knowing her so well. “Not leaving them. Not forever. I have to finish something that started a long time ago. I cannot do it with them.”
“Cannot or will not?” Kaylish laid her palm on Quinn’s cheek. “Because you won’t place them in any more danger?”
She wanted to lie. She wanted to act like she didn’t know what Kaylish was talking about.
But she couldn’t.
“Aye. I love these misfits with all my heart. They have suffered enough on this verra, verra long voyage. I won’t put them in danger again—at least, not until they’ve had a chance to spend time with their families. These men need some land time at home. I don’t know how much longer Ireland will be their home.”
Kaylish stepped closer. “And what do you need, my love?”
Turning her face, Quinn kissed the palm of Kaylish’s hand. “You. I did not believe I would ever say to another woman that I need her, but I really do.”
“You sound frightened of that.”
Quinn struggled. “Not frightened. More like anxious. I never saw this on my horizon.”
“This. And just what is this?”
Quinn gazed into Kaylish’s face for a long time before replying softly, “Love. I love you, Kaylish.”
Kaylish blinked.
“I see I caught you off-guard.”
“I…I’m afraid you did.”
Quinn leaned over and kissed her softly. “If your affections are not returned, I—”
“I never said that. Of course they are. I just… I thought… I wasn’t certain—”
Quinn laughed. “You suspected this is a sea voyage dalliance.”
Kaylish’s blush was answer enough.
“It may have started out that way, but no longer. I care verra deeply for you, Kaylish. Verra deeply indeed.”
“Deeply enough to take me with you wherever you go?”
Quinn shook her head. “Not this time, dearest one. This is something I must do on my own.”
“And you swear to return to me?”
Nodding, Quinn held her tightly. “With all that I am and all that I have, I swear.”
Two and a half months later, Quinn and Kaylish stood before Lady Killigrew, who stared at the pile of emeralds she held in her palm and that was only a quarter of what was left in the bag. “I… I had no idea, Captain.” The lady glanced over at Kaylish, who stood right next to Quinn. “My sister gave you emeralds?”
“There is some sort of mine there, but the emeralds are useless to the colonists,” Quinn explained. “According to your sister, the Indians see only decorative value in them, so giving them to us was easy.”
“I… I am truly impressed. And that galleon… it’s truly not what you want?”
Shaking her head, Quinn blew out a breath. “It is a beautiful ship… for enna one else. I’d rather not let the Spanish know we stole it from them, so the sooner we divest ourselves of it, the better.”
Lady Killigrew carefully dropped the emeralds back in the pouch. “Understood. So, what can I do for you?”
“Even trade for ships. I’ll take whatever you have that isn’t English or Spanish.”
Lady Killigrew looked at Kaylish, her eyebrows up in question. “By the looks of it, you’re going to need a ship with a larger captain’s quarters.”
Quinn smiled. “I will let Kaylish fill you in on those details. Right now, we have a ship filled with furs you might wish to have a look at.”
“Oh. I do. Indeed. The last ship you gave me more than paid for our trade. I’m afraid, however, that I only have one ship that fits your needs, but I believe it will be perfectly suited for you.”
When Quinn laid her eyes on the sloop, a vessel favored by the Barbary Pirates Sayyida sailed with, she felt her heart leap. “It’s perfect.”
“Not for collecting plunder, it isn’t,” Lady Killigrew said softly. “The hold’s not really the size of your usual ships, but she is fast and can handle the shallower waters.”
“Aye.”
Lady Killigrew sidled up to Quinn. “You’re changing course, aren’t you, Callaghan? Four months at sea has… taken its toll, perhaps.”
“Perhaps. We lost too many men, and we are bone-weary and sea-tired. Plunder is one thing, M’lady, but I believe speed and the ability to hide and escape will better serve us in the days to come.” Quinn kept her eye on the sloop as she spoke. “The English are coming. That much is clear. My men and I will not be here when they arrive to take us over.”
Lady Killigrew nodded. “Ah. I see. You’re headed to the Barbary Coast.”
Nodding. Quinn turned to her. “Aye. That we are. We will go with a smaller crew, a faster ship, and a much different plunder plan. Is it a deal?”
Lady Killigrew nodded. “I am getting a far better bargain than you are, Captain. Are you quite certain?”
“I am. My debt to you has been repaid threefold. All I wish to do now is return my crew to Galway where they may be reunited with their loved ones.”
“And you?” she asked Kaylish. “What are your plans?”
Kaylish slid her hand into Quinn’s. “I go where my love goes.”
“I thought as much. Here.” Lady Killigrew poured some of the emeralds into Kaylish’s palm. “I cannot send you out into the pirate world without a purse of your own.”
Kaylish’s eyes grew wide. “M’lady—”
“Take it. When my sister and her people start harvesting those seeds, we will all be very wealthy people, so this is the least I can do.”
Kaylish took the emeralds and carefully placed them in her pouch. “Thank you, M’lady.”
“Now then, let’s take a look at those furs.”
“I gotta say, lad, I had my doubts about this ship, but she sails smooth and easy.”
They had celebrated being on land most of the night, and now, after dividing up the purse for the galleon, the hold, and the emeralds, every man was on deck as the coast of their beloved Ireland was in sight.
“Glad you like it, Tavish. The men had their doubts.”
“They loved the galleon, lad. Kinda hard to leave it for this skeleton ship.”
“They’ll get used to it. We’re down almost a quarter of our men. A smaller ship will suffer.”
/> “Oh, that I ken, Callaghan, but what I’m wonderin’ is why the smaller, faster ship?” He narrowed his gaze. “Wait. The corsairs.”
Quinn turned away. “Aye. I’m taking the ship to Morocco once we’ve had our fill of land.”
“Morocco? Sayyida? Is that what this is about?”
Quinn shook her head.
“Lad, I don’t think takin’ yer new girl to meet your old one is such a wise idea.”
“It’s not about them. It’s about our crew—our way of life—our safety and freedom. Ireland cannot protect us anymore, and we are done protecting her. Let Grace do it. Let the clans do it. Let everra one else do it, but we need to leave.”
Tavish cocked his head. “Yer givin’ up, lad?”
“Not giving up. Movin on. My job is to take care of these men, Tavish. We’ve had our own big adventure across the water to the New World. Not all of us came back. That is my burden to shoulder, but I’ll not take such risks again.”
“We’re pirates, lad. Livin’ is one big risk. Ya canna blame yerself when men make their own choices. Ya gotta stop broodin’ aboot it.”
“Brooding? I’m not—”
“Bloody hell, Callaghan, ya been broodin’ fer two months.”
“I have not!”
“Ya been sittin’ here blamin’ yerself ever since Derry was kilt. Ya canna afford to have a pity party fer what happened in that godforsaken island. It’s over. You must release enna guilt fer what happened. Ya learn and move on. The men need ya to move forward, lad.”
Quinn inhaled deeply. “That’s why I got the new ship. We need a fresh start away from Ireland and our past.”
“And ya think Morocco is the best move? Sayyida may not welcome us, aye?”
“Aye, but she’ll not attack us.”
“Not until she discovers ya brought yer other lover. That woman can hold a grudge like nobody we ken. Yer sure ya wanna risk it?”
“Aye. Best place for us to be is enna where not near Ireland.”
Tavish chuckled as he walked away. “I wish ya luck with that, lad. When she sees how beautiful Kaylish is, she might not be quite as understandin’ as ya think.”
When she was alone on the deck, Quinn warmed as the coast got closer and closer. She’d never been away from her home for such a long stretch of time. It felt much longer than five months, and she was slightly surprised at how excited she was to see her friends and family.
Dead Man's Chest (The Plundered Chronicles Book 5) Page 18