by Sarah West
She broke from her reverie. “Everything is fine, no need to get anyone. I just got lost in thought for a moment, that’s all.”
He didn’t look at all convinced. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“Well then I’ll see you later at the party. Goodbye, Miss Amber,” he said as he made a hasty retreat.
She couldn’t shake a feeling of betrayal. This whole time she had been sitting there exposed, having conversations with the scoundrel as he watched her bathe! It explained much of his behavior, though it did not excuse it.
Excitement rose deep in her belly, but she dismissed that as the anticipation of sweet revenge. “Oh, he is definitely going to pay for this,” she muttered under her breath as she stormed over to the water and began to wash her hair. The salt from the seawater typically left a filmy residue in her long red hair, making it frizz in the humid air. Tonight she had wanted to restore it to its usual lush curls, but the movements of her hands on her scalp were less than soothing. When she was done, she used a cloth to clean the rest of her body, after ensuring that the door was indeed locked. No longer did she naively trust the screen to protect her from her Captain’s leering eyes.
Fully washed, she approached the bed and stood naked, hands on her hips, scrutinizing her outfit once again. Her desire to impress Logan by dressing up like the lady she was had disintegrated. If he insisted on treating her like a common wench, then that is precisely who she would become.
With a smirk she tossed the yellow dress back into her trunk and shrugged into the chemise. The white fabric dipped far enough below her neck to offer an enticing view of her cleavage, but the sleeves were too long for her current purpose, so she cut them off with her dagger. Much better, she admitted as she examined herself in the mirror. Her shoulders were now exposed, showing off the sleek muscles she had acquired over the past few weeks. She wrapped the red skirt around her and slipped the beads around her neck, then as an afterthought, added a cream colored corset that cinched along her back and succeeded in pushing her breasts up even higher. Satisfied with the result, she tucked the flower behind her ear and shook out her curls one last time, before sauntering towards the door.
“Dear god, what the devil does she think she is wearing?” Logan sputtered as Amber emerged from the cabin, choking on his ale. Eli thumped his back until the coughing subsided.
“I warned you not to encourage her, didn’t I?” Eli told him. “One of these days you are going to start taking my advice, old friend.”
As the sun sank behind the horizon, Logan found himself unable to peel his eyes from Amber. At dinnertime she accepted her plate and headed towards the bow of the ship, furthest from where he had already settled down to eat. The rest of the crew gravitated towards her, leaving Logan by himself. Even Eli was torn between sitting with his Captain or the captivating redhead, and after sending Logan an apologetic glance, joined the rest of the men.
After dinner the men set up their instruments and began tuning them. It took a few tries, but eventually the cacophony transitioned into synchronized music. Eli had his flute, Piers played the fiddle, Noah found a dusty cello in the hold, and David banged along with a drum. Pax was the first to ask Amber to dance. He swung her around in a wild Irish jig, her laughter carried by the wind to her ever-present observer, Logan, who leaned against the railing of the ship watching. It was painful to see her shameless flirtation, and even harder was that she interacted so easily with the other men. Every once in awhile, however, he caught her stealing glances in his direction. He dared not get his hopes up, but a part of him refused to ignore the likelihood that her dress, her flirting, her dancing…everything was carefully executed to make him jealous. He hated to admit that it was working. But if she was doing it on purpose, then she must have a reason. He burned to look inside her devious head, read her cunning thoughts and decipher the mixed signals she was constantly sending his way. Instead, he drank another flagon of ale, and continued to watch her dance. His little gypsy.
Amber couldn’t remember a time when she had as much fun as she was having being twirled around the deck by a bunch of unruly, and mostly drunk, pirates. Each of them had approached her and asked for a dance, some of them charming in their awkwardness, others, like Anton, surprising her by being very nimble on their feet. For what seemed like hours she jigged and waltzed, engaged in complicated ballroom figure dances, and stomped along as the men sang their favorite shanties. At first they were hesitant to utter the true lyrics in front of Amber. But soon they loosened up—or perhaps the alcohol lessened their inhibitions—and they started teaching her the raunchy verses so she could sing along.
She felt lightheaded as Elijah set down his flute and took her hand. As the others continued to play, he began to lead her around the deck. “Are you enjoying yourself?” he inquired as she lifted her skirts and circled around him.
“I’m having a wonderful time!”
He circled around her. “I’m glad. I’m also glad that you’ve decided to take Logan down a notch,” he admitted as he stepped in towards her, and back out again.
“I beg your pardon?”
He snickered. “Surely you’ve noticed his gaze boring a hole into your back all evening? I don’t know what your purposes are, but you’ve made him desire you even more. I only hope you know what you’re doing, Amber, because I’ve never seen Logan fight so hard against his desires, and I’m not sure how long he can hold out.”
“And?”
“And, when at last he is unable to fight anymore…well, I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I do,” she replied, surprising herself with the ease at which the answer came to her. She knew what would eventually happen, all right, and it shocked her to her core to realize that she was not afraid. “It’s what I want,” she admitted to Elijah, who looked startled by her confession.
“Really?”
“Yes. I want him. I want Logan.”
“And you’re absolutely positive that it isn’t the ale talking, making you say these things?” She nodded. “Good, because Logan is coming over here right now.”
Before Amber could blink or swallow he was there, his tall form blocking the moonlight and invading her senses. Eli stepped back and winked at Amber, leaving her alone with Logan. “May I?” he asked, his voice rough. Without waiting for her answer he curled an arm around her waist and wrapped his fingers around hers. As he spun her around she began to doubt her decision, thinking that maybe it had been the alcohol giving her courage. For now, being so close to the object of her desire, she was suddenly frightened by the implications of provoking his interest even further.
She forced herself to close her eyes and stop thinking. Sailing in Logan’s arms, she demanded that her brain make a decision: return to the impulsive, emotionally driven ways of her childhood, or remove herself from temptation at once. The distractions around her melted away until all that remained were she herself and Logan. His arms encircling her, his familiar smell comforting and arousing her, the ravenous look she knew would be in his eyes. Never had she been so torn between passion and reason. As he pulled her against his hard chest, she realized that the source of all her turmoil the past few weeks was not anger or even resentment, but instead stemmed from her own need for fulfillment. Logan had awakened something deep inside her the first time he had kissed her, had fanned the flames in Tortuga when he had brought her to the brink of paradise. Even now he set her on fire with a single glance. She desperately wanted to experience the full blaze of his sensuality, as within her, the last flickering candle of reason was extinguished. Ecstasy.
“Logan?”
“Yes, Amber?”
“Will you teach me how to read the stars?”
Logan was taken aback by her strange request, but gave her a quick nod and released her from his hold. Taking her hand he steered her towards the opposite end of the ship, where it was quieter and less crowded.
“Here’s as good a spot as any,
” he determined as he peered upwards. “Although it’s still a bit hard to see. The ship has to be fairly dark to make anything out properly.”
“We could always climb up there,” Amber offered, pointing towards the crow’s nest. She was right, he reasoned, the height would bring them out of range of the ship’s lanterns, but it was the small, confined space that worried him. She was already scaling the mast, however, and as he followed her up it was damned hard not to notice her bare legs underneath her thin skirt.
He reached the top and climbed into the narrow, enclosed platform. There was a bit of confusion as they shuffled about, trying to both fit, but at last they stood still with her back pressed against his chest. “I can’t see anything,” she admitted with exasperation.
“Give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness,” he told her with a smile. “You’re always so impatient, little monkey.”
She stiffened against him. “What did you call me?”
“Little monkey? I was just referring to the way you scamper up and down the rigging like a monkey. Did I say something to offend you?”
“No,” she admitted, relaxing a bit. “It’s just that my father used to call me that, before he died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to be. It was a long time ago and besides, it doesn’t bring up any bad memories anymore. Just a bit of nostalgia, I suppose.” They didn’t speak for a few minutes. “Oh! I think I can make out a star now,” she told him excitedly, pointing up towards a bright yellow light, sparkling against a backdrop of indigo velvet sky.
He ducked his head to follow her finger upwards. “Aye, you’ve found Polaris.”
“The North Star?”
“Yes, and if you follow it down,” he told her as he extended his arm around her to point with his own finger, “you can see Ursa Minor, which is Latin for—”
“Little bear. I had an atrocious Latin tutor as a child,” she said with a smile. “But it doesn’t look much like a bear to me.”
“The Greeks originally saw it as a dog, which would explain the long tail. Another story is that the bear was spun around the pole by its tail, causing it to stretch. Even before that it was believed to be the wing on top of another constellation, Draco, ‘the dragon.’” He pointed her towards a long chain of stars beneath Ursa Minor. “Over here, this clump of stars is Ursa Major, which contains the Big Dipper. This one is especially handy because the two stars furthest from the handle, if you follow them over, lead you right towards Polaris again.”
“Why is Polaris so important?” she asked, leaning back against him. He lowered his head down, his mouth close to her ear, and wrapped his other arm around her.
“Polaris never moves, and if you were standing directly at the North Pole, all the other constellations would revolve around it. But as long as you are anywhere in the northern hemisphere you can use Polaris to determine your latitude, by measuring the angle it makes with the horizon.” His voice dropped to a whisper, as he lifted the weight of her curls and moved them aside, uncovering the satin skin of her neck for his greedy mouth to devour.
She turned in his embrace and lifted herself up on to her toes to better reach his lips, her hands splayed across his back. His lips devoured hers as he clutched her even tighter against his hard body. She gasped, but continued to kiss him. Nor did she complain when his fingers began exploring the sensitive flesh beneath her collarbone, and when he ducked his head to lavish kisses along it, she let her head fall backwards with a moan. He tugged the front of her chemise to expose her breasts, which he immediately covered with his large callused hands, while his relentless tongue explored the depths of her mouth.
His erection was straining at the front of his breeches, and as if understanding the primal need that coursed through his veins, Amber pressed her hips against him, making him even more wild with need. His hands left her breasts to roam her body possessively, grasping at her back, her shoulders, her buttocks.
All of a sudden he broke away. She blinked at him. “What’s the matter?”
“We have to stop, Amber.” Even as the words left his mouth, the storm that raged in his steel grey eyes suggested that he would love nothing more than to continue.
She pressed her body against his. “No, we don’t.”
He shook his head and tried to back away from her, a feat made impossible by their cramped space. “You don’t understand. I have to stop now, because if I don’t…I’ll never be able to. I’m sorry.” Without letting her say another word he lifted himself over the edge of the crow’s nest and descended the mast.
Her body was still painfully responsive, and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out as she slid her chemise over her breasts, the soft fabric feeling like coarse wool against her taut nipples. She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair and climbed down to the deck, her trembling legs carrying her towards the empty cabin instead of back to the party.
Once inside the room she began pacing, restless and anxious. She knew Logan would have to return to the cabin to go to sleep, so he couldn’t avoid her forever. She would just have to wait for him there.
The flame of reason sparked to life inside her once again, reminding her of her goal of finding a husband. A titled husband, which meant that no matter how strong the physical attraction between her and Logan might be, nothing could ever come of their union. She ignored the warmth that spread throughout her body as she imagined herself marrying Logan, and squashed all reasonable thoughts from her head. She had already made up her mind, and besides, what harm could come of following her infatuation through to its ultimate endpoint? Perhaps letting Logan take her innocence was all it would take to alleviate the fiery need she felt, just once and she would be satisfied. Either way, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. She smoothed her hair in the mirror, blew out all the candles except for one, and settled on the bed to wait for Logan’s return.
Abe found Logan sprawled out in the empty longboat, swaying gently on its chains as it hung beside the ship. “Cap’n? Is everything all right?” the cook asked, concern evident in his voice. Logan sat up with a groan. “I’ll take that as a no, then. Is it Miss Amber? I saw you watching her mighty close all night. And I could tell by the way she dressed that she was up to something, am I right?”
“How the hell did you get to be so observant?” mumbled Logan as he stood and jumped onto the deck.
“My mum used to tell me, ‘Abraham, you don’t have good looks and you sure as heck don’t have the brains, so you got to work twice as hard to be a kind, caring person. That’s the only way you’ll get anywhere in this world.’”
“Well, it certainly is a wise thought, if a little blunt. And yes, I’m having problems with Amber.”
“Problems with self-control, I reckon. Not hard to understand, she did look something beautiful tonight. But listen; if you want this lowly cook’s advice, I’d stay away from her until this whole thing has blown over. You can sleep in the galley tonight if you think it’ll help.”
“Thank you, Abe, I might just do that,” Logan said, clapping the man on the back. “I suppose I aught to get my stuff out of the cabin, instead of putting it off any longer.” He said goodnight and strode over to the cabin, hesitating before opening the door.
Inside, the light was dim and a single candle set a soft glow. It took him a few seconds to locate Amber, curled up on top of the blankets and watching him closely. He shut the door. “I just need to collect a few things, and then I’ll be out of your way, I promise.”
She sat up. “You aren’t staying?”
“Not tonight, I’ll…I’ll sleep somewhere else for a few nights.”
“Why? Why can’t you just stay here?”
“Because I can’t trust myself around you,” he explained as he glanced over at her. “I’m sorry, but this is the best way. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight Amber,” he said as he turned to leave.
“Logan?” His hand stilled on the door. “I want you to stay. Ple
ase.”
Chapter Sixteen
His heart began thumping wildly in his chest as he made a slow turn towards her. She was kneeling on the edge of the bed now, her cheeks flushed and her vibrant hair glowing in the candlelight. Unable to fight the power of her seductive proposal, he found himself inching towards her. His steps were slow, however, as he waited for her to come to her senses and send him away.
“You do realize what you’re asking of me, don’t you?” She nodded quickly. “Amber, are you sure you want this?”
“I’ve never been so certain of anything in my life.”
“You know that if you change your mind…I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop?” He halted in front of her, afraid to touch her, afraid to break the final boundary that separated them.
“I won’t change my mind.” To prove her point, she took his hand and brought it to her chest, pressing it flat so that he could feel the accelerated rhythm of her heartbeat. “I don’t know what this feeling is…I only know that I feel safe in your arms. My heart races every time I see you, I can’t catch my breath when I’m around you, and I’m on fire whenever you touch me…”
And then he kissed her.
Though she’d been kissed by Logan before, nothing could compare to the heat and ferocity of the way he kissed her now. She clutched the front of his shirt and tilted her head back, allowing him to ravage her mouth. Wanting to feel his skin beneath her hands she clumsily untied the laces that held his shirt closed at the top, and sensing her haste he pulled it over his head, the air cool on his bare skin. A shiver traveled down his body as she ran her fingertips through the course hair on his chest, arching her back against him, needing to feel the warmth of his body against hers. With a savage urgency he tore the red skirt from her waist and threw it to the floor, his mouth never leaving hers, and leaned her backwards onto the bed.
The expression on her face surpassed any of his wild fantasies, and he prayed to god that this wasn’t a dream that he would soon awaken from. As she squirmed beneath him, his fingers expertly undid the tiny hooks on the front of her corset one by one until she was left wearing only her thin chemise. Her rosy nipples peaked under his touch as his knuckles grazed her breasts over the soft fabric, which he wasted no time in stripping off her, letting it whisper to the ground next to her corset.