She clung to the seat behind her, her shoulders and arms straining against the material holding them, but all these feelings added to what he was doing.
Then he plucked a nipple with his free hand. One little added touch. Once, twice, and by the third time, she came apart. Her whole body shook and convulsed. Her toes curled in her slippers and every muscle tightened and strained and came apart. She cried out long and loud, calling his name, calling for God, praising the unbelievable way this one man made her fly.
He stayed with her body as she writhed and screamed, and only when her muscles went completely lax, only when her breaths were mere pants and her head hung to her chest, did he move away.
Elise was past thinking. She was aware of his movements, though. Her eyes were too heavy to open, so she listened. He swept her skirts back over her legs, he swiped a cloth over her chest where he’d spent himself and he tugged her bodice back up. He untied her arms, his own hands sure and strong, and rubbed them until feeling returned in a stinging rush. Finally, he swept her up into his arms where she snuggled against him, her face pressed to his warm neck that smelled spicy and enticing.
She placed a lingering kiss on the thick cord of muscle and didn’t speak. Where he wanted to take her or what he wanted to do, she didn’t care. But she knew there would be no turning back now.
A niggling part of her brain told her he hadn’t
truly
taken her, she was still a virgin, but with her new knowledge from this one evening, would that matter?
Unfortunately, her uncle would probably say no. She’d been warned that a doctor would be called to confirm her virginity as her fiancé was expecting a virgin bride. She sneered inside. The fiancé wanted her pure. And this pirate wanted her pure. Two men, both wanting her intact for two different reasons. So long as her virginity remained, she was valuable. What would happen when it was lost? Then she’d be free.
Raphael held her close as he took her back to her cabin. The men, thankfully, didn’t approach him. With the way Elise had screamed tonight, he had no doubt they knew what he’d been doing. Did he care? Not as long as they kept their hands off her.
In the past, when he’d had a willing woman on board, if she didn’t mind, he’d share her with the crew. But this girl was different. He could tell himself it was because she was a virgin and he didn’t trust his men with untried flesh. He’d be right, but more than that, he wanted to be selfish for once with a woman. He wanted her touch and her sighs and her lips to cry out only his name.
When they reached her cabin, he laid her on the bed and brushed her hair back from her face. She smiled and turned to her side as if she’d go back to sleep. He considered joining her. But it was one thing to love her body when he had a clear head. If he slept with her and woke up with her in his arms, he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from taking her fully. And if the governor even thought she was ruined, Raphael could say goodbye to revenge.
She murmured something when he pulled away, but he didn’t turn back. He’d exhausted her untried body. Better to let her sleep it off and come what may tomorrow.
He closed her door with a quiet click and returned to his cabin. His first mate, Reddy, was waiting by the door. He didn’t want to speak to anyone, but Reddy wouldn’t be here without a good reason. Raphael had an idea what it was about, but he’d let Reddy be the one to open up.
Without a word, Raphael entered the room, Reddy following and closing the door behind him. Raphael poured them both a drink and collapsed into the chair behind his desk.
They remained silent for long moments. Finally Reddy spoke.
“The lads were talking about what they’d do when we land in a few days. Some of them are thinking of taking their share and buying land.”
Raphael nodded. “
Bien
. They need to plan out their futures.”
“But then, some wanted to know if they’d have to take up with another ship?”
Raphael raised his brow. “Maybe some of them aren’t ready to leave the sea life.”
Reddy studied the captain a moment and slammed his empty cup to the desktop. “Damn it, Raphael, I can’t believe you went and fucked that girl. Since when did a skirt become more important than revenge?”
Raphael had expected this, so he sipped his drink and studied his first mate. “We’ve been together…ten years at least,
sí
?”
Reddy nodded.
“Everything I’ve worked all these years for is near my grasp. Do you think I’d fuck it up by taking the girl’s virginity? The ransom will be sweet, but we don’t need that. We’ve money aplenty. I want and I will get revenge on Miguel.”
“Then what the hell did you do to her? We heard her through the entire ship.”
Raphael couldn’t help the grin that slashed across his face at the bold compliment. “Ah, Reddy, you should know there are other ways to love a woman that do not involve spoiling her virgin flesh.”
Reddy stared, then broke out a husky laugh.
Raphael joined in the laughter for a moment before his chuckles tapered off. Loving her body may be all well and good, but Reddy was right. He could not forget she was his means to get to his cousin.
* * * *
The next day, her cabin was his first stop. Letting himself in, he was surprised to see it empty. Who let her out? Then he remembered he’d told Stiff to leave off the guard. Raphael had expected to greet her himself.
Concerned, he went first to the galley, only to find with a smirk from Cook that she’d been in, eaten and left.
He finally found her on deck. At the sight of her, he nearly stumbled. She was an endless surprise.
Her back was to him, and she stood with spread legs. Those long legs were encased in a formfitting pair of black breeches which hugged her every curve. A white shirt billowed out from where it was tucked into the breeches and a silk scarf flew from where it was tied at her waist. Her feet were bare, and long, black tresses of her unbound hair flew behind her in the wind.
She looked nothing like an earl’s daughter, nothing like the decadent lady she’d been yesterday and nothing like the virgin he’d made come last night. With her hands planted firmly on her hips, speaking with Reddy, she looked like she belonged on this ship.
Who was this woman?
When he tore his gaze from her, he noticed most of the crew working slowly, taking long, lingering peeks at his woman.
“
Volver al trabajo,
” he shouted. “Get back to work!” He was angered that they let a mere slip of a female turn their heads. They’d left port a week ago and would be heading back in a few days, so it wasn’t like they hadn’t been with a woman in a long time. And they were used to females on board the ship. Okay, in his dried-mouth defense, no lady had come on board in breeches before, but still…
He stepped up to her the same time she turned to face him. Reddy caught his glare and backed away with a smirk.
The shirt she wore was obviously a man’s shirt, and even though she’d tied the lacings tight, the wind tugged and pulled at the openings, letting him spy bits of creamy skin that his mouth watered to taste once more. He dragged his gaze to her face and she met him with a stern look.
“Good morning, Captain. The winds look in our favor today, wouldn’t you say? Where are we off to?”
What was she playing at? He decided to humor her. “We’re set on the same course as yesterday. Bound for Carolina to deliver you to your uncle.”
Her face fell, but only for a moment. She glanced around, almost as if checking to see that no one would overhear. Then she lowered her voice.
“But after last night, I didn’t think I’d have to go to my uncle.”
He stepped close and caressed her cheek. “Sweet
cariño
, last night was pleasurable, but you are still a virgin. I will still have my reward. You will be delivered to your uncle before the week’s out.”
“What if he won’t pay the ransom?”
He grinned. “He will.”
She sputtered a moment before turning around and stomping across the deck. She stopped in front of Reddy and they had a brief conversation before Reddy turned his eyes to him with a shrug. Raphael had no idea what she was pestering his first mate about, but he simply nodded back. Let Reddy watch her for a while. Right now, if Raphael remained near Elise, he’d take her to his cabin and fuck her, his rewards be damned.
He growled and stalked toward the stern. She was getting under his skin, making him forget his purpose. His aunt, his mother’s sister, had been swept off her feet by an English gentleman and followed him to England, bearing him a son—Miguel. Raphael and his mother were not so fortunate and when his mother had fallen ill, Raphael had appealed to his wealthier cousin for help. The
bastardo
had turned his back to him and without funds for a doctor, his mother had died a labored death. Ever since then, Raphael had hunted Miguel, but the man had been too lofty for Raphael to even get near. When the cards had lined up in this kidnapping, Raphael had known this was his chance for revenge.
He shook his head. No, no matter how tempting the English lady, he would not lose this battle.
Chapter Six
Elise ate dinner with the crew that evening, enjoying their camaraderie. She’d started the day tagging along after Reddy, but they quickly became fed up with one another. He’d found some paints in the hold for her, for which she’d grudgingly thanked him. Her watercolors weren’t the best, but it gave her something to do instead of dwelling on
that man
.
She couldn’t believe, after what they’d done the night before, that he still planned to deliver her to her uncle. She knew she had to work harder to seduce him, but today she was simply too angry. Her mood grew fouler as she went back to her cabin. She knew ladies shouldn’t throw themselves at a man, it was uncouth. But she couldn’t understand how he could resist her, either, especially when she made no secret of her desires. It made no sense.
Her skin tingled, remembering his touch. She started to will it away then thought better. No, she’d go to her cabin, strip down and touch herself silly. She’d rub her skin and use her fingers inside her body and cry and scream and let him know what he was missing. Yes, that would teach the scoundrel.
When she stepped into her cabin, she stifled a shriek to see Raphael sitting at her small desk, a jar in his hand, the chair tilted back.
Her surprise quickly turned into a warming heat. Perhaps he was there to make up for what he’d said earlier, to continue what he’d started the previous night. Her anger evaporated at the heat in his eyes. This had to be the night he’d take her in all ways.
A smile crossed her face and she slowly closed the door, leaning her back against the wood. “Captain. What a surprise to see you here.”
“Is it really?”
She didn’t answer, but began to work at the knot at her throat to loosen the lacings.
They didn’t speak, both of them eyeing the other as if taking measure. She finally got the knot loose, then took a deep breath. Being the coy seductress may be new to her, but she wanted more. She wanted his body, over hers, in hers, devouring her in every way. A part of her—that naїve female inside her—hoped he’d take her and never let her go. But the practical side of her that wanted to be independent, and that had read the naughty books, knew he probably had a woman at every port.
She beat down the glimmer of jealousy at that thought. Besides, who’s to say
she
wouldn’t want someone at every port, too?
Steeling her nerve, she pulled the laces out, her unbound breasts shifting beneath the thin material of the shirt. When it gaped, and when his gaze was firmly locked on her barely covered chest, she bit her lip and pulled the shirt off entirely.
The chair legs hit the floor with a thunk and when she looked up again, he stood right in front of her.
He took the shirt from her hand and tossed it to the side before threading his fingers through her windswept hair. He angled her head and crushed his mouth to hers.
This was the first time he’d kissed her, and the kiss was hard and bruising, but pulsing with life and with promise.
He pushed her lips open and she allowed him, her tongue meeting his, thrusting and tangling together. He tasted of something dark and sinful and she wanted more. She wanted to drown in him.
“Oh, Raphael,” she murmured when he pulled her head back and trailed open mouthed kisses down her throat. “Yes, yes, yes.”
His free hand gripped her hip and squeezed before running up her waist, over her ribs to cup one bare breast. He kneaded and ended with firm tugs on the nipple. Plumping up her breast, he lowered his head and sucked the tip deep into his mouth, his tongue lashing, making sparks fly within her and desire to shoot through her body. She shifted her legs and moaned, her pussy gathering moisture and heating up.
She pressed his head close to her breast, urging him to continue, to not stop. He moved from one breast to the other, feasting upon them until she writhed between him and the door, her legs shifting restlessly.
“More,” she begged. “Take me, Raphael. Make me yours.”
He licked his way back up her neck and took her mouth as harshly as he’d done before. “
Eres mía
, Elise. You are already mine. Didn’t you know that?”
He spun them around and walked her to the bed. When she fell back, he pulled away and grabbed one of her feet. One of the crew had given her a pair of old boots to wear. It didn’t seem to matter to Raphael. He worked efficiently, pulling first one then the other boot from her feet before unlacing her breeches and peeling them from her body. She lay back, watching him, the way his eyes gleamed in the candlelight and the way he seemed so intent, so devoted to his task at hand.
“You are like a goddess of the sea,” he murmured once he had her undressed. She’d never been so praised, and she flushed, thrilled at the compliment.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank
you
,” he corrected, before falling over her and kissing her senseless once more.