Lynna's Beau (Tropical Paradise Series Book 2)

by Kitty Margo

  “Well that is certainly welcome news.” Lynna smiled at the gentle giant. “I would not care to witness any bloodshed on my behalf.”

  “Sam done sont you dis food. He was able ta stock up on supplies in town.” With his hands empty, Rob reached into his pocket and withdrew two oranges. As his lips curved into a sheepish grin, he tossed her one. “I brung ‘bout a bushel of oranges, lemons, and plums from de island. I don’t reckon dat pi’ate gwine miss dis lil bit of fruit.”

  “There are hundreds of fruit trees at Devereux Acres.” Lynna attempted to ease his mine. “I doubt a bushel will be missed.”

  Rob wore a puzzled expression. For the life of him, he could not understand why Lynna didn’t want bloodshed. Sean Devereux had kidnapped her from her home and stole her away from her son. Shouldn’t she want to see him strung up from the nearest yardarm? Meeting her eyes, he held them without blinking. “Buttercup you ain’t gots ta answer me if’n you don’t wants to rat now, but I’s gots ta know sumphin’.”

  “What is it, Rob?” She had no desire to have the discussion she knew was coming.

  Rob shuffled his feet, scrubbing his massive hand over his bald head. “I needs ta know whut dat pi’ate done ta you. If’n he made you do anythin’ agin yo’ will, I wants you ta tell me.” Rob’s mind wandered to thoughts best left to rest in the darkest recesses of his mind. Without thinking, his hand squeezed the orange until juice ran through his fingers and dripped on the floor. “Cause if’n he did I aims ta kill him fo’ it.”

  Lynna grabbed onto a table and held on as the ship lurched and began to head toward open water. When the ship was parallel to the island she glanced toward the house on the hill, her heart fluttering upon noticing a candle flickering in an upstairs window. Was he watching her go? Had he found her note saying only that her husband was alive and they were returning home to their son?

  When she felt composed enough to answer Rob’s question, she turned to him with a bright smile in place. “No, Rob. You have my word that Sean did not force me to do anything against my will. In fact, he was a perfect gentleman during my entire stay on the island.”

  “Harrumph!” Rob snorted loudly, not believing a word of it. He knew Sean Devereux too well, and the man was no gentleman, perfect or otherwise. He couldn’t figure out why Lynna felt the need to protect the filthy scum, but it was obvious that she did. “I ain’t never know’ him to act like no gen’leman befo’.”

  “Well he was to me, Rob,” Lynna stated impatiently, standing to drop the orange on Joshua’s desk. Smoothing her skirt with nervous fingers she faced him with her hands on her hips. “So, you mustn’t concern yourself with a ridiculous urge to kill someone.”

  Rob was far from convinced, but decided to let it rest, for now. He had plenty of time to find out the truth, since making the difficult decision to leave his treasured island and return to civilization. He only prayed he didn’t live to regret it.

  Relief washed over Lynna when Joshua edged around Rob’s massive bulk and through the door, effectively ending their conversation.

  “I reckon you two be wantin’ to be alone.” Rob snapped, irritated by the interruption. He wouldn’t rest until Lynna told him the truth of what happened at Devereux Acres. He wouldn’t judge her no matter what she told him, she was an innocent victim, but he would seek revenge on her behalf.

  “Whatever gave you that idea?” Joshua chuckled.

  Rob cast a stern glance his way warning him that the goliath was not in a jovial mood at the moment. “I be up on deck if’n you needs me, Buttercup.” Rob knew how badly Sean Devereux had wanted Lynna and would wager his life that the man hadn’t left her untouched during the months she resided under his roof.

  “Thank you, Rob.” Breathing a sigh of relief, Lynna hurried to his side and, standing on her tiptoes, reached her arms around his huge neck for a hug and a loving kiss on his rough cheek. “It’s so wonderful to have you back in my life. You will never know how much I have missed seeing you every day.”

  Returning her hug, Rob then stood her away from him, determined to continue their conversation the next time they had a few minutes alone. “G’night, Buttercup,” he mumbled, closing the door behind him.

  As the door clicked shut, Joshua moved to take his exquisite wife into his arms. “Alone at last,” he murmured against her lilac scented hair. “I can’t count how many nights I have dreamed of this moment.”

  As Joshua began unbuttoning his shirt, Lynna couldn’t resist rubbing her hands across the firm muscles of his sun-bronzed chest. Suddenly, she jerked her hand back, feeling rough, ridged skin. Slipping the shirt over his shoulder, she gasped in horror when his chest was revealed. “Joshua, my God, what happened to you?”

  Taking her hand, Joshua rubbed it across his hideous scar. “This is my souvenir from Suzanne.”

  “A… souvenir?” Lynna cringed as she looked at the ugly, red raised flesh. “Joshua, what are you talking about?”

  “Suzanne had me shot and left for dead, darling.”

  “Surely you cannot be serious?” she cried, appalled. “Suzanne did this?”

  “Yes, my love. Nothing else could have kept me away from you and our son. It took months to recover from the wound to my chest.”

  Tears shimmered on Lynna’s sooty lashes. “Joshua, the wound is so close to your heart.”

  “I am a very lucky man. Come sit with me while I explain everything, Lynna.” He led her to window seat, sitting down beside her and drawing her close. “After I was shot, I was dumped in a ravine on the North Carolina and South Carolina border.”

  Lynna shook her head, trying to make sense of what he was telling her. “Joshua, I cannot believe any of this.”

  Pulling away, their eyes met and she saw the lingering pain in his. “It’s all true, darling.” He shook his head sadly. “Fortunately for me Clara, a young mute girl, found me and she and her grandmother nursed me back to health. If Clara had not stumbled upon me in the woods when she did, I would not be sitting here with you today. I lost a great deal of blood and was unconscious for weeks.”

  “Oh my God, Joshua. I had no idea.” She could only imagine the pain and heartache he had suffered. “If only I had known where you were. I would have come for you.”

  “Of course you would have, my sweet. But there was no way you could have known. Suzanne made sure of it. It’s a miracle that I lived long enough for Clara to find me. If it had been left up to Suzanne I would have never enjoyed another sunrise.”

  “But Suzanne visited me after you disappeared, almost daily. Joshua, she comforted me while I cried on her shoulder. She was always telling me how sorry she was, assuring me she was praying for your safe return.” She looked up at Joshua, her eyes filled with fear. “Suzanne drove me to the docks to meet Sean.”

  “Yes, love. They were both in on the kidnapping plot.”

  “How do you know this?”

  He winked slyly. “I was able to… persuade her to confess everything to me.”

  Suddenly a frightening thought struck Lynna. “Suzanne held Beau whenever she came to Sea Grove. Joshua, what if she tries to harm our son while we are both away.”

  “I personally dropped Suzanne off at the county jail. I wouldn’t worry about her being released for a long time to come, love. When your father found out Suzanne was behind both our disappearances, well, livid is putting it mildly. He vowed to see Suzanne punished for her crimes and was already corresponding with several of the best lawyers in the country when I left to find you.”

  “But I don’t understand.” It was all so confusing. “All Suzanne seems to want in life is you. So why would she try to kill you?”

  “My guess is that it was a case of ‘if I can’t have him nobody can’. But that is enough talk of Suzanne. I have you all to myself for at least the next eight weeks and I don’t intend to waste a minute of it.”

  “At least?” Lynna turned to him with a puzzled countenance. Where did he think she was going?

  “I w
ould wager that once we return home we will have the addition of a bouncing little toddler in our bed until you have sufficiently smothered the child with enough love to allow him to return to his own bed.”

  Lynna sighed contentedly. “You know me well, don’t you darling?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know that you will be a wonderful mother to our son. I know that your homecoming will make your father the happiest man alive.” He placed another soft kiss on her cheekbone. “I know that you are an answer to many, many heartfelt prayers. I know that you love spring mornings and loathe thunderstorms.” He mouth slid across her cheek to nibble on her earlobe. “I know that you speak several languages fluently.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Your father was bragging,” he teased. “I know that when you are with child you eat everything that isn’t nailed down.”

  “Oh, you!” She laughed, enjoying his lively banter.

  “I know that you are without doubt the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” Then, just before his lips met hers, he whispered, “I know that I love you more than life itself.”

  His moist mouth slid across her lips, his tongue flicking out to do a sultry dance with hers, causing her insides to quicken. His fingers slid up the back of her head piling her hair on top, his long fingers massaging her scalp and sending delicious shivers down her spine. Backing her up against his desk, his pressed his full length against hers. “I know that if I don’t soon make love to my gorgeous wife I will explode.”

  Without another word he raised her dress, quickly making short work of removing her shoes and the bothersome undergarments that accompanied them. Then as his mouth once again sought hers, he lifted her to sit on the edge of the desk, which was exactly the right height.

  Afterward, they held tight to each other, neither moving for several minutes, waiting for their breathing to return to normal.

  “Where were we?” Reaching around behind her, he unfastened the stays on her dress and lifted the cumbersome garment, along with her chemise, over her head. “Oh yes, so not to sound greedy, but you are mine until we dock in Charleston and I intend to enjoy every second until I am forced to share you.”

  Lynna leaned her head against his broad shoulder as his hands moved to caress her bare skin. “I still find it hard to believe you are alive,” she murmured breathlessly. “I remember so vividly the morning they told me you were… dead.” She shook her head to dispel an avalanche of painful memories that threatened to overwhelm her. “Those days, and the sickness that followed, were a living hell worse than anything I could ever have imagined.”

  Pulling her close, Joshua whispered against her silky hair, remembering his own particular form of torment. “I became well acquainted with hell on earth myself over the course of the last year, my love. And then, when I found out Sean Devereux had taken you…”

  “He didn’t harm me in any way, Joshua.” As usual, she was quick to jump to Sean’s defense. “Please do not forget that if not for Sean, I would not be here now.”

  Joshua’s hands stilled. “How can I forget when you remind me at every turn?”

  “I don’t mean to keep bringing him up, Joshua.” She tried to pull away, but he held her against him. “It’s important to me that you know the truth.”

  “I realize I should be thankful to the man, but it’s… difficult at best, Lynna. Can’t you understand?”

  “Of course I do?”

  “I’m not sure you do. What if I suddenly had a change of heart and decided to welcome Suzanne back into my life with open arms? How would you feel?”

  Lynna stiffened at his words, the mere thought causing a cold chill to shiver along her spine. “I see your point.” And she did. But, nonetheless, she would be forever grateful to Sean. “Let’s change the subject and speak of this another time. For now I need to hear all about my son.”

  With Beau being one of his favorite subjects, Joshua was only too happy to oblige. At the same time, he knew he would be even happier if he never had to hear Sean Devereux’s name fall from her luscious lips again. “Beau is perfect, and being the spitting image of his father, devastatingly handsome.”

  “Of course, that goes without saying.” she teased, as Joshua lifted her easily and carried her to the bed. She then watched with keen interest as he went about removing his breeches. Another lazy current of warmth swirled through her insides with each article of clothing he shed. “Was Beau taking any steps when you left?”

  “No, he had not gained the courage to turn lose and stand on his own two feet yet, but he was pulling up and crawling every chance he got.” He joined her on the bed pressing the length of his body against hers. Every nerve ending in his body was alive as her soft, supple curves slid across his hard, lean torso. “God, you feel good, Lynna. Exactly as I remember.” His lips found hers in a kiss that sucked the very air from her lungs.

  Lynna had another question about her son on the tip of her tongue, but it was temporarily relocated to the back of her mind. In fact, it was difficult to form a rational thought at all when her husband filled her so completely, making her forget all else.

  “I’m sorry, my love, but it has been too long and your body feels… too good. Next time is yours. I promise.”

  Hours later, Lynna was exhausted, but too excited to sleep. She fingered the silky hair at Joshua’s nape and ran her toe up his leg. “Tell me more about Beau?”

  Turning on his side to face her, Joshua smoothed the damp hair from her forehead, tracing her sensuous mouth with his finger. “Between Clara and Malinda his feet rarely touch the floor. Mother insists he will never learn to walk if they don’t put him down.”

  Lynna’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears, realizing she had already missed several important milestones in her son’s first year of life. Sitting. Crawling. Most likely his first steps. She hastily brushed away a tear. “Do you think he will remember me?”

  “I cannot say, darling. Remember he was only a few days old when you left. But, if he doesn’t it will only take him a few days at most to fall head over heels in love with his mother all over again.” Tilting her chin, he gazed into her watery eyes. “We will be a family at last, Lynna.”

  “That will be a dream come true.” My family. Together at last. “And I cannot wait to meet Clara and Lucille and thank them for saving your life.”

  Joshua chuckled, pulling her close, resting her head against his heart. “Let me warn you ahead of time that Clara considers Beau to be her charge and is very possessive of the child. She and Malinda are forever at odds because of it.” His hand moved down her back to rest on her hip. “Beau needs a sister, then they would each have a youngster to spoil rotten.”

  Feeling her body tense beneath his hands, Joshua raised up on his elbow, peering into her eyes. “What did I say to upset you, Lynna? Is it too soon for talk of another child?”

  “What? No, of course not. I was… just thinking of Beau.”

  “Don’t worry about Beau, my sweet.” Joshua settled back down beside her. “If we have good winds, we will be in Charleston in eight weeks. I hope you won’t be bored with plantation life after your many adventures of the past few years?”

  “I long to be bored, darling.” Lynna’s hand slid up his neck and across his finely chiseled jaw. “I hope I never have to leave my son or Sea Grove again. I can be happy wherever I am as long as I have Beau by my side.” She shuddered, remembering saying those exact words to Sean. “And you, my darling. As long as I have you by my side.” She released a blissful sigh as his moist, open mouth slid down her neck. She needed this man as she needed the blood that flowed through her veins, the air that she breathed, her daily bread. “I love you, Joshua Daniel Jordan.”

  He paused and raised his head to look with deep longing into her azure eyes. “I love you, Lynna MaKensie Rhodes Jordan and pray I never have to spend another day in this life without you.”

  As they clung to each other with limbs entwined, afraid the other might disappear in t
he night, Joshua knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep until he had some answers. “Darling, there are some things I need to say, but until now I haven’t been able to find the words.”

  “Tell me,” she mumbled sleepily.

  “I need you to know that… whatever… happened in Trinidad you can tell me. You were kidnapped by a vicious pirate and cannot be held responsible for anything that transpired while you were held captive. I will continue to love you no matter what happened between the two of you. You thought I was dead, therefore even though it would kill me to know that he… I just need the truth.”

  “Joshua, Sean never forced me to do anything against my will.” Tilting her head back to gaze at her handsome husband, her hand trailed up his chest and behind his head to pull his mouth down to hers, silencing his questions for the time being. “Now, I am exhausted my love. Shall we try to get a few hours sleep before we must greet this glorious new day?”

  A vise that had gripped his heart like an iron fist slowly loosed and Joshua was able to breathe easier knowing the pirate had not forced himself on his wife. But he would never rest easy until Sean Devereux was no longer a threat. He knew Sean would be returning for Lynna. Any man would. But he vowed the pirate would not live long enough to lay hands on his wife again.

  The End

  Chapter 1

  Mississippi

  April 1855

  Suzanne Fletcher Jordan lifted the heavy hoe with bruised and calloused hands, peering into the huge orange glow of a blazing summer sun. It had to be well over ninety degrees in the late May heat and the thick humidity made it feel like she was struggling to breathe underwater.

  Even though she gave it her best effort, she could only raise the hoe a few inches above the ground and this small exertion caused muscles in her body that had never been used to scream with agonizing pain. Nonetheless she continued the monotonous motion over and over, having no desire to feel the bite of the guard’s whip again. Once had been more than enough.